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Stilly

By Stilly
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SMD

SMD

Posted
Posted

Clearout who? We've got fuck all squad depth. We need at least 4 in before we even consider binning anyone, and yes I know we've got plenty of dross but we lack bodies. Our only flank players are Cole and Maxi. Pitiful.

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Stig

Stig

Posted
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I've missed something, why can we not play in Europe next year? :(

Because Birmingham won the Carling Cup and if Man U or City get the final and win, they are already in Europe so Bolton or Stoke will take the 3rd spot (same, if either Bolton or Stoke win)

We can only get into Europe by finishing 5th

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Guest

Guest

Posted
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Overall; so what? I kinda expected this to be honest.

Weve been proper screwed the last few years, now it's just about building and building.

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DeNeo

DeNeo

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Clearout who? We've got fuck all squad depth. We need at least 4 in before we even consider binning anyone, and yes I know we've got plenty of dross but we lack bodies. Our only flank players are Cole and Maxi. Pitiful.

Probably a bit rash, and yes we do need more players, but there's still a few who should be moved on. We're lacking in pace and creativity, which we have been for some time now. I just hope the owners recognise this and spend in the summer. I don't mind if we end up buying a load of untested youngsters, at least they might have the hunger a lot our players have lacked during the Europa campaign. Seems like since it wasn't the Champions League they just couldn't be bothered.

And I get rid of:

Jones (we've got Gulacsi who seems to have taken his place)

Konchesky (obviously)

Agger or Skrtel (as much as it pains me, we need a top class centre back who isn't injury prone or has gone off the boil)

Aurelio (too injury prone)

Cole (in 2 minds, hasn't looked good, but might be as he's trying too hard)

Jovanovic (he's already gone in the eyes of Dalglish it seems)

Poulsen (obviously)

Most have never shown (apart from Agger/Skrtel/Aurelio) they're good enough. I'd keep the likes of Maxi and Kyrgiakos as they've proven they can be good squad players.

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Gabe

Gabe

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What a terrible game, far too many of those this season. Kenny looked just as devoid of ideas as Roy; I mean, bringing on Spearing for an attacking option? Really?

I've been terribly disappointed with Cole this season, having been quite excited at his arrival. But he clearly can't play any more, he looks poor. And I know a lot of you like Maxi but I've never rated him and I think accepting him as being a good squad player just shows our lack of depth (and in many cases lack of genuine talent).

I think games like tonight show that when we need to get a goal against an organised and defensively set-up team Kuyt and Maxi offer us pretty much nothing in terms of pace, creativity or taking on a man/getting crosses in (well I guess Kuyt's constant offsides gave everybody a breather).

I wonder if this is the last straw for Pepe? No European football and no chance of a trophy now this season (and had we got through I'd have fancied our chances) and you have to wonder why he'd want to stay when he would be snapped-up by a club that could challenge for silverware. Hmmm.

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Dandy_Sephy

Dandy_Sephy

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I wonder if this is the last straw for Pepe? No European football and no chance of a trophy now this season (and had we got through I'd have fancied our chances) and you have to wonder why he'd want to stay when he would be snapped-up by a club that could challenge for silverware. Hmmm.

Pepe is an interesting one. Fergie would love to have him, but he signed a six year contract last year. I also feel he's more likely to stay with the club then certain other players have done, and he'll be hesitant to leave quickly for the sake of silverware that may not even come. Despite the colossal failure of the club pre xmas, we've turned it around enough that we'll probably finish as an improvement on last years dismal performance so I could see him wanting to give it another year if we don't has a massive drop off for the the rest of the season. A lot of our problems have been injuries, especially in defence.

I think the arrival of Suarez and potentially Carroll depending on the rest of his season will have shown Pepe that the owners are prepared to drop cash on new signings. Carroll hasn't had much chance to make an impact due to injury. but he's not doing to badly so far. Suarez has already been a menace and was sorely missed tonight, as was Gerrard. A lot of things didn't go right in the fixture, but I don't think a lack of depth is the sole factor. The team made some good moves, it just didn't pay off amd a lot of that was due to the opposition rather than simply being a team failing. They set out to do a job and did it and we didn't.

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Gabe

Gabe

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Pepe is an interesting one. Fergie would love to have him, but he signed a six year contract last year. I also feel he's more likely to stay with the club then certain other players have done, and he'll be hesitant to leave quickly for the sake of silverware that may not even come. Despite the colossal failure of the club pre xmas, we've turned it around enough that we'll probably finish as an improvement on last years dismal performance so I could see him wanting to give it another year if we don't has a massive drop off for the the rest of the season. A lot of our problems have been injuries, especially in defence.

This is the thing, though - I'm not sure he wants a season without European football, and who can blame him? He only has seemed to have made comments since the ownership changed hands, hasn't he? Given our remaining fixtures I'm not as confident as you that we'll stay in 6th (and it's highly unlikely we'll get 5th), either.

the arrival of Suarez and potentially Carroll depending on the rest of his season will have shown Pepe that the owners are prepared to drop cash on new signings. Carroll hasn't had much chance to make an impact due to injury. but he's not doing to badly so far. Suarez has already been a menace and was sorely missed tonight, as was Gerrard. A lot of things didn't go right in the fixture, but I don't think a lack of depth is the sole factor. The team made some good moves, it just didn't pay off amd a lot of that was due to the opposition rather than simply being a team failing. They set out to do a job and did it and we didn't.

Yep, Suarez has generally looked very promising and Carroll is young and finding his feet so he needs time - no complaints there. Injuries, though - well, we haven't had an excessive number of them really. I think we missed Kelly tonight - he could have helped inject some width down the flanks and he's one of the triumphs of our season, for me. Hope to see him get back into the team when fit.

I'm struggling to think of too many good moves tonight though. Plenty of hopeful punts upfield, plenty of offsides against Dirk, but few crosses from the byline (were there actually any?!) and no defence-splitting passes or wonderful dribbles/runs. And a poor/inexperienced bench. So I do believe lack of depth was a factor - I'd say that of the players on the pitch tonight Cole, Maxi, Spearing and (increasingly looking likely) Ngog just aren't good enough. Dirk is great when we need energy and somebody to be solid and stick to a position, but when we need to chase a game or up the tempo he lacks pace and skill.

We lack flair and creativity, pace and width. None of those are new problems particularly and it will be interesting to see who we are targetting in the Summer.

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Dandy_Sephy

Dandy_Sephy

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Injuries, though - well, we haven't had an excessive number of them really.

Across the squad, probably not, but it's cost us in defence all season. We've had to play Johnson on the left etc

I'd say that of the players on the pitch tonight Cole, Maxi, Spearing and (increasingly looking likely) Ngog just aren't good enough.

I wouldn't say any of the performances tonight were exactly typical. Cole doesn't play much and hasn't worked at all, sure. I don't think he'll be staying and we got him on a free. Ngog didn't really have much time to make any real impact but he was involved a lot in and around the box in the short time he had. Maxi and Spearing are usually much, much better. It was a bad game, and no player can really say they did anything approaching a good job. Usually you can take something positive even out of a defeat, but not this time. However, I'm not convinced you can use the game as a judgement on players who usually do better.

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Dandy_Sephy

Dandy_Sephy

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3 of the four aren't playing and footballers usually complain they aren't being played and want to move if they dont get x games. They won't want to keep the bench warm. Konchesky and Cole are probably sellable, Cole might want to stay but Kochesky certainly won't.

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redbloodcell

redbloodcell

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They bitch and moan for sure, but then when you tell them that you've accepted an offer from Stoke for them they'll make their excuses. Konchesky less so than anyone else really, but I wouldn't bank on Joey Joe Joe moving for love of playing given he's barely ever fit anyway.

You'll probably be able to flog Jovanovic somewhere abroad too, he did reasonably in the WC didn't he?

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Gabe

Gabe

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Across the squad, probably not, but it's cost us in defence all season. We've had to play Johnson on the left etc

Well Johnson has played there because Konchesky is awful and he himself is more of a liability on the right - but yeah, we have had problems keeping our CBs fit.

I wouldn't say any of the performances tonight were exactly typical. Cole doesn't play much and hasn't worked at all, sure. I don't think he'll be staying and we got him on a free. Ngog didn't really have much time to make any real impact but he was involved a lot in and around the box in the short time he had. Maxi and Spearing are usually much, much better. It was a bad game, and no player can really say they did anything approaching a good job. Usually you can take something positive even out of a defeat, but not this time. However, I'm not convinced you can use the game as a judgement on players who usually do better.

I'm basing my opinion on the season so far, not just last night. I've never been a fan of Maxi because I don't really see what he adds other than a bit of graft - and we have that from Kuyt. Ngog I've actually wanted to have a chance, but a little of flurry of goals at the begining of the season aside, I'm not sure he's progressing as well as we need or if he's at his level. Cole has been a complete waste sadly and Spearing I admit I've only seen in the last few games but I'm not really sure where he'd fit into the side barring a lot of injuries.

I don't that any of them have a long-term future at the club (or even short-term in the case of Cole). Like I say, it'll be interesting to see who we get at the end of the season.

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earlymodernsteve

earlymodernsteve

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I don't that any of them have a long-term future at the club (or even short-term in the case of Cole). Like I say, it'll be interesting to see who we get at the end of the season.

Particularly now that we are out of Europe for a year. Hopefully that should mean a focus on youth and rebuilding rather than short term deals, since no old stager is likely to want to miss out on European football. Papers are linking us with Zhirkov this morning which seems a little out of the blue (Badoom-tish) but at least suggests we are focusing on the lack of width. Apparently Eriksen is not for sale by Ajax but I wonder if the board will do a Carroll on that one and force their hand with a bid. And we are still short on striking talent. One of the West Ham management team was interviewed on Radio 5 last night and went through their striking roster: Keane, Cole, Obinna, Picquionne, Ba. Not that all of those would fit into a Liverpool team but the range of options there are exactly what we were missing on Thursday evening, leading to us bringing on Spearing and Ngog to try and shake things up.

Anyway, despite all the disappointment of the match against Braga, we should all be excited for tomorrow. Hopefully we will see the first linking up of Suarez and Carroll. The rest of the season is surely all about their partnership developing.

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DeadRussian

DeadRussian

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I think we'll have trouble shifting any of them

Konchesky has been playing really well for Forest. He was shown up somewhat by Swansea yesterday, he couldn't deal with the pace, but he reads the game perfectly. We really need a left-back, so I'm hoping we stump up the cash and that he'd be happy to drop down to The Championship (we're definitely not getting promoted).

I also like that he looks like a murderer.

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