JonC's take on the 1st half of the season
A season that started rather brightly and brimming with hope and anticipation soon turned into another huge disappointment. We are better as a team compared to last year, BUT the other top 4 teams are getting even better than us and are leaving us in the clouds of their dust. Again, possession, draws and bluntness in front of goal do not win you matches let alone championships.
The plain truth is painful and very disappointing to see - we are not good enough and the tag line - "cup team" will again stay with us for this season. Our quest for the "Holy Grail" and no.19 is fast turning into stuff of nightmares. Questions will be ask of Rafa's tactics (some of his team selection is mind-boggling to say the least) and everyone's favorite topic - rotation. I am beginning to think all the chopping and changing to protect the players has somehow led to a lack of understanding and continuity between the team. How often have we seen stray passes, runs into no-man's-land, and lack of cohesion in our attack?
It's becoming so apparent, we cannot play against teams that pack the midfield and park their team bus in front of goal (this must be a whole chapter in itself in the tactics manual for all EPL managers). We lack the flair and creativity to unlock these teams. I'm still not seeing much of the promised return to the "pass and move" football that all of us love so much. When we did, like the buildup to Torres's goal this morning, we can easily pick defenses apart. I cannot understand and comprehend why we cannot get the 2nd goal to kill off our opponents, especially when we already know our defenses have been shaky and leaking in goals. Sometimes it's like we're too afraid to loose and not brave enough to win.
Surprisingly, we suffered the same Jekyll and Hyde symptoms of uncertainty and patchy form in Europe early on. A return to form came just in time for us to go through to the last 16. I personally was not placing UCL high on the agenda for the club, like most that grew to love the club in the 80's, the aim will always be the EPL title. Therefore, the thought of again putting all our eggs into one basket is beginning to sound stale and making me cringe in disgust.
The turmoil in the back room and the return to reality after the "feel-good" period since the take over is another source of worry and discontent to Reds all over. The initial "Snoop Dog" promise and talk is fast becoming a distant memory. Well, to be fair to the new owners, they did get "Snoop" - in the form of El Nino, but they forgot to get his fur coats, and other "bling-blings" to complete the "pimped out" process.
Another thorn in everyone's eye is the new stadium plans. I personally think, Gillet & Hicks bit off more than what they can chew when they released the spectacular new design and plan; only to change their mind after running into major cost setbacks. Fair enough, none of us wants to put the club in the red and end up having to freeze all transfer activities. But to make a u-turn and come out with all sorts of excuses with the mad processor looking Rick Parry, is making a mockery out of us, the supporters.
The sad episode with the washing of our dirty linen in public was another source of major disappointment. Rafa's outburst was wrong - make not mistake about it. The reply from the owners through RP wasn't convincing either. Thank goodness the differences has been solved, for now that is. I wouldn't be surprised if it flairs up again with the transfer talk and recent form of the team. The only positive to take from this madness was, it brought majority of the fans together in support of the gaffer - a show of people power.
Money is fast becoming a big issue with the club. The reports and details of the debt refinancing process is another major source of concern. It's beginning to look more and more likely to be secured on the coffers and assets of the club. So, there goes the "debt-free" promises so loudly applauded earlier on.
All-in-all, it's been a crazy 1st half of the season and I am certainly getting agitated and somewhat tired with all the "interesting" things thats been happening in the background and all around the club. I just hope that by the end of the season, our perseverance and patience will be rewarded with a respectable finish on the EPL table (3rd will be a rather bitter consolation) and no.6 in our trophy cabinet in Anfield. I'm still looking forward to jumping into the water fountain near M Bar when we eventually win no. 19 or no. 6. Until then all of us can only hold on to our dream of that elusive no. 19 title and the fact that we will never ever walk alone.
-Jonc-
Thursday, January 3, 2008
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9 comments:
"I cannot understand and comprehend why we cannot get the 2nd goal to kill off our opponents, especially when we already know our defenses have been shaky and leaking in goals. Sometimes it's like we're too afraid to loose and not brave enough to win."
I think sometimes we forget that there are defenders and goalkeepers who played well and make crucial tackles and saves. Gerrard had several good chances but crucial saves made by Kirkland or Bramble or Sharner in yesterday's game or Dunne and Richards in ManC game. Its not that we have regressed to GH's terrible treble tactics - make no mistake about that! We have been brave and attacking minded and our stats in the goals scored and goal against column are proof that we are attacking minded - both in EPL and in Europe.
The number of clean sheets, % of possession and shots on goal do not win you anything. That's the fact of life in the EPL. Another similarity, GH was also talking about goal scoring changes and all the other stats towards the end of his tenure. Haunting similarities isn't it. The number in the stats don't lie and so does the points in the league table.
Agreed that stats don't win you games ... not disputing that. We have been scoring goals and not that we haven't - just the past 2 games we have been shut out by the opposition defenders.
Just that sometimes, defenders and goalkeepers are on form, they manage to shut out our strikes....that's what I'm stating.
RAFA's team is not afraid to attack - just that sometimes, defenders and goalkeepers when on form do make the difference and prevent us from scoring. It is totally different from GH's era where 1 goal up and we shut shop .... its not the case with RAFA. There's a big difference between the teams managed by GH and RAFA and the difference is big.
You just can't say that our players are not performing when they have shots on target and defenders/goalkeepers make excellent tackles or saves ala a team of Carraghers! This is totaaly different when compared to examples like Anelka missing a sitter against us at Anfield 2 months ago. That was a crucial miss by Anelka but that's not what our players have been doing - our players have gotten CARRAGHERED!!! in the past 2 matches.
Then again, we're not doing ourselves any favor with lousy linkup play, lack of support and worst of the lot - shocking final balls.
Been noticing how the last few matches with the amount of the ball we have, the ball seems to be traveling sideway from flanks to flanks or backwards towards the defense. We do not get into threatening positions enough nor cross accurately into the box. It seems we're at a lost to what to do with the ball at times and get caught out.
Every now and then defenders and keepers will get a blinder of a game against us. But, it's been happening so often it makes you wonder if it's our ability to find the back of the net thats coming back to bite us in the arse. You make your own luck as some will say.
Possession accounts for nothing when you can get all the ball you want but can't get it to the right player and position at the final quarter of the field.
Will and JonC both of you have stated fair points. I was friggin pissed myself this morning....actually more like in shock.
Question: If teams like Citeh and Wigan can have their keepers and defenders play like our Carra and Pepe, what more the top teams?
Question: Are teams finally figuring out how to snuff us out? They may not have the most talented players but dogged determination can do wonders.
Question: As JonC pointed out, is rotation to be blamed for the lack of cohesion in the team sometimes? We never see the Toshack & Keegan type of mind reading play anymore.
Question: Are the current crop of players good enough?
Question: Is Rafa good enough? Again JonC has pointed out, we have improved and are improving but the other big 3 have improved even more. If we still go with the argument that their managers have been with the team longer therefore the team has more cohesion, then Rafa will never have the team long enough to be able to challenge them as long as their reign continue.
Sigh. Rants, complaints, doubts, Knee-jerk. Whatever. Just staring into space now.
I don't know man! Some of the comments seems to be refering to matches we played against Spurs and Marseille at Anfield or away against Pompeii. Admittedly in these games, we definitely played that bad to warrant the criticsm.
Some of the description certainly doesn't sound like the game against Wigan at Anfield or Man City away which we dropped 4 points in total.
Again, its the media's propoganda .... and it is working like charm to have the world Liverpool fan based split into two! I'm sure that's how Noel White the former director of Liverpool got sacked after being brain-washed.
If you tell a lie big enough (the whole media world in the UK) and long enough (since Rafa took over) the lies will become the truth eventually .....
The end is near .... if we allow the media to triumph in their propoganda and Rafa leaves at the end of this season, we'll probably continue not winning the EPL and will overtake ManU's 26 year wait for their 1st triumph under SAF. That's what the media wants ....
interestingly, during MU's last few years of dryness before the 90's the press were hounding every single MU managers- Atkinson, Sexton, even Sir Alex.
The situation is now with Liverpool. Every manager that comes in will be questioned and ridiculed if things dont work out.
No matter how we want to deny it, but to be honest, at least in my opinion, the squad isn't good enough. Think rationally, how many of our players would've gotten into the other 3 big 4 clubs? Reina? Do they even need him? Torres? Maybe, but when the likes of Arses have players like Adebayor, Bendtner, Robin Van Persie, Eduardo; Man Scums have Rooney and Tevez and an injury prone Saha; Chelshit with their Drogba, Kalou, Pizarro. Who are we kidding? Kuyt, Voronin and Crouch? Rivalry aside, I'd trade them with our 3 other strikers anytime.
Defenders, the only position where I find on par with the other 3 teams, which explains our great defensive record.
Midfielders? Mascherano, Gerrard and Xabi Alonso...where's Sissoko? Not there, where is he? Our wingers? Don't make me laugh.
Hi Teng Hock - sorry mate, you sound like an old broken record that goes round and round .... the media spin machines!
Adebayour? Brentdner? Pizzaro? are considered world class? Adebayour is a good and tricky striker but he has missed some easy chances since he joined Arsenal. Brendtner is still young and unproven at best whilst Eduardo is starting to show his class but needs more time. Kalou and Pizzaro hasn't really set the EPL on fire atm and should not be mentioned in the same breath as world class strikers.
Crouch is not half as bad as most people say - if only he starts taking the chances like he did last season and focus on playing rather than feeling frustrated being on the bench and getting sent off in the League Cup quarter finals against Chelski - he owes the fans one since we went on to lose the game. Voronin is free transfer and is doing ok whilst Kuyt is playing behind Torres most of the time i.e. doing the dirty work to open up space and hence he gets lesser chances than compared to the others to score goals. Our strikers need to play enough with one another to know and understand how each other works. Remember Torres and Voronin have only just recently joined us. Torres is an exception whilst Voronin is still feeling his way and let us not forget he doesn't speak English.
Theoretically, it is easy to trade players but in reality, are the shareholders willing to pump in more money to fund for the players? David Moores have been know to be looking for a buyer for our club for at least 10 seasons ago but only last year, we found those frakking Americans - G & H. And these two jokers have suddenly showed RAFA the cold shoulders when talking about signing players in Jan08 window. Would they have so easily been convinced to spend money to get players like Rooney (GBP30m) and Tevez (GBP20m)? The Mancs make at least 2 new signings >GBP15 per season. Remember Carrick (GBP18m) and Rooney in 2006. In 2007, they spend GBP40m or there abouts for both Nani and Anderson and not forgetting Hargraves (GBP18m) ..... that's a lot of money to spend per season. Let's not get started with Chelski's spending ....
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