Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:07 pm

The time has come to embrace an entirely new ethos at Liverpool Football Club. We haven't been playing fluent, cohesive football as a team for a long while. We've always been reliant on Owen's goals, Gerrard's passes or Kewell's mazy runs. I can remember just a handful of games last season where the team worked together well to break opponents down. Our goals would come from a moment of brilliance from a 'leading player' but never from a blistering combination of one touch passes.

Our reliance on these 'world class' superstars to win us games must come to an end. It is clearly not a healthy attitude in today's money dominated football world to be so dependent on any individual. If players are no longer going to show any form of loyalty to their club, it is time for Liverpool to adopt a new philosophy or perhaps I should say, revert to the old philosophy, of building a team ethic and system that can easily survive a quick turnover of players.

I want to see Liverpool knock the ball about with confidence and verve, I want to see an understanding between players, and I want to see an adaptable system that all squad players can fit into. Worrying myself stupid the night before a game, pondering whether Owen will be passed fit or if Gerrard can make the game because his wife is about to give birth is not what supporting a football team should be about.

We are fortunate to possess a talented group of players at our club who would benefit from playing a system of football they all fully comprehend and enjoy. There has been a sense that the team lost its faith in the tactics employed, constantly fearing their opposition, ‘letting their heads drop’ and almost thinking themselves into precarious situations. Countless occasions spring to mind where we had the attacking prowess to kill a team off but failed to do so only to suffer heartache in the dying minutes of a game.

From what I have seen of Valencia and the exciting comments made by Benitez already, we may have discovered just the remedy to get us through the trials and tribulations of the Abramovich player-poaching era. We have employed a man who has considerable and successful experience in dealing with the financial might of Real Madrid, a club I’m sure we all agree, has a great deal more influence than the nouveau riche and cultureless Chelsea. The situation Benitez is in now is not unfamiliar to our new gaffer and we can feel comfortable in the knowledge that here we have a man, who faced with similar challenges, made the right choices and led his team to unprecedented success.

It would be with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to some of the players I have idolised over recent seasons but this maybe the time for our club to re-evaluate its ideology in order to retain its place as one of the greatest football institutions of all time.

what does everyone else think?

by **Starbridge42** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:18 pm

You could be right then again you could be wrong. It may be time for a new ethos. I've always considered team play better than individual flair (look at Parma in Serie A or Depor or Valencia in La Liga) but will Rafa be brave enough to throw away top class players who play without loyalty? There are no to many coaches in this day and age who are prepared to do that with Fergie and Wenger two notable exceptions.

by **stmichael** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:28 pm

Problem is we are slipping down to the level of the Charlton's of this world if we sell our best players. LFC fans everywhere still view this club as a massive, global club. Problem is, I wonder whether today's short-sighted players do and whether the likes of Parry really does. He's often been quoted as saying "we don't want to be like Man U". i.e. Big, PLC type club. I would agree on one level but in order to compete we have got to change. Football has changed and I sometimes feel LFC have allowed a lot of changes to go on whilst being stuck in the past.

Sad to say, we need to become more of a Man U off the pitch, just as Arsenal are doing with the building of Ashburton Grove. We are currently bogged down trying to get our stadium built. LFC's plans for a new stadium were underway well before Arsenal's. Arsenal overcame massive objections to the building of their stadium - they were even relocating businesses. LFC have dithered. If LFC were really set on competing with the top clubs, we would have p#ssed off to a new greenfield site the first time anyone put any obstacles in our way at Stanley Park. LFC, whether it be Moores or Parry or both, has p#ssed around - scared in my opinion - to make really bold moves. I can understand caution yes, we don't want to end up like Leeds but nothing stands still in this world. Change is a part of just keeping up, we have not changed quickly enough, therefore we haven't kept up.

Would Gerrard even consider going to Chelsea if we were already in a 60,000 seater stadium with massive income streams coming in from all over the world?

Don't think so.

by **JBG** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:36 pm

Agree completely holy man.

Look at my old thread in Advanced Debate in how I called for us to emulate Porto, Deportivo and Valencia on the pitch.

I think in the short to medium term we need to get a more efficient squad with little superstars who play similarily to Valencia or Porto.

In the long term we need to get our new stadium up and running so as to maximise revenues so we can keep our best players and always have around £15m to £20m a season to spend on new ones, if need be.

If we don't move from Anfield I'll guarantee that in 10 years time we will be a mid table side playing in an old stadium, haunted by the past, and probably averaging 34,000 on the home gate. The signs were there last season when the fans started to vote with their feet and we had a few Saturday afternoons where we were a good deal under full capacity.

by **begintoend** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:46 pm

This thread is good for every word in the above posts.....

Yes indeed there is a need to change. Mentioned earlier was the standard of football. We have a glorious history all fans are proud of. Since than, we really need a team that produce success to live up to the history. There's a need to change now, and with Beni whom never succumb to player power, a new team will evolve around him. The top 3 has raised their standards too quickly. Its time LFC raised our own standards and show them the how great a team we are.

The captain motivates the team. Beni will manage the team players. The directors will fuss about the revenue and the new stadium. In each department, a job well done, will determine the success that we long desire. Take pride in the academy. I heard we have our ladies team, and they were unbeaten! Ever know why they could be unbeaten?

by **blind** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:59 pm

once euro 2004 is over and Benitez can get down toserious business with the players and convince (hopefully)sg to stay then we can move forward much more quickly as Chelski can have all the top playes they want but if they don't gell then they are screwed big time. Arsenals style of play is the road that we must take where a goal can come from anywhere in an attack even a defender without it having to be a set piece.

by **JohnBull** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:59 pm

The whole problem with Houllier was that he was star struck by the players and before him the managers were still mates wanting to still be mates or mates wanting to prove a point (Souness).
Although I was not one to vote for him (I wanted O'Neil) I accepted the signing and did my homework on Benitez. The more I look at the man, and the reports I'm getting from The Academy staff, the happier I am.
The first team squad were not and are not as fit as he wants them, the coaching staff were underqualified (and have been finished up),the long term ambitions of the crew were nowhere near as high as Bene's.

Sometime in the future I can see the new riech passing the power on to a new Sammy Lee with the hard work traditions we loved under Shanks & Paisley and a common thread to our play introduced.

Any of the present set-up ,who want away, can frig off, I think that we've got it right for once and we will bring righteous retribution on the non believers.

THE FUTURE'S RED THE FUTURE'S BENITEZ

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Is it time for a new ethos at lfc?

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