Liverpool FC Forum

by **Owzat** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:49 pm

LegBarnes wrote:How many times has babel played as a striker for us ? I remember 2 times and both times he got on score sheet in fact he is 3 goals in 2 games as striker so why all the hate for him.

I know if i was him i be feeling down about getting played in wide left area then getting slatted by fans because he isn't playing well in an area he has clearly no idea how to control.

Please thinka bout it a little. ( the whole picture)!

You thin owen ?
Or Van nistelrooy ?
would do any better as a left winger ?

Owen could, Van Nistelrooy wouldn't because he'd be so disorientated from leaving his camp inside the six yard box

by **Igor Zidane** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 2:29 pm

Fo Dne wrote:
bigmick wrote:Am I alone in becoming a fraction concerned about his actual contribution to games? Now this is not some lame attempt by me to re-visit my extreme reservations about us initially signing him, I've already said I was totally wrong on that score. He is a far better player than I remember from his City days, and has proved already that I was talking nonsense pre his signing.

I've said a few times though that despite providing obvious balance to the team, he has a tendancy to kind of run in snatches. Often he starts games brightly before fading, and whether thats as a result of tiredness or the full back getting into him a bit I'm not sure. I do feel though that his actual meaningful contributions to games, not counting nice flicks on the half way line and the rest have lessened over the last few weeks.

My view is he's becoming a bit ornamental, and needs a rocket up his erse. If Dossena wasn't quite so bad, I'd advocate Aurelio moving to left midfield for a game or two and giving Albert a bit of a rest. I just get the feeling that we need to see a lot more from him. Kuyt on the other side is a quarter of the footballer, but this season has contributed far more and my hunch at least is that Riera is on a bit of a downward spiral.

You're having a laugh?

The lads form has dipped a little but his ball retention and use of the ball is superb. He's extremely intelligent and his movement, passing and quality show in just about every game he plays and he's a major reason we're up at the top of the league such is the improvement he's made to our team in that position. Just because the lads lost a bit of form over the last 3 or 4 games means absoloutely nothing.

He's quality, he's added alot of ability to the team and he's helped the likes of Alonso and Gerrard at times produce some of the best football we've seen from this side in years. If we had another player as good on the right as him we'd have one hell of a front six providing the clown played them all in the correct position.

I take it you think that we are joint top in spight of the clown and not that he's played some part in it. Your lack of respect for our clown of a manager is bewildering sometimes. :no

Get a clue lad.

by **Judge** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:32 pm

riera has played very well imo. improving all the time. ball control is at times excellent and his passing is much better than his city days.

if he could score a few more goals, then i think we have a gem

by **HacksawJimDuggin** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:01 pm

I am happy with what I have seen from Riera to date. He offers us the balance we have been crying out for. He is not a world class player but a very good player who will do well at LFC.

You also have to remember he has only played a handful of games and as a rule (Torres the exception) it takes foreign players a bit if time before we see the best of them.

by **JoeTerp** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:50 pm

I pointed this out a while back. That once the team starts playing poorly, it will expose in a way what Reira really offers. We aren't really lethal enough everywhere else on the pitch to just have all these people who "help out the general attacking play of the team" by creating space and having nice flicks at the halfway line and putting in dangerous crosses that nobody gets on the end of. The name of the game is stopping and scoring goals, and while I realize you need people to build an environment for goals to be created, it seems like we have too many of these players on the pitch and not enough of the people directly creating and scoring goals on a consistent basis of late.

by **bigmick** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:27 pm

JoeTerp wrote:I pointed this out a while back. That once the team starts playing poorly, it will expose in a way what Reira really offers. We aren't really lethal enough everywhere else on the pitch to just have all these people who "help out the general attacking play of the team" by creating space and having nice flicks at the halfway line and putting in dangerous crosses that nobody gets on the end of. The name of the game is stopping and scoring goals, and while I realize you need people to build an environment for goals to be created, it seems like we have too many of these players on the pitch and not enough of the people directly creating and scoring goals on a consistent basis of late.

It's a really good post that Joe and broadly is what I'm on about. I should just say though that I'm happy enough with Riera, but IMHO he is capable of much much more and it seems to me the main barrier to him achieving it is his own self confidence.

He's never really scored heavily in his career, but why not? He's got a good shot by all accounts, aint bad in the air and isn't shy of coming in off his flank when the balls on the right. I'd be telling him that so far he's laid a foundation, but we need a whole lot more from him. I think he should be able to challenge Kuyt for top scoring wide midfielder in the team (again I ask the question, why not?) and I think we should by now be seeing goals as a direct result of his interventions, ie assists.

I just live in hope that he can really step up and become on the very best left-midfielders in the Premiership. Lets face it, playing for us he ought to be.

by **Leonmc0708** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:03 am

I hate to agree with Stu, so I wont.

However I do feel the lack of movement up front makes it harder for him to play a killer final ball.

Once Torres is fit again, I think you will see his assists go through the roof.

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:43 am

Scottbot wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:You missed out Dossena, Aurelio, Agger, Lucas and Keane.

And that's just five of the players who have been 'carried' all the way to the top of the table....

what has Agger done wrong? and Aurelio is often injured but when played, he does well. Keane misses sitters but a good player doesnt become sh!t overnight. i got no positive comments bout the other 2 though.

by **Quadrophenia** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:16 am

maypaxvobiscum wrote:
Scottbot wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:You missed out Dossena, Aurelio, Agger, Lucas and Keane.

And that's just five of the players who have been 'carried' all the way to the top of the table....

what has Agger done wrong? and Aurelio is often injured but when played, he does well. Keane misses sitters but a good player doesnt become sh!t overnight. i got no positive comments bout the other 2 though.

Try giving the ball away on the edge of the box against Wigan. Try giving the ball away every time he got it against Fulham for the first half hour. Try being totally out of position against Tottenham in the Carling Cup. Try being caught out many times against Athletico Madrid and Marsielle at Anfield. Try being completely run raggered against Standard Liege in Belgium. Agger hasn't been defending great since his return except the Chelsea game where along with Carra he was superb.

Try giving the ball away to City because he tried to be clever, from which they scored. Try getting a throw in against City and throwing it to the keeper when there was three City players between himself and Reina. Try trying to clear a ball and ending up hitting into your own box against City. Try standing in a wall and then moving out the way so Garrido could score for City. Try failing to close one cross down agaisnt Chelsea. Try being unable to attack against Stoke and against Marsielle at Anfield. Try being a better passer than Alonso yet always failing to make three succesful passes on the run. Aurelio is a poor player and the only reason people drool over him like he's some Alec Lyndsay is because he was better than Riise was when they played together and he's better than Dossena - neither are really difficult. You put Insua in and you'd see just how bad a player Aurelio is because Insua is a much better player.

Enough for you or would you like me to ellaborate some more?

by **Fo Dne** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:36 am

Quadrophenia wrote:Try giving the ball away on the edge of the box against Wigan. Try giving the ball away every time he got it against Fulham for the first half hour. Try being totally out of position against Tottenham in the Carling Cup. Try being caught out many times against Athletico Madrid and Marsielle at Anfield. Try being completely run raggered against Standard Liege in Belgium. Agger hasn't been defending great since his return except the Chelsea game where along with Carra he was superb.

Try giving the ball away to City because he tried to be clever, from which they scored. Try getting a throw in against City and throwing it to the keeper when there was three City players between himself and Reina. Try trying to clear a ball and ending up hitting into your own box against City. Try standing in a wall and then moving out the way so Garrido could score for City. Try failing to close one cross down agaisnt Chelsea. Try being unable to attack against Stoke and against Marsielle at Anfield. Try being a better passer than Alonso yet always failing to make three succesful passes on the run. Aurelio is a poor player and the only reason people drool over him like he's some Alec Lyndsay is because he was better than Riise was when they played together and he's better than Dossena - neither are really difficult. You put Insua in and you'd see just how bad a player Aurelio is because Insua is a much better player.

Enough for you or would you like me to ellaborate some more?

'Kinell.... He's like me but without the football knowledge... :laugh:

by **Quadrophenia** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 3:09 am

Fo Dne wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:Try giving the ball away on the edge of the box against Wigan. Try giving the ball away every time he got it against Fulham for the first half hour. Try being totally out of position against Tottenham in the Carling Cup. Try being caught out many times against Athletico Madrid and Marsielle at Anfield. Try being completely run raggered against Standard Liege in Belgium. Agger hasn't been defending great since his return except the Chelsea game where along with Carra he was superb.

Try giving the ball away to City because he tried to be clever, from which they scored. Try getting a throw in against City and throwing it to the keeper when there was three City players between himself and Reina. Try trying to clear a ball and ending up hitting into your own box against City. Try standing in a wall and then moving out the way so Garrido could score for City. Try failing to close one cross down agaisnt Chelsea. Try being unable to attack against Stoke and against Marsielle at Anfield. Try being a better passer than Alonso yet always failing to make three succesful passes on the run. Aurelio is a poor player and the only reason people drool over him like he's some Alec Lyndsay is because he was better than Riise was when they played together and he's better than Dossena - neither are really difficult. You put Insua in and you'd see just how bad a player Aurelio is because Insua is a much better player.

Enough for you or would you like me to ellaborate some more?

'Kinell.... He's like me but without the football knowledge...

Well considering your football knowledge on here isn't held in the highest regard by most, I must be something of an expert on the game. :;):

Ah well tell me something I didn't know eh mate. :laugh:

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 3:12 am

Fo Dne wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:Try giving the ball away on the edge of the box against Wigan. Try giving the ball away every time he got it against Fulham for the first half hour. Try being totally out of position against Tottenham in the Carling Cup. Try being caught out many times against Athletico Madrid and Marsielle at Anfield. Try being completely run raggered against Standard Liege in Belgium. Agger hasn't been defending great since his return except the Chelsea game where along with Carra he was superb.

Try giving the ball away to City because he tried to be clever, from which they scored. Try getting a throw in against City and throwing it to the keeper when there was three City players between himself and Reina. Try trying to clear a ball and ending up hitting into your own box against City. Try standing in a wall and then moving out the way so Garrido could score for City. Try failing to close one cross down agaisnt Chelsea. Try being unable to attack against Stoke and against Marsielle at Anfield. Try being a better passer than Alonso yet always failing to make three succesful passes on the run. Aurelio is a poor player and the only reason people drool over him like he's some Alec Lyndsay is because he was better than Riise was when they played together and he's better than Dossena - neither are really difficult. You put Insua in and you'd see just how bad a player Aurelio is because Insua is a much better player.

Enough for you or would you like me to ellaborate some more?

'Kinell.... He's like me but without the football knowledge...

absolutely clueless i really have nothing to say about that post. he just mentioned AGGER in the same line as lucas and dossena.

by **benjy** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 5:21 am

i think riera has taken his foot off the pedal a bit in recent games. when he first started, he was fabulous, nice touches which actually led somewhere. nowadays, it's nice touches but he ends up losing it eventually or passing back to the defence.

i guess the problem is - sometimes, we identify that their left back is wonky so we send more balls/players down that way which means our attack is focussed on the right wing, rather than the left. as such, riera perhaps sees less of the ball and we get the impression that he's not doing much.

in the marseille game, did anyone notice that he, at one stage, went into a central position? i can't remember exactly when that was, but he dropped into the middle and was playing passes through the middle too. i think we have to get him more involved in the game by passing it to him.
i remember seeing some excellent inter-play between him and gerrard and alonso. let's see more of that!

by **Patto** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:07 pm

I agree. He looks like he's gone 'off the boil' a bit over the past couple of weeks. But on the other hand, I've seen enough from him over the previous 8 weeks or so to suggest he's a decent player.
He defo gives us balance on the left & as we saw against Chelsea, he's a good out-let when we are under pressure.
Maybe its because he started his Liverpool career so well, the first sign of him having a couple of poor games people start worrying.
To be honest, none of them have played that well for the last few weeks, so he's not on his own

by **Sabre** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:13 pm

I don't know exactly what it means a rocket in the árse, but as much as I'm not worried about this good player, and as much as I agree Bob he's a better regular starter than Babel (for the reasons discussed this season so far), I think it's a good time to give Babel the odd chance and see what happens.

Just as a reminder to the lad that he's not playing at Espanyol any more... Alonso needed that warning of not having a place by decree too, and considering that Riera has played a lot of games, it could be a good moment to give him that reminder and use him in the last 20 mins.

Today, he hasn't played well although I must say aswell that he wasn't well used by his team mates neither.

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