1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

What has happened??

Discussion in 'Liverpool' started by BCR, Dec 16, 2012.

  1. BCR

    BCR Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    23,258
    Likes Received:
    744
    Right, been out on the lash for my mates 30th and he is from airdrie so it was out with the jocks tonight. Cracking night and much needed after the loss today.

    My question is what has happened to us in front of goal? When Kenny first came in, we were scoring and multiple scorers from all over, goals from midfield, kuyt up top, maxi, Meireles, Suarez, the odd Carroll goal, Gerrard, etc. We had the second best form in the league and were actually right amongst it in the end!

    Since that half season we have just gone blank in front of goal. Last year the defense kept us in a decent position until we lost Lucas. This year we seem to be leaking goals and not scoring, but creating more chances and loads of possession. Just wondering, when did this mental block in front of goal happen? Why is it just continually carrying over when we know the coaches are working on it?

    I was not able to watch the game but just following on twitter it basically read for the first two goals, chance for Liverpool, possession, repeat, repeat, repeat Liverpool down 1-0. So typical it seems!

    Ah well, I know we all felt this was too good a fixture to be true and so it turned out to be. Now just need the result against Fulham to hopefully get back on track ( again). :undecided:
     
    #1
  2. Magic Ted

    Magic Ted Talulah

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2011
    Messages:
    11,197
    Likes Received:
    1,322
    Our problem yesterday was our final ball. Suarez typified it early on by playing a simple through ball behind Gerrard, if he played it correctly he would of been through on goal, that seemed the case the whole match, Sterling and Shelvey were poor so we were toothless really.

    Agreed though, when you look at the team you wonder where the goals are going to come from. This is why I think Walcott would be a good signing, he always chips in with goals as a wide forward, exactly the sort of player we need.
     
    #2
  3. mighty_stevie_g

    mighty_stevie_g Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2011
    Messages:
    4,914
    Likes Received:
    2,659
    Kuyt, maxi, mereiles and Carroll all left so all we have is Suarez and Gerrard and for some reason Gerrard is playing deeper than he ever has.

    Oh and you forgot Bellamy, he was awesome for us and we didn't bother to replace him either!
     
    #3
  4. Bellamy, Kuyt and/or Maxi would have worked well in one of the wide attcking spots too <ok>
     
    #4
  5. Magic Ted

    Magic Ted Talulah

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2011
    Messages:
    11,197
    Likes Received:
    1,322
    Anyone over 30 can't play football unless they're scouse <doh>
     
    #5
  6. The artist JerryChristmas

    The artist JerryChristmas "Massive old member"

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    14,503
    Likes Received:
    1,686
    We sign ****. As I've said before of all the forwards we've signed in the last two decades ONLY two have been any use (Suarez and Torres) and even then I'd argue Suarez isn't an out and out goalscorer.

    Last season we lacked goals from all over the park. Kenny didn't use Kuyt or Maxi anywhere near enough.

    To rectify that we bought Borini who's goalscoring record is average (at best) and Allen who has already dispelled the myth that he'll suddenly get better when Lucas gets back. We failed to sign the two "goalscoring" midfielders he wanted because we're ****ing useless.

    We paid £35 mill for a forward who isn't worth half that. Then after persevering with him to the point where he actually looks like he might come good...some bellend loans him out without even giving him a chance to see what he can do.

    We've a captain who's carried us for so long he's begun to look more like Stephen Hawkings than Steven Gerrard.

    We play a system that is brilliantly suited...to a foreign league. How many winners of the top English division have ever played 4-3-3? How can a system with 3 forwards so desperately rely on the full backs being able to attack?

    We think bringing youth players into the first team too quickly will suddenly produce magic reslults rather than destroying their development.

    Rodgers thinks this squad is good enough for top two. That makes him the funniest man since Bill Hicks.

    We've beend surrounding great players with abject ****e for two decades.

    We're still no closer to building the stadium we should have built years ago (and paid for by now).

    We think (or some seem to think) that buying Sturridge and Ince will solve our problems.

    Not knee jerking btw. Just confirming that my own pessimistic views happen to have some truths to them.
     
    #6
  7. Foredeckdave

    Foredeckdave Music Thread Manager

    Joined:
    May 30, 2011
    Messages:
    19,804
    Likes Received:
    132
    Billy, a very good appraisal of where we are at.
     
    #7
  8. Breakingbad14

    Breakingbad14 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2012
    Messages:
    1,230
    Likes Received:
    16
    I do not think just bringing 2 strikers with potential will change things. A bit like what Wenger has been doing the last few years.

    What you need is just a couple of good midfielders(one yaya Toure and one Hazard or Oscar) one good winger like a Bale, and a couple of good strikers (a Falcao and a Ibrahimovic).
     
    #8
  9. Foredeckdave

    Foredeckdave Music Thread Manager

    Joined:
    May 30, 2011
    Messages:
    19,804
    Likes Received:
    132
    No we don't. If we do bring in 2 strikers then the dynamic of the forward line changes. Our midfield will match anybody's in the league and whilst any side can be improved, midfield in not our priority area.
     
    #9
  10. Sharpe*

    Sharpe* Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2011
    Messages:
    19,616
    Likes Received:
    3,761
    We've been unable to score goals for a couple of years now. Not just this year.

    Its got worse because the players in midfield who can score a few have gone. i.e Maxi and we've signed ****e in Downing, Carroll, Adam and Henderson who can't shoot.

    I'm tired of repeating myself with this team.

    We all know the issues but are not in a position to rectify them.

    We just have to stick it out and pray we invest.
     
    #10

  11. Jeremy Hillary Boob

    Jeremy Hillary Boob GC Thread Terminator

    Joined:
    May 23, 2011
    Messages:
    27,657
    Likes Received:
    14,558
    I posted a pessimistic post yesterday, sort of hoping you'd raise my spirits. Well, I'm glad I don't drink anymore....

    But I still think that had we got Jelavic last January we'd have been close to fourth or fifth (neither would have gotten us CL, but never mind). Kenny had us playing decent pass-and-move too, and I really think we'd have been pushing for fourth this season in a league where only the two manchesters (and possibly Chelsea) stand out. Now? Just seasons of endurance, I'm afraid. And don't expect now a goal-poacher to make that much difference - as has been said, we've got rid of most of our goal-scoring midfielders, supposedly to get the wage bill down - fair enough. Where are the goals coming from though?

    ****.
     
    #11
  12. The artist JerryChristmas

    The artist JerryChristmas "Massive old member"

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    14,503
    Likes Received:
    1,686
    Throw in a left back and that'd do nicely <laugh>
     
    #12
  13. The artist JerryChristmas

    The artist JerryChristmas "Massive old member"

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    14,503
    Likes Received:
    1,686
    We don't need midfielders in terms of numbers maybe Dave but we do in terms of quality to suit this system. I just can't see any goals from the 3 we're playing now, Allen and Lucas it isn't their strong point and Gerrards either out of sorts because of where he's being played or because he's lost it altogether (which I still find hard to believe).

    Yesterday we looked like two of the three were playing deep, holding roles which is ****ing madness at home. I always had issues with the way we played at home when Benitez played that way and what I saw yesterday has reinforced my belief that such negativity at home will inevitably come back and volley you right in the face.
     
    #13
  14. Muppetfinder General

    Muppetfinder General Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3,576
    Likes Received:
    722
    Kenny spent his first full season bedding in new and younger players. He could've relied on Kuyt and Maxi but then the work would've had to be done this season instead. Rodgers inherited youngsters who'd had first team experience because of Kenny.

    Then there was the law of averages and the woodwork. The players hadn't been coached to try to put the ball too close to the woodwork. An averaging out of that would've seen us push for top four. Rodgers can't blame the woodwork.

    Now we're giving opposition more chance to get organised. Our strike force has been weakened further, just as Carroll became indispensable, because of some vague notion that Rodgers can do on his own what it took Barca years and better men than him to evolve into.
     
    #14
  15. Foredeckdave

    Foredeckdave Music Thread Manager

    Joined:
    May 30, 2011
    Messages:
    19,804
    Likes Received:
    132
    Billy, I'm thinking of the pennies and trying to match them to the priorities. If we get a couple of reliable strikers (and its a big if), then the number and style of our midfielders is more than adequate. As individuals they are never going to produce the 20/30 goals per season that you woud expect from a midfield unit - I accept that. Aslo, I agree that the unit could be improved in terms of quality.

    What I could not understand yesterday were the tactics. Lambert did with Villa exactly what he did with Norwich last season - park the bus and counter. The difference being that his forward options with Villa were better. We did exactly the same as last year but with an even worse result! Why oh why we did we not attack the edge of the box with the ball at feet? There was a penalty there just waiting to happen. Why was not one attacker supported/followed by a midfielder to pick up the rebounds and keep the momentum going?

    I was derided when I called Xavi a ball shuffler (I pass, I move, I pass) but that is exactly what Allen is. He's not creative and he certainly isn't a DM
     
    #15
  16. The artist JerryChristmas

    The artist JerryChristmas "Massive old member"

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    14,503
    Likes Received:
    1,686
    I'm not sure investment alone will sort the problems (especially the way we spend money). I think BR needs to look at finding players who are clever enough to play the system straight away and find a way to get the current players adjusted quicker. Plus he would do well to work out more than one way for us to play. As many of us suggested pre-season...having one formation and one only will lead to results like yesterdays all too often.
     
    #16
  17. The artist JerryChristmas

    The artist JerryChristmas "Massive old member"

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    14,503
    Likes Received:
    1,686
    While I agree with the second and third paragraphs I don't agree with the first at all. Kenny bought Henderson then destroyed his confidence by expecting him to play right midfield. If he wanted a new right midfielder he spent a lot of money on the wrong player. Which other players did he "bed in"? Downing? Enrique? (Hardly young or an unqualified success story last season eh). Carroll? Well he hadn't bedded him in well enough to feel confident to start him every game even by the final games of the season.
     
    #17
  18. Lucaaas

    Lucaaas Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2011
    Messages:
    14,768
    Likes Received:
    3,980
    Yes we lost at home to Villa but lets be honest people are definitely being knee jerk over this result.

    In our last 7 games where do people think we didn't do enough, the Villa game apart?

    Chelsea (a) 1-1, Wigan (h) 3-0, Swansea (a) 0-0, Spurs (a) 1-2, Southampton (h) 1-0, West Ham (a) 3-2 and Villa (h) 1-3.

    Apart from the loss against Villa we have been getting the results you would expect from this group of players. And we were unlucky not to get more from the Swansea & Spurs games. So I think its rather over the top to start panicking about stuff now.

    The only thing we've suffered from this season is a lack of goals, and we knew that was a problem before the season started so I wouldn't personally worry too much about it until after we've hopefully signed some attacking players in January. And yesterday was a poor result + performance but lets not forget Blackburn went to Old Trafford and won last season, so losing one game against a poor side isn't the end of the world.
     
    #18
  19. jaffaSlot

    jaffaSlot Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2011
    Messages:
    16,229
    Likes Received:
    7,284
    It annoys me though, we go and win at West Ham and for what?!? To just lose at home to a terrible looking villa team for the initial half hour. Honestly looked like a pub team until they scored. It just puts us back to square one and even further behind 4th possibly.
     
    #19
  20. BCR

    BCR Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    23,258
    Likes Received:
    744
    My whole thing was the mental block in front of goal. We had plenty of average around when Rafa was here yet we still were able to chip in with goals from the odd players here and there ( Babel, Benayoun, Kuyt, Crouch, Bellamy, Alonso, Riera, etc). Just like I said we have not just gone from having players who could help in scoring the goals, but have now gone to players who don't look like scoring with that mental block! <yikes>

    Need the investment though in January and the summer. Just really hope the Sturridge and Ince aren't true. They would just add depth and don't think they are of the right ilk. I would love to be proved wrong though.
     
    #20

Share This Page