Liverpool FC Forum

[bigmick]

So we've had our first competitive game in anger and what were the lessons learned about the new players and how they will fit into the equation? Well the first thing you must avoid whenever you change a team unit is that contrary to what you are trying to achieve, you actually make the thing worse with your tinkering.We saw a few of the new lads last night and did the team function better or worse than it would have had they not played?

Many have said that Pennant was our best player (I personally thought Carragher was but I digress), but did his presence make the team better or worse than the one which had a storming second half of the season and won the FA Cup? Well through absolutely no fault of his own I think him playing wide right is almost by definition going to make us function at a slightly lower level because it prevents our best player playing there, in his best position.

For me too often last night Pennant and Finnan were stood within five yards of each each other, effectively trying to do the same thing. When a wide man and a full-back work properly in tandem (Beckham and Neville in their pomp being a good example) one of them, normally the full-back bombs on down the line opening up the space for the winger to move inside, or if the winger is blocked off the ball is pinged back for the full-back to lift into the area. Unfortunately, Finnan doesn't really bomb on and Pennant doesn't like to come inside. The balance isn't quite right and it's something they are going to have to work on. Otherwise Pennant is going to struggle to get a game because I can see Gerrard playing there to provide the balance (he of course both bombs on and comes inside enough for two people which makes the whole thing work).

It's easy on the evidence of last night to see why the manager wanted Alves. The thought of him and Gerrard in tandem down the right would have scared pretty much anybody in Europe I would have thought.

Bellamy will provide balance to the attack with his pace but must of course play with somebody who provides an arial threat to the opposition. Too often last night Haifa were able to defend on the edge of their own penalty area to negate the Welshmans biggest asset. Him and Crouch not Fowler is the absolutely obvious pairing though if Pennant is going to hug the touchline like he did last night and put crosses in of the quality he did in the last ten minutes, the England man is going to have to attack the ball better than he has done in his Anfield career sofar.

Gonzales took his goal well and showed good anticipation and desire to get there in the first place. Unfortunately, along with many others he showed a total lack of game appreciation by over celebrating the goal when the ball should have been back in the centre-circle quick time, and also by not getting the final set piece into the box.

Overall I thought there were promising signs but I'm a touch nervous about the second leg if I'm honest. Failure to qualify for the group stages would be an absolute catastrophe and we can only hope that the Pennant/Finnan axis is functioning better by then and that Bellamy/Crouch or Bellamy/Kuyt is going to score us a goal for my suspicion is that we'll need at least one in Cyprus.

[kazza]

I think you are a bit harsh on the celebrations Mick. Gonzales just came on, there had been a lot of hype about him and he is  still young. You cannot fault him for showing a lot of emotion. You could go so far and say it was a dream start for him, just on and he scores the winner on his debut. At 39 I would have reacted the same.

Pennent to me looked pacey, good with the ball and his crosses were whipped in. To me he looked like what we have been waiting for years on the right. You are right about how Finnan and Pennent combined (I made the same observation about how close they were to each other) but I think it is more a result of Finnan not playing with the type of player Pennent is and this will be something that will change as they play more together. Neville and Beckham did this because Becky was slow and not good at taking people on. Pennent looks fast so down the line is where he should run.

I am not sure Gerrard's best position is wide right but rather mid-right in a five man midfield (which I sense we will play home or away). In a five man midfield the perfect situation would be a strong anchor with a great engine in the center (Momo), two great passers either side of him (stevie and Xabi) and two pacey players (in Pennent and Gonzales) that take players on and whip in great crosses. In short we have a very balanced midfield.

Other than that I agree with everything you say. 

[66-1112520797]

We'll have to see how it pans out with the team selection, because I like Mick thought the right sided problem was sorted with Stevie there last season. With Sissoko and Alonso in the middle our best midfielders are all playing in there best positions. I didnt really think right mid would be a neccessity come the summer months, and if it did I thought it would only be for cover. Is Pennant cover or will he become a regular ? If so Rafa does have some re-jigging to do with his formation, maybe this is why he opts for 4-5-1.

[Roger Red Hat]

he showed a total lack of game appreciation by over celebrating the goal when the ball should have been back in the centre-circle

now your just trying to pick faults.

[Scottbot]

Many have said that Pennant was our best player (I personally thought Carragher was but I digress), but did his presence make the team better or worse than the one which had a storming second half of the season and won the FA Cup? Well through absolutely no fault of his own I think him playing wide right is almost by definition going to make us function at a slightly lower level because it prevents our best player playing there, in his best position.

I think you might be right on this one Mick. Like you, i believe Stevie found his best position (on the right) last season and i wonder where Rafa will play our best player this year. The boss shows no sign of looking for a replacement for Hamman which indicates Gerrard will be back in the middle fro much orf the time. I'd like to think he will play a lot of games on the right with Pennant playing in spells when the captain moves inside or needs a rest.

I thought Pennant did well last night. I watched the game last night with a mate of mine who is a Leeds fan and he couldn't say anough good things about the lad from his time at Leeds. He stuck to the toughline for most of the game and it was actually quite strange seeing an out and out genuine winger (Harry doesn't play like one) in a Liverpool shirt. He looked to have an excellent touch, put in a few decent crosses and rarely gave the ball away. Although i think we will only see the best of Pennant when he has two strikers lurking in and around the box and the likes of Stevie arriving  late to get on the end of his crosses.

I see what you mean about Finnan getting under his toes. I don't think i have ever seen Finnan make so many overlapping runs? There were several occasions where Finnan's movement was denying Pennant the space to attack but i'm sure it will simply take a little time for the two players to improve their partnership down the right.

The team looked rusty last night but found a way to win and the 3 new boys all put in good performances so all in all it wasn't such a bad night at the office.

[account deleted by request]

I know Speedy's only young but Mick does have a point, I would have preferred him to pick the ball out of the net and run back to the centre circle.Haifa looked devastated to conceed a late goal and maybe we had a chance then to snatch another. Benites seemed to think so, he was waving them back like crazy.

[stmichael]

The game just highlighted to me that Gerrard cant be used in the advanced/link up player role if you're to get the best out of him. It doesn't suit his style of football and it expresses his weaknesses more than it offers him possibilities to use his strengths. I'd much rather have seen Garcia in that position.

[thegreenred]

I feel the pennant / finnan partnership will improve during the course of the season i dont have any worries about that, i personaly thought pennant had a great game, my only real concern last night was the role gerrard was asked to play in, the guy is awsome in centre mid alongside alonso,as much as i love momo if its gonna be 442 then it has to be gerrard /alonso. i also feel it was our 1st competitive game and it was clear that a few of the boys were not yet match fit given another couple of weeks i think we'll see a diffrent performance, i still believe we will go through although i must say haifa impressed me with thier organisation and tactics.

[bigmick]

I must confess I was surprised that as Pennant came more and more into the game we didn't pull Alonso off (he looked off the pace to me) and move Gerrard back into centre mid, putting Crouch on uptop with Bellamy.

For Pennant's part, if we are going to play with only Bellamy up front on his own there seems little point in him hugging the touchline and pinging in crosses left right and centre because the little fella ain't gonna get on the end of many of them. I think Pennant needs to develop the step off his right foot and onto the left part of his game. Not only will it open the way for Finnan to overlap a bit it will increase his goal threat and in so doing, make him a little less predictable. What he also must do when the ball is crossed in from the left is make ground to the corner of the box at least. I think he scored three times for Birmingham last season and he's going to need to at least double that without taking the majority of free-kicks in a Liverpool shirt. It's a challenge for the fella but he showed last night he has plenty of ability and he just needs to continue to work on different facets of his game, which is where attitude and desire come into play.

As for criticising the Gonzalez goal celebration, I probably didn't explain myself very well. I can understand the lads excuberance but he and most importantly some of the more experienced players should have realised that the game was at a crucial stage and another goal would have meant virtually certain qualification. There was nothing to be gained by the fellas rushing up from defence to celebrate as they did. The Haifa players were more than happy for the celebrations to continue, they would have joined in if they felt it was going to waste thirty seconds.

I haven't mentioned Zenden in my observations as I've made a resolution not to get involved as far as his contributions this season are concerned.

[stmichael]

For Pennant's part, if we are going to play with only Bellamy up front on his own there seems little point in him hugging the touchline and pinging in crosses left right and centre because the little fella ain't gonna get on the end of many of them. I think Pennant needs to develop the step off his right foot and onto the left part of his game. Not only will it open the way for Finnan to overlap a bit it will increase his goal threat and in so doing, make him a little less predictable.

I think the fact he keeps wide as an outlet will be a big plus for us this season. He isn't a Ljungberg type who comes in from the wing over the centre forward, he sticks out there.  He will be a great outlet for Alonso, as that seems to be one of Xabi's favourites passes, the diagnol pass from the left back area to the oppossite wing.

[woof woof !]

Pennant performed much better than I expected .I can't understand why Rafa didn't start with Gerrard out left and Pennant out right. Bellamy and Crouch up front. Surely we would've battered Haifa ?

[account deleted by request]

Pennant performed much better than I expected .I can't understand why Rafa didn't start with Gerrard out left and Pennant out right. Bellamy and Crouch up front. Surely we would've battered Haifa ?

If he had used that formation Woof, Gerrard would also have provided better support and cover for Riise than Bolo did. Maybe Riise wouldn't have looked so poor then. Obviously going forward they would have been much better with 2 strikers.

[stmichael]

I haven't mentioned Zenden in my observations as I've made a resolution not to get involved as far as his contributions this season are concerned.

i thought he was one of your favourite players mick.

[CardinalRed]

I reckon Zenden's gonna be way down the pecking order once Harry's fit and now that we've seen Speedy in action.... Sorry Bolo, but it's inevitable....


                             

[woof woof !]

Zenden cost us nothing , a decent addition to the squad I don't think even he expects to be more than that.