Robbie - Having a pop?

Liverpool Football Club - General Discussion

Postby jonnymac1979 » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:39 pm

bigmick wrote:He played like you would expect him to play I think, which is why I would have started with Crouch. Robbie has missed a couple of weeks training and it showed. Not in so much as he couldn't run around constantly, but in his touch and distribution which is normally excellent but was a couple of degrees out yesterday. He remains a fabulous asset, and his movement for the header in the early minutes of yesterdays game showed why. He tracked off the centre half like he wanted it over the top and then dipped in front for the header from gerrards cross. The poor fecker playing against him didn't know which way he'd gone and the bemused look on his face afterwards was a picture.
Robbie just needs a couple of weeks in training to sharpen up the touch. It's like I thought earlier in the season though, he needs a target with him to play off these days I think.

The movement alone in that header you're talking about Mick about after about ten minutes can't be taught.  Maybe.  It just comes natural to Fowler and anyone who knows how Fowler plays shouldn't have been surprised by his movement for the cross that was played in, even for a 75% fit Fowler.

It came to nothing and hit the defener, but it was still classic Robbie.  The fella still has a lot to offer, no matter what.
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Postby thegreenred » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:39 pm

ROBBIE FOWLER a god, think back to last season he popped up with a few important goals and that was when he was overweight and a lot less fitter than he looks now give the guy a chance form is temporary class is permanent, i'll judge him at the end of may.
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Postby Bad Bob » Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:57 pm

aCe' wrote:his performance yest. was one of the worst i'v seen in ages... again... Rafa's poor selection !

Way over the top with that assessment, lad.  Robbie was rusty but still showed flashes of his greatness yesterday.  The 1-2 with Gerrard was right out of the top drawer.  His first touch on a long ball from Gerrard--the one where he was flagged offside--was sublime.  And, his ability to get in great scoring positions in the box was as strong as it ever was.  He didn't set the world alight yesterday but he was nowhere near as bad as you're suggesting.
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Postby Red Hot Mama » Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:35 am

I have to say I think Robbie is fantastic.   I also think Rafa is brilliant but I do sometimes wonder about Rafa's timing.   I think that sometimes you think when someone isn't quite working out  that he takes too long to replace them.  Givng a player 10 minutes to change a game or make a difference is not enough.  Quite often he takes 80 minutes or so to change a striker I don't think is enough to make an impact.
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Postby Dundalk » Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:37 am

jonnymac1979 wrote:even for a 75% fit Fowler.

In fairness with no world cup or anything he should at this stage be 100% fit. No questions.
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Postby Lando_Griffin » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:41 am

Dundalk wrote:
jonnymac1979 wrote:even for a 75% fit Fowler.

In fairness with no world cup or anything he should at this stage be 100% fit. No questions.

He was out for 3 weeks with a knee injury, and even a week out of pre-season puts you a long-way behind your team-mates' fitness levels.

It's patently obvious Robbie's been working his socks off this pre-season, and is looking much leaner as a result.

Anyone who doubts his class knows nothing about goalscoring and football in general.

(That's not aimed at you, Dundalk!!!! :D)
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Postby ivor_the_injun » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:59 am

Saturday was a bad day at the office, with some bright flashes of promise. Fine, Fowler fluffed a great chance with an unusually poor touch, but other than that I wouldn't have had him down as one of the main negatives.

I'm positive that with Aurelio and Gonzalez overlapping on the left, and Finnan and Pennant overlapping on the right, coupled with any one of our other strikers alongside him, Robbie Fowler will absolutely murder defences. His movement is still top drawer, and with the right service, he's utterly unplayable in and around the box.
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Postby el_stinger » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:26 am

Dundalk wrote:
jonnymac1979 wrote:even for a 75% fit Fowler.

In fairness with no world cup or anything he should at this stage be 100% fit. No questions.

He was injured, and was ruled out of the game against Chelsea. He was a surprise inclusion against Sheffield, and perhaps was only on the pitch to get some valuable game time against an opponent we should have beaten. Crutch and co. were rested due to the Qualifier vs Israel midweek.
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Postby mattylfc » Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:00 am

Fowler was just lacking match fitness on saturday.  Was a hard game to make his first competitive appearance back.  Had we not had the injuries he may have only played 60mins or so but couldnt be helped.  The boots he was wearing didnt help either by the look of it!

With regards to saturday.  I watched it with some mates (two of which of man u fans) and it was really nice to see a neutral stance on Liverpool F.C.  They didnt think for one minute in that game that we were going to get anything less than three points, they thought it was just a matter of time before we scored.  I remember feeling like that everytime i watched man utd a couple of years back. Unfortunately on this occasion though we didnt get the 3 points.

We came across Sheff Utd at the worst possible time, full of confidence, fresh players and a carnival crowd. The injuries really hurt us and although our team was good enough to beat them, the fact that we couldnt take a risk and throw a sub on to mix things up really affected us.
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Postby 66-1112520797 » Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:31 am

Like the team Fowler shouldnt be doubted after just one game, and I can't believe anyone with a brain cell is doubting him. Like most here, I think Fowlers movenment is second to none in and around the box, Robbie is a very intelligent game player. This IMO will prolong his career, and of course the fact he's the best natural goalscorer to come out of Liverpool for more than a decade or so speaks volumes for him as a player.
Yes he's going to be a bit rusty, but with more playing time under his belt he'll give Rafa selection headaches I'm sure.
On that note of selections, Rafa IMO should play Crouch with either Bellamy or Fowler. Like somebody else said on here, having the two little fellas (Bellamy & Fowler) upfront together. It makes it harder and takes a dimension away as they wont get on the end of Pennant/Gerrard or Aurelio/Riise crosses as much as they would say if Kuyt or Crouch played. Bellamy and Fowler will need through balls and patient probing play, something that was missing from our midfield on Saturday. Although I thought Zenden had a decent game, he doesnt have the Alonso eye or the ability to play the  precision passes as Alonso does, this is what the two smaller guys would thrive on more. But if say Fowler was paired up with Kuyt that aerial dimension would be back and Fowler could play off Kuyt, with the knockdowns etc. The same would also happen If Bellamy and Crouch were paired off, and I'd like to see those two combinations given a go on a regular basis.
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Postby stmichael » Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:38 pm

His fitness more than anything let him down on Saturday but his reading of the game and movement is still second to none.

My ideal partnership upfront for now would be Crouch and Bellamy. Each would occupy the attentions of two defenders at a time for different reasons, leaving holes in opposition defences for our midfielders to exploit and both are intelligent in their use of the ball.

Fowler may be used more for European games and cup games.
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Postby 7_Kewell » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:05 pm

I'm saying nothing on this subject.....
























damn i shouldn't have posted this then  :D
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Postby buxxy » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:07 pm

el_stinger wrote:
Dundalk wrote:
jonnymac1979 wrote:even for a 75% fit Fowler.

In fairness with no world cup or anything he should at this stage be 100% fit. No questions.

He was injured, and was ruled out of the game against Chelsea. He was a surprise inclusion against Sheffield, and perhaps was only on the pitch to get some valuable game time against an opponent we should have beaten. Crutch and co. were rested due to the Qualifier vs Israel midweek.

rob is injured  :sniffle  :sniffle
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Postby lilopajo » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:20 pm

the neat little lay-offs and touches was robbie in his day and goals were a plenty but maybe we wont have the goals so much but intelligence of touch will always be there..plus he is one of the best penalty takers around as we saw..
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Postby luvliverpool » Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:24 pm

Cos he has lost some pace I prefer to see Fowler come on in the later stages of the game, he is more effective then - like most predators
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