Fair point swansealona, Chelsea game was gash but other than that we haven't been too bad (disagree about Norwich stats though as 2 goals from 7 on target is pretty good). Striker needed as you say but ML knows this and has said as much. He just refused to pay inflated winter transfer fees to get someone we didn't need immediately (with relatively few games left so no squad fatigue). ML is cool as a cucumber, no panic, no worries (no woman no cry?!?!) Aspas would be a fantastic signing for us as his interplay with Michu would be awesome. Michu sits deep and like to arrive in the box late, Aspas pushes the defensive line before dropping deeper and hunting for space. The one-two interchange of play would be sooo difficult for defences to mark. We would have more options and more goals. Also our wingers would benefit from a classy striker as they would see more goal return for their assists and thus they wouldbe more inclined to try through balls and crosses. Also I would like to see another striker signed with different qualities - someone like Lukaku who has physical and aerial presence to give us different options. Asaps to lead the line as first choice, Lukaku type player to give us physical options off the bench and Moore and Donnelly for 'lesser team' cup games/ squad rotation purposes.
You make some valid comments Terror, but like many others you miss the point. You may be right but I haven't seen anyone pining for Brendan etc. I'm certainly not. I haven't seen a single poster who will say we haven't done brilliantly this season. But as fans we should be rightly upset if our players show a lack of committment and drive. Both were sadly missing on Sunday, and the commentators pointed that out a couple of times. Chlesea fans have said we 'stank the place out' and I can't disagree. If we fade away into the bottom half we've in reality done no better than last season, and I for one like to see my Team improving. What's better, steady progress throughout the season to 11th or breaking out of the blocks only to fade away? Meh, not much difference really - though I do think we will eventually find ourselves just top half. Let's be clear - I really don't mind losing to bigger, better teams. That's the way it goes. But I do mind when our highly paid players don't put in a shift. If you think they did on Sunday then I'm sorry you must have been watching a different game to the rest of us.
W There is only one fact pg. 2points out of 18 ......and that is how our form is today.....excuses are just a form of denial on what is real and what is ficticious.......but if it makes you feel good then hey ho....
Well we had a poor run end of last season too, the difference was we were losing to Newcastle, Everton, QPR, Man Utd and Spurs, drawing with Bolton and shipping 4 against Wolves. At least our recent run this season has seen us lose to top teams chasing CL (Spurs needed 2 wonder strikes, Arsenal 2 late goals) and be denied points by the ref (wba), and SOTON parking the bus. This year rather than lose to QPR we stuffed them. Also Rodgers didn't win the League Cup. Our recent form is poor, our season as a whole is excellent. The new players will be further gelled into the system having the benefit of a season to work together, aclimatise, learn the language etc. Next season should be better again. I just hope Europe doesn't disrupt our season too much.
But parking the bus is a legitimate tactic if you want to use it (I don't think Southampton did park the bus though). And you've conveniently omitted the wins against Blackburn and Liverpool in last year's poor run. The simple fact is that the end of this season has become abysmal (results-wise at least).
Europe can go one of two ways. Firstly, the extra games will take their toll on our stamina as they have done to similar teams to us eg. Newcastle and Stoke. Teams with big quality squads such as the Manchesters, Spurs and Chelsea can absorb the extra games more easily than the likes of us. The second scenario could be encouraging in that I have long felt that our fitness levels are slightly below what they should be. However, the Euro games will ensure that our squad should be match fit on a pretty permanent basis - allowing that we don't get knocked out early doors. Bearing that in mind, so long as the players are rotated sensibly, which I'm sure Laudrup will do, it could be of benefit to us. My only concern is the problem of injuries and suspensions. If we are unlucky, our proposed squad of 22 could easily be stretched and some players will have to play more games to cover those who are out. I would prefer a squad of 25 because there is no way we will escape losing players as those extra games will be bound to take their toll.
There is only one fact? What an idiotic thing to say. You can make what you want out of statistics. Form can be measured over 1 game, 2 games or 34 games - take your pick. Luckily for us the League table is what we are measured against, not some arbitary figure plucked out of the air. So the team has lost form. Big deal. All teams and players go through bad form. I, along with many, were extremely disappointed with our second half performance on Sunday - but to trawl our board and revel in quoting our current bad form on numerous occasions is perverse. But there again I am not surprisesd with that.
True aswan but omitting facts to prove facts seems to be de rigour on this board... Not saying that parking the bus isn't legitimate (we did it against Spurs at the lane, my Spurs friends were furious with us that day and 'cos I was living down south at the time there were many of them), I did feel that Soton did park the bus as they had every man in the box defending on numerous occasions. Not belittling the team or tactic, just calling it as I saw it.
Good points Ivor, I am worried about the burden of extra games (doing a Newcastle) but the raising of fitness levels in general could be a welcome shot in the arm.
On the whole performances, I haven't really had an issue with the performances of the team in general the past few weeks, as we have been creating chances etc, its just that Michu hasn't been banging them in like was earlier on in the season. I think the frustration has come from the lack of effort in the 2nd half performance against Chelsea on Sunday. I suppose this could further be a sign of how far we have moved on, as we are disappointed about how we play at the home of the current European champions, as we did make a few good chances in the first half.
A take a look at Brendan he is a good manager that will keep Liverpool up the top, there is only one way laudrup will take us playing his way and we are already on a downward spiral....shocking management skills in the second half of the season....give me Martinez or Brendan any day of the week with the way laudrup has ruined a winning team.....
Umm, we didn't win anything of importance under these managers Dai, whereas we WON a major cup under Laudrup
Dai will only be happy if we are relegated and then he can say " I told you so " , and he can start his vendetta against Huw -AGAIN! What a plum!
No im a realist and if you think its just me saying this then you cant have been to the liberty to watch games.....because if you had then it would be impossible not to hear the same things.....Laudrup came here and inherited a good team and the first half of the season we were playing good football and was being praised and talked about every week on sport shows and the media....i was happy that laudrup took the credit as he was doing what he was brought in to do and keep things the same..... Come the transfer window and he goes and changes everything, gone are the slick short passes, gone are the triangles and gone are the lightning speed up the wings....He plays players out of position and leaves key players on the bench. His subs are a joke and he has lost the plot....he has ruined a good team alright and while you think he can do no wrong he has turned a team of winners into a ordinary side......that is what is being said on the terraces if you were to listen instead of being in denial......2pts from 18 is just the tip of the iceberg its a lot worst than that and there is only one way a team like that is going is backwards.....Do you think the players are happy with the way laudrup is running things because looking at their body language i think not.....the facts speak for themselves if you were to take off them rose tinted glasses......not everything is Rosie in the camp as you think it is....
Well if they don't want to learn from one of the all time greats, then its really a simple solution Dai, get rid of the players
