Stark Realisation

[The_Adder]

Something changed in me last night as I was watching our team, I seemed to realise that we really are in a bad way.

 

Despite our horrible, horrible season so far I always clung onto the fact that Roy Hodgson was in charge and that was the reason why we were so abysmal, I believed in the squad we had, despite a lot of other fans saying it was poor.

 

Last night I agreed with them for the first time.

 

Reina, Agger, Gerrard, Aquilani, Maxi and Gerrard – six players I think have the class and ability we need. Six in a squad of over 25 players and one of them was ridiculously loaned out as he was finally fit and showing us what he can do.

 

The rest I’m now afraid are simply not good enough and in now way will get us back into the ‘big time’ of the champions league and unless Af

 

Martin Kelly also looks like he could make the grade and we have Suso in the reserves who really does need some first team action before he stagnates at that that level, we haven’t seen a lad of this quality at that age for 10 years.

 

After that though I’m seriously thinking we do not have the players to compete with the *shudder* likes of Spurs to get back in the champions league and be challenging for the Holy Grail itself, the title.

 

That leaves a list of:

 

Johnson

Carra (unfair?)

Srktel

The Greek

Koncheskey

Aurelio (IF fit, he would be one of the best left backs in the country, but that is a massive, massive if)

 

Poulsen

Lucas (would be decent as back up CM)

Kuyt

Jovanovic

Cole (Given enough time?)

Babel

 

Ngog

 

From what I can see from the first team squad the only one who could make the 1st team grade is Raul, but he’s just come of the back of easiest his worse two games of the season so far where he has stunk the place out. He has showed class at times and it is time he starts doing it consistently rather than playing within himself and playing like is has the fear in him – it is time for his to step up. I really do think he’s a top player, but it is time to start showing it.

 

I’m going state the absolute obvious now but how we miss Xabi, a player with his amazing ability would improve us ten fold at the moment, it was a cut above.

 

This is probably the slowest team I have ever seen us have, it is shocking to the point that playing Babel would improve us as we’d at least have a threat on the break.

 

We need some serious recruitment and the next batch of signings will have a major, major impact in where we will be in the next five years, we have to get them right.

 

Step up Mr Comolli…

[Falconhoof]

Step up Mr Comolli…

 

and the guys who write the cheques. Its going to take some serious big league spending. these rumours of players like Suarez need to be more than paper talk or we'll be sitting here in 12 months time with no European football, grateful that Reina has stayed for another season and watching Torres bang in goal after goal with some other team.

 

I'm confident they will spend though, otherwise they won't realise the value of this investment, and Henry is far too shrewd a businessman for that.

[D.Boon]

The squad is dreadful and has been for a while, anyone who thinks its good enough for top five is deluded.

 

and the guys who write the cheques. Its going to take some serious big league spending. these rumours of players like Suarez need to be more than paper talk or we'll be sitting here in 12 months time with no European football, grateful that Reina has stayed for another season and watching Torres bang in goal after goal with some other team.

 

I'm confident they will spend though, otherwise they won't realise the value of this investment, and Henry is far too shrewd a businessman for that.

 

Indeed.

Edited January 13, 2011 by D.Boon

[JonShar]

One of the main reasons I wanted Hodgson gone was so fans could start focusing on the players that aren't good enough to play for us.

 

Anyone not including Kuyt on that list should be shot. He's everything that's wrong with the way we play - slow, poor first touch, and a lack of creativity. However, I don't think we should sell him - I think we should employ him as a ball boy, he's absolutely mint at that.

[richwilks]

One of the main reasons I wanted Hodgson gone was so fans could start focusing on the players that aren't good enough to play for us.

 

Anyone not including Kuyt on that list should be shot. He's everything that's wrong with the way we play - slow, poor first touch, and a lack of creativity. However, I don't think we should sell him - I think we should employ him as a ball boy, he's absolutely mint at that.

 

Kuyt's completely f***ed at the moment I'm afraid. He's running on empty and his all round game isn't good enough if he isn't adding the high energy levels.

[Bailo]

Kuyt's completely f***ed at the moment I'm afraid. He's running on empty and his all round game isn't good enough if he isn't adding the high energy levels.

Number of niggly injuries and his recovery powers are slowing I think, he's normally a Duracell bunny. I'd sell this summer as the last summer we can get a decent fee. I'll just have to make friends with him somewhere else.

[Chili Palmer]

Anyone not including Kuyt on that list should be shot. He's everything that's wrong with the way we play - slow, poor first touch, and a lack of creativity. However, I don't think we should sell him - I think we should employ him as a ball boy, he's absolutely mint at that.

 

 

Kuyt has been injured twice this season already. Thats twice as much as the whole of the rest of his Liverpool career. I think if the team was doing well and we had a bigger squad he would be rested. He will come good again I'm sure.

 

I agree that the players have had a free ride these last 6 months because of RFH, and to a lesser extent all of last season too because of the owners and the medias hatred of Rafa but now is the time they cannot hide anymore. Good manager, good owners, good fans, whats missing?

[Mike]

its legacy stuff this, some of our players are woeful...however, it's about the team rather than the individual at the position we are in and right now, we are only just on the road to becoming a team again.

just take a look at what blackpool are managing to do.

[Chili Palmer]

its legacy stuff this, some of our players are woeful...however, it's about the team rather than the individual at the position we are in and right now, we are only just on the road to becoming a team again.

just take a look at what blackpool are managing to do.

 

 

worse players but have confidence. Its why I think the appointment of Kenny is perfect, install confidence in the whole club. (obviously it will take longer than 2 training sessions)

[Mike]

worse players but have confidence. Its why I think the appointment of Kenny is perfect, install confidence in the whole club. (obviously it will take longer than 2 training sessions)

 

without wanting to get all david brent...they're something we aren't - a team.

[DanielS]

without wanting to get all david brent...they're something we aren't - a team.

 

This is spot on and throwing money at more players without doing something about making us a team again is pointless. We need to have a top to bottom club philosophy of how football is played again. Rafa lost his grip on it and Hodgson wouldn't know one if it bit him on the a***. We've had 18 months worth of our team unity being undermined and when pressure is applied we turn into 11 individuals and inadequacies are exaggerated.

 

At the risk of sounding like Cobs, this manager just needs more time.

[Tosh]

I agree that the players have had a free ride these last 6 months because of RFH, and to a lesser extent all of last season too because of the owners and the medias hatred of Rafa but now is the time they cannot hide anymore. Good manager, good owners, good fans, whats missing?

confidence?

 

Yes, selling Alonso, Crouch, Masch, Sami etc has weakened the squad considerably and that cannot be denied. Add in an ageing Carra etc and yes, there's a bunch of rebuilding to do

 

But you are not seriously telling me that what we have should not be able to do better than they did last night, for example? The midfield were all internationals for their country, were they not? As were 3 of the back 4. Take a look at what ManU put out against us on Sunday and before the game there were suggestions that Park, Fletcher, old man Giggs, Rafael etc etc were no better than our players. They may be but they have a system, and a belief that our lot don't. (oh, and a friendly ref)

 

The 11 we put out most weeks should be able to compete with most PL sides, let alone Northampton etc. They are not and so there's more to it than simply which players are wearing the shirt. It's how they've been deployed and what's going on in their heads.

[Chili Palmer]

without wanting to get all david brent...they're something we aren't - a team.

 

You think the last 18 months have left too many scars to rebuild team spirit with the current crop?

 

Its a massive job. I'm reading Kennys updated book and he's big into team spirit and the banter in the changing room having a big impact on trust.

[Gunga Din]

One of the main reasons I wanted Hodgson gone was so fans could start focusing on the players that aren't good enough to play for us.

 

Anyone not including Kuyt on that list should be shot. He's everything that's wrong with the way we play - slow, poor first touch, and a lack of creativity. However, I don't think we should sell him - I think we should employ him as a ball boy, he's absolutely mint at that.

 

 

a lot of fans eyes have been taken off the ball so to speak in the last 18 months. last season, most on here were more concerned about getting rid of the owners, this season so far its all been about Hodgson.

 

the squad isnt that bad, its not an awful squad, its a squad that has been criminally under invested in.

 

there used to be a thing years ago, about players being "Liverpool players". you'd see a player and think, "He's a Liverpool player" players like Gary Mac, Hyypia, Hamann, Gerrard, Torres, Reina. you look around that squad now, and how many of them are "Liverpool players". we have too many players who think they have it made because they are playing for us, and too many players who arent justifying their place in the team, but because of the underinvestment, there is no pressure to perform becaause we have no one else to bring in.

 

Essentially, we havent got a bad team, 2 years ago we were one of the best sides in Europe, and we've only lost 2 or 3 players since then. a couple of clever signings will see us improve quite quickly, but we do need investment, and we need it sooner rather than later

[Flasher]

Indeed. We need new players alright, but the best teams win things, not the best players. Blackpool are the definition of how the sum of a team can out perform it's individual parts.

 

When we get confidence, players like Johnson, Kuyt, Lucas, Raul, Babel, Ngog, and so on will be unrecogniseable from what they are now. They may not be the long term solution, but this group of players is not relegation fodder.

 

Teams that are too good to go down sometimes realise that fate because their confidence is shot to pieces and they don't play as a team.

 

Confidence - This is the one area I think Kenny can really help.

 

In addition, this transfer window showed be focuses, in my opinion, on a couple of proven premiership players that can hit the ground running. We can't afford to spend all money right now on kids for the future. We can do that in the summer. Right now we need picking up of the floor with the help of 2, maybe three players that can hit the ground running now.

 

I'd go after Ashley Young. There's no way he'll be enjoying life at Villa. I'd also consider Parker, and i think Newcastle's left back is massively under rated (Jose Enrique). Other than that, if the money was there, go and get Gary Cahill too.

 

At lesat 3 of those could be around a good while too, with Scott Parker being the eldest at 30 yrs. The others are all early 20's still.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Sugar Priest

[Chili Palmer]

Essentially, we havent got a bad team, 2 years ago we were one of the best sides in Europe, and we've only lost 2 or 3 players since then. a couple of clever signings will see us improve quite quickly, but we do need investment, and we need it sooner rather than later

 

I agree with this, I do think Mikes nailed it too however with the team spirit being a big concern, would signings alone improve that? I guess winning would help it improve!

 

 

I'd go after Ashley Young. There's no way he'll be enjoying life at Villa. I'd also consider Parker, and i think Newcastle's left back is massively under rated (Jose Enrique). Other than that, if the money was there, go and get Gary Cahill too.

 

 

I read somewhere that Man Utd were in for him, so not that under rated.

[D.Boon]

a lot of fans eyes have been taken off the ball so to speak in the last 18 months. last season, most on here were more concerned about getting rid of the owners, this season so far its all been about Hodgson.

 

the squad isnt that bad, its not an awful squad, its a squad that has been criminally under invested in.

 

there used to be a thing years ago, about players being "Liverpool players". you'd see a player and think, "He's a Liverpool player" players like Gary Mac, Hyypia, Hamann, Gerrard, Torres, Reina. you look around that squad now, and how many of them are "Liverpool players". we have too many players who think they have it made because they are playing for us, and too many players who arent justifying their place in the team, but because of the underinvestment, there is no pressure to perform becaause we have no one else to bring in.

 

Essentially, we havent got a bad team, 2 years ago we were one of the best sides in Europe, and we've only lost 2 or 3 players since then. a couple of clever signings will see us improve quite quickly, but we do need investment, and we need it sooner rather than later

 

Scott Parker is exactly the kind of "Liverpool" player you mention. Not going to uproot trees but will come in with a winning, hard working mentality that will be a good influence on the team and do a job.

Edited January 13, 2011 by D.Boon

[Flasher]

I agree with this, I do think Mikes nailed it too however with the team spirit being a big concern, would signings alone improve that? I guess winning would help it improve!

 

 

 

I read somewhere that Man Utd were in for him, so not that under rated.

 

Yeah, I meant by football fans.

[Rich Gobey]

Scott Parker is exactly the kind of "Liverpool" player you mention. Not going to uproot trees but will come in with a winning, hard working mentality and do a job.

 

We'd be buying him about 6 months before his legs went though and paying about £12m for him.

[Falconhoof]

Essentially, we havent got a bad team, 2 years ago we were one of the best sides in Europe, and we've only lost 2 or 3 players since then. a couple of clever signings will see us improve quite quickly, but we do need investment, and we need it sooner rather than later

 

The couple of quick signings will see us improve quickly, but I think there's more to getting us back to the shape we were in 2 years ago. i think that side has gone because some of them have deteriorated over that time.

Alonso and Mascherano are the 2.

There is also Benayoun, yes he was inconsistent but we've had nothing at all from his replacement.

We've lost the leadership and dominance that Hyppia could provide in even the biggest of games.

Carragher and Kuyt have gone downhill, Agger isn't quite the promising player he was.

Arbeloa was a fairly steady fullback that we don't have anymore.

We never replaced Crouch, we rashly bought Keane and didn't replace.

[D.Boon]

We'd be buying him about 6 months before his legs went though and paying about £12m for him.

 

He looks like he looks after himself and we should get 2 seasons out of him before he becomes a full time sub. Agree the price could be a concern.

[Chili Palmer]

Scott Parker is exactly the kind of "Liverpool" player you mention. Not going to uproot trees but will come in with a winning, hard working mentality that will be a good influence on the team and do a job.

 

I think Parker is a top player but I think its a non starter. Doubt west ham would sell him unless its a massive bid and I don't think Nesv will make one for a player of his age.

[Bailo]

a lot of fans eyes have been taken off the ball so to speak in the last 18 months. last season, most on here were more concerned about getting rid of the owners, this season so far its all been about Hodgson.

 

the squad isnt that bad, its not an awful squad, its a squad that has been criminally under invested in.

 

there used to be a thing years ago, about players being "Liverpool players". you'd see a player and think, "He's a Liverpool player" players like Gary Mac, Hyypia, Hamann, Gerrard, Torres, Reina. you look around that squad now, and how many of them are "Liverpool players". we have too many players who think they have it made because they are playing for us, and too many players who arent justifying their place in the team, but because of the underinvestment, there is no pressure to perform becaause we have no one else to bring in.

 

Essentially, we havent got a bad team, 2 years ago we were one of the best sides in Europe, and we've only lost 2 or 3 players since then. a couple of clever signings will see us improve quite quickly, but we do need investment, and we need it sooner rather than later

Excellent post. I don't want to unfairly point the finger, but I think the influx of Bosman free transfers over the years hasn't helped, these players necessarily get more money to sign on and more wages than if they'd been bought and I wonder whether you get any truly hungry Bosman players. Voronin, Degen, Jovanovic (harsh on him?) and Cole in recent years haven't impressed with their commitment or application.

 

Also, Rafa took a lot of risks on unfancied players, like Crouch and Pennant, who have upside if they excel, but tend to look like just getting the move to Liverpool is enough. I'm beginning to think Johnson is in the same bracket.

[Rich Gobey]

He looks like he looks after himself and we should get 2 seasons out of him before he becomes a full time sub. Agree the price could be a concern.

 

He's the sort of player we should be looking at though, good on the ball, makes good decisions in play and has the heart of a lion.

[CarraLegend]

Need some of the old c**** out and upgraded with younger players. And a few world class players to add to it. Hopefully theyve got their debit cards ready.

 

The summer really was utterly horrific especially, ageing players on long contracts. Konchesky and Poulsen should never ever have been sanctioned for an already ageing squad.

 

This lot need to get our squad better, bringing the average age down quite a bit and reduce the wage bill.