Liverpool FC Forum

by **Anfield rapper** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:32 am

Really dissapointed with the game. Was suprised at the team before the game with Zenden and Aurelio playing. These are players i would expected to come on in the last 30 mins or so and eased back into the prem. I think Rafa got this one wrong, we have better players than them. Obviously picking up the injuries was out of Rafa's control but this forced 2 substitutions, which in turn ment we had 2 less subs to make attacking changes.

I hate to say it but i think Rafa maybe underestimated Sheff. Maybe one eye was on the CL game and it forced a slightly weaker team selection. This is something i'm afraid we can never do for the first game of the season. Sheff started well and grew in confidence. We allowed them to. Zenden was poor, Sissoko had a suprisingly poor game imo and Aurelio missed some easy passes. It just seemed to turn into a cup tie and at their ground it was not what we needed.

Its not the end of the world as some fans have been suggesting on Radio 5 606 "thats the title gone" (muppet). But its something we need to get right. What would be nice now would be a run of wins similar to how we eneded last season and these 2 points dropped will faid away.

by **stmichael** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:21 am

my thoughts on the game for what it's worth:

1) fans had better get used to the fact that rafa is going to rotate our squad a lot this season, given the number of games we're going to play. the fact of the matter is we have an excellent squad now with players of equal ability so it's unlikely that the team will be the same week in week out.

2) losing two of our original back four obviously had an effect on their goal. the lack of communication between the defence was evident and with carragher on the pitch i don't think they would have scored. also, kromkamp gives too many stupid free kicks away in and around our penalty area for my liking.

3) there is going to be another massive debate raging about where gerrard should be playing in this team. despite starting on the right, he did all his damage, including winning the penalty, from a central area. it was by no means his best game, but once he got on the ball more in the second half we looked like a better team.

4) at 1-1, the game was dying for crouch to come on. i couldn't see what we were trying to achieve by hitting long balls up to bellamy and fowler. fowler's touch in general was poor all day.

5. fabio aurelio looks like an excellent player who will only improve now that he'll have an extended run in the first team.

by **Ola Mr Benitez** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:23 pm

I think we scored a bit of an own goal (as my boss would say) on Saturday. I think in the middle of the season the team we put out would easily beat Sheffield Utd. However, it was the first game of the season, the first Premiership game at Brammel Lane for 7 years and they where seriously up for this one.

I hate to critisize Rafa, as for me he is the best manager we have had for some time and is taking the club in the right direction, but one mistake he has made on a number of occasions in underestimating what we all consider weaker opposition.

This game was crying our for our strongest 11 to be on the pitch from the first whistle. Do players really need resting at the start of the season?

by **lfcwonderboy** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:41 pm

you can find the goals from this game at http://www.lfcland.tk/

by **stmichael** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:09 pm

RUSHIE#9 wrote:The negativity on here really does astound me. Somebody show me were in the history of league football the championship trophy is handed out on the first day.
The result today wasn't good it WAS poor but there are 37 games to go and a maximum of 111 points to be claimed still. We won't claim all of them but we sure as hell ain't gonna lose all of them which you think we would the way some are reacting on here.

Well said.

In 10 games time if we've won 9 and drawn 1 and Chelsea, the Mancs and the ar$e have all dropped 4 or 5 points everyone will be back on the "here comes 19" bandwagon. One game in and it's all over. I thought we were a bit more resilient than this? But I guess all we are now is a bunch of knee-jerk, reactionaries who like to jump on one of our best teams in years at the first opportunity.

All games on the first day have absolutely no context as to what will happen for the rest of the season and tend to throw up over-performances and shock results (just like the third round of the cup). If, come May 2007, we end up missing out on a place in the league by 2 points then maybe we can come back and over analyse one result and claim it made a difference. On the other hand if we finish 1 point clear of someone (hopefully 1 point clear of 2nd!) then we can look back at this as a point that contributed.

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:13 pm

stmichael wrote:
RUSHIE#9 wrote:The negativity on here really does astound me. Somebody show me were in the history of league football the championship trophy is handed out on the first day.
The result today wasn't good it WAS poor but there are 37 games to go and a maximum of 111 points to be claimed still. We won't claim all of them but we sure as hell ain't gonna lose all of them which you think we would the way some are reacting on here.

Well said.

In 10 games time if we've won 9 and drawn 1 and Chelsea, the Mancs and the ar$e have all dropped 4 or 5 points everyone will be back on the "here comes 19" bandwagon. One game in and it's all over. I thought we were a bit more resilient than this? But I guess all we are now is a bunch of knee-jerk, reactionaries who like to jump on one of our best teams in years at the first opportunity.

All games on the first day have absolutely no context as to what will happen for the rest of the season and tend to throw up over-performances and shock results (just like the third round of the cup). If, come May 2007, we end up missing out on a place in the league by 2 points then maybe we can come back and over analyse one result and claim it made a difference. On the other hand if we finish 1 point clear of someone (hopefully 1 point clear of 2nd!) then we can look back at this as a point that contributed.

well said

by **48-1119859832** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:30 pm

stmichael wrote:
RUSHIE#9 wrote:The negativity on here really does astound me. Somebody show me were in the history of league football the championship trophy is handed out on the first day.
The result today wasn't good it WAS poor but there are 37 games to go and a maximum of 111 points to be claimed still. We won't claim all of them but we sure as hell ain't gonna lose all of them which you think we would the way some are reacting on here.

Well said.

In 10 games time if we've won 9 and drawn 1 and Chelsea, the Mancs and the ar$e have all dropped 4 or 5 points everyone will be back on the "here comes 19" bandwagon. One game in and it's all over. I thought we were a bit more resilient than this? But I guess all we are now is a bunch of knee-jerk, reactionaries who like to jump on one of our best teams in years at the first opportunity.

All games on the first day have absolutely no context as to what will happen for the rest of the season and tend to throw up over-performances and shock results (just like the third round of the cup). If, come May 2007, we end up missing out on a place in the league by 2 points then maybe we can come back and over analyse one result and claim it made a difference. On the other hand if we finish 1 point clear of someone (hopefully 1 point clear of 2nd!) then we can look back at this as a point that contributed.

This post obviously is aimed at myself as I made a "big deal" about dropping points. Firstly, I said we have the ability to win the league, but I also said that I don't think we are ready yet. I don't think it's a knee-jerk reaction to be bitterly disappointed with the result, to be honest, it's a pathetic result, especially when Chelsea smahed 3 goals past Man City and Man Utd (a team which hasn't strengthened much) smashes 5 past Fulham and you have Liverpool who draw 1-1 with Sheff Utd. It's not a exactly a great result is it?

I think people are confusing me for a doom munger, whose's saying it's all doom and gloom, I'm not saying that, but it's the first game of the season and we are already trailing Chelsea by two points, which puts a bit more pressure on the players at the start of the season, which is something which the players could of done without.

It's also a known fact that many fans were saying "Oh well we lost to Fulham, there's plenty more matches", that match proved costly as we missed out on the runner up spot, as well as missing out on an automatic Champions League place.

There is little margin for error, especially with Chelsea breaking into the 90+ points area, whilst I can see Chelsea slipping up and Utd, they are capable of beating us, Arsenal and one another, we have struggled against top opposition in recent times, so it doesn't go down well.

I'm disappointed, but I'm not worried, I think we will be up there come the end of the season, but I think these two dropped points will be costly come May.

by **woof woof !** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:45 pm

0asis wrote:I don't think it's a knee-jerk reaction to be bitterly disappointed with the result

I agree with you Oasis . It sometimes seems however that if you express any negative feeling about our team,players or performance , you're immediately labelled a "a doom monger" or "doom mugger " (as one of our erudite members put it lol) . If the happy clappy brigade want to console themselves by endlessly repeating "The title isn't won on the first day etc etc etc "ad nauseum, fair enough . The title certainly isn't won on the first day , that doesn't however disguise the fact that Saturdays result very disappointing.
But for a very dubuios penalty we'd have p'iss takers coming out of the woodwork . I'm amazed at how some people have just swallowed it.

:kungfu:

by **112-1077774096** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:06 pm

woof woof ! wrote:
0asis wrote:I don't think it's a knee-jerk reaction to be bitterly disappointed with the result

I agree with you Oasis . It sometimes seems however that if you express any negative feeling about our team,players or performance , you're immediately labelled a "a doom monger" or "doom mugger " (as one of our erudite members put it lol) . If the happy clappy brigade want to console themselves by endlessly repeating "The title isn't won on the first day etc etc etc "ad nauseum, fair enough . The title certainly isn't won on the first day , that doesn't however disguise the fact that Saturdays result very disappointing.
But for a very dubuios penalty we'd have p'iss takers coming out of the woodwork . I'm amazed at how some people have just swallowed it.

my sentiments exactly woof, if you go back through the thread you can see my thoughts on the game, in fact the word i used was 'shambles'.

when i was younger i would always defend everything about the club and look for excuses. as i matured i am able to say it exactly how it is. it doesnt mean i dont love the club, it just means i am more prepared to call it a shambles when it so obviously was a shambles.

people stop making excuses for what was obviously a poor performance, its not ok to draw games against poor oposition.

on another point why were we the only team from last seasons top 4 to play away

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:48 pm

A Sheffield view of how Liverpool performed

Liverpool

They lost two key players through injury but overall were disappointing. Steven Gerrard was, however, immense, and even when he was quiet in the first half he still seemed to be everywhere.

Despite being an opponent, Gerrard was a joy to watch at times. Many Blades fans were accusing our players of giving him too much time but I felt it was more a case of him finding it. Mohamed Sissoko also caught the eye although he was rightly booked and also committed two or three blatant dives, which perhaps should have been carded?

Bolo Zenden, often much maligned by Liverpool fans, showed good technical ability throughout even if he does not track back. Craig Bellamy and Robbie Fowler were poor and odd flashes apart, offered little. Ditto for Mark Gonzalez and Fabiano Aurelio.

At the back, Sami Hyypia got away with several blatant fouls on Hulse who I thought gave him a very tough game. Jan Kromkamp looked out of his depth.

by **davo_LFC** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:54 pm

Hyppia got away with fu.ck all, every time he jumped he was penalised.

by **ConnO'var** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 3:12 pm

peewee wrote:
woof woof ! wrote:
0asis wrote:I don't think it's a knee-jerk reaction to be bitterly disappointed with the result

I agree with you Oasis . It sometimes seems however that if you express any negative feeling about our team,players or performance , you're immediately labelled a "a doom monger" or "doom mugger " (as one of our erudite members put it lol) . If the happy clappy brigade want to console themselves by endlessly repeating "The title isn't won on the first day etc etc etc "ad nauseum, fair enough . The title certainly isn't won on the first day , that doesn't however disguise the fact that Saturdays result very disappointing.
But for a very dubuios penalty we'd have p'iss takers coming out of the woodwork . I'm amazed at how some people have just swallowed it.

my sentiments exactly woof, if you go back through the thread you can see my thoughts on the game, in fact the word i used was 'shambles'.

when i was younger i would always defend everything about the club and look for excuses. as i matured i am able to say it exactly how it is. it doesnt mean i dont love the club, it just means i am more prepared to call it a shambles when it so obviously was a shambles.

people stop making excuses for what was obviously a poor performance, its not ok to draw games against poor oposition.

on another point why were we the only team from last seasons top 4 to play away

Agreed..... This is the club that we love. Nobody's saying that we haven't a snowball's chance of winning it coz we've lost the 1st match of the season... It's just bitterly dissapointing.... not just the result but the manner with which it's happen. We just didn't do ourselves justice on the day.

Some constructive dialogue and criticism is surely warranted and should be encouraged, no? As good a manager as Rafa is, I don't think that he should be beyond criticism... He's human too and will make mistakes like the ones he made with the team selection...

Important thing is to learn from that and move onwards and forwards... something I've no doubt that he'll do....

Closing our eyes to the mistakes and being satisfied with what is a poor, poor result in a poor, poor performance will not serve the best interest of our great club. Hunger and desire is what the club embodies and so should it be the case with it's supporters.... else we mire ourselves in mediocrity...

Nobody should be beyond criticism (provided it's constructive) not even the manager.... I'm sure even he'll agree with that.

by **Kev Huyton 2006** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 3:16 pm

The point is,

No way on earth should a team promoted from the Championship, be beating us for sharpness and beating us to first balls, like in the first half.

Make any excuses about the pre season, but Sheff Utd had 10 pre season matches, and some of our lot were still active during the summer, and had plenty of rest as they came back to training later.

by **bigmick** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 3:40 pm

All this "the title isn't won on the first day of the season" is just silly talk in my opinion. If the first few games don't matter then why bother fielding anything like our strongest team. Let's lost the first six because it doesn't matter, titles aren't won in August.

while it might be true that you wouldn't be terminally put out of the race in the few games, it would be interesting to hear at what point people felt the title race was all over last season. My opinion was it all over bar the shouting after about 8 games. The only chance we have of finishing in front of chelsea is to put them under pressure, keeping close to them. You can't do that from six or seven points behind.

One last thought. On saturday Liverpool play West Ham at home in an early kick off. Failure to win that one (and it's by no means a certainty) would mean that Man U would need to beat Watford away (an absolute certainty) and Chelsea would have to beat Blackburn away (a distinct probability) to open up a four point gap on us. Our next two games after that are Everton, then Chelsea. Tell me, just who is under pressure here, us or Manchester United and Chelsea.

It started with the lacklustre display at home in the Cl qualifier, backed up by some baffling selections. It finished with a similarly disjointed performance and selection on Saturday and we have potentially dropped ourselves in the sh!te. First game of the season my erse. I said the same when we drew with Birmingham away last season when we started with one up front (as we did in the CL game against Haifa), you can't afford to drop points against teams which will be relegated, which Sheffield United certainly will.

by **stmichael** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:04 pm

bigmick wrote:One last thought. On saturday Liverpool play West Ham at home in an early kick off. Failure to win that one (and it's by no means a certainty) would mean that Man U would need to beat Watford away (an absolute certainty) and Chelsea would have to beat Blackburn away (a distinct probability) to open up a four point gap on us. Our next two games after that are Everton, then Chelsea. Tell me, just who is under pressure here, us or Manchester United and Chelsea.

Last season Chelsea couldn't even beat Everton home and away. They lost 3-0 to Boro, dropped 2 points to Villa who were awful last year, lost to Fulham, dropped points against Charlton and were lucky to beat Wigan and even struggled against Sunderland. I hardly see going to Boro and Blackburn as a formality. On a similar level, Manure have to now play three games without Rooney and Scholes.

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