Liverpool FC Forum

[jim_morrison_supported_liverpool]

Maybe.

But he did play in a side that went 12 league games unbeaten and climbed to the top of the league in his first full season and i also remember the Sunderland at anfield game, Basle away and Spartak Moscow where he had blinders.

people seem to forget about those performances.

was gonna make that point - you beat me to it stu.

diao only played bad at right back.

[115-1073096938]

Not true, i've seen him have stinkers in midfield.

The point is though he's a decent player. He has some good qualities, some bad, we'll never know truely how good he can be though untill he can old down a regular place.

[jim_morrison_supported_liverpool]

i didnt see every game last season. (armchair supporter - no funds)
were they in centre mid or right mid or what?

[115-1073096938]

He played ok in middle against Arsenal at home.

He's not as bad as people think, but he's nothing special. He's definately a decent squad player. Personally i'd say he's still a bit better than Welshy for now, so he's worth keeping. If Didi or Stevey gets injured he will get the chance to prove he's more than just a squad player... as to weather he can take it or... your guess is as good as mine.

[Leonmc0708]

Bit late in reading and replying to this debate, but smicer is out for six months,  HIP HIP Hooray as far as I am concerned.

The lad is a lighweight, good in patches but not consistent and he only managed to complete the full 90 minutes once in the last three years. Not for me.

[fritzylfc]

can any one remember a tv show called the invisble man david mcallum played the part he could dissapear for 8 hours aday smicers got a better job he can dissapear for 3 years.

[LFC #1]

Bit late in reading and replying to this debate, but smicer is out for six months,  HIP HIP Hooray as far as I am concerned.

The lad is a lighweight, good in patches but not consistent and he only managed to complete the full 90 minutes once in the last three years. Not for me.

agree with you i suppose Leon, don't like seeing our players getting injured, but Smicer is simply not good enough IMO, and now he'll sit on the sidelines for 6 months getting paid like £25 000 a week, needs to be sold, just can't match it in the premiership, too fast and physical for him.

[azriahmad]

Smicer is not only not good enough, we can't unload him because he is on 25,000 per week and the smaller premiership clubs can't afford him. Needless to say that he can make transfer easire if he were willing to take a pay cut ala Kanu but like Diouf, this lightweight plank does not want to lower his wage demands.

now he is 31, on his last year, out for 6 months and we are left with a lemon who will be out of contract at the next season's end.

[LFC #1]

summed it up azriah. 

[azriahmad]

Yes, LFC#1, a sad situation for LFC but that's the reality. Houllier really blew a lot of money big time and the the transfer kitty has shrunk so much for Rafa. he needs to get a quick defender and a quick/creative midfielder but he has so many of houllier's lemons who nobody will take and this must have a big drain on LFC's operating budget at least until their contracts expire in the absence of a wealthy investor(s) who not only can put in new funds into LFC but also satisfy Moores' demands...

Fans like us will always support the club through thick and thin, for better or for worse.

[LFC #1]

unfortunately many of Houllier's recent signings were poor and didn't work out, but remeber he did make some great signings for us while he was at the helm.
think where we would be today without the likes of Hyppia, Baros, Henchoz, Kewell , Cisse etc, not to mention past players like Babbel and Gary Mac.

Unfortunately as you said we can't get rid of the likes of Smicer, Traore and what have you, and this must be affecting our transfer budget immensely with a lot of players on high wages who we don't want.

Let's hope we beat GAk and the revenue created from that will let Rafa bring in some new players, even if they are only eligible for league and cup games, I think we have to focus on the league this year and knock out stages etc of the CL will be an added bonus.

[azriahmad]

I also think Houllier was burdened by the expectations after the treble year as his team's game plan appeared much more defensive as if more afraid to lose than anything else and played with too much caution. Also, he only started to play his players out of position after the treble year (if I remembered correctly).

He definitely lost his head when buying "big" as his big money purchases were not for the really established players but more for the potential. he also bought too many French based players for their potential only to realise that they did not adapt too welll to the hustle and bustle of the premiership.

Wenger still has a knack for buying bargains and turning them into Premiership beaters if not Euro beaters.