Liverpool FC Forum

[zarababe]

It was a fixture many of us were dreading, and thankfully we've negotiated it without any major damage pointswise.

Speak for yourself - I coudn't wait for this game the lads needed it to get going and all in all it was an entertaining game of footie with some good performances - Rafa's idea to have Torres running betwen the channels was right as were his tactics for most of the game. A shame that Torres, Alonso and now Maschernao look to have picked-up injuries again - Arsenal are quality and it was good to see Crouch getting a run.

Injuries to key players have had an impact -  lest we forget - there is much to come.

This has been a confidence booster game - I feel goooood  and hopefully we will press on - if we get out of the CL it may be a good thing !

Chins-up people - lets be positive - and if yer not gonna be, then p*ss off yer miserable g*ts ! 

[66-1112520797]

people here are very unwelcoming

plenty of knobs around here, you included.

Fuck off.

[66-1112520797]

We pressed and pressed them all game, and i can see why Rafa wants to rest our lads, because the way we play the players have to put in more effort and running than a lot of sides.

Why is that though Redtrader? It should be, but  Rafa IMO can be quite negative and we appear much stronger without the ball than we do with it. We shouldnt be shutting teams down for 90 minutes, we should have the ball, feel comfortable on it and hold onto possesion. Making the other teams chase shadows.

This could be while Rafa likes to rotate his players around, and I can see the reasoning behind that. But its daft, he should have the confidence in his players to tell them to go out there and control the game WITH the ball.

He needs to get the reserves and Momo training at Melwood on Monday hussling the team in possession, and focus on them retaining the ball and playing football. Then we may see a better performance from the team, and hopefully less rotating. (obviously taking more than one day to sort it)

[NANNY RED]

Well I thought it was a much more encouraging performance from the lads to be honest. Masherano can't have played better in a Liverpool shirt and Gerrard looks like he is getting it back so there was encouragment there, and the battling qualities we displayed throughout the ninety minutes were heartening to see.

Given the fact we've picked up a couple more injuries though, and I have to say given the fact that there was a quite obvious gap between the two teams, I think it may be time for people to calm down a bit in terms of what we are expecting to do this season. We aren't in all probablility going to win the League based on where we currently are, and it may now be time to take stock of where we need to go.

I'm quite surprised at peoples opinion of the game today, compared to my vision of how it went from my lofty perch in the Upper Centenary.

I thought, by and large for the majority of the game that we were absolutely bricking it when we had the ball - far too often when a player was given a ball (this happened to Kuyt on a few occasions), no-one wanted to show for the next pass. It was like a hot potato and on a number of times possession was lost as we simply sh!t ourselves with the ball.

Secondly, it appeared to me that the players were scard to tackle Arsenal. While, the likes of Gerrard and Masch did put some good tackles in, how many runs from the Arsenal defence were made were no-one bothered to put a foot in and instead, simply allowed players past them?

I've said in a number of threads over the last few weeks that we are crying out for wide players on the pitch. Today's game simply highlighted this again as time after time, the ball was being forced down the middle. I did notice the lack at which Riise and Finnan did not support any players (quick one-two and the wide player is in a better position to cross) that did come wide, thus isolating the wide player with the end result generally being that we lost the ball.

Torres should never had played - it was evident early on that he was still struggling with an injury and I was glad to see Crouch come on and do so well. He helped link up the forward line and the midfield and I was delighted to see him have a go with the 2 excellent chances when no-one else appeared to want to bother. I could understand why Rafa had gone with the formation and the personnel as 4-5-1 becomes 4-3-3 very quickly and vice-versa - however Kuyt and Voronin were making similar runs all day and basically getting in each others way. It's one or the other on that score for me (Babel! Why does Rafa not want to play him? Today's role for Voronin and Kuyt would have been perfect for him).

Thought Mascherano was outstanding and Gerrard showed flashes of his ability. Riise and Finnan look absolutely static at the moment and I personally can't wait to have Arbeloa and Aurelio back in the defence (as well as the obvious, Agger). I was very disappointed with the teams reaction to Arsenal's goal - it looked like they had literally given up, including Gerrard - head down - not a good example as the captain. I always think that Arsenal are there for the taking at Anfield, so while i'm disappointed with the performance, i'm relieved at the result - we didn't even deserve the point we got. 

Great post

Tells it straight, most of us were i was sitting were screaming out for movement off the ball , far to static same as last time we played.
Its gonna choke me to say this and this is coming from my head and not my heart .We actually looked like the away team today. Teams used to be scared of playing us, not any more, as Feeney said some of our players looked scared shitless we were gifted that point today

[redtrader74]

We pressed and pressed them all game, and i can see why Rafa wants to rest our lads, because the way we play the players have to put in more effort and running than a lot of sides.

Why is that though Redtrader? It should be, but  Rafa IMO can be quite negative and we appear much stronger without the ball than we do with it. We shouldnt be shutting teams down for 90 minutes, we should have the ball, feel comfortable on it and hold onto possesion. Making the other teams chase shadows.

This could be while Rafa likes to rotate his players around, and I can see the reasoning behind that. But its daft, he should have the confidence in his players to tell them to go out there and control the game WITH the ball.

He needs to get the reserves and Momo training at Melwood on Monday hussling the team in possession, and focus on them retaining the ball and playing football. Then we may see a better performance from the team, and hopefully less rotating. (obviously taking more than one day to sort it)

I think at the moment it is down to confidence, we lack it. When we have had periods of good football under Rafa we did both well, attack and defended, but when we are out of form our movement is poor, and players don't join in attack. I have to assume it is Rafas instructions, because it happens too often, and this caution is the one thing that has buggged me about him for a while, not rotation because we have played well while employing it. I'm not advocating throwing caution to the wind, but to attack in numbers and with purpose.

[hello_red]

It was a fixture many of us were dreading, and thankfully we've negotiated it without any major damage pointswise.

Speak for yourself - I coudn't wait for this game the lads needed it to get going and all in all it was an entertaining game of footie with some good performances - Rafa's idea to have Torres running betwen the channels was right as were his tactics for most of the game. A shame that Torres, Alonso and now Maschernao look to have picked-up injuries again - Arsenal are quality and it was good to see Crouch getting a run.

Injuries to key players have had an impact -  lest we forget - there is much to come.

This has been a confidence booster game - I feel goooood  and hopefully we will press on - if we get out of the CL it may be a good thing !

Chins-up people - lets be positive - and if yer not gonna be, then p*ss off yer miserable g*ts ! 

Amen to that!

Was annoyed with the draw but thinking about it.... Its a good result considering the last few weeks!

And Rafa please play Kuyt in the box, he could be our Luca Toni and start banging them in 

[Emerald Red]

can i just add on football manager 08 i signed what we have needed for many years

a top class link man in the mould of zola, cantona, litmanen (kuyt is trying this at the moment but he isnt good enough)

i signed rafael van der vaat and him and torres and carving up the premiership

Sweet Jesus.

Kin ell.

Thats surely a Wum if ever I read one, either that or an 8 year old.

Question: What's a "WUM"?     

[Kharhaz]

Although Arsenal played well we had the best chances. It annoys me no end when every keeper we face have a stormer against us ! I am pleased with a point and this to me shows we are not as bad as our recent performances suggest. i especially enjoyed Gerrards performance, he showed more positive runs and contribution than he has recently. The reason why we drew ?, rafa played unfit players, and im not saying this to be wise after the event I mentioned my lineup in another topic which didnt involve alonso or torres. Mascherano picked up a knock and Carragher looked knackered. Which raised another question for me. All this rotation is to keep the players fresh yes? Why did they look worn out come the end of the match?

[account deleted by request]

Although Arsenal played well we had the best chances. It annoys me no end when every keeper we face have a stormer against us ! I am pleased with a point and this to me shows we are not as bad as our recent performances suggest. i especially enjoyed Gerrards performance, he showed more positive runs and contribution than he has recently. The reason why we drew ?, rafa played unfit players, and im not saying this to be wise after the event I mentioned my lineup in another topic which didnt involve alonso or torres. Mascherano picked up a knock and Carragher looked knackered. Which raised another question for me. All this rotation is to keep the players fresh yes? Why did they look worn out come the end of the match?

Good post mate.

Torres didn't even look anything like match fit. To throw 2 key players into a game of this importance is always a temptation but surely they could have seen that Torres wasn't fit.

[adamnbarrett]

Although Arsenal played well we had the best chances. It annoys me no end when every keeper we face have a stormer against us ! I am pleased with a point and this to me shows we are not as bad as our recent performances suggest. i especially enjoyed Gerrards performance, he showed more positive runs and contribution than he has recently. The reason why we drew ?, rafa played unfit players, and im not saying this to be wise after the event I mentioned my lineup in another topic which didnt involve alonso or torres. Mascherano picked up a knock and Carragher looked knackered. Which raised another question for me. All this rotation is to keep the players fresh yes? Why did they look worn out come the end of the match?

because they'd been chasing very quick Arsenal players around the pitch for the best part of 70 minutes.

[adamnbarrett]

Quite happy with a point today when I think about it. We were outplayed. They hit the post twice and dominated possession. But I think if we'd of got the 2nd goal early in the 2nd half when Almunia saved from crouch then it would have been game over.

Today showed how much we missed Alonso while he's been out. Just look at what happened to us when he went off. Mascherano was class as per. Riise was as per. Kuyt did alot of running without actually doing 'anything really.'

Benayoun didn't really do anything when he came on and unfortunately for us Torres was obviously not fit.

Hope the injuries to Alonso, Mascherano and Torres are not bad. We need them.

I think we just showed Arsenal too much respect today and let them play their game. It was like we were the away team at times.

We may have just seen this years champions playing today (and it wasn't Liverpool I'll tell you that).

[premwanter]

I had ever post just read but I gotta say something here

Are most of the people is this forum crazy/stupid???

Some of the comments in this thread are miles off..

Anyway we are 6 points behind man utd and arsenal with a game in hand over arsenal, which could be a draw , however I think utd will take it....Arsenal have a had an excellent spell that form won't last all throughout the season....

I still have alot of faith in Rafa I can't believe people slate him so much oh and also Kuyt should be sold we will get ok money for him to finance another buy...Crouch should be playing a hell of alot more!

[112-1077774096]

well i have had a kip and now in work, so last nights game, yeah well...


actually last night i was prouder than i have been for 5 weeks, there was an intensity that has been missing, there was a desire that has been missing and it was an entertaining game (even though we were clinging on at the end)

now to rafa, once again he showed how poor his judgment can be, i will never understand why he persists with kuyt, the guy is garbage and has a first touch worse than most pub players, crouch is the option, he was more of a goal threat in 45  minutes than kuyt has been all season, anyway enough on that one.

alonso was garbage, i suppose to be expected after his lay off, mash was immense and not looking as tired as he has been, with alonso injury its time for mash to cement his place, oh we don't cement places anymore do we no matter how well you are playing, silly me.

anyway because of the bad few weeks rafa was forced to rush alonso and torres back, thats backfired spectacularly, lets hope he doesn't do the same with agger and we lose him for another 8 weeks, and lets hope he realises that he can not rotate now as we don't have the players to rotate, either quality wise or fitness wise.

i was looking forward to this season, last night showed we can compete, but why do we only seem to do it when the pressure is on, we shouldn't be in this situation, last night should have been a table topping clash rather than us fighting to stay in the race. many more mistakes were made with imo with voronin and kuyt being asked to give width, neither of them have any pace, babel and yossi sat on the bench who could have done that job much better.

i know we are unbeaten and people will point to that, but it would be better to point to the fact we have now dropped 10 points, thats a better statistic to gauge us on, if we win our game in hand we will go third, but to be honest i don't think that shows a true reflection on how we have played, we have only played 2 top teams and took a point of them both which is good, its the points dropped agaisnt sh*te that is worrying, and europe, well lets not go there, thats been a farce.

so overall proud at the battle, still annoyed at the mistakes, also i cant gauge the subs last night, they were forced by injury apart from voronin so we don't know if they would have been left late as usual.

and crouch for a start, yeah crouch for a start and maybe kuyt can drive the coach (but he probably wouldn't be able to get it through the gates).

on a side note kuyt is like that horrible kid at school who just ran around when you played footy at play time, no skill, no application just a horrible little rat faced tw*t, come on admit it, you all had one of them at school      (ps if you didn't notice one, then it was you)

[112-1077774096]

I had ever post just read but I gotta say something here

Are most of the people is this forum crazy/stupid???

Some of the comments in this thread are miles off..

Anyway we are 6 points behind man utd and arsenal with a game in hand over arsenal, which could be a draw , however I think utd will take it....Arsenal have a had an excellent spell that form won't last all throughout the season....

I still have alot of faith in Rafa I can't believe people slate him so much oh and also Kuyt should be sold we will get ok money for him to finance another buy...Crouch should be playing a hell of alot more!

yeah mate, we have been playing quality football, the champions league is in the bag and we have the opposition trembling when they face us

[Kharhaz]

Although Arsenal played well we had the best chances. It annoys me no end when every keeper we face have a stormer against us ! I am pleased with a point and this to me shows we are not as bad as our recent performances suggest. i especially enjoyed Gerrards performance, he showed more positive runs and contribution than he has recently. The reason why we drew ?, rafa played unfit players, and im not saying this to be wise after the event I mentioned my lineup in another topic which didnt involve alonso or torres. Mascherano picked up a knock and Carragher looked knackered. Which raised another question for me. All this rotation is to keep the players fresh yes? Why did they look worn out come the end of the match?

because they'd been chasing very quick Arsenal players around the pitch for the best part of 70 minutes.

At Anfield? Im pro rafa but if rotation means resting players to "chase" the opposing players then I can be swayed !