Final Season Report - Almost

[fowlen]

With just about 5 weeks or so of football left for the season (and another week for our champions league final), I guess this is as good a time as any to provide my season's verdict....on new players, how the season has panned out and other overall impressions.

As far as new signings are concerned I don't think any have made the impact we had wished for....Speedy has had an up and down time, Pennant has been poor most of the time, Bellamy has shone in glimpses, and after a very bright start, I think Kuyt has been good, without hitting the heights we had wished for. As for the others, well Aurelio has barely contributed, and a couple of others will hopefully come through next season like Agger this season.

We have also played some very nice enjoyable football, and have been unlucky not to get points on a number of occasions, but sadly many players, who we expected big season's from never performed as expected.
Xabi has been mediocre, Stevie only really started delivering when he was shuffled into midfield, Crouchie has been excellent (when he has played)...but the stars of the team are our defenders...picking a player of the season between Finnan, Carra and Agger is a pretty hard job...they have been our 3 stars.

I was not expecting much from Bolo, and he has met my expectations, but I was expecting Momo to build big time on last season....however I think he has been very very poor and has not merited a place in the team....especially when it means that Stevie is pushed out wide. Even though he suffered an injury at a bad time, he has just not lived up to expectations when fit.

So where does that leave us....well, we have lots to build on....
We have a fantastic defense, with adequate resources and back-up (I do hope that Sami is still with us next season), but Agger and Carra are an awesome duo, and Finnan is his consistant excellent self. JAR has not lit the world alight at LB, but has done OK.

In midfield i think Bolo will leave, leaving Stevie, Alonso (hopefully), Momo and Mascherano to battle it out for 2 or 3 central midfield roles, with a fit Harry, Speedy, improved Pennant or A.N Other providing support down the wings....and the sublime skill of Lil Luis to be deployed somewhere between that.....So that is a pretty powerful midfield.

Up front is the real problem area....Kuyt and Bellamy have just arrived, I feel for Crouch as he has really looked the player when he has worn the red this season, and Robbie is surely on his way with limited playing time remaining.

So with the new owners and investment, what should we expect?
Well Veronin is a done deal and he will be arriving. I also think Rafa will have some funds, but this season will splash out and pay big for maybe only 2 players? Possibly a top striker and a wide man.
5 strikers and won't fit into our plans, so is it good bye to Bellamy and Crouch, or both?

We have also probably seen the end of Jerzy...thanks for the memories, especially from 25/05/05

A few other things we have realised from the season - sometimes Rafa gets his substitutions a little wrong, we have all seen the problem areas but he waited too long to make the subs, or brought on the wrong player....but he cannot get it right all the time, he is a master tactician and I think all reds are very pleased indeed with him....long live Rafa. We have also played poorly at times and won, and played brilliantly and lost. Poor away form prevented a challenge from early on, and sadly we have also seen too many displays where the lads didn't look bothered (being Bluenoses (home and away), Scum away, Arsenal (away) and Pompey (home) that i can recall).

Overall I have been bitterly disappointed with our season and hope we win in Athens, but for some reason I am very excited for next season already, as I believe that I have seen big progress this season (even though points don't suggest this).

Any other thoughts from you people in virtual land?

[anfieldanfield]

Victory in Athens is the only thing that can 'save' our season.

It's been a woeful domestic campaign.

[Eth]

Final Season - so thats it? What will I do on saturdays next year?

[Joe Le Toff]

Simply not good enough this season.
If Athens wasnt on the horizon then this season would be nothing short of appalling.

[Taffy]

I agree on the whole with what you've said.

The season has been an average one at best - mainly caused by the terrible start we had, once again! Our new players have settled, but none have really hit the heights as of yet with most only just bedding in without making that 'immediate' impact we all hope for.

Kuyt's done well overall but I hope he becomes more clinical next season after having a full campaign behind him in a new league. Bellamy hasn't done enough for me so far and might just get a second crack at it - depending on who Rafa signs this summer. Crouch's proved it time and time again overall despite not having a real run of games behind him, and should have started more in my opinion.

Pennant's proved to be what I always that he'd be, only a squad player, and we clearly need a classy winger to make the most of our wing play as JP isn't a starter for us (if we have aims to win the league in the coming seasons). Gonzalez has done ok, but injuries have stopped him from making any real impact - I'm hopeful that if he has an injury-free campaign next time around he'll do a lot better as I rate the guy. We've missed Garcia these past few months and having him fit would have given us a better option on the creative side - hope he's back soon and scoring those crucial goals again.

Mascherano will settle slowly and should be ready to make an impact after spending a few months with us this season, but it'll be interesting to see what Rafa does next season with the central midfield options. Alonso hasn't been his usual consistent self this season and needs improvement, and Stevie doesn't do as well as he can when pushed away from the central role, and it worries me that he'll miss out on his favoured role again next season with him, Xabi, Masch and Momo all looking to play there.

The defence have been our rock though, once again, with Carra total class throughout. His 'new' partnership with Agger looks good for the future with Agger having done really well this season cementing his place in the team regularly. Agger's been the best new player at the club these past 12 months or so, and signing him before last summer has done him the world of good with time to settle before the new campaign got under way. Sami's suffered because of this but I hope he stays around for another season giving us strong cover when it's needed.

Finnan's been his usual consistent self once again, and is up there with Carra and Agger as our best of the season - a cracking piece of business that was as he's been Mr Consistent these past three or four seasons. Riise's been in and out, without being fantastic again, but he's once again scored some crucial goals for us when we've needed them most! Is a must for our squad even if some of us don't like him! Aurelio's also done ok, but is only a squad player (a handy one to have though due to his experience).

Finally, Reina's done well after his initial blunders, and if he can come good straight from the off next season then it'll give us more points from the start which we'll definitely need to put up a sustained fight. It'll be interesting to see what happens to Carson next season, but if he returns he'll put up quite a fight for the number one jersey I'm sure. It's time Dudek left, but it's 'thanks for the memories Jerzy' from me - Istanbul will foreven be in my thoughts mainly thanks to that man!!

So, overall, a little disappointed, but we're still fighting for number 6, which gives us hope and something to play for still. A top four finish will do, but we need to buy well this summer if we want to improve to challenge the top spots. If Rafa has the money he'll be the key man for us during the summer months as whoever he goes for will have to settle quickly if we have hopes next time around. Another year of 'settling for fourth' just won't do - it happens every season doesn't it, but if the Yanks back us financially then we must do it on the pitch and get LFC back to where we belong!!

[keniget]

"with Carra total class throughout"

Hahahaha!

[friedk]

"with Carra total class throughout"

Hahahaha!

I don't get it

[Shaggy]

Well he hasn't been class throughout, has he. He was ****ing rubbish at the start of the season.

[Morph]

Well he hasn't been class throughout, has he. He was ****ing rubbish at the start of the season.

harsh!

[Shaggy]

He was though! Maybe it seemed worse than it was given his usually high standards, but he was poor - as were Finnan, Reina and many, many more.

[dww]

He was though! Maybe it seemed worse than it was given his usually high standards, but he was poor - as were Finnan, Reina and many, many more.

God, we started the seaon awfully, I think Carra is the only one to have regained really top form. Finnan and Reina have been consistently good, but neither has really excelled. Gerrard and Alonso have been far below the standards they have set in the past.

[Morph]

He was though! Maybe it seemed worse than it was given his usually high standards, but he was poor - as were Finnan, Reina and many, many more.

They were poor, it still puzzles me why tho, If I recall rightly Carra was our only defender on international duty in the summer (who actually played anyway). There must have been something more that contributed to our **** start.

[Taffy]

"with Carra total class throughout"

Hahahaha!

[yukpo]

Just not good enough.

[desertscouser]

I have to admit, apart from the Champion's League it's been a thoroughly rubbish season. Very poor indeed. Being so far behind the Mancs at this stage of the season is an utter shambles. On top of that we've only had two good results this season, a home win against an under strength Chelsea side and a win at the Nou camp. And to make matters worse we've lost by 2 goals or more 5 times this season including an absolute cuffing at Goodison as well as having to witness one of the worst LFC performances at Old Trafford that I can remember.