Liverpool FC Forum

[112-1077774096]

is that the first successful pass sissoko has had all game???

Seriously, when's this gonna stop. Sissoko had a cracking game and his passing for the most part was acurate. He even played a cracking Xabi-like 30 yarder into space to put Kuyt in down the left wing. Give the guy a break.

that was meant to be a shot though     

[god_bless_john_houlding]

OK so we've lost, it's only our first defeat of the pre-season campaign so far. Yes it's a worry that up to now our top scorer is a centre half and the only forward who will propbably be a bit part player and the two forwards we're looking to bang in 30 goals between them (KUYT/TORRES) have yet to hit the back of the net, but let's not be downhearted.

My biggest worry is Liverpool being typically bad starters to a Premiership season, and we haven't the easiest openers. Villa away will be difficult and should the rest of the top 4/5 sides win, we're already playing catch-up. Chelsea at Anfield, I don't see us losing at Anfield any more but even if we only acheive a point and United go and win both there opening games we're 5 points behind straight away. But what I've just said is billhooks because this year it will United and Chelsea who are playing catch up to us. Come the 1st of May we will be a clear 8 points ahead and the title is set to come back to Anfield. I'm going into this new season positively.

[66-1112520797]

come on guys, i am normally first to moan when we lose

Me second.

I've NEVER read into any Pre-season results what so ever. Obviously players performances and most of all fittness levels are what the coaching staff at Anfield are monitering. Thats all the Pre-season games are, plus a little PR and money making along the way. The real business starts in August and I dont think everything can be taken from these games when the Prem starts not even the wins TBH.

Although I will say, I didnt see the game. But by going on the notion on here that we werent clinical enough does worry me slightly. I dont wont to sound as though I've just contradicted myself, as I was equally as worried last season about the fact that we cannot finnish teams off. Out of all our Pre-season games this one has probably taught us most, well told us the same as last season. We cannot find the onion bag when dominating a game. Thats my concern, we cant rely on Kuyt to score. Crouch has his chances and scores but sometimes misses sitters a good player but not clinical enough. Same with Torres, he looks very good on the ball and is talented but again I dont think he's clinical enough, although I would like to see him get the Lions share of the games this season like Kuyt did last, just to see. And then there is Voronin hopefully he'll be our goal scoring hero    He did look pretty good in the one game  saw him.

Back to this result: DONT READ TOO MUCH INTO PRE-SEASON RESULTS.

[The Manhattan Project]

I have to say though, I liked the Chinese crowd. They were cheering for everything. They even cheered for Rafa's tache and goatee.

[heimdall]

I still would have liked to see our strongest team lineing up against Pompey, that is what pisses me off, in the same way as getting knocked out of both cup competition because Rafa had "promised" to play Dudek last season.

Overall though it sounds like the team is better and that is the main thing.
I have never understood the logic that people who complain should go and support someone else, the only reason I have a rant is because I love this team so much and hate to see it loose to teams like Pompey!!

anyway in Rafa we trust yada yada yada     

[kunilson]

so i take it we lost then?

awww shoot. woulda got some good amounta bank if i bet on pompey to win dammit.
But yeah im reading that we controlled the game but couldn't score? sounds familiar.....if anyone can post some highlights it would be appreciated.
Just a friendly, as long as we can step it up when the season starts i got no worries...as long as the team played well together and the new signings are fitting in alright. thats what its all about really isnt it? the goals and glory will come after a good foundation is set...

[adamnbarrett]

ah well, it's only pre-season.

Let's save the goals for the league games.

[Raoul]

Well, looks like I saw a different game from many of you.  I was there, and enjoyed a great spectacle and a fairly dominant performance by Liverpool. A much improved performance over the game against South China I thought.  Momo especially looked like a different player.  He does carry the ball too far when he goes for a run, but last night he was a deserved MOM.

Torres looked good.  Pennant has put his hand up for the right, well and truely I thought.  Kuyt didn't play as well as on Tues.  Seeing him in the flesh I see what Rafa sees in him, in a way that I've never really understood in the past.

At this stage in pre-season I think it is (goal scoring aside, but James will have a few more clean sheets this year) exactly what we needed to see from the team.

And don't worry too much about the impact this loss will have on making money from merchandising, etc.  This may surprise some of you    but Chinese aren't actually idiots, nor are they any more fickle than any other overseas fan.  They know this is pre-season, and they know when one team dominates another.  They went out to see heroes they don't often get to see, and they had a party.  It was my first (well second, I went Tues) time to see the team live and it is a memory I'll always treasure.  The fans who have followed the team 'for as long as I can remember' will continue to be fans, and the rest went out before the game and bought their shirt, so we've already got their money!

[ken_job]

Nice post Raoul, refreshing in fact!!

[heimdall]

Well, looks like I saw a different game from many of you.  I was there, and enjoyed a great spectacle and a fairly dominant performance by Liverpool. A much improved performance over the game against South China I thought.  Momo especially looked like a different player.  He does carry the ball too far when he goes for a run, but last night he was a deserved MOM.

Torres looked good.  Pennant has put his hand up for the right, well and truely I thought.  Kuyt didn't play as well as on Tues.  Seeing him in the flesh I see what Rafa sees in him, in a way that I've never really understood in the past.

At this stage in pre-season I think it is (goal scoring aside, but James will have a few more clean sheets this year) exactly what we needed to see from the team.

And don't worry too much about the impact this loss will have on making money from merchandising, etc.  This may surprise some of you    but Chinese aren't actually idiots, nor are they any more fickle than any other overseas fan.  They know this is pre-season, and they know when one team dominates another.  They went out to see heroes they don't often get to see, and they had a party.  It was my first (well second, I went Tues) time to see the team live and it is a memory I'll always treasure.  The fans who have followed the team 'for as long as I can remember' will continue to be fans, and the rest went out before the game and bought their shirt, so we've already got their money!

That makes me feel a bit better, cheers

[god_bless_john_houlding]

One defeat doesn't prove we're a bad side but great sides, which is what we're looking to become again, forget about the defeat and look to the next game and hammer their opponenents. This is what we have to do. We have to go on win our next game, we have to do this throughout the season. We can't afford to go on a stretch of 3/4 games without a win.

[Anfield rapper]

See i think the problem is the fact that it was a competition and to some people it actually ment something. Rafa quite rightly looked at this as just a series of friendly matches and a bit of a gimic to play in front of fans who would not get the chance to see a game. The fans knew who were the better team don't worry about that and they also know anything can happen in penalties. I don't think that will affect who they support or stop others from supporting us. It was obvious that Portsmouth were being out played and decided to get their players behind the ball ad just tried to sneak it. Rednapp probably saw this game as a chance to boost confidence if they could sneak it and therefore did all he could to not lose rather than win as i would have expected in a normal friendly. Fair play to him he made it difficult but we still should have won 3-0.

[joko]

I have to say though, I liked the Chinese crowd. They were cheering for everything. They even cheered for Rafa's tache and goatee.

true, mate 

we also cheered fulham when we conceded,

and raoul, saying "chinese are not actually idiot" is a bit too far, mate. tho i agree the rests of your saying

there are three OLSC in HK only (not to mention those of the mainland), and one of them is an expatriate branch which was established by england fellas.

there are chinese that have unbelievable knowledge on liverpool and frequently visit home and away game, including the athens, istanbul etc.

[Emerald Red]

One thing I noticed when looking at some of the Chinese fans in the crowd, is that a lot seemed to be into their retro kits. I spotted a few early 90's ones, and a few of the old 1989 Candy top (the one with the little arrows through it). I doubt these were being sold outside the ground. I'm guessing eBay or that they've probably had them from the year they were made. Ther's certainly a good few diehards in Hong Kong alright.

[JoeTerp]

Ther's certainly a good few diehards in Hong Kong alright.

probably just die hards for about a month now.