Last year was our best and most consistent season in English football for over 16 years. The team was balanced, the defence was immense and records were broken. It was the brightest time for Liverpool Football Club since the formation of the "Premiership Years" and we were back to our best. The consistency missing for so many years was back and we went into every game knowing we would win.
A big part of it was the balance of the midfield and the defence. Our 4 man midfield was up their with the best in the world in Stevie, Xabi, Momo and Harry. Stevie was immense, Momo owned midfields up and down the country, Xabi was a joy to watch and Harry finally got his groove back. The defence was excellent with JC and Sami steady as ever and Finnan performing exceptionally well week in week out. The only criticism with last season was we lacked a cutting edge in attack.
Peter has been and will continue to be excellent for us. Him playing brings Gerrard so much more into games and his holding onto the ball is superb, but he was never going to score 20 goals in his first season. Morientes could not adapt to our game and our style of play and Cisse was just not cut out to be a top striker. His touch and reading of the game was no better than mine!.
Well this year Rafa set out to put things right and he brought in 2 strikers who scored over 20+goals last year in their respective leagues in Kuyt and Bellamy. He brought in extra pace and width in the form of Pennant and Gonzalez. Aurelio was brought in on a free for cover and push Riise for the LB role. So with these and the squad from last year Rafa had his "Class of 2006-07".
We have not had the best starts, but then again the fixture list has not been kind to us. Some players have not lived up to the hype though. Some haven't even got out of second gear.
Pennant - I will never slate a Liverpool player who is new as some need time to settle in BUT from what I have seen so far I have not been impressed. He looks scared when he is on the pitch and shows no signs of trying to beat a man or take a risk. He is meant to be a right winger but he doesn't stay wide enough and his short passing game is attrocious. However Birmingham got £6.7m out of us for this drivel is beyond me. A bad signing - you can tell he was easliy a panic buy.
Bellamy - I feel for the lad, I do. He is a tryer and is willing to run his socks off, its just not happening for him at the moment. But it will. Today I thought Xabi should of played him in when we broke but for some reason he played a harder pass to Kuyt
He is a horrible cnut buts he is our horrible cnut!Gonzo - I have aired my views on him before. He came with a wave of fanfare making him out to be the best player in the world. People on here were saying that he would be starting LM and ease Kewell out the way. I know Kewell is injured but if he was fit he would be starting no problem. It spoke volumes when Gerrard was moved out there instead of Gonzo. He has impressed me a little but not enough but he is only young and can learn and get to grips with our game. He has been Ok, not
but not great.Kuyt - The A+ goes to the flying Dutchman. He is a very intelligent footballer and seems to have adapted well to our game and our system. He has played well and will get better and better as time goes by. He will score goals and I think we have a cracking player on our hands in him.
Aurelio - He is not a LB for sure , either a WB or a LM, not a defender. His positional sense is unbelievably bad but he is Brazilian. His passing is superb though and I will reserve judgement for now.
