Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

well it's all doom and gloom on here today isn't it? i agree that last nights performance was sh#te. we ambled around the pitch as if we thought we had already qualified. there was no urgency at all, with the exception of stevie g of course. i don't care that player x,y and z were missing, the fans deserve better than that tripe. play anywhere like that in the real champions league and we won't last 5 minutes.

however in my opinion last nights result could prove to be a good one for us. why?

1) it dampens the expectations of us, the fans so we don't get carried away. yes we have brought in some exceptional players over the last week but last night just re-emphasises that after our best eleven we are seriously short of quality. we need a centre half and another striker pronto.

2) it gives the players a much needed kick up the backside before sundays game. cisse looked laxadazical and kewell was a disgrace. the pathetic way he tried to charge down the goal was a joke. if i had the choice i wouldn't even start him against bolton. he needs a serious kick up the ******.

3) some local talent was given a run-out (although Potter was poor).

...and...

4) it may force Rafa to sign someone before the deadline, preferably a striker or centre-back. our defence is still seriously lacking real top quality in my opinion. the goal was comical defending.

at the end of the day we have qualified, and that is what really matters. i will merely put it down to a bad day at the office. however if we are going to have a good season we need to learn how to play badly and win.

[mynameisred]

Ah, at last some reality. Spot on there fella. I think everyone including Rafa has underestimated the job of rebuilding liverpool and I know its only a few games into the season but Im still not 100% confident Cisse and Baros can replace Owens goals, there is alot of work to do on them but we simply dont have the time. We must bring in a striker who can drop off hold the ball up and link play better and centre back with pace (although I like the look of Jamie there). There are other players who I feel its time to get off the wage bill, Diao for one will NEVER be good enough to play for us and I feel we have seen the best of Henchoz if we can move on traore as well we should be able to bring in another 2-3 players. I fear Rafa may be forced to wait until Xmas to invest with all thats happening at boardroom level and by then we may have little to win. I am being negative I know and I also know it will take time to adjust after GH's methods but we have a weak squad in defence and attack anyway and it needs addressing now.

[lakes10]

well we are in the champions league and i am sur we will play better than we did last night

[Starbridge42]

The more I watch the replays the more impressed I become by Jammie Carragher AFTER the goal.  with GAK pressing he made tackle after tackle to stop the game going to extra time.

[JBG]

I agree with St. Michael that last nights result may prove to be a blessing in disguise.

Many Liverpool fans (including many here) see Benitez as some sort of Messiah and while that may yet be proved correct, he still has a massive job ahead of him.

Rome wasn't built in a day and the flaws and problems in Houllier's side still persist and won't be corrected over night.

In some ways the result is irrelevant as we progressed to the group stages which was the first and foremost priority, and I doubt people will remember Graz at Anfield in the future.

I think the result is a wake up call to those who seemed to believe that Benitez had already worked miracles and it proves that we have a long way to go.

Its only natural that Benitez will suffer a very bad results early on in his Anfield career and I hope thats one of them already accounted for in what was ultimately a meaningless match.

Benitez' revolution really begins on Saturday when he finally gets a chance to throw Alonso and Garcia into the team. However, judgement on him should be adjourned until November at least, as it will take a number of months for his ideas and new methods to really take shape.

[lakes10]

Carragher was one of the best players last night saying that i think he WAS  our best player

[addicted norwegian]

Good post stMichael. But if I may add one point to your list:

This game showed once and for all that Diao can`t possibly cope with football at this level. A conclution after this game has to be that it has to be a long and a plane-crash of injuries before he is given another chance at pitching for Liverpool`s first team. And that is a good thing

[Roger Red Hat]

Yeah ok I'll except that it could of been worse. in the light of things we're through. The hangover is wearing off a bit now and Im looking forward to Sundays game.

Hell I might even treat the missus tonight!

[Starbridge42]

We didn't want to know that last bit 

[stmichael]

everyone who was there (i wasn't) could see that in the first half especially we just pranced around as if we were already through. the fact is we can't play that badly again, especially with josemi, garcia and alonso in the side. gerrard had a shocker last night. i've never seen him give the ball away so much. but at least it hasn't cost us anything. play like that on sunday and we are going to get beat, simple as.

[lakes10]

must say that i think Bolton are going to be a hard team to beat this year anyway

[addicted norwegian]

must say that i think Bolton are going to be a hard team to beat this year anyway

If that is the case I must say that I`m glad we`re taking them on now;As I said in another thread, We have a lot to prove / revenge and we`ll be pitching our world-class-debutants. Liverpool will show us that this was a one time event    Bolton woun`t know what hit`em

[stmichael]

This game showed once and for all that Diao can`t possibly cope with football at this level. A conclution after this game has to be that it has to be a long and a plane-crash of injuries before he is given another chance at pitching for Liverpool`s first team.

last night should be his last game in a liverpool shirt. absolute disgrace. however i thought gerrard was even worse. all he did in the entire game was get booked for diving in the box (which i hate).

i'd rather just forget about the whole game and pretend it never happened to be honest. the worst liverpool performance i have ever seen, even worse than palace in the cup a few years back.

[ckay]

My aim this season is for us to get through the group stage of the CL and no more that 15 points behind the Premier League winners. Hopefully this will be 4th at least. I'd also like a good run in the domestic cups.

I don't think this is to much to sak for.

[kindaconfuzed]

Yesterday me sky box went bust so I went out and bought a digital box to watch the game beer and curry and chips and look what happened.

Agree with the positive issues that ? stated (first posting and dont know how to go back and find name yet) but Raf has said that he believes the "team" are only 60% performing at the moment. The other issue that came out of IT2 coverage was that Cisse and Baros are still playing like individual strikers and not as partners.

I think the positive is that the team is improving and things are going up unlike Rooney's trousers at the moment. So far I like what I see and while the management of the club has changed we also need some of the fans to change as well.