Just one win doesn't change everything. It's a nice win and 3 important points .. and that's it! It doesn't vindicate Benitez one bit. Honestly, didn't you shudder when he made his substitutions? :
- Ngog for Aquilani : won't that unbalance the midfield?!
- Maxi for Riera : alright, it's exciting to see Maxi but he won't be able to contribute so quickly
(he's getting on too) and Riera was somewhat threatening on the left and he was
beginning to shoot after he was told!
- Darby for Degen : yes, Degen is limited but removing a more experienced player at that late
stage and putting a young chap out against a Spurs attack that was throwing
everything forward?!
I think we caught Spurs on a day when their strikers and attacking midfielders forgot to put on their right boots!
Yes, it was a very welcome win ... but let's not get carried away!

This post has been edited by RedSiglap56: Jan 21 2010, 03:30 PM

Don't get me wrong people. I'm 100% behind my team, just like you guys. I'm just saying let's not get carried away by one result and swing to the other extreme. Who enjoys blasting their favourite team's players? But when they're below standard, we cannot pretend that they've suddenly become superstars.

Oh yes, the effort was there. Lucas played hard in nearly every game but he's not quite the Liverpool standard. Similarly, Ngog, Insua, Degen, even Kuyt do not match up to the Reds benchmarks. Can they not improve? - the younger ones certainly can .. with the right coaching, but not from Benitez.

Benitez is not interested in developing talents/skills. He wants players to fit into his tactics except for the 'untouchables' like Torres, Gerrard, Carra (even though his punting the ball aimlessly upfront irritates almost everyone), Masch and Reina.

Anyway, I stand my ground - not expecting much this season (because of Benitez) but hoping that the Shankly spirit will carry the Kop to motivate the team to keep trying hard.

That's why I said after the Spurs win that we should not get carried away. Why was Kuyt played as striker, some of us asked .. the answer is simple : he is (supposed to be) a striker!

No matter who is in our team or who is bought/brought into our team, this pathetic pattern will continue till May .. because we have a pathetic manager! That's also probably why some of the more informed players do not want to come to Liverpool while Benitez is still manager.

Liverpool need new owner(s) with real money who can hire real coaches like Hiddink - then, our team will shoot back to the top again!

YNWA

Kyrgiakos is a good defender but being from Greece, his skills were not developed to a world class standard. Our hero hyppia left Finland to ply his trade early and benefited from the exposure and became a world class defender. Given another two years, Kyrgiakos may become really good but time is not on his side, unfortunately.

Nevertheless, he provided something Liverpool sorely lacked since Hyppia's departure - aerial ball skills! Carra, Skrtle and Agger can head (as central defenders should do) but not quite up to Hyppia's standard. That's one reason why we suffered so much from opponents' set pieces this season!

CBs, like goalies, can play up to a ripe 'old age' - they're a bit like old wine! Vintage because of their experience and vision. Why Hyppia was sidelined so early, only Benitez will know - but we've lost a faithful servant! and our loss is Leverkusen's gain now!

However, not every 'old guy' can perform. I suspect these guys (like Hyppia and Kygriakos) train very hard. I remember just 3 years ago, another old defender was brought in and the manager said "he is a winner!" This 'winner' had to be released a few months later because he just couldn't perform - in fact, he was pathetic!

Well, Pellegrini's back in Liverpool - if he's been training our CBs, then that could also be the answer why they've been so shaky this season!

What has Benitez done to Aquilani?! He's doing nothing right ..

Has Masch threatened to leave if Insua is not fielded? That boy has really been a potential disaster in the last few games! The Korean boy is making him look really silly ..

I like Aquilani's determination. He was awful at the beginning .. but what a jump and nod-back for Kuyt to score! Great goal. Ngog is showing great improvement in this game - takes the ball well, holds well and is giving the Bolton defence a tough time.

With determination like that, 10-man also not a problem.

Ngog deserves a goal for holding so well and working so hard!

Come on you Reds!

Another poor substitution, in my opinion. Ngog may not be free-scoring but he's causing all kinds of trouble for Distin and company.

But I'm hoping that the determination will carry us through.

Oh wait, Moyes' substitutions are not that great either ..

If Krygiakos was not sent off, we may have scored a bigger win. I hope we appeal and he doesn't get suspended .. at least not for too many games. We need this guy's defensive qualities.

I must say Kuyt has really risen to the occasion in the last few games for Liverpool ... well done!

Ngog is a really interesting player - played well during pre-season, was poor whenever he played during the season until the recent three games. Yes, he doesn't look like a natural scorer now but he really improved in terms of ball control and holding.

He's a little bit of Heskey (because of his built and strength) and a little bit of Crouch (because of his height and surprisingly good ball control).

I felt it was a mistake replacing him with Babel. Even if Ngog's tired, he could still be relied upon to trap the ball when others pass to him and hold it till someone comes. Babel .. was just running around like a headless chicken - couldn't even control the ball properly .. sigh!

I reckon Liverpool should be assured of a top 8 finish when we get 53 points, based on last season's table.

That's my second milestone, a realistic one .. and 9 points away. Get 56 and we are assured of Europa League place. I know, not much at all but Liverpool is not having much of a season at all. 8 defeats already!

I know, Chelsea has lost 4, the Mancs 5 etc.. but that doesn't change the fact that Liverpool is having a season to forget so far.

Nope, I have not lost hope yet. If we can beat the Mancs away and Chelsea at home, then we may yet have a season to talk about..

To me, the greatest talking point this season is that the pack below the "top 4" is narrowing the gap : Man City, Spurs, Villa, Birmingham (!) and Fulham ...

Agree with you about Rafa giving too much instruction during the match. He's just too controlling and cold.

A world-class coach would have done all his talking before the game and then let his players do all the playing on the pitch. He believes his players and respects their skills/intelligence. He celebrates with his players when they score and win.

On the other hand, Rafa is implying that his players are too stupid to understand him and/or have poor memories. He doesn't let them play but tells them where to run, how to pass, when to pass etc.. that's also why he has to talk so much la ..

Yea, I know that finishing out of the top 4 may be disastrous to LFC. But it may not be a bad thing : firstly, these american idiots may finally let go of our beloved club; secondly there may be a clause in Rafa's contract that allows the club to sack him without compensation if LFC fail to get into next season's CL. Could that be why Benitez went to the extent of "guaranteeing" that LFC will finish in the top4?!

On the other hand, if we scrape through to fourth place, my fear is that all that went wrong this season may be forgotten. The owners, Rafa will be smiling ... then the next season ... listen to more excuses?!

Hey, I'm sure we don't want to see LFC keep fighting for CL place - we want to see Liverpool, the Premier League Champions!