Creativity

[Jim D]

Riera, Kuyt, Babel and Alonso.

 

Another game at Anfield ends in a draw, struggling to break down a packed defence, do the above players offer enough going forward?

 

Keane has taken a lot of stick recently, but looking over the past two games Torres hasn't exactly set the world alight himself. Maybe Keane isn't the problem after all but those who are the letting us down is those players in Midfield. The final ball constantly lets us down, crosses are poor and some of them just aren't positive enough in their approach.

 

Riera - Had a very positive start to his Liverpool career but since has gone off the boil.

 

Kuyt - Is played regardless of form, had a good work ethic, a poor first touch, can't run at players and creates very little.

 

Babel - His head isn't right at the moment, totally disinterested and is starting to look more and more like a player who will be gone in the summer. It could have been so much more different for him based on last season.

 

Alonso - I know Xabi is good at spreading the play and controlling the pace of the game, but if Mascherano is beside him, sitting back and protecting the defense, why doesn't Xabi get forward more? Would love to see him being more positive and making more forward runs.

 

Gerrard is the only one in this team at the moment who looks like creating anything for the front men. It's needs

to worked on out on the training pitch because our inability to create decent openings will cost us in the run in for the League.

[Rimbeux]

We dont have the creativity/pace in the squad so we should play the percentages and make sure we at least get enough men in the box to capitalise on the times we do get it wide and get a ball in.

[Farmer's Tan]

Riera, Kuyt, Babel and Alonso.

 

Another game at Anfield ends in a draw, struggling to break down a packed defence, do the above players offer enough going forward?

 

Keane has taken a lot of stick recently, but looking over the past two games Torres hasn't exactly set the world alight himself. Maybe Keane isn't the problem after all but those who are the letting us down is those players in Midfield. The final ball constantly lets us down, crosses are poor and some of them just aren't positive enough in their approach.

 

Riera - Had a very positive start to his Liverpool career but since has gone off the boil.

 

Kuyt - Is played regardless of form, had a good work ethic, a poor first touch, can't run at players and creates very little.

 

Babel - His head isn't right at the moment, totally disinterested and is starting to look more and more like a player who will be gone in the summer. It could have been so much more different for him based on last season.

 

Alonso - I know Xabi is good at spreading the play and controlling the pace of the game, but if Mascherano is beside him, sitting back and protecting the defense, why doesn't Xabi get forward more? Would love to see him being more positive and making more forward runs.

 

Gerrard is the only one in this team at the moment who looks like creating anything for the front men. It's needs

to worked on out on the training pitch because our inability to create decent openings will cost us in the run in for the League.

 

we have a great need for a garcia type player in our team,frustrating or not,someone with the key to unlock a defense is priceless.we replaced a very creative player with someone totally opposite,but he works hard and runs and runs so its ok in some peoples book.

[CaptainXabi]

Who can we sign to provide this though?

[Toni]

i just wish rafa would give this idea a chance riera (lw), babel (rw) keane in the hole and torres upfront.

 

Babel s favorite foot is his right so i cant see any logic in playing him on the left wing. You cant expect him to have a brilliant game after quite a long period on the bench and he still low in confidence.

 

Keane must be the creative outlet. that s why we paid a 20 mill for him.

 

Otherwise i really dont see any options with the current crop to play more creative, cutting-edge football.

[Ibby]

deffo kuyt and babel in the 4 have flattered to deceive as far as creating chances are concerned or unlucking defences. they either dont have the requisite footballing brain (babel) or simply dont have the pace to make defenders worry about what is coming at them (kuyt).

 

I am loathed to say this but surely the best example of what the wide areas of a midfield should consist of can be seen with the scum sides of the 90's and now more recently - they are packed with pace.

 

also agree that rafa is far too cautious also in that he does not let players make a break for it in the box when a cross does finally come in (how often is it in our games where we only have 1 man in the box against 6 defenders when a cross comes in?). The mancs always make an effort of flooding the box as the more players you have in there the more chance of scoring surely?

[Frosty Jack]

Keane has taken a lot of stick recently, but looking over the past two games Torres hasn't exactly set the world alight himself.

 

oh for f***s sake

[alias75]

Everton didnt want to try and play today and when that happens its never easy, it is true that we lack that creativity which makes it even more difficult against this type of side.

 

Rafa isn't the type of manager to load his team with attacking creative players but he needs to understand fast that in the PL this is going to happen most weeks so either we get better quality in the 3 or 4 attacking positions we have in this formation or he needs to give more freedom to the fullbacks or just have 1 holding midfielder in there instead of 2.

[Ibby]

oh for f***s sake

 

what do you mean by that? read the rest of his post before commenting ffs

[Ibby]

Everton didnt want to try and play today and when that happens its never easy, it is true that we lack that creativity which makes it even more difficult against this type of side.

 

Rafa isn't the type of manager to load his team with attacking creative players but he needs to understand fast that in the PL this is going to happen most weeks so either we get better quality in the 3 or 4 attacking positions we have in this formation or he needs to give more freedom to the fullbacks or just have 1 holding midfielder in there instead of 2.

 

its clear that we dont create enough but as someone else mentioned above (think it was rimbeux) we should play to our strengths. Why dont our players bomb forward into the box on one of the only occasions we create a decent chance? Torres the poor bugger had to fight it out virtually on his own when crosses were coming in. Just doesnt make any sense aiming every single cross to a person on his own in the box with 6 defenders around him

[Nate.]

I think most sides would have a hard job of breaking down that defence, United inlcuded.

 

Frustrating though, hopefully they will have a bit nore ambition at home and actually try and play football to some extent.

[Jim D]

deffo kuyt and babel in the 4 have flattered to deceive as far as creating chances are concerned or unlucking defences. they either dont have the requisite footballing brain (babel) or simply dont have the pace to make defenders worry about what is coming at them (kuyt).

 

I am loathed to say this but surely the best example of what the wide areas of a midfield should consist of can be seen with the scum sides of the 90's and now more recently - they are packed with pace.

 

also agree that rafa is far too cautious also in that he does not let players make a break for it in the box when a cross does finally come in (how often is it in our games where we only have 1 man in the box against 6 defenders when a cross comes in?). The mancs always make an effort of flooding the box as the more players you have in there the more chance of scoring surely?

 

Nicely sums up Rafa's philosophy, we just aren't positive enough going forward and we rely on 2 or 3 players to get goals instead of 5 and 6. The cautious (not to lose) approach works well in knock out tournaments but over a 38 game season it kills you because of the amount of draws you will rack up. The Mancs lost more games than anyone else in the top 4 last season but won significantly more.

 

We need players out on the wing who aren't afraid of running at players, willing to put in a decent ball and score a few goals themselves. There is no one we have who can do that at this moment in time. Riera looks promising but we said the same thing about Babel last season, only Gerrard over the past 2 to 3 years has offered that when played on the right wing, but we need him in the middle because he links up so well with Torres.

[Earl Hafler]

what do you mean by that? read the rest of his post before commenting ffs

 

No chance. Reads what he wants.

[Nebraska Red]

It is true that Torres has not set the world alight , but the lad has NO F###ing support at all from the likes of Babel/Kuyt/Riera.

 

How many times in both games did he get the ball and was surrounded by 4 or more blue shirts.

 

we have players making stupid decisions, players who don't control the ball and look up before moving on, we play the ball around in the middle third of the pitch and then try to play slide rule passes to 1 forward in a box full of defenders.

 

Torres moves out of the box to drag the defenders out of position, but other than Gerrard, we have nobody capable of filling the space left by Torres.

 

Babel has had his chance and blown it, Kuyt needs a rocket up his a$$ and Riera needs to get the ball in quicker and not make that one move too many that lets the defender back at him.

[madaboutlfc]

I stopped reading at the Torres has not been setting the world alight.. you cant be serious

[lawrie]

We played to win, Everton played not to lose - when that happens it will always be difficult.

[gkmacca]

We played to win, Everton played not to lose - when that happens it will always be difficult.

 

It doesn't suit forums, but it's true. What will they do, creatively, if we go and sit back at their place? Not much.

[Earl Hafler]

I stopped reading at the Torres has not been setting the world alight.. you cant be serious

 

He goes on to say that the passing from midfield has generally been s*** in the last couple of games, which it has. How the ****are we supposed to get the best out of Torres by launching passes forward from our own half ?

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

we played better today than we have since Newcastle. We should have won. There was a lack of creativity in the first half, but I was pleased with the change in the second

[Rimbeux]

We played to win, Everton played not to lose - when that happens it will always be difficult.

 

 

Maybe we need to change what we think will win us a game? This inquest is hardly a rarity.

[psl]

What will they do, creatively, if we go and sit back at their place?

 

What do they care about creativity when they can just score from a set piece?

[D.Boon]

I struggle to see what Kuyt brings to the team at present. I though Babel did enough to stay on today.

[Ibby]

I stopped reading at the Torres has not been setting the world alight.. you cant be serious

 

well if you read the remainder of his post then you would have realised that what he means is the direct result of torres not setting the world alight in the last two games (which is exactly what has happened) is the fact that we give him feck all service.

 

the same could be argued to a certain extent regarding keane, although he has not done himself any favours by missing a few sitters and so on

[Archangel]

I think it has more to do with Benitez's style of control and attention to detail. I dont think individuality goes down well with him - its just a thing you have to accept

[Rimbeux]

It doesn't suit forums, but it's true. What will they do, creatively, if we go and sit back at their place? Not much.

 

They'd do bugger all, but will not be fussed being the little guys trying to play catch weight and hoping that a well executed set piece will nick it for them. They are not capable or funded to carry expectations of winning trophies with regularity or even of coming up with the football you need to do so.