Blackpool - Liverpool

Dont be at yourself

On the plus side:

We passed the ball out of the defence. Didn't notice a single punt up the field.
We pressed high up the field.
Torres looked his old self.
Lucas played well.
Kelly picked up where he left off.

It was still a poor performance from the team, but we have Carragher, Cole and Gerrard to come back, and they'll all influence things positively.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and Liverpool won't be rebuilt in one either. However, today was one of the few times this season where we could see the roots of improvement.

The Muppet

Pyjamarama wrote: »

I imagine he means has left the in tatters with regards to confidence... not much disputing that... if he means left the squad in tatters well that's the previous ownership...

I doubt thats what he means , perhaps he'll clarify. I think eveyone knows where the blame lies by now , getting them to admit it is another matter. Do you really want to go there?

Mr.Crinklewood

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

On the plus side:

We passed the ball out of the defence. Didn't notice a single punt up the field.
We pressed high up the field.
Torres looked his old self.
Lucas played well.
Kelly picked up where he left off.

It was still a poor performance from the team, but we have Carragher, Cole and Gerrard to come back, and they'll all influence things positively.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and Liverpool won't be rebuilt in one either. However, today was one of the few times this season where we could see the roots of improvement.

.......it only took a few days to flood Brisbane.

flahavaj

SlickRic wrote: »

true.

but width is also the huge issue.

in our best season we had Riera, Benayoun and an inform Kuyt as options on the wings.

Riera's contribution is particularly overlooked from that season.

it's all well and good having a great deep-lying midfielder, but he needs a variety of targets to aim at.

Even of those three only Riera was an out and out winger and he wasn't top class either. He haven't had genuine quality and pace out wide in donkeys' years, I've been saying it for ages.

ShamoBuc

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

On the plus side:

We passed the ball out of the defence. Didn't notice a single punt up the field.
We pressed high up the field.
Torres looked his old self.
Lucas played well.
Kelly picked up where he left off.

It was still a poor performance from the team, but we have Carragher, Cole and Gerrard to come back, and they'll all influence things positively.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and Liverpool won't be rebuilt in one either. However, today was one of the few times this season where we could see the roots of improvement.

Very true - they tried to pass and move to some extent and with alot more 5 aside games in training - Poulsen and Jova to go - some speed on the wings - and stevie behind torres - all will be well in the world again (ish)

SlickRic

The Muppet wrote: »

I doubt thats what he means , perhaps he'll clarify. I think eveyone knows where the blame lies by now , getting them to admit it is another matter. Do you really want to go there?

ROFL.

nobody buys into the black and white version you put out there.

the person you say is to blame, is partly to blame, not wholly.

either way, this is the match thread.

um, Blackpool were better than us.

please buy Adam.

/thread.

Pyjamarama

The Muppet wrote: »

I doubt thats what he means , perhaps he'll clarify. I think eveyone knows where the blame lies by now , getting them to admit it is another matter. Do you really want to go there?

Nope, i'll let you obsess over him as you seem to love doing.


(not that i agree with you in the slightest!!!)

SlickRic

flahavaj wrote: »

Even of those three only Riera was an out and out winger and he wasn't top class either. He haven't had genuine quality and pace out wide in donkeys' years, I've been saying it for ages.

since McManaman.

and that makes me feel fúcking old.

flahavaj

SlickRic wrote: »

since McManaman.

and that makes me feel fúcking old.

He was the last one I could think of too. Where's me slippers?

Lukker-

Haven't read the thread, but Torres is too isolated, he doesn't work well when he has to come deep to collect the ball. He needs someone who can pass and midfield and someone who can link up midfield with attack.

ShamoBuc

flahavaj wrote: »

He was the last one I could think of too. Where's me slippers?

Thought that too and I'm wearing my slippers!

bookie basher

if you have no one on your team that can dribble past opposition players then your fecked, torres does it the odd time but thats it, some people call maxi & kuyt wingers but a winger is meant to take on full backs and beat them, have you ever seen kuyt or maxi go past players?

whatawaster

SlickRic wrote: »

since McManaman.

Oh how he used to run.

Fast.

With a ball.

Pyjamarama

bookie basher wrote: »

if you have no one on your team that can dribble past opposition players then your fecked, torres does it the odd time but thats it, some people call maxi & kuyt wingers but a winger is meant to take on full backs and beat them, have you ever seen kuyt or maxi go past players?

Forget going by players!! Our best crosser of the ball is a rookie full back who is actually a natural centerhalf!!!

Tbh name something not named a quality keeper you need on a good team and we currently lack it!!

The Muppet

Pyjamarama wrote: »

Nope, i'll let you obsess over him as you seem to love doing.


(not that i agree with you in the slightest!!!)

I couldn't give a flying **** if you or anyone else agrees with me or not, all anyone has to do is look at the pure **** that pulls on a liverpool jersey and takes to the pitch for a once great football club and it all becomes clear.

missingtime

whatawaster wrote: »

Oh how he used to run.

Fast.

With a ball.

And go past people too.

With a ball.

Pyjamarama

The Muppet wrote: »

I couldn't give a flying **** if you olr anyone else agrse with me or not, all anyone has to do is look at the pure **** that pulls on a liverpool jersey and takes to the pitch for a once great football club and it all becomes clear.

Still a great club, just a poor team.

lordgoat

/joins the old club!

Agree on the width point Slic. With no wingers team is way too easy to neutralise.

Pyjamarama

missingtime wrote: »

And go past people too.

With a ball.

And clear the bar.

With a ball.

As much as I love Macca (first name i got on a pool Jersey) he wasn't the most consistent with his final ball, but by god i'd never complain about that if we had a guy with his ability at the club now...

MR NINE

The two teams tonight really are polar opposites. Blackpools players are under rated, hard working, on small wages and full of confidence. You know the rest...

NabyLadistheman

lordgoat wrote: »

/joins the old club!

Agree on the width point Slic. With no wingers team is way too easy to neutralise.

Hopefully Aurelio will be back for Sunday, stick Johnson in front of Kelly. Looks more balanced already. Id play the Greek ahead of either Skrtel & Agger as well.

TheZohanS

Fowler87 wrote: »

Heres hoping Liverpool stay up...

Five points clear of the very bottom...

bookie basher

dont know if liverpool have the funds but they should be looking to bring in mata from valencia or navas from seville, tricky players who can break down defences, wouldnt touch wright-phillips, one of the biggest headless chickens i have ever seen

whatawaster

bookie basher wrote: »

dont know if liverpool have the funds but they should be looking to bring in mata from valencia or navas from seville, tricky players who can break down defences, wouldnt touch wright-phillips, one of the biggest headless chickens i have ever seen

i think we quite clearly have funds since we are supposedly ready to spend up to £10m on a 17 year old from Southampton

pokerface_me

i'm actually just watching Twitter here, i'm waiting for Ryan Babel to post a picture of the Ref in a Blackpool jersey.

Warper

Dalglish to get the bullet on Sunday once they get trounced by Everton

Johner

Johner wrote: »

Blackpool are 3/1, I'll be having some of that.

Money.

PHB

I think anyone thinking that the problem is that you don't have the right players is missing the fundamental point. Most of these players competed in a team that got 2nd place. Yes there are some key players missing, but the core problem is that the players aren't playing as well as they should be. For me, the core problem is in your defending. Not necessarily your defenders, but your defending. Desperately, desperately, needs a proper defensive coach (which Steve Clarke is afaik). Agger and Skertle and even Johnson and it seems to be Kelly can become a really good back 4. I think you'll actually need to invest to get a decent midfielder who can put in some defensive work, but aside from that, your squad isn't that bad.

Daglish simply needs to turn things around, put together 4-5 wins, and you'll see a different team. The rut started in the last year of Rafa, continued under Hodgson, and needs to be turned around. Now one or two players brought in might do that.

Personally though, for the long term of the club, I'd just ignore league placement this year, and focus on next year. Who the **** cares if you're not in UEFA. Kelly is the greatest positive from tonight. Spend money this January, and buy 3-4 other prospects, give them this half season to bed in, and accept somewhere around 8th-12th place. Then start next season with the goal of 4th in your mind.

KeithAFC

PHB wrote: »

I think anyone thinking that the problem is that you don't have the right players is missing the fundamental point. Most of these players competed in a team that got 2nd place. Yes there are some key players missing, but the core problem is that the players aren't playing as well as they should be. For me, the core problem is in your defending. Not necessarily your defenders, but your defending. Desperately, desperately, needs a proper defensive coach (which Steve Clarke is afaik). Agger and Skertle and even Johnson and it seems to be Kelly can become a really good back 4. I think you'll actually need to invest to get a decent midfielder who can put in some defensive work, but aside from that, your squad isn't that bad.

Daglish simply needs to turn things around, put together 4-5 wins, and you'll see a different team. The rut started in the last year of Rafa, continued under Hodgson, and needs to be turned around. Now one or two players brought in might do that.

Personally though, for the long term of the club, I'd just ignore league placement this year, and focus on next year. Who the **** cares if you're not in UEFA. Kelly is the greatest positive from tonight. Spend money this January, and buy 3-4 other prospects, give them this half season to bed in, and accept somewhere around 8th-12th place. Then start next season with the goal of 4th in your mind.

Key players can make a big difference.

Liverpool just lack the players to be any higher than 7th imo. There is a few teams which aren't top 5 who i would say have a better forward line than Liverpool.

Mikeyt086

bookie basher wrote: »

dont know if liverpool have the funds but they should be looking to bring in mata from valencia or navas from seville, tricky players who can break down defences, wouldnt touch wright-phillips, one of the biggest headless chickens i have ever seen

While I agree that Juan Mata and Jesus Navas are very good players, they would need time to adapt to the English game. I doubt they would come in and start dragging the team up the table. The Spanish league is very different, just ask Maxi Rodriguez.

Mata though, maybe. His recent game winning performances for Valencia suggest he is cut for the top, but, his fee would be extortionate and surely if Valencia sold him after selling Villa and Silva in the summer the fans would riot.

Nalz

Kelly will be Englands first choice FB if he stays fit within the next 3 years.
a CB, Winger and a striker is where Pool need to invest.
The centre isnt the most creative either but those 3 positions are a priority.

Well done to the seasiders tonight. Adam rightly getting all the praise.

Warper

Mikeyt086 wrote: »

While I agree that Juan Mata and Jesus Navas are very good players, they would need time to adapt to the English game. I doubt they would come in and start dragging the team up the table. The Spanish league is very different, just ask Maxi Rodriguez.

Mata though, maybe. His recent game winning performances for Valencia suggest he is cut for the top, but, his fee would be extortionate and surely if Valencia sold him after selling Villa and Silva in the summer the fans would riot.

Why in God's name would Mata swap Valencia for Liverpool?????

everdead.ie

PHB wrote: »

I think anyone thinking that the problem is that you don't have the right players is missing the fundamental point. Most of these players competed in a team that got 2nd place. Yes there are some key players missing, but the core problem is that the players aren't playing as well as they should be. For me, the core problem is in your defending. Not necessarily your defenders, but your defending. Desperately, desperately, needs a proper defensive coach (which Steve Clarke is afaik). Agger and Skertle and even Johnson and it seems to be Kelly can become a really good back 4. I think you'll actually need to invest to get a decent midfielder who can put in some defensive work, but aside from that, your squad isn't that bad.

Daglish simply needs to turn things around, put together 4-5 wins, and you'll see a different team. The rut started in the last year of Rafa, continued under Hodgson, and needs to be turned around. Now one or two players brought in might do that.

Personally though, for the long term of the club, I'd just ignore league placement this year, and focus on next year. Who the **** cares if you're not in UEFA. Kelly is the greatest positive from tonight. Spend money this January, and buy 3-4 other prospects, give them this half season to bed in, and accept somewhere around 8th-12th place. Then start next season with the goal of 4th in your mind.

That team had a top class right back two top class defensive midfielders one that could land a pass on a penny anywhere on the park a front two that looked interested and not crocked a wide player who was excellent and Kuyt was bizarrely scoring loads of goals and your left back played a half your league games instead of an average of 1 in 4 that he is playing at the moment.

This Liverpool is actually pretty far removed from that one you seem to be left with out of form/past it(some due to the injury toll on them) and lost the fulcrum of your team and your center back pairing has aged and gotten worse(looking at Carragher) who was helped hugely by Mascherano.

This team needs an injection of youth that's ready to play today not in three years

mada999

BERBA wrote: »

Big smile on Woys face tonight me thinks , said it all along ...rafa , woy , and probably king kenny next....reality check its the players to blame.

in fariness man... the best starting 11 was not out tonight....only a slight excuse... because most of these are internationals and they should be better than this..

flahavaj

Just up on Babel's Twitter.

mada999

the thing that has stood out for me most tonight was the lack of speed of the play...Torres was making some great runs, the problem was the players in midfield would not give the ball quick enough...

we need two speedy wingers and another striker asap... Poulson and Jovanovic should not play again in a Liverpool Jersey..

Xavi6

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

On the plus side:

We passed the ball out of the defence. Didn't notice a single punt up the field.
We pressed high up the field.
Torres looked his old self.
Lucas played well.
Kelly picked up where he left off.

It was still a poor performance from the team, but we have Carragher, Cole and Gerrard to come back, and they'll all influence things positively.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and Liverpool won't be rebuilt in one either. However, today was one of the few times this season where we could see the roots of improvement.

Not being smart but it wasn't built in 5 months either yet I didn't see that line be weeded out for Hodgson.

mada999

Xavi6 wrote: »

Not being smart but it wasn't built in 5 months either yet I didn't see that line be weeded out for Hodgson.

think you are being smartish :rolleyes:

rossie1977

Xavi6 wrote: »

Not being smart but it wasn't built in 5 months either yet I didn't see that line be weeded out for Hodgson.

getting pretty bad when a city fan (a club that has had 15 managers in 20 years) is having a go for changing managers :eek:

The Muppet

rossie1977 wrote: »

getting pretty bad when a city fan (a club that has had 15 managers in 20 years) is having a go for changing managers :eek:

Pretty bad that Rafa's diciples try turn even the mildest criticism into a pissing contest.

Xavi6

mada999 wrote: »

think you are being smartish :rolleyes:

I'm not, it's a genuine question so if you don't have a reasonable response then leave it to someone who does.

Mr.Nice Guy

The players just aren't pulling their weight. Like I said before it's too easy to always blame the manager and the players have to look at their own performances.

Nailz

Post-match interview with Holloway.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11728_6660201,00.html

Xavi6

rossie1977 wrote: »

getting pretty bad when a city fan (a club that has had 15 managers in 20 years) is having a go for changing managers :eek:

I suppose deflecting is easier than answering.

The Muppet

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

The players just aren't pulling their weight. Like I said before it's too easy to always blame the manager and the players have to look at their own performances.

but but but but the buck stops with the Manager.

Revolution9

Xavi6 wrote: »

Not being smart but it wasn't built in 5 months either yet I didn't see that line be weeded out for Hodgson.

Signing Poulsen and Konchesky and happily using a system that allows, if not encourages, away teams to have the majority of possession at Anfield hardly looked like good foundations for a footballing Roman Empire!

ShamoBuc

Xavi6 wrote: »

I'm not, it's a genuine question so if you don't have a reasonable response then leave it to someone who does.

Rome wasn't built in a day is of course correct. In Roy's case he wasn't building, he was taking bricks out! If after 5 months Kenny is at the same stage as Roy was - I would have no problem in getting rid of him, AND Kenny has said if it is in the betterment of the club for him not to be the manager he will of course have no problem with that.
I fully expect us to be in a better situation at the end of the season than we were last week, afterall Rome wasn't built in a day;)

SlickRic

The Muppet wrote: »

but but but but the buck stops with the Manager.

the reasonable ones, of which there are a few, know the players are mainly to blame.

but the team can't be gotten rid of.

Hodgson did not get a lot of time, obviously.

but he didn't have the track record before he came, he didn't say the wisest things in public when he was here, and employed horrible tactics...which is why the pressure on him became unbearable.

these were the reasons he had to go.

in an ideal world he'd have had more time, but he didn't help himself.

Kenny will get more time. i'm sure you'll think that's utterly unfair on Roy and entirely hypocritical somehow, but he will, because 'getting' the club and trying to play the game the right way are very important.

i, for one, will be critical of Kenny if he deserves it. like tonight, he should have changed it much sooner, and i've no idea how Jova and Kuyt stayed on for so long. and he wasn't quite able to get a response out of the team once it went to 1-1. that has to improve.

rossie1977

Xavi6 wrote: »

I suppose deflecting is easier than answering.

had hodgson stayed in charge the only place liverpool would have ended up is the first division (they still might)

Dont be at yourself

Xavi6 wrote: »

I'm not, it's a genuine question so if you don't have a reasonable response then leave it to someone who does.

It's a fair point. But nobody expected instant results from Roy. The fans weren't on his back because we weren't winning. The fans were on his back because in five months we weren't seeing any signs of progress. Indeed, we were regressing, massively.