Liverpool FC Forum

by **JC_81** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 6:38 pm

Didn't see the game as just home from work.

Glad some of the more senior players are coming back. While it has been great to see a few of the youth lads getting a run out in pre-season, I hope that from now on we start putting out sides of predominantly first teamers. It's important to get a bit of rhythm to our play with so many new signings and also I don't think 3 defeats on the bounce would do the lads' confidence any good, even if the games are only friendlies bordering on training sessions.

by **LFCFan4Life** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:10 pm

john craig wrote:Didn't see the game as just home from work.

Glad some of the more senior players are coming back. While it has been great to see a few of the youth lads getting a run out in pre-season, I hope that from now on we start putting out sides of predominantly first teamers. It's important to get a bit of rhythm to our play with so many new signings and also I don't think 3 defeats on the bounce would do the lads' confidence any good, even if the games are only friendlies bordering on training sessions.

John, while I agree with your sentiments pre-season friendlies are organized training sesssions. We've won two, lost two. The manager and the players aren't stressing out over it, why should we?

by **woof woof !** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:19 pm

IMO a near pointless excerise . We've got CL and Charity shield looming and were dicking about giving games to Hobbs , Anderton and Traore . I'm all for planning for the future (re Hobbs and Anderton) but surely this close to the big kick off we should have been looking gel the new buys with the recognised players . Second half , Gerrarard ,Carragher and Crouch come on , Hurrah ! but hold on , Bellamy , Gonzalez and Hypia go off .

Thank f'uck I didn't travel to Switzerland , I would've been seriously p'issed off .

As for the performance, At times, Reina looked alarming, Sissoko looked the business, Pennant looked busy , Gonzalez looked average , Bellamy looked threatening zenden looked lightweight (in midfield),Riise looked more or less his usual self .

Crouch, Carragher and Gerrard looked like Liverpool players .

Anyone who I didn't mention , didn't deserve one .

by **LFCFan4Life** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:21 pm

Here's Rafa's thoughts on the game:
Rafael Benitez said he was pleased with the return to action of World Cup stars Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Peter Crouch and Jan Kromkamp and felt they were the main positives to take from the 2-0 defeat to Grasshoppers Zurich.
The World Cup stars played in the second half and Benitez felt Gerrard in particular was very sharp

"It was a typical pre-season game and we created seven or eight good chances but couldn't score, but the main positive for me was the return of Gerrard, Carragher, Crouch and Kromkamp," explained Benitez.

"Gerrard was sharp and was unlucky not to score and it's good to have players returning to action after they played in the World Cup.

"We made some mistakes for the goals but I'm not too worried about that once the season gets underway as we are trying some players out and giving some young players a chance.

"I thought it was an open game but I don't like open games because that can cause you problems defensively."

The Liverpool manager also had words of encouragement for 17-year-old centre half Jack Hobbs who recovered from a difficult afternoon against Kaiserslautern to putting in an assured display against Grasshoppers.

"I spoke with Jack and told him to cut out the mistakes and he listened well and I thought he did well in this match," added Benitez.

"Jack is a young player with potential and he will continue to work hard and learn."

The Reds manager also revealed Xabi Alonso should return to action against Mainz on Friday night after the Spanish midfield maestro was left out of the Zurich game as a precaution because of a slight ankle knock.

by **LFCFan4Life** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:24 pm

We've got CL and Charity shield looming and were dicking about giving games to Hobbs , Anderton and Traore

Woof that's bullocks and you know it. Fitness is the key here. Traore is sh!t, but I rather he be fit now so when he is set to leave he'll pass his medical at whatever club that is interested.

Last season, by the time we played our friendlies we were in descent shape due to the Cl qualifiers in July. You know how much Rafa is concerned about every detail, so much that players have worn heart monitors under their shirts in these games in order to monitor their fitness levels.

by **woof woof !** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:32 pm

LFCFan4Life wrote:
We've got CL and Charity shield looming and were dicking about giving games to Hobbs , Anderton and Traore

Woof that's bullocks and you know it. Fitness is the key here. Traore is sh!t, but I rather he be fit now so when he is set to leave he'll pass his medical at whatever club that is interested.

Last season, by the time we played our friendlies we were in descent shape due to the Cl qualifiers in July. You know how much Rafa is concerned about every detail, so much that players have worn heart monitors under their shirts in these games in order to monitor their fitness levels.

Oh F'uck off AB , I don't give a :censored:

how fit Traore , Anderton or Hobbs are . I want a fit first eleven that have spent some time playing together before the serious stuff starts . :kungfu:

by **LFCFan4Life** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:35 pm

woof woof ! wrote:
LFCFan4Life wrote:
We've got CL and Charity shield looming and were dicking about giving games to Hobbs , Anderton and Traore

Woof that's bullocks and you know it. Fitness is the key here. Traore is sh!t, but I rather he be fit now so when he is set to leave he'll pass his medical at whatever club that is interested.

Last season, by the time we played our friendlies we were in descent shape due to the Cl qualifiers in July. You know how much Rafa is concerned about every detail, so much that players have worn heart monitors under their shirts in these games in order to monitor their fitness levels.

Oh F'uck off AB , I don't give a how fit Traore , Anderton or Hobbs are . I want a fit first eleven that have spent some time playing together before the serious stuff starts .

Why don't you call Rafa and tell him what you think? I think Benitez knows what the fuck he's doing don't you agree?

by **LFCFan4Life** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:41 pm

By they way, who the fuck is Anderton and when did we sign him?

It's not like our senior players have never played with one another before. Paletta,Gonzalez,Bellamy and Pennant have played a descent number of minutes so far in our pre-season.

Pre-season friendlies are training sessions, and all of our players are training. They're spending time together, I don't think there's a problem giving Hobbs,Anderson,Peltier,etc.. a run out in the squad in pre-season. It's better we do it now to see whether they can play against tougher opposition rather than later mid-way through the season.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:44 pm

It's a bit unfair for Liverpool to play Grasshoppers.

We didn't even know Kung-Fu.

by **El Nino_#9** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:59 pm

The Manhattan Project wrote:It's a bit unfair for Liverpool to play Grasshoppers.

We didn't even know Kung-Fu.

Bolo Zenden does.

by **66-1120597113** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:18 pm

This match was little more than a training excersise to develop fitness..the result as far as im concerned is not important.None of our players are fully match fit yet but will be soon when needed.Grasshoppers are 3 weeks into their season already and their players are all match fit,thats probably why they won the game.

In saying that i think we played some good stuff and was delighted with Pennant,this guy will be huge for us this term and will provide a lot of what was missing last season...quality on the right.
Bellamy was looking lively also and i think its pretty obvious that when ihs fitness and sharpness come he'll be a thorn in the side of a lot of opposing defenders
Gonzalez never really had much of a game but im sure we can all see sense and give the lad time to adapt to the team and English style of play,im sure he'll come good too given time.
Good too see Carra on and Stevie G looked like he had never had a break came on fresh and lively and was knocking all sorts of balls everywhere showing as usual that his vision for a pass is second to none.

As for Palletta,erm wtf sort of back pass was that??
Ah well we can all have our bad days and id rather see a fu.ck up now than when the season starts for real.Im sure Raffa has had words and he wont do it again

Overall i enjoyed the game but am not judging too much..after all it was only a friendly and means nothing!!

by **woof woof !** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:31 pm

LFCFan4Life wrote:Why don't you call Rafa and tell him what you think? I think Benitez knows what the fuck he's doing don't you agree?

Certainly,Rafa knows what he's doing ,just wish he'd check with me first .

Sorry AB , I'm just very disappointed with todays showing.

No doubt I'll get over it .

by **Ace Ventura** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:31 pm

LFCFan4Life wrote:
woof woof ! wrote:
LFCFan4Life wrote:
We've got CL and Charity shield looming and were dicking about giving games to Hobbs , Anderton and Traore

Woof that's bullocks and you know it. Fitness is the key here. Traore is sh!t, but I rather he be fit now so when he is set to leave he'll pass his medical at whatever club that is interested.

Last season, by the time we played our friendlies we were in descent shape due to the Cl qualifiers in July. You know how much Rafa is concerned about every detail, so much that players have worn heart monitors under their shirts in these games in order to monitor their fitness levels.

Oh F'uck off AB , I don't give a how fit Traore , Anderton or Hobbs are . I want a fit first eleven that have spent some time playing together before the serious stuff starts .

Why don't you call Rafa and tell him what you think? I think Benitez knows what the fuck he's doing don't you agree?

Tbh Ab i sort of agree with Woof, the manager is not always right.
I know its a friendly and the result is not important, but developing players understanding is, and the best way of that is for games...together.
Pennant played well, but he would benefit more from playing alongside as many of the first choice team together as possible.
No harm in bringing on the kids and squad players a bit later in the game and letting the like of Gerrard Carragher and co have a rest second half.
I can see Rafa's point to an extent because he is trying things that he wont get an oppurtunity to try once the season begins, but thelikes of Hobbs and Anderson are not going to be starters so why not introduce them later in the game, the same as they would if they were likely to get an appearance this season ?
We dont have many early fixtures this year and the likes of Gerrard and the other guaranteed first team players need to build an understanding as early as possible with the likes of Bellamy Pennant and Gonzalez.

by **Bad Bob** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:55 pm

I agree in principle Ace and Woof but haven't our World Cup lads just returned to training last week? If that's the case, I would expect Rafa to ease them into the friendlies. I expect Friday's line-up will be much more like the Liverpool team we recognize. The lads will look to put down a marker in that one ahead of the CL qualifier and Community Shield. If the big boys don't start in that one, then I'll question Rafa's thinking.

by **J*o*n*D*o*e** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:59 pm

Damn i hate work and working for a boss who`s a bluenose.

on the brightside i get to take the :censored:

most weeks, good job im irreplaceable

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