Liverpool FC Forum

[azriahmad]

It is clear that Baros will be offloaded if Benithez has his way.

Benithez is no fool and he wants options so that he can alter our approach in different matches. Baros and Cisse work on a similar type of approach but people like Crouch will give a different option entirely. That is why Owen is not high on Benithez's list although Owen has made a plea to come back. Owen, Baros, Cisse - these 3 together - would not offer any different options. Mostly mobile whereas Benithez is looking at an entirely different ability and not just a variation of more or less the same style.

If Crouch is the player he wants, then Crouch it should be. After all, it was his clever gameplans which brought us the CL and we should trust Benithez on this. He is a proven winner and being the meticulous person that he is, I am sure he knows what he wants.

The only thing I'd wish from the existing strikers that Benithez has plans for is clinical finishing.

[7_Kewell]

Liverpool never got out of 3rd gear today, the whole match looked like a friendly/training session

[banana]

Who cares. I am just happy that we came away without getting key players injured. Tns is a physical side, and I must say Alonso was fortunate when a Tns player made a horrible tackle. Benitez removed alonso from the pitch a minute later.

[JC_81]

yes but, sharpness or not, these are training session opposition.
My point is, we missed many chances first leg, second leg too, and conisdering most of you in here rave about cisse and Morientes, they should be banging them in ,in these games.

Selling BAROS is a big joke , if you ask me, and Anthony Le tallec is an even bigger JOKE!.............

he squanders chances, poor control, and rafa fancies him! and kewell too it seems!

I will wait obviously, until the first 6 games or so of the Prem season  to give a more detailed criticism, esp. if baros has gone and we aint scoring!

You've totally contradicted yourself there, you say that sharpness or not we missed a lot of chances.  Its BECAUSE they're not sharp that the chances were missed, and it doesn't matter who the opposition are.

The one thing I do agree with you on is Le Tallec.  I have seen him enough times to confidently predict he won't make it at LFC.  I'm not just judging him on the last few games however, and to be honest I've never seen him play and come away thinking that I was really impressed.

[azriahmad]

Alfonso, look at the bigger picture and you will realise why Benithez does not seem to prefer Baros.

Benithez, like Mourinho, place a lot of emphasis on team spirit and did Baros not whine away about being substituted without having the chance to finish games around the end of last season? If you were the manager, would you like this kind of dissenting voice?

Baros did himself no favours by failing to score enough goals last season when he was playing and starting regularly. Also, as the top scorer in Euro 2004, he is much more marketable than Le Tellac. Baros would also offer no alternative approach to enable Liverpool to alter the course of the game if he were to come in for Cisse.

If we sell him, I don't think it will be a great loss.

I also agree that today, Liverpool were up against an opposition who were playing their socks off and it did not matter that we did not get a basketball-like score. However, the fact remains that our strike force, Le Tellac in particular, must be more clinical in their finishing.

[stapo1000]

You can only play whats put in front of you. These games were hardly taken as seriously as the epl games will be. Besides, we got thru them without any real bother anyway. The tns players would've approached the game as if it was the biggest of their lives while our lads would've just wanted to go through the motions for 180mins, win the came with relative ease and come through it without any injuries... and they did just that. Didn't we beat a top german side 3-0 at the weekend. Pre-season matches against decent sides and cl quals against nothing sides will give little or no indication as to how the season will go. Also, rafa still has 2 or 3 signings to make. So stop complaining and have faith

[mikopool]

We seem to have 2 speeds, fast and stop.

[7_Kewell]

Rafa has openly admitted that these qualifiers are being treated as pre-season, with only the 1st leg being taken semi seriously...we have a team from lithuania next     and i expect more of the same, the only team it will get interesting is if we beat Neverton in the 3rd round.  I really REALLY hope we do, knocking them out would be very good 

[neilE]

The one thing I do agree with you on is Le Tallec.  I have seen him enough times to confidently predict he won't make it at LFC.  I'm not just judging him on the last few games however, and to be honest I've never seen him play and come away thinking that I was really impressed.

Good point, mate,
Le Tallec has scored once in 31 games for us. Most as a sub, it's true, but he doesn't look like scoring. He had his chances in the last couple of games, but he's blown it. Hopefully he's clever enough to take himself off on loan again, or play for the reserves without complaining. I don't think he'll be playing in the first team in competitive games again - not till the league cup anyway!

[philchampionsl2005]

i think looking at the present situation baros is still needed at the club and i believe crouch could help baros improve his game. selling baros would be a mistake in my book

p.s why did carra not take the penalt, there was a rumour going around last season that if there was a game were we had the game won and got a penalty carra would take. ever remember the penalty against birmingham league cup final class act

[MCYan]

Le Tallec almost scored in teh game, but someone cleared off the line...

Our strikers really need to do something.. it is sad to see gerrrad scoring all our goals...

[65-1114725958]

You guys may disagree, but the way things have developed recently, I get the feeling Rafa is maybe, trying to be too tactically minded for his own good!

I mean, he's signed Zenden to bomb down the wing and get the crosses in, Cisse down the right, buy peter crouch the skyscraper, to tower over everyone and knock them in, easy as one two three! it might backfire big time, if the goals dont fly in.

Its obvious what his tactics are gonna be, next season.

Also with Alonso, he is a class passer, but how many of his passes are just stroking the ball from one side to the next? and having no real impact, like a Stevie through ball to feet!?
Ive seen xabi, loads of games, spread it wide, lovely, but has it had an impact?

I reckon we need players who can surge forward, terrify opponents.

[azriahmad]

Yes, our strikers are worryingly goal shy.

I just hope they will improve dramatically when the EPL campaign starts.

[65-1114725958]

yes but, sharpness or not, these are training session opposition.
My point is, we missed many chances first leg, second leg too, and conisdering most of you in here rave about cisse and Morientes, they should be banging them in ,in these games.

Selling BAROS is a big joke , if you ask me, and Anthony Le tallec is an even bigger JOKE!.............

he squanders chances, poor control, and rafa fancies him! and kewell too it seems!

I will wait obviously, until the first 6 games or so of the Prem season  to give a more detailed criticism, esp. if baros has gone and we aint scoring!

You've totally contradicted yourself there, you say that sharpness or not we missed a lot of chances.  Its BECAUSE they're not sharp that the chances were missed, and it doesn't matter who the opposition are.

John, you made yourself look silly!

how do you know how sharp they are? you gonna get out your tape measure and measure their sharpness? you dont know how sharp they are, they've been in training for a while.

Scoring goals comes from INSTINCT, not sharpness or practice! look at ian Rush, a young robbie fowler, Aldo, Beardsley, Owen and players alike. they had the touch!

you can give Anthony le tallec 1000 games this season and he will not get any better!

what you gonna say, 3/4 way through 2005/06 season if we are lacking goals, and cisse/ morientes are missing chances they shouldnt.....lack of sharpness?

stop talking out of your anus

you either have it or you dont!

[laza]

You guys may disagree, but the way things have developed recently, I get the feeling Rafa is maybe, trying to be too tactically minded for his own good!

I mean, he's signed Zenden to bomb down the wing and get the crosses in, Cisse down the right, buy peter crouch the skyscraper, to tower over everyone and knock them in, easy as one two three! it might backfire big time, if the goals dont fly in.

Its obvious what his tactics are gonna be, next season.

Also with Alonso, he is a class passer, but how many of his passes are just stroking the ball from one side to the next? and having no real impact, like a Stevie through ball to feet!?
Ive seen xabi, loads of games, spread it wide, lovely, but has it had an impact?

I reckon we need players who can surge forward, terrify opponents.

I honestly believe that this post should win an award
Your views on Alonso are insightful and have made me rethink my whole opinion on him

thanks very much