Liverpool FC Forum

[Mikz]

...Scintillating post there from young Rafa Dodd..sums up my feelings completely.

[woof woof !]

missing Kewell and Sissoko for long periods has caused us massive problems this season. Especially Kewell's absence.

Considering that Kewell has only played 23 games for us since the start of the 2004/2005 season (scoring 1 goal) you'd think we'd be used to playing without him by now . 

[66-1120597113]

Well said Raffa D ma son!!

[account deleted by request]

Great post again Rafa, I couldnt agree more. As for Stu I may not like the way he puts his ideas across but I always read with interest what he has to say. He always backs his ideas up with a reasoned argument, and whether I agree with him or not he usually makes me think about things from another angle and perspective. I just never bother arguing with him (I'm hardly going to change his mind am I   )

[83-1165214211]

Hindsight is a wonderful virtue.


   I am one of the first to admit like many fans that the start to this season has deflated me massively. Perhaps it was the F.A Cup win, the record league run, or even the Community Shield victory over Chelsea but I, along with many, thought that this year, might of been the year we put together a decent challenge. The squad was strong, we spent money on new players and we had one of the best tacticans in world football as manager. I had high hopes and they were justified.

  The start to the season once again was inept. The season before after we won the Champions League, the start was the worst in Liverpool's history in the Premiership. And it happened again this year. Is the team slow starters? Are they fit enough? It raises some questions. 2 seasons on the bounce with very bad starts. What can be going wrong?

Rafa's Tactics

   Rafa's rotation, a subject of fierce debate throughout this season is always going to continue. Its worked before and who are we to argue with his track record? I am not a big fan of changing the CB, I'll agree with that. Actually I am not a big fan of changing any of the back five. But the rest of the places are fair game in my opinion, some players suit different games, some players need a rest etc.

   He wants the team to play his way and it worked for the majority of 2 seasons. His trophy haul is impressive and the general concensus is that he has improved Liverpool massively. I believe we need to give him a bit more time to get his tactics tuned up.

Fowler

    A player I have seen mentioned a few times in this thread already. Robbie Fowler, God, is my hero. I started going the game whe he was in his prime, and I lived for watching him in action at the weekends. He was brilliant and still is a legend at Anfield. I was very, very upset when GH sold him, so much in fact I lost a lot of my hunger for the game and developed a massive dislike for our french boss. I loved Robbie Fowler....


BUT


  To suggest he is one of our best players now is totally absurd. He WAS a great player, he still is a great finisher but he is not up the standard that the Premiership requires now. Every time he has played this year, he doesn't look like he has a goal in him. Yes he can score goals when there put on a plate for him but he is not a creator and lacks the physical attributes for the modern game. Kuyt, Bellamy and Crouch all bring more the team when there playing. Fowler gives the crowd a lift, but he offers little going forward. He is a legend but to say he is one of our best players now is not fair on the current crop of players.


The Signings So Far

Agree with Aurelio, he looked lost in the early days of the season and his positional play is awful. He loves getting forward but what did you expect from our first ever Brazilian footballer? I think the lad can come good though, he looks a very good footballer technically. His passing, crossing and awareness when he is on the ball is very very good.

Gonzo  -  Not impressed me greatly but I never expected him to set the world on fire. We had a very good Harry Kewell back last year and its very disapointing and frustrating to see him injured again. However more recently Gonzo has shown glimpses of what he is capable of and he is still young. Give him time.

Pennant  -  Many of you know my feelings on this lad. I am always a big supporter of all the lads, I am a big believer in giving players time to settle, learn our style etc.
  However Pennant does not cut it at all with me. His crossing is very good yes, but his inability to beat a man is pathetic. He is fast, good on the ball and yet never ever tries to take a man on and whip one in. Also as many of you know - HIS SHORT PASSING GAME IS AWFUL.

Crouch  -  Very, very unfair there Stu and the rest of Crouchies doubters. He is our top scorer and he got the least playing time. He is a cracking lad and brings Gerrard into the game a lot more when he plays. Some people have exceptionally short memories. : (

Kuyt and Bellamy -  Both only been here since the start of the season, and while they have not set the world on fire, they have done well and scored goals.

  Kuyt is a work horse, never stops and the crowd love him for it. He is just adapting to the league and he is a prospect that excites me a lot. I have no doubt he will finish with over 20 goals this year.

  Bellamy took a while to get going but it seems a weight has been lifted off his shoulders and he is playing very well at the moment. He was unlucky not to get on the score sheet at Blackburn and I think he will be a good signing. He was a steal at 6m and no one can deny that. 

   * They might not be in the same bracket of Fowler, Rush and Owen but there doing well and give them a chance.


The ones that got away...

Ashton  -  Right, Ashton had a good half season culminating in a good performance against us in the F.A Cup Final. He was a risk for West Ham and would be a risk now if we bought him. I prefer Crouch, but thats my preference.

Anelka  -  We should never of let him go but that was GH doing and we got Diouf!!  However I would not of bought him from Fenerbache for 8m, he is scoring a few goals now for Bolton, but how long did it take him to get going? He is a sulking bastard and imagine him in the dressing room after our bad start? He would be off in January. Also 8m for a 28 year old is bad business IMO.

Bullard  - I like Bullard, for Wigan but in our team? Xabi, Momo and Gerrard are all a lot better than Jimmy. He is a mid table player thats all.

  Also your list of "players that got away" woulld off left our team in a worse state than it is now.

  BULLARD  - OUT FOR THE SEASON

  ASHTON  -  OUT FOR 6 Months.

Very bad injuries for both players and what a waste that would of been. Like I said Hindsight is a wonderful virtue.


Here's the reality check:

   We do not have a divine right to be top of the table very year. Our supporters are very demanding due to our history and rightly so but Chelsea, Tottenham, Man Utd, Arsenal all have more spending ability when it comes to transfers. Rafa has done very well with what he has had to spend.

  GH left this club in tatters. It was in a reallly bad way and Rafa came in and steadied the ship. His tactics are responseable for our amazing home form and our recent trophy haul. He is one of the best managers in Europe and he will bring more trophies to Liverpool Football Club.

  Were still in the hunt for 3 trophies this year so to cast the season off as a right off is absurd. The Carling Cup is 3 rounds away. Our defence of the F.A Cup starts in a few weeks and the Champions League dream is still very much alive.

We need to all get behind the team. The players are trying and so is Rafa. He loves this club and we love him. We need to show our continued support for our Spanish manager. The next 2 games are very hard games. Spurs away and Bolton at home are games that could shape our season and its vital we get the right results.

Oh and Momo Sissoko is by far a better player than Jimmy FUUKING Bullard!!!


Thats all


Rafa-Dodd

Whoever mentioned Hindsight?

Yuo telling me that me saying don't change a winning team, play Kuyt over Crouch, don't play stupid formations and play your best players is hindsight? Nar, sorry.

You're simply kissing in a place thats full of kissers and are so detatached from reality its unreal.

Typical of the new breed of "newkit" posters.

Rafa's tactics in general are fine. He likes the same kind of team I do, with the right amount of flair, passion, commitment, solidity and defensive solidness. The problem is changing a winning side, dropping in form players, not playing your best players. You never should change a back five unless you have to, you should never drop your best players unless you have to. There isn't enough Quality in the squad to rest certain players though and it shows when they don't play.

The subject of Fowler grates my nerves. THE LAD SCORES GOALS! again for you... GOALS! GOALS WIN YOU GAMES! He is an excellent player with a touch, intelligence, speed of thought, technical ability. As for him not being upto the standard of a premiership player in what way are you talking? He's more intelligent than all our strikers, he's technically better than them all and has a better goals to minutes ratio than them all. So what his physical attributes aren't the best? They never have been. Yes he's not the player he was but to suggest he's completely lost it and can't do what he done last season is laughable. Last season he shown more than all of our strikers have so far with the exception of what Kuyt shown on his debeut.

Its about where you take a touch, when you take it, the disguise on a pass, can you actually pass, can you spot the pass. Fowler in all cases yes. The others in some cases yes in others no. You go on about players bringing something to the team, Fowler was one of our best players last season when he signed scoring 5 from 13 (all first goals I might add) and his general play was very good. He has an intelligence about his game, movement, touch, positioning, quality, reading of the game that the others simply don't and never will have. The other thing is Fowler will bring the best out of players like Pennant who like a cross and like Gerrard who burst forward looking for one-two's.

The problem is people these days want athletes. Not players. Hence the reason the english national team is such a shambles these days and is so overated its unreal and players like Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are made out to be better than they actually are.

Thats another subject.

About Kuyt and Bellamy, they aren't Fowler or Owen, thats my point. They aren't even Drogba, Crespo, Schevchenko, Ashton, Henry, van Persie etc.

They're just good limited players with attributes.

Ashton had a good second half to the season? Ashton has been excellent everywhere. Simple as. He scores goals, he can hold a ball up, pass a ball, finish, HEAD A BALL, he's strong he's physically very good and technically excellent and two footed. He's got nearly every attribute in the game if not everything on Crouch. Crouch is a very very average player. For a 6'7 forward who consistently misses chances from 5 yards unchallenged should show you what we're dealing with.

I'm sick of the lack of quality people expect, then build all our players up then wonder why we struggle?? the mind boggles.

You also go on about Crouch, then say you wouldn't sign Anelka and how long did it take him to get going? Well i'm sorry, but I'm most certainly not the one with the short memory. Crouch took 20 odd games to score once. Anelka took 7. Anelka's a class act. Again, can pass, run, shoot, score, create, cause problems, is strong and intelligent.

As for Momo being better than Bullard, do me a favour and take the rose tinted specs off. Yes he can tackle better and yes he probably has SLIGHTLY and only SLIGHTLY more stamina, yes he is probably a bit stronger but Bullard can pass, spot a pass, work hard, score a goal, shoot, cross a ball and dicate the pace of a game. The lads an international class footballer. Again watch his touch, intelligence and quality, not what the clowns around him do.

As for GH leaving the club in tatters, get to . Look at the champions league final squad. Two players in there lad that weren't signed by Houllier. Houllier made mistakes, all of them coming in an 18 month period. But don't give me about him ruining the club because it doesn't wash.

To be honest i don't even know why i'm replying. Constructive critisism is unwelcome on this site recently since the kissing brigade come about.

Its people like you who will turn on Rafa just as you did with GH the first sign of trouble and and its people like me who'll get accused of being loyal beyond belief when I defend him and his decisions yet when in reality i'm the one who always keeps a balanced view.

Bottom line, Rafa's made some serious ups this season aswell as getting alot of things on the nail. He's missed out on players that would improve the team more so than what he's bought and we are a far worse team than we were last season.

And Sissoko is better than Bullard at what? Passing? Shooting? Link up play? Touch? Technique? Two feet? Reading the game? Dicatating the tempo of a game? Dribbling? No didn't think so. Run along.

[ConnO'var]

I've read the many varied opinions posted here and I've refrained from jumping into the fray as I think I've stated my opinions on the reasons for our current performance in other posts and most would know where I stand in this matter. So instead of repeating the same opinion here, I thought of just putting some stats down and let you lads come to your own conclusions as to why I think that the problem is with Rafa himself.... bear with me....

After 20 games, this is where we stand....

10 wins against the following:

1.West Ham (currently 18th in the league)
2. Newcastle (11th)
3. Tottenham (7th)
4. Aston Villa (10th)
5. Reading (9th)
6. Man City (13th)
7. Wigan (14th)
8. Fulham (12th)
9. Charlton (19th)
10. Watford (20th)

In other words, not a single victory against opponents above us in the table.

4 draws against the following.

1. Sheffield United (17th)
2. Blackburn (15th)
3. Middlesborough (16th)
4. Portsmouth (5th)

ie. 3 draws against opposition in the lower half of the table and 1 above us.

6 defeats to the following.

1. Everton (8th)
2. Chelsea (2nd)
3. Bolton (4th)
4. Man Utd (1st)
5. Arsenal (3rd)
6. Blackburn (15th)

ie. 4 defeats against all the teams above us. 1 to the bitters and 1 to blackburn where we were desperately unlucky....

My conclusion? Besides bad luck, we seem to only be able to win against the mid and lower table positioned sides. Cannot even come close to the top 3.. Is our squad so lacking in quality? or are our tactics and selection all wrong? You decide... I say tactics and selection...

As for our strikers...
1. Craig Bellamy (24 appearances, 6 goals)
2. Dirk Kuyt (24 appearances, 4 goals)
3. Peter Crouch (25 appearances, 9 goals)
4. Robbie Fowler (10 appearances, 4 goals)

Are all our strikers so screwed up? We've spent 23 million quid on 3 strikers and this is the return we get? Are they really that bad that we should never have gotten them in the first place or are our tactics not condusive to strikers scoring goals. Last season, top scorer was gerrard from the wing!?? Something wrong here.... We had Mori who couldn't seem to score for us and is scoring for fun in Spain now..... So is it because he had a bad season with us and couldn't adapt to English football or is it something else.... I say tactics.... you guys make up your minds....

How are we ever going to win the league when we can't seem to beat our main rivals?.....
I remind you guys again.... 2 wins, 1 draw and 12 losses to Manure, Chelski and Arsenal since Rafa took over.... Pitiful..... my heart bleeds..

Blame the players for not having enough heart? Not enough quality players?

Whose responsibility is it to ensure that the players give their all? Is motivation not one of the manager's responsibilities?
Who bought the the players? Who plays them in the formation he wants?

The buck stops at his door.... Rafa'll live and die by his decisions.... every manager is ultimately responsible for the teams performance and is judged (rightly or wrongly) by the teams results and performance.

The players all may be employees and should not be greater than the club itself as many of you have pointed out..... But NEVER forget..... the manager is ALSO an employee and can not be greater than the club either.....

In rafa we trust? To another club's fan out there, I'll present the united face and say "YES".... to fellow reds, I'm comfortable enough to voice my misgivings and frankly the answer is "NO"....

[83-1165214211]

The Fowler arguement...

As for our strikers...
1. Craig Bellamy (24 appearances, 6 goals)
2. Dirk Kuyt (24 appearances, 4 goals)
3. Peter Crouch (25 appearances, 9 goals)
4. Robbie Fowler (10 appearances, 4 goals)

Point proven.

[tubby]

The Fowler arguement...

As for our strikers...
1. Craig Bellamy (24 appearances, 6 goals)
2. Dirk Kuyt (24 appearances, 4 goals)
3. Peter Crouch (25 appearances, 9 goals)
4. Robbie Fowler (10 appearances, 4 goals)

Point proven.

Fair point Stu and yes I think he should be playing more but the question is is he physicaly capable of lasting the rest of the season if Rafa suddenly started using him.

[LFC #1]

Good thought-provoking and argumentative post Stu mate. I particularly agree about Ashton, he is top class, I was genuinely disappointed for the lad when he got that shocker injury, he is a top top player. Good in the air, great touch and positional sense, movement off the ball is good and most importantly he can finish (like you said better than any of our current crop). I hope he realsies his potential, preferably at Liverpool FC.

ever consideered a scouting job Stu? I reckon you'd do pretty well. 

[ALONSO]

I think one of the main differences between us and Chelsea/United is they have players like Robben, Ronaldo, Cole etc.... who can take a player on, we always seem to pass our way to the wings and do it well but maybe a player of this standard would make all the difference.

[tubby]

Well once the money comes in there will be no excuses for settling for second best players. Understandably with more funds available Rafa will be under increased preassue to bring in some top players. I hope he will make the right desicions when signing players come the summer.

[aCe']

I think one of the main differences between us and Chelsea/United is they have players like Robben, Ronaldo, Cole etc.... who can take a player on, we always seem to pass our way to the wings and do it well but maybe a player of this standard would make all the difference.

the difference is that they have a starting 11 with the majority of players being quality players... players who are actually good at what they do !

In liverpool.. we have players like Riise, Gonzales, Pennant and Kuyt that anyone who isnt a Liverpool supporter see as no more than average players !

Problem is.. you log on to this forum and read posts like " riise is the best leftback in the world" and "how can you question rafa?" ... its a discussion board and i know everyone has their own say in different matters... but the way some arnd here go on about the quality of our players is laughable !

If we are ever to compete for the league title... if we are ever to have a squad capabale of challenging the likes of manutd and chelsea... even arsenal... i think we need to improve our playing staff.  WE DO NOT need to give the players that are playing now a couple of seasons to prove their worth ! We are not Charlton, not Wigan... we expect to be challenging for the title... year after year !

you either have it or you dont... stu said it and in all my posts in other threads i said it ! i cant see gonzales becoming anywhere near as good as Robben or Giggs or V.Persie anytime soon... if we have the financial ability... i say we go out and get the best left wing we can afford ! we cant just sit there and wait for our underperforming players to hit form all of a sudden ! Pennant is a good player but has been shiitty in quite a few games.... Bellamy is a good player... dont thinki hes the best we can do though !

Wanna compare players:

LB: Riise..Heinze..A.Cole
LM:Gonzales..Giggs..Robben
RM:Pennant..C.Ronalo..J.Cole(others)
FW:Bellamy..Rooney..Drogba


Id love to see us go out there in the summer and bring in a couple of quality players to improve the squad....

[Rafa D]

Hey Stu,

   I understand where your coming from especially with the Kewell and Sissoko thing. If you look here:

Harry Kewell

   Last year we done so well because the balance of the team was a lot better. The medium between attack and defence was a lot better and we were a very hard team to beat. This year with the additions of the fabled "out and out wingers" our team has shipped quite a lot of goals in.

  Also the rotation thing, I'm glad to see that we both agree on the idea that we should never change our back five. These players need to be able to trust each other and need to develop an understanding between each other. However the other 5 places (minus Gerrards starting place) is up for grabs. I can see where your coming from with the dropping of in-form players but Rafa has got a system and he is sticking to it.

   Can you honestly say that Fowler has looked like he has had a goal in him in the games he has played this year? Yes he scored a few important goals last year, and I think he can still do a job this year in some matches. But Kuyt, Crouch, Bellamy all bring more to the starting 11 when they play.  I love Fowler mate, and it hurts to see him not making the bench but he is too old and too slow for the Premiership. Keegan, Pearce and now  Rafa all think he is a good finisher but he does not bring much to the team. His injuries blighted what could of been the most glorious career in English football. Its sad but he is not worthy of a starting place in our eleven however much it pains me to say it. The premiership demands footalling athletes in todays modern era, with the pace of the game and the strength of the teams in our league, and sadly Fowler is not much of an athlete.


    The grass is not always greener on the other side. Ashton done well at Crewe and Norwich and last year for West Ham. But the same can be said of Peter. He had a brilliant 6 months for Southhampton, a drought for us and then a brilliant 12 months. He has been a good player for us in the last 12 months. His goal scoring record is brilliant for a "freak" who could not buy a goal in his first 3 months here. I admire Ashton, he looked exceptional against us in the F.A Cup Final and he really worried me from the off. But for 7m+ he would represent a gamble in my eyes. His pluses for me is that he is English, a big strong lad, and is good on the ball. However Peter was just as much as a gamble for £7m and I think he has been worthy of the money we spent. He has not had much playing time and his misses against Blackburn are magnified because of the  1 - 0 scoreline. But he has been excellent for us and I think that Rafa considers him a very important member of the Liverpool squad.

With the Anelka thing I don't really want to get into a discussion about him as it would just go round and round, good point about Crouch start, but I wanted him after his loan spell, I would not bring him back now, many would but I would not, its just a difference of opinion.

  Bullard again, he was a good player for Wigan. I thought he did ok. However if I was a manager and had to pick over Sissoko or Bullard it would be Sissoko everytime. Bullard probably does have a better pass, shot etc. But what Momo brings to the side is vital. He wins the ball back for us a lot quicker than we do when he ain't playing. When he is in the centre of the field, and we lose it, he shadows the balls every move and more often than not gets the ball back or breaks up play. Just look out for it mate, when we play Spurs today, look how long it takes us to get the ball back, then compare it to when Momo is back in the team.

  The Gerard Houllier debate again?  Houllier left this club in a bad way, I cannot see how you can argue with that. The amount of money he spent on warmed up "shit" is astounding. 14m for Cisse (what a parting shot BTW), 10m for Diouf, 5m for Diao - who Gerrard says in his book was never up to the standard from day 1, 6m for Biscan? He spent a lot of money at our club and he did not produce the goods. I will always be thankful for the cups that he won but he left this club in a precarious position when he left. Our finances are still bad, while he was handing out £50,000 a week to Dudek, £25,000 to Diao, £65,000 for Kewell. Houllier spent money very unwisely in his time here and also sold Robbie.

  The fact you say 9 of his players started in the CL final does not wash with me. Biscan, Troare, Smicer and Baros hardly ever got a game under him. In the case of Biscan, Troare and Baros, they were happy to see him go. Also Gerrard and Carra were from the academy and before Rafa came in Riise was not exactly flavour of the month with GH was he?

  No GH was bad for this club, I never liked him mate, I loved Evans being a little nipper and was gutted when he left so my instant dislike for the french one started there and I was very happy to see the back of him.

Constuctive criticism is welcome mate, its a discussion forum, thats whats its all about. Mine and your views differ greatly on Pennant, but we shall see about that one, I also remember your views on Carragher a few years ago and he has come on leaps and bounds.

  Please don't patronise me or insult me with statements like "People like you will turn against Rafa" and " kissing". I am a fan of Liverpool Football Club, like you. My views might be controversial, like you. I can see a balanced view, like you.  I tend to look at the long term and stay positive, is that a blip in my character, maybe it is, but don't start insulting people because your views might differ. Its a forum mate. I respect your views, I expect the same.

Cheers,

Rafa-Dodd

[66-1112520797]

Good post Rafa and I can see where the pair of you are coming from. Its my opinion in football that you play the same back five for the majority part of the season who are tried and tested. All which points to the obvious like you both said is to get an understanding and a kind a telepathy amongst them. But lets be brutally honest here and say that Hyypia isnt going to be around for the next five years .... or whatever. Yes I know all that, he's quick in the head and can still read the game, but eventually Rafa is going to have to bring in a new age of defenders. And one who's going to have to step into Sami's shoes, which is no mean feat. Logic is obviously telling Rafa to blend Agger into the side and get him accustomed to the prem and the football our game has to offer. Theres no point in dropping him in at the deep end in two years time with no experiance, as his learning curve will start from then, and not now. Also in doing this it will allow Hyypia vital rest periods during the course of the season. So for me and it seems for Rafa the positive balance of blooding Agger in now outways the risk of throwing him in later on. The only other question which can be asked really about the starting of Agger ahead of Hyypia is in what kind of game and opposition. Thats something the boss has to choose as he sees it, and obviously if the results dont go the right way people will always say in hindsight ....' arh we should of played blah blah instead of him' and not too much will be said of his selection choice if we win.

On the topic of our defence the same can be said for giving Auelio a go and resting Riise from time to time. But from what I've see of him he looks like a possible liabilty in terms of defending. He does look comfortable on the ball and looks a neat and tidy player, but first and foremost what I'd like to see from a defender, is the ability to defend more than anything else first and foremost, (just like Carra). But how do you know if these new players are ever going to cut the mustard if they dont get the chance to play often. Rafa has tried with Aurelio, and at the mo he doesnt look nearly assured like Agger does when filling in for Sami. So in the instance of the LB position and IMO I'd only look to play Aurelio if Riis was injured, because he doesnt look as though he can bring in the defensive qualities when rotating between the two. So yes if the quality in back-up is reliable as your regular first team members, then yes by all accounts rotate like Agger Sami, but if not, play your best backline and keeper every game.

As for missing Momo, any squad would miss him and his destructive abilities in their squad. I would like though to see him improve immensly on his distribution, touch and his forward play before I can honestly say he deserves Gerrard's position in CM on a regular basis. For me at the moment he doesnt quite warrant that position ahead of our captain. I dont really agree with others who think we should play Momo depending on the opposition, if he can force his way back into the team then great. But I'm of the opinion it should be our opposition who change their formation and tactics when they play us, not the other way round. But Momo is a loss to our squad definantly, and a blow to the team, and I was one of the early season worshippers who carried on about how the African played and was blinding when others werent. But having him in the side regulary nulifies our attacking instincts greatly through the middle, where Gerrad offers more going forward, while still doing the ball wininng stuff in the defensive third.

As for Fowler I think he should most definately get more playing time, he, come to think of it is the ONLY natural player in the squad who can tuck the ball away as if its second nature to him. I have said all along that for all our strikers hardwork and effort, there is a definate lack of clinicalness (is that a word?) in front of goal between Kuyt,Crouch and Bellamy. And when you take into account our only other real goal threat from midfield is Gerrard, then to me an out and out goal getter is very much needed. Even if Fowler cant manage us much more in terms of goals and fitness, Rafa should really keep an eye out, and I'm sure he has on a poacher whether its in the transfer market or the academy we're in need of one. But until then I'd give Fowler the oppotunity more regulaly. 

As for Pennant the jury is still out, but one thing is sure. He's definatley not the player that Stu hyped him up to be. At the moment he looks just an average midfielder with his eyes caught like a rabbits in the headlights of a car. I personally would of chosen the " big name" signing of SWP over Pennant as he offers more of a goal threat aswell as confidence and ability to take a player on, tied up with workrate. But I'll still give Pennant the time as I will with Gonzo.

[aCe']

Good post Rafa and I can see where the pair of you are coming from. Its my opinion in football that you play the same back five for the majority part of the season who are tried and tested. All which points to the obvious like you both said is to get an understanding and a kind a telepathy amongst them. But lets be brutally honest here and say that Hyypia isnt going to be around for the next five years .... or whatever. Yes I know all that, he's quick in the head and can still read the game, but eventually Rafa is going to have to bring in a new age of defenders. And one who's going to have to step into Sami's shoes, which is no mean feat. Logic is obviously telling Rafa to blend Agger into the side and get him accustomed to the prem and the football our game has to offer. Theres no point in dropping him in at the deep end in two years time with no experiance, as his learning curve will start from then, and not now. Also in doing this it will allow Hyypia vital rest periods during the course of the season. So for me and it seems for Rafa the positive balance of blooding Agger in now outways the risk of throwing him in later on. The only other question which can be asked really about the starting of Agger ahead of Hyypia is in what kind of game and opposition. Thats something the boss has to choose as he sees it, and obviously if the results dont go the right way people will always say in hindsight ....' arh we should of played blah blah instead of him' and not too much will be said of his selection choice if we win.

On the topic of our defence the same can be said for giving Auelio a go and resting Riise from time to time. But from what I've see of him he looks like a possible liabilty in terms of defending. He does look comfortable on the ball and looks a neat and tidy player, but first and foremost what I'd like to see from a defender, is the ability to defend more than anything else first and foremost, (just like Carra). But how do you know if these new players are ever going to cut the mustard if they dont get the chance to play often. Rafa has tried with Aurelio, and at the mo he doesnt look nearly assured like Agger does when filling in for Sami. So in the instance of the LB position and IMO I'd only look to play Aurelio if Riis was injured, because he doesnt look as though he can bring in the defensive qualities when rotating between the two. So yes if the quality in back-up is reliable as your regular first team members, then yes by all accounts rotate like Agger Sami, but if not, play your best backline and keeper every game.

As for missing Momo, any squad would miss him and his destructive abilities in their squad. I would like though to see him improve immensly on his distribution, touch and his forward play before I can honestly say he deserves Gerrard's position in CM on a regular basis. For me at the moment he doesnt quite warrant that position ahead of our captain. I dont really agree with others who think we should play Momo depending on the opposition, if he can force his way back into the team then great. But I'm of the opinion it should be our opposition who change their formation and tactics when they play us, not the other way round. But Momo is a loss to our squad definantly, and a blow to the team, and I was one of the early season worshippers who carried on about how the African played and was blinding when others werent. But having him in the side regulary nulifies our attacking instincts greatly through the middle, where Gerrad offers more going forward, while still doing the ball wininng stuff in the defensive third.

As for Fowler I think he should most definately get more playing time, he, come to think of it is the ONLY natural player in the squad who can tuck the ball away as if its second nature to him. I have said all along that for all our strikers hardwork and effort, there is a definate lack of clinicalness (is that a word?) in front of goal between Kuyt,Crouch and Bellamy. And when you take into account our only other real goal threat from midfield is Gerrard, then to me an out and out goal getter is very much needed. Even if Fowler cant manage us much more in terms of goals and fitness, Rafa should really keep an eye out, and I'm sure he has on a poacher whether its in the transfer market or the academy we're in need of one. But until then I'd give Fowler the oppotunity more regulaly. 

As for Pennant the jury is still out, but one thing is sure. He's definatley not the player that Stu hyped him up to be. At the moment he looks just an average midfielder with his eyes caught like a rabbits in the headlights of a car. I personally would of chosen the " big name" signing of SWP over Pennant as he offers more of a goal threat aswell as confidence and ability to take a player on, tied up with workrate. But I'll still give Pennant the time as I will with Gonzo.

great post whoever you are....
sums up what i wanted to say brilliantly !
nice going !