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Five Reasons Why We Won't Win The League
1. Robbie Keane - undoubtedly talented but hugely overpriced, and looking like a bigger waste of money than Dirk Kuyt ever did in his wilderness years (before he became our top scorer etc). In the absence of Torres, Keane's presence on the team sheet now elicits a huge Dossena-esque groan rather than £20m worth of relief (I'm sure there's a puerile joke in there somewhere).
2. Steven Gerrard - someone really needs to tell him that even when we need a goal in front of the Kop, he doesn't necessarily HAVE TO shoot every time he gets the ball within 30 yards of the goal. He has had some wonderful moments for Liverpool, but why can't he just be part of the team rather than always having to be the hero? After yet another disgraceful, selfish display of wastefulness and brainlessness last night, I laughed bitterly at his frankly pathetic air shot. Still better than Frank Lampard though.
3. No left back - Dossena was better last night than all season but still looks out of his depth. Come back John Arne, most is forgiven.
4. Yossi Benayoun - as frustrating as Luis Garcia, minus the flair and definitely nowhere near as pretty.
5. No bottle - we are incapable of capitalising on anyone else's mistakes, as we were under Houllier. We don't have any intelligence in the team, apart from Xabi Alonso - although even he has obviously spent too long hanging around with Steven Gerrard (see above).
I could go on and on. It's the same old story at Anfield, no real change from Houllier's day - just swap Traore for Dossena and we're back where we were. Liverpool fans are deluding themselves if we seriously think we have a hope of even finishing top two this season, to be honest. I guess I can only thank Fulham and West Ham for reminding me of what we really are - dull, defensive, unimaginative perennial also-rans who've had a bit of luck this season.
Still, top of the leeeeeeeeaaaague.
Bob (my last published brackets were cruelly censored - obviously Murdoch doesn't like me), Birmingham
Rafa Can't Buy Strikers Either
Rafa's weak spot in the transfer market isn't just limited to full backs and wingers - it is in the most forward department, made even more apparent in Pool's failure to score for the second successive home game against lesser opponents.
Strikers that Benitez bought:
- Morientes (22 goals in 42 games for Monaco, 12 in 60 for Pool)
- Crouch (16 goals in 33 games for Southampton, 40 in 124 for Pool)
- Bellamy (17 goals in 32 games for Southampton, 9 in 41 for Pool)
- Kuyt (83 goals in 122 games for Feyenoord, 25 in 96 for Pool. 7 in 19 this season)
- Torres (84 goals in 203 games for Feyenoord, 33 in 46 for Pool. 5 in 16 this season)
- Keane (107 goals in 254 games for Tottenham. 4 in 19 for Pool this season)
With the exception of Torres, these players have a worse strike rate at Pool than at their previous clubs. Of the five strikers he bought prior to this season, three have left the club and one converted to a right winger.
Just wondering - since Dossena sucks at left back and Pool are in need of goals...
Khim Chuan, Singapore, YNWA
Liverpool: Worst Best Team In England
I'm not sure what the front page will look like tomorrow but I'd like to thank all those at F365 who attached the flattering 'Liverpool Claim Top Spot' title on the mini match report. It was a tough and frustrating match to watch for me and every other Liverpool supporter and that title, for me at least, eased the pain a little bit and put things in perspective for a moment. You guys often get slated by supporters for 'vicious' titles ('Brainless Arsenal'anyone?) and this was rather nice to see.
But you really should have titled it 'Liverpool Become Worst Best Team in England'.
That might be a bit harsh. Letting my emotions get the better I guess. Before I venture any further in to any kind of assessment of Liverpool's title hopes I'd like to make a few requisite statements. Ahem, here we go. If you had told me before the season started that after 15 games Liverpool would be top of the table I'd have taken it. If you had told me before the season that Liverpool would beat Man U and Chelsea I'd have taken it. If you had told me that Liverpool would have Torres start in less than half of their Premier League games AND still be top of the league I'd have taken it. I'd have taken all of that in a heartbeat. Liverpool are still in GREAT position to challenge for a title. But here is where things start to break down.
Liverpool seem to be as unlucky now as they were lucky in the early days of the season. "Everything evens out over the course of the season" and all that. Their apparent allergic reaction to hitting the back of the net is really puzzling. Whereas their offense would sometimes, in previous years, degenerate into "Lets all stand around and watch Stevie", it seems like this year everyone waits for someone else to provide that little spark; like the scoring burden just keeps getting passed around until eventually everyone gets tense and frustrated.
Granted, in yesterday's game, and the game against Stoke, there was some timely defending and good goalkeeping that kept the match scoreless, in both games there were clear opportunities. It's just a problem when you can just know when Liverpool are going to draw a game. After 30 minutes I was pretty convinced that we would be heading to 0-0 draw territory. With Torres on the pitch you can at least hope maybe he'll just decide to score and pick the team up like he did against Sunderland but without him Liverpool play very predictably and deliberate.
When Liverpool start acting like Lear or Willy Loman, and always, always, always make the wrong choices, like taking a shot when they should have passed it off (KUYT!) or passing it too much and not taking a shot, you know where you're headed. Seldom did West Ham seem like they wanted any part of three points and the problem is, just like in years past, we haven't had that person who could come off the bench and make an immediate impact. Now, before you go all "Ryan Babel is the superest sub!" on me I want to go "Ryan Babel is the most maddeningly inconsistent player I have ever watched" on you. Riera was anonymous for much of the game and Benayoun did his 'Just good enough' thing and Keane made everyone wonder if he knew the game counted. It all added up to being just too little I guess.
If you want to argue that were it not for a couple of great Robert Green saves I'd be singing a different tune that's fine, you're probably right. But lurking in the shadows of all of Liverpool's 1-0 victories this year is the phrase "It should have been 4-0".
When I can watch Liverpool over a long stretch of games and think to myself that they made the most of their chances then I'll believe that this journey can lead to that precious silverware. Until that time I'll have to look at this 08/09 team as just another step in the building a championship team effort. This isn't a time for dismissing the argument that Liverpool might not have enough quality to mount a sustained title challenge by saying "SOME OF YOU 'FANS' WILL COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING!"
That being said, it is also certainly NOT the time to be booing our players off the pitch. They failed to score yesterday for many different reasons but lack of trying was not one of them. It's a time to look at this team realistically. I think we've certainly got the right tactical mind managing the team (leaving Mascherano on the bench, starting Hyppia etc.) though Rick 'The Inept' Parry should probably leave along with Hicks and Gillet, who own the interesting distinction of being the world's poorest millionaires. We spent alot of (borrowed) money on Robbie and he just has not been good enough. How long before "He needs time" becomes a very foolish statement? Six more seconds? The fact of the matter is that this team is close to the finished article but not quite. We always seem to be saying "We're one player away!" and this time I think we're a creative wide player (full back or winger) away from being a consistent menace.
Riera has at most times been great but one more threat from out wide would be freakin' sweet. I love where this team has taken us this year and I'm hoping like hell they can fix their problems in front of goal but I think I'll remain a few notches below 'cautiously optimistic' for now.
Unless of course they rip off nine straight or something, then you can gladly toss me in the 'Pessimistic Doubting Twunts' category.
Ryan, LFC, The States
Turning On Rafa...
If anyone thinks Liverpool are going to win the league under a clown like Rafa they are mistaken. How he could take Robbie Keane off and replace him with a guy that has played (according to Setanta anyway) only one minute of Premier League football, I don't know. Robbie Keane's reaction when the substitution was being made said it all - you could clearly see him saying 'I bet it's me'. I simply don't understand why you would pay 20 million for a striker and not play to his strengths. Keane's game is about drifting off the defence and creating things as well as scoring outstanding goals. Last night he was up front on his own and Kuyt was playing the deeper role (what a joke of a player he is, even Steven Gerrard lost the plot with him at one stage and he is his biggest fan).
Rafa will simply not substitute Kuyt no matter how badly he is playing yet Keane has been subbed nine times in 15 league games, how can a player get into a rhythm when that happens? Also,in a game like that, when you need an ugly 1-0 win why take off a 20 million pound striker?? The Kop chanting 'Attack, attack' was very reminiscient of the Houllier years and this season reminds me a lot of 02/03 when Lpool were playing crap but were top of the league so everyone turned a blind eye to it. That season they finished 5th.
Back to last night, how can he play Benayoun and not Babel? Why take off Riera? I know he wasn't having the best game but by god he would do more then Kuyt and they needed width to stretch the defence. All Kuyt does is run around the place. He has more heart then most players but he has no guile or class about him.
The frightening thing is Rafa doesn't see any problems with last night's performance. He said we were 'trying to win it from the start' What the hell does that mean? Does he normally wait till 25 minutes to go before trying to win? They were playing a team 5th from bottom at home, what does he want??..a medal!!
Liverpool this season at home have been awful against Marseille, Atletico Madrid, Wigan, Middlesborough, Fulham, Stoke and West Ham.
This will cost them the league as it's exactly like the problem with Houllier. His team were a counter attacking team but had no plan B and were forever dropping points against teams who played deep and played defensively and set up with the two banks of four and were very disciplined. This will cost Liverpool the league and is a shame as the players and fans deserve better and the club also deserves better then to have their tradition of playing good football ruined by a negative manager like this guy. I was at the Stoke, Boro & Marseille games and in fairness no one booed but last night the crowd finally vented their anger and I think that says it all. Liverpool fans are many things but fickle is not one of them.
Frank, Ireland
...Can someone please give me an in-depth argument for why Ryan Babel has to sit on the Bench whilst David Ngog (one for the future, maybe) prances around trying to find his touch?
Answers on a postcard...
Mark, LFC, Harrogate
Get Mickey In To Anfield
The game last night from our perspective was dreadful, we never really looked like we were going to score, our players have no composure in front of goal and Benayoun was awful yet again. That's the only game this week, between the 11 of them they earn in excess of half a million and they couldn't muster one single goal! F*** me!! We drew to Fulham, we drew yesterday, we should be five points clear, the mark of true champions is taking advantage of slip-ups by the other title contenders, we have failed to do this for the last five years let alone last weekend and this week. Man United did this yet again on Saturday.
Onto Robbie Keane, he has been shocking. He has gone from a club with no expectations of winning anything to a club that has an expectation of aiming to challenge for the top trophies and this pressure has clearly got to him. It is likely for around £25m we could've got David Villa and let's be honest that would've been money well spent. He gets p***ed off for being taken off, but how can he when he hasn't really contributed anything. So far he has only missed glorious chances to put games beyond teams, Tottenham, Atletico, Fulham, the list is ever increasing.
Owen would be welcome with open arms - first and foremost he is a quality striker and despite his injury troubles he is still showing he is. If we can get him in Jan for a reasonable amount it would be just what we need, let's just say if we continue on this form our drawn home games (like last season) will cost us a league title.
Ash, London
Hey Robbie...
Quick advice - maybe if you actually score a goal every now and again, you can be spared the disappointment and showing your sulky face when you are substituted mid-game. We already have one player who "gives his all for the team". Now what we need is some goals.
Ronen Peleg (won a fiver 'cause I knew Liverpool will blow this one - again)
Three Things From Last Night
What a great weekend for United!
Liverpool are still dull as f*ck to watch.
Robbie Keane is still utter toss.
That is all.
Pete (at least Drossena wasn't the worst player on the pitch) Ridding, MUFC
You Shouldn't Boo Your Team
I had the misfortune of watching the Liverpool game last night and it was just about as dull as the Stoke and Fulham games they've also drawn 0-0 at home this season!
Who are these dicks who are booing at the end of the game??? Yes it was a shocking game and one you can feel they should have won, but booing your supposed heroes off the pitch is crazy! It seems to happen at every ground and I quite frankly just don't get it!
I've been going to United since the late 80's and I can say I have booed my team off the pitch once! We got murdered on New Year's day 1-4 by QPR at OT and Derek Bailey (I think that was his name) scored a hat-trick! I must have booed for about two seconds and felt ashamed afterwards!
I know exactly what will come back from the reactionaries who write into the mailbox that because of the money they pay to watch they can pretty much do what they want and that includes booing! What purpose does it serve??? Does anyone not think that the likes of Gerrard and Carragher (who if they weren't playing for the club would probably be sat on The Kop watching) know it's a shocking performance and are as disappointed as the rest of the fans, without them all ramming it down their throat with a chorus of boos???
It's times like this, when the team are struggling, that any team needs the support of the fans even more!!! I know you might disagree with the manager's team selection or his substitutions (Keane had a shocker last night, but shouldn't have been brought off), but you lot want to win the league more than anything else this season and reactions at the final whistle like that ain't going to help!!!
Tim (time to show the luuuv people) Collins
Dissing Setanta
So what is going on with Setanta?? There I was 'enjoying' the Liverpool game last night when suddenly the picture starts to freeze and break up after 30 odd minutes. It came back during half time. Our friends at Setanta informed us it was nothing to do with them but due to bad weather in 'Europe' and satellite coverage was affected all over Europe. That's funny because when I flicked onto the Reading match on Sky Sports there was no problem. Maybe Reading is not in Europe and as Liverpool is the European Capital of Culture it is!! All my other satellite channels were working fine. It was just the Setanta channels.
This on the same day that I got a lovely email from Setanta informing me my subscription was going up on Jan 1st. Also I hear it would be easier for Keane to score a hat trick for Liverpool than cancel your sub with Setanta.
As for Liverpool - playing terrible, can't score or beat poor teams but still top of the pile. What is with Rafa and Keane? Desperate for a goal at home so you take off your main striker after 60 odd mins?? I know he is not playing brilliantly but he is more likely to get you a goal that Ngog.
Happy Christmas to everyone (too early??) except Setanta of course!
Rizzo the Rat, Kildare, Ireland
Not A Fan Of Malouda
After watching the shambolic second-half performance that my beloved Blues put in on Sunday afternoon I feel required to write my about my extremely low opinion of the pathetic waste of space that is Florent Malouda. I appreciate we were poor on Sunday, I even applaud Arsenal for coming to the Bridge and taking three well-deserved points from us but for me Malouda is the symbol of everything that is wrong at Chelsea.
When we needed a goal after conceding that highly unconvincingly onside equaliser and then well-taken second, the only option we had was to bring on someone who has constantly underachieved. He has been given chance after chance to prove himself, and let's face it, he doesn't have have to be that great to be held in higher esteem by chelsea fans when he is following in the footsteps of such greats as Gabrielle Ambrosetti, the much-overrated Arjan Robben, Jesper Gronkajer and even Damien Duff.
On Sunday afternoon you could see the crowd visibly give up when Mr 'touch of a brick wall' was warming up, even more so when the (not so famed) number 15 was waved by the 4th official. Now I am fully prepared to back a Chelsea player for as long as it takes (within reason) but it is becoming a joke, I can understand that our performance on Sunday was not down to him as he wasn't on the pitch for long enough, however, with four goals of any note in his Chelsea career (and one of those was fumbled by the keeper in a Champions League game) it doesn't fill you with confidence that we are going to get that equaliser does it?
Mr Scolari, I am begging you, please do not put us through the 20 or so way-too-long crosses which will be witnessed in any game which he plays, the complete lack of a defensive mind he has or the inability to take a decent first touch or shot from anywhere ever again, send him off on loan to France in January never to come to these shores again and invest some of the money I have put into the club (at least a few grand) in buying an established winger who, dare I say it, can actually cross a ball...better still give Scott Sinclair a chance, rumour has it he's pretty good...
Adam (I'm available as a left winger for a small fee), Bournemouth
Not Buying The Redknapp Revival Talk
Most of this is based on TV evidence, as I've only been to a couple of games since Redknapp took charge - but even allowing for a wide margin of error it seems to me that we (Spurs) have rarely played particularly well or looked particularly comfortable during our 'revival'. Draw vs l'arse - lucky. Win vs Liverpool (league) - dead lucky. Win vs Man City - generous amount of luck. Win vs Blackburn - good for 30 mins then laboured vs 10 men . Add to those the insipid defeats vs Fulham and Everton, and the so-called 'revival' begins to look a tad misleading. Now the media in particular seem happy to indulge in a Harry Redknapp love-in, and we've definitely improved since the Ramos era. However - whisper it - I'm not convinced that we've been playing particularly well, despite some good results. The only impressive 90-minute performances were 4-0 vs a poor Dinamo Kiev, the Carling Cup win vs Liverpool's reserves.
Losing while having played well is undoubtedly galling, but it at least gives hope of better things to come. We, by contrast, seem to have been picking up wins without playing particularly well, and therefore perhaps papering over cracks. Results have been good under the new boss, but performances have only sporadically sparkled. I still don't doubt we'll avoid relegation, but with the tightness of the league table allowing us to force our way back into European reckoning on the back of a few consecutive wins, we ought to be aiming higher. If Harry really is the right man for us he'll have us playing an attractive, effective brand of football fairly sharpish - if he does this results will take care of themselves. As yet there has been the odd sign of this, but we've more often been sloppy. Performances need to improve in order to push up the table, as we won't win luckily every week. With West Ham away and Man Utd at home next in the league, it's time for Harry to prove his worth as manager and turn up the performances a couple of notches.
Michael Lacquiere, London
Thoughts On Keano
As a Sunderland fan who goes to all home and away games I've found it very difficult to disagree with Sarah Winterburn's latest blog on Roy Keane. Rather than get bogged down amongst the empty vessels in the 'Your Comments' section though I've put together my own assessment of him - broken down into chunks otherwise I'd end up on a tangent.
Mentality - It's been well documented just how low an ebb we were at prior to Keane's arrival and what has been achieved since. The off-the-pitch transformation of the club has impressed me more than anything achieved on it however. The mentality of the club has completely changed. Mediocrity is no longer celebrated - in the past too many hard working but ultimately rubbish players were given hero-status because they showed 'passion'; that is no longer the case. Team bonding under Peter Reid consisted of 10 pints and a curry - again, that is no longer the case. Too often under previous managers indiscipline has been allowed to escalate rather than nipping it in the bud. Keane may have cost us in the short term by dropping certain players for poor time keeping or showing a bad attitude, but long term he is transforming the club. His attitude has been a welcomed change.
The Transfer Market - A point that is often overlooked is that upon promotion Keane had to build an entire team from scratch almost. He spent £40m gross building this team - the same as Middlesbrough under McClaren and Southgate, Wigan under Jewell/Hutchings/Bruce and slightly more than Fulham under Sanchez/Hodgson. They had a number of years to build their team; Keane did it at a time when transfer fees and the TV deal have never been higher.
That said, to spend a further £40m and finish the Bolton game with a midfield of Leadbitter, Liam Miller, Whitehead and Tainio is unacceptable. Four central midfielders, three of which aren't up to this division. For £80m I expect more than a relegation battle.
Tactics and Team selection - Baffling. You are not at Manchester United where you can drop a player and have two or three world-class replacements Roy. Jordan Henderson and Martyn Waghorn - decent prospects that they are - are not Beckham and Scholes and should not be played away to Chelsea. Why do we have to sit back and invite pressure on ourselves after going ahead? Why can't we hold onto a lead?
The Contract Situation - Roy Keane is not bigger than Sunderland AFC and we can't afford to wait until he decides whether he rates himself. The uncertainty around his future and his latest comments are affecting the players. Keane says "This about what is best for Sunderland, not Roy Keane", but he can end the uncertainty by committing.
I don't want to see Keane leave but he has to decide now. I think he will walk however and the West Brom home game in two weeks will be massive. If the end is nigh then it will be quite sad - this has been quick and relatively painless, unlike the long and drawn-out demises of Reid and McCarthy.
Thoughts?
Luke, Sunderland
Thoughts For Matt Cameron
"Mido, he's got a bomb ya know!" Now that's got a ring to it!
No it doesn't. You're a horrible, small-minded man who rather than accept that some of the geordie faithful be in the wrong, is willing to redefine racial and religious abuse to absolve a clearly guilty group of fans. Most Newcastle United fans don't think this is funny, most Newcastle United fans realise this is a slur against their club and are intelligent enough to admonish the minority. It wouldn't surprise me if you're one of the vocal few who insisted on placing Boro fans in the same criminal class as certain Chelsea fans were Arsene Wenger. In attempting to show solidarity with the worse kind of Newcastle fan you've succeeded in insulting the majority of good natured and level headed ones.
Chris 'too serious for the middle name thing' Bannister
...What an enormous apology I owe to the section of Newcastle fans that created the now anthemic 'Mido, he's got a bomb you know' chant.
Myself, like many other fans and members of the media and authorities, completely misread the song as a brown ale fuelled derby day misdemeanour stereotyping Mido's Arabic and Islamic identity with fundamentalist terrorism.
Of course, since reading recent mailbox letters and scrawling through internet images of Mido and shoe-bomber Richard Reid I now see not only the uncanny resemblance between the two men but also the articulate genius these talented geordie lyricists have produced.
May I now suggest Boro fans reply in turn at the next meeting with a chant cleverly referencing Andi Peters' likeness to Newcastle defender Habib BEYE, such as; 'he's gay, he's gay, his name is Habib Beye'.
Dan (lowest form of wit) White
PS - I AM NOT IN ANY WAY INFERRING THAT HABIB BEYE IS ACTUALLY A HOMOSEXUAL.
...A Brazillian lad ended up with one hole and eight bullets in his skull because he happend to look like a shoe bomber. I presume the defence of the copper responsible entered the same plea as you, you extraordinary racist. "But, your honour, in fairness, he did look like a terrorist..."
Yours, in utter disgust.
Peadar, Limerick
...So, what Matt Cameron is saying is that when Mido runs out on to the park for the next derby game, and hears several thousand people likening him to an attempted Muslim suicide bomber, he's supposed to go - "Oh yeah! Haha! I see what you're doing. You're all saying that I look like Richard Reid. They're not really likening me to a Muslim extremist! I'm not offended at all!".
Well, if that is what Mido thinks then he's a better man than me. Because what I think is that you, along with all of the other guys that were singing that sorry excuse for a chant, are a bunch of backwards racist simpletons who is now trying to justify what they are singing by attempting to say that it's funny or that they would say it to anybody else who looks like a Muslim extremist.
Something being racist isn't determined by what the person saying it thinks. It's whether the person its directed at thinks its racist.
I hope the scumbag Geordies go down even more than I did before.
Chris (Not really the place for a witty line) London
The Last Word On Those Chants
Forget Mido, try looking at things from Richard Reid's point of view. It can't be very nice when he leaves his cell to slop out and all the other inmates start chanting "Richard Reid, oh, oh, oh. He looks like a fat lazy overpaid useless f*cker of a footballer. Y'know".
Steve Smith
