Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

Baros - Did he ever get double figures in the league even when playing every single game - think he got 7 or 8 in his last season 04/05 - out of 40 odd games ?!

Baros scored 13 goals in 45 apps in 2004/5 pretty similar to Kuyt who scored 14 in 48apps in his first season. The only real difference is Baros helped win the Cl, while Kuyt has yet to win a trophy with us.

Djimi Traore helped us win the Champions League. Fabio Aurelio has helped us win nothing.

Yeah but Traore only scored 1 goal in 141apps  Aurelio scored 4 in 90apps 

Yeah but Aurelio couldn’t score Traore’s goal against Burnley even he tried 100 times

[DrPepe]

the good thing about our  system is that goals are spread throughout the team

no doubt we would suffer if Ngog came in up top in Torres' position, but we have goalscorers across the front 5. In addition, it probably wouldn't be Ngog up front anyway, but Kuyt with babel/bennyoun or gerrard playing on the right

Torres is WC but he is only 1 fella

[JC_81]

No, for me the biggest mistake in selling a player (and it isn't even that big really) was Steven Warnock. He was a far better player than Dossena is now, even back then, and obviously these days is in a different stratosphere. I didn't like that decision on many levels, not least because it showed a reluctance to show any kind of faith and patience in a local player.

Mick I think the phrase 'different stratosphere' is being branded about far too readily these days mate.

Dossena is nowhere near as sh.it a player as people make out.  He looks a good player for Italy when played in his favoured position - wing back - but unfortunately for him we don't play with a system best suited to him.  For whatever reason it hasn't worked out for Dossena at LFC, it happens.  He doesn't seem to be able to adapt, and for all we know things might just not be working out for him in a new country with a new language etc which is affecting his game.  We take it for granted these guys just swap a foreign club for an English one and hey presto it's business as usual, it isn't like that.  My main criticism of Dossena would be that he has never looked 100% fit to me.  At the moment he deserves to be 3rd choice LB.

Would Warnock get anywhere near the Italy squad though??  Would he fu.ck (and not because he's not Italian before someone makes a wise crack!).  He's a committed but very limited player who we were right to get rid of imo.  Different stratosphere from Dossena?  Not for me mate.  If Warnock was here he still wouldn't be 1st choice LB.

Back on topic...

Players I would have liked to keep:

Crouch, Alonso, Hyypia, Garcia, Riise.  Did Benitez have much choice but to let them go in the end though?  Maybe Riise is the only one who maybe would have wanted to stay I reckon.  The rest all made it clear they wanted to move on.

[bigmick]

At least N'go and Voronin don't have the reputation nor the balls or ego to even complain about that because they know they're lucky to even get a game playing for us.


The only lack of depth I see in our team is the worry that Torres should get injured and we don't have a second striker. That's it. The bottom line. Fact is for such a weakened squad, we've fairly been pumping the goals in the past two years.

I agree with the first bit. N'Gog and Voronin probably have to pinch themselves each morning when they they realise they are in Liverpools squad as second choice and third choice striker. I have to pich myself when I think about it (with a pair of pliers) so I've no doubt they are the same. Maybe that's the key, they have no ege whatsoever and therefore they'll do entirely what they are told, when they are told to do it. If you added together the attributes of both, only taking the best bits you wouldn't make a striker at a top four Premiership club out of the pair of them.

I'm surprised by your "the only lack of depth" statement. Presumeably then you are happy that we have cover at right back who is perpetually injured, and when he isn't is actually not very good. You must also be happy with our centre back situation, where one of our top three choices is perpetually injured and our fourth choice (because you do need four) is almost certainly not up to it. Our lack of creative midfielder depth has meant that as per usual Gerrard has had to be moved, which has meant we've had to put Benayoun into the vacant slot. God only knows what we'd dop if either of those got injured, but presumeably there is a solution ready and waiting. Your right though about up top, we are a bit thin there  .

[DrPepe]

At least N'go and Voronin don't have the reputation nor the balls or ego to even complain about that because they know they're lucky to even get a game playing for us.


The only lack of depth I see in our team is the worry that Torres should get injured and we don't have a second striker. That's it. The bottom line. Fact is for such a weakened squad, we've fairly been pumping the goals in the past two years.

I agree with the first bit. N'Gog and Voronin probably have to pinch themselves each morning when they they realise they are in Liverpools squad as second choice and third choice striker. I have to pich myself when I think about it (with a pair of pliers) so I've no doubt they are the same. Maybe that's the key, they have no ege whatsoever and therefore they'll do entirely what they are told, when they are told to do it. If you added together the attributes of both, only taking the best bits you wouldn't make a striker at a top four Premiership club out of the pair of them.

I'm surprised by your "the only lack of depth" statement. Presumeably then you are happy that we have cover at right back who is perpetually injured, and when he isn't is actually not very good. You must also be happy with our centre back situation, where one of our top three choices is perpetually injured and our fourth choice (because you do need four) is almost certainly not up to it. Our lack of creative midfielder depth has meant that as per usual Gerrard has had to be moved, which has meant we've had to put Benayoun into the vacant slot. God only knows what we'd dop if either of those got injured, but presumeably there is a solution ready and waiting. Your right though about up top, we are a bit thin there  .

so bennyoun replacing gerrard means we have lack of creative depth?

surely it suggests the opposite?

sounds like we have 2 international -class players for the same position to me... especially when the replacement for bennyoun in his previous LW berth is another international LW (for the european champions) and when fit the "replacement" for lucas  (brazilian international) and gerrard will be a 20m midfielder who happens to play for the world champions....   

[bigmick]

so bennyoun replacing gerrard means we have lack of creative depth?

surely it suggests the opposite?

sounds like we have 2 international -class players for the same position to me... especially when the replacement for bennyoun in his previous LW berth is another international LW (for the european champions) and when fit the "replacement" for lucas  (brazilian international) and gerrard will be a 20m midfielder who happens to play for the world champions....   

I think Benayoun for Gerrard, given the fact that we've had to move Gerrard and break up the Torres/Gerrard axis does indicate a lack of depth at creative midfielder yes (you highlighted it then didn't read it ). If we had one, we wouldn't have moved Gerrard would we or am I missing something here We clearly didn't want to move Gerrard as we didn't do it until we'd spunked 6 points in three matches working out that Lucas/Masherano wasn't going to work, so that's a strange point.

I'm not going to ge there too much in terms of Lucas being a Brazillian International as I don't want to rouse the blanket throwers, but suffice to say Kevin Nugent is an England International as well.

I also note you say that Aquilani was 20 million quid How many fecking times have I got to say it on here, he wasn't 20 million quid. He was 5 million plus "add ons"   

[DrPepe]

[/quote]
(I did read it , that's why i posted in reply )

I would assume that when fit the creative part of the CM duo is Aquilani (yes, you did "miss something" ) , then we have gerrard as competent backup (with Lucas behind that) - ie. 3 internationals

You're right that that means relocating gerrard, but we have very good cover in his AM/support striker position from bennyoun (and kuyt i suppose), who in turn we have good cover for in his current LW role from Riera

All in all Rafa has picked versatile attacking players that means a very fluid attacking line-up and goals spread throughout

[bigmick]

(I did read it , that's why i posted in reply )

I would assume that when fit the creative part of the CM duo is Aquilani (yes, you did "miss something" ) , then we have gerrard as competent backup (with Lucas behind that) - ie. 3 internationals

You're right that that means relocating gerrard, but we have very good cover in his AM/support striker position from bennyoun , who in turn we have good cover for in his current LW role from Riera

All in all Rafa has picked versatile attacking players that means a very fluid attacking line-up and goals spread throughout[/quote]
Ah right, we're sorted then and nothing to be even slightly concerned about       

[GYBS]

hasnt nugent scored more international goals than bent
   

[account deleted by request]

(I did read it , that's why i posted in reply )

I would assume that when fit the creative part of the CM duo is Aquilani (yes, you did "miss something" ) , then we have gerrard as competent backup (with Lucas behind that) - ie. 3 internationals

You're right that that means relocating gerrard, but we have very good cover in his AM/support striker position from bennyoun (and kuyt i suppose), who in turn we have good cover for in his current LW role from Riera

All in all Rafa has picked versatile attacking players that means a very fluid attacking line-up and goals spread throughout[/quote]
So when we get one injury it becomes a game of musical chairs with everyone running round finding a new position   

[DrPepe]

(I did read it , that's why i posted in reply )

I would assume that when fit the creative part of the CM duo is Aquilani (yes, you did "miss something" ) , then we have gerrard as competent backup (with Lucas behind that) - ie. 3 internationals

You're right that that means relocating gerrard, but we have very good cover in his AM/support striker position from bennyoun (and kuyt i suppose), who in turn we have good cover for in his current LW role from Riera

All in all Rafa has picked versatile attacking players that means a very fluid attacking line-up and goals spread throughout

So when we get one injury it becomes a game of musical chairs with everyone running round finding a new position   [/quote]
not everyone, no 

[bigmick]

(I did read it , that's why i posted in reply )

I would assume that when fit the creative part of the CM duo is Aquilani (yes, you did "miss something" ) , then we have gerrard as competent backup (with Lucas behind that) - ie. 3 internationals

You're right that that means relocating gerrard, but we have very good cover in his AM/support striker position from bennyoun (and kuyt i suppose), who in turn we have good cover for in his current LW role from Riera

All in all Rafa has picked versatile attacking players that means a very fluid attacking line-up and goals spread throughout

So when we get one injury it becomes a game of musical chairs with everyone running round finding a new position   [/quote]
That's right S@int and it's all part of the grand plan .

[DrPepe]

(I did read it , that's why i posted in reply )

I would assume that when fit the creative part of the CM duo is Aquilani (yes, you did "miss something" ) , then we have gerrard as competent backup (with Lucas behind that) - ie. 3 internationals

You're right that that means relocating gerrard, but we have very good cover in his AM/support striker position from bennyoun (and kuyt i suppose), who in turn we have good cover for in his current LW role from Riera

All in all Rafa has picked versatile attacking players that means a very fluid attacking line-up and goals spread throughout

So when we get one injury it becomes a game of musical chairs with everyone running round finding a new position   

That's right S@int and it's all part of the grand plan .[/quote]
you could make up a special name for it mike, "golden blankets" or some other thing   

[bigmick]

you could make up a special name for it mike, "golden blankets" or some other thing   

perhaps. I will though be scrutinising your posts Doc very closely from now on. Should we fall out of contention, if you so much as mention in passing that our squad is a bit thin, allude to it or even think about it without posting it, I'll be onto you like Torres onto a three yard tap in.

You have been warned 

[DrPepe]

So when we get one injury it becomes a game of musical chairs with everyone running round finding a new position   

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said on Monday that the absence of Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano against Fiorentina in the Champions League here on Tuesday would not pose a problem.

Mascherano felt his hamstring during shooting practice before this game and doctors ruled him out of the group E clash.

But the Spaniard feels he has plenty of other options to fill in for the combative Argentina international.

"It's not a problem, we can manage with Stevie (Gerrard) or others. To lose a player like Javier is not good but we will try to find a solution. There are three or four others who can play there," said Benitez.

i should just get rafa to write my posts, would save me 20 seconds of my life I'll never get back....