Just back from the game

[Gunga Din]

relieved to get a win, its been a while since we seen one in the league at Anfield. thought we were rubbish in the first half, marginally better in he second, and despite a rather puzzling team selection that seemed to even puzzle the players, we managed to get a win. felt sorry for Lucas today, had a stinker and played out of position, Carra and Finnan also played out of position, thought Carra had a very shaky first 45, and had Sunderland any decent wide players i would have been seriously concerned about our left hand side. Sunderland are really really bad, which helped us no end. i've always been led to believe you play you best players in their best position. seeing players struggle out of position does nothing fortheir confidence, nor the confidence of the players who find themselves having to watch players take their place. what must Bennyoun be thinking. our best player the last few weeks, but shipped out of the side to make way for Lucas who plays at left mid. or Babel even. its a f***ing nonsense.

 

i'm very worried about next weeks game, if we play like that against Chelsea, they'll eat us alive.

[MFletcher]

Carragher has played poorly in the centre recently. It's not as if he was being replaced by a no-mark - he was a £6.5M central defender with 100+ games experience in a title winning Russian team and with several international caps already. I thought the Hyypia/Skrtel looked partnership looked much more solid than the Carra/Hyypia partnership recently.

 

And I have serious questions as to why we were playing Gerrard in the middle and playing Lucas on the left. There is something going on with that, because last year it was "Gerrard - right side". I said this in another thread, but I wonder if Rafa is worried about rocking the boat anymore than is necessary by shifting Gerrard out of position - where he will inevitably sulk and be the main talking point regardless of the team's performances.

[Dan]

Got to admit today was one of Rafa's most baffling line ups. The team was at rock bottom after Wednesday so now was not the time to play inexperienced players out of position (Lucas) and shuffle the back four. Lucas and Gerrard were all over the place 1st half getting in each others way and i felt sorry for the lad when he was taken off. At least we got the win, its a start.

[RafaShanks]

Lucas looked distraught when he got taken off. Felt really sorry for the lad. Not good for his confidence.

[lawrie]

Carra obviously played RB as insurance for Skrtel who had a shocking debut aginst Havant. The lad has to get experience somehow and playing alongside Sammi and Carra obviously worked as he had a much stronger 2nd game. Granted though Lucas left midfield is very baffling.

[Gunga Din]

Lucas looked distraught when he got taken off. Felt really sorry for the lad. Not good for his confidence.

 

felt really really sorry for him. he looks to have all the talent in the world, but a left midfielder he most certainly is not.

[Earl Hafler]

Carra obviously played RB as insurance for Skrtel who had a shocking debut aginst Havant. The lad has to get experience somehow and playing alongside Sammi and Carra obviously worked as he had a much stronger 2nd game. Granted though Lucas left midfield is very baffling.

 

It's crackers.

 

The lad will be dropped for the next game now and his confidence will go too.

[MFletcher]

It's crackers.

 

The lad will be dropped for the next game now and his confidence will go too.

 

And I have serious questions as to why we were playing Gerrard in the middle and playing Lucas on the left. There is something going on with that, because last year it was "Gerrard - right side". I said this in another thread, but I wonder if Rafa is worried about rocking the boat anymore than is necessary by shifting Gerrard out of position - where he will inevitably sulk and be the main talking point regardless of the team's performances.

 

 

I posted that above. Do you think Lucas would have played on the left and Gerrard in the middle last season? Gerrard would have been put on the wing and told to get on with it.

[Gunga Din]

And I have serious questions as to why we were playing Gerrard in the middle and playing Lucas on the left. There is something going on with that, because last year it was "Gerrard - right side". I said this in another thread, but I wonder if Rafa is worried about rocking the boat anymore than is necessary by shifting Gerrard out of position - where he will inevitably sulk and be the main talking point regardless of the team's performances.

 

 

I posted that above. Do you think Lucas would have played on the left and Gerrard in the middle last season? Gerrard would have been put on the wing and told to get on with it.

 

 

well, quite frankly, if Benitez hasn't the balls to pick the team he wants then he is the wrong man for the job

[Dan]

well, quite frankly, if Benitez hasn't the balls to pick the team he wants then he is the wrong man for the job

 

If there's one thing Rafa has got its balls of steel. No-one will be influencing his decisions.........perversley i think thats exactly what he needs. Pako?

[MFletcher]

well, quite frankly, if Benitez hasn't the balls to pick the team he wants then he is the wrong man for the job

 

He's had the balls for the last three years to play Gerrard where he's told. I seriously question why he hasn't been on the wing once this season - even mid-game.

 

I can only assume that club politics dictate that Steven Gerrard be kept happy. The only way he's going to be happy is if he's played in the middle - he's done enough whinging and complaining about being on the wing for us to know he'll kick up a fuss if he's played there.

[Gunga Din]

He's had the balls for the last three years to play Gerrard where he's told. I seriously question why he hasn't been on the wing once this season - even mid-game.

 

I can only assume that club politics dictate that Steven Gerrard be kept happy. The only way he's going to be happy is if he's played in the middle - he's done enough whinging and complaining about being on the wing for us to know he'll kick up a fuss if he's played there.

 

you're being a bit ridiculous now

[Guest Sabre]

It's not a popular opinion but it wouldn't have been the worst thing to happen had Gerrard gone through with his move to Chelsea.

Edited February 3, 2008 by Sabre

[Cam]

It's not a popular opinion but it wouldn't have been the worst thing to happen had Gerrard gone through with his move to Chelsea.

'Gerrard to Chelsea 1' = no Istanbul. So 'Gerrard to Chelsea 2'?

 

I'm still fuming about the whole Chelsea mess and have given more stick than most far it. It was unforgiveable and unforgettable for me. But what would Rafa have done - played an out-of-form Alonso and brought someone in (and his buying record is very hit & miss)?

 

Gerrard played well today. Not great but well. He was the only bright spark in the first half, using controlled aggression and getting forward.

 

He can be a big-headed fecker. And I hate it when players interfere in team selections. But Rafa's a goner - he can't stay under G&H. And even if we get DIC in I'm leaning towards wanting him out anyway. My take is that Gerrard and Carragher are thinking along the same lines as many of the fans. As long as they don't overstep the mark and plot Rafa's downfall it's all okay with me. As far as I can see they're just letting him do a pretty good job of it himself.

[Guest Sabre]

'Gerrard to Chelsea 1' = no Istanbul. So 'Gerrard to Chelsea 2'?

 

I'm still fuming about the whole Chelsea mess and have given more stick than most far it. It was unforgiveable and unforgettable for me. But what would Rafa have done - played an out-of-form Alonso and brought someone in (and his buying record is very hit & miss)?

 

Gerrard played well today. Not great but well. He was the only bright spark in the first half, using controlled aggression and getting forward.

 

He can be a big-headed fecker. And I hate it when players interfere in team selections. But Rafa's a goner - he can't stay under G&H. And even if we get DIC in I'm leaning towards wanting him out anyway. My take is that Gerrard and Carragher are thinking along the same lines as many of the fans. As long as they don't overstep the mark and plot Rafa's downfall it's all okay with me. As far as I can see they're just letting him do a pretty good job of it himself.

 

Don't think you're far wrong there. Gerrard is doing just enough out there to not draw negative attention to himself. We all know he can offer far more though.

[MFletcher]

'Gerrard to Chelsea 1' = no Istanbul. So 'Gerrard to Chelsea 2'?

 

I'm still fuming about the whole Chelsea mess and have given more stick than most far it. It was unforgiveable and unforgettable for me. But what would Rafa have done - played an out-of-form Alonso and brought someone in (and his buying record is very hit & miss)?

 

Gerrard played well today. Not great but well. He was the only bright spark in the first half, using controlled aggression and getting forward.

 

He can be a big-headed fecker. And I hate it when players interfere in team selections. But Rafa's a goner - he can't stay under G&H. And even if we get DIC in I'm leaning towards wanting him out anyway. My take is that Gerrard and Carragher are thinking along the same lines as many of the fans. As long as they don't overstep the mark and plot Rafa's downfall it's all okay with me. As far as I can see they're just letting him do a pretty good job of it himself.

 

Rafa's three biggest purchases are Torres, Mascherano and Alonso - all have been very successful buys.

 

I think we can trust Rafa with large sums of money. Any player in the £4M-£9M bracket will be a gamble one way or the other. It's only when you pay a top-level fee do you guarantee a top-level player.

 

I'm now of the opinion that we will not progress as a team whilst Gerrard is here. An unpopular view it may be, but even if a new manager came in, he would still have to cope with the whole political aspect of keeping him happy. He'll still want to play in the centre, there will be a media clamber about a "return to the Rafa era" if he's ever played anywhere else and any decision like Rafa's to take him off against Everton will dominate headlines in spite of the result. He is our very own version of Alan Shearer. Gerrard going to ask Rafa why he was taken off after the derby, and then telling the media about it, was a very "Shearer" thing to do. He (Shearer) was dropped against a team and went straight to the press to say he was "hurt and disappointed". Let's see what happens if any manager here, regardless of who it is, drops Steven Gerrard from the team at any stage.

Edited February 3, 2008 by MFletcher

[Cam]

I don't think he's deliberately playing within himself. But the non-supportive comments from him & Carragher speak volumes. Rafa's relationship with the players was never remotely warm - Pako was the intermediary between them. It's not just on-the-field stuff that Rafa lost when Pako went.

 

The players will know what's going on. Gerrard will know whether Rafa will stay or go this summer, not as captain but as a major power within the club. It'll be interesting to see if he's using that power to push for his friend Mourinho.

[Dominus Maximus]

Lucas:

 

We tried him on the left. We won the game, we now know that Lucas can't play on the left. Easy money for that information. He might have been a revelation on the left. But he wasn't. Now we know. Fair play to Rafa for mixing it up.

[Maldini]

Lucas:

 

We tried him on the left. We won the game, we now know that Lucas can't play on the left. Easy money for that information. He might have been a revelation on the left. But he wasn't. Now we know. Fair play to Rafa for mixing it up.

 

ding ding ding...we have a winner...

[Jimi Rojo]

Just read a post on RAWK which made me think.

 

Along the lines of its the first time Rafa has dropped all the players who have been playing cack recently. no Riise, Alonso, Kuyt, Finnan, Kewell in the starting lineup.

[growler]

good point Jimi, probably relates to the comment that Rafa made after last game where he stormed off the pitch saying thats it!

 

I thought Babel would have started this game though.

[Guz]

How come hardly anyone has mentioned Gerrard's performances over the last few weeks? Yeah people have moaned about individuals in our side but there's been a mass reaction to his performance today to the extent people once again saying he should've been sold, we won't progress with him etc etc. Why tonight? Why not after West Ham? Or Boro? Or Wigan? Do we have nothing new to moan about?

 

Andy Gray and co. have shut up about Gerrard since the derby subsitution, trust ourselves, his supposed supporters to bring the whole issue up again. Bloody media/press b******s, always out to get and unsettle us.

[CaptainXabi]

felt really really sorry for him. he looks to have all the talent in the world, but a left midfielder he most certainly is not.

Honestly, if I was a young promising player and saw what happened to Lucas and Babel this year I'd never signed for Liverpool (under Rafa). f***ing ridiculous the way those two have been used this season. It's on thing to start them slowly and build up toe more playing time, but there is no clear plan in how they're being used and it must be very frustrating for them.

Edited February 3, 2008 by CaptainXabi

[realtarragona]

Lucas:

 

We tried him on the left. We won the game, we now know that Lucas can't play on the left. Easy money for that information. He might have been a revelation on the left. But he wasn't. Now we know. Fair play to Rafa for mixing it up.

 

Let's try Mascherano on the wing next game so we can rule him out being a revelation there too.

[Stevie H]

It's not a popular opinion but it wouldn't have been the worst thing to happen had Gerrard gone through with his move to Chelsea.

got this far in the thread and just had say what the good f***?