by JBG » Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:14 pm
Is Gerrard Houllier now entering the killing zone?
I read this morning that Harry Kewell took a bad knock on his ankle on Wednesday against Bolton and is out for three weeks.
With Owen and Finnan also out until Christmas, as well as all the other injuries, Liverpool look spectacularly average going into the Christmas run of games, which is a period which usually separates the men from the boys.
For the next couple of games, including the crucial game against Newcastle, we will have to choose a front two from Heskey, Pongolle and Diouff, or maybe play Smicer or Le Tallec up front.
Two of those players are teenagers who, despite showing some promise, are not players who will lead the club through this difficult period.
Heskey’s faults are well known, and Diouff, for all his hard running and occasional trickery, cannot shoot to save his life. Smicer is up and down, and he’s not the kind of player to prove the difference against Newcastle.
It also looks like Houllier will have to pick Cheyrou to fill in for Kewell. Cheyrou deserves a chance, but who here really believes that he will save Houllier’s bacon?
In defence we have a converted midfielder with a useless first touch and a tendency to commit absolutely crazy tackles at centre half, another hard tackling midfielder with poor positional awareness at right back, and a cross between Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny at left back.
Given the terrible injuries and the under performance of the remaining fit players, I can easily see us lose at least three games over the Christmas period, maybe even five, and surely that will be enough for the board to finally see sense and sack Houllier?
Unfortunately, we could lose the next 6 matches on the trot and Houllier would still not resign, as he now has the handy excuse of having 5 or 6 players injured.
I don’t like wishing other clubs bad luck but in a way I wish Celtic lose away to Lyon in the Champions League next week as it might streamline a move for Martin O’ Neill.
Jolly Bob Grumbine.