john craig wrote:Some good points Ace,
One I'd like to pick up on is the point you make about Rafa trying to make a team that may not score many but gives nothing away at the back. I have nothing against this strategy in principle, but there is a right and a wrong way to implement these tactics.
If you cast your mind back to the start of the Houllier era, this is what he also tried to do. We needed the defence sorted back then and he did it very well initially, by getting rid of James and bringing in the defensive diamond of Westerveld (who had a great 1st season), Hyypia, Henchoz and Hamann. The centre halfs rarely ventured much further than the edge of their own box and we had the best defence in the premiership. However, from an attacking point of view Houllier got it all wrong. There was never enough flair in the side and we were very one-dimensional in the way we played it over the top for Owen all the time. We were a counter-attacking side full stop. When teams set out to defend against us, we struggled to break them down.
I make this point because it is a very different idea that Benitez is trying to implement. Yes, he wants to make us hard to beat and isn't bothered if only win by the odd goal, as long as we win (like Houllier). But the way the team is set out is completely different. We now defend much higher up the pitch and squeeze into midfield a lot more. We sacrifice being vulnerable to balls over the top (especially with our lack of pace at the back), but to make up for that we have more control of the midfield and are better positioned to attack.
I don't agree that we are a counter attacking side, that is not Benitez's idea, he wants to build a patient side that plays possession football. A target man helps with this strategy which is why we've bought back-to-goal strikers like Crouch and Morientes.
All the pieces are not in place yet, but once Benitez gets all the players he wants, then the answer is yes: we will play a style of football very similar to Valencia. Tight at the back, good at keeping the ball, patient and clinical in front of goal. It is the latter that separates Benitez's great Valencia side to us right now, but we'll get there.
Solid!
Thats why they dont reply,not because they cant!
But they cant answer a true post! Well said John Craig fella!
There`s only one Jerzy Dudek and one Anfield Road!!!
