Liverpool FC Forum

[dawson99]

Ok, so we lost 1-0 to Blackburn on Boxing Day. And everyone said how we missed all of our wasted chances, which is kind of true. What I'd like to talk about, however, is how goalkeepers tend to play against us.

Take Brad Freidel for instance. Yes, we missed a few, Crouch could have had a brace early on, but Alonso was testing the keeper all day, as were other players of ours.... Brad Freidel, as he always seems to against us, hasd the game of his season. Every time he plays against us he seems to have a blinder. so can we blame this on the fact that he is ex-Liverpool?

Lets take the game before, a nice 2-0 win against Watford, Foster was in goal, so how did he do? does anyone else remember? Hre had a blinder, i think he was up for man of the match!!!

A few games back and a 0-0 against portsmouth. another season best display from the keeper James, another ex-Liverpool player.

Weaver for Man City, Schwarzer for Boro, Hahnemann for Reading.

In all of the above games, we should have won, and we did waste chances, but the keepers all played exceptionally, so why is this? And is it just against us? What could be the reason?

a: we have the highest turnover of keepers of anyone in premiership history (half of the premiership seems to have ex liverpool keepers) so maybe the keepers want to be our next number one? - it cant be this, thats just silly talk

b: we have more history than any other club, we have the best fans, so the keepers feel they have more to proove. - cant be this either can it? Manure, arsenal and cheatski are the so called big three, and keepers seem to fold under the pressure of them

c: we dont pressurize them enough? - ok, so crouch misses sitters, as does kuyt and most of the others, but look at our shots on target ratio? Im sure its pretty high up there, and its not like we dont have any real shooters (alonso, agger, gerrard, bellamy)


So what is it? What makes opposition keepers play out of their skin when they come up against us? I really do have no idea, but its starting to get annoying when every save of the season seems to be against us. Maybe they dont play that well and im just being paranoid, but thats what this thread is for, to see what you guys think, the experts of our club.

Any thoughts?

[Lando_Griffin]

I think they DO play better against us - but f*ck knows why.They probably just try that bit harder not to get beaten by the World's ugliest forward line!

[Bad Bob]

I suppose every team's fans say much the same thing about keepers their lads face.  Truthfully, I focus so much on watching our boys play that I don't catch that many games elsewhere in the league.  Somehow, though, I doubt that keepers are radically upping their game against us in a way that they aren't doing against other teams.  In short, I think it's a perception thing.

[A.B.]

I don't think it's the keepers all the time really, it's our woeful finishing.

You can't deny the quality of a save from 35 yards out like the one Friedel made with Alonso's bullet of a shot but when you're five f#cking yards out from the goal you should score.

[Lando_Griffin]

I don't think it's the keepers all the time really, it's our woeful finishing.

You can't deny the quality of a save from 35 yards out like the one Friedel made with Alonso's bullet of a shot but when you're five f#cking yards out from the goal you should score.

True. Crouch SHOULD have scored 3 vs BlackPOOL.

Bad Bob is probably right, though - it's all about perception.

(But they DO play better, really. )

[A.B.]

I don't think it's the keepers all the time really, it's our woeful finishing.

You can't deny the quality of a save from 35 yards out like the one Friedel made with Alonso's bullet of a shot but when you're five f#cking yards out from the goal you should score.

True. Crouch SHOULD have scored 3 vs BlackPOOL.

Bad Bob is probably right, though - it's all about perception.

(But they DO play better, really. )

Every keeper but Kirkland  we battered Wigan 4-0 

[Lando_Griffin]

I don't think it's the keepers all the time really, it's our woeful finishing.

You can't deny the quality of a save from 35 yards out like the one Friedel made with Alonso's bullet of a shot but when you're five f#cking yards out from the goal you should score.

True. Crouch SHOULD have scored 3 vs BlackPOOL.

Bad Bob is probably right, though - it's all about perception.

(But they DO play better, really. )

Every keeper but Kirkland  we battered Wigan 4-0 

Ah, but it could easily have been 8!

[red37]

The same theory can also be extended to former players that face their ex clubs.  In principle i dont think there is any significance to the 'upping' of any levels on their behalf...Quite feasibly you could equally ask the question "Do some of our players go into a game with too much respect for the opponent in the first place"  Either scenario could manifest during the course of a match i suppose - its all about mentality for me.  Consider the Craig Bellamy that emerged from his personal troubles only this month...no keeper usurped his efforts then.  Its just a pity this state of mind isnt able to be prevalent continuously - thats where the mangager will step in and ensure they are in no doubt as to the task at hand, regardless of the fact that an opposing keeper/defender etc...is on top form. Luck plays a role in it too....but crucially so does lack of technique. Things are on the right track, of that im certain, its really a case of tweaking the players mindset more than anything else as opposed to any major overhaul in personel. Though its clearer by the day this club is in dire need of a prolific finisher...one that is aerially dominant as well while we're at it.

[account deleted by request]

I also think that we dont hassle and challenge opposing keepers as much as other teams do. If the goalkeeper has one eye on the challenge he is more likely to drop the ball etc. Against us keepers have free access to anything in the six yard box, whereas with other teams they will try and unsettle the keeper.

[andypool2285]

good post and very true half of them goals would of went in off my nans mums goldfish if it was chelsea,man u:)

[peterc1992]

I don't think it's the keepers all the time really, it's our woeful finishing.

You can't deny the quality of a save from 35 yards out like the one Friedel made with Alonso's bullet of a shot but when you're five f#cking yards out from the goal you should score.

True. Crouch SHOULD have scored 3 vs BlackPOOL.

Bad Bob is probably right, though - it's all about perception.

(But they DO play better, really. )

Every keeper but Kirkland  we battered Wigan 4-0 

poor ,he can get nothing rite,is there still tht bet on tht if he makes the engloand team before hes 30,or somthing like tht,his father has 1000's on it i think

[83-1165214211]

Every keeper is entitled to make the odd save in a match.

The fact is the finishing isn't upto it. Its nothing to do with the goalkeepers 9/10 times.

Play Robbie Fowler a bit more and see if the goalkeepers have a blinder.

[dawson99]

Well the goalies might not but the defenders will

[83-1165214211]

Well the goalies might not but the defenders will

Last season he was one of our best players in the games he played. This season he's scored 4 goals to Bellamy's 5, Kuyts 6 and Crouch's 9.

He's played ALOT less games than all of our other strikers. He's scored TWO GOALS "AWAY" against a good side. He also scored goals AWAY last season. You don't lose it over night.

[alxy]

Seems that way ain't it? I feel the same way, but then again, I only watch LFC games. Who knows if other goalies have super games against the others? Did the West Ham goalie have a blinder against MU? Or the others when Chelski/Arsenal lost/drew?