Liverpool FC Forum

[66-1112520797]

The balance isnt right yet, and these new players where obviously brought in to make the tactics Rafa has in his mind work.
Our new players seem far more fitter, far more agile, and more athletic.
We have new dormatorys at Melwood now for midday siesta's morning training, eat then to bed then back training.
Not like seasons before when its just been training in the morning then the rest of the day off.

Please forgive me if I sound a little sarky treacle, but I doubt the players sleeping patterns have anything to do with us not scoring goals.

[Ciggy]

Please forgive me if I sound a little sarky treacle, but I doubt the players sleeping patterns have anything to do with us not scoring goals.

  Should have said off topic, but what I mean is theres not just been a total overhaul of players, but an overhaul in every department.

Luis, Reina, Aurelio, Gonzales, Alonso have all been used to this in Spain, plus Rafa and his entourage.
Darren Potter said the new boys put him to shame in training how fit they where, thats probably why he has gone and they are still here.

[Sabre]

Does anybody know how many "double" sessions are doing LFC per week?. I mean double as in Morning session and then afternoon session.

[Ciggy]

Does anybody know how many "double" sessions are doing LFC per week?. I mean double as in Morning session and then afternoon session.

Think its just started Sabre due to the stupid Internationals, does this happen in Spain?

What I wanted to ask you aswell is, I never watched Valencia much, but are our tactics the same as Rafa used in La Liga or totally opposit?

As to why we arnt scoring goals a plenty.

Apart from our 7-0 drubbing of Birmingham last season.

[craig da Toxteth iron]

When i see that Fernando morientes is exceling with Fc Valencia when i see Crouch excelling with England team and Baros also with Aston Villa i wonder why all these players were not good enought with our team why we are failing to score goals !! i think that the problem in LFC is not the names and quality of strikers but the problem seems to be in the midfield or in the use of the appropriate midfield players by Rafa
that's the way i see it ! Do you agree with me?

Hey mate Baros has only just come back from Injury. Fool

[Rafalution]

IMO I do not see it as a problem that we are not scoring much just yet. Watching the game the other night it was quite obvious that the players are not on the same wavelength just yet. I give as and example the other night when Bellamy wanted it played in behind the defence and Pennant played it short to feet. (Mind you, he was playing with Heskey last season so you can forgive him for not having faith in the forwards to reach through balls !!)

Also, some of our major players still look off the pace and out of form (Alonso and Gerrard certainly are looking way short of the form we came to expect from them last season).

Some people seem to forget that most of these players have not had many training sessions together yet let alone played competitive matches together. Gerrard and the other England boy's began training after everyone else so haven't had as much time training with the new boy's as we would like. Same goes for the other internationals who were back into training a few day's after the new boy's.
Kuyt arrived at the end of the transfer window which also coincided with the international friendlies which again robbed us of valuable training sessions and games together as a squad.

There has been enough glimpses of great build up play between Kuyt and Bellamy and Fowler and Crouch to suggest that great things will happen once these players have had more time together. Don't forget that the most established front pairing out of these players is Fowler and Crouch and they have hardly played tons of games together since God came back.

Once Gerrard, Alonso and co have got used to where our new players like to receive the ball I am sure we can look forward to reaping the benefit of the pace of Speedy, Pennant, Kuyt and Bellamy and I am sure the goals will flow.

Let's be patient and sensible about this and realise it is just early day's and give our new players some time to bed in and gel with the rest of the team !!!!

[Sabre]

Does anybody know how many "double" sessions are doing LFC per week?. I mean double as in Morning session and then afternoon session.

Think its just started Sabre due to the stupid Internationals, does this happen in Spain?

What I wanted to ask you aswell is, I never watched Valencia much, but are our tactics the same as Rafa used in La Liga or totally opposit?

As to why we arnt scoring goals a plenty.

Apart from our 7-0 drubbing of Birmingham last season.

Well, double sessions are usual since I have memory in some weeks, woudn't be usual for instance in a week we have a game on wednesday.

I was asking precisely because I wanted to know wether the amount of training sessions is similar. AS for the nap thingy, it's a good idea, because you keep the team together in the proccess, and that's good for some of our new players.

As for the tactics, I see some similarities of course, but a team will always look different with different players. There are some concepts that he has repeated not only in Valencia but also in Tenerife, but then, I don't think they're similar teams. Valencia left you playing, where as Liverpool are more strangling in their pressure. Rafa's Valencia liked to wait for you, making you think you were in the game, only to kill you in the counterattack.

[66-1112520797]

Does anybody know how many "double" sessions are doing LFC per week?. I mean double as in Morning session and then afternoon session.

Think its just started Sabre due to the stupid Internationals, does this happen in Spain?

What I wanted to ask you aswell is, I never watched Valencia much, but are our tactics the same as Rafa used in La Liga or totally opposit?

As to why we arnt scoring goals a plenty.

Apart from our 7-0 drubbing of Birmingham last season.

Well, double sessions are usual since I have memory in some weeks, woudn't be usual for instance in a week we have a game on wednesday.

I was asking precisely because I wanted to know wether the amount of training sessions is similar. AS for the nap thingy, it's a good idea, because you keep the team together in the proccess, and that's good for some of our new players.

As for the tactics, I see some similarities of course, but a team will always look different with different players. There are some concepts that he has repeated not only in Valencia but also in Tenerife, but then, I don't think they're similar teams. Valencia left you playing, where as Liverpool are more strangling in their pressure. Rafa's Valencia liked to wait for you, making you think you were in the game, only to kill you in the counterattack.

Good post, especially on the comparisons with us and Valencia. I know Valencia were quite lethal on the counter, but Rafa has this Liverpool team pressing all over the pitch. Kuyt is the perfect example of this, from upfront we defend, I just wonder if Rafa had of signed Kuyt for Valencia, would they of been the team we are likely to become.

AS for the nap thingy, it's a good idea, because you keep the team together in the proccess, and that's good for some of our new players.

As long as they dont wake up in the afternoon or whatever waving a rainbow flag I'm not bothered. 

[bigxchris]

I said this the other evening in the PSV thread and I stand by it, the one thing we are lacking is the last killer pass/through ball to get our strikers infront of goal.  As mentioned our strikers are having to run the wings instead of playing a narrow game up front.

Perfect example was Garcias pass against west ham to put Crouch through on goal.  If we can find that killer pass more often (and with the quality that we have I cant think of any reason why we cant do it) then you will find Kuyt and Bellamy picking up more and more goals.  Its just a matter of  playing a little more narrow in the middle of the pitch and threating with quality foward passing.

[Lando_Griffin]

I said this the other evening in the PSV thread and I stand by it, the one thing we are lacking is the last killer pass/through ball to get our strikers infront of goal.  As mentioned our strikers are having to run the wings instead of playing a narrow game up front.

Perfect example was Garcias pass against west ham to put Crouch through on goal.  If we can find that killer pass more often (and with the quality that we have I cant think of any reason why we cant do it) then you will find Kuyt and Bellamy picking up more and more goals.  Its just a matter of  playing a little more narrow in the middle of the pitch and threating with quality foward passing.

Good point mate.

I think if we can get Alonso further forward more often, he'll create tons of goals. He has the ability to pick passes no one else can.

Similarly, we NEED to find a way to play Luis just behind a front 1 or pair every game. The lad will make opposition defenders look stupid given the role he is suited to.

Maybe something like this:

                                     Reina

                  JC                Sami            Agger

                        Alonso            Sissoko
Gerrard                                                                 Riise
                                   Garcia

                       Kuyt                   Crouch/Bellamy.


Riise is one of the best wing-backs in the World, Gerrard can easily play that role, and we'd still have a thoroughly awesome attacking 3rd with Luis and two other strikers.

If we wanted to play 4 at the back, drop Riise back (or bring in Aurelio/Warnock), bring in Finnan, drop Agger/Hyypia and line up thus:

                                       Reina

         Finnan             JC                Agger/Sami       Aurelio/?/?

                               Alonso
                                           Sissoko
Gerrard                                                                Gonzalez

                                Garcia

                                            Crouch/Kuyt.



Those two formations, particularly the first one, would produce sh*tloads of goals without compromising the defence, IMHO.

[sepak]

Someone said we do not have enough players in the box.
I really think this could be a reason.

We need someone like Andy Johnson, who always run into the box to wait for opponent's defensive mistake or rebounds.
If we have a player doing this, the shot Steven Gerrard hit the post against PSV could have been capitalised.

I said Kuyt has not provided the service we needed - which is socring goals, because he is always outisde the box, and drop deep to link up.

Morientes scored two simple goals against Olympiakos becuase he was in the box. Of course , the 3rd goal header  is what we miss most from him

[flombs]

I said this the other evening in the PSV thread and I stand by it, the one thing we are lacking is the last killer pass/through ball to get our strikers infront of goal.  As mentioned our strikers are having to run the wings instead of playing a narrow game up front.

Perfect example was Garcias pass against west ham to put Crouch through on goal.  If we can find that killer pass more often (and with the quality that we have I cant think of any reason why we cant do it) then you will find Kuyt and Bellamy picking up more and more goals.  Its just a matter of  playing a little more narrow in the middle of the pitch and threating with quality foward passing.

Thats exactly how i see it as well. There doesnt seem to be much understanding b/w the mid and forwards at times, and all i see is a stray ball going to the opposition or being closed down very quickly.


Its very frustrating!

[akumaface]

It seems other than Kuyt and Bellemy, the others are kind of drifting on the pitch without any purpose. I think they need more killer instinct and focus. When they play against top teams, they perform better. This doesnt mean they will win all the time but at least you can see effort. Also, there is no one follow up as the third attacker. I don't know if it was Rafa who didn't define this clearly or the player are not doing the job. To me, the team seems to be caught in between and do not know when to attack or defend. Part of the reason is because of all thenew players but if this continue, we need to look for other explanation.

[Mannyk]

The balance isnt right yet, and these new players where obviously brought in to make the tactics Rafa has in his mind work.
Our new players seem far more fitter, far more agile, and more athletic.
We have new dormatorys at Melwood now for midday siesta's morning training, eat then to bed then back training.
Not like seasons before when its just been training in the morning then the rest of the day off.

Don't you guys know that a good sleep makes you train better .Just after the wives and girlfriends arrive for "morale" support.

Please forgive me if I sound a little sarky treacle, but I doubt the players sleeping patterns have anything to do with us not scoring goals.

Don't you guys know that a good sleep makes you train better .Just after the wives and girlfriends arrive for "morale" support.

[aCe']

3-5-2 is not a good formation...no major club in the world plays it now.... and gerrard cannot play as a right-wingback....
back to 4-4-2.... i dont think its abt us scoring goals as much as it is about Rafa making the right team selections ! Gerrard, Alonso and Luis Garcia....+ 2 strikers should provide dozens of goals....on paper...
but the thing is....they are not played in their best positions....
the way i see things.... 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 can work brilliantly for us...
with:
                                   Reina

Finnan                 JC                Sami            Riise

                       Alonso            Sissoko

Gerrard                                                                 Gonzakes/Kewell
                              Garcia/Bellamy
                                        Crouch/Kuyt

Rafa needs to start playing the same starting 11 week in week out.....we are not going to win matches if we keep rotating players like we are now.... pick a best 11...and stick to them....change a player or two depending on the game.....not the whole look of the team...