The Three At The Back Argument - Again!!

[Redspin]

You'd lose your house. How the fcuk can you drop Bellamy ??

As I said elsewhere, Rafa's a cagey bloke, so I think he'll go for a line-up like we had last season and bring new players on in the second half - like Bellamy - to mix things up a bit.

[Le Chacal]

I wouldnt be surprised at all to see Crouch alone up front against Chelski.

[Redspin]

hope yr motgage isnt to big!! Bellamy will definitey start.

My mortgage is too effing big! Anyway I'll be back on after the game and we can see how it panned out. It's just that we've all seen enough of Rafa to know he likes a settled formation and chucking new players in isn't really his way, so I expect Bellamy etc to come on in the second half - all based on how he approached games last season

[6sheep]

In order to play 3 at the back, i think all three really need to be quick, and incredibly fit.
I cannot see Rafa changing a system, that defensively speaking, would be very hard to better.
I also don't think there is any way that one could leave Finnan out of the side at the moment

Agreed.

As I said the formation & not necessarily the exact personnel could be experimented on against some sides in the future. Agger`s & Paletta seem tailor made to eventually fill central defence..i`ll rest easier when we see Agger playing again.

I`m sure we`ll play a back four for a good while, at least until the defensive haemorrhaging of pre-season is a distant memory.

[Ryan]

I wouldnt be surprised at all to see Crouch alone up front against Chelski.

Another goalfest then.

[mark1975]

The much-maligned back three under Roy Evans (Scales/ Babb/ Ruddock) etc etc wasn't always an unmitigated disaster, and we had one of the best defensive records in the Premiership on more than one occasion.

TRUFAX.

Yup, and this would mean ridiculous decisions like having Pennant as a fullback. It's naff, and it's old hat in the Premiership.

[mark1975]

Another goalfest then.

Rafa's comments were strange I thought (or maybe not so..) it sounded like a stern warning that he might have his work cut out this season.

[Ryan]

Why, what did he say?

[mark1975]

just his interview about Crouch:

"This year, Peter is more mature and he needs to understand what it means to be a Liverpool player," said Benitez.

"People were talking before he signed that he wasn't good for us. But after a while he was in the squad with the national team and now people know how good he is.

"But he cannot think that is enough. He now needs to continue improving as he has a lot of potential and possibilities.

"You cannot stop improving. "He needs to know how important it is to score goals, to make assists and to work hard for a club like this, and I think he is going about things the right way.

"He needs to improve in some areas and keep doing the things he has done well."

[red g]

just his interview about Crouch:

"This year, Peter is more mature and he needs to understand what it means to be a Liverpool player," said Benitez.

"People were talking before he signed that he wasn't good for us. But after a while he was in the squad with the national team and now people know how good he is.

"But he cannot think that is enough. He now needs to continue improving as he has a lot of potential and possibilities.

"You cannot stop improving. "He needs to know how important it is to score goals, to make assists and to work hard for a club like this, and I think he is going about things the right way.

"He needs to improve in some areas and keep doing the things he has done well."

But thats it with crouch, there is room for improvement, hope he carries on getting better

[Ryan]

Clever from Rafa.

It's all to remind Crouch that he can't be getting too big for his boots, which could have beeen likely after starting so many games for us, and then going to and scoring in the World Cup.

Wednesday's relegation to the Subs bench was to rbring him back to Earth a bit, not to mention the fact that Bellamy's a better player and a bigger threat.

Personally I'm of the impression that Crouch better get used to it. We won't challenge for the league with him up front all season, and his role may well be limited to that of 'impact sub' especially if Rafa's apparent adoration of Kuyt comes to pass.

Another thing; people are talking about him improving on his goals return on last year - I'm actually of the opinion that it's going to get worse this season. What with him having fewer games to impress this time around, the increased competition, and more significantly - a more-than-likely demotion to provider for Bellamy, Fowler, and Kuyt, than finisher as he was (supposed to be) last season.

[Le Chacal]

Another goalfest then.

Look at these boring nil-nil draws at the beggining of last season (one was against Chelski in CL) ...Its when Rafa played with Crouch alone upfront...These last games look like he will play the same formation. With bellamy or Crouch alone up front.
I fear we'll see a lot of "goalfest" these days...

[mark1975]

Dunno, I think it's fair to say that while Bellamy will benefit occasionally from his presence, he could have benefited himself from having a pacy striker alongside him. I thought he and Cisse looked better alongside eachother last season in the few opportunities they got together..

At the end of the day though, if Kuyt comes then it's obvious he'll be demoted to the role he was bought for, as an impact player.

[Le Chacal]

Agreed. Bellamy wont score more than Crouch if he plays alone up front. And neither will Kuyt.

[Rosco]

"He needs to know how important it is to score goals",

That kind of torpedoes the argument of all those people who repeatedly told me last season that Crouch wasn't bought to score goals.