Liverpool Stoke post game waking up thread

[Slinky Skills]

Another dog turd performance from us, the only positive being we didn't concede.

We are ****ing clueless up front, our crossing is wank and we have zero creativity.

We are also the slowest attacking team I've ever seen.


****e to sum things up.

[Mattshark]

Maybe it's an extreme example, but if we actually looked at it, I'd have Gerrard over Lampard, Lucas over Carrick and I don't really think Milner is a central midfielder.

Although I think we are moving away from our problem area; Our back five is of a high quality and I think in the cente of the park we are decent, the main issue - bar Suarez - is who we have out wide and up top.

I would agree, we are desperately short of quality attacking options. It makes the none-playing of Maxi even more baffling as at least he is a goal threat.

[~LFCHistory~]

Nicked this from TLW, I don't agree with all of it but it raises some interesting points :

the formula was working last season, suarez, meirles, maxi and even kuyt backed up by lucas playing neat, intricate, incisive football

what happans?

we spend a fair whack and end up with a side that is possibly worse

kenny got it wrong with the transfers, he wanted to have his cake and eat it, the neat interplay and the game based on width and skillful wingers banging it in to a target man, one or the other kenny, not a halfway house that works for nobody

downing and carroll for 55 million looks an absolute disaster that could set us back for years a la diouf/diao/cheyrou

to turn it around we need the owners to release big funds again but after the disaster of the summer spend, are they willing to trust kenny to spend it? I forsee changes in the dynamic of comolli and kenny with perhaps comolli being able to overrule kenny on signings int he near future, expect to hear rumblings of that in the papers soon......i have no problem with that, kenny screwed up with the summer signings, it's time to admit that, we either fix it quickly and invest in quality players or we sit back and be content with 6th and hope the players will come good, they won't - they are what they are, decent functional but lacking imagination and creativity and the ability to create something out of nothing, players like suarez and gerrard win you titles, not the likes of downing and carroll and henderson and adam

we dismantled a good side last season, spent big on average players who have failed to deliver, our best attacking force has been mired in controversy and targetted by the establishment, our best midfielder is injured and our big signings haven't stepped up

quite honestly the team that finished last season looked a better unit than this lot and played a better style of football, who would have that team back? a lot of us i'd say yet we spunked about 80 million for what looks like a downgrade

time to fix things, we are not awful, just misguided and imbalanced

1. settle on a set way of playing football and but the players for that style of play, commit to it, don't fanny about with formations and mixing and matching players and playing styles and roles, sell those who don't fit in and buy those who do

2. look away from the english market and towards the continent

3. get in a creative wide player and a striker who can finish and a defensive midfielder for starters this window - at least then we'll have a slim chance of getting fourth, continue as we are and it's zero chance

4. this summer, we will re-evaluate the role of Kenny, maybe he is better suited to an upstairs role

[Muddled]

I would agree, we are desperate short of attacking options.

It's a word doing the rounds on a lot of the threads in here, but 'creativity' is what we need. It'll be an interesting end to January - my fingers are firmly crossed that we splash some cash.

EDIT: The Maxi comment is spot on - even as an option from the bench today.

I think a front three of Maxi - Carroll - Kuyt (going on Bellamy not being *that* fit) would have asked more questions of Stoke and we could still have nullified their midfield with Adam, Gerrard and Henderson.

[Craig_H]

And yet certain people on this forum have stated its imperative not to play Carroll because he isnt good enough and isnt suited to our style

As for Bellamy its accepted he can only start 1 game per week because of his knees

If we play him two games in a row we risk losing him for awhile

Dalglish cant win

If he'd have played Carroll and drawn he would have been panned also

Sorry Lec, but your never ending defend Kenny come-what-may position doesnt wash after that today.

He most certainly can win, first off by perhaps not choosing to field FIVE defenders against a side who were never coming to Anfield with any intention of attacking.

Three CBs to look after ONE striker, who never had any support or service all day....really?

Fielding an XI with only one proper goal threat (who was played too deep to really influence the final third)....really??

Playing Dirk as a lone striker (when he doesnt really stay there anyway) and then taking off Downing, who'd actually put in some useful crosses when Carroll came on.....really???

Nah, that was pretty limp and Kenny has to take the brunt of the blame, he got it badly wrong i'm afraid.

Rafa got some flak for some cautious selections/systems at home to dross but Kenny's more than equalled the most conservative of Rafa's home bore-draw days.

Nobody is saying we have enough in terms of creativity and potency in the striker's department - but you sure as hell need to make the best of what you've got and give yourself the best chance to create/score/win.

Kenny didnt do that. Nowhere near good enough and i dont care who makes the decisions when it comes to transfers - whether it's Kenny, Comolli or even John Henry - whoever it is really needs to pull their finger out and sign a proper finisher/goalscorer ASAP.

If we dont sign one this month, we can kiss the top four goodbye.

[Craig_H]

But we've created enough chances to kill off most of our home games

Ok maybe not today but this isnt the norm

The norm is for us to create chance and to miss them

Even "game changers" like Suarez havent "changed" the game enough this season

We arent clinical enough we desperately need a striker at the very least

That's why we need more than just one.

[Craig_H]

I think thats horse****

Other players wont help his conversion rate

Surely if other players come in and create more (and more clear-cut) chances, then his chances of increasing his conversion rate improves?

[Craig_H]

Adam is nowhere near as bad as some of you are alluding.

He's not 'bad'. But he's more of a 'makes up numbers' player rather than a 'makes things happen' player. We have far too many of the former and nowhere near enough of the latter.

With our starting lineup today, after Gerrard, most threatening players going forward, were Johnson and Enrique.

Someone please tell me how that isnt utterly pathetic.

[Slinky Skills]

Not taking anything away from the poor peformance of the players at Anfield but I think because the crowd is so boring maybe it's not helping the players to up their performance.

Let's face it the atmosphere is dross, the fans hardly sing and when they do sing they sing the same boring crap songs and there's only a handful that do and they are in the Kop.

You can clearly see people's miserable faces on tv watching the game, they're not enjoying it and yes I know that at the end of the day this boils down to the players not getting the crowd excited but maybe the fans could do with being a bit more boisterous.

We're good away from home and the away support is extremley vocal and vociferous but at home it is awful.

[Jack D Rips]

He's not 'bad'. But he's more of a 'makes up numbers' player rather than a 'makes things happen' player. We have far too many of the former and nowhere near enough of the latter.

With our starting lineup today, after Gerrard, most threatening players going forward, were Johnson and Enrique.

Someone please tell me how that isnt utterly pathetic.

It IS utterly pathetic!

[McDermotX]

Not taking anything away from the poor peformance of the players at Anfield but I think because the crowd is so boring maybe it's not helping the players to up their performance.

Let's face it the atmosphere is dross, the fans hardly sing and when they do sing they sing the same boring crap songs and there's only a handful that do and they are in the Kop.

You can clearly see people's miserable faces on tv watching the game, they're not enjoying it and yes I know that at the end of the day this boils down to the players not getting the crowd excited but maybe the fans could do with being a bit more boisterous.

We're good away from home and the away support is extremley vocal and vociferous but at home it is awful.

Works both ways though doesn't it ?

Not much to get vociferous about half the time, and given the always close relationship the team and fans have had, its sometimes gets reflected in the general crowd mood as to how things are going.
Anyone who shows that they are going above and beyond, or at least trying, gets the fans support.......overpaid 'football stars' not applying themselves are rarely appreciated at Anfield.

[Buzzo]

Last on MotD. Even after west brom and everton. Oh dear.

[el matador]

we lack pace and invention in the middle and final thirds. nobody is even remotely capable of beating a man and opening up space.

we need someone who can go past a man instead of running towards a defender and laying it off either behind or sideways. downing looks frightened to run at someone and no one else including gerrard can do it.

we also need to move the ball much quicker. someone needs to have a wors with enrique, by the time hes had his usual five.touches, defences have organised themselves and closed down any space. hes been very solid but he takes far too much time on the ball.

[Gibbo]

Luis Suarez
We couldn't win. I'm really looking forward to play again. 1 hug and thanks for your support.

Can't wait to have you back little man.

[ChesterDave]

Can't wait to have you back little man.

4 games gone already!