Liverpool FC Forum

[grannystabber]

Get use to it as we are Wimbledon at the moment get it on the floor and lets watch Crouch, Garcia and Sissko play some ball

[Redrider]

I fear that our passing game is not direct enough at times. There is still to much of a crabbing style to our play. Which keeps us in the middle third of the field to the extent that we then need to lob in a long ball to make progress, which we ultimately lose in a crowded box or down the flanks.
If you watch Barcelona, they keep possession but make a lot of forward progess with their passing, which is something that we cannot achieve without a long ball.

[Ciggy]

Terrible 165 shots on goal the last 10 games 5 goals scored scored something is seriously wrong

[FrankM]

   Its not just down to the strikers.

The sad fact is that it IS all down to our strikers.

In 45 matches between them they have scored ONE goal.

You cant blame bad luck or lack of confidence for that.

The number of chances that were created in those games  are countless whether they were created by long ball or pass and move. Our strikers are to blame and thats it.

[puroresu]

what are shots on goals? chances! we created chances on target didn't we? so they are counted as GOAL ATTEMPTS!

No they are not.  Shooting from long distance is a lot more difficult to score than shooting from 18 yards. 

If a team comes to Anfield and has 21 shots from 35 yards I wont mind one bit at all as the chances of them scoring from 35 yards is not very high.

I'm not saying we are as direct as Wimbledon was however what seems to be happening is if their is nothing on instead of keeping the ball we just lump it forward which breaks down and gives the ball away.

I agree with the comment regarding That a lot of our play is quite pedestrian.  We at times have plenty possession but it’s so slow and lacks urgency.  How many times do you see us hit teams on the counter like an Arsenal do? You don’t need to be direct to attack quickly.  You just need to move the ball quickly and move.  The whole idea should be to drag defenders into positions they do not want to be in making space for others.  However out style in my opinion and the choice of front men gives CB’s an easy ride.

[puroresu]

   Its not just down to the strikers.

The sad fact is that it IS all down to our strikers.

In 45 matches between them they have scored ONE goal.

You cant blame bad luck or lack of confidence for that.

The number of chances that were created in those games  are countless whether they were created by long ball or pass and move. Our strikers are to blame and thats it.

How does Rafa justify playing Crouch and Morientes more often than not? If he knows the strikers are not scoring why not try something different.  Cisse and Fowler.

[Redrider]

Don't blame the strikers for having to operate in a crowded box etc., They are not always getting good incisive balls to run on to, our approach play is often too ponderous !!
Also the strikers are being requested to do too much work in the mid-field and are playing too often in deep positions, particularly Morientes !!
Rafa, has to take some of the blame for his tactics.

[puroresu]

Don't blame the strikers for having to operate in a crowded box etc., They are not always getting good incisive balls to run on to, our approach play is often too ponderous !!
Also the strikers are being requested to do too much work in the mid-field and are playing too often in deep positions, particularly Morientes !!
Rafa, has to take some of the blame for his tactics.

Agreed.  Rafa likes to play 2 strikers who can drop deep and play witht their back to goal. Fowler when he plays does all his work outside the box.

We dont get through balls in between defenders however that will never be the case while Rafa continues to not play strikers who play on the shoulders of CB's.  i.e. Cisse and Fowler.

[JBG]

Don't blame the strikers for having to operate in a crowded box etc., They are not always getting good incisive balls to run on to, our approach play is often too ponderous !!
Also the strikers are being requested to do too much work in the mid-field and are playing too often in deep positions, particularly Morientes !!
Rafa, has to take some of the blame for his tactics.

Another man who comes out of the woodwork when we lose.

[115-1073096938]

JBG... they're called gloryhunters mate. They aren't real Liverpool fans, don't let them wind you up.

[FrankM]

I'm just saying that if you collective strikers score one goal in 45 matches you have to blame the strikers, not the manager, not the defence not the midfielders.

[dawson99]

they may be glory hunters but they have a point. Rafa is class but he has to admit hes made a mistake with his choice of strikers. it really is that simple. we need players who can score goals, and we have a striker in cisse (who u all hate) who rafa wont play in the strikers position.
it is a question that needs to be asked

[oakton]

i agree, too many long kicks, I think this game plan is too Crounch-Oriented, we are far too often looking for Crouch to kick to, it will be good only if Crouch is quick and heads the ball well.

[Redrider]

Don't blame the strikers for having to operate in a crowded box etc., They are not always getting good incisive balls to run on to, our approach play is often too ponderous !!
Also the strikers are being requested to do too much work in the mid-field and are playing too often in deep positions, particularly Morientes !!
Rafa, has to take some of the blame for his tactics.

Another man who comes out of the woodwork when we lose.

Up yours !
At least I am stcking to the thread !!
And the comment is the same that I made two weeks ago in defence of Morientes and has nothing to do with a win, lose or draw!!

[Redman in wales]

they may be glory hunters but they have a point. Rafa is class but he has to admit hes made a mistake with his choice of strikers. it really is that simple. we need players who can score goals, and we have a striker in cisse (who u all hate) who rafa wont play in the strikers position.
it is a question that needs to be asked

agree. ok so rafa doesnt like cisse, but would he really put moro on his current form ahead of cisse in games like benfica?

- there must be more going on behind the scenes.   

crouch  got 14 games to score his first goal..
moro has gone 16 games now without scoring

the most cisse gets is 2... and they're both on the rw!!

now i know that point has been mentioned by many (inc me many times b4) but all i'm saying now is there must be something behind the scenes, training, words, attitude etc that rafa is deciding is teamsheet on.... not just the simple fact of scoring to win