was i alone in thinking yesterday.........

[Guest]

Really the players are edgy because of us ***** on the net?

Nonsense. It's a general feeling amongst supporters not only on the net as I've heard boos after our draw against Brum.

Fact is that even when we are playing better there are still times when we don't look fluid in possesion, and in off the ball movement.

That's either down to the players not being good enough to do it at a high level, or it's the footballing philosophy of playing percentage football, tactically restrained by Rafa so we don't concede. Perhaps both.

Is confidence going to make Kuyt's first touch better? Be realsitic. We're missing 3 of our best players and it's effecting us because we're now having to rely on some mediocre ones in their place.

Kuyt is a good player, not a fantastic player but a good player. I don't think the board could have gone on and bought two world class players for 50 million at the beginning of the season, so we have to be patient. Rafa has a long term plan and he now has the full backing of the board.

He's bought Babel & Torres, two of the most highly rated young players around. That's a step in the right direction.

As for Rafa playing percentage football, I don't think it's fair. And even then, it it wins us the league, who will moan against it ? As I said, it's an evolutionary process. Manure wasn't the free flowing team they are now when they started to win things, they were an efficient team.

People should get a life and put this football thing into perspective. Win or lose, I'll still support the club. We've got no god given right to win everything.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Kuyt is a good player, not a fantastic player but a good player. I don't think the board could have gone on and bought two world class players for 50 million at the beginning of the season, so we have to be patient. Rafa has a long term plan and he now has the full backing of the board.

He's bought Babel & Torres, two of the most highly rated young players around. That's a step in the right direction.

As for Rafa playing percentage football, I don't think it's fair. And even then, it it wins us the league, who will moan against it ? As I said, it's an evolutionary process. Manure wasn't the free flowing team they are now when they started to win things, they were an efficient team.

People should get a life and put this football thing into perspective. Win or lose, I'll still support the club. We've got no god given right to win everything.

No of course we have no devine right to win anything. Nobody does.

I'm not talking specifically about players. It's the way we play. The tactics used. Lets face it we're not good to watch.

But we're not getting the results are we? Expectations are high. We are LFC. We are expected to go for the league. Be honest you expected a title challenge this season, didn't you?

Now that might still happen this season but the way we're going and the way the scum and the arse are going it's not looking likely is it? Early days yes. But they won't drop many points and if we do improve how much will it be by? The fact that we are bemoaning the loss of three players being the root cause of our ****eness is missing the point completely. Our problems are deeper rooted than that. Negative tactics. Stopping the opposition first, instead of trying to win the game. But the worst of it is the way we actually play. Just watch us closely. Pass, stand still, pass back to full back or centre back, pass to Gerrard/Alonso, no option on, back to full back, across the back 4, pressure from opposing player then hoofed. Rinse and repeat.

At the level we're supposd to be at it's just not good enough.

[Guest]

Just watch us closely. Pass, stand still, pass back to full back or centre back, pass to Gerrard/Alonso, no option on, back to full back, across the back 4, pressure from opposing player then hoofed. Rinse and repeat.

At the level we're supposd to be at it's just not good enough.

Mate, that's simply because certain players are lacking in confidence and hiding instead of asking for the ball. We aren't passing the ball quickly enough (and I have seen us pass it incredibly fast when we're on song) because our movement and final ball haven't been good enough.

If we supporters just stick behind the players, maybe things will start to improve. We should have won the match last night, and it would have been good for confidence had we done so. The players need to stick with it and it will come. We haven't become a bad team with ****e tactics overnight.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Mate, that's simply because certain players are lacking in confidence and hiding instead of asking for the ball. We aren't passing the ball quickly enough (and I have seen us pass it incredibly fast when we're on song) because our movement and final ball haven't been good enough.

If we supporters just stick behind the players, maybe things will start to improve. We should have won the match last night, and it would have been good for confidence had we done so. The players need to stick with it and it will come. We haven't become a bad team with ****e tactics overnight.

I hear what you are saying mate, but it just doesn't wash with me.

They play for LFC, the pressure to perform is high, and it should be, if they can't handle that then what are they doing here?

Hiding? I don't see players hiding to be fair. I see players who just aren't cutting it.

Rafa needs to take some responsiblity here as well. He's signed most these players and they play the way he tells them too. So what's he going to do to change things? Blaming a collective lack of confidence is a kop out.

[Johnny]

and whats riise still playing for?

bout 38 grand a week

Not much for a loyal servant of the Club.

[red g]

I could probably name 15 strikers purchased in the last 2 years for Kuyts price or less. that are 10 x the player!! Many people had doubts about kuyt before he arrived but i think rafa liked his work ethic, whereas he could have got a beni mccarthy if he liked 'goalscorers' as i think jason lee would be prolific in holland

[red g]

Not much for a loyal servant of the Club.

maybe your right, he should get a payrise :whatever:

[Guest]

I hear what you are saying mate, but it just doesn't wash with me.

They play for LFC, the pressure to perform is high, and it should be, if they can't handle that then what are they doing here?

Hiding? I don't see players hiding to be fair. I see players who just aren't cutting it.

Rafa needs to take some responsiblity here as well. He's signed most these players and they play the way he tells them too. So what's he going to do to change things? Blaming a collective lack of confidence is a kop out.

Whilst I understand your frustrations I'll always support the team through thick and thin mate. If it turns out bad, then so be it. Rafa has one of the best CV's around and building great teams take time, so I'll stick with him. And there's always the next match to look forward to, and our lives ...

It's a game of football in the end mate, and people should put these things into perspective and chill out a bit after a bad result. We're not here just for the footie, we're like a big family.

[vonk]

To be honest, I thought we started out yesterday passing it around nicely. I thought Momo played his role well yesterday, a couple of dodgy passes but I think he will get better. We just couldnt click up front and here are my thoughts on why:
- Kuyt playing on his own up front
- Kuyt being low on confidence/****e whichever (I'm in the latter camp)
- Stevie is not suited to this second striker role, Athens and Ewood, it hasnt worked
- No width. Watching Arse and Scum yesterday, how many times did Clichy, Evra, Brown, Sagna get forward... lots. Pacey attacking fullbacks make a huge difference if you have no out and out wingers. Again Babel and Benny are cutting inside constantly and our fullbacks are not giving any width. Finnan tried but tends to stop when he gets possession and loses momentum. Plus his crossing is not great. Riise is a one trick pony and should be sold in January. He can't even defend for Christ sake.
- Hoof: Sami, Carra, Riise.

All in all a lot of rebuilding to done.

We need to give Insua/Aurelio a run and see if either can be a left back. Arbeloa may be worth anyother try at RB.

Crouch will be sold, Kuyt/Voronin should be sold. Anelka should be bought.
We desperately need cover for Agger/Carra and to put Sami out to pasture.

[Howard_lfc]

Sissoko is having a bad season but last night was NOT his worst game. His whole game in the 1st half STANK just like the rest of the team but in the 2nd half he improved.
I can understand why Rafa started with him & Mascherano in the middle. To nullify the threat of Dunn & Bentley in the middle. Good plan by Rafa but we needed a second striker with Kuyt.

I love it when we worry about the opposition more than they worry about us. Oh for the days when we picked our best team and let the opposition worry about us..........

[red g]

I love it when we worry about the opposition more than they worry about us. Oh for the days when we picked our best team and let the opposition worry about us..........

yep just as all the best teams do

[einar]

I hear what you are saying mate, but it just doesn't wash with me.

They play for LFC, the pressure to perform is high, and it should be, if they can't handle that then what are they doing here?

Hiding? I don't see players hiding to be fair. I see players who just aren't cutting it.

Rafa needs to take some responsiblity here as well. He's signed most these players and they play the way he tells them too. So what's he going to do to change things? Blaming a collective lack of confidence is a kop out.

When you see every player of the ball standing still, that is hiding.

The only thing I worry about is how Rafa wants to play. And I still belive he wants to play a free flowing pass and move like he did with Valencia.

If the players are not doing what he is telling them to IMO that is not his fault ( at least not yet )

You dont see managers playing beautiful football with mediocre players. That just does not happen. I dont think Alex or Wenger would be playing much differently from Rafa if they where managing the current Liverpool team.

The attacking players we have that are capable of playing good football are IMHO Torres, Babel, Yossi, Gerrard and Kewell. It is not a coincidence that three of these players where brought in after the takeover.

I am sure Rafa is doing the best he can to try to encourage the players to play good football while at the same time maximizing our chance to win.
But until he can get his first choice players in for every position we will not see the best he has to offer.

[dww]

I love it when we worry about the opposition more than they worry about us. Oh for the days when we picked our best team and let the opposition worry about us..........

I kind of think thats the wrong way to look at the way we aim to play. We want to control midfield as a platform to create pressure and hence chances. I don't think we were at all afraid of Blackburn which for me would have been a worry.

We went in with a plan to play a certain way and after about 10 minutes we achieved our objective. The problem was that our attacking players are lacking confidence which is understandable after a run where we haven't been able to play our game - let alone attack at will.

I think that we showed some signs of trying to attack as a unit but still looked disjointed. I feel that part of the problem is no player who can do the unplayable (seeing as Torres is fit) upfont but we are also suffering from moving from one way of attacking to a slight change of plan. All of the keys to the new way of playing like Benayoun, Torres and Babel are new to the team and lack the understanding that is required. I think the more we play with the pattern of play we did against Blackburn the more we will improve and we will end up with teams fearing us.

[willa1975]

Sissoko is having a bad season but last night was NOT his worst game. His whole game in the 1st half STANK just like the rest of the team but in the 2nd half he improved.
I can understand why Rafa started with him & Mascherano in the middle. To nullify the threat of Dunn & Bentley in the middle.
Good plan by Rafa but we needed a second striker with Kuyt.

I thought Sissoko had a good game by his standards. But we're not going to play any sort of fluid, passing football through Momo.

Momo, in my mind, doesn't deserve any of the blame for yesterday's display. You know what you're getting when you put him on the pitch, especially with another defensive midfielder beside him and a lone striker up front.

[kewellnthegang]

I love it when we worry about the opposition more than they worry about us. Oh for the days when we picked our best team and let the opposition worry about us..........