Player Ratings LFC vs. Werder Bremen

[Guest]

And babel doesn't like being stuck on the left.

I don't think Rafa likes to play with out and out wingers. The team he is building is all about movement with overlapping from our fullbacks a must for bringing width to the play.

[Jayesh87]

Benayoun is no winger.
That showed.

Yea true, he looked quite nervous though.

[RedReet]

Benayoun is no winger.
That showed.

I thought he did OK. Not a winger, he never was, but still effective from right midfield.

[Shaggy]

What about Paletta and Hyypia as a backline. I don't think they can cut it. Also as Shaggy said Hobbs didn't really influence the match much. That was even more obvious when Momo came on as he showed how it should be done. The Viera comparisons were justified today!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed, but in Hobbs' defence he obviously isn't a midfielder. I think the idea behind playing him there sometimes is to improve his use of the ball, but it's not much good if he can't even get hold of it. El Zhar can be forgiven for not getting involved - that happens to wingers - but you can't afford to have one of your central midfielders having zero impact on a game.

Paletta looked uncomfortable again, I thought.

Xabi was impressive.

[El Jefecito]

Ehm, relax. I don't want us to sell him or anything....

I said he didn't look like a winger.
He looks more like a player suitable to play behind the strikers.

Still, how can you come to such a conclusion after 45 mins. I know you are smart, so I'm sure you will agree that it is way premature.

[Shaggy]

Not only that, he didn't waste one single ball either. That's not even an exaggeration, as I played close attention after backing him up earlier. He even played a few adventurous balls.

Momo

And of course the Crow

Gonna be an interesting fight for places up front this year.

Agreed, although Momo ballooned one very straightforward ball to Stephen Darby, but he got away with it. That aside, his use of the ball was spot on.

[ronniedrew]

the crow and gerrard were the best by a mile

after that

momo bossed in the usual fashion, xabi passed well, torres quick & strong, didnt see enough of babel, sami looks slow and awkward at times, finnan usual soundness. the game went very scrappy late in the second


p.s.

the young guys from reserves wont get a look in all season in serious games.

[Guest]

Is Darby a natural right back ? He did well today.

[tomasjj]

Still, how can you come to such a conclusion after 45 mins. I know you are smart, so I'm sure you will agree that it is way premature.

Well, it is not like I haven't seen him play before.
He is no real winger, but it is no big deal. Rafa might not want that from him, even if I think we need a proper right winger.

As you say I am not casting a judgment on his LFC career after 45 minutes for the club.

[Jayesh87]

Still, how can you come to such a conclusion after 45 mins. I know you are smart, so I'm sure you will agree that it is way premature.

maybe he has seen him play at west ham

[tomasjj]

I thought he did OK. Not a winger, he never was, but still effective from right midfield.

He was ok.

[Jayesh87]

Is Darby a natural right back ? He did well today.

He has played on the left and the right od defence for the youth team so i guess that makes him a natural fullback

[Red_Al_77]

Options and possibilities aplenty it seems. We now have a very strong squad. Time for a serious title challenge.

[El Jefecito]

Agreed, but in Hobbs' defence he obviously isn't a midfielder. I think the idea behind playing him there sometimes is to improve his use of the ball, but it's not much good if he can't even get hold of it. El Zhar can be forgiven for not getting involved - that happens to wingers - but you can't afford to have one of your central midfielders having zero impact on a game.

Paletta looked uncomfortable again, I thought.

Xabi was impressive.

I think you are right on Hobbs. UI've followed him since he signed for us and his passing and awareness has improved no end since Paco started playing him in midfield. If he continues to progress as he has at the academy he will be pretty close to the perfect ball winning / ball playing CH.

BTWI don't rate El Zhar, he hardly set the reserve league on fire and I haven't seen much better from him when he has played in the first team.

BTW Paletta has all of the skills to be a great stopper a la Ayala, the issue I've seen is that when he plays alongside Hyypia, he's 10 times worse than when he is in the reserves. I want to see him in 10+ games alongside a great organizer like Carra before I pass final judgement.

[Guest]

I would like to see more overlapping from our fullbacks though as it brings more movement to the play and also the width that is needed with having so many unconventional 'wingers'.

I think only Pennant qualifies as a real 'winger' in this team.