And that is be patient and be realistic. Things have gone crazy here lately. Its been so negative. You would think we were closer to the bottom than the top with the way every one has been talking. What I feel needs saying most is that we have to be patient and let all the new signings gel as a team. Every one seems to be panicking that we have wasted £100m on average players, or the wrong men, but that is not the case. The battle for 4th is very much up and running, and is also very close with just a few points separating the teams in the battle. With the way it is right now 1 week end of results could actually turn every thing upside down. With so much of the season left any thing could happen. I am also going to saying about our players. When a lot of signings are made in one go they need time to get to know each other. Look at when Man City first started spending big. They broke the record for the most consecutive draws, they had disruption after disruption, but every one knew they would get over it and move on. At this point City had actually made more bigger signings than us, as well as a lot of similar ones, and a lot of those players are still standing strong in the City first team week in week out. Chelsea are another team to look at. They didn't look truly strong great away. It took them a little while to get every thing together. Sure they won the league after jut 2 years, but they had the bonus of Champions League Football from day 1. Even when we were bought out by they who shall not be named, it took us a couple of years before we mounted a full on title challenge. I know we are looking at champions league qualification atm, not the title, but we already had the champions league back then to (in fact we were the current runners up). So can I please ask that every one is patient and just gets behind the team. I actually think we can be very positive with how things have gone so far. So lets at least wait until May before we go ape.
I think Norwich and Swansea at home is what blew the top, at least for me, as that has been happening for just too long, different teams, managers, but same problem. I will back the boys but it isn't always healthy to keep all the frustration in. With that being said, I will wait until January to see where we are and then maybe a better judgement on what is missing, needed, etc. Or hopefully I will not need to as we have risen up the table and are hitting form.
I will agree I have been one of the ones critical to how the team has been performing. I think the key words here is PERSPECTIVE. In just 3 years, the following players have left Liverpool or are not in the current team. Alonso Mascherano Torres Arbeloa Hyppia Risse Mierieles Aquilani Riera Benayoun That is one hell of a battering our squad has taken and considering how crucial they were to the squad, you can see why we are struggling. At least 80% of this players are at top clubs. It took at least 3 years to build this side with such great players so it may take another season of consolidation before we are where we want to be. We may have replaced some, but it will take time for the players to finally settle. Alonso was mint for his first season then struggled in his next two by the 4th, he was class again and has been ever since. With that in mind, in 2 seasons players like Henderson, Carroll will have improved and in 2 seasons we will have added more quality to the squad. Its frustrating having to watch teams come to Anfield and get points but like the OP said look at how long it has taken Citeh to get to where they are. After all the ranting I think some patience is needed.
agreed with everything. there is nothing wrong IMO from demanding more and wantig us to get to the top but calling it like its the end of the world now is just not sensible. I totally agree on the city analogy and also say this has to be a multiyear building program. houllier built for how long? rafa? the amount of damage done to our team is simply underestimated. G&H destroyed us utterly. the 10 players above are one way of making that point and another would be to list the 10 players put into the team to replace them (though to me aquilani would be on the bad list) we've work to do but we knew that in august, may, january.....
Lets face it we could be in a far worse position. We could have actually lost the games (which we probably would have this time last year). So although we aren't setting the world alight there is still a long way to go. We are still unbeaten in a number of games and have shown the potential that we can play well with all of the new players that have come in. We have hit the woodwork more than any other prem team so its not for the want of trying. We will give someone a hounding soon and we must be confident that we will become better the longer the season goes on. We are still in a transitional period of players in and out of the squad so chins up we will get better
Also, we may have drawn with Swansea and Norwich, but Chelsea lost to QPR, so we are not the only ones who have slipped up against the newly promoted sides. Also, remember it took Alex Ferguson 5 years to do any thing special with United, yet once he did get some thing, he couldn't be stopped. Finally, you pointed out all those players that have left Liverpool in the last 3 years. But the thing is, those players did not want to be at Liverpool any more, for various reason. A common one with that list was wanting to go back to their home country or a country that spoke their language at least. Some just had problems with the club. Now Kenny has signed British players, and players who are already settled in England and proven in English football, which will be very beneficial in the long run. These players also seem to have a better emotional connection to English and football and Liverpool Football Club. I think signings like Adam, Carroll, Henderson and Downing will be key tactics over the next few years and it will be one that really gives us a bonus.
Finally, you pointed out all those players that have left Liverpool in the last 3 years. But the thing is, those players did not want to be at Liverpool any more, for various reason. A common one with that list was wanting to go back to their home country or a country that spoke their language at least. Some just had problems with the club. My point was concerning the quality of departures rather than their reasons. It will take time replacing this players and even then you will have hit misses in the transfer market. Yes we have added British players but they have no patch on those players listed.
I don't think it helps that our bad run of form has been made to seem worse by Spurs and Arsenals strong form at the moment. But yea, anything can change. Here's hoping for a really good run of games after christmas and capitalise on the fact we have no European football.
I disagree with you say they have no patch on the foreign players. I can list few advantages Adam has over Alonso. Even though Alonso's passing is overall better, Adam is younger than Alonso was when he had that one really great season, and therefor has plenty of time to learn and improve. Adam move's around more, runs with the ball and gives more drive from that midfielder area. Adam seems more willing to attack, burst forward and try to score and make goals. Adams movement and energy means we don't loose quite as much drive in the centre when Gerrard is out. Adam's set piece delivery seems better (though maybe Alonso didn't take enough of them to judge so easily). - With Torres we always had a major issue, or actually 2 major issues. Those were his fitness, an who was going to fill in when he was injured or rested. Since Torres has left we have gained 3 new strikers, allowing Kenny to freely rotate on a regular basis with out affecting the quality of our front line. You also cant deny that in the end Torres became a problem, that is no longer present. - We also now have much better squad depth.
