Liverpool FC Forum

by **Paul C** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:30 am

Other than the obvious fact that it's been nearly 15 years since they last saw their team lift the league trophy, they have also had to see Arsenal, Manchester United and, more recently, Chelsea surge ahead as the teams to beat in England.

And there have been a few false dawns during that time, most notably when Gerard Houllier guided the Reds to five trophies in 2001, and then leading them to second spot in the Premiership the season thereafter.

But rather than closing the gap on the leaders, the daylight between them has become considerably more, with the Merseysiders finishing a massive 30 points behind champions Arsenal last season.

The Reds powers-that-be's work in the transfer market has often been cited as a contributing factor to the club's lack of success, having seen massive investments in the likes of Emile Heskey (£11m) and El-Hadji Diouf (£10m) end in relative failure.

However, the capture of Harry Kewell from Leeds at the beginning of last season was hailed as a massive coup with the winger's arrival to be the final piece in the puzzle.

The Australian, snapped up for a cut-price £5million when valued at over £30million just a year earlier, rejected the overtures of Manchester United and Chelsea to sign for his boyhood idols.

While the Reds had sorted out their leaky defence from previous seasons, the attacking part of their game was still lacking and Kewell was touted as the one to unlock the defences and provide the ammunition for Heskey and Michael Owen to do what they (supposedly) do best.

After all, during his time at Elland Road he had established himself as one of the premier wide players in world football, with clubs in Spain and Italy having also eyed his progress.

A record of 60-odd goals in just over 200 starts for the Whites bore testament to his undoubted talent, with the strikes more often than not ending up as Goal of the Month and Season nominations.

Hence then, the Liverpool supporters' frustrations at what the 26-year-old Australian has delivered during his 14-month stay at Anfield.

Seven league goals in his first season was well below what was expected of him. And it's gone downhill from there...

It's now nine months since Kewell last scored in any competition and, to be frank, it doesn't look like this run will end any time soon.

Not only is he bereft of any shred of confidence, but also appears to be packing a few extra kilos as well.

The fact that some people suggested he had a good game in the 2-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday just goes to show how expectations surrounding the winger has dropped. Fair enough, he worked hard for the team, but a performance like that in which he constantly gave the ball away and looked well off the pace would have been met by some surprise during the glory days at Leeds.

And can you even remember the last time he managed to take on a player and beat him? For goodness sake, even David Beckham managed to dribble past a player on Sunday night.

So now, with Liverpool facing a striker crisis of note with Djibril Cisse, Milan Baros and Luis Garcia out injured, it's time for the Aussie to stand up and be counted and be the man to lead the mini-revolution at Anfield.

Either that, or he can prepare himself for some bench time when Rafael Benitez finally has all his first-team players back in action.

BY Ed Gossard

by **fivecups** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:41 am

Good article. 60 goals for Leeds! If ever we needed a player to start performing its now.

by **112-1077774096** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:41 am

good article. maybe the author has been reading this forum

by **Ciggy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:42 am

On sunday on football fone in everyone was exstatic at our win and after every happy comment His name was brought up.
I watched the game again last night and really speaking to be honest he was awful.
But when I said it on here on sunday a few jumped on my back weve just beaten the champs bla bla...........
I know we did and we had 8 fantastic players on sunday.
Cant comment on kirkland he didnt have to do much, ping pong well................
And kewell..................
Everyone in the UK probably watched that game on sunday even the mancs became liverpool fans for 90 mins.
But any team watching us on sunday will know where our weakness is and I guarentee they are going to attack it in our next few games if Kewell plays.
Many disagree with me, but I dont care, as I said before.
WOULD HE GET IN THE ARSENAL TEAM NO
CHELSEA NO
THE SCUM NO.
So hes not good enough for us either.
He should have gone to the states in the summer and got his op.
Instead he was pictured frolicking around some beach in an excotic location with his mrs.
When he should have been getting himself fit.

by **112-1077774096** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:48 am

i agree cisse and i never jumped on your back, although i will be in liverpool this christmas so if you back is available to be jumped on..................................................................

by **Ciggy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:49 am

peewee wrote:i agree cisse and i never jumped on your back, although i will be in liverpool this christmas so if you back is available to be jumped on..................................................................

lol why do you want a piggy back

by **112-1077774096** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:50 am

cisses_gona_get_ya wrote:
peewee wrote:i agree cisse and i never jumped on your back, although i will be in liverpool this christmas so if you back is available to be jumped on..................................................................

lol why do you want a piggy back

if thats what you want to call it

by **Matt D** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:11 am

On sunday on football fone in everyone was exstatic at our win and after every happy comment His name was brought up.
I watched the game again last night and really speaking to be honest he was awful.
But when I said it on here on sunday a few jumped on my back weve just beaten the champs bla bla...........
I know we did and we had 8 fantastic players on sunday.
Cant comment on kirkland he didnt have to do much, ping pong well................
And kewell..................
Everyone in the UK probably watched that game on sunday even the mancs became liverpool fans for 90 mins.
But any team watching us on sunday will know where our weakness is and I guarentee they are going to attack it in our next few games if Kewell plays.
Many disagree with me, but I dont care, as I said before.
WOULD HE GET IN THE ARSENAL TEAM NO
CHELSEA NO
THE SCUM NO.
So hes not good enough for us either.
He should have gone to the states in the summer and got his op.
Instead he was pictured frolicking around some beach in an excotic location with his mrs.
When he should have been getting himself fit -

Got too agree with everything here matey - i have put a thread about Kewell being a hinderence than a help and he has to go he sompl isnt good enough. i think some people are in denial and blame it on his lack of confidence and re- occuring injury and sayinghe just needs time before he gets back to his best - How long have we ble*din got etc............................

by **Paul C** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 12:01 pm

cisses_gona_get_ya wrote:On sunday on football fone in everyone was exstatic at our win and after every happy comment His name was brought up.
I watched the game again last night and really speaking to be honest he was awful.
But when I said it on here on sunday a few jumped on my back weve just beaten the champs bla bla...........
I know we did and we had 8 fantastic players on sunday.
Cant comment on kirkland he didnt have to do much, ping pong well................
And kewell..................
Everyone in the UK probably watched that game on sunday even the mancs became liverpool fans for 90 mins.
But any team watching us on sunday will know where our weakness is and I guarentee they are going to attack it in our next few games if Kewell plays.
Many disagree with me, but I dont care, as I said before.
WOULD HE GET IN THE ARSENAL TEAM NO
CHELSEA NO
THE SCUM NO.
So hes not good enough for us either.
He should have gone to the states in the summer and got his op.
Instead he was pictured frolicking around some beach in an excotic location with his mrs.
When he should have been getting himself fit.

I totally agree Lyndz, Kewell is really doin my head in and Rafa keeps choosing him rather than dropping him and making him fight for his place

Pongolle isn't good enough for me either.

by **JBG** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 12:23 pm

Paul C wrote:For goodness sake, even David Beckham managed to dribble past a player on Sunday night.

It must be said, however, that the player Beckham dribbled around was Ian Harte.

by **Fowler_E7** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:38 pm

John Barnes' Granny wrote:
Paul C wrote:For goodness sake, even David Beckham managed to dribble past a player on Sunday night.

It must be said, however, that the player Beckham dribbled around was Ian Harte.

thats not too difficult even for becks!

by **Paul C** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:44 pm

Fowler_E7 wrote:
John Barnes' Granny wrote:
Paul C wrote:For goodness sake, even David Beckham managed to dribble past a player on Sunday night.

It must be said, however, that the player Beckham dribbled around was Ian Harte.

thats not too difficult even for becks!

I dunno, Beckham is sh1t3 slow

by **Bruno Zidane!** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:45 pm

Kewells been embarassingly bad this season for us and the fact that people said he played well on Sunday shows how low his standards have dropped, if we had Kewell on top of his game like he used to play at Leeds everyone would have said he was sh!te on Sunday. And hes put about two stone on.

by **L-type** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:27 pm

Absolute disgrace just must have been something about Houllier that destroyed players.

by **Leonmc0708** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:02 pm

I went the game on Sunday, and although Harry was nowhere near the skill level, his commitment was 100%, that is for sure.

Watch the video again, and you will se it was Harry who was going up for a header, putting his body on the line against Campbell AND Toure in the 92nd minute,. when the ball was hoofed up by Kirky just before Mellors shot.

If he does not try then slate him, but if he does, give him the credit he deserves.

If he keeps putting the effort in, then the goals and the confidence will come back.

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Kewell article from itv sport.

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