Think Long Term

[Sir Bob]

Luckily for LFC, Rafa isn't as fickle as many of the clubs fans.

A relatively poor start to the season & suddenly certain player are deemed either past it (Sami) or needing a rest (Reina & Alonso).

Equally, a couple of half decent performances by other players (Agger & kuyt) & suddenly they should be 1st choice picks every week.

Luckily Rafa takes a longer term view.
Prior to the FA Cup Final in May, many fans were comparing Reina to Ray Clemence. Now after a few below par efforts, some fans call for Dudeks return, or say Scott Carson shouldn't have been sent out on loan. My view is that Reina is not quite the top class act many thought he was last season but nor is the dodgy keeper we've seen of late. He will become world class but is not there yet. I wouldn't drop him for dudek. The time to judge any player is over a long period not a few games. Overall Reina has been very good since he came to the club.

Next comes the centre half position. Everytime we lose a game the same old calls for Sami to be replaced are heard. He's too slow, he's past it. Young Agger meanwhile is seen as the next Hansen. Agger looks a very good prospect but if that wonder strike against WHU has sailed into the Kop instead of finding the back of the net, such comparisons would be more foolish than they already are. Sami has forgotten more about defending than Agger knows. Agger will replace Sami long term but not yet. Sami is still our best CB, & that includes Carra.

Upfront, Bellamy & Kuyt are suddenly the main men. This despite the good form Crouch has been in of late. Kuyt looks a very good player, but many of the calls for Kuyt are based on the 20 minutes or so he played against WHU.

I'm not knocking Kuyt or Agger but lets judge them after a season or so, not a couple of games. They will both have a big part to play this season but so will Sami & Crouch.

Lets view things a bit more long term rather than game by game. Great players don't become poor players overnight. Equally, players new to the club need time to settle & should be judged over at least 1 season, preferably 2. They do not become LFC regualrs thanks to promising starts to their LFC careers, & nor should they.

[Wilko7]

Very true, Bob. Good post.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Some of the posts on KT really have been laughable.

The gems include: drop Alonso for Zenden, drop Reina for Dudek, Jamie and Riise shouldn't have played, switch to a 3-5-2 because we beat Newcastle with it last season, Fowler can't play anymore. Basically the type of knee jerk ****e Ged would've done had the results hit the skids, and by the way that was our first defeat of the season, warrants mentioning.

Rafa will stick to his guns because he knows what he is doing. As I always say the day Rafa starts making footballing decisions based on hope rather than expectation is the day he should quit. Is he infallible?, no. But he damn sure knows better than we do.

[G_Man]

Can't believe people are suggesting we bring Dudek back. My, my, what short memories they must have.

[Shaggy]

Can't believe people are suggesting we bring Dudek back. My, my, what short memories they must have.

Agreed, although it'd be nice if we had some genuine competition for Reina. I wonder if he's getting complacent. I'm a huge fan of his but he's started this season abysmally. Dudek will never replace him cos we know who Rafa rates and who he doesn't rate, but I really wish we had Carson (although I'm not at all convinced by him yet) just to put a little pressure on Pepe.

[nobbylad]

Some of the posts on KT really have been laughable.

The gems include: drop Alonso for Zenden, drop Reina for Dudek, Jamie and Riise shouldn't have played, switch to a 3-5-2 because we beat Newcastle with it last season, Fowler can't play anymore. Basically the type of knee jerk ****e Ged would've done had the results hit the skids, and by the way that was our first defeat of the season, warrants mentioning.

Rafa will stick to his guns because he knows what he is doing. As I always say the day Rafa starts making footballing decisions based on hope rather than expectation is the day he should quit. Is he infallible?, no. But he damn sure knows better than we do.

Jamie shouldn't have played...if you've ever done your ankle ligaments, you'd know that they don't 'get better' in a couple of weeks.

Edit - and it's no surprise that Riise's ankle went again. Once your ligaments are done, it takes a hell of a lot of hard work to get them back to anywhere near there pre-injury condition and you are more prone to further injury as your ligaments 'forget' how to keep your balance/pronation etc.

[lfcruleus]

I agree we must think long term and forget the knee jerk reactions to poor performances but.................I hope we ****in win our next league game!!

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Jamie shouldn't have played...if you've ever done your ankle ligaments, you'd know that they don't 'get better' in a couple of weeks.

What's Rafa supposed to do though? He declared himself fit, and he's our best defender, and his injury played no part in his mistake, it was just that, a mistake.

[JRC]

One assumes Rafa, the medical staff and all the high-tech monitoring systems we now have (apparently) said Carra was fit as well. And that they know a bit about ligaments, or at least you'd hope so.

Perhaps it's easier to suggest Carra wasn't 100% than admit that he just had a mare.

There's some fairly harsh judgements being made (and not just on KT - here as well) based on a few games, but we're all happy to laugh at Bluenose overenthusiastic raising of expectations - 3rs place, Europe etc. - based on equally flimsy evidence. Cuts both ways.

[alunevans]

I don't really think it disloyal or knee jerk to spot that Alonso hasn't had enough of a pre season and is still way off the pace. What is wrong or disloyal or fickle to suggest he takes the time necessary to get back to his undoubted class? Especially when we have Stevie and Momo to hold the fort.

[crowy]

Sorry mate i disagree.

If the players arent playing well they should be left out. Remember Houllier persevering with players out of form, to prove a point. Remember the continual losses, the ****e play, the frustration you felt.

No thanks - if a player isnt performing, bench em. We have a complete squad now, we have no reason to carry passengers.

Whats wrong with Agger - havent seen him do anything wrong yet, why should he be benched, esp when Carragher isnt fit. You want Carra to do a Riise, or get back to his best?
Whats wrong with benching Alonso - so he gets the hunger back, he has been absolute poo lately and started last season in a similar fashion, before finding form in November. Fact is Momo and Stevie are in better form.

We are not saying they should be sold, just benched.

[crowy]

What's Rafa supposed to do though? He declared himself fit, and he's our best defender, and his injury played no part in his mistake, it was just that, a mistake.

Its not the players job to declare themselves fit, its the medical staff.
If Carra was fit, he would have gone in hard on that. Watching him moving around the field, he wasnt fit, there must have been some ankle pain there.

[FowlerLeftFoot]

Agreed completely.

While not denying the fact that Alonso is world class, but he is having a terrible patch and it should be dealt with, which means him being on the bench or even playing in the reserves to regain his competitiveness. We cannot afford to carry him through games anymore.

Reina, he had made 2 terrible mistakes back to back, a drop to the bench will serve as a warning to him not to take his place for granted.

Sorry mate i disagree.

If the players arent playing well they should be left out. Remember Houllier persevering with players out of form, to prove a point. Remember the continual losses, the ****e play, the frustration you felt.

No thanks - if a player isnt performing, bench em. We have a complete squad now, we have no reason to carry passengers.

Whats wrong with Agger - havent seen him do anything wrong yet, why should he be benched, esp when Carragher isnt fit. You want Carra to do a Riise, or get back to his best?
Whats wrong with benching Alonso - so he gets the hunger back, he has been absolute poo lately and started last season in a similar fashion, before finding form in November. Fact is Momo and Stevie are in better form.

We are not saying they should be sold, just benched.

[The Glove]

Sorry mate i disagree.

If the players arent playing well they should be left out. Remember Houllier persevering with players out of form, to prove a point. Remember the continual losses, the ****e play, the frustration you felt.

No thanks - if a player isnt performing, bench em. We have a complete squad now, we have no reason to carry passengers.

Whats wrong with Agger - havent seen him do anything wrong yet, why should he be benched, esp when Carragher isnt fit. You want Carra to do a Riise, or get back to his best?
Whats wrong with benching Alonso - so he gets the hunger back, he has been absolute poo lately and started last season in a similar fashion, before finding form in November. Fact is Momo and Stevie are in better form.

We are not saying they should be sold, just benched.

I couldnt have put it better myself.

(We need the applause smilie)

[BobTheCharmer]

Great just what this place needs, another Bob!!!