I dont know about you guys but since the turn of the year i honestly think Enrique has been absolutely awful! Worse than downing, henderson and spearing IMO! This carried on in the final on saturday, he was again awful! ... I recall so many people and pundits saying he was our best signing earlier on in the season but he has just looked a totally different player since the new year ... I hardly ever criticise any player, manager, staff member and i will always forgive bad technical performances when they give their all (Kuyt springs to mind) but he just looks like he doesn't care recently and thats the only time i will openly criticise a player or manager! I for one would much prefer to see kelly on the right and johnson on the left, something that worked very well for us at the end of last season!! And i'm also a massive fan of Kelly!
Hmmm. I've said on another post that defensively he's no better than Insua. Made crucial mistakes against United, QPR and Chelsea, to name but three. We rightly slaughtered Konchesky after his horror mistake against Spurs a couple of seasons ago - Enrique seems immune to criticism. Traore was a better tackler, as well.
Excellent defensively normally , but since Xmas even cracks have appeared there, one against Chelski on Saturday, your right he has been poor since Xmas,and is final ball has been terrible, on form Jonno should be LB with Kelly at RB
If Bolton get relegated, could we look into bringing back David Ngoal? Having a full time scapegoat could really take the pressure off our other players.
Like i say i will blame any individual who doesn't look as though they are interested in playing in the liverpool shirt, that is unacceptable to me, I am not blaming him solely for the teams performances!! ... Everybody is going on about spearing, hendo and downing but at least spearing and hendo try their best and put in some effort ... For me Downing is the same as Enrique at the moment, just doesn't look interested and not giving their best efforts and that is the biggest crime for me!
My dad used to blame Sammy Lee for every bad game. And before him Phil Neal. And further back it was Brian Hall and Willie Stevenson in the 60's. Didn't like Craig Johnson either. A true Kemlyn Rd moaner - I may have inherited the odd gene...
When Enrique was with us, Newcastle, he was dodgy for around 2 years and then once settled into the team and city he became a beast. Its his first season with you lot and over the season he's been good, though he's looked out of sorts recently. A good pre-season and i expect you'll be singing his praises again come September. Quite simply he's a class player who is out of form, give the lad a break. Downing has looked rubbish all season (except the first game against Sunderland, he looked good then i guess).
I'm going to put it down to the general malaise that's effected the whole team, call it frustration. So, while some internal assessment right down to the players is very much needed. We really need to chalk this season off & start fresh. I believe Enrique & most of the players in the current squad will have very different seasons next year. Hopefully with a few additions to take the spotlight off of this lot. I've played in teams where this bad luck/bad form (always linked) become a self fulfilling prophecy. You expect something to go wrong, so your not concentrating 100% & you're tense so it inevitably does go wrong. Luckily those same teams without any change in personnel have gone on to win the comp next year. Now I'm not saying We don't need additions, I just think we need this season to be over.
Exactly Baz, I honestly believe that this league is so competitive at the moment that even if we get those 3 additions and they are somehow near world class AND the current lot play better next year, it's still not a guarantee we'll make the top four. I will be happy if we are actually competing for any of those top 4 positions this time next year. That will be the progress I've been spouting about to the doubters. If it doesnt happen? I'll come back on here & apologise for being a deluded muppet!
Lets be honest. CHelsea will improve next year and that will leave united, chelsea and city going for the title. (unless we actually spend some money of course). So that will leave us, you and spuds going for 4th most probably. That will be tough for all of us but especially you as you havent got a manager who has proven he can get results recently. I think if we spend some of the 200m we have in the bank (for once - I admit wenger prob wont ) then I think we will be up there with the big 3 and that will make it near impossible for you to do any better than 5th
A4L I agree to an extent. It will all depend how teams integrate acquisitions. We due to the sheer number did not do a good job of it this year. It shouldn't be as big a problem next year. You lot could go either way. On one hand you should have Jack back which will be like a new signing. While I don't subscribe to the "one man team" arsenal theory, you are slightly over reliant on RVP. Podolski & other acquisitions should bolster that problem just depends how they come in. Don't think you'll be competing for the title but should be solid for third. Spurs: need champions league to keep their best players or by the end of the summer they'll be back to being mediocre. If they get it they'll be competing for the 4th spot as Harry has no more distractions. Newcastle took the league by surprise. That element will be gone next year. Again if they don't make Champions league they'll lose their best players. Chelsea have possibly the biggest problem. A lot of players had their swan song this year. In general in the league they've looked one dimensional. They face the same scale of squad transition as us & depending in the next 3 games could also have no champions league to attract the best. I think it's going to be very very tight & one bad spell will put a team out of the running very quickly.
True I suppose. But if you look at the facts over the last 6 years it has never been a big 4 or 5 but simply a big 2 - united and chelsea. I dont think chelsea will not get top 3 next year. They will strengthen even without cl footie and still have enough quality to get the job done. In fact not being the cl next yr might help their league form. Agree on newcastle. Next year will be a tough one for them. Teams will plan more intensely for them and I suspect they will drop down to 6th or 7th (well behind the big boys and with fulham and everton in that they could break in with the big boys if everything goes perfectly) Spuds I think will battle for 4th whatever happens next year. But like you say, if they lose a few players it will be alot harder and they will only be succesful in getting 4th if they can sign a top striker. They have been lucky with getting adebayoor on loan but will next a permenant player next year. Our year depends on what wenger does in the summer. Judging from previous years we are screwed but we live in hope. You wil do better next year (you can hardly do worse) and suarez is top class and I suspect will get a ton of goals next year. But you are over reliant on him. Gerrard is only really suited to playing a deeper role now and you really did sign some crap in the summer. Everyone knew it. Luckily for you the real guy responisble (comoli) has been given his marching orders and so you will probably be better in the market this summer. You certainly need a central midfielder of as high a quality as you can get (i.e. not english), someone who can get some goals up top and a flair player (i would go for ben arfa as you boys). Your keeper needs to regain form - he has been awful this year - but your defence looks like it has potential. You have enough squad depth with youngsters to not need to buy anymore journey men like adam for big money. I would also move kenny upstairs if there is a top class YOUNG manager who you could bring in (preferably european). Not easy to get those guys though. So probably be 1 more year of kenny before he steps aside for a long term appointment.
I think he's played pretty much every game this season and has had no real competition for his palce so maybe he has become complacent. He's still been one of the better players this season though. It looks like he's very laid back which is good when he's on the ball as he doesn't panic however it does seem like he isn't very strong in the tackle. On saturday he should have just taken man/ball in their first goal but seemed to hesitate which let the player in. Maybe next season we need to give him more rest and play Johnson at LB and Kelly at RB. I do think defence is the least of our problems at the moment though.
