yup my comment was served as a reality check too.

we really cant be even fighting for mid table places the rate we are going.

the biggest issues is Liverpool need to relook at themselves starting at the top. I have resigned that we aren't going to make headways as long as the comedy duo are there up there.

i'm just sad that the longer we drag the ownership, we see more exodus or top players. (& replaced with fringe, declining aging players)

our record against birmingham has always been poor, with our last win a long way back to 2004 if im not mistaken. then again every game is different and new, n yday was the same. yes its the usual frustrating game again, when we cant string together a few decent passes, skrtel were a little off at times, unsure clearance here n there, we look shaky whenever facing crosses, if we were up against a better side, we would have lost the game..
reina played well, n saved a point for us imo. somehow i think its not too bad of a result although we are expected to beat them, i can only say a draw is still okay for now

long posts by some, will read thru after..

gerrard should be back to the 2nd striker role. put a solid DM behind him, in this case, poulsen, coz this was wat he suppose to be. then put in meireles, as he supposed to be our new alonso. so whats the problem you ask?

i have no answer. i begin to feel uncomfy with RH all too wiling to play Lucas+Poulsen in the middle. we look so ordinary, bar arsenal game

One difference that I did notice between RB and RH is that while the game is going on RB constantly takes down notes and gives different instructions to the players, whereas RH prefers to rely solely on the players. There was minimal/no shouting, minimal/no instructions, no whatsoever.

Some may say that RB wants to control too much, but we did dominate a few teams and lost last season, can we say the same?

i believe that a good manager can came out with the best 11 player to win a game. Eventhough they lose, but you can see how they play, for example Liv -Ars 4-4, CL - Che-Liverpool cant remember the score...but for me im still satisfied what the team did. I see the flow..determination, ...still fresh in my mind, Alonso get the ball and pass to Kuyt, accurate passing...and Kuyt ready to deliver the ball into penalty box....where Torres was there...haizz...but all was history and im proud that i was there part of the history.

the concept here, pass and move, is it? where is it now? does anyone see how fabregas play? maybe he in form when im saying this, but in 4 game, i cant see the accurate pass from our midfielder....
who in charge to justify the player was good or not? the media-hype? or the scout?

as a Manager, they should know their job is winning the game...in order to win the game, you must identified/know your player, what is his best,strength, weakness,...backup plan if someone not available...

well it easy to say then doing it...if there is 'if' and 'not everybody the same' then we have a long story isnt? do the basic, and flourish it with your strength...

ps : just voice up from my heart, tiada rujukan dimana mana,

nowadays many team know how our tactic works , torres and gerrard up front and we dont have a good midfield and wings to support them .

i voted a yes for Roy on the basis that he was all we can afford and he is the only decent manager that can steady the ship, with all the rumours about Torres and Gerrard leaving...
he did just that and sprang a surprise by bringing Cole in....
Before the season started, was expecting realistically CL spot...and good cup run...

Leaving the results and table position aside, the lack of chances/adventure/creativity is just appalling...


we're still passing and moving...but sideway and backwards...

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Added on September 13, 2010, 2:51 pmOctober 6th..keep the faith....almost....

This post has been edited by nando: Sep 13 2010, 02:51 PM

I think you guys had some tough luck with the EPL schedule this season. Unlike Chelsea who played lower half and newly promoted teams like WBA, Wigan, SC, WH and this week Blackpool, you guys had to play Arsenal, Man City, Birmingham (who ended last season in the top half of the table) and this week Man Utd.

Cheer up and pray hard that you guys beat Man Utd. I'm supporting Liverpool this week as well!

thanks bart simpsons. So long, man u!

Thanks bart. He's got a point here, we have rather difficult matches earlier in the season which isn't kind to our new managers and players cause they need time to settle down especially after a tiring World Cup. Most important is to rack up as much points as we can, you can't expect our rebuilding phase Liverpool to come out with many wins away from home.

And about our scrappy 1-0 win against WBA, its ok. I remember Man U's title winning season 2 years ago when we got 2nd, they was pretty scrappy as well. They were outplayed in a quite a number of matches but they manage to scrap a 1-0 or 2-1 victory against lesser teams. Whereas us, we dominated quite a lot of matches, but still come out short in the end. I'm happy not to lose to Birmingham the 2nd best defensive team in the league and let's move on and try to kick their butts when they come over to Anfield.

Gerrard still need to play at midfield. Put Pacheco, Ngog or Babel to pair with Torres.

With Lucas-Poulsen combinatin, there is no one to control the midfield area, and create passes. Torres + Gerrard combination has lose the spark initially season back. Opponent knows how to play and deal with this strategy already, just cut off the midfield supply, nothing can be done by both of them.

Liv plays better after Lucas being subbed and Gerrard shifted back to the midfield.
Somebody need to take control the midfield area.

It is a miracle that Liverpool didn't lose, with such lousy performance!

If not Reina, it was another 3-0.

I am a bit surprise, RH didn't use Ngog, Babel or Pacheco for more offensive.
May be just like the manager said, he was ok with the draw.

I shared your view

this may sound redundant, but since alonso left, there isn't any players who can take control of the midfield and stamp their authority. gerrard can do that, but at the same time he can't be the one dominating midfield and creating chances while being at the receiving end himself.

lucas is not a versatile player, he's good without the ball. can't do much when he receives it. and now poulsen looks like he's a player with the same quality. masch, before he left, is also a defensive midfielder who excels in winning tackles rather than spotting opportunistic passes.

aquilani last season was more like a player with good feet and composure, but he too lacked the vision and ability to carve chances from nothing. and a bit too flimsy to play in the middle anyway.

benayoun was good with dribbles and runs, but is also not the type with good vision and strong passing ability.

in all the matches so far, we are losing the midfield battle and normally we'll see us gaining some possession when gerrard drops back, but when that happens most of the time torres will be isolated up front because lucas and poulsen aren't daring enough to dart into the box.

up until today we haven't seen the team gel and play in a formation we're accustomed to. i'd like to see how the team plays with gerrard sitting back in front of the back four winning tackles and spraying passes, cole taking over gerrard's attacking midfield role and meireles running from box to box.

it about 10million time we said Gerrard must go back to midfield...is it our forum only saying that or another International forum keep saying the same thing? and as a Manager, didn't he notice this things?

we didn't have any more strikers (firepower) if gerrard doesn't go forward. i know you're gonna throw in ngog, babel, pacheco or nemeth but too bad i think i rather have gerrard forward than any of them to go siding torres. I bet RH knows about getting a striker to balance the offense, but too bad we can't get it during the transfer market. I think you guys still remember that he tried to get 1 last striker before the transfer market ends but unable to offload babel to make up the fees.
don't be too impatient with the games, konchesky and raul just had their first game with the team and we've been playing against arsenal and manchester city early this season. I still believe RH can rectify the few problems that rafa couldn't and maybe we'll achieve something this season.

not sure what im gonna say but yesterday i only watched 1st half.

maybe too bored or myself too tired after balik kampung.

from my point of view, i think johnson need to get rid of his hairstyle. this fellow start to annoy me whenever the ball get to his feet bcoz he keeps loosing the ball.

and lucas, im not sure why he still play with liverpool this season. i cant blame poulsen coz so far i think he's quite decent but maybe lucas influence the way he played yesterday.

plus i think liverpool concentrate more on the centre attacking rather than play wide. i can see torres struggle to get the ball from the midfielder bcoz the defend is too strong.

hopefully, with j cole present, we can beat Manu on away game and meireles shud be starting XI.

jovanovic pretty much shit.. dunno why ppl sayin him world class.. even acting is failed.. shouting alone ??? WTF???

better keep riera

It's no longer 2005 you know, age is fast catching up with Gerrard and you can no longer rely on him as the sole DM. Rather than putting the responsibility solely on the CM, I would like to see the team as a whole work together as a unit. At the moment, everybody is doing their own things. Defenders hoof when they want to, CMs win the ball and that passes sidewards/backwards, and attacking players waiting as if the ball would magically drop into space. It's like we're still stuck in the Alonso hangover.

Things won't magically improve even if you put Gerrard in the midfield, as long as there is lack of movement and possession retention, we'll still end up like yesterday. I think that, is our key problem.