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Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12-Jan 2012 onwards

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Comments

  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,006 ✭✭✭donfers


    stephen martin just tweeted that some players are arguing with kenny in the dressing-room

    this was a huge moment, we could have gotten the momentum to go on to CL football and sign better players in summer, it's all gone now due to our usual problem of terrible finishing

    why did we not sign a striker in january?
    why did we spend so much on average british flavour of the month players?
    why do we look so clueless at set-pieces and in the crucial final third of the pitch? - coaching?
    why is reina immune from criticism? - he has been poor this season
    why do we leave it so late to make changes?
    what is the point of comolli? I though the guy had contacts all around Europe and was supposed to be able to unearth great young talent yet the majority of our signings are overprices overhyped british players?
    Guys like carra as he is now, adam, downing, spearing, henderson, carroll and kuyt will not win you titles, they'll try their best but ultimately they don't have the necessary quality - kenny wasted an awful lot of money

    let's stop complaining about dominating games, the goal is big enough to avoid the woodwork or the keeper if you're good enough, look at RVP...hell arsenal gifted us an o.g. and a penalty and still we couldn't get the win - we're just not good enough at the most important thing in the game - scoring goals!

    This was a key moment in the season, the game was a perfect illustration of our season, game, hard-working, aggressive but ultimately toothless - the management must be seriously questioned now


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,282 ✭✭✭Glico Man


    spockety wrote: »
    Am I the only one who is relatively happy with Kenny?

    Jesus, this isn't championship manager, and liverpools actions aren't isolated with everyone else standing still.

    It's depressing seeing posters I otherwise respect making these judgment calls. :-(

    Long live the king.

    He's making exceptionally questionable calls, and being called on them. I don't trust him to turn a game around in our favour. He's only proven that he can once in the league.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,734 ✭✭✭Fowler87


    On one positive note, I thought Henderson was very good today. Economical with his passing and full of running as ever , but put in some good crosses and his runs were more direct especially in the final third as well. Could have been played in one or two times (Adam -_-), only negative was in the first half were it was Suarez passed him in the ball (poor pass that it was, as it slow and somewhat behind him I think), Henderson laid it off immediately.

    Yep and he should have done alot better with the shot he had even if the keeper made a decent safe. We all know he has good ability (not only keepy uppies with a tennis ball:pac:) but a good touch, alright pace and awareness to take charge of the game when he believes in himself. He probably is the only signing made in the summer other than Enrique that ya know will improve and add to the team in the long run. Just needs to want it more


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    donfers wrote: »
    stephen martin

    Who is Stephen Martin?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,775 ✭✭✭✭Gbear


    Kess73 wrote: »
    Don't know if he did to be honest. Coates would have been in for me instead of Carragher. Bellamy would have been a starter for me instead of Downing.
    True.
    Kess73 wrote: »
    And if we are going to start both Kuyt and Suarez then I would have had Maxi in place of Henderson as then we would have had an intelligent technical player to link up with Suarez and Kuyt.
    Henderson did no harm at all today just like he never does. That's a good thing. Then, when, like today, he adds quality, it means he's not a bad player to have to rely on. At his worst he's quiet and ineffective.

    On the other hand you've got Adam, who's stupidity, misplaced arrogance and greed make him a total liability that delivering 5% of his crosses or set pieces properly doesn't make up for.
    Kess73 wrote: »
    Adam cost £5m or so, and pretty much looks the squad player his price tag suggests he is.
    I think he's much worse than that. A player of his technical ability might be good as a squad player and maybe even able to start quite alot of games.
    But he just doesn't have the mental attributes to succeed at this level.
    Kess73 wrote: »
    Henderson gets played a lot but generally does nothing. If he is not able for first team football then he should not be getting so much game time as all he does is up the number of passengers the team carries most weeks.
    Like I said, that's better than causing actual harm. Ideally, you're right, we'd have had Lucas or a new player in January but given the circumstances I'd be starting Hendo and having Shelvey, not Adam, as cover.
    Kess73 wrote: »
    Suarez is on paper our best player by some distance but even he has swung between being brilliant and very average this season. Like Downing some of this is down to him and some is down to playing with players who cannot finish on a regular basis.
    I think he doesn't believe in this team. He was justifiably going ape**** at Kelly for the whole game. The only players that actually helped him today were Dirk and Hendo.
    Kess73 wrote: »
    Tactics have played a big part in our season as well, or rather a lack of them as we rarely seem to have a decent plan b or plan c. And the amount of times the team has being screaming out for some changes to be made earlier in the game is shocking tbh.

    To be fair, we were set out correctly today. Arsenal's poor showing was of course down to them to an extent but we also made them look awful. Spearing in particular had an immaculate game.

    Cast your mind back to the 6-0 Derby game where Masch and other players pressing gifted us goals. Look at Barca against anybody.
    There's no reason why we can't play that way against everybody.
    The concept that playing a defensive CM makes you play defensively is facile horse****.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    spockety wrote: »
    He has been in charge a wet week ffs.



    Over a year is a wet week now? :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,558 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    some overreaction in here.
    go back a week and look at your posts after the cup win


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,398 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    spockety wrote: »
    Am I the only one who is relatively happy with Kenny?

    Jesus, this isn't championship manager, and liverpools actions aren't isolated with everyone else standing still.

    It's depressing seeing posters I otherwise respect making these judgment calls. :-(

    Long live the king.


    Nope I am relatively happy with how we have performed since he took over. It's not perfect but it was never going to be an overnight transformation.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    retalivity wrote: »
    some overreaction in here.
    go back a week and look at your posts after the cup win


    Amazing how relying on penalties to beat a championship side can paper over the cracks.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    spockety wrote: »
    Am I the only one who is relatively happy with Kenny?

    Jesus, this isn't championship manager, and liverpools actions aren't isolated with everyone else standing still.

    It's depressing seeing posters I otherwise respect making these judgment calls. :-(

    Long live the king.



    The thing is that Kenny is no fool, and I think he is the kind of man who, if he thought things were not working as well as they maybe should, would move upstairs or leave.

    The man is a genuine footballing legend in my eyes and a genuine legend for non footballing reasons, but he is not infallible when it comes to football.

    If come the start of next season Kenny is still the man in charge, then his name gets roared out whenever I am in the ground and I will be dreaming of the man leading the club out to collect silverware again (with any luck he will have done that again come this May).

    I think though that if a better manager was to come in, and Kenny steps down ( not sacked), that I would be happy, but it would have to be a better modern manager and the list that would satisfy me (and probably most others) would be a very short one.

    Just to test the waters a little on here. How many people on here would be happy with Rafa coming back to the club this summer and Kenny going upstairs?

    No Jose, no Deschamp, no Klopps. Just Rafa back and Kenny out of the manager's seat.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,398 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    The-Rigger wrote: »
    Who is Stephen Martin?

    A Jerk.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 21,254 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dub13


    I will ask Rafa on Monday and report back here,but you have to promises to keep it to yourselves...:)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    retalivity wrote: »
    some overreaction in here.
    go back a week and look at your posts after the cup win


    Do that then. You will see that my own comments were that I was delighted to be in the ground last week when the cup was won, and delighted with certain players and also to see Kenny lift the cup. But you will also see that in that same first post that I made after getting back to Ireland that I said many of the same flaws/weaknesses in the team/squad were on show that day and that they would need to be addressed in the summer.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,836 ✭✭✭Sir Gallagher


    Kess73 wrote: »
    The thing is that Kenny is no fool, and I think he is the kind of man who, if he thought things were not working as well as they maybe should, would move upstairs or leave.

    The man is a genuine footballing legend in my eyes and a genuine legend for non footballing reasons, but he is not infallible when it comes to football.

    If come the start of next season Kenny is still the man in charge, then his name gets roared out whenever I am in the ground and I will be dreaming of the man leading the club out to collect silverware again (with any luck he will have done that again come this May).

    I think though that if a better manager was to come in, and Kenny steps down ( not sacked), that I would be happy, but it would have to be a better modern manager and the list that would satisfy me (and probably most others) would be a very short one.

    Just to test the waters a little on here. How many people on here would be happy with Rafa coming back to the club this summer and Kenny going upstairs?

    No Jose, no Deschamp, no Klopps. Just Rafa back and Kenny out of the manager's seat.

    A focused and rejuvinated Rafa would be just the ticket.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,006 ✭✭✭donfers


    The-Rigger wrote: »
    Who is Stephen Martin?

    supposed to be quite reliable, quite good mates with someone on the inside, isn't known for his bs


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,516 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Im happy enough to see how things are at seasons end. But immediate concern for me is the corners and set pieces .
    The stats are so bad theres no justifing them, i **** a brick when most teams are taking corners against us, yet when we have a corner i expect it to come to nothing, that says a lot in itself.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    Dub13 wrote: »
    I will ask Rafa on Monday and report back here,but you have to promises to keep it to yourselves...:)



    Tell him that I will be back home again in a week or so, and he can come around to my gaff to discuss coming back. ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,910 ✭✭✭✭whatawaster


    Kess73 wrote: »
    spockety wrote: »
    Am I the only one who is relatively happy with Kenny?

    Jesus, this isn't championship manager, and liverpools actions aren't isolated with everyone else standing still.

    It's depressing seeing posters I otherwise respect making these judgment calls. :-(

    Long live the king.



    The thing is that Kenny is no fool, and I think he is the kind of man who, if he thought things were not working as well as they maybe should, would move upstairs or leave.

    The man is a genuine footballing legend in my eyes and a genuine legend for non footballing reasons, but he is not infallible when it comes to football.

    If come the start of next season Kenny is still the man in charge, then his name gets roared out whenever I am in the ground and I will be dreaming of the man leading the club out to collect silverware again (with any luck he will have done that again come this May).

    I think though that if a better manager was to come in, and Kenny steps down ( not sacked), that I would be happy, but it would have to be a better modern manager and the list that would satisfy me (and probably most others) would be a very short one.

    Just to test the waters a little on here. How many people on here would be happy with Rafa coming back to the club this summer and Kenny going upstairs?

    No Jose, no Deschamp, no Klopps. Just Rafa back and Kenny out of the manager's seat.


    He would be on a list, no doubt. Does Comolli like him, that is the question.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,836 ✭✭✭Sir Gallagher


    He would be on a list, no doubt. Does Comolli like him, that is the question.

    He'd be probably be too busy scouting Grant Holt to notice.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    He would be on a list, no doubt. Does Comolli like him, that is the question.

    Comolli picks the manager now?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,634 ✭✭✭jenno86


    Adam yet again today had a chance to put Henderson or Kuyt in but he kept his head down ran in trouble. I've lost count with the amount of times hes done that this season, he either too greedy or too stupid. I'm leaning towards the latter.

    Laughable when you here one or two (not on here) saying before the season that he was more in the mould of Alonso than Aqua. Hes not fit to lace Alonsos boots.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,634 ✭✭✭jenno86


    jenno86 wrote: »
    Adam yet again today had a chance to put Henderson or Kuyt in but he kept his head down ran in trouble. I've lost count with the amount of times hes done that this season, he either too greedy or too stupid. I'm leaning towards the latter.

    Laughable when you here one or two (not on here) saying before the season that he was more in the mould of Alonso than Aqua. Hes not fit to lace Alonsos boots.

    I miss Alonso. :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,836 ✭✭✭Sir Gallagher


    The thing that strikes me today was when i was watching the match and Arsenal scored i wasn't too pissed off at all reminded me of Rafa's last season in charge when everything went tits up. Apathy is a horrible feeling as a football fan.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,910 ✭✭✭✭whatawaster


    The-Rigger wrote: »
    He would be on a list, no doubt. Does Comolli like him, that is the question.

    Comolli picks the manager now?

    Who else at the club is qualified to make those decisions. He is the director of football


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,775 ✭✭✭✭Gbear


    jenno86 wrote: »
    Adam yet again today had a chance to put Henderson or Kuyt in but he kept his head down ran in trouble. I've lost count with the amount of times hes done that this season, he either too greedy or too stupid. I'm leaning towards the latter.

    Laughable when you here one or two (not on here) saying before the season that he was more in the mould of Alonso than Aqua. Hes not fit to lace Alonsos boots.

    Or Aquilani's, or Spearing.
    If you're technically capable of making very good 70-yard diagonals but there's a midget who actually passes better in practice, ie, Jay Spearing, are you considered to be a better passer of the ball? Apparently so.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,399 ✭✭✭ush


    Can only see Dalglish moving upstairs if Rafa moves in. Otherwise you have a situation where a new manager is trying to establish his set up, while a former great haunts the halls. Only Rafa would have enough standing to be comfortable with Dalglish there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭The Chessplayer


    Amazing how relying on penalties to beat a championship side can paper over the cracks.

    We're a top 7 club. On any given year, it will be between us, Arsenal and Spurs for 4th. Chelsea (one-off bad year this year), Man U and City have more money, so we shouldn't expect to be competing with them. Out of us, Spurs and Arsenal...someone has to finish 7th. Our big problem is that Carroll and Suarez NEVER score goals. We've been lucky over the years with unearthing good forwards...Torres and Owen, Fowler before him. Torres & Gerrard combo carried the team for a while.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    Gbear wrote: »
    True.


    Henderson did no harm at all today just like he never does. That's a good thing. Then, when, like today, he adds quality, it means he's not a bad player to have to rely on. At his worst he's quiet and ineffective.

    On the other hand you've got Adam, who's stupidity, misplaced arrogance and greed make him a total liability that delivering 5% of his crosses or set pieces properly doesn't make up for.


    I think he's much worse than that. A player of his technical ability might be good as a squad player and maybe even able to start quite alot of games.
    But he just doesn't have the mental attributes to succeed at this level.


    Like I said, that's better than causing actual harm. Ideally, you're right, we'd have had Lucas or a new player in January but given the circumstances I'd be starting Hendo and having Shelvey, not Adam, as cover.


    I think he doesn't believe in this team. He was justifiably going ape**** at Kelly for the whole game. The only players that actually helped him today were Dirk and Hendo.



    To be fair, we were set out correctly today. Arsenal's poor showing was of course down to them to an extent but we also made them look awful. Spearing in particular had an immaculate game.

    Cast your mind back to the 6-0 Derby game where Masch and other players pressing gifted us goals. Look at Barca against anybody.
    There's no reason why we can't play that way against everybody.
    The concept that playing a defensive CM makes you play defensively is facile horse****.



    I have to disagree that Henderson simply doing no harm is a good thing. When we are carrying other players, then Henderson being ineffective in games just makes him a passenger and even if he is not making mistakes he is often a player that forces others to work harder to make up for his lack of impact.

    I think Henderson gets played too often, especially when we have so many other players not putting in performances. No way would I have Henderson as a regular starter in CM though. He cannot tackle worth a damn and his positioning in the centre is poor. Now both of those qualities may improve in a few years but in the short to medium term I would not have him in there as he is a soft touch. I would use him as a regular sub for a more advanced slot like the CAM position.

    Also me saying that Adam looked like the squad player his price tag suggest he is was not a compliment of the player. That's me saying he is not good enough to be a regular first teamer.

    As for your point about playing a CDM forcing a defensive style of play. I totally agree with you. A top quality CDM protects a team when it is on the back foot, but the pressing game of a top CDM helps the team when attacking. I think the point you made on this is a valid one that is often overlooked by folks.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    It's not fair or accurate to say that they carried the team just because they were the goalscorers.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    jenno86 wrote: »
    I miss Alonso. :(


    Don't start me off on missing Xabi. :(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,117 ✭✭✭✭Leiva


    Tad bizarre ?? .....
    Kenny
    "If you want to gauge it on points there'll be disappointment; if you want to gauge it on performance then I think we were fantastic," said the boss.

    "To come away without three points is disappointing. The performance was outstanding.

    "van Persie got two - we could have allowed him two with the opportunities we had and still won. But we never.

    "Maybe that might be the next education for us - to be ugly and win.

    "We're competitive, all right. We're attack minded, we can go forward, we can create chances and we can get penalties. Maybe the next bit is to be ugly and get the winning goal."

    The result leaves Liverpool 10 points away from a Champions League spot with 12 fixtures remaining. They do, however, have a game in hand on their rivals.

    "We've said before that we'll always play to win a game, and if we win games we'll add the points up at the end of the season and see who gets what," said Dalglish. "For us, we're disappointed because of the unbelievable performance we put in."

    On Gerrard's injury, Dalglish added: "It won't be long, and Glen Johnson was out as a precaution as well. Daniel Agger is out with his ribs and Daniel is the one who'll be out longest out of the three lads."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,617 ✭✭✭✭PHB


    I genuinely don't understand what Daglish is trying to do with Carroll.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,399 ✭✭✭ush


    I wouldn't even count on 7th place.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭The Chessplayer


    The-Rigger wrote: »
    It's not fair or accurate to say that they carried the team just because they were the goalscorers.

    As poor as our midfield seems, we still dominate possession usually. What's missing??? Goal scorers. Only a blindman would say otherwise.

    They most certainly did carry the team. Carroll and Suarez don't score, if they did what they were paid to do, then we'd be sailing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    Right.... so the rest of the team are playing well, we are dominating midfield but our strikers aren't scoring, but if they did score - they'd be carrying the team?

    How does that make sense.
    mixednuts wrote: »
    Tad bizarre ?? .....

    What's bizarre about it? Seems to make sense, he probably delivered it with pointless aggression.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭The Chessplayer


    Kess73 wrote: »
    Don't start me off on missing Xabi. :(

    Other English teams don't have a player like him, though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭The Chessplayer


    The-Rigger wrote: »
    Right.... so the rest of the team are playing well, we are dominating midfield but our strikers aren't scoring, but if they did score - they'd be carrying the team?

    How does that make sense.



    What's bizarre about it? Seems to make sense, he probably delivered it with pointless aggression.

    In the days of Torres and Gerrard, they kind of did carry the team. Suarez and Carroll aren't scoring. Even if we had a pair of average lads like Bent and Keane, they'd come up with the odd goal. That's all we want...a few goals. Not expecting to have the best strikers in the world.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,299 ✭✭✭djPSB


    So the knee jerkers are in.

    I think we should give Kenny another season.

    To be honest, I think when we have our best 11 players fit, we have a team well capable of finishing in the top 4. Unfortunately, this hasn't happened too often this season.

    The problem arises when players like Maxi, Adam, Spearing, Carragher, Kuyt are playing in the team on a regular basis. Kenny has been unlucky with injuries this season with Gerrard, Suarez, Lucas and now Agger missing large parts of the season. We don't have the squad to deal with these injuries which is something which will be rectified in the summer. I think if he can add 3/4 players to what we have during the summer, then we will have a squad more than capable of finishing in the top 4 next season. Stability is important, and knee jerk reactions like getting rid of Kenny aren't going to help. I think our problems are easy enough to solve. It's not like in Hodgson's days when there were no obvious solutions.

    In Kenny we trust.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,775 ✭✭✭✭Gbear


    Kess73 wrote: »
    I have to disagree that Henderson simply doing no harm is a good thing. When we are carrying other players, then Henderson being ineffective in games just makes him a passenger and even if he is not making mistakes he is often a player that forces others to work harder to make up for his lack of impact.


    I think Henderson gets played too often, especially when we have so many other players not putting in performances. No way would I have Henderson as a regular starter in CM though. He cannot tackle worth a damn and his positioning in the centre is poor. Now both of those qualities may improve in a few years but in the short to medium term I would not have him in there as he is a soft touch. I would use him as a regular sub for a more advanced slot like the CAM position.

    I agree about Henderson. I was speaking relatively by comparison to Adam. In the current set up with the injuries and lack of depth, Hendo gets the position hands down over Adam for me.

    He is playing too much but like I said, being a passenger is better than actually doing you harm.
    Would you prefer your girlfriend to be cold and apathetic, or actively trying to kill you?:pac:

    If our squad was where I would like it to be or even our first 11, I think that it woudn't do much harm to maybe have to carry Hendo some times.

    If he wasn't the only passenger, I think, especially in a midfield 5 (which I hope we'll play for the rest of the season but know we wont), I think having a body that works hard and occasionally gives quality and all the while gains experience would be on balance worth it, albeit, not as often as is currently happening.

    While he can't "tackle" that's not the only way to win the ball. He's good at pressing in general and something that Lucas does often is make a tackle but not come away with the ball himself. His tackle allows another of our players to come away with the ball.
    I think a mix of Hendo and Lucas, with Lucas doing the actual sliding around and Hendo picking up the ball and driving forward will be a feature of our play over the coming years.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    Other English teams don't have a player like him, though.


    True, but then again I was simply replying to Jenno about missing Xabi at the club and I was not saying that Xabi would solve all our problems.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,243 ✭✭✭✭Jesus Wept


    I think your assertion is that Torres and Gerrard carried the team because they got the goals. We had a very mean defense, a very strong keeper and at various times - very talented midfielders. But Gerrard and Torres got the lion's share of the goals so they 'carried the team'.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,348 ✭✭✭✭ricero


    the only good thing i see is it pretty obvious what we are lacking. it will be addressed well i feel in the summer. also need a new center mid desperately


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,775 ✭✭✭✭Gbear


    As poor as our midfield seems, we still dominate possession usually. What's missing??? Goal scorers. Only a blindman would say otherwise.

    I don't see how you can talk about how poor our midfield is and then pretty much dismiss the point.
    Our service to our strikers is crap and we have nobody else to take the burden of goals off them.
    The midfield laid all the groundwork for our counter attacks. Look at the Derby 6-0 where Torres got a hat-trick and grabbed the headlines but it wasn't just Gerrard providing every time, was it?
    In the days of Torres and Gerrard, they kind of did carry the team. Suarez and Carroll aren't scoring. Even if we had a pair of average lads like Bent and Keane, they'd come up with the odd goal. That's all we want...a few goals. Not expecting to have the best strikers in the world.

    Think about what else we had in that team though; Masch, Xabi and a usually a very good defence.
    They got the goals but I think even in this team, without Masch or Xabi and now without Lucas we'd still struggle quite a bit with the Gerrard Torres partnership.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    Gbear wrote: »
    I agree about Henderson. I was speaking relatively by comparison to Adam. In the current set up with the injuries and lack of depth, Hendo gets the position hands down over Adam for me.

    He is playing too much but like I said, being a passenger is better than actually doing you harm.
    Would you prefer your girlfriend to be cold and apathetic, or actively trying to kill you?:pac:

    If our squad was where I would like it to be or even our first 11, I think that it woudn't do much harm to maybe have to carry Hendo some times.

    If he wasn't the only passenger, I think, especially in a midfield 5 (which I hope we'll play for the rest of the season but know we wont), I think having a body that works hard and occasionally gives quality and all the while gains experience would be on balance worth it, albeit, not as often as is currently happening.

    While he can't "tackle" that's not the only way to win the ball. He's good at pressing in general and something that Lucas does often is make a tackle but not come away with the ball himself. His tackle allows another of our players to come away with the ball.
    I think a mix of Hendo and Lucas, with Lucas doing the actual sliding around and Hendo picking up the ball and driving forward will be a feature of our play over the coming years.



    For me, being a passenger is doing the team harm. If a team is carrying one passenger, then the other 9 outfield players have to do the work of 10. If a team has two passenger, then 8 are trying to do the work of 10 and so on.

    Regardless of whether a player is having a stinker or simply hiding or whatever, the end result is that the other players have to try and compensate which can mean they cannot play their game either.

    There has been games this season when maybe four players at a time have been passengers, and having one or two per game seems to have become the norm.

    Now if Adam gets picked and has lots of stinkers or Henderson gets picked and hides a lot, then whilst the players themselves will get criticism it is not the players that keep putting themselves on the pitch. Kenny is the one that has to be able to see what is happening, and he is the one that needs to drop the players or find a formation and set of tactics that work well with the players he has available to him.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,299 ✭✭✭djPSB


    Although I would be a fan of Rafas, and I would have no problem seeing him return to the club in the future, it is important to remember that his record in the league wasn't flawless either. And that was at a time when Spurs and City were no where near the forces they are now.

    Every manager needs time, and if we give Kenny that time, he will take us to the top 4.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,348 ✭✭✭✭ricero


    i thought there was a lot of tired legs near the end of the match for Liverpool. terrible that after that grueling final, internationals followed. still though we should of won


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,399 ✭✭✭ush


    Yanks may well prioritise stadium over squad building. Where would that leave us?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,299 ✭✭✭djPSB


    ush wrote: »
    Yanks may well prioritise stadium over squad building. Where would that leave us?

    If we do start on a new stadium, I think we will deal with it in a similar way to which Arsenal did.

    - No big signings
    - Selling top players at premium prices
    - Focus on youth

    I'd say it would have a 7/8 year effect on title ambitions, in that we wouldn't be spending realistic amounts of money on the squad to be able to challenge.

    However, I think Arsenal are in a better position going forward than most clubs in the PL. They have almost their stadium paid off, and i wouldn't be surprised to see them as the dominant team in England in a few years due to the way they have handled their finances. They have had to make sacrifices along the way though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    djPSB wrote: »
    So the knee jerkers are in.

    I think we should give Kenny another season.

    To be honest, I think when we have our best 11 players fit, we have a team well capable of finishing in the top 4. Unfortunately, this hasn't happened too often this season.

    The problem arises when players like Maxi, Adam, Spearing, Carragher, Kuyt are playing in the team on a regular basis. Kenny has been unlucky with injuries this season with Gerrard, Suarez, Lucas and now Agger missing large parts of the season. We don't have the squad to deal with these injuries which is something which will be rectified in the summer. I think if he can add 3/4 players to what we have during the summer, then we will have a squad more than capable of finishing in the top 4 next season. Stability is important, and knee jerk reactions like getting rid of Kenny aren't going to help. I think our problems are easy enough to solve. It's not like in Hodgson's days when there were no obvious solutions.

    In Kenny we trust.



    People having opinions and trying to explain why makes them knee jerkers? I have not seen any sack Kenny or Kenny out style posts, so where is the knee jerking as in people making comments that are not consistent with what they have said already this season?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,117 ✭✭✭✭Leiva


    Good day to be a Arsenal fan .
    Chelsea loosing 82nd min


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