Liverpool FC Forum

Bam wrote:Honestly Mick for someone who has become a bit of a cynic and lost faith in the manager, I find it a little perplexing in you asking the board 'Can we kick start our title challenge'.

Myself another known cynic will catergorically state here and now a big fat NO. Thats my opinion. Any chance we had of sniffing out Man U for the title went on Saturday at home to Man. C.

It doesnt surpise me one iota to see us struggle in beating a run of the meal Premiership team with a dismal away record. Then fly off to Madrid a few days later and get a fantastic result out there. Its happened time and time again with this Liverpool side under Benitez, no doubt come Saturday we'll all be frustrated as f.uck in watching us try and beat Boro.

My observation in this Jekyll and Hyde style of football we play is quite simple. When our boys are on the fields of Europe playing the likes of Juve, Barca, Milan or Madrid. Its a kind of back to the walls job, in containing these sides for the most part, then more often than not we get the snatch and grab. Primarly because Rafas' methods towards the approach of games like this go hand in glove with our opposition. We're IMO and believe it or not and silly as it may sound, a better side without the ball. The onus is usually on the home sides of Juve and Madrid to come forward and play possesion football, while a very organised and industrial Liverpool side will soak up pressure, chew it up and spit it out.

Yet when it comes to the bread and butter stuff, where 9 times out of 10 the onus is on us to go for the jugular. We are far far from impressive, we have got to be one of the worst sides for the amount of possesion in these matches to squander three points. This is my beef with Rafa, we dont get enough men into the box, we all to often look void of any kind of ideas in the final third and our midfielders baring Gerrard dont contribute enough towards our goal tally. What irks me is that its as obvious as the nose upon your face, this ever so familiar frustration of waching us huff and puff. Only to blow out a draw, and this vital part of our game doesnt appear or hasnt appeared to be worked on including transfer market activity.

The title winning boat IMO though has well and truly sailed, and the CL is now where its at for my money of bringing back a trophy. The lads did well last night, and I dont think Madrid were as bad as some of the people on here making them out to be.

bigmick wrote:Can in though be the case that the win can lift us? I think it can. Man Utd although being strong favourites to go through against Inter, will be losing a wink or two of sleep, and I can't help thinking if we can just beat them Old Trafford we might just be avble to put the doubts up even more. Even if we can't catch them in the league, it'd be nice to contribute towards them not winning the Champions League again.

Our next two games, Middlesboro away and Sunderland at Home. Strongest team possible, no Lucas's, Dossena's, Babels or Lee Peltiers. Two wins and lets put the wind up the Mancs at least.

7_Kewell wrote:To kick start our league campaign would require a clear out and 2-3 key signings. Babel and Dossena shouldn't ever be allowed within a 100 yards of our training pitch, let alone be playing regular first team football.

Rafa's shambolic summer signings and cringworthy outbursts have blown our title bid, and nothing is going to bring that back. At least not this season.

HacksawJimDuggin wrote:

7_Kewell wrote:To kick start our league campaign would require a clear out and 2-3 key signings. Babel and Dossena shouldn't ever be allowed within a 100 yards of our training pitch, let alone be playing regular first team football.

Rafa's shambolic summer signings and cringworthy outbursts have blown our title bid, and nothing is going to bring that back. At least not this season.

I would have to agree with you.

Man Utd have been handed the title on a plate by LFC's inconsistency. All the sh*t with Gerrard at Xmas, Rafa's outburst, contract talks, ownership etc have meant that we have ruined our best chance in years to win the league.

We need to focus on staying in the top 3 (as 4th spot will see a VERY tough CL qualifying game next season) and the Champions League this season.

Bam wrote:Yet when it comes to the bread and butter stuff, where 9 times out of 10 the onus is on us to go for the jugular. We are far far from impressive, we have got to be one of the worst sides for the amount of possesion in these matches to squander three points. This is my beef with Rafa, we dont get enough men into the box, we all to often look void of any kind of ideas in the final third and our midfielders baring Gerrard dont contribute enough towards our goal tally. What irks me is that its as obvious as the nose upon your face, this ever so familiar frustration of waching us huff and puff. Only to blow out a draw, and this vital part of our game doesnt appear or hasnt appeared to be worked on including transfer market activity.

The title winning boat IMO though has well and truly sailed, and the CL is now where its at for my money of bringing back a trophy. The lads did well last night, and I dont think Madrid were as bad as some of the people on here making them out to be.

Bam wrote:Honestly Mick for someone who has become a bit of a cynic and lost faith in the manager, I find it a little perplexing in you asking the board 'Can we kick start our title challenge'.

Myself another known cynic will catergorically state here and now a big fat NO. Thats my opinion. Any chance we had of sniffing out Man U for the title went on Saturday at home to Man. C.

It doesnt surpise me one iota to see us struggle in beating a run of the meal Premiership team with a dismal away record. Then fly off to Madrid a few days later and get a fantastic result out there. Its happened time and time again with this Liverpool side under Benitez, no doubt come Saturday we'll all be frustrated as f.uck in watching us try and beat Boro.

My observation in this Jekyll and Hyde style of football we play is quite simple. When our boys are on the fields of Europe playing the likes of Juve, Barca, Milan or Madrid. Its a kind of back to the walls job, in containing these sides for the most part, then more often than not we get the snatch and grab. Primarly because Rafas' methods towards the approach of games like this go hand in glove with our opposition. We're IMO and believe it or not and silly as it may sound, a better side without the ball. The onus is usually on the home sides of Juve and Madrid to come forward and play possesion football, while a very organised and industrial Liverpool side will soak up pressure, chew it up and spit it out.

Yet when it comes to the bread and butter stuff, where 9 times out of 10 the onus is on us to go for the jugular. We are far far from impressive, we have got to be one of the worst sides for the amount of possesion in these matches to squander three points. This is my beef with Rafa, we dont get enough men into the box, we all to often look void of any kind of ideas in the final third and our midfielders baring Gerrard dont contribute enough towards our goal tally. What irks me is that its as obvious as the nose upon your face, this ever so familiar frustration of waching us huff and puff. Only to blow out a draw, and this vital part of our game doesnt appear or hasnt appeared to be worked on including transfer market activity.

The title winning boat IMO though has well and truly sailed, and the CL is now where its at for my money of bringing back a trophy. The lads did well last night, and I dont think Madrid were as bad as some of the people on here making them out to be.

Avi Cohen wrote:There's a lot of optimism floating around today - some even say we're back in with a shout in the prem.

Nonsense.

I want to post today after we WIN and not be accused of a Rafa hater only after we lose.

Is it great to beat Real Madrid at the Bernebau and put one foot in the next round? Sure! A! Brilliant! Lovely! Etc.
Yet, it was the same old dour performance that has haunted us the last couple of seasons - poor possession of the ball, poor passing, lack of ambition - an attitude of 'let's contain them and nick one.'

Some posters here don't care. We won 1-0. Some posters don't care that if we played like this week in, week out (like we have been doing) as long as we win the Prem. Trophies in the cabinet - that's all that matters. That's it and that's all.

That's not all, I'm afraid.

Say we do win the Prem? We break our duck. The drought is over. the Mancs, we get p.issed as coots, remember what it's like to be a kid, etc.
What then? Would these posters watch this tepid uninspiring football every week? Because the football won't change. It will never change. It will be 4-5-1 every week. Home and away. No invention, no creativity, no X-factor. Boring, one-dimensional football played by a manager who doesn't trust his players to play football.

I was watching the RTE punditry after the game and Eamonn Dunphy had this to say: "If Liverpool are successful, this style will be copied and copied and football, the great game, will suffer."

Some care about lovely football. Some care about results.

What everyone is forgetting is that both are possible.

Are you suggesting we get Simon Cowell as the next manager ?? 

It is a fair point and I too want to see good attacking football but in Europe I think Rafa has got the right approach, his record speaks for itself in truth-

Anyway lets just bask in the glory of beating Real Madrid for a few more days.

Scottbot wrote:

Avi Cohen wrote:There's a lot of optimism floating around today - some even say we're back in with a shout in the prem.

Nonsense.

I want to post today after we WIN and not be accused of a Rafa hater only after we lose.

Is it great to beat Real Madrid at the Bernebau and put one foot in the next round? Sure! A! Brilliant! Lovely! Etc.
Yet, it was the same old dour performance that has haunted us the last couple of seasons - poor possession of the ball, poor passing, lack of ambition - an attitude of 'let's contain them and nick one.'

Some posters here don't care. We won 1-0. Some posters don't care that if we played like this week in, week out (like we have been doing) as long as we win the Prem. Trophies in the cabinet - that's all that matters. That's it and that's all.

That's not all, I'm afraid.

Say we do win the Prem? We break our duck. The drought is over. the Mancs, we get p.issed as coots, remember what it's like to be a kid, etc.
What then? Would these posters watch this tepid uninspiring football every week? Because the football won't change. It will never change. It will be 4-5-1 every week. Home and away. No invention, no creativity, no X-factor. Boring, one-dimensional football played by a manager who doesn't trust his players to play football.

I was watching the RTE punditry after the game and Eamonn Dunphy had this to say: "If Liverpool are successful, this style will be copied and copied and football, the great game, will suffer."

Some care about lovely football. Some care about results.

What everyone is forgetting is that both are possible.

REGARDLESS of what you tihnk about the teams' performances in the league recently (or at any other time for that matter) can you not give some credit where it is due?

That last night, was a European MASTERCLASS in how to play the away leg. What if others try to copy it you ask? What, you mean other teams might start playing as a compact defensive unit and look to score on the break or to grab a late goal? Not exaclty a revolutionary new way to play in Europe is it? We're just better at it than every other team in Europe. It (and we) might not cut it in the Premier League but it does my brain in to sit and read posters using last nights result AS A STICK TO BEAT THE MANAGER WITH.

GYBS wrote:But how often is both possible mate ? maybe barce are the only team around capable of both but looks at the players they got .