Morning Reds, I have to say last night was a tough job well done. Sparta made it tough over the two legs and we did well defensively in both games. I was pleased to see us attacking more yesterday (obviously) I felt that sometimes our build up play was terrible, some players just didn't have a clue when the ball came there way (I.e Poulson) but despite that we still created some chances. The game was probably a lot better if you was to watch on telly as the whole first half attacking the other end I couldn't see a lot. Second half I felt we dominated really well and created tonnes of good chances. Kuyt for me MOTM and Jay when he came on did really well (should have started for me) N'gog won the ball a lot but that was about it. His footwork was poor and his shooting even poorer. Having said that I don't want to moan too much cause I felt we were the better team. Kuyt's header was one of the most relieving goals I've seen for a long time. The whole Kop went mental and once it all calmed down and the customary ring of fire chant was finished I had the most splitting head ache where the relief just hit me! Another funny point was when Repka started giving it the big man after the potential handball (Don't know if it was) He picked on the entire Kop and what started of as just middle fingers and general abuse earned him the chant of "******, ******"
It was a good performance. Defensively, we have been very solid over the past couple of games and yesterday, the defence was excellent again. We did lack a cutting edge at times and that final ball just didn't come at times. However, it was a good performance all round in the end. And I did also find it quite funny when Repka tried to start on the Kop. He looked like a absolute idiot.
I feel for David Ngog. Not many had a great game either leg but he's taking the brunt of it today. Lately he seems to be feeling the pressure being ramped up by fans and the media asking whether he can compete with Caroll and Suarez but they'll be great for him to learn from when he's settled back into the less-pressure role of 3rd striker. As mediakiller pointed out on 606, Drogba was 24 before he scored more than 7 in a season. Not that Ngog is guaranteed to be a Droglike success but they'd have said that about Drogba, too. Can't fault him for being greedy and nicking it off Joe Cole's toe. Some go in, some don't, but at least he was hungry for it and desperate to prove something. Shame for Joe but no guarantee it would've gone in if he'd hit it. And Joe's getting some of the fickle grief today, too, for not being Linford Christie after 90 minutes returning from injuiry.
I don't quite agree. I was always a supporter of Ngog, and was adamant with some experience he'd do well, but after the 2 legs I am no longer a supporter. He actually looked like he didn't want to be there - I watched him especially and tried to see if he'd get stuck in. He just stood there for most of it, he had no ideas, he didn't run for the ball, whenever he got the ball he fell over. He just showed that he doesn't care - and he doesn't have the skill to pull it off when he does care. We should get rid of him in the summer along with Jovanovich - We then have 3 strikers in Kuyt, Suarez and Carroll and we can promote Pacheco and other reserves to fill the sub spots. Ngog just isn't good enough or hard working enough. I can understand why Joe was angry at Ngog, if I was going to have a blinder of a shot and a very good chance of it going in, only to have it nicked off your toe by Ngog who is 8 years younger and missed anyway - I'd be incredibly cross. The problem with Joe at the moment is his fitness - if he wants to finish his career well he needs to get proper fitness back quickly, you could see he knew what to do - he was trying to pull off tricks and pass it around, but at some points he just looked too tired, not his fault of course - but now he's back from injury I expect him to be running everyday and getting fitter. That last little dribble at the end leading up to when Ngog nicked it I thought was great, and it showed just what he can do - we should be looking forward to moments like that if he can get fit.
The chance at the end of the game,The one Joe Cole missed when he sprang forward,The ''old Joe Cole'' would have buried it.Maybe he's finding his feet after his injury.However he did everything right apart from the finish.His build up for it was excellent,He was alert to the mstake that was made,Okay there was no end product.But the effort was there.Its like doing an Mathematics exam and getting the first five steps right and getting the answer wrong.You get marked for the steps you get right and lose 2-3 points for not getting the answer right.Kenny will look at the positives rather than that one small negative and praise him for being alert at the end of the game.
Then you may as well go support somebody else because there was very little credit to be given out in either leg and Ngog was hardly the most experienced or senior player on the pitch. In the first leg he was alone and got little service from a midfield lacking creativity. Last night wasn't much better and there were sitters missed by a few players against a 'keeper who was having a good game. After two legs you're ready to dump him? That is nothing to be proud of. Rightly so but it'd also be right to be cross at a striker who isn't greedy. And right to be cross at Joe for missing the breakaway at the end, even though I wasn't. You seem happy to give Joe all the benefit of the doubt but none to a much younger player still learning his trade.
Job well done, ground the result out without playing that well and missing a few players. Braga will be tough opponents, having beaten Arsenal 2-0. We can beat them though, when Gerrard's back we'll have more quality in the side. And I too found that Repka was a massive t*** and joined in the w***** chant - had to be done.
It wasn't about experience or seniority - if he'd been running around but missed every shot I wouldn't be critical about him at all. The problem was the look on his face and the way he'd stand up the pitch just waiting for a ball to hit his feet. When the ball hit his feet he'd try and run, realise he couldn't get past the defenders and he'd take a dive instead of passing it. He just didn't want to be there at all, that is the worst thing you can do as a player. I stand by my judgement - he hasn't impressed me really yet, looks to have some talent but won't put the effort in to realise it. Overall he disappointed me over the 2 legs, and you say I should go and support another team because I feel he isn't up to scratch? No, I say he isn't up to scratch because I support LFC. He had 2 matches to show Kenny he warranted a place in the side, instead of doing so he stood there like a lost sheep, making no runs, not even trying to make an effort. If any player stood there and didn't make an effort like he did over these 2 matches I would want them out - if not for good, then for a decent run of matches and this includes Gerrard or Carragher. The problem is... Ngog isn't learning his trade anymore... he's made 88 appearances and scored 19 goals for Liverpool, that's a 22% chance of scoring per game over 3 seasons.... He's 21 now, and I suppose that is the only advantage he has over other strikers we have - because most are still too young. But You seem to be overly critical of me for believing Ngog isn't right for Liverpool when he has had chances and hasn't improved. We have much better strikers sitting in reserves who are older than Ngog is when he first started playing in the first team - I believe we should cut our losses with Ngog and utilise time and effort on bringing these new strikers.
