"Respecting" Weaker Teams (Plus A Bit of Panto)

[Reece]

Vozzie, Reg just PM'd me and said he reckons he'd knock you out.

he probably would mate

then his ma would wake him up and he,s be off on his paper round

A boys gotta earn a living.

[bobbyfallon]

there,s a grave yard full o lads saying they were going to "do " me tbf

you wouldnt be my type elvos - no offense like

[Elvoz]

It doesn't help when you have 45000 scousers on your back if you make something like a back pass. The players can't cope with the pressure of playing at home. It seems as if once we do score at home, its a relief which shouldn't be the case. Since the game against United, the fans are now expected to play and win in the same manner which isn't going to happen. It doesn't help when you don't have the variety in the box. The static Kuyt with the very fallible Benayoun are going to restrict your chances of winning tight games due to their inability to stretch the opposition and exploit areas of the opposing defence. Last season, we could win easy at home, there was a sense that if we don't get a goal in the first half, we will in the second. Now it seems, soon as the team doesn't get a goal within the first ten minutes, we won't win and that gets transported to the players who we already know are mentally weak as it is.

disagree toa point mate

45000 arent on their backs for a backpass
although the nervous edgy stuff is correct because we are in with a chance of winning the league - not if we dont score before 10 minutes mind

and surely the kuyt stat has been proved wrong over and over- we win more when he plays dont we

[Slim]

to win the league we have to beat the so called weaker teams at home. simple as that. only reason we are top is because our rivals are slipping up too.

And maybe our rivals keep slipping up because the so called "lesser" teams aren't as bad this year as people like to make out? Our result with West Ham was seen as poor, but now Chelsea have done the same thing and dropped points against them too so maybe West Ham aren't that rubbish?

I think that people are becoming too fixated on which sides we drop points against. At the end of the day dropped points are dropped points and it doesn't matter who they are dropped against. Yes Manure beat Hull, Stoke and West Ham at home and we didn't, but they also drew away at Chelsea and Everton and we won there. End result - we pick up more points than them.

I'm not being naive and the home form is a concern, but if we continue to be hard to beat and pick up points away, then we will be in the mix towards the end of the season which is what we all want. We've still got Torres to come back who can make a big difference in a tight game.

As for not showing opponents respect, well to me that is something I expected from classless ****s like Chelsea. We can show them respect and beat them in my opinion.

[BFG]

You started on the christmas sherry already elvoz you pedantic ****er? Is there really anything in this thread that hasn't been debated to death in other threads in the last couple of days?

For what it's worth I say we should show every team we face the same respect. If you think they're easy meat you'll get turned over, the league's too strong for that kind of attitude. That doesn't mean you should be scared of them but respect for what they can do will keep you on your toes.

[Matt]

he probably would mate

then his ma would wake him up and he,s be off on his paper round

i got that too.. interesting to see how this pans out

Did you get the bit that said he'd take his mates too cos he knows ju-jitsu and origami?

Could be interesting.

[Elvoz]

you wouldnt be my type elvos - no offense like

none taken

and given the choice of a chat with you or a butchers around where we where .........

[Elvoz]

And maybe our rivals keep slipping up because the so called "lesser" teams aren't as bad this year as people like to make out? Our result with West Ham was seen as poor, but now Chelsea have done the same thing and dropped points against them too so maybe West Ham aren't that rubbish?

I think that people are becoming too fixated on which sides we drop points against. At the end of the day dropped points are dropped points and it doesn't matter who they are dropped against. Yes Manure beat Hull, Stoke and West Ham at home and we didn't, but they also drew away at Chelsea and Everton and we won there. End result - we pick up more points than them.

I'm not being naive and the home form is a concern, but if we continue to be hard to beat and pick up points away, then we will be in the mix towards the end of the season which is what we all want. We've still got Torres to come back who can make a big difference in a tight game.

As for not showing opponents respect, well to me that is something I expected from classless ****s like Chelsea. We can show them respect and beat them in my opinion.

but we,re not o course

hmmmm .....

[PTP]

You see, whilst you make a point regarding weaker teams, the problem is now, in the prem these so called weaker teams aren't as weak as previous seasons. Ok some teams on paper may look weaker in terms of big name stars or financial backing or less than glorious history - but these weaker teams are set up now to compete, certainly away from home. These smaller clubs, in some cases literally every game come out fighting for survival. It's taken time but if you like the 'weaker' teams have been evolving each season and learning how to cope.

The only real weak side in the prem this season is West Brom, - Sunderland and Blackburn have struggled due to form and some bad management if you like, but they are not whipping boys.

From there, Hull are in 6th only 9 PTS of the relegation zone, halfway into the season!! thats only 9pts seperating 12 teams!!!! thats how tight this league is.

Now whilst i do agree, you want to be winning every home game, especially the one against these 'weaker' sides, unfortuntaly it's not that simple this year as ourselves, United, Chelsea and Arsenal have found out this season.

[Woobus]

Think one of Arsenals biggest problems is they dont show enough respect to the lower teams, they head out onto the pitch and expect to pass them off the pitch.

[Nicey]

im getting a bit pissed off with all this
these teams are weaker -fact - so why pay them so much respect ?
i dont give a flying **** what the scum or chavs do against these teams i worry about us
when we play fulham hull and west ham lets let them worry about us ffs
there is a difference between gung ho and attacking


rant over


awaits the we are top stop moaning posts

What a load of cockcustard ...**** **** post

[Joe King]

disagree toa point mate

45000 arent on their backs for a backpass
although the nervous edgy stuff is correct because we are in with a chance of winning the league - not if we dont score before 10 minutes mind

and surely the kuyt stat has been proved wrong over and over- we win more when he plays dont we

You can hear all sorts of groans when a pass isn't deemed as the correct one.

Kuyt's glaring lack of pace makes it easier for lesser sides to push higher up the pitch which causes us a problem. You look at the top four players for the side, only Gerrard is considered to have some pace to unlock a defence and he isn't going to be making runs in and around defences. Our lack of pace in the attacking third is going to cost us the title.

[Tee]

What do you call respect Voz?

I am sure it was my rant yesterday that has irked you lol.

For me respecting the opposition means taking nothing for granted. Simple concept I know, but you seem to think we have a divine right to 3 points against so called lesser teams. I think and believe we have to earn those points and that it is now harder than ever to beat these types of teams.

That is all. Have a nice day Voz!!

[BFG]

For me respecting the opposition means taking nothing for granted. Simple concept I know, but you seem to think we have a divine right to 3 points against so called lesser teams. I think and believe we have to earn those points and that it is now harder than ever to beat these types of teams.

[Slim]

but we,re not o course

hmmmm .....

Yes you're right we aren't beating them, and I have acknowledged that in my post. All I was saying was in order to beat them you don't have to "disrepect" them. I don't think we couldn't beat those teams at home because we showed them too much respect, we just didn't play well and you can analyse that without looking at the "respect" issue. Also as PTP and a few others have pointed out, it's a closer league this year and maybe these teams aren't actually that bad.

Anyway it's only my opinion mate. We all want the same thing - the title.