Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

zing

Fresh injury concern for Torres

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/11/27/fresh-injury-fear-for-fernando-torres-liverpool-fc-latest-100252-22353631/

That's just what we need

_blank_

mike65 wrote: »

I'm more worried about Masch in particular and the whole lack of fizz in the side in general.

When Dunphy &co asked questions about "Marciano" last night, they were slated as not knowing what they were talking about.

Just saying...

~Rebel~

Des wrote: »

When Dunphy &co asked questions about "Marciano" last night, they were slated as not knowing what they were talking about.

Just saying...

tbh though they had Masch damned before a ball had even been kicked.

He did have an awful game, but considering they say it before every single game it was bound to happen at some point!

Our most disappoining player i think was possibly Gerrard. Besides his goal he was woeful, considering the importance of his role to be the main creator its so much worse when he doesn't perform then, say Arbeloa having a bad game.

Babel really needs to start getting more game time. I dont particularly care if he's off form, Yossi has been used to many times this year and done no better. Yossi aint improving - Babel is. I like Yossi, but imo he should solely be a backup for RW, never on the left.

Mr Alan

tbh, Babel has seriously pissed me off this season with his attitude and i wouldnt be disappointed if Rafa ****ed him out of the team altogether.

~Rebel~

Mr Alan wrote: »

tbh, Babel has seriously pissed me off this season with his attitude and i wouldnt be disappointed if Rafa ****ed him out of the team altogether.

imo what Yossi said was far worse then Babel. Yossi was saying he's sick of not playing and if he doesn't play he wants out. Babel said he really wants to play more, but wont leave Liverpool. Coupled with the difference in impact the 2 players provide, as well as who could have a long term successful career at liverpool for me Babel wins every time.

Malice

Mr Alan wrote: »

tbh, Babel has seriously pissed me off this season with his attitude and i wouldnt be disappointed if Rafa ****ed him out of the team altogether.

What aspect of his attitude has annoyed you so much? All he's come out and said in the papers is that he's not happy when he's not playing which in my opinion is exactly the attitude to have. Would it be better if he was happy to sit on the bench?

Fair enough he hasn't contributed a whole lot on the pitch so far this season but the two things I can recall him doing off the top of my head are the winner against Man Utd. and the cross for Kuyt's goal against Standard Liege. Different results in those two games could have had serious implications for the rest of Liverpool's season.

Maybe Rafa is pissed off for him going to the Olympics but considering both Lucas and Mascherano went too and they find their way into the team regularly I don't think that's the case.

Mr Alan

I'm not doubting wat Yossi said was bad out, and i wouldnt particularly care if he left.

but i have thought Babel has been very poor any time he has played this season, to then come out and virtually demand a place in the starting line-up is beyond belief to me. See the game at weekend against Fulham when he came on (i think it was this game!) he ****ing hardly broke a sweat, at one point he didnt even make an effort to win the ball back after losing it & rarely closed down defenders. That kind of attitude pisses me off.

Also the fact that he said Rafa playing him on the left was not a particularly wise thing to do showed a petulence from such a young fella that pisses me off.

mike65

The best way to improve things last night would have been to have pulled Masch, dropped Gerrard back and put Yossi in the hole. Instead Riera gets subbed again for no obvious reason.

Mike

Boggles

Mr Alan wrote: »

tbh, Babel has seriously pissed me off this season with his attitude and i wouldnt be disappointed if Rafa ****ed him out of the team altogether.

I did say he wouldn't be a Liverpool player come next season.

Mr Alan

mike65 wrote: »

The best way to improve things last night would have been to have pulled Masch, dropped Gerrard back and put Yossi in the hole. Instead Riera gets subbed again for no obvious reason.

Mike

I'm not sure if Riera is totally up to where Rafa wants him to be with fitness yet. He nearly always fades from games. i think that was his reasoning.

Boggles wrote: »

I did say he wouldn't be a Liverpool player come next season.

Rafa wont get rid. and if he can sort his attitude out, i wouldnt nearly want him to.

~Rebel~

Mr Alan wrote: »

I'm not sure if Riera is totally up to where Rafa wants him to be with fitness yet. He nearly always fades from games. i think that was his reasoning.

if riera had to go, id have preferred babel on, gerrard into midfield, masch off, keane on.

Mr Alan

~Rebel~ wrote: »

if riera had to go, id have preferred babel on, gerrard into midfield, masch off, keane on.

so would i.

i think Rafa may have been giving him a little lesson though tbh-and hes dead right to.

whatawaster

Mr Alan wrote: »

so would i.

i think Rafa may have been giving him a little lesson though tbh-and hes dead right to.

I'd personally rather he gave him 100 pressups instead of inflicting Benayoun on us.

Mr Alan

we won the game.

and Yossi is a decent player.

~Rebel~

Mr Alan wrote: »

we won the game.

and Yossi is a decent player.

decent player, not sure about decent left winger though..

Podge2k7

decent player, not sure about decent left winger though..

+1 I agree he stinks on the wing!

Mr Alan

Yossi is never on either wing so it doesnt matter

Little fecker only knows how to cut inside, again and again and again and again.

DeadSkin

Mr Alan wrote: »

Yossi is never on either wing so it doesnt matter

Little fecker only knows how to cut inside, again and again and again and again.

Riera does his fair bit of cuttin' inside.

Killme00

Mr Alan wrote: »

Yossi is never on either wing so it doesnt matter

Little fecker only knows how to cut inside, again and again and again and again.

It wouldnt be as much of a problem if the wing backs did some winging.

Mr Alan

DeadSkin wrote: »

Riera does his fair bit of cuttin' inside.

Yea he stays right on the touch line a fair bit too.

Killme00 wrote: »

It wouldnt be as much of a problem if the wing backs did some winging.

In fairness, they do. Particularly Arbeloa.

prendy

ya but thats infuriating coz that takes space from stevie and torres. At one stage just after he came on he was over on the right wing looking for the ball.

it should only be Riera or Babel on the left.

Dossena looked Sh*t when he came on, i keep expecting him to improve and live up to his billing but were still waiting.:(
I hear Skittles is getting back to training quicker than expected which is a major bonus for the squad. i wonder would Rafa give Agger a run at left back, i mean he loves getting forward and has a good left peg? Just a thought.

on a side note where do ye see Keane fitting in? I mean our best 11 for me includes
masc-alonso
Kuyt-gerrard-riera
Torres

i just dont see how he will fit in regularly. and if we learned anything the last few seasons its that you need your strongest 11 on the pitch most of the time.
its a pity coz i really do think he could build a partnership with nando but who do you drop. In my oppinion he'll be warming the bench a lot unless we have injuries to the above players.

jesus_thats_gre

I really home we stick with last nights formation and just rotate Keane in to Torres' and Gerard's position. I don't like us playing 4 - 4 - 2.

There has been a few games this season that show that we haven't changed too much from last seasons Liverpool. We have shown early of the season that we can do the score more than the opposition lark but we have defo reverted to the keep a clean sheet and score and goal or two mentality. Last night was defo a classic Liverpool of recent years performance..

While this worries me somewhat, I think that we are better equiped to do this this season with the addition of Reira and Keane and Kuyt's improvement of form. This would explain our current position in the league and the results we have achieved against better teams while missing key players.

This Christmas though, I would still like to see someone like Gareth Barry brought in. Sadly, I still see Alonso being sold and out system becoming something like:

---

Reina

---

Arbeloa

---

Carra

---

Agger

---

Aurelio

---

Masch

---

---

Gerard

---

Barry

---

Kuyt

---

Riera

---

Torres

---

Where Keane would fit into that system is anyones guess. Am starting to think that maybe he was signed so we can switch between the above and 4-4-2 depending on the opposition.

~Rebel~

prendy wrote: »

y

on a side note where do ye see Keane fitting in? I mean our best 11 for me includes
masc-alonso
Kuyt-gerrard-riera
Torres

i just dont see how he will fit in regularly. and if we learned anything the last few seasons its that you need your strongest 11 on the pitch most of the time.
its a pity coz i really do think he could build a partnership with nando but who do you drop. In my oppinion he'll be warming the bench a lot unless we have injuries to the above players.

For most of our home games we dont really need both Masch and Alonso in midfield, could easily manage with Alonso and Gerrard in center mid, with Kuyt right, Riera/Babel left and Keane and Torres up top.

For most of the away games (except against poor teams), and some of the tougher home games can bring in Masch.

I think we should have like a tiered system for our team based on the oppositions strength and likelyhood of putting us under pressure;
tier 1; Not much pressure, Alonso Gerrard midfield only.
tier 2; A nice bit of pressure, Masch and 1 from Alonso and Gerrard with 2 strikers
tier 3; Good team, lots of pressure, Masch, Alonso and Gerrard all largely operating in midfield with Gerrard given licence to go forward, but also needing to come back and help.

prendy

i really would be gutted to lose Alonso. He is playing out of his skin this year. I still dont think Barry would be an improvement.
maybe as JTG posted above he would offer better balance down the left with stevie on the right ahead of masc but rafa likes the two holding players so its not like were suddenly going to go with masc behind the other two. i think it would be a case of the exact same formation with barry taking alonso's position.

jesus_thats_gre

prendy wrote: »

i really would be gutted to lose Alonso. He is playing out of his skin this year. I still dont think Barry would be an improvement.
maybe as JTG posted above he would offer better balance down the left with stevie on the right ahead of masc but rafa likes the two holding players so its not like were suddenly going to go with masc behind the other two. i think it would be a case of the exact same formation with barry taking alonso's position.

I am not convinced that he does like two holding midfielders anymore. The attempt to sign Barry and sell Alonso could be used as proof of this.

Using the system above, you have two of the best central midfielders in Englang pushing up to support the from three. You also have them dropping deep when needed as both players are capable box to box players.

oobydooby

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I think we should have like a tiered system for our team based on the oppositions strength and likelyhood of putting us under pressure;
tier 1; Not much pressure, Alonso Gerrard midfield only.
tier 2; A nice bit of pressure, Masch and 1 from Alonso and Gerrard with 2 strikers
tier 3; Good team, lots of pressure, Masch, Alonso and Gerrard all largely operating in midfield with Gerrard given licence to go forward, but also needing to come back and help.

I'd agree with this. Despite all the stick he gets I think Giles has a point when he says Liverpool find it hard to carve open mediocre teams. Our strong team can deal with quality sides and plays good percentage football. However, we still lack that creative spark and it can be frustrating watching us dominate a match without really threatening to score.

As for Robbie Keane, well even if he doesn't fit into our best starting 11, he's a quality sub to have. Also we've had Gerrard and Torres injured for most of the season so far (Torres anyway) and we're doing quite well. Signing Riera and Kuyt's and Alonso's resurgence have helped no doubt but Robbie is also playing his part.

noodler

I think Riera looks better in a 4-4-2 to be honest.

kingshankly

hope to hang on to alonso although not blessed with pace he has a rare quality in the way he controls the game and sets the tempo barry is a good lad but if he replaces alonso we lose more than we gain.
The team that started last night is probably our strongest with the exception of skirtel

Karmafaerie

Boggles wrote: »

I did say he wouldn't be a Liverpool player come next season.

And you'll be wrong.:D

DeadSkin

Torres & Aurelio out for a few weeks

Fernando Torres and Fabio Aurelio both face short spells on the sidelines after picking up injuries against Marseille on Wednesday night.
Both players underwent scans at Melwood earlier today after picking up hamstring and calf strains respectively during the 1-0 Champions League victory.

A club spokesman confirmed: "Fernando has a strain in his right hamstring and will be out of action for between two and three weeks.

"Fabio has a calf strain in his left leg and will be out for two weeks."

missingtime

Thats really **** about torres!
We've been doin better than expected without him but hopefully this wont be a recurring injury.
It's time to keane and babel to buck up. Ngog did well in the prereason (yea i know) but its strange that he hasn't got game time.

jesus_thats_gre

noodler wrote: »

I think Riera looks better in a 4-4-2 to be honest.

Ironically enough, quite alot of the stuff said about him by Rafa and other commentators from Spain are that he plays best in our prefered 4-2-3-1.

jesus_thats_gre

DeadSkin wrote: »

Torres & Aurelio out for a few weeks

That majorly sucks balls but our up coming fixtures aren't the worst:

01 December 2008 - Liverpool v West Ham, 20:00
06 December 2008 - Blackburn v Liverpool, 15:00
09 December 2008 - PSV Eindhoven v Liverpool
13 December 2008 - Liverpool v Hull,
21 December 2008 - Arsenal v Liverpool
26 December 2008 - Liverpool v Bolton

The Arsenal one is the obviously the biggie but we the others should be 3 pointers with or without Torres. It will also give Robbie a few more games to prove himself.

mormank

I would like to adrress the Babel haters..he hasnt had a lot of game time so shouldnt be judged as he has. fair enough for ye to complain that he hasnt been running his lungs of in the 20 mins he does get but im sure it is difficult to get motivated when you know all you will ever get is 20 mins regardless of whether ye are winning losing or drawing.

But come on, this guy was once hailed my Marco Van Basten as the next world beater of his country. Cant be half bad, and a player i would rather have in our squad than a rival's. Also people (including myself) seem to not realise how difficult the premiership can be to adjust to. I know its his second season with us but he is still young, try and remember Ronaldo st 21, still a waster in most people's eyes, albeit a very skillful one. Give the biy time, and once he has played a full season as a regular starter maybe ye can start getting the knives out then.

As for Yossi, if he leaves, meh...however he has done it once or twice this season when coming on as a sub. His assist for the winner against Man city springs to mind, it was a decent turn and pass, also his positioning was good. that said if he left im sure somebody else could have the same effect, but i wouldnt like a situation where we only have Babel to call on to change a game, thats alot of pressure on a young boys shoulders, not to mention it makes Rafa predictable.

As for Robbie Keane, well he scored more goals last calender year than any other player in the premiership. For him it is merely a case of finding his place in the team imo. He was captain of Tottenham last year for a large chunk of the season and it is difficult to go from being the big fish to being only a regular sized one. I would also hypothesise that he is perhaps intimidated by players like Gerrard and Torres....with intimidated perhaps being the wrong word. But there definitley is alot of 'leaving it for Gerrard etc' at Liverpool. A player needs supreme confidence to take the ball from the toe of such an illustrious team mate. Watch out for it next time you watch Gerrard playing. Only players like Alonso or carragher will take posession of the toe of Stevie..Robbie was that player at Tottenham, now he is not. He will be fine.

Sorry for the ramble, if you have made it this far having read the whole post, you have my congratulations, you are a very patient person. Feel free to disect...

shotamoose

Somebody please reassure me that these recurring Torres hamstring injuries are not that abnormal and not the start of a Michael Owen-like loss of speed and power.

I wonder if it's worth experimenting with a 4-4-2 with Babel and Keane up front, as Keane in a 4-5-1 hasn't seemed all that effective.

kida

looks like Owen syndrome again - its the mental impact hamstring injuries do thats the long term problem - he may not sprint full out anymore

sure ye will be fine - ye have super robbie

Mr Alan

Little hasty to say Owen syndrome again tbh. He wasnt really injured at all last year.

Gelio

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

01 December 2008 - Liverpool v West Ham, 20:00
06 December 2008 - Blackburn v Liverpool, 15:00
09 December 2008 - PSV Eindhoven v Liverpool
13 December 2008 - Liverpool v Hull,
21 December 2008 - Arsenal v Liverpool
26 December 2008 - Liverpool v Bolton

Looking forward to the Hull match
Should be interesting

NabyLadistheman

ajeffares wrote: »

Looking forward to the Hull match
Should be interesting

Why's that?

noodler

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Ironically enough, quite alot of the stuff said about him by Rafa and other commentators from Spain are that he plays best in our prefered 4-2-3-1.

I can only comment on what I've seen. Just that 4-4-2 seems to keep him wider for a start and also because he is inclined to track back, something which is required more of him in a 4-4-2.

mike65

Hmmm, Keane better prove his price tag wasn't a complete joke and Rafa had better do his best to give Keane a chance, so its 4-4-2 but with who? Kuyt, Ngog? Babel? El Zhar?

Mike

L'prof

mike65 wrote: »

Hmmm, Keane better prove his price tag wasn't a complete joke and Rafa had better do his best to give Keane a chance, so its 4-4-2 but with who? Kuyt, Ngog? Babel? El Zhar?

Mike

I'd be surprised if it was! Unless it was Gerrard just off Keane and Kuyt and Babel on the wings!

noodler

Play him up front with Crouch....on no wait!

Keane's tag was justified at the time of sale IMO.

Subbed out Torres for Keane in Fantasy this week.

Malice

I'd like to see Keane and Kuyt up front with El Zhar on the right and Riera on the left.

whatawaster

nearly cried when i heard the Torres news last night. Hopefully he'll be back for Arsenal.
Nemeth is just coming back to full fitness now, i'd love to see him force his way into the team. He's good backup for Robbie, he's quite a similar player, but more skillful.

Gelio

torresistheman wrote: »

Why's that?

There are going to be a few interesting things happening.
Hull are a spirited team. I wonder how we will deal with it.
Hull in Anfield, will there be atmosphere and if so how will
Hull react?

I had etter stop before this becomes a match discussion!

NabyLadistheman

ajeffares wrote: »

There are going to be a few interesting things happening.
Hull are a spirited team. I wonder how we will deal with it.
Hull in Anfield, will there be atmosphere and if so how will
Hull react?

I had etter stop before this becomes a match discussion!

I was just curious as I was hoping you'd say he would be back for that game as Im going and want to see him in the flesh!

~Rebel~

malice_ wrote: »

I'd like to see Keane and Kuyt up front with El Zhar on the right and Riera on the left.

The only bit of pace there is El Zhar though, who isn't lightning either. Hate playing 2 slow players up top, too easy for the defence to handle. I like 1 fast and 1 more technical so the defence has to stay closer to goal to stop the exposed space being opened up, this allows a player like Keane to do what he's best at, with the faster player free to make diagonal runs knowing he can beat his man for pace. So for me, it has to be Keane and Babel up top, Riera left and Kuyt right.

Boggles

mormank wrote: »

But come on, this guy was once hailed my Marco Van Basten as the next world beater of his country. Cant be half bad, and a player i would rather have in our squad than a rival's. Also people (including myself) seem to not realise how difficult the premiership can be to adjust to. I know its his second season with us but he is still young, try and remember Ronaldo st 21, still a waster in most people's eyes, albeit a very skillful one. Give the biy time, and once he has played a full season as a regular starter maybe ye can start getting the knives out then.

Time has ran out on the Babel and Ronaldo comparision, I'm no fan of Babel and don't rate him above a decent average forward player, always thought it was an unfair comparison anyways.

Babel is 22 next week and for alot of people on here is going backwards.

mormank wrote: »

Ronaldo at 21, still a waster in most people's eyes

53 Apps 23 Goals, PL Medal.

I suppose in some peoples eyes Ronaldo is still a waster. :pac:

To be fair to Babel he has had limited appearences from the Bench this season but infact it is nearly identical to last season, peoples opinion of Babel became clouded because he came into a bit of form the last few months of last season, for most the season he was terrible.

I can only see him going backwards because at this moment in time when he comes on he looks uninterested and with Kuyt playing out of his skin and Reira looking a solid purchase, he simply won't get back in the team.

Rafa has done it before, I think he will cut his loses in the Summer and Babel will be shipped out.

mru

~Rebel~ wrote: »

The only bit of pace there is El Zhar though, who isn't lightning either. Hate playing 2 slow players up top, too easy for the defence to handle. I like 1 fast and 1 more technical so the defence has to stay closer to goal to stop the exposed space being opened up, this allows a player like Keane to do what he's best at, with the faster player free to make diagonal runs knowing he can beat his man for pace. So for me, it has to be Keane and Babel up top, Riera left and Kuyt right.

Doubt he'll play babel though. Maybe keane