Finally transferred his Valencian flavour?

[DannyMan2006]

I think the key has been results coming at the right time and players hitting form, as well as our best players being fit.

Crushing victories over Real and Man Utd got the ball rolling. The resturn to Gerrard and Torres obviously allowed us to do this. And the form of Kuyt and Yossi in recent weeks has been far above the levels I ever expected either to reach.

Keane would not have been such a bad signing had he overcome his nerves in front of goal. Had he not missed with his air shots I reckon he would still be here.

As it stands I am still concerned with the number of chances our team tends to spurn. The finishing of our team as a whole is truly shocking. We may be hitting goals in left, right and centre, but we really should be scoring more.

[red g]

I think the key has been results coming at the right time and players hitting form, as well as our best players being fit.

Crushing victories over Real and Man Utd got the ball rolling. The resturn to Gerrard and Torres obviously allowed us to do this. And the form of Kuyt and Yossi in recent weeks has been far above the levels I ever expected either to reach.

Keane would not have been such a bad signing had he overcome his nerves in front of goal. Had he not missed with his air shots I reckon he would still be here.

As it stands I am still concerned with the number of chances our team tends to spurn. The finishing of our team as a whole is truly shocking. We may be hitting goals in left, right and centre, but we really should be scoring more.

manchester united have averaged 1.85 goals a game this year.....think thats the worse by a premiership winning team ever!!

we have averaged 1.97 and need to get upto 2.2 really

[DannyMan2006]

manchester united have averaged 1.85 goals a game this year.....think thats the worse by a premiership winning team ever!!

we have averaged 1.97 and need to get upto 2.2 really

To be fair to the Mancs they had an incredible run of games where they just did not concede goals. That spell and their ability to grind out results has seen them claim pole position in the title race.

Personally I'm not like Rafa and gonna worry we did not score six against Newcastle or scratch my head on why we only hit five against Villa. What does worry me is that our finishing has been on/off all season. The reason we scoring more is not a better conversion rate but an improvement in the amount of chances created.

This season I have seen Man Utd create only one or two chances all game and end up walking away with a 1-0 victory. And I can't for the life of me figure out why we have not been as deadly in front of goal. We have a high caliber of players on show............

[saveferris]

I think the key has been results coming at the right time and players hitting form, as well as our best players being fit.

Crushing victories over Real and Man Utd got the ball rolling. The resturn to Gerrard and Torres obviously allowed us to do this. And the form of Kuyt and Yossi in recent weeks has been far above the levels I ever expected either to reach.

Keane would not have been such a bad signing had he overcome his nerves in front of goal. Had he not missed with his air shots I reckon he would still be here.

As it stands I am still concerned with the number of chances our team tends to spurn. The finishing of our team as a whole is truly shocking. We may be hitting goals in left, right and centre, but we really should be scoring more.

Have to agree with you about Keane, he did himself no favours, but I am not sure we would have improved upon the results we had at the turn of the year. Since the Boro game we have done extremely well, and that is due to a settled system and players that play well in it.

[red g]

To be fair to the Mancs they had an incredible run of games where they just did not concede goals. That spell and their ability to grind out results has seen them claim pole position in the title race.

Personally I'm not like Rafa and gonna worry we did not score six against Newcastle or scratch my head on why we only hit five against Villa. What does worry me is that our finishing has been on/off all season. The reason we scoring more is not a better conversion rate but an improvement in the amount of chances created.

This season I have seen Man Utd create only one or two chances all game and end up walking away with a 1-0 victory. And I can't for the life of me figure out why we have not been as deadly in front of goal. We have a high caliber of players on show............

we do and we dont.....

where as we have relied on n'gog up front and babel as a back up.....they bring on 50millions worth of talent ie berbatov or Tevez.


in berba & tevez, there are 2 guys who can get goals. we need experienced players to come in and change games.

[red g]

To be fair to the Mancs they had an incredible run of games where they just did not concede goals. That spell and their ability to grind out results has seen them claim pole position in the title race.
Personally I'm not like Rafa and gonna worry we did not score six against Newcastle or scratch my head on why we only hit five against Villa. What does worry me is that our finishing has been on/off all season. The reason we scoring more is not a better conversion rate but an improvement in the amount of chances created.

This season I have seen Man Utd create only one or two chances all game and end up walking away with a 1-0 victory. And I can't for the life of me figure out why we have not been as deadly in front of goal. We have a high caliber of players on show............

21 clean sheets for them and chelsea and we have 18......

[DannyMan2006]

21 clean sheets for them and chelsea and we have 18......

Not saying they've been better than us in that regard, the difference is marginal - though it could easily equate to six points. But merely referring to their record breaking period that saw them shut up shop and over turn a decent size lead in the Premiership. That run put them back in the hunt and their recent dogedness has kept them just ahead when in all reality they have been anything but a form team whilst we were crushing teams.

[Leyton388]

Agree there Craig mate i have been saying this for a while now. Rafa has shaped the team just like Valencia and we are seeing the MACHINE at work as they use to call his valencia team. All we need is another striker because rafa had a target man ie mista so maybe Kun or tevez are on the cards i dont know and a new Right winger to give Kuyt some competition.

[dww]

Kuyt: We've finally got the Benitez message
by Ben Blackmore , 06 May 2009



Speaking exclusively to Setanta Sports, Dirk Kuyt revealed Liverpool have finally ‘clicked’ the way Rafa Benitez wants.

Kuyt is about to complete his most successful season in a Red jersey since his summer switch in 2006, scoring 11 league goals from the right wing.

The Dutchman has played and scored in a Champions League final during his time on Merseyside, but he insists the current squad is by far the best he has played.

Kuyt has not given up on this year’s title race, but if Manchester United hold out for the crown, he insists Liverpool’s players are finally singing from Rafa Benitez’s hymn sheet.

“I’ve been here three seasons now, and we’ve progressed every year. It’s only a matter of time before we win the league,” Kuyt told Setanta Sports.

“The team has stability, it’s clicking, and if we don’t win anything this season we definitely will next year.

“This is the best team I’ve played in. We beat Madrid home and away, United home and away, Chelsea home and away, plus we got a good result at Arsenal. We can compete regularly now with any side in Europe.”

Kuyt still hopes that Liverpool’s current form will reap the ultimate benefit, insisting The Reds enter Saturday’s clash at West Ham in their best form of the season.

“United are not playing at their best level in the league, but not playing at your best level and winning games is a great quality.

“By contrast we’re now playing at our best level of the season. Everybody is fit, it’s great to have Stevie back from injury, and as I say we are playing our best football.

“We always fight to the end, it is something that is embedded in this club, it is a great quality of the team.

“You have to believe, we always believe and if we can keep winning who knows what might happen?”

[Big Dave]

I think the key has been results coming at the right time and players hitting form, as well as our best players being fit.

Crushing victories over Real and Man Utd got the ball rolling. The resturn to Gerrard and Torres obviously allowed us to do this. And the form of Kuyt and Yossi in recent weeks has been far above the levels I ever expected either to reach.

Keane would not have been such a bad signing had he overcome his nerves in front of goal. Had he not missed with his air shots I reckon he would still be here.

As it stands I am still concerned with the number of chances our team tends to spurn. The finishing of our team as a whole is truly shocking. We may be hitting goals in left, right and centre, but we really should be scoring more.

Think this point is important. We squandered 3 points against Tottenham for this very reason. Totally battered them but couldn't get the ball in the net. If we could improve our conversion record I think that we'd probably win most games scoring 3-4 goals.

The form we've shown in this last part of the season has been very impressive though. I really do hope that we set up to play with the same aggression and pace from the start of next season.

[BrianF80]

Not so sure. I really dont think that boardroom issues are on the players' minds when they step onto the field.

I've read a lot of footballer autobiographies and they all seem to bear out the fact that off the field stuff does distract and does contribute to under performing.

[Craig_H]

Fair enough. I've also read and heard loads of players saying that once they cross that white line, all they focus on is the game.

[dww]

Fair enough. I've also read and heard loads of players saying that once they cross that white line, all they focus on is the game.

I'm not sure that the two views are irreconcilable in the sense that the off field factors may well only influence the preparation of players not how they feel on the day. However there could well be an impact of how they prepare on what they are capable of on their day.

It is also obviously possible that there is a huge variation between players. David James being a prime example of a player who has admitted that off field influences have negatively affected his performances and Woodgate and Bowyer at Leeds examples where they continued much as they had before.

[Craig_H]

My view is that off field personal stuff would have more of a bearing that boardroom stuff. Does also depend on the individual obviously.

[anfieldanfield]

The home leg was strange, it didnt feel like a typical 'big european night' at Anfield

Agree with this, it was a really, really weird night.