Liverpool FC Forum

[Number 9]

I think Rafa knew 2 months ago that unless we started winning every game and scoring goals then we would not challenge for the league (again). Only someone who is blind wouldn't see that the holding players have more movement and urgency, Kuyt is less at right back than he previously was and the full backs are pushing forward each game.

This has meant that we have conceded 8 goals in our last two games but they have been against quality opposition whom we would normally be more cautious against. Dross like Blackburn are being hammered and at times we are overwhelming teams like Madrid and United with this philosophy. Whats clear is that barring the Chelsea home game we have had some fantastic results and got an amazing number of points in the league playing this way.

I doubt we sill start the season the same next term but I hope we do because thats the only way we are going to win this league.

I agree with you St Mike, there has been a fairly radical alteration in our set up, our tempo, our ambition, the way we select the team and everything else. I also agree that the changes to the prvious four and a half seasons are fairly obvious, although I wouldn't go a sfar as saying that "only someone who is blind" wouldn't be able to see it.

I've noticed that there are people already claiming that there has been no discernable change to the way we are playing, the fact our last three games have finished 4-4, 4-4 and 3-1 is just one of those things.

I also agree with your point that it's the only way we will win the league (not necessarily drawing 4-4 every week) but risking losing in order to win more frequently. I've absolutely no doubts whatsoever that if we had been more adventurous earlier in the campaign, given the extremely favourable nature of circumstances this season we would have won the title. We may of course still do so, but I think we would have if we'd really gone for it in a few more matches.

We cant play at that tempo all season for a start..if we do we will be burnt out by the 10th match!
Its all Ok sitting there and saying rafa  has been wrong for 4 and a half years and now the team are playing like we should (in your eyes) he is right.
Wrong fella.A bit less rotation,yeah im up for that but we will still have to keep it calm in games and still win.
There is absolutely no way any team could maintain the urgency we have played with lately from day one to season end!What we have seen though is a true hunger from the squad..this little purple patch and final effort is good even if we dont win it,we can taste it!
Every dog needs blooded!

[bigmick]

We cant play at that tempo all season for a start..if we do we will be burnt out by the 10th match!
Its all Ok sitting there and saying rafa  has been wrong for 4 and a half years and now the team are playing like we should (in your eyes) he is right.
Wrong fella.A bit less rotation,yeah im up for that but we will still have to keep it calm in games and still win.
There is absolutely no way any team could maintain the urgency we have played with lately from day one to season end!What we have seen though is a true hunger from the squad..this little purple patch and final effort is good even if we dont win it,we can taste it!
Every dog needs blooded!

I know we can't play at that tempo all season. That is why I said in my post "but not necessarily drawing 4-4 every week". My point wasn't that Rafa "has been wrong for and a half seasons either", it was simply that I agree with St Mike that we have fairly obviously altered our approach. FWIW I do think that we could and should have altered it earlier, but my point here was that we have changed the way we do things.


Some people are making the point that we haven't changed at all, it's just one of those things. It's just coincidence that we are suddenly scoring more and conceding more, I don't agree with them and that was my point here.

I've also said a few times recently that we need to learn to close games out and win with a bit in hand. Yes we should be more gung ho in order to break teams down, but we don't have to win 6-3, 1-0 would do fine. As for your thing about a dog being blooded, I put in terms of climbing Everest and first of all you have to establish a base camp.

In essence as incredible as it may seem to you Barry (and indeed to me too) we actually agree on more than you think with regards this subject.

Not for the first time though, and you are by no means alone in this, people decide not to read the actual post and base the opening salvo for an argument not on what I've said, but on what they think I've said.


Just to reiterate, I am simply making the point that I think we have changed the way we approach games. I like it, I'm all for it and I think if we'd made the change earlier we would have won the league this season. I accept in saying such that the last bit can't be proven one way or another and therefore is just meaningless sh!t, but nontheless I do believe it is so anyway.

[lakes10]

our back 5 (Reina) need to go on a team building course to learn to work together.