Liverpool FC Forum

[66-1112520797]

I havent seen the game so obviously I cant judge the performance and I'm going on hear say from you lot that it wasnt our best performance. At the begining of last season Rafa opted his seemingly favoured 4-5-1 formation. We werent really getting the results and then he heard the newkit cries of 4-4-2 suddenly our results got better along with performances.
Rafa though obviously cant get away from his 4-5-1 formation, and persists on it at home against Maccabi Haifa ?? I'm a Rafa fan but at times aswell as making some tactical genius moves, he seems to make some strange ones to say the least. Most Liverpool fans (on here) will only listen to how good he is, and any kind of critisism made is deemed slanderous or something. But surely that match at home last night cried out for a more adventurous line-up, points I fear will be dropped if he's determined to make his 4-5-1 work.

[stmichael]

Thought Pennant did pretty well - not amazing but a good start.

Some knobhead behind me after 25 minutes was slating him for not having put in a decent cross yet. Must have been pretty difficult to find a man with your cross when only Bellamy was in the middle.

[alessandromagno]

I wouldn't say Rafa wasted the pre-season, but as we can see from the last couple of seasons, he does like to believe that he can replace anyone with another player while the team plays just as well. That's rather an ideal and the chop change cost us last season in the PL as well. Still he knows what he's doing and gets it right around 90% of the time.

[XSD]

Pennant showed lots of promise, I'm really looking forward to seeing what he is capable of at a big club. I'm certain Gonzalez, Pennant and Bellamy will all be hugely successful.

[stmichael]

My thoughts in general:

Benitez played it safe because of the fact it was our first game, not all our players were fully fit and this was the first time they had the chance to play together in this setup competitively.

I still say that Riise is our weak link at the back in general altough he can stand up and be counted for the big games. I think Benitez has never been sure about that LB position and the addition of Fabio Aurelio should he adapt could see him claiming the position as his own.

Momo Sissoko is going to be our player of the season and will play nearly every game as he should.

Pennant looks like he has been at Anfield all his life and was made to play down our right side.

I hope to god I NEVER see Zenden on our left side as long as anyone with a left foot who can kick a ball in our side has the ability to stand!

Bellamy although he did well tonight and scored can not be expected to play as a sole striker and it is a waste of him.

The back two didn't look all that sharp even though they were not tested but that will come.

Finnan got forward well but like the rest of the defence looks just a bit off match fitness.

Xabi looked like he needs more games but the class is still there.

Gerrard looked like a player with world class ability but no real position to play in.

Crouch is a good second striker but for the love of God don't play him upfront on his own, this again just says to the opposition that they won't have much to worry about as regard to goal threat unless it comes from 20 yards plus away.

Finally Reina looks quite sharp considering, maybe that 15 minute run out helped  Had no chance with the first although he did do the right thing making the striker commit himself, other than that did make a very good save at the end.

Oh and Garcia should have had a pen and played well I thought.

That's about it.

[account deleted by request]

If nothing else Rafa showed he has the Midas touch when it comes to substitutions. Crouch should have scored 2,Garcia should have got a penalty and Speedy scored. Biggest worry for me was our defence, Haifa had about 3 attacks and should have scored at least one more goal.
          Did Bellamy play mainly up front on his own at Blackburn ,or did he usually play with Sheffi Kuki?(sp).

[stmichael]

Any vids of the goals?

here:

0-1 boccoli

http://d.turboupload.com/d/862075/Gustavo_Boccoli_-_geeza66.avi.html

1-1 bellamy

http://d.turboupload.com/d/862102/Bellamy__geeza66.avi.html

2-1 gonzalez

http://d.turboupload.com/d/862128/Mark_Gonzalez_-_geeza66.avi.html

[JBG]

My own assessment:

Reina: Had very little to do. Couldn't do much with the goal as it was a one on one, but made a good reaction save at the death to keep us ahead. 7/10.

Finnan: Got up and down well, linked up nicely with Pennant, but got tired near the end. 6/10.

Riise: Defended poorly at times in the first half, did better in the second as his man git tired but was guilty of wasting easy possession on a couple of occassions. Will be under pressure from Auerillo. 5/10.

Carragher: Did well enough and didn't have much defending to do, but he and the other defenders feel asleep for the Haifa goal. 6/10

Hyypia: Like Carragher did well enough and didn't have much defending to do, but he and the other defenders feel asleep for the Haifa goal. 6/10

Sissoko: Motored around well and made a few fiercesome tackles, but wasted possession a couple of times with poor control and could have got into the opposition box more. 6/10.

Alonso: His passing across the pitch to Pennant was good, his forward balls to Bellamy, Zenden and later, Crouch, less so. Overhit the ball in the last 10 minutes wasting some good possession, but set up Gonzalez' goal.

Gerrard: Looked off the pace, by his high standards. Started off as the most forward midfielder, but tended to drift back into midfield too much and didn't get into the box enough in the first half. Looked tired when taken off, and is not fully match fit, but couldn't be faulted for effort. 6/10.

Zenden: Like Gerrard, clearly lacks match fitness, but tried his best. Looked lively early on, and is bright and intelligent on the ball. Was very tired in the second half and got taken off early. 6/10.

Jermaine Pennant: Provided real width, pace and decent use of the ball on the right. Very impressive debut. Liverpool's best player on the night. 8/10.

Craig Bellamy: Worked very hard and hurt Haifa with his running, but like Thierry Henry he drifts wide too much in search of possession, meaning that we sufffered from a lack of men in the box. Scored and looks like he'll be a success at Liverpool. 7/10.

Subs: Crouch looked off the pace, Garcia looked sharp and lively and Gonzalez took his goal fantastically.

[taff]

Cant really argue with that to be honest.  I did like the look of Garcia when he came on, looked sharp and up for it like he has a point to prove and a place in the team to keep.  Agree about JAR, I assume he must be gutted as he has serious competition now for his place and that did not do him any favours at all.

Sissoko should get forward more especially if Alonso holds the midfield and I wouldnt mind seeing Gonzales start to see what we look like with two out and out wide men

[woof woof !]

Agree with the Garcia comments. He looked really threatening , almost undid Haifa a couple of times on his own .

[stmichael]

With Crouch available, it still baffles me why we played one upfront at home against weaker opposition. Last season we started the season playing that formation, and as a result we struggled scoring goals early doors.

After we started to play with two strikers in our team we started to create chances and we started to score goals and get the results. Lets hope this match showed enough evidence of why it does not work and then maybe we wont see it again too many times.

We should play with two strikers most of the time, or at least an expert advanced link midfielder, Gerrard is not such a player.

[JBG]

I assume Crouch didn't start due to a lack of match fitness. He looked cumbersome when he came on.

[taff]

I assume Crouch didn't start due to a lack of match fitness. He looked cumbersome when he came on.

What match you talking about 

What I really liked about Garcia was his attitude, Our personal starting 11 might not be the one that plays in reality as some players will rise to the occasion and some will shrink,  but we have the quality in the squad to benefit from this

[stmichael]

i actually thought crouch attacked the ball better in the time he was on last night than he ever did last season.

[coddy]

i actually thought crouch attacked the ball better in the time he was on last night than he ever did last season.

agreed, although he had no success he tried to put a body part on everything that came his way