Can I just remind everyone we played WELL against the Gunners and we missed Gerrard, Johnson & Agger!?! FFS? Listen - I grew up in Liverpool in the 70's & 80's and got very used to us winning everything in sight however even I am realistic about where we are right now. We are in transition, wholesale changes are no longer required. Yes we need a couple of players but equally we need this team to gel more than anything. And that means players like Henderson & Spearing being given the opportunity to make mistakes and learn. Have we taken nothing from what we have seen with Lucas. Give them time boys, we are a club heading in the right direction for the first time in years.
Carroll and Bellamy would have been nice, had concerns when I saw the team sheet, but result aside, the lads played well. Need to be a lot more clinical/ruthless. Don't worry, the negative comments come after every defeat, and they are the minority, often just venting.
Agreed I think we should give Kenny at least another season. On the other hand, if he hasn't sorted us out by then we ought to reconsider our options. We could do worse than Rafa.
InBiscanWeTrust Do you think there is an argument to be had that the final ball isn't good enough, i.e. not creating enough clear cut chances for the strikers? I admire the support and optimism of the OP. However, it is pointless saying IF we had scored more, IF we had done this and that. Every team can look at games and wish things had been different.
I said it already, goals make it all more forgivable when players are not great. You all think united fans were depressed that they were sheite. You think Jones cares he was creaking like micheal stipe's back door? No they won 3 0 Do you think arsenal fans care that they should have lost 8 2 the weekend, no? Of course not. In both cases the worse team won because they were clinical. I'm sorry all but this backs my opinion that not much needs improving if we are creating lots and conceding few You all might not fancy one or the other but.. Stats say they provide a certain amount on average, stats that say chances will be created, on average given the players individual stats. The only fly in the ointment has been finishing, if we had our shooting boots on, and lets not take other stuff like decisions ect into it, pure finishing. Can anyone tell me how many chances we've woodworked near misses and had saved via a poor finish? I'd say it is a lot If we'd been ruthless we'd be 3rd at least, its so fkn obvious regardless of players short comings
OK. Lots if what you write makes sense. So what should be done ? There is a lot of 'ifs' . Unless we take action and remedy the situation, why should this scenario not continue for the rest of the matches? Dominate teams, hit the woodwork, after creating lots of chances and lose. What,s the solution aprt from sitting tight, and pray that our players put their shooting boots on? Striking is part and parcel of the team's duties. If it does not function properly it needs sorting. Just as defending (which is fine for us) would have needed sorting if there had been a problem. We cannot just wait for it to come good!!
Nothing we can do until summer. Carroll won't be shipped out, that's for sure. Despite his potential, Kenny would be too stubborn to get rid of him anyway so he's staying long term. Suarez is virtually guaranteed a starting role and Carroll knows he's pretty much second choice regardless of how he plays. Solution? Competition for spots. I think Kenny would have bought in January had the right person been available but he'll try again in summer to at least get a third striker (maybe a fourth if Kuyt leaves). Gives us options and competition for spots which hopefully will get the best out of them (think United where Berbs or Hernandez come on and always look hungry/dangerous to score because their options are limited). Short term, I'm hoping we'll be a bit more relaxed from now til the end of the season. We've won something, we're guaranteed Europa next season, fourth is pretty much a write off so all in all, I don't think the pressure is as high any more. That might make the last 1/3 an easier run in.
That dickhead was trying to say the other day that it was our poor crosses that was causing us to miss so many chances. Perhaps he forgot about the 26 times (or is it 28 now?) that we've hit the woodwork - where did all those efforts come from?
