Liverpool FC Forum

TheTeuchter
Kopite

"One of Shanks' mantras was 'matched them for effort then you'll beat them because you are technically better'. We still are technically better than most teams - against Blackpool we had full internationals in just about every position, many of them in the World Cup. We worked hard in the 2008/09 season, but not since. That's nothing to do with Laurel and Hardy, nothing to do with Rafa, and nothing to do with Roy. We have been out-fought in every game we have played this season, and the players have no excuse for that. There is no passion, no work ethic, and no trust.

The headed goal that Gerrard scored against Sunderland - crossed by Torres - was illuminating; in the 2008 /2009 season the two of them were all over each other when one scored - this time Gerrard ran within 3 yeards of Torres to the touchline and neither made an attempt to even acknowledge the other (Torres ran back to the half way line). I fear the dressing room is split over Rafa's demise, and some senior players may have had a large part in that.

Sadly, I can't point to Stevie or Carra as examples the others should aspire to emulate - whilst Stevie has on balance been our best player this season, he is a shaddow of his former self and doesn't put in a shift like he used to. I could go on and on about the poor service to Torres, the Houlier-esque obsession with backward and square passing, the lack of width, but Shanks was right....