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ras el hanout

ras el hanout

Posted
Posted
I don't think he did, to be honest. Crouch would have helped a lot today. Pennant would have, too.

Today watching the Villa defenders run about 12mph faster than Keane I kinda thought maybe we should have kept Crouch and 10 million pounds.

Keane's great though and it's early days. But Crouch was also excellent.

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ras el hanout

ras el hanout

Posted
Posted

Anfield's wasted space could be put to good use

Paul Doyle guardian.co.uk, Sunday August 31 2008 20:31 BST Article history

What's the point in moving into a multi-storey mansion if you don't even use all the rooms in your current bungalow? That, perhaps, is the question potential creditors asked Liverpool when the Reds recently came looking for a mortgage for their notional new stadium. By way of answer, Liverpool presumably sat in confused silence, drool slowly seeping from their mouths.

The solution is obvious - which is perhaps why Rafa Benitez refuses to recognise it.

The Anfield pitch is 101 metres long and 68 metres wide. What a waste! The minimum permitted dimensions are 90mx45m. That means Liverpool could narrow their pitch by over 11 metres on each side, ie remove the flanks that they've long left fallow anyway. They could also shorten the pitch by 11 metres, thereby giving an even greater role to one of their most creative players, Pepe Reina.

Not only would this condensed pitch suit Benitez's guileless brand of football, but extra seating could be erected on the rezoned metres, adding thousands to Anfield's capacity, almost rendering a new stadium redundant, and freeing up more money for Benitez to spend on strikers whose lack of pace makes them ideal for conversion into ineffective wingers. If ever one decides to emulate Ryan Babel by saving the side from costly Champions League humiliation with a wonderful cross from near the touchline in the 27th minute of extra-time against Belgian hicks, he can be dropped for the next match so that Robbie Keane can again totter fruitlessly down the channels.

If Fernando Torres then gets injured chasing yet another over-hit pass, Keane can be left marooned on the left while a cut-price import from PSG reserves lurches around up front instead of the £20m striker. His confidence duly shattered, Keane will be ready for redeployment in his preferred position, where, when a punt over the top lands in his path in the 72nd minute, he will dither uncharacteristically and allow someone such as Nigel Reo-Coker to hurtle back and cut him down with an embarrassing last-ditch tackle. Then Keane can be withdrawn – taking the value of the strikers who've left the pitch in the course of the 0-0 draw with a team beaten by Stoke the previous weekend to £50m – and replaced by Yossi Benayoun, who no longer knows where his best position is but is sure that if he does excel he will be benched for the next match.

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glb

glb

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Posted
I thought this was going to be Babel's year? Last year was Rafa just being brillinat by getting him used to the Premiership bit by bit, that's what you guys said. And surely Lucas is better than what we've seen. I've never seen him be anything but very average. You don't become Brazil under 21 captain by being very average do you? It's the Benitez effect in full... in full effect. And Agger, what's up there?

Playing loose Devil's Advocate, I would imagine Babel is still not up to full match fitness. He played most of last season, got injured before the Euros then buggered off for the Olympics soon after his ankle knack healed. Benitez may just not want to rush him back until he's 100%, which is fair enough. Agger's situation is slightly more mystifying and frustrating as with him in the side he gives us far better distribution than Skrtel or Carra (who is starting to look a little jaded). Lucas is pretty decent when he plays but with Gerrard, Masch and Xabi still ahead of him in the established pecking order he's going to have to fight for a place. Not a bad understudy to have though.

Of course Benitez isn't without his faults. For one he can be guilty of over-complicating things and isn't renowned for being the most personable of chaps (leave that to Sammy Lee now) but the season has barely started. Given we haven't played well and yet are 2nd, having conceded one goal in five games and have been missing key men (Mascherano, come on down) things on the pitch really aren't that bad (off is slightly more concerning though).

As for Paul Doyle having a dig, quelle surprise, the Guardian team can't wait to put the boot in. The Football Weekly pod is embarrassing at times however much they try to insist they're being tongue-in-cheek. Sod it, so-called experts across the board can't wait to have a go. Merson, Le Tissier and the rest of the Soccer Saturday brigade? Absolute no-mark dullards who think recycling pithy tabloid hearsay is the key to being a decent pundit; hope Thommo twats them all in a Mersey Melee one day. Redknapp, Lawrenson? I'm ashamed they were ever Reds. Keys? The run-off of a scientific experiment to fuse a monkey with a plum. Andy Gray? Just. Fuck. Off. Don't mind criticism when it's fairly spread but it seems like our club is damned if we do and damned if we don't. Hope they all choked on their pints of bitter when the big Pole saved from Shevchenko (yeah, I'm living in the past a bit but why not when it's so glorious?)

Fuck them all though because, frankly, we're gonna bounce in a minute...

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Commander Jameson

Commander Jameson

Posted
Posted
As for Paul Doyle having a dig, quelle surprise, the Guardian team can't wait to put the boot in. The Football Weekly pod is embarrassing at times however much they try to insist they're being tongue-in-cheek. Sod it, so-called experts across the board can't wait to have a go. Merson, Le Tissier and the rest of the Soccer Saturday brigade? Absolute no-mark dullards who think recycling pithy tabloid hearsay is the key to being a decent pundit; hope Thommo twats them all in a Mersey Melee one day. Redknapp, Lawrenson? I'm ashamed they were ever Reds. Keys? The run-off of a scientific experiment to fuse a monkey with a plum. Andy Gray? Just. Fuck. Off. Don't mind criticism when it's fairly spread but it seems like our club is damned if we do and damned if we don't. Hope they all choked on their pints of bitter when the big Pole saved from Shevchenko (yeah, I'm living in the past a bit but why not when it's so glorious?)

Fuck them all though because, frankly, we're gonna bounce in a minute...

Highest of high-fives to you, sir!

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ras el hanout

ras el hanout

Posted
Posted
Playing loose Devil's Advocate, I would imagine Babel is still not up to full match fitness. He played most of last season, got injured before the Euros then buggered off for the Olympics soon after his ankle knack healed. Benitez may just not want to rush him back until he's 100%, which is fair enough. Agger's situation is slightly more mystifying and frustrating as with him in the side he gives us far better distribution than Skrtel or Carra (who is starting to look a little jaded). Lucas is pretty decent when he plays but with Gerrard, Masch and Xabi still ahead of him in the established pecking order he's going to have to fight for a place. Not a bad understudy to have though.

Of course Benitez isn't without his faults. For one he can be guilty of over-complicating things and isn't renowned for being the most personable of chaps (leave that to Sammy Lee now) but the season has barely started. Given we haven't played well and yet are 2nd, having conceded one goal in five games and have been missing key men (Mascherano, come on down) things on the pitch really aren't that bad (off is slightly more concerning though).

As for Paul Doyle having a dig, quelle surprise, the Guardian team can't wait to put the boot in. The Football Weekly pod is embarrassing at times however much they try to insist they're being tongue-in-cheek. Sod it, so-called experts across the board can't wait to have a go. Merson, Le Tissier and the rest of the Soccer Saturday brigade? Absolute no-mark dullards who think recycling pithy tabloid hearsay is the key to being a decent pundit; hope Thommo twats them all in a Mersey Melee one day. Redknapp, Lawrenson? I'm ashamed they were ever Reds. Keys? The run-off of a scientific experiment to fuse a monkey with a plum. Andy Gray? Just. Fuck. Off. Don't mind criticism when it's fairly spread but it seems like our club is damned if we do and damned if we don't. Hope they all choked on their pints of bitter when the big Pole saved from Shevchenko (yeah, I'm living in the past a bit but why not when it's so glorious?)

Fuck them all though because, frankly, we're gonna bounce in a minute...

This is exactly what everybody was saying for most of last season. "We're still unbeaten!" "We're missing key players!" it was Agger and Alonso last year. They're back and we're missing different key players. Babel should be fit or not fit. Why is he on the bench if he's not fit? Are we really that bad? And Lucas isn't pretty decent when he plays. He's just very average, he's supposed to be a big Brazilian hope. And then blame soccer pundits with this strange paranoia. They couldn't say anything if we were doing well. Damned if we do and damned if we dont'. I don't think we do. Unless the 'do' you mean is play horrible football. I like your moxie though! Your like a Paul Tomkins who isn't depressed and kidding himself all the time!

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ras el hanout

ras el hanout

Posted
Posted
Who has said Rafa is perfect?

Only two of you have suggested he isn't perfect, implying the rest of you think he is. The rest of you praise him when things go well and slag the players when things go bad.

I've just been reading through the old Liverpool thread. NOSHA was the chap mentioned not long ago as being very negative. Funnily enough when you read back what he said he sounds like the only sane person in the thread. Everybody else is going on about how much Traore has improved, how Morientes is an absolute bargain, how Nunes is good, how they wouldn't take Anelka over Morientes and all the stuff like that

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Twyford

Twyford

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Posted
In a few weeks everybody will agree with me. Hell, at least two posters in here have indicated that Rafa 'isn't perfect'. This is the first step.

Show me a perfect manager, there isn't one is there? Hence Rafa isn't perfect, he makes mistakes, Benayoun on for Keane yesterday being his latest mistake. He wants the team to win but his tactics can confuse, yesterday we were playing a team who expect to finish in the top 6, away from home and Rafa used defensive tactics to stifle them. As frustrating as this is, and as much as we want to see an attacking mentality, Rafa decided that this wasn't the best approach yesterday.

I'm not going to start being critical of Rafa on the back of some pretty mediocre performances so far this season. We have 7 points from 9 in the league, 4 of those have been lucky but the Mancs can do this too, and Arsenal and Chelsea. I remember Utd fans calling for Fergies head 2 years ago when they went through a slump, Wenger's tactics can be attacked too, Grant's were last year and I expect Scholari will come under attack once or twice this season.

Rafa's the man responsible for organising the team, geeing them up and selecting the best team for the job/game in hand, and it's easy to select two or three alternative choices to come in and replace Rafa, would any of them really do any better? We just don't know, and it's a dangerous choice to change into the unknown when it could bring about even more defensive measures or a gung-ho "If they score 3, we'll score 4" approach.

Whilst you have a right to your opinion don't expect everyone else to fall into line with it.

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Thumbcandy

Thumbcandy

Posted
Posted
Only two of you have suggested he isn't perfect, implying the rest of you think he is. The rest of you praise him when things go well and slag the players when things go bad.

Hold on, this is miles away - I for one don't think he's perfect, but I haven't posted either way until now. There are probably more like me, just a guess.

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Chewylegs

Chewylegs

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Posted

Very disappointed by the game yesterday, thought we were rubbish and no where near attacking enough. Some bizarre substitutes yesterday only made me think that Rafa was happy with a draw. Personally when Torres went off ^_^ I would have put Kuyt up front with Keane and El Zhar on for Torres as it was obvious even by then that we needed some width. I also couldn't believe we started with Mascherano, Alonso and Lucas. Again, El Zhar probably should have been tried from the start. Him or Babel. Far too many similar players in the middle of the team stifled creativity.

I have to say though I was impressed with Skrtel again and its obvious his form is keeping Agger out. Not sure on Dossenna yet and Arbeloa is going through a bit of a bad spell IMO.

I can't see us winning or even getting a result against United though without Torres and Gerrard. I'm not sure what Rafa can do in the next 12days to change that but I really hope it doesn't involve playing with no width at all! :)

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nohsa

nohsa

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Posted
Not sure on Dossenna yet

Neither am I, but it can't be argued that he doesn't look dangerous when he is going forward. He made two really good crosses and ideally Torres would have been at the end of them. However like most other modern full backs he seems to struggle at the back.

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DeNeo

DeNeo

Posted
Posted

First signing of the day:

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Brazilian youngster Vitor Flora on a free transfer.

The 18-year-old striker holds an Italian passport and spent the last campaign with Brazilian outfit Botafogo Futebol Club.

Depending on the necessary international clearance being received, Flora could make his debut for Gary Ablett's side in Tuesday night's opening FA Premier Reserve League North fixture away to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium - a match you can watch live on LFC TV.

Our reserves should be looking pretty good again this season.

Shame about the first team ^_^

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dam_aks

dam_aks

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Posted

I think the problem with Liverpool is Benitez and is his tactics. I agree with ramone on most of what he has to say. I am a Liverpool fan, but I can't remember the last game I have watched them play in that I actually enjoyed. Maybe the second half of the Champions League final we won, that is about it. Do people really watch Liverpool under Benitez and feel as if they are watching a side of the same potential quality as Arsenal, Utd or Chelsea? If yes, wow. I just get pissed off and end up raging about the place after the final whistle cursing the "Fat Spanish waiter".

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Daley

Daley

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Posted
I think the problem with Liverpool is Benitez and is his tactics.

If I can add my two-pennies worth as a neutral I would have to agree with this. I feel as if Liverpool have the potential to win the league (quality throughout the side, strong squad etc.) but are let down by Benitez being over-cautious.

To win the title I feel you have to attack in every game, home and away, and always go for the three points. Watching Liverpool you get the impression that Benitez's first priority is always not to lose, and while that is of course very important, always going for the win is the difference between 1st and top four. Last season Liverpool drew 13 games. Nobody drew more. I don't think it is a case of being negative or boring but simply over-cautious. Liverpool play some good stuff on their day, but sometimes you get the impression that the players are scared to play freely.

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Reynard

Reynard

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Posted
I am a Liverpool fan, but I can't remember the last game I have watched them play in that I actually enjoyed. Maybe the second half of the Champions League final we won, that is about it.

If the last time you enjoyed watching us was in May 2005, I'd suggest that you don't watch us too often or have very exacting criteria of your enjoyment from our performances.

If I can add my two-pennies worth as a neutral I would have to agree with this. I feel as if Liverpool have the potential to win the league (quality throughout the side, strong squad etc.) but are let down by Benitez being over-cautious.

To win the title I feel you have to attack in every game, home and away, and always go for the three points. Watching Liverpool you get the impression that Benitez's first priority is always not to lose, and while that is of course very important, always going for the win is the difference between 1st and top four. Last season Liverpool drew 13 games. Nobody drew more. I don't think it is a case of being negative or boring but simply over-cautious. Liverpool play some good stuff on their day, but sometimes you get the impression that the players are scared to play freely.

I'd agree with this more than anything else from the last few pages.

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Chewylegs

Chewylegs

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Posted
I am a Liverpool fan, but I can't remember the last game I have watched them play in that I actually enjoyed. Maybe the second half of the Champions League final we won, that is about it. Do people really watch Liverpool under Benitez and feel as if they are watching a side of the same potential quality as Arsenal, Utd or Chelsea?

WOW! 3 years ago was the last time you saw a Liverpool game you enjoyed? You are obviously a hard man to please. ^_^

To be fair I have watched quite a few Liverpool games in the last few years where we have looked dire (Souness,Evans, Houllier and Benitez eras). The first 5 this season come straight to mind. I would say though the majority of games i've watched i've enjoyed.

The same potential quality? Hmmm, potentially are squad (on paper) is nearly as good as Utds and Chelsea's and better than Arsenals. Personally only Arsenal I enjoy watching out of those 3 as well because Chelsea don't excite me and Man U I hate. The thing is I have seen Arsenal play many times and get nothing out of the game because they haven't been clinical enough. I'd rather have a side winning and playing less exciting football than a side playing amazing football and losing to Fulham.

I think too many people just don't understand its not just the managers fault or just the players fault when we have a bad game its a combination of many different variables.

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