Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:52 am

Sky's agenda of "Gerrard must play in the middle" was laughable last night.

by **Benny The Noon** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:37 am

Benny The Noon wrote:My Assestment so far

Formation - 4-4-2 , totally the wrong formation to play last night for a few reasons . 1. We dont have the players to play the formation , no true left or right midfielders with both Jovanovic and Kuyt preferring to play in a right or left forward role supporting one striker , Gerrard sits too deep and becomes ineffective for the majority of the game , Torres doesnt work with another high forward alongside him . 2. Man City went in with three in the middle and they were always going to swamp and out number our two there no matter who the two were - It meant Kuyt or Jovanovic tried to come inside to help out but that left the wide areas exposed . We needed someone else in the middle to help out it was clear as day to see. 4-4-2 is a formation that is rarely used by any of the top teams and is only realy used by the teams looking to not get beat . Unfortunatly its one of Hodgsons favoured formations but that needs to change - we work best as a 4-2-3-1 .

Tactics - We sat very deep and at numerous times we looked like we had parked the bus and had 11 men behind the ball with no counter attack threat at all - very sad to see . We tried to be solid but were vunerable in all areas on the pitch and we had no cutting edge , no creativity and no imagination .

Squad - Extra weak and thin in a lot of areas - Left back , Creative midfielder, pace in wide areas , striker and commanding cb . Last night we were prob missing only one player who will form our first 11 for the season and that was Cole . We have neither the first 11 nor the squad to challenge for at top 4 squad but we dont have the finances to add to the squad unless players are sold .

Possession - For the first number of games are percentage of possesion has been below the opposition and that is something we have never seen for a number of years - 35% it was last night and 40 something % at home against arsenal . Even when we werent playing well over the last couple of season we at least managed to get hold of the ball and hold it - last night we couldnt even get hold of it and when we did it was gone quickly

Creating Chances - The amount we have created over the last couple of games has been very low , Hart had to make two quick saves last night but bar that nothing else , against arsenal we didnt create many , same against the turkish outfit . There is no point having torres when we arent creating anything for him .

Passion - Last night there was none - nothing from the players , no one trying to lift the players , no one screaming at players in encouragment - we look totally flat .

Manager during the game - Only saw him rise from bench a couple of times and then i just saw him say " come on " and clap his hands while mancini was always up trying to direct things - there didnt seem to be any direction coming from our manager and he looked a little lost when things werent obviously working . When changes did come it was too late and game was lost . Hodgson looked like a rabbit in the headlights as i think he suddenly realised the situation he is in with the squad and the lack of option and the inability to buy options without having to sell one of the best players we have .

We are going to have one hell of a rollercoaster season and i hope hodgson realised his error in formation and sticks with the 4-2-5-1

Pepe

Johnson
Agger
Carra
Aurelio or new left back

Lucas/Poulsen
Gerrard/Lucas

Kuyt/Maxi/Cole
Jovanovic/Maxi/Cole

Cole/Gerrard/Pacheco

Torres/Ngog

Stick with that an we may be able to compete in most games and if we keep them all fit we may sneak a CL place but unlikely IMO .

Hodgson needs our support now more than ever before in the previous years - he is onto a hiding to nothing with our owners and he has his hands tied . No one knows how much he has to do with players like Aquilani leaving on loan which is a massive mistake .

Good luck Hodgson - you will need it . Make us proud . YNWA

Sorry forgot to add

Defending at set pieces -

For 4 season we were the best defensive unit in the league deploying the zonal marking system - a system that is now employed by most of the top teams .

Now it looks like we are going to man marking and we have looked even more vunerable at set pieces - all it takes is for a player to lose his man and he has a free header .

by **jacdaniel** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:53 am

For me, its absolutely essential that we acquire a good creative CM before the window closes. (even if it means spending a large sum of Masch or Kuyt transfer fees).
Someone who can pass a ball and is strong enough to handle himself.

This would give us the option to play Stevie as an AM just behind Torres and it would allow us to use Joe Cole out wide. (joe may complain but its for the greater good!)

It may also give us the option to play the "new" CM and Gerrard in centre mid with Cole in the hole against weaker opposition or when we have to go all out attack.

I thought Aqua would be that player this season but thats not gonna happen now. Im very surprised he is gone on loan.
but its clear that we need a player to take the ball off the centre halves and distribute it cleverly.

i have seen some people blame Carra and Skrtel for hoofing the ball. but can we play them?
Whenever they pass it to Lucas or Kuyt it is just gonna come back to them.

by **stmichael** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:58 am

jacdaniel wrote:For me, its absolutely essential that we acquire a good creative CM before the window closes.

If anything, last nights performance made it more baffling that we're sending Aquilani on loan. It's obvious that we need more ball-players in the team who are confident with the ball at their feet. Aquilani, Maxi and Joe Cole to name but three.

by **tubby** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:18 pm

stmichael wrote:
jacdaniel wrote:For me, its absolutely essential that we acquire a good creative CM before the window closes.

If anything, last nights performance made it more baffling that we're sending Aquilani on loan. It's obvious that we need more ball-players in the team who are confident with the ball at their feet. Aquilani, Maxi and Joe Cole to name but three.

There must be a replacement lined up. It would be a stupid decision on Roys part to let him go without a proper replacement.

by **dawson99** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:20 pm

It was a stupid part signing the crock in the first place.

We cant judge on last nights game, obviously we're in turmoil, we've got pratts refusing to play for us now as well... Roys a legend for taking the reins of a club in such a ucked up situation

by **jacdaniel** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:23 pm

stmichael wrote:
jacdaniel wrote:For me, its absolutely essential that we acquire a good creative CM before the window closes.

If anything, last nights performance made it more baffling that we're sending Aquilani on loan. It's obvious that we need more ball-players in the team who are confident with the ball at their feet. Aquilani, Maxi and Joe Cole to name but three.

Yep... cant believe Aqua was sent on loan. We badly need more players like him.

Im also a big fan of Maxi. he is another player that can actually use the ball.

by **Scottbot** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:24 pm

Benny The Noon wrote:We are going to have one hell of a rollercoaster season and i hope hodgson realised his error in formation and sticks with the 4-2-5-1

I agree completely, if we can get away with it then this is the formation to play!

by **Ciggy** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:24 pm

dawson99 wrote:Roys a legend for taking the reins of a club in such a fecked up situation

A legend ? Id say he's nuts !!!
Hodgson was never going to be up to this job.
People knew this before he came, you can see it now and its not going to change down the line. Thats regardless of the fact he has no money to spend. If we do get investment I wouldnt want him to be the one spending it.

When people turn on him, is when hes in trouble. I predict he wont see next season.

OH and I have no desire to say I told you so like people think I have. I hope we win the league and he makes a kunt of me and you can all throw it in my face, but it wont happen. mark my words !!!

by **stmichael** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:27 pm

Scottbot wrote:
Benny The Noon wrote:We are going to have one hell of a rollercoaster season and i hope hodgson realised his error in formation and sticks with the 4-2-5-1

I agree completely, if we can get away with it then this is the formation to play!

by **maguskwt** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:37 pm

Ciggy wrote:
dawson99 wrote:Roys a legend for taking the reins of a club in such a fecked up situation

A legend ? Id say he's nuts !!!
Hodgson was never going to be up to this job.
People knew this before he came, you can see it now and its not going to change down the line. Thats regardless of the fact he has no money to spend. If we do get investment I wouldnt want him to be the one spending it.

When people turn on him, is when hes in trouble. I predict he wont see next season.

OH and I have no desire to say I told you so like people think I have. I hope we win the league and he makes a kunt of me and you can all throw it in my face, but it wont happen. mark my words !!!

Ciggy, Roy is our manager now. Some of us knows that he doesn't have as good a track record as rafa. Some of us knows that he's gonna struggle. But some on here were too intent on blaming rafa that they didn't see what the real problem was. The real problem was that we were 300 million in debt and didn't spend on the squad for 2 seasons. But now all we can do now is to support Roy and give him some time. Some on here will be happy if we finished 6th because that to them is improvement over last season.

by **Benny The Noon** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:37 pm

Scottbot wrote:
Benny The Noon wrote:We are going to have one hell of a rollercoaster season and i hope hodgson realised his error in formation and sticks with the 4-2-5-1

I agree completely, if we can get away with it then this is the formation to play!

Oops my mistake

by **dawson99** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:38 pm

Ciggy wrote:
dawson99 wrote:Roys a legend for taking the reins of a club in such a fecked up situation

A legend ? Id say he's nuts !!!
Hodgson was never going to be up to this job.
People knew this before he came, you can see it now and its not going to change down the line. Thats regardless of the fact he has no money to spend. If we do get investment I wouldnt want him to be the one spending it.

When people turn on him, is when hes in trouble. I predict he wont see next season.

OH and I have no desire to say I told you so like people think I have. I hope we win the league and he makes a kunt of me and you can all throw it in my face, but it wont happen. mark my words !!!

said like a true fan

He took the reins over a club in trouble thanks to the stupidity of last season. Hes a legend for havng the guts and wanting to manage the best club in football.

But you, and others, will still rather have that fat guy back who got us into this mess.

F*cking typical of fans today

by **jacdaniel** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:48 pm

But some on here were too intent on blaming rafa that they didn't see what the real problem was. The real problem was that we were 300 million in debt and didn't spend on the squad for 2 seasons.

Good post and so true. I always said that Rafa was used as a scapegoat for a poor season.
Sure he wasted money but all managers have. unfortunately at Liverpool with our financial position..
we cant afford to make any big errors in the market.

i think this season may be proof that Rafa was far from our biggest problem.

It reminds me of the thread "What is the priority, new manager or new owners".

i don't believe any manager in the world can improve our fortunes without funds.
The ownership issue is crucial to our survival as a top club.

by **maguskwt** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:49 pm

stmichael wrote:
Scottbot wrote:
Benny The Noon wrote:We are going to have one hell of a rollercoaster season and i hope hodgson realised his error in formation and sticks with the 4-2-5-1

I agree completely, if we can get away with it then this is the formation to play!

Me too, throw in Pacheco and babel on top of our usual line up. That should help out abit with our possession...

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