The Liverpool FC Thread

2-0

Solid performace. The Spaniards back in the goals, and we're still not playing as well as we can, Stevie G's been average, and Keano hasn't scored, Masch is injured and Aggers beign held in reserve.

We need to keep this stuff up 'till the window and make one or two wise buys.

Lets hope we can keep it up.

Some more good results since I last posted - especially the epic comeback against city on sunday.

On another note - trying to find a bright side to the banking fiasco - will the huge drop in RBS share prices have a positive effect and eventually (january?) force the yanks to sell?

I would imagine they are sweating a bit at the moment.

At the beginning of the season I really thought that Man Utd were going to run away with the League.

I still think that on their day they are the best team in Europe, but Chelsea seem to be much improved under Scolari and seem to have that steely will to win that champions needs.

Arsenal are great to watch and will be hard to beat but I just think they lack a bit of grit and good old fashioned graft and will be vunerable to the odd lack lustre performance as displayed against Hull.

Liverpool? Thought they were very average at the beginning of the season but they worked hard to get some results and showed a determination to win against Man City not seen since the memorable night they won The Champions League.
I think Liverpool just maybe, and I stress maybe, ready to challenge the supremacy of Man Utd and Chelsea....I hope so, it can only be good for English football.

Hey Reds Fans...

Lucky win today for ya, huh...?

Xabi sure got away with one...




Big match for ya next weekend...that day, I will cheer for the Reds!

The thing is, we have consistently had more possession, more shots on target, more corners and everything else than the teams we have so far played - even against Man U.

While it's true that we have looked workmanlike rather than spectacular, we have not really got out of second gear for much of our games.

I have high hopes for some silverware this season, but I also think we are probably a better bet for next season than this.

I loved to see Liverpool beating PSV Eindhoven. They played truly magnificent. By the way, budski, here in Amsterdam we were more than happy and considered Liverpool to be crazy, to buy Babel for 17 million EUR.

The reason being that he used to play very inconsistently at Ajax, but that has changed a great deal at Liverpool.

By the way, how is his current injury?

reply to post by Mdv2


He played as a sub last night and is looking sharp


I think he's a good young player - rafa will get the most out of him, I'm sure.

Decent enough result last night, I thought a draw was fair - although the linesmen and the ref need a refresher course in the offside rule

Just been reading some of the LFC forums to gauge opinion for tomorrow.

The overall picture is one of optimism - although I'm not so sure.

We're going to need a performance similar or better than the one against Man U to win this one - but if we lose it's not the end of the world, or the season.

I'm sure the lads will step it up a few gears and I'm hoping for something different than the bore-fests we have been getting in the league games against chelski.

The ref is Howard Webb, and he's pretty good - better than rob bloody styles anyway

We'll be going with 4-2-3-1 hopefully with keane up front (expect an appearance from torres at some point if we need to push forwards after 60 mins) and masch & alonso holding.

Lampard and mikel need looking after in midfield, and I'm hopeful that riera can keep bosingwa quiet, while on the other side kuyt can keep tabs on cashley cole.

My heart says 2-1 to us, my head says a chelsea win or a draw.

reply to post by budski


You know, you remind me of one of the greatest English commentators.

First game:



Second game:



By the fifth game:



You are sooooo gonna loose to Chelsea in the morrow.

reply to post by schrodingers dog




I forgot about the fast show

scorchio!

You are sooooooooooooo gonna lose your unbeaten home record tomorrow

reply to post by budski




and for kick and giggles

reply to post by schrodingers dog




have a bit of "king kev" throwing his toys out the pram:

WOOHOOOOOOO!

Maybe this is indeed our year.

Great performance!

i liked the way we handled them in midfield,lots of pinball machine 1 touch stuff from our guys.was funny when that 1 eyed man u commentator said "these are 2 really top class teams",as if in bewilderment and he was just thinking out loud..i laughed.

previous seasons we'd attempt to bypass midfield battles against other top sides asap.was surprised that they showed possession as 70/30 against us,it sure didn't seem that way.

the draw looks good right up through the new year..it's a good sign when you look at it and are confident of picking up a lot of points.

Tottenham worked one right up us at the weekend when we should have gone on and won four or five nil, but that's football! Still think we have a little way to go, one or two more good buys should do it after Christmas, before we can truly claim to be title contenders but if they keep playing the way they have been, and continue to grind out results. . . who knows?

One thing you can take to the bank... the team that finish above Liverpool will be the champions!

"Justice For The 96."

Glory, glory. Spurs FTW.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start, the game's afoot, Follow your spirit, and upon this charge, Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George'.

I must depart now, I need to go recover the skin of my teeth.

Originally posted by Mark Harris
Glory, glory. Spurs FTW.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start, the game's afoot, Follow your spirit, and upon this charge, Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George'.

I must depart now, I need to go recover the skin of my teeth.

Spurs were a cert to go down if they had stuck with Juande but now they have Harry Redknapp they should finish mid table this year and be pushing for a top five place next year.
As a scouser I probably shouldn't say this but I have a lot of time for Spurs and their fans.

Put Torres back in the team and we'll start finishing off these chances we're creating. To still be level on points at the top is amazing, we were bound to lose sometime, it was just the manner of the defeat really.

Just over halfway and top of the league - at least until saturday if Man U win.

So far we have seen glimpses of Rafa's vision, which is to recreate the teams of Rinus Michels and Arrigo Saachi, as well as their football philosophy.

Level 3 football, rotational football, pass and move.

Make the pitch big in attack and small in defense.

Players rotating roles, with each player able to perform the duties of another, whilst at the same time maintianing fluidity in attack and rigidity in defense with each player knowing his zone and staying in it.

Our side is extremely well drilled, and one of the most notable points so far this season has been different players ability to find space (apart from the odd game like stoke) which in turn drags opposition players out of position, and then makes space further forward for an attacking player.

One disappointment has been set pieces, particularly corners - but that will come as I feel we have been a little unlucky not to score more from set plays.

We are very close to Rafa's vision of total football, with the team acting as an organism in its own right and it is fascinating to watch the team expand and contract as the game ebbs and flows.

I'm still not sure we can win the title, but I'm pretty sure we'll be thereabouts come may.

Originally posted by budski

I'm still not sure we can win the title, but I'm pretty sure we'll be thereabouts come may.

the only thing i can see stopping us is rafa's continual insistence that "maybe" we can win it.the players parrot him and adopt his philosophy even if only subconsciously.

sure don't proclaim it's our's for the taking but to assume the mantle from utd/chelski the players have to believe they play for the best team.

it filters down from the coaching staff to the press to the players,split second decisions on the field cost points.it's hard to instill a winning mentality before you win it but the club has shrinks in place to advise the players,let them chat with rafa.

he buys class players,has a brilliant reserve team setup(how good is insua?)and could do anything over the next ten years if we could get rid of the owners.