Liverpool FC Forum

[Anfield rapper]

ROFL..love your dvds too!

Off to a flyer!!! 

[Sabre]

I heard Rafa called them a small team? It's not surprising, because they played like a small team away. They played with a 4-5-1 with Arteta on the right (not an attacking winger but a midfielder). They pressed our midfield well to be honest, and after the first mad 15 minutes, they hand tied our midfielders. ALonso couldn't get much of the ball, neither did Gerrard who came to deep positions in order to get some of the ball.

We tried too much to do harm from the middle, and we should have used more Pennant, as the wings are the key against this small team tactics.

Bellamy made the role of Luis Garcia. He put more work than Luis, but less abilty to break up defences. But I think that even if LG was in the pitch, the path to victory wouldn't come from the middle, but proper use of wings.

When Rafa put Fowler in the pitch, he did so because the small team did not press up any longer and seemed very happy with the point, so they sit back waiting for us. With an scenario of 15 minutes, an ultradefensive oposition, and our midfielders having more space, perhaps it was the moment of Fowler. But Rafa should have awaken the left wing just after the half time, and I missed a substitution in the early stages of the second half.

Everton did their small team work well, to be honest. For instance it's very typical to try to surprise the way Bellamy did in the disallowed goal. But they were aware enough to remove the man in the post in that corner and putting Bellamy off side. They did their stuff well.

But we should be more clever not to stumble twice in the same stone. We did the same mistakes in their small stadium.

[adamnbarrett]

"we don't care what the redshite say"

no thats why they're all crying over what rafa said

[prgsi]

Let's face it, Everscum were scared to death today.

They knew a mullering was heading their way, so they did the only thing they could.

Park the bus. A good strategy, I give them credit for that.

But they shouldn't delude themselves.

So, those bitter bluenoses kept two clean sheets against us.

If they're happy to dine off that for the rest of the season then let 'em go hungry. 

Luckily for them they're the small people's club, so they don't need much food to keep 'em going anyway, bunch of witless smurfs!

[metalhead]

Rafa's claim angers Toffees
Sunday 04 Feb 2007
Everton have hit back at quotes Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez made after Saturday's goalless Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Benitez was quoted as describing David Moyes' side as a "small team", which has made Everton chief executive Keith Wyness livid.

He told the Toffees' official website: "It's disappointing to hear such an unnecessary comment at the conclusion of what was such a splendid local derby.

"Of course, Mr Benitez is entitled to his opinion but I suspect he's in a minority of one in believing Everton is, in any respect, a small football club.

"Somehow we just expect more of a Liverpool manager."

The former Valencia coach had said after the stalemate: "There was only one team that wanted to win and one team that didn't want to lose...they had nine men all the time behind the ball.

"When you play against the smaller teams at Anfield you know the game will be narrow and compact and at times we were a little bit nervous."

--------------------------

       

[redsince2001]

small team


       

[Smeg]

When you play with a right midfielder and no one on the left youre asking for trouble. Asking Riise to both attack and look after arteta was a disgrace. No balance at all. Shocking line up. That said we couldnt really do alot more than what we did from the line up, especially second half.

[Sabre]

What's all the fuzz about the small team? Rafa's words are normal, they played like a small team. We say that often when a Recreativo de Huelva comes to play defensively in an away game.

[adamnbarrett]

What's all the fuzz about the small team? Rafa's words are normal, they played like a small team. We say that often when a Recreativo de Huelva comes to play defensively in an away game.

it's because the bitters think they are a big team 

[kunilson]

from the point where the game never settled from a scrappy opening, i knew it was gonna take something special to break the deadlock, unfortunately that moment never came.....they actually did carve out one or two good chances of their own because of our mistakes mostly, but it was clear from the build-up and their line-up they only ever wanted a draw here.
Crouch frustrated me, wasn't one of his best days, but he wasn't the only one....was like watching the portsmouth or middlesborough game again like someone said..

[66-1112520797]

First and foremost Everton came and got what they wanted .......... a point !

I've just finished watching the game (local time 1.00am ) we can ALL moan about there tactics and throw in a few snide remarks about the size of their club. But its our own fault really for not taking three points.

The game started as any typical derby would high tempo, long balls, flying tackles and a few dodgey decisions by the ref. Thats usual, the game continued to run at a very high tempo through-out the first half. But by the end of it I was still content with the scoreline as the game seemed very open, I thought we'd find the net sooner rather than later.
Second half, and I hoped Rafa would of told the boys at half-time. To kinda forget about the fact that this game is a local derby, put that to the back of their minds (if poss). Go out out in the second half put the ball on the deck and play some football. As it was though, we didnt. We played straight into their hands the same long deep balls knocked upto Crouch or whoever for the entire second half. By 70 minutes I could tell we wasnt going to break them down playing this way. Their defence lapped it up, and we lacked INVENTION ! there was nothing happening at all down the left, and we really failed to capitalise on using width. Rafa's substitution again left me wondering, it was calling out for Gonzalez at least to stretch their defence and find some room. All three of our strikers would 9/10 be in the middle of the box and were pitcked up by one of their ugly boys. The midfield was almost non-exsistant as our back four were happy to pump the long ball way to often. and when the likes of Xabi and Stevie had possesion they were guilty themselves of either knocking it long from to deep position, and straight to the oppositon, or just shooting. Bellamy or Crouch could of been pulled off, and if Gonzalez or even Zenden were brought on it would of at least gave us the room and the option of stretching them, it was just too congested in the middle.

It was a very disapointing result, especially as they were happy to sit back and here their disillusioned
fans spouting ! For me though we have nobody else to blame apart from oursleves, only when a decent bit of football would of opened the ugly feckers up at the back, we played into their hands.

[Lando_Griffin]

Dont wanna seem like a troll, monsieur, but I never went to scool..and the only thing behind you is the M25

You're absolutely right, pal.

It IS behind me.

About 130 MILES behind, you uneducated anal polyp.

[adamnbarrett]

took this from RAOTL

[Dalglish]

Lets get something straight here, Rafa actually said "Smaller Clubs" NOT Small so despite what the Everton fans sing "We don't care what the Red. say" they patently do care which we all suspected anyway.

When the Chief Executive comes out all guns blazing it just epitomises the small (theres that word agin)mind mentality that prevails at Everton football Club.

I don't know, we endure the least eventful derby for years and the Bluenoises STILL want to cause a ruck. Maybe it gioves them a sense of importance and meaning

[puroresu]

I was disappointed Rafa never changed things.  It wasnt working but he kept with it.  We were outnumbered in midfield and really need to play 4 in the midfield.  Pennant was awful again.  He didnt even attempt to get to the byeline.