main probelm i have is i dn't know if suarez just swanned up and decided he was taking it or the orders were he was to take it.... I would question why a guy coming back cold to the team was allowed to take them anyway. adam has been there done it so was a sfaer option.... were we amateurish or just making the wrong call... who knows... but my opinion is suarez should not be taking a pen when he's not been back in the squad for a wet week. in the first half our players were deliberately not hoofing it but in the seond options became less and carragher just reverted to type. theres an element of trust in it but i'd much rather carrgehr at 33 was bollocking the midfielders for not giving an option having hoofed it out for a throw than endlessly just knocking it long and hoping.... we needed to pass it more.
When we bought Carroll I was pleased because I like the idea of an old-fashioned centre forward but, as has been pointed out, he needs a strike partner(s) - someone near him to pick up the scraps. I think he gives us more options, and when he's there we need to play to his strengths, but I don't want the team built around him so we become a one dimensional team like we were when Torres was here. Last season, the three pronged attack of Kuyt, Maxi and Suarez, with other midfielders bombing into the box with them seemed to be working so well. We were getting so many men up there something was bound to happen. That's more the formation I'd like to see, with Andy used when appropriate, but I don't want see us being desperate to use him simply because we payed so much for him.
This. I disagree about 'replacing' Carragher. Ridiculous. He decides to hoof it when we're in danger and to be fair to him none of our passes were exactly smooth so there was no other option. If our passing was smooth at that point he could have tried to build an attack but it wasn't. He hasn't lot his defensive attributes as much as you seem to make out. He is a leading defender who can use his own experiences to help others (i.e. Kelly, Flanagan, Robinson). Yes he made mistakes in the past with hoofing but I believe he would have done this without Carroll aswell. If anything Carroll is a bonus up there. Relax a little and think before you write. Our fitness levels weren't at the standard that they should be so we failed to sustain the pass and move build up over the full 90 minutes. It was the first game of the season where Arsenal and Chelsea also dropped points and United nearly did too. We have Arsenal on the weekend and with the loss of Cesc, Samir, Gervinho and possibly Alex Song we could grind 3 points out of that game leaving them (Top four regulars) with 1 point from 2 games. Stop panicking over the game and the knee-jerk reaction is exactly what I opposed against in this thread. We're fans known for sticking by our players through and through so let's do that and if you do go to the game against Arsenal, intimidate them with your support and show them we're not going to be pushed to one side. Chin up and let's get those 3 points! YNWA
I have a feeling some of that post are along the lines of what KK will use in his team talk before the Arsenal game
Curious to see what you think: would arsenal be in a pickle if we beat them? We are playing at the Emirates, so I don't see how this game would put us in trouble...
i think the point is reasonable but i do have to call attnetion to a couple of things on carragher and hofing. 1. it is quite fair to say he didn't exactly have much option sometimes when he hoofs. thats fair. the mdifield stopped moving for passes i nthe second half and options were restricted 2. carragehr is 33 and wears the captain's armband. this elevates his status somewhat. 3. agger rarely hoofs no matter what. is agger playing carrgehr into trouble? 4. add point 2 and 3 together and i just think it is quite reasonable for carrgher to get rid of the ball as required but then to turn round and absolutely tear strips off of either agger or the midfielders who are not moving for a pass. I never once saw him do this. ergo.. he's quite comfortbale to not see an option, not question that and just play it long all day. 5. we need to get fitter and keep moving for passes, simple really.
