Could the tide finally be turning?

[Romario]

All our "big players" showed up and I don't think anyone played badly at all. Gerrards finally scored again and we've looked more calm in the last two games. Not saying we can win the league or anything but with the champs league taken care of for a while it'd be lovely to see us rack up the points now and at least give us something to dream about come Christmas.

[Paul_LFC]

To be honest, the big test is our next league away game which is Arsenal. We know we're good at Home, it's all about whether we can turn up and get a result away.

[Spike]

  Romario said:

All our "big players" showed up and I don't think anyone played badly at all. Gerrards finally scored again and we've looked more calm in the last two games. Not saying we can win the league or anything but with the champs league taken care of for a while it'd be lovely to see us rack up the points now and at least give us something to dream about come Christmas.

 

To be honest we were up against two banks of 4 for the most part and our passing was astray, and frustrating at times, and we didn't look as penetrative as perhaps we could have been until the sending off. Quite a world away from Villa at the weekend in terms of passing and movement. Wouldn't quite say that the tide is turning. We've just shut a few people up who don't really watch the game but want to sell papers or jostle their place on the board.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

our passing was astray? Didn't see that much of that tbh, except in the first half in spells.

 

We could have used some more penetration but overall, it was a very convincing display. Full control really.

[Spike]

maybe I'm being overcritical - but it did happen and in places where we seemed not to be under pressure - as you say it happened in spells in the first half and I thought they gave us a good ten to fifteen minutes in the second half.

[Herbie von Smalls]

i was stuck in work listening to the e-season audio coverage and there certainly seemed to be quite a degree of disjointed play from our team. bordeaux weren't without their chances. the sending-off handed us the initiative.

[fyds]

First 20 minutes we were very patchy - they were less that even. After that, we started finding each other - mainly due at that point to Momo taking control on his own in the middle and Kuyt and Crouch providing better movement up front and giving Luis something to work with - much of our best stuff came through luis. After that, we picked up well.

 

Second half, we started lethargically and as Spike said from about 50-60+ minutes they got a bit more involved without looking too dangerous. Again, Momo, Kuyt and Luis picked us up and Gerrard found everything - including eventually his shooting boots. We were already in control before the sending off, which was a symptom of there loss of impetus and frustration.

 

We are very definitely finding our feet - 3 wins on the bounce, a few more and we'll be well in tune.

[Spike]

  fyds said:

First 20 minutes we were very patchy - they were less that even. After that, we started finding each other - mainly due at that point to Momo taking control on his own in the middle and Kuyt and Crouch providing better movement up front and giving Luis something to work with - much of our best stuff came through luis. After that, we picked up well.

 

Second half, we started lethargically and as Spike said from about 50-60+ minutes they got a bit more involved without looking too dangerous. Again, Momo, Kuyt and Luis picked us up and Gerrard found everything - including eventually his shooting boots. We were already in control before the sending off, which was a symptom of there loss of impetus and frustration.

 

We are very definitely finding our feet - 3 wins on the bounce, a few more and we'll be well in tune.

 

hey we still could get a possible 98 points from the league y'know. Was won with 91 last year, 95 the year before, 90 in 03/04, 83 in 02/03, 87 in 01/02. Plus we've played most of our well known tough aways.

[fyds]

  Spike Starski said:

hey we still could get a possible 98 points from the league y'know. Was won with 91 last year, 95 the year before, 90 in 03/04, 83 in 02/03, 87 in 01/02. Plus we've played most of our well known tough aways.

I count nothing until May - daft to do otherwise...almost as daft as those prats who call themselves 'football writers'.

 

Check your mailbox in a day or so Chris...something of interest for you shortly

[Spike]

Cool

[Guest Sabre]

Agree with you Chris - there were some sticky moments and a better team may have punished us, but I like the way we are trying to stroke it around and playing slightly less direct football. Our full backs are really pushing on, especially JAR. I think I counted 4 crosses from him in the first 5 minutes!

[Chili Palmer]

I would say we have been playing at about 40% of our best form, the last few games have been at about 60%, still a way to go but definatly getting better.

 

Quick mention for Gerrard, he seems alot happier and is playing more of a discaplined captains role, been a big factor in our improvement.

[McBain]

I think 3-0 suggests an easier game and a better performance than we actually gave. When we were up against 11 i didn't think we created that much or looked that fluid. But we were doing just enough.

 

I dont mind winning without playing well in the slightest though. If we can manage that away from home a few times then all the better

[Cunny]

I thought we were poor for much of the match. Granted they had 10 men behind the ball for much of the game but I thought our passing was woeful.

[Falconhoof]

We only needed to be poor.

 

We need to find more in the league, thats where conclusions can be drawn.

[johngibo YPC]

  Cunny said:

I thought we were poor for much of the match. Granted they had 10 men behind the ball for much of the game but I thought our passing was woeful.

 

agreed. For most of the game we were rubbish. Until they had a player sent off they looked far more likely to get an equalizer than we did to score a second.

Apart from the fact their strikers were garbage

[Mike]

  Romario said:

All our "big players" showed up and I don't think anyone played badly at all. Gerrards finally scored again and we've looked more calm in the last two games. Not saying we can win the league or anything but with the champs league taken care of for a while it'd be lovely to see us rack up the points now and at least give us something to dream about come Christmas.

 

thought riise had a nightmare.

[beejay]

Bordeaux were a classic counter-attacking side and we coughed the ball up in midfield too often at times, particularly start of the 2nd half, giving them the opportunity to break but our defending is starting to reach last year's standards and Carra especially looked back to his usual level.

 

They pushed up on Alonso after about 30 mins, starving us of our main outlet of "safe" possession, but it's noticeable that the likes of Garcia & Gerrard were playing a lot of short, first-time lay-off passes keeping the pressing opposition players away from the ball, as opposed to the barrage of hollywood balls in recent games when we have tried to force the play. In short, we are looking like a team again rather than a disjointed set of individuals and it's no coincidence that 10 of the 11 starters were regulars last year.

[alias75]

Any coincidence that the last 2 games have only featured 1 new signing in the starting 11?

[anny road]

that was a ore difficult game thatn people think until the sending off...they not only put 10 behind the balll they man to man marked us in midfield and were tight.....it was difficult to find an outlet......

 

we did quite well

 

  alias75 said:

Any coincidence that the last 2 games have only featured 1 new signing in the starting 11?

 

 

the new signings have been injured apart from Pennant

[alias75]

  anny road said:

the new signings have been injured apart from Pennant

 

What i meant was is it just a coincidence that the performances have picked up a little with 10 of last seasons squad in the starting 11. Its always going to take time for new signings to settle in and not all of them will produce immediately playing 3 or 4 new players at the same time is always risky although its a catch 22 as they have to play to become comfortable with what Rafa wants.

[jimmylibel]

  anny road said:

that was a ore difficult game thatn people think until the sending off...they not only put 10 behind the balll they man to man marked us in midfield and were tight.....it was difficult to find an outlet......

 

we did quite well

the new signings have been injured apart from Pennant

 

Only in the second half. First half Xabi had the freedom of Anfield.

[Lee W]

One game at a time please.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

  Spike Starski said:

maybe I'm being overcritical - but it did happen and in places where we seemed not to be under pressure - as you say it happened in spells in the first half and I thought they gave us a good ten to fifteen minutes in the second half.

 

They put us under some good pressure early in the second half but I thought we responded well. didn't give it away cheaply or started lobbing the ball forward which was good to see. And we created some very good counter attacks in that period as well.

[DaveLFC]

  Mike said:

thought riise had a nightmare.

 

Thought he was unlucky with that long shot he had that almost dipped in.