Football 2011-2012

[strummer77]

good result for Everton and a derby win mid-week would put them above Liverpool. Feared the worst when top scorer Beckford and play maker Arteta went in the summer without being replaced but probably safe for another year now.

[pink_triangle]

Am I the only one who finds it hilarious to see joey Barton in a relegation fight after acting like a big time Charlie at the beginning of the season and claiming all these top sides were after him.

Also Sean wright Phillips must be in the running for worst transfer of the season, he had been awful nearly everytime I have seen them.

[Chiefski]

Took a trip down to Sunderland v Liverpool today, supporting the home team with half my family from there. Good result for us, but for the amount of money Liverpool have spent theres no excuse for their performance, dont think they worried us more than once

[strummer77]

Took a trip down to Sunderland v Liverpool today, supporting the home team with half my family from there. Good result for us, but for the amount of money Liverpool have spent theres no excuse for their performance, dont think they worried us more than once

[Chiefski]

We were dire. There's been loads of times this season we've not got what we deserved. Today wasn't one. The first time I've performance I can get no positives from under Kenny's reign. It worries me.

[thetime]

We were dire. There's been loads of times this season we've not got what we deserved. Today wasn't one. The first time I've performance I can get no positives from under Kenny's reign. It worries me.

[strummer77]

Went with my Pool supporting mate and asked him how they could justify these kind of showings under Kenny when the likes of Hodgson would have been shown the door months back, couldnt really give many answers that gave any positive for Kenny

Edited March 11, 2012 by strummer77

[thetime]

Practically the league is pointless now yeah. The other cup's gotta be priority.

Don't think that was anything to do with the cup win though. More to do with us not having Johnson/Agger/Lucas/Gerrard and not playing very well at all regardless. On a side note our league form since Lucas got injured as been dire.

[pink_triangle]

I think in terms of discussion liverpool have been the most interesting side in the league this season. I think its silly to make comparisons with what Hodgson did, comparisons should be made within the league this season comparing liverpool with other clubs depending on strength of squad, transfer budget and wage bill. In terms of position you could argue liverpool are only one position lower than par for the course, however in terms of points they are significantly under par when you see the likes of everton, fulham, sunderland and stoke within 3 points. I also feel this season with a releatively weak arsenal and chelsea side, liverpool should have been as minimum conpetitive for a top 4 position at this point which they are not. Its amazing how quickly things change in football a few games into the season when liverpool won at anfield the media claimed liverpool were certs for top 4 while arsenal were certs to miss out.

The Lucas injury was big for liverpool however the likes of everton have had injuries as well and managed to build up a similar points total. What should set a team like liverpool apart is that they have a plan B if any player has a long term injury and I dont think liverpool did in this situation. I personally thought liverpool were a bit unimaginative in the transfer market this season going for solid british pros rather than taking a gamble like newcastle and taking a risk on european players who may not settle but with potential for a higher reward if they did. Im sure liverpool pay worldwide scouts a lot of money, so they need to either take their advice or sack them and replace them with better scouts. I think as well some people had unrealistic expectations about the effect gerrard would have on his return, he is getting older and has had injuries so is never going to be the player he was when liverpool nearly won the league a few years ago. I think he has been solid and deserving of his place, but certainly not at the level where I would consider him as one of the top midfielders in the league when I have seen him play, not his fault as you cant reverse the aging and injury process, however you have to be realistic in the role he can play.

A lot of people (including myself) have discussed how well liverpool have played despite picking up points. However I sometimes think their style of play can be a bit deceptive and makes them look a little bit better than they are. I often see young English wingers who from an entertainment side look exciting and impressive speeding down the wings, but look at it in depth and there is no end product. I sometimes wonder if Liverpool are the club version of this type of player. I remeber watching the second half against spurs and from one view liverpool looked impressive with a high impact, attacking game. However when you looked at it, liverpool were very predictable, doing the same thing everytime and spurs were happy to soak it up and take a draw. To me the mark of a good side is if plan A isnt getting you goals, trying something else and I never get the impression liverpool have either the players or tactics to do this.

However its not all negative, although I do find the negatives more interesting than the positives! Kenny had made the defence a lot more solid and the atmosphere around the club seems more positive. Also 1 cup (possibly 2) could help teach the players a winning mentality, although I do have my doubts how many of liverpools squad will be there in the long term. I still love watching Suarez and feel they need to find a way to run the team around him if he is going to be there in the long term. The Carrol/downing experiment has failed and its time to cut losses. Pre season will be huge for liverpool, Liverpool have plenty of squad player types even if some are playing regulalry, they really need to be supplemented by a few top end players, which may be hard with no champions league football. However if you cant compte with champions league football, you have to be cleverer and find the best of the rest and this is where the scouts need to earn their money.

[strummer77]

[The Nal]

Liverpool need a goalscorer. They've had loads of shots. Suarez alone has had 78 shots this season with 32 on target and scored only 6. Really really poor conversion rate. And hes the best of the bunch.

As a team they've had the third most shots in the league (almost 300), after Citeh and Chelski, and scored 30.

I'm usually not one for the nerdy stats but when you look at the fact that Wolves have also scored 30 goals this season it paints a picture.

The problem is Andy Carroll. Or to put it more accurately, the purchase of Andy Carroll. Kenny couldn't justify, or wasn't allowed to, buy another striker after blowing 35m on him so they're stuck now without a goalscorer. As opposed to above, to break it down to basics - if you don't have a striker you don't score goals.

[strummer77]

Liverpool need a goalscorer. They've had loads of shots.

[kaosmark2]

It's the weird thing. In my lifetime we've generally had a very bogstandard eleven with a very good striker (bar maybe a year or so under Rafa when everyone was good). We had Owen, Fowler or Torres who could score whoever they played alongside. Now we have a team which any of those would have thrived in... but we've got no striker. We've almost completely reversed.

[The Nal]

What's weirdest is that 05 and 06 were the other seasons with such a gap - the last times you won a trophy. Didn't have many other players worth a damn either....

Edited March 11, 2012 by The Nal

[strummer77]

What's weirdest is that 05 and 06 were the other seasons with such a gap - the last times you won a trophy. Didn't have many other players worth a damn either....

[kaosmark2]

Gerrard was playing astonishingly good football at that time.

Utd looking good here. City drawing.........

[The Nal]

Gerrard was magnificent at the time, but throughout the lineups it was poor, Djimi Traore!

Xabi Alonso aside, could you imagine anyone else in that starting 11 being a player of the quality to get Champs Lge winners medals?

Edited March 11, 2012 by The Nal

[kaosmark2]

John O'Shea has one. Theres lots and lots of "solid pros" with Champions League winners medals. Dortmund and Porto have both won it for example. They weren't a team of superstars.

Scholes became third in most appearances for the club today. 688. Only Charlton and Giggs have more.

[The Nal]

Yes, but Djimi Traore! He couldn't be classed as a 'solid pro'...

[thetime]

Gerrard was magnificent at the time, but throughout the lineups it was poor, Djimi Traore!

Xabi Alonso aside, could you imagine anyone else in that starting 11 being a player of the quality to get Champs Lge winners medals?

[strummer77]

Xabi Alonso aside, could you imagine anyone else in that starting 11 being a player of the quality to get Champs Lge winners medals?

[kaosmark2]

Don't you dare forget Sami Hyypia!

[The Nal]

[kaosmark2]

Am I right in thinking that yesterday's game at Wolves was Blackburn's first clean sheet of the season or did I miss one?

[The Nal]

Am I right in thinking that yesterday's game at Wolves was Blackburn's first clean sheet of the season or did I miss one?