Liverpool FC Forum

by **JBG** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 9:25 pm

I agree with most of what you say Coops but I have to disagree with you when you say that "Riise was superb last season".

He played very well until November 2002 and then it became patently obvious that Riise can be a liability to Liverpool in that together with Murphy and Gerrard (yes, even Steven Gerrard) he gives the ball away far too much. Murphy and Gerrard give the ball away because they occasionally can be too ambitious with their passing: Murphy likes to thread balls into the forwards with the outside of his boot ala Johann Cruff but 80% of the time his pass doesn't reach its man, whereas Gerrard attempts to hit the first time killer ball over distance almost every time he gets it. I reckon both of these players will improve with the proper coaching, but Riise simply doesn't have "football brains" and his balls down the wing are just hit and hope. I remember the Newcastle game last year and it was abysmal watching Riise launching rockets down the line for Neil Mellor to chase after.

People who saw the game on Sunday against Yeovil will know what I mean. Paul Terry - a bloody 3rd division player - just closed Riise down every time he got the ball forcing the Norwegian to punt it down the line.

by **ROBtheRED** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 9:42 pm

Carragher has been sorely missed at the back this season, as has Henchoz. I'm sure we would be at least 9 or 10 pts better off with a settled back4, but hey every team has injuries and we need to be able to cope with them - as Arsenal and united do.
Its clear the next 3 or 4 months will be decisive to the future of Liverpool FC and not just Gerard Houllier, NO EXCUSES, NO bullsh#t. Nothing less than a near unbeaten run til the end of the season will save Houlliers job as there is far too much unrest with the fans and the shareholders and even detectable anguish in the words of our chairman who quotes "the position we are in is not acceptable and the buck stops with me, but hopefully we can turn it round", the word HOPEFULLY standing out more than anything. As supporters at the moment we are all living in hope that things will change for the better but i myself have been in hope since 2002 and its not got much better!
On new years day 2003 after losing to Newcastle GH conceded we were out of the running for the title, after the Arsenal defeat in the first week of October 2003 GH conceded we were playing for 4th place only. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR LFC!
But to be honest i share the sentiment from stu that supporters should be supportive and wear the shirt with pride (i always will and have - through the wind and the rain) and although i think Houllier has took us as far as he can, i admire the man for what he has done for the clubs as will other fans who watched the silverwear being lifted in 2001 and 2003, but the bottom line is Houllier has not built a side capable of winning the title - the bread and butter of what this great club is all about.

by **coops** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 9:51 pm

John Barnes' Granny, I got a little too excited about Riise. He was very good last season (remember, we've been lacking an attacking left back for years). This season, pretty poor like the rest of the team.

by **coops** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 9:55 pm

ROBtheRED wrote:But to be honest i share the sentiment from stu that supporters should be supportive and wear the shirt with pride (i always will and have - through the wind and the rain).

We do support the club Rob, and we do wear our shirts with pride, we just do not support Houiller. If I backed Houillier then I would NOT be supporting the club. I think I speak for everyone when I say that. We ARE supporting the club. We want Houiller out because we believe it's in LFC's best interests.

by **JBG** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 10:03 pm

My own opinion is that Carragher and Henchoz will not greatly improve us defensively when they return (Henchoz has returned but Houllier now prefers Biscan).

Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of time for Henchoz and Carragher. Both are very good defenders.

However, we are playing differently now than when we did back in 2001 and 2002 when we were excellently defensively, particularly away from home. Back then Hyppia and Henchoz sat very deep on the edge of the box, with Hyppia attacking the high balls and Henchoz mopping up behind him as the Swiss is a small bit faster. Our full backs also lay deep and with Didi Hamman sheltering the back four we were very formidable defensively.

However, I think that this system had its day by May 2002 and I think even Houllier himself acknowledged that we needed to play a more expansive and open game if we were going to play the league.

Look at Man UTD and see how they defend. They get Ferdinand and Silvestre to sit on the half way line when they have the ball, and then rely on these players fantastic pace to track back when they lose possession. Fair enough, occasionally Man UTD give away a soft goal in Europe playing this way, but in England they are both top scorers and also have the best defensive record of the past 18 months.

Arsenal also play this way with Toure and Campell pushing up and then using their pace to track back.

Houllier is now trying this at Anfield this season and I have noticed that Hyppia now stands at least 10-12 yards further up the pitch than he did 18 months ago. However, none of our centre halves has the blinding pace to cover back playing this way and that is why we are beginnig to let in a few soft goals.

Also, Hyppia releases that he's slow and he then drops back to his old position as often as he can, leaving a dangerous gap between defence and midfield.

We really need to sign an athletic and pacy centre half in the summer.

by **ROBtheRED** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 10:07 pm

I will support whoever is in charge even if its a 3 legged transexual with a coke habit, i don't for one minute think Houllier hasn't got the best intentions for the club at heart but he has made some massive f##k ups and must be held responsible for them. But i will be a hypocrite for saying i don't support Houllier when i and thousands others sing his name on the kop!

by **road end scally** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 10:28 pm

No one more than GH knows that this squad has seriously under performed for him,the club and most importantly the fans, but I think a change of manager will put the club back another five years. Despite our current mediocraty I think GH will get it right and we must not forget he is our most successful boss for over a decade as far as silverware is concerned, which is of course what this club is all about.

by **115-1073096938** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 11:30 pm

You keep harping on about Le Tallec and Pongo. Well in that case surely the loss of Owen could be compensated with these players, and ofcourse Diouf, if they are so good as you say?

You are clearly mistaking me for someone else.

I don't think i've wrote there names since i started on this boardd and i certainly don't think they are the imediate answer as both are simply nothing more than decent players at present. Neither are class... I would say both have to pclass potential but neither are anything like ready for the first team.

forget it... you win Liverpool for the drop so Houllier gets sacked and the best chairman you could possibly wish for resigns.

Continuity over a period obviously means nothing and Houllier doesn't deserve the chance to finish what he started.. lets get someone new in who'll want to change the whole effing squad again and take another 5 years to take us to where he wants to be wihtout any garentee he'll do anymore than Houllier.

then you'll all get your wish and we'll become another tottenhan.... nice

what happened to you'll never walk alone? get behind the team instead of on its back for gods sake.

by **115-1073096938** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 11:38 pm

the other thing you only ever point to the negatives... never the positives... if you are gonna argue a point include the positives...

don't DARE tell me you weren't extatic with winning the Uefa, Fa, League cup (twice), Charity shield and super cup and Don't Dare tell me the season after you didn't feel a sense of satisfaction knowing we'd finished above the mancs and got an excellent point total of 80 points in the league which shown an improvement.

the major trophies we won literally literally sent goosebumps down my spine and made my eyes water, the second place finish was pretty decent under the circumstances aswell.

If you felt anything other than that i can't see how you can call yourself a fan. I was heartbroken at the form of the side last season and the league cup wasn't enough but it was a wonderful distraction.

i'll never forget that feeling as owen scored that second at cardiff aswell... that was unbelievable.

But still Houllier doesn't deserve the chance to finish what he started....... no sorry... he's done it once.... his work 10 years ago helped france become what they are today... this year and next and he'll get it right. if not at the end of next season then i'll hold my hands up... but i know i'm right... i just hope he gets the chance and support to prove it.

by **greenred** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 12:25 am

So you reckon gh will win us the league next season?What do you base that on? We have no chance of finishing above arsenal,manure and chelsea next season,not under houllier anyway.The club has gone backwards these last twelve months and it should be obvious to a blind man that houllier has lost the confidence of the players.

by **115-1073096938** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 12:40 am

thought i'd made that pretty clear.

Owen Baros
Kewell Hamann Gerrard Murphy
Carragher Hyypia Henchoz Finnan
Kirkland

Dudek
Vignal
Riise
Smicer
Le Tallec
Sinama

we need a top class centre half, a top class striker to partner Owen and a right sided midfielder.

Cisse is that to pclass striker, hopefully he'll come i am pretty confident. I'd like to have seen Boumsong but that now looks unlikely so hopefully we'll get someone else don't know who and for the midfield position i'd love to see Steed Malbranque who is a player we've been linked with on more than one occassion and someone who would add vision, quick thinking, technical ability and a general good alround game to the first 11 and squad.

we also have a manager who knows what it takes to win things and is about 50% if not more responsible for the current state of the france National side.

by **irishkopnut** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 1:08 am

I know how everyone feels because not only do I and have followed LFC since '74, I also follow my local team(only 2 years in existance) and we have problems of a very similar nature within the club. Our season is a summer one. Half way into the season just ended we were on top of our league. Our high profile manager left for another club and the board brought in an unknown as a replacement. Things went downhill and we ended up in 5th and since then 6 of our STAR players have left all because of the managers inability to manage.
WE the true supporters have called for the managers head but the so-called Board don't seem to want to listen.
Now I want DONT this to happen, to my first love of socer, to LIVERPOOL.

I honestly think that it is time for GH to step down and let a more capeable man in to bring LFC foward to where it should be...... back up with the BIG BOYS.

by **115-1073096938** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 2:30 am

Now I want DONT this to happen, to my first love of socer, to LIVERPOOL.

you irish people don't arf talk backwards sometimes

by **leothelion** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 4:04 am

stu_the_red wrote:you irish people don't arf talk backwards sometimes

LETS KEEP RACISM OUT OF THIS TOPIC THERE IS QUITE A LOT OF LIVERPOOL SUPPORTERS IN IRELAND AND WE ARE ENTITLED TO OUR OPINION .
YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION OF LFC LEAVE IT AT THAT

by **coops** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:46 am

stu_the_red, this is not meant as a direct insult but there is no other way to put this:

I'm not sure it's worth discussing any issues with you regarding LFC, because most of your points are insulting towards other members, confusing, contradictory, or just downright ludicrous.

I can't see the value in spending time conversing (or atleast, trying to), with someone who is clearly not on the same wave length as the rest of us.

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