Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

I thought Gerrard was our best player last night. Everything good we did came through him, he made some world class passes that if our forwards had been a little more capable would have led to goals. Twice he put balls through to Kuyt that if his first touch had been better would have had him clear in on goal. He again found Benayoun with a good ball that perhaps should have been hit first time rather than taking a touch first.

The game itself reminded me of Wigan last season when after finally breaking the team down and getting the all important goal we seemed to become unsure as to whether we should hold what we have or go after a second. Against Wigan it cost us a goal and the win...... last night we managed to keep a clean sheet.

To be honest I was a little disappointed in Alonso, who seemed more like his old self (the poorer one) last night. Maybe it was because Riera wasn't playing, maybe it was partnering Lucas, but he was crabbing the ball most of the game. Hyypia and Carra were left having to play the ball forward with the result that a lot of the forward passes where more of the hit and hope variety.

The defence apart from one or two strange(and dangerous) lapses coped comfortably with what few attacks Portsmouth mounted, while Kuyt again showed that playing the main striker and holding the line is not his forte.

Pennant was poor, Babel while a little better promised much and achieved little. Lucas after a tidy start seemed to become a peripheral figure as the game went on. 

4 changes was a lot, but the players that came in with the exception of Hyypia needed to offer much more than they did last night.

We got a great result more due to a moment of madness than great play, but we are one game nearer Torres return and still top of the league. Hard to complain about that   

[stmichael]

Rotation is ok but not with players like Pennant who is so lazy he should never be seen in a Liverpool shirt, Lucas who just isn't good enough - will he get better? and Babbel who simply isn't on the same page a lot of the time - but I think he will get better.

Jesus, some people are only happy when they're miserable.

[account deleted by request]

Superman  While in the background Benny's nose get bent.

[Bad Bob]

To be honest I was a little disappointed in Alonso, who seemed more like his old self (the poorer one) last night. Maybe it was because Riera wasn't playing, maybe it was partnering Lucas, but he was crabbing the ball most of the game.

I thought Alonso had a good first half and an okay second half.  I do think a lot of it had to do with who he had around him, though.  He played some amazing raking balls out to Pennant in the first half, only for Pennant to lose possession.  Soon after, his (Pennant's) head dropped and he became very static.  Babel, on the other flank was also very static.  He seems to prefer standing still on the touchline to receive the short pass so that he can control the ball better when receiving it.  He is terrible for attacking space behind the fullback or down the channel, and he seems to hate receiving a ball on the move.  I also thought Aurelio offered very little going forward, providing even fewer options for the diagonal ball to stretch play.  Add to that the fact that Portsmouth were content to play with two banks of four and to have Diarra shadow Gerrard and you leave Alonso with very few outlets.  Since Lucas didn't seem interested in creating space for him, I think he tried to invite Sami and Carra to carry the ball forward and draw Portsmouth players to them, so he could receie the ball in more space.  They did do it on occasion (Sami, especially, looked interested in carrying the ball forward or playing it to feet for Kuyt and Gerrard) but Agger was noticeable by his absence in an attacking sense.

[Sabre]

To be honest I was a little disappointed in Alonso, who seemed more like his old self (the poorer one) last night. Maybe it was because Riera wasn't playing, maybe it was partnering Lucas, but he was crabbing the ball most of the game.

I thought Alonso had a good first half and an okay second half.  I do think a lot of it had to do with who he had around him, though.

Spot on, a player has good forms and bad forms, and Xabi so far has been in a great form. But even if you do your best, you won't seem the same player if the passes they offer you are better, if the one who you make the pass to makes the correct decission.

So while it's undeniable that for instance against Chelsea he made a game that he didn't do last year, I'm unable to isolate a player's game out of his context.

You could tell the same about Riera, a good player, in the proper team, in a team that has most of posession will look better. Riera looks better than in Manchester City, but Riera also looks a bit better than he was at Espanyol.

[stmichael]

What last night's game showed for me is that we are in a situation that is comparable to Arsenal of last season. We've made a fantastic start but do we have the strength in depth to bring players on that will be able to contribute towards match winning performances? I'm not so sure

It's alarming how dependent we've become on Riera in such a short space of time. Babel isn't half as effective playing a whole 90 minutes on the left wing when we're playing a team that is keeping it narrow like Portsmouth did yesterday. Lucas can't produce a level of performance that comes close to what Alonso or Mascherano can provide in the midfield. That isn't all his own fault as he flits in and out of the first team and its very difficult to establish any kind of consistency as a result.

But if we are to play a 4-2-3-1 we need another top level central midfielder who can provide cover for Alonso or Mascherano. Perhaps it is time to re consider making a move for Barry as a replacement for Lucas.

[devaney]

Rotation is ok but not with players like Pennant who is so lazy he should never be seen in a Liverpool shirt, Lucas who just isn't good enough - will he get better? and Babbel who simply isn't on the same page a lot of the time - but I think he will get better.

Jesus, some people are only happy when they're miserable.

Take your point but that was only a small part of my post.

Do you seriously think we have got a cat in hells chance of winning the title with Lucas, Pennant and Babbel as regular choices?

[account deleted by request]

To be honest I was a little disappointed in Alonso, who seemed more like his old self (the poorer one) last night. Maybe it was because Riera wasn't playing, maybe it was partnering Lucas, but he was crabbing the ball most of the game.

I thought Alonso had a good first half and an okay second half.  I do think a lot of it had to do with who he had around him, though.  He played some amazing raking balls out to Pennant in the first half, only for Pennant to lose possession.  Soon after, his (Pennant's) head dropped and he became very static.  Babel, on the other flank was also very static.  He seems to prefer standing still on the touchline to receive the short pass so that he can control the ball better when receiving it.  He is terrible for attacking space behind the fullback or down the channel, and he seems to hate receiving a ball on the move.  I also thought Aurelio offered very little going forward, providing even fewer options for the diagonal ball to stretch play.  Add to that the fact that Portsmouth were content to play with two banks of four and to have Diarra shadow Gerrard and you leave Alonso with very few outlets.  Since Lucas didn't seem interested in creating space for him, I think he tried to invite Sami and Carra to carry the ball forward and draw Portsmouth players to them, so he could receie the ball in more space.  They did do it on occasion (Sami, especially, looked interested in carrying the ball forward or playing it to feet for Kuyt and Gerrard) but Agger was noticeable by his absence in an attacking sense.

I don't want to start another Alonso argument so I will make this one post and hopefully move on.

Tbh I saw the first half in bits and bobs (searching for a stream, and poor stream etc etc )  and while I got a reasonable impression from the first half .... not good enough to really argue a point.

Second half I had a pretty good stream, and its really from half time that most of my ideas on the game are based. I thought Alonso took the easy way out too many times, even allowing for the reasons you raise Bob. Hyypia and Carra are unfortunately not the greatest and most imaginative passers in the world, and on a number of occasions I thought Alonso passed on the responsibility when he had time and space, rather than taking it upon him self to make the play.

I am not saying he had a bad game, just that the problems I have always had when rating Alonso's game surfaced again last night.

Hopefully I am not being too strong in my criticism, I wouldn't want to hurt anyones feelings 

[metalhead]

I disagree s@int. Alonso wasn't poor. Didn't waste the ball like Lucas or Kuyt yesterday! I would give him a 7/10.

He was good on the ball, read the game well (made some good interception) and was part of some build up play.

Your just an alonso basher
 

[account deleted by request]

I disagree s@int. Alonso wasn't poor. Didn't waste the ball like Lucas or Kuyt yesterday! I would give him a 7/10.

He was good on the ball, read the game well (made some good interception) and was part of some build up play.

Your just an alonso basher
 

Maybe I just think MORE of him than you do ? Maybe I think he is a much better player than he shows on occasion ? Maybe I expect MORE from him because I rate him so highly?
OR maybe I am just an Alonso basher ? 

[metalhead]

I disagree s@int. Alonso wasn't poor. Didn't waste the ball like Lucas or Kuyt yesterday! I would give him a 7/10.

He was good on the ball, read the game well (made some good interception) and was part of some build up play.

Your just an alonso basher
 

Maybe I just think MORE of him than you do ? Maybe I think he is a much better player than he shows on occasion ? Maybe I expect MORE from him because I rate him so highly?
OR maybe I am just an Alonso basher ? 

Well, by looking at it, and analyzing the situation, your an alonso basher 

[Owzat]

But if we are to play a 4-2-3-1 we need another top level central midfielder who can provide cover for Alonso or Mascherano. Perhaps it is time to re consider making a move for Barry as a replacement for Lucas.

I think we need some goals and even arguably a solid LB before another move for GB. Have a browse of that bosman list and see if there is something resembling a GB but with a much more acceptable price tag ie zip

[andy_g]

i only saw the motd highlights myself so i'm in no position to make any kind of comments about the overall peformance. one thing that did strike me though was how many players were having a pop at goal. kuyt, carra, aurelio, sami, gerrard, keane, lucas, yossi and babel all had a go and some of them were only denied by some very good keeping from james. kuyt especially looked a lot more confident in having shots and being a lot more aggressive in his overall attacking play.

my point is that its good to see a lot more of the team having a go at goal and not just leaving it to gerrard or the striker/s. on another day with a bit more luck and a less capable keeper we could have won by a better margin.

[Roger Red Hat]

Do you seriously think we have got a cat in hells chance of winning the title with Lucas, Pennant and Babbel as regular choices?

but they're not regular choices.

they're back ups for when we play lots of games in a short time. They allow our 'regular' starters a needed rest day.

[Sabre]

i only saw the motd highlights myself so i'm in no position to make any kind of comments about the overall peformance. one thing that did strike me though was how many players were having a pop at goal. kuyt, carra, aurelio, sami, gerrard, keane, lucas, yossi and babel all had a go and some of them were only denied by some very good keeping from james.

I noticed that too but forgot to mention it, good point Andy.