Liverpool FC Forum

[Emerald Red]

we had Javier Mascherano last season, a lot of people have skipped over the fact he was an important part of our team. Who has he been replaced by?  oh yeah, Lucas

Actually, no, he wasn't. Mereiles was supposed to be Masch's replacement. Or was it Poulsen? Take your pick, because one is bolllox, and the other is being played well out of his natural position. A lot of people undervalued Mascherano on this forum, if I recall correctly. Some even going as far as saying he offers nothing. Honestly, you can't win. Next they'll be saying Torres is past it and is sh*te. Oh, wait...

[lakes10]

looks lie Roy is stepping down and sammy will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

[Emerald Red]

Then again, you could have had Aquilani in CM with Gerrard. I don't know. We could have had possiblities, no?

[LFC2007]

we had Javier Mascherano last season, a lot of people have skipped over the fact he was an important part of our team. Who has he been replaced by?  oh yeah, Lucas

Yep, something else that has been overlooked this season. Whereas Lucas struggles to get near a player who bursts past him, Masch had the speed, tenacity and the "bite" to stop them progressing. I've heard people say that the current squad is basically the same as when we finished 2nd (it isn't) and yet they used to rate Masch as a beast of a player who transformed our midfield. Either he was that good and we've suffered in his absence, or he wasn't and the squad is the same.

[PabloAimar]

looks lie Roy is stepping down and sammy will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

aren't you supposed to follow that up with 3 separate posts:

1. looks lie Roy is stepping down and KD will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

2. looks lie Roy isn't stepping down and will take the club  for the fa cup game....

3. looks lie Roy is stepping down and a new manager will take the club  for the fa cup game....

isn't that your usual tact? can't have you to losing your knack by not covering all bases mate.

[Emerald Red]

we had Javier Mascherano last season, a lot of people have skipped over the fact he was an important part of our team. Who has he been replaced by?  oh yeah, Lucas

Yep, something else that has been overlooked this season. Whereas Lucas struggles to get near a player who bursts past him, Masch had the speed, tenacity and the "bite" to stop them progressing. I've heard people say that the current squad is basically the same as when we finished 2nd (it isn't) and yet they used to rate Masch as a beast of a player who transformed our midfield. Either he was that good and we've suffered in his absence, or he wasn't and the squad is the same.

I think that's being a bit hypercritical of Lucas, though. Sure he's not the top standard we need, but nor is he completely usesless or gash. He may make the mistake of allowing someone to go past him once in a while, but for every error like that, he will do maybe a dozen or more decent tackles to prevent that. It's unfair to single out one instance in a game when it costs us and say "oh, look - it's Lucas again." because he's been one of our better performers over the past few months and one of our most improved young players.

[PabloAimar]

a visual aid to remind you of the creature we're dealing with here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aav46Lek0Rs

[Kharhaz]

looks lie Roy is stepping down and sammy will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

aren't you supposed to follow that up with 3 separate posts:

1. looks lie Roy is stepping down and KD will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

2. looks lie Roy isn't stepping down and will take the club  for the fa cup game....

3. looks lie Roy is stepping down and a new manager will take the club  for the fa cup game....

isn't that your usual tact? can't have you to losing your knack by not covering all bases mate.

No, the usual tact is for people to dismiss all Lakes' arguments by mentioning the "sources" and "press releases" while calling him, more or less a journalistic whore, and all the while "whoring" out the various articles by Chris Bascombe and Oliver Kay and the like articles as to why Roy Hodgson is a bad man, while totally passing over their heads as to what hypocrites they are by posting the constant same tripe to back up there views with the same tripe Lakes uses in anything that disagrees with others.

Thats the usual tact.

[Dundalk]

Andrew_Heaton

Just got text in that Ayre has just confirmed to v loyal fan (close family friend of ours) that he's gone!

[roberto green]

looks lie Roy is stepping down and sammy will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

I Believe you Lakes

[roberto green]

Andrew_Heaton

Just got text in that Ayre has just confirmed to v loyal fan (close family friend of ours) that he's gone!

I defo believe you Dun

[PabloAimar]

looks lie Roy is stepping down and sammy will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

aren't you supposed to follow that up with 3 separate posts:

1. looks lie Roy is stepping down and KD will take the club  for the fa cup game....wonder who the next manger is then.

2. looks lie Roy isn't stepping down and will take the club  for the fa cup game....

3. looks lie Roy is stepping down and a new manager will take the club  for the fa cup game....

isn't that your usual tact? can't have you to losing your knack by not covering all bases mate.

No, the usual tact is for people to dismiss all Lakes' arguments by mentioning the "sources" and "press releases" while calling him, more or less a journalistic whore, and all the while "whoring" out the various articles by Chris Bascombe and Oliver Kay and the like articles as to why Roy Hodgson is a bad man, while totally passing over their heads as to what hypocrites they are by posting the constant same tripe to back up there views with the same tripe Lakes uses in anything that disagrees with others.

Thats the usual tact.

Jeez, chill out sweetie pie.

[crim cram]

All sickness isn't death.  We're a few players and a new manager from being a top side.  I know that sounds incredibly naive and simplistic, but less that two years ago we finished on 86 pts. w/+50 goal difference.  Tottenham finished on 51 points outside Europe w a 0 goal difference.  Much can happen in two years but critical decisions will be made (and already are being made IMO) that will affect the long term future of the club.  The questions:

1. who at the club is making these critical decisions (Camoli?)?
2. What are the financial implications of these decisions (no debt please)?
3. Do we have a proper board in place and do the owners (board) know anything about running a football club (or is it on the job training [not good if so])?

[laza]

Andrew_Heaton

Just got text in that Ayre has just confirmed to v loyal fan (close family friend of ours) that he's gone!

Fingers crossed

[LFC2007]

I think that's being a bit hypercritical of Lucas, though. Sure he's not the top standard we need, but nor is he completely usesless or gash. He may make the mistake of allowing someone to go past him once in a while, but for every error like that, he will do maybe a dozen or more decent tackles to prevent that. It's unfair to single out one instance in a game when it costs us and say "oh, look - it's Lucas again." because he's been one of our better performers over the past few months and one of our most improved young players.

I don't think it is one instance, or even a couple of instances, but a feature of his game: he lacks the pace and bite of Mascherano, and the slide of a player like Gerrard. Those extra gears make the difference when so much of your job is about shielding the backline. Indeed, would have made the difference against Spurs, Everton, Man City or tonight when David Dunn strolled past him, exposing our defence to a dangerous attack that nearly led to a goal. When he's really on form, then he can be quite tenacious as he was against Chelsea, but that isn't the norm. His positioning is good and that allows him to get through a fair amount of work, shepherding and sticking his foot like he does. His touch is decent and he is a decent distributor of the ball without having exceptional technique or range needed to frequently open up defences; and an attacking midfielder he is not - not in the Premier League anyway. He may well be the most improved young player at the club and one of our better players this season, but that says far more about the rest of the team than it does about him.