Liverpool FC Forum

by **Bermenstein** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 2:31 am

Both teams on a similar form path, altough Chelsea are starting to win again, but it is gonna be hard to call.

We are 27 games unbeaten at home, so hopefully that will continue. But I know Nothing less than a win is whats needed to keep in touch.

We really need a run of epic proportions to get back into the driving seat, so lets get out of our slump with all 3 points here.

We dont do 1-0's anymore, as we seem to keep letting them slip, so were gonna have to attack, attack, attack.

Lpool 2-1 Chelsea is my hopeful prediction.

Rafa needs to get Tony Robbins into the dressing room & the players heads!!

by **tonyeh** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:35 am

Good man Berm...we're bound to win now.

by **The_Rock** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 4:42 am

Someone was talking about sending letter to benitez

Can that someone send him this letter to benitez...ask him to pick this team whenever we can...and we will win most matches...

Reina
Arbeloa Carra Agger Auerlio
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso Riera
Keane
Torres

And yes...this is the team that should play against chelsea.

by **benjy** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 4:47 am

thank goodness you started the post!
was wondering if we had missed bermenstein's luck in the last few games heh.
absolutely need to win this one.

by **bigmick** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:02 am

The_Rock wrote:Someone was talking about sending letter to benitez

Can that someone send him this letter to benitez...ask him to pick this team whenever we can...and we will win most matches...

Reina
Arbeloa Carra Agger Auerlio
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso Riera
Keane
Torres

And yes...this is the team that should play against chelsea.

In actual fact if we were to run with my idea of really going for it, to contradict myself THIS is the team which I think makes the best use of our personel. Gerrard on the right would completely transform our play, and although I think he'd be missed in the middle Mash and Alonso would cope with it all.

by **Thewaykokid** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:47 am

bigmick wrote:
The_Rock wrote:Someone was talking about sending letter to benitez

Can that someone send him this letter to benitez...ask him to pick this team whenever we can...and we will win most matches...

Reina
Arbeloa Carra Agger Auerlio
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso Riera
Keane
Torres

And yes...this is the team that should play against chelsea.

In actual fact if we were to run with my idea of really going for it, to contradict myself THIS is the team which I think makes the best use of our personel. Gerrard on the right would completely transform our play, and although I think he'd be missed in the middle Mash and Alonso would cope with it all.

agreed this is by far our most promising line up. Won't get used though.
Predicting Rafa's linup to be:-

Reina

Carra Skrtel Hypia Aurelio

Kuyt Mascha Xabi Riera

Gerrard
Torres

by **LiverpoolMadman** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:35 am

The match that we need to win ... do or die ...

by **Owzat** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:06 am

tonyeh wrote:Good man Berm...we're bound to win now.

Two f in late?

by **Owzat** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:10 am

LiverpoolMadman wrote:The match that we need to win ... do or die ...

That, the one after that, the one after that and maybe the rest of the "one after that"s. 15 games to go, I've long said we need 27 wins and maybe draws mean we might only need 26 or possibly 25 - either way we need to win at least 11-12 of the last 15 to be in the mix - in my considered, and reasonably informed, opinion. 11 wins would put us on 83 points, 12 would put us on 86 - one points less than the mancs won it with last season. Any draws might seal the deal.

Hopefully now people can see why I say the pundit suggestion that teams can only afford to lose one or two games is the wrong way to look at it. We ain't top and we've lost least games of anyone in the Premiership, we ain't even second no more.

by **Bretc** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:11 am

The_Rock wrote:Someone was talking about sending letter to benitez

Can that someone send him this letter to benitez...ask him to pick this team whenever we can...and we will win most matches...

Reina
Arbeloa Carra Agger Auerlio
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso Riera
Keane
Torres

And yes...this is the team that should play against chelsea.

How can this be Rafa's starting 11 when there's no Kuyt in it?! Kuyt is his favourite son, remember? Yes, never mind if Kuyt is an average player with no footballing qualities. What's most important to Rafa is that he works hard. Now I'm beginning to understand Rafa's philosophy - he's trying to turn Anfield into a farm, full of hardworking farmers!!!

by **THEBARON** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:20 pm

Agreed mate - how many games since Kuyt scored!
If it isn't bad enough worrying about the game we have to worry/agonise over whether our manager will play his strongest team.
Kuyt has a number of qualities - but lacks pace , technique and composure.
If other teams have made substantial bids then take the money.

by **Owzat** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:26 pm

THEBARON wrote:Agreed mate - how many games since Kuyt scored!
If it isn't bad enough worrying about the game we have to worry/agonise over whether our manager will play his strongest team.
Kuyt has a number of qualities - but lacks pace , technique and composure.
If other teams have made substantial bids then take the money.

What are the alternatives?

Gerrard - playing him on the right would take him out of his effective central role behind Torres, they link up well

Benayoun - the one that scores a good goal or the one that does feck all or the one that gives away silly free-kicks from which we concede equalisers?

Pennant - not an option anymore

Babel - the one that does feck all, the one that does feck all or the one that does feck all?

Riera - Rafa seemed to have sorted the left side out, now he's preferring Babel there and leaving Riera out! How quickly times change

El Zhar - the forgotten man of the team, we were doing well while he was making cameo substitute appearances earlier in the season.

Not saying Kuyt is great, he has been very effective on the right for us and we're not exactly overloaded with obviously better RMs.

by **Richj** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:31 pm

The_Rock wrote:Someone was talking about sending letter to benitez

Can that someone send him this letter to benitez...ask him to pick this team whenever we can...and we will win most matches...

Reina
Arbeloa Carra Agger Auerlio
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso Riera
Keane
Torres

And yes...this is the team that should play against chelsea.

We should be playing this every game then taking of key players when we are 2 up with not a lot of game to play.

by **THEBARON** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:35 pm

Yes the lack of alternatives is a concern.
If you put Gerrard out wide you lose his effectiveness elsewhere.
El Zhar has been reasonably effective in short bursts - but would he work from the start
I also agree with your comments about Babel and Riera.
Kuyt has done a reasonable job - but if you are a side with genuine title aspirations then he should really not be an option.
Would you see him starting for Man Utd or Chelsea.
Rather than knocking Kuyt ( and you cannot fault his work rate ) maybe we should look at the manager.

by **Owzat** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:59 pm

THEBARON wrote:Kuyt has done a reasonable job - but if you are a side with genuine title aspirations then he should really not be an option.
Would you see him starting for Man Utd or Chelsea.
Rather than knocking Kuyt ( and you cannot fault his work rate ) maybe we should look at the manager.

Kuyt was part of the side that started the season well, ask yourself what changed. Rafa got annoyed with Keane's lack of return, moved Kuyt about, chopped and changed and became less and less effective with his tactics to the point that a point is par for the course in most games for us.

Would Kuyt start for Man Utd or Chelsea? Probably not, not with their current squads. But they can score from all over the pitch so they wouldn't be so worried if they did have Kuyt in the side like a lot of our fans are. Lampard, Drogba, Joe Cole, Anelka, Kalou and others for Chelsea, Ronaldo, Berbatov, Tevez, Giggs, Scholes, Carrick, Vidic, Nani, Park, Fletcher etc for Man Utd. How often do our back four score? How often do our midfield score - Gerrard apart? I think their managers would appreciate what Kuyt brings to the team, their teams can relax while our's can see what's coming the same as we fans can.

I think Kuyt is just one of those easy scapegoats, our supposed star players like Gerrard, Torres, Mascherano, Alonso, Riera, Carra, Skrtel, Reina etc aren't exactly performing above themselves or even to a great level or the gap fillers wouldn't be such an issue. Funny how we reckon six, seven or maybe eight of the team are top quality*, but it's the fault of the few that we aren't winning.............................

*see the 'rate our players' thread, apparently our side is brimming with quality, yet the weak links always carry the can

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