Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread [mod warning #11145, #32140 (see OP)]

Boggles

whatawaster wrote: »

But not in the league, which United fans never tire of telling us is the most important judge of a good team
04/05 - 58 points
05/06 - 82 points (out early of CL – more focus on league)
06/07 - 68 points (plus long CL run to final)
07/08 - 76 points (plus long CL run to semi final)
08/09 - 86 points (plus long CL run to semi final)

If you can’t see the improvements their in the league then there's something wrong with you. The only anomaly is 05/06 we’re we were out of the CL early and didn’t have to rest players at all in the league.

Liverpool got knocked out in the quarter final of CL last year, out of both domestic cups early. So yeah you could expect their league position to improve.

Add to that the fact the 3 other top teams got to 2 semi finals in cup competitions, and 2 finals.

3rd in the league and CL final appearence > 2nd in the league and nothing else.

Mr Alan

Boggles wrote: »

3rd in the league and CL final appearence > 2nd in the league and nothing else.

thanks for clearing that up Boggles.

Boggles

Mr Alan wrote: »

thanks for clearing that up Boggles.

No bother Al.

whatawaster

Boggles wrote: »

Liverpool got knocked out in the quarter final of CL last year, out of both domestic cups early. So yeah you could expect their league position to improve.

Add to that the fact the 3 other top teams got to 2 semi finals in cup competitions, and 2 finals.

3rd in the league and CL final appearence > 2nd in the league and nothing else.

Yeah I edited that.

Not when you have 18 points more in the league it’s not. It may look a better season, but the team that finishes with 18 more points is clearly a better team, a team who were also close to getting to the semi final.
Example: In 04/05 liverpool had 58 points and won the CL. United had 77 points. Now regardless of Liverpool winning the CL and I’d never take anything away from that achievement – United were clearly the better team that year, no?

Mr Alan

If these stories are true about Rafa having his budget reduced to 1.5m-2m, i'd expect him to walk tbh. I'm just hoping he has planted these stories himself in order to try & get more value in the market.

Wouldn't blame him for walking either, the treatment he gets from the media & our owners is a disgrace-undermined & humiliated over & over again.

Part of me actually hopes Rafa walks, but then i shudder to think what will happen to our club under someone like Klinsmann.

flahavaj

If (and its a big if) these stories are true, the important question must be; how long has he known how little he would have to spend this Summer?

If its the case that he has known since he before he spent the Johnsen money, then fair enough to a certain extent, at least he had prior warning and could have budgeted accordingly.

But if hes only finding this out now and expected to be given more more, or worse still was promised more only for that promise to be broken, than surely he has good cause to be absolutely livid.

Boggles

whatawaster wrote: »

Yeah I edited that.

Not when you have 18 points more in the league it’s not. It may look a better season, but the team that finishes with 18 more points is clearly a better team, a team who were also close to getting to the semi final.
Example: In 04/05 liverpool had 58 points and won the CL. United had 77 points. Now regardless of Liverpool winning the CL and I’d never take anything away from that achievement – United were clearly the better team that year, no?

A team and a manager will always be judged on success. Correct?

You can sugar coat it any way you want, but Liverpool have not been successful i.e win a competition in 3 seasons! Simply put, Rafa with his purchases have failed to make the grade.

Houlier got the team to 3rd in the league and in the same season won 3 cups. I'm sorry but that eclipses anything Rafa has done to date.

flahavaj

In the unlikely event that I ever enter the murky world of politics, I'll be head hunting Boggles to be my spin doctor. Exceptional.

Karmafaerie

The Muppet wrote: »

Off the top of my head of the players United purchased only Rio and Rooney are left.

Okay.........!

Off the top of my head, there are no Liverpool players purchased still in the squad from either the begining or the end of the 05 season!


If you want to ignore Neville/Scholles/Giggs etc think it out better.
Cause Gerrard and Carra weren't bought either.

Karmafaerie

flahavaj wrote: »

In the unlikely event that I ever enter the murky world of politics, I'll be head hunting Boggles to be my spin doctor. Exceptional.

Mandelson would be proud.

whatawaster

Boggles wrote: »

A team and a manager will always be judged on success. Correct?

You can sugar coat it any way you want, but Liverpool have not been successful i.e win a competition in 3 seasons! Simply put, Rafa with his purchases have failed to make the grade.

Houlier got the team to 3rd in the league and in the same season won 3 cups. I'm sorry but that eclipses anything Rafa has done to date.

That Houllier team today might win 3 cups, but it wouldn’t get anywhere near Arsenal, United or Chelsea. Times have changed, the big 4 are 4 of the best teams in the world.

If you’d asked me at the start of last season would I prefer 86 points in the league, or get 69 points and win 3 cups I’d 100% have taken the season we had last year.
I’d take it again over those 3 cups this year, because the season we had last year and hope to have this year gives us a chance of winning the premier league.

whatawaster

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Mandelson would be proud.

I think you mean Alistair Campbell!

Mr Alan

Boggles thinks Houllier is a better manager than Benitez, fair enough, leave him to it.

PiE

Boggles wrote: »

You can sugar coat it any way you want, but Liverpool have not been successful i.e win a competition in 3 seasons! Simply put, Rafa with his purchases have failed to make the grade.

And you can sh*t-coat it any way you like, but Liverpool are a better team now and Rafas the main reason behind that.

Karmafaerie

whatawaster wrote: »

I think you mean Alistair Campbell!

Cambell was the spin doctor, but Mandleson always pulled the strings.
I see Boggles as more of the shadowey figure in the background.

No offence Boggles.;)

Boggles

whatawaster wrote: »

That Houllier team today might win 3 cups, but it wouldn’t get anywhere near Arsenal, United or Chelsea. Times have changed, the big 4 are 4 of the best teams in the world.

If you’d asked me at the start of last season would I prefer 86 points in the league, or get 69 points and win 3 cups I’d 100% have taken the season we had last year.
I’d take it again over those 3 cups this year, because the season we had last year and hope to have this year gives us a chance of winning the premier league.

You get the same prize for 2nd as you do 3rd, a automatic CL spot.

You would sacrifice 3 cups for one position in the league, I can understand if that position was first, but it isn't.

Mind Boggling!

Boggles

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Cambell was the spin doctor, but Mandleson always pulled the strings.
I see Boggles as more of the shadowey figure in the background.

No offence Boggles.;)

Like that smoking guy in the X-files.

Karmafaerie

Boggles wrote: »

Like that smoking guy in the X-files.

Or like the one armed man.

whatawaster

Boggles wrote: »

You get the same prize for 2nd as you do 3rd, a automatic CL spot.

You would sacrifice 3 cups for one position in the league, I can understand if that position was first, but it isn't.

Mind Boggling!

This is my whole argument. You might get the same prize for 2nd and 3rd, but Liverpool fans want progress in the league, and I’d
Sacrifice cup runs for that any day of the week.
If we keep getting 86 points and nowhere in cups, we’ll win the league eventually, that I guarantee.
If we keep getting 69 points and winning the UEFA Cup, FA CUP and League Cup, we’ll never win the league, that I guarantee you.

Mr Alan

Rafa has a press conference at 1 today doesn't he?

Should have a better idea of where we're at after that.

Kingdom

Can people stop quoting boggles, it makes the ignore button redundant.

No offence Boggles.

Ta.

whatawaster

Mr Alan wrote: »

Rafa has a press conference at 1 today doesn't he?

Should have a better idea of where we're at after that.

Let’s hope he’s not in his tracksuit again.

mayordenis

press conferance on sky anyone know?

Pighead

Kingdom wrote: »

Can people stop quoting boggles, it makes the ignore button redundant.

No offence Boggles.

Ta.

Why would you want to ignore Boggles? Boggles is right......about everything.

Mr Alan

whatawaster wrote: »

Let’s hope he’s not in his tracksuit again.

If they've ****ed him over I hope he doesn't hold back, our fans need to know the joke of a club these owners are turning us into. If they've messed him (us)around again, he should ****ing lay into them, they can't afford to sack him with a new contract just signed.

kida

flahavaj wrote: »

If (and its a big if) these stories are true, the important question must be; how long has he known how little he would have to spend this Summer?

If its the case that he has known since he before he spent the Johnsen money, then fair enough to a certain extent, at least he had prior warning and could have budgeted accordingly.

But if hes only finding this out now and expected to be given more more, or worse still was promised more only for that promise to be broken, than surely he has good cause to be absolutely livid.

the refinancing happened after the deal was agreed so its unlikely he knew exactly what he would have.

Bandit12

Mr Alan wrote: »

Boggles thinks Houllier is a better manager than Benitez, fair enough, leave him to it.

lol :pac: This guy never fails to amuse.:D It must be a wind up no?

Kingdom

Pighead wrote: »

Why would you want to ignore Boggles? Boggles is right......about everything.

Oh I know Boggles is right about everything, I'd just like to figure things out for myself first.

Boggles

flahavaj wrote: »

In the unlikely event that I ever enter the murky world of politics, I'll be head hunting Boggles to be my spin doctor. Exceptional.

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Mandelson would be proud.

whatawaster wrote: »

I think you mean Alistair Campbell!

Mr Alan wrote: »

Boggles thinks Houllier is a better manager than Benitez, fair enough, leave him to it.

PiE wrote: »

And you can sh*t-coat it any way you like, but Liverpool are a better team now and Rafas the main reason behind that.

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Cambell was the spin doctor, but Mandleson always pulled the strings.
I see Boggles as more of the shadowey figure in the background.

No offence Boggles.;)

Karmafaerie wrote: »

Or like the one armed man.

Kingdom wrote: »

Can people stop quoting boggles, it makes the ignore button redundant.

No offence Boggles.

Ta.

Bandit12 wrote: »

lol :pac: This guy never fails to amuse.:D It must be a wind up no?

Kingdom wrote: »

Oh I know Boggles is right about everything, I'd just like to figure things out for myself first.

You got to look at it from my point of view, I bring up a point with merit and instead of debating it, I have to read through this all in one page.

Not aimed at you Whatawaster, you did debate, fair play.

flahavaj

I was paying you a compliment Boggles. You're a total and utter hero.:(

noodler

Liverpool are a better team than they were under Houllier but due to changing goalposts they have not yet managed a league title.

Thats the 100% honest-to-god truth up there.

PiE

Any news on the press conference yet?

Mr Alan

Looks like Skrtel is out for a couple of weeks

http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/08/18/1447076/liverpool-defender-martin-skrtel-has-a-cracked-jaw-agent

Headshot

Mr Alan wrote: »

Looks like Skrtel is out for a couple of weeks

http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/08/18/1447076/liverpool-defender-martin-skrtel-has-a-cracked-jaw-agent

jebus

who'll be the CB's now ? (fit ones)

noodler

Jamie did Arbeloa and now Srktel. Must be getting concerned about keeping his place..

rossie1977

noodler wrote: »

Liverpool are a better team than they were under Houllier but due to changing goalposts they have not yet managed a league title.

Thats the 100% honest-to-god truth up there.

liverpool were improving year on year with houiller then something happened, last two seasons under houiller liverpool were awful, playing in the uefa cup and knocked out by celtic and marseille

liverpools last season under houiller they managed 58 points, 58 points would given them 6th place last year

5starpool

Even now I still have no idea what Carragher was at with that challenge. He clearly saw that Skrtl was going for that ball, and it was his to win. Really weird.

Any chance of Agger being ok for tomorrow? Unlikely I know, but he is close enough I think.

rossie1977

Headshot wrote: »

jebus

who'll be the CB's now ? (fit ones)

i suspect johnson will play CB

Boggles

Any video of the Skrtel / Carra clash?

Mr Alan

Agger is out for another 2 or 3 weeks, but supposedly SSN have said that Skrtel is to play tomorrow (with a mask.....as if he wasn't a scary enough ****er!).

5starpool

I really hope Stoke are not going to turn into a bogey team for us. They are certainly horrible to play against, and in fairness to them that is very much to their credit.

Handsome Bob

Mr Alan wrote: »

Agger is out for another 2 or 3 weeks, but supposedly SSN have said that Skrtel is to play tomorrow (with a mask.....as if he wasn't a scary enough ****er!).

Bah! He's not scary, he's just 100% man in a world full of preening metrosexual footballers!

noodler

rossie1977 wrote: »

liverpool were improving year on year with houiller then something happened, last two seasons under houiller liverpool were awful, playing in the uefa cup and knocked out by celtic and marseille

liverpools last season under houiller they managed 58 points, 58 points would given them 6th place last year

.....So are you agreeing with me?

flahavaj

Stoke 16/1 for the win. Might be worth 50 cent.
http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoEvType&id=1&aff=705

Cyrus

flahavaj wrote: »

Stoke 16/1 for the win. Might be worth 50 cent.
http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoEvType&id=1&aff=705

imagine, you could win €8

wow :pac:

flahavaj

You MUST have used a calculator Cyrus, surely? Lightening.

noodler

LZ5by5 wrote: »

Bah! He's not scary, he's just 100% man in a world full of preening metrosexual footballers!

Eh no he is scary, scary in a 'you'll never find the body' kind of way

Kingdom

In a match thats likely to be dominated by Liverpool, where the emphasis will be on width and cuteness, would this not be the occasion for Ayala to play centre half with Carra, and keep Johnson right full, rather than move Johnson into an untested position and bringing in Degen or Kelly>?

Whats the likelihood of Masch starting>?

Cyrus

flahavaj wrote: »

You MUST have used a calculator Cyrus, surely? Lightening.

im sure high rollers like you do it all in your head;)

flahavaj

In hindsight 50 cent WAS a little hasty. Better make it ten!