BKrimmel wrote:While everything right now isn't as horrible as it seems and we all just keep telling ourselves that it is going to get better, that there will be some exciting moments and that there is just too much pure quality on the field to be playing this poorly, I think that is a very delusional feeling. This club has six major problems:
1. Not getting a share of possession: No better shown than tonight against City. Midway through the second ESPN flashed up the possession numbers and it was 74 to 26. Seriously? You can not win games (or even earn draws) with only 26 percent of the ball. City was able to hold the ball very well after going up early one nil and was able to be patient, so it is understandable that they had more of the possession, but Liverpool couldn't even hold the ball in their own half. Then as they went forward it was embarrassingly inaccurate passes to the front men, sloppy passes in the midfield, and players trying to dribble through double teams. This led to easy City possession and chances for them on the break to score. The biggest offender is Lucas. His midfield play was horrible tonight. He would either pass backwards to a defender or Gerrard or would "pass" (using pass loosely, because I have no idea what he is doing sometimes) it forwards to a member of City. With Alberto gone, and Javier packing his bags, Poulsen better become the player to spread the ball and hold midfield, because I think Lucas is a detriment to LFC holding the ball.
2. The midfield is old: Kuyt, Gerrard, Poulsen are all 30. Milan, Maxi, Joe Cole (in early November) are 29. Javier is 26 and Lucas is 23, but you know how I feel about Lucas. The midfield should be the heart of the team, as it was in 2004-2008 (remember the best midfield in the world chant? Xabi Alonso, Momo...). Youngsters are on the club but get no first team experience behind this ancient roadblock of players. Now I am not knocking the play of Gerrard, Kuyt, Milan (who has really impressed these first two starts), Maxi, and Javier, but I don't know how much more good football these guys can put onto the field. Where is the future of the club? Where is the next Gerrard coming from? Liverpool doesn’t seem to have much growing on the farm and hasn’t made any moves for a young guy to come learn the Premier League game so he can be ready for his time. Part of this is due to the new manager, but the clock is ticking. Not making the top four would be disastrous for the future of the club this year and it seems that disaster is headed our way. When the guys coming in off the bench are as old as the starters something is wrong. These leads right into problem number 3...
3. Extreme lack of pace: Does Liverpool have anybody on the field who can get the ball on the wing and take off down the touch line? Just bust
past backs? Or grab a clearing header from a corner kick and lead the counterstrike? Anybody? Torres had that amazing speed, but hasn’t showed any of it, not in the World Cup and definitely not today against City. Ngog has decent speed, Babel does too, but anyone in the Midfield? The wingers can not get past anybody in a foot race. Kuyt doesn’t seem to have the pace, Milan hasn’t showed it either, nor Maxi. (I will wait to make a judgment on Joe Cole to see some more match time on him). But if the midfield poses no threat of blowing by defenders than you can expect more tight pressing on the midfield which will lead to more turnovers and more sickness for supporters. Gareth Bale, Adam Johnson, SWP, Ashley Young, Nani, Malouda, Nasri, Arshavin, Aaron Lennon, and Walcott (just to name a few), all have that ridiculous pace that makes defenders pray that they don’t get a running start at them, which forces back off when they have the ball leaving great space. Liverpool doesn’t have any sort of speedy winger who can fly down the touch line and scares the bejesus out of backs. Why does this matter so much? Because right now the offense is uncreative and lacks any type of threat in the half pitch offense. Who is going to make the big move? With the great run on goal? I don’t expect 2010 Kuyt or Maxi or Joe Cole to be able to do that type of maneuver. Now if this was 2006 or 2007, hell yea. But this is 2010 and the creativity with the ball is just gone.
4. Chalenging for the ball: Today against Man City there were a few occasions when there were three and four passes put together and a chance was created, Milan at one point in the second half swung a ball into the box which was easily cleared by the Man City back line. Seems insignificant, but there was no effort by Ngog, Torres, or Kuyt to even move towards the ball. Kuyt seemed to be watching the game like an official would as it was swung in. That seemed to be the case for every fifty fifty ball. Every ball in the air seemed to be won by a City player and several times there wasn’t a Liverpool player making the clearance difficult for the City defender. The first half against Arsenal and entire game against City seemed to have several minute stretches where the players seemed disinterested with the game. I think it is a case of lack of creativity and the lack of Roy Hodgson’s boot up some of the players butts. To question effort is a serious accusation, but after today’s performance against City it seems a fair point to make.
5. Money: There is no money available to go and buy anybody. These leads right into point five:
6. The Club must find a new Owner: Simple as that. New people. New money. A new player here or there and boom! More creativity up front, tons more ball control, and many less chances for the other team. A couple of million pounds, Euros, dollars, pesos could go a long way in securing a few creative options and hustle players who will bust their butts trying to win ball games. So I ask you, if you know somebody with money to spend, please tell them about our club.
This is a transitional period for us and many are expecting title challengers by the sounds of it, with players like Kuyt, N'gog and Lucas in the side you shouldn't be expecting too much. Although above 7th could be a possibility if you don't play these players week in week out. Roy won't IMO, he isn't that silly.
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