Football 2011-2012

[The Nal]

I think its a bit early to say getting gerrard back is like signing a world class player. He is an injury prone player in his early 30s, who hasn't been consistently great for over 2 years, I dont think anyone really knows what 2011 gerrard is like.

As for Istanbul to me that performance was one of thr most overrated of all time, recently only beaten by wilshire home to Barcelona, but hey its all opinions.

Edited December 28, 2011 by The Nal

[strummer77]

Ditto!

By the way, did you mean cynical or clinical? Or clinically cynical? Makes me jealous.

Edited December 28, 2011 by strummer77

[The Nal]

I meant clinical. You score goals. I hate that.

You're also fucking cynical. I hate that too. But that's why you win. You need both to win really. I don't like us diving mind, we were always (bar Gerrard) fairly clean of that, but Adam especially has been a bit embarrassing this season.

Edited December 28, 2011 by The Nal

[strummer77]

However there were a lot of times when people claimed he dived, same for a for of "divers", and they've really been fouled. Especially the way he runs, easy to knock off balance.

Edited December 28, 2011 by strummer77

[kaosmark2]

We're not going to be signing a striker....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16345791.stm

Fucking pile of w*nk. If we're playing Leon Best then something's clearly wrong with our squad.

[thetime]

We're not going to be signing a striker....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16345791.stm

Fucking pile of w*nk. If we're playing Leon Best then something's clearly wrong with our squad.

[kaosmark2]

Blimey your having a cracking season, and your still complaining.

[strummer77]

Blimey your having a cracking season, and your still complaining.

[thetime]

They're kind of having a great season despite their clubs set up rather than because of it though.

[captain futility]

Much like Suarez, he gets loads of fouls not given because of reputation. Though has seemed to have cooled it a bit on the falling over front like many do after a bit of criticism.

[strummer77]

You could say that about alot of prem clubs

Arsenal(although more management)

Man utd

Everton

Wigan

Chelsea

To name a few.

At utd, arsenal, everton just great managers getting the best out if playets. Glad the the days are gone when big name ex players walking straight into prem clubs.

Edited December 29, 2011 by strummer77

[strummer77]

this is a joke, right?

Edited December 29, 2011 by strummer77

[eFestivals]

As Neil said, you're not missing that much. Gerrard back is huge. If he can get a run of games a few goals you'll be in business for the top 4, at least. Some of the shooting from Liverpool at the edge of the box has been Bobby Zamora row Z standard.

there has, especially from Downing.

But I don't think shooting is really an issue for Liverpool, as it has been (for example) for Arsenal in recent seasons (less so this year) when they've tried to walk the ball into the net. Liverpool have been getting the shots in, and good shots in the main too. Their problem has been getting those shots into the net - either because the keeper has had a great day (yeah, I know it sounds lame, but I do think Liverpool has come up against goalies on their best days), or because they've been a smidgen out and hit the post or bar.

Liverpool's issue is getting goals, not getting good shots away. Whether that's been 'bad luck' or because the players are just that little bit short of what's needed, who knows really? The rest of the season might see that 'luck' turn around but it might not too.

Personally, at the moment I side a bit with both views. Some of it is down to 'bad luck' (which should see a better score rate in the 2nd half of the season as the 'luck' evens out) but some is because too many of the players are just a little bit short of being top-quality - tho Gerrard's return should help with that too, because the overall quality of the team on the field should be improved with him back on the pitch.

Overall, Liverpool should probably pick up more points in the 2nd half of the season by winning the games against weaker teams that they've lost or drawn in the first half of the season .... tho it's probably also the case that they'll pick up fewer points from the 'top' teams around them, because I think it's unlikely that they'll do as well in those matches in the 2nd half of the season as they did in the first half.

[eFestivals]

I think its a bit early to say getting gerrard back is like signing a world class player. He is an injury prone player in his early 30s, who hasn't been consistently great for over 2 years, I dont think anyone really knows what 2011 gerrard is like.

Kenny is saying he's fitter and keener than he's been for a few years, and in the few games he's had under Kenny he's defo looked like he's got a bit of his mojo back - I reckon part of your view has been set by how he looked for that last season for Rafa and the 6 months with Woy. He didn't look like he wanted to play.

He's not likely to be the player he was when a fair bit younger, but I'm not sure he's done just yet. If he lives up to just some of Kenny's hype then he's going to improve Liverpool by a noticeable amount.

[kaosmark2]

What's wrong with that? I hardly said he never dives did I? I'll explain.

1. He does get loads of decisions against him because of his reputation. He gets kicked a lot because of that tricky style he does. He got booted loads versus Fulham, and against Stoke in cup but didn't get many decisions. Same as Ronaldo did. Boy who cried wolf affect perhaps. Reputations can be influential.

2. He has also cooled it the last few matches. Weren't any incidents versus Blackburn, can't think of any versus Wigan or Villa either. Probably was told by Kenny he wasn't helping himself by going to ground. He certainly didn't help himself a few weeks back versus Fulham when he threw himself down once, albeit after some he should have had. The ref told him as much at the time. He's improved since January, no doubt about it.

He's not been the worst in the league though, but he's a big name, foreign player and gets blamed for it. Adam does similar, Downing has, so does Ashley Young- all worse at times as at least Suarez normally gets touched. Easy target though as when he does it he does it so theatrically, but so do all the Latin Americans.

On the subject of dives... Osman kicking the floor wasn't one, but then appealing for the penalty was a tad shameful wasn't it? Oh wait, he's british. Move on...

Good short article and video that here.

http://www.whoateall...d-by-media.html

[eFestivals]

This. Downing and Young have been disgraceful this season.

nothing gets close to the Chelsea antics this season at (I think it was) QPR when they were losing (or was it trying to win, I forget?).

[pink_triangle]

Gerrard's back now mind and he can go to ground spectacularly mate . But people saying he's been overrated are having a laugh, he's been spectacular in good and bad sides whilst at Anfield. He looked like his old self when he came on against Blackburn and we should've scored as a result of his first kick. His scoring records decent considering he's played here since he was a defensive youngster, and it's just not the goals he's directly involved in- he sets a tempo when he's at his best, and it's a tempo that many oppositions struggle to match. He's a special player, we're lucky he's hung around.

[pink_triangle]

Kenny is saying he's fitter and keener than he's been for a few years, and in the few games he's had under Kenny he's defo looked like he's got a bit of his mojo back - I reckon part of your view has been set by how he looked for that last season for Rafa and the 6 months with Woy. He didn't look like he wanted to play

[thetime]

Kenny is saying he's fitter and keener than he's been for a few years

[strummer77]

When I look at overrated performance my first though is, if another player had put in an identical performance would it have got the same response from the media, in both wilshire v barca and gerrard v Milan, i would say no in both cases. To me Istanbul was a poor quality but exciting game, i dont think.any player was better than 7 out of 10. Watching the game back to now hear people call gerrards performance one of the greatest european cups greatest is mad, i have seen Barca players in recent years play great from the first to last minute.

[strummer77]

Liverpool been linked with Kranjcar, Tiote and Bent.

What are other rumours as silly season starts again? Heard Del Piero to Blackburn somewhere?!

Edited December 29, 2011 by strummer77

[strummer77]

Liverpool ready to waste yet more money...

Edited December 29, 2011 by strummer77

[pink_triangle]

I would take bent if the fee was 15 million or less. Tiote is good but Liverpool have plenty of midfielders and don't need another player who can't score. Krankjaer for me would be pointless. How about podolski, arsenal rumoured to want him, think he could do a job in the premiership.

[strummer77]

I would take bent if the fee was 15 million or less. Tiote is good but Liverpool have plenty of midfielders and don't need another player who can't score. Krankjaer for me would be pointless. How about podolski, arsenal rumoured to want him, think he could do a job in the premiership.

[eFestivals]

there's a club by club breakdown for the Prem in today's Guardian. The Liverpool bit only mentions Bent of the players named above, but also suggests that it's hugely unlikely.

I've personally never thought too much of Bent because his all-round contributions are pretty limited, but Suarez obviously needs a particular sort of player alongside him to prosper. I don't really know what sort of player that is, but maybe Bent might be it.