Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:39 am

maguskwt wrote:gbjh is very entertaining...

I say gbjh's kind of logic is only possessed by geniuses or lunatics... thinking out of the box... that's what it is...

I won't be surprised if he's the one who will invent the next big theory that will change people's perception of truth... the next big theory after the relativity theory or e=mc2...

There is always that possibility. On the other hand of course he may like the rest of us just continue to talk total b0ll0cks

(sorry John).

by **skatesy** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:12 am

I agree that C. Ronaldo is the best player in the world right now and arguably the best player in the world over the past two seasons. It pains me to say it as well, specifically because of the fact that he plays for the Mancs but with all bias aside he is the best.

by **maguskwt** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:44 am

skatesy wrote:I agree that C. Ronaldo is the best player in the world right now and arguably the best player in the world over the past two seasons. It pains me to say it as well, specifically because of the fact that he plays for the Mancs but with all bias aside he is the best.

I don't honestly think so mate... he may be the best player in the premier league on current form (he did improve alot from when he first came to the league) but to consider him the best player in the world is abit too much... if you look at the previous best players like zidane, brazilian ronaldo, etc, not only are they good in their club team they also performed miracles on the world stage... IMO the credit for c.ronaldo's top form must go to ferguson who is responsible for motivation, the team formations and tactics... like it or not because he's a manc manager but he has something that makes his teams click and bring out the best from players... if you look at andy cole and dwight yorke, they were top strikers but they were not world class... but between them they were banging in goals left right and centre as if they were world class strikers...

by **66-1112520797** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:03 am

Torres is a f.ucking geezer. :buttrock

by **66-1112520797** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:06 am

The Manhattan Project wrote:Women love him because he's good looking and speaks Spanish.

Once he starts developing a Spanisho-Scouse accent, his charm may fade.

by **SupitsJonF** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:44 am

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FERNANDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:buttrock

24 and still dominating

by **Bad Bob** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:10 pm

I've just found this interesting article on Soccernet which interrogates the growing perception that England has the superior league. In the midst of it all is an intriguing snippet (in bold) regarding our own Fernando Torres. I don't watch near enough La Liga to evaluate the comments so I'm curious what others make of this idea that Premiership defenders make it easy for Torres in a way that Spanish defenders never did?

¡Viva España!
Phil Ball
Archive

I've watched a lot of football today, from the cosy confines of a west London home, armed with satellite TV and a whole host of possibilities at the flick of a zapper's easy switch. I watched Fulham v Everton, Man City v Tottenham and finally Almeria v Barcelona, but when Atletico Madriid v Levante came on I felt obliged to re-join the world, partly because I suspected there was to be little contest but also because mine hosts had very generously served up roast lamb for my delectation, whilst making indirect barbed comments about the amount of football that I'd been indulging myself in. Hey - it's the holidays!

Denis Doyle/GettyImages
Barcelona players Samuel Eto'o and Bojan Krkic express their frustration.

Despite all the talk about the new power of the Premier League, despite the fact that four of its major sides straddle the Champions League, and despite the fact that Spain's top flight continues to stutter, the Almeria v Barcelona game struck me as by far the best of the three - call me biased. Barcelona continue to look a defective outfit, unable to sort out a basic approach to a game that their quality should have resolved by half-time, but stymied by the sheer power and desire of their relatively modest opponents. Almeria refused to lie down, refused to be overawed, and were in truth the better side.

If you'd just been beamed down from the planet Zarg, you'd have assumed that Almeria were the side attempting to reduce the deficit between first and second place in the league. Both their goals admittedly came from corners, during which Barcelona seemed utterly incapable of doing even the most basic things right (such as marking), but this wasn't Fulham v Everton - a game which the home side won by sheer effort and will, despite looking the technically inferior side. Almeria never looked inferior in any sense, which means that either La Liga continues to be potent, or its leading lights continue to be impotent. I'm not sure which.

But the weekend's results confirmed the more egalitarian nature of the Spanish league this season, as though everyone has got the measure of everyone else. Villarreal have moved to within two points of Barcelona, and are now threatening their second place spot - despite having had their own ups and downs this season. Valencia, losing at home again - this time to improving Sevilla, are in 10th spot but only four points above Recreativo, who occupy the third relegation position.

Real Madrid continued their poor form, losing 1-0 in the Riazon to improving Deportivo - a result which means that they have now failed to win there for seventeen years. Depor, despite their recent decline, have been one of the sides most responsible for this feeling of greater democracy in La Liga, and again, watching the two sides it was difficult to pick out the leader from the struggler. Perhaps Real Madrid feel no pressure any more, now that they know that Barcelona just can't sustain the challenge this season. From now until the end of the season they can win enough games to take the title - 'una mierda' (a crock of :censored:

) as the ex-Madrid player Michel remarked earlier this week, when commenting on the hangover of the merengues' exit from Europe. 'We won so many titles in the 80's and 90's' spat Michel, 'that people began to think it was easy to do that, and that the real test lay in Europe. They forgot just how difficult it was to win a league.'

It's a fair point, but there is a certain amount of paranoia floating around Spanish circles at the moment, partly induced by their poor showing in the Champions this season but also by FIFA's recent statements regarding the fact that the English league is now the 'best' in the world. Fernando Torres, happy as a sandboy at Liverpool now, said something similar a while back - but then he would. He certainly looks a better player than he did at Atletico Madrid, but there are times when he just looks as though he can't believe his luck. English defences play with such a high back line (in general) that a player of his power and technical prowess simply cuts though the spaces like a hot knife through butter. Spanish defences knew all about Torres, and the sort of movements he liked to make. By the time he was into his second season at Atletico, they'd got the measure of him. In England it's unlikely to happen due to the nature of the game there, and he will continue to score goals by the bucketful. To be fair, he's doing the same in Europe too (in Milan only last week) but his confidence is so high now that he's a danger to everyone.

Spain will be hoping that he continues this vein of form in the summer, but more canny defences may still make him look more ordinary. But I don't wish to knock him. You still have to put it into the net, and he's certainly doing that far more consistently than he ever did in Spain.

Fernando Torres
Empics
Fernando Torres: Flourishing in the English Premier League.

The financial balance of power has shifted, such that a side like Manchester City can be in on the bidding for Luis Fabiano, Sevilla's Brazilian forward who is topping La Liga's charts. Real Madrid were talking to his agent this week, but Man City and Tottenham are unlikely to lie down without a fight. Money talks. The excellent Xabi Alonso, ridiculously pilloried last week for opting to stay at home for the birth of his first child (as opposed to playing against Inter) has been fancied by a whole host of Spanish clubs since he broke onto the scene at Real Sociedad, but if he really has fallen out irrevocably with Benitez over the baby issue, then it seems more likely that he will stay in England. Real Madrid and Barcelona could offer him good money, but so could Wigan.

In Spain, Almeria (a Wigan equivalent) couldn't dream of securing his services. In La Liga, the football might be showing an egalitarian streak, but this is not so much the case when it comes to bank accounts. It's a shame these days when players of the stature of Sevilla's Dani Alves maintain that to 'move on up' they have to go to England. Alves would no doubt triumph, but it's uncertain as to whether he's talking about football or salaries.

But ultimately, comparisons are kind of odious. Both leagues have different virtues, and FIFA do nobody any favours by suggesting that one is superior to another. In the end it depends what turns you on, and after the interesting but error-strewn game between Man City and Tottenham, the Spanish game came over as a different kind of theatre - one where errors played their part in the goals, but where the ball stayed on the ground far longer and where the careless loss of possession was far less prominent as a deciding factor in the game's outcome.

Then again, the Premier League can certainly pride itself on the fact that incidents such as the one that marred the game between Betis and Athletic Bilbao rarely happen there nowadays. In Spain, they seem to happen with disturbing frequency, although rarely is a game called off due to one. In the 71st minute a bottle flew from the stands and hit Athletic's keeper Armando on the head, causing the game to be called off. Athletic were winning 1-2 at the time and may well be awarded the match. It would be the correct decision.

LINK

by **Thingy** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:11 pm

Thing i love about Torres is that most of his goals are great finishes, great individual play or great team play. 27 for his first season and counting, thats some achievement. If he improves like he potentially can he will be the best in the world. If he isnt already.

by **Lando_Griffin** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:16 pm

He sounds like a gimp to me.

Obviously Spain have a stronger league than the Premiership - that's why they've got 4 teams in the last 8 of the Champions' League, and we've got only one.

Oh, wait a minute...

by **NANNY RED** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:44 pm

Ididnt know were to post this but seeing its about Torres song i put it in here. My personal view on this is its brilliant and ill bounce away, the atmospher when this is sung is great and this lad has got it spot on with this article

Banning the Bounce

BY LUKE TRAYNOR

ANFIELD'S stewards hate the Torres Bounce.

The sight of a few hundred excited Reds jumping up and down to the most well-received song on the Kop for years has got them, or their employers rather, seething.

The word on the terraces is that warnings are being given to fans who partake in our newly invented ritual.
At a time when fans, managers, players, and journalists complain about the lack of atmosphere in English stadium, their attitude seems misplaced.
Of course, safety comes first. But jumping up and down at football matches has been part and parcel for years.
What are we supposed to do when we score? Root our feet firmly to the floor and politely applaud? Shake hands with our neighbour?
Jolly good show Fernando!

Liverpool fans have always been some of the most original when it comes to dreaming up new lyrics and melodies to sing.
Even so, The Torres Bounce genuinely seems the most enthusiastically ditty to have been 'penned' by the Reds composers for many a year.
At a time when good new football tunes are in short supply, it seems a shame that the powers that be want to clamp down.
Apparently, the club have been getting letters of complaint from fans who say they can't see when The Bounce is in action?
Take a straw poll of those who have a ticket on The Kop and I reckon over three quarters will tell you they have no objection to fans getting off their feet once in a while.
According to some, stewards are threatening to kick fans out who take part. That will probably start a mutiny.
It's an over-reaction. And it's behaviour like this that will ruin the already dying atmosphere and passion within our grounds.
Not everyone agrees.
Working a late shift last week, I took a phone call from a very irrate Kop season ticket holder asking why the ECHO hadn't wirtten about fans being 'rightly' (his words not mine) ejected at the Reading game for standing.
He was a firm advocate of the sitting brigade and made some points, some of which I agreed with, others I didn't.
He went on to make claims about certain sections 'standing all the time'. I made the point that for some of the bigger cup games and the Derby standing throughout the whole game had become an almost accepted practice on the Kop.
He didn't agree that it should be accepted, adding some misplaced comments about Hillsborough and ended up slamming the phone down.
I'm sure people will have differing views on this, mine is that some sporadic standing and frollocking about is what going the match is all about.
One thing is for certain, it's definitely bringing the fun back into going the match again.

There's a very amusing vid doing the rounds on You Tube of Reds on the metro on their way to the ground in Milan. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI86sEwrOeQ)
In full noisy bouncing mood, the camera pans to a bemused, cool, shade-wearing, leather-clad Inter fan looking perplexed at the madcap group of Kirkdale, Bootle and Old Swan Liverpool fans bucking up and down before him.
Priceless.
Some Reds I've spoken to who went to the San Siro said it was an awesome sight to see thousands of Liverpool fans pogo-ing to the Spaniard's theme tune.
The Inter fans were so impressed with Liverpool's support that they gave them a standing ovation as the match drew to a close.
Provided its done in a sensible and safe way, let the fans have their fun.
Otherwise there'll be no such thing as a 12th man at Anfield anymore.

Here's a few 'bounces' to enjoy in the meantime.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kAHZ3RE1xwE&feature=related

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RIXKKoBnnYc&NR=1

by **ruskiy playmaker** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:17 pm

I don't see the harm in doing the bouncing a for a few minutes during the match. It's not like they do it the whole match.

by **Sabre** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:33 pm

Lando_Griffin wrote:He sounds like a gimp to me.

Obviously Spain have a stronger league than the Premiership - that's why they've got 4 teams in the last 8 of the Champions' League, and we've got only one.

Oh, wait a minute...

Phil Ball is an excellent journo that has played his share of football too. He doesn't write bóllocks usually, and he knows the Spanish league much better than many. He's not a journo like Balague who hasn't played football, but one who knows the game.

His team in Spain is of course Real Sociedad but that hasn't nothing to do about my opinion about him. Honest Lando

.

The journos in Spain, and not only the journos but Luis Aragones himself say that English league is the strongest one as we speak. Of course Aragones says that to prepare us for the next Spanish failure (he always says we're not good enough) but I can tell you the english league is receiving enough credit from here.

IMHO, we're in 2008, and this "best league of the world" issue changes in 2-3 years interval. Meaning, I don't see any of the leagues dominating europe for a whole decade. Next year we'll have new tv contracts in Spain, that will mean ridiculous money to waste, and stars movement. Right now, most of the money is in England, and there's being a leak of players and coaches to England. Still, I think that both in year 2000 where supposedly Spain dominated Europe and now, the differences between top leagues are small.

P.S. FELICIDADES FERNANDO!

by **66-1112520797** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:42 pm

Liverpool fans have always been some of the most original when it comes to dreaming up new lyrics and melodies to sing.

by **staceykelly** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:09 pm

Big Torres fan here.Just joined site.Loving this tread.Torres all the way 4 liverpool. :bowdown

by **NANNY RED** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:15 pm

staceykelly wrote:Big Torres fan here.Just joined site.Loving this tread.Torres all the way 4 liverpool.

Nice to see another lady in here well i hope you a girl :laugh:

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