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Andy_wivit

Listed below are comments made by Andy_wivit between Saturday, 5th July 2008 and Tuesday, 2nd December 2008.

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Liverpool top, but for how long? 08:48am on 02 Dec 2008 Hi Phil

Lots of good points made, and you can understand the frustration the Anfield regulars would have been feeling, what an opportunity to go three points clear. But, as you commented yourself, top is top so things need to be kept in perspective.

Whilst your blog was about Liverpool and I understand that, without a bit of context you leave yourself open to a bit of 'he's Liverpool bashing again'.

Whilst it's totally true Liverpool have dropped points against the 'lesser' teams they've beaten both Man Utd and Chelsea, and last seasons criticism was they couldn't get results against their nearest rivals.

I'm still upbeat after last nights result. Here we are with crimbo just around the corner and Liverpool sit on top of the league.

Using last seasons criticism Chelsea can't win it (losing against their main rivals), Man Utd can't win it (losing against their main rivals)....so who is going to??

A long long way to go, but I know if you asked all of the top managers at the beginning of the season where they'd like to be sitting in the league right now what their answer would be.

Life is full of 'if only's'. Journo's, pundits all like to say the table doesn't lie, we'll see what it say's in April, but in December it's saying Liverpool rule the roost (and I'm not counting my chickens!!)
Capello may regret Owen exclusion 08:51am on 02 Sep 2008 Mark, we've been down this route far too many times before. We took a bunch of crocked forwards to the last world cup (not for the first time). There seems to be in this country a 'if he's fit, he must play' mindset (he being whatever 'star' we're talking about)

Too many times selection is based purely on reputation, rather than current form, a strategy that invariably fails.

Players should play their way back to form with their clubs, 'prove' they merit an England shirt and then they can be selected.

I seem to recall that you were one of those who thought the appointment of Capello was sliced bread and all that....are you already a hungry vulcher looking for some stale bread :-)
Capello springs surprise with Terry choice 11:35pm on 19 Aug 2008 aha, 23...now we outnumber them by 2 to 1, should even beat Cyprus.
Capello springs surprise with Terry choice 11:26pm on 19 Aug 2008 Raisenjohnson - I like your strategy - pick a team of 21 (not including a keeper and the two etc's) :-)
Capello springs surprise with Terry choice 11:01pm on 19 Aug 2008 There's a consistent theme running through many of the posts - and that's around the players not taking their club form into their England shirts.

I agree, to an extent, but for me it's the fault of the management team, there seems in this country to be a philosophy of picking the 11 best players and then trying to form a team out of them, regardless of where their best (club) position is or what balance it gives to the team.

Carragher for example, considered by many to be an England regular at centre back found himself pushed out to right back and then couldn't get a game when the regular centre backs were out injured??

Phil Neville playing here there and everywhere (and not good enough to play anywhere), Joleen (I think) from Everton playing out of position, again shouldn't be in the team, trying to play Gerrard and Lampard in the same team years after it was obvious they couldn't. Taking crocked players to world cups, playing Rooney as a lone striker (any more for any more, the list goes on and on???).

Management in this country can't seem to make brave decisions, we can't blame the players all of the time, others have to take responsibility.

This wags thing is something else that riles me, if I was playing at a major tournament I'd want my top totty there watching me, it isn't the players who write the papers, so don't blame the players for the crock of shi# that appears in the press. Lets face it, if the wags all looked like crouchie (no offence), they'd still make the mags, but just to be ridiculed - oh my god, crouchie in a mini - uuugggghhhhh!!!.

A new broom is supposedly to sweep clean, it looks like Capello's broom has rather too much fluff attached to it.

My one contribution to his team selection would be to put Gerrard in the centre of midfield (without the armband as it turns out), and build the team around him. Probably a few years too late, but I'm convinced it would have ALLOWED him to do what he does at Liverpool.

Anyway, can anyone else help me out with players being played out of position, or being injured and taken to a tournament...or just being crap in a club and England shirt?

By the way, if anyone is thinking about having a pop at me for not being patriotic or whatever, don't.....just because someone has made a decision doesn't mean we can't debate it AND still love our country
Capello springs surprise with Terry choice 5:37pm on 19 Aug 2008 Good article Phil, despite the criticisms you'll undoubtedly receive for mentioning Gerrards name, you're absolutely spot on.

He's not a shouter, but then should an international team like England need one, shouldn't they have a team of captains?

What I think England need is a leader in the football sense, someone who could get a game by the scruff of it's neck and lead by example. I think Gerrard is one who actually thrives on responsibility, and making him captain would have improved his England game by 20%.

An opportunity missed, but hey, what do I know??

Again, good article!
Scolari charms to take top billing 08:48am on 09 Jul 2008 As it turns out, he may have been lying about Lampard....so he's still making mugs out of the English media. Oh, talking of Lampard - does transfer saga of the summer spring to mind?? Barry and Liverpool has been a very brief affair compared to this!
Scolari charms to take top billing 7:18pm on 08 Jul 2008 One of the burdens of being a journalist is having to write articles even when there's nothing to write about.....as in here.

A professional football manager giving a press conference...and the story is?

It probably merits a column somewhere, but a blog??
Barry saga leaving a sour taste 09:16am on 05 Jul 2008 Not sure how this is 'reflecting badly' on Liverpool or Benitez. What are Liverpool supposed to do...blindly accept anyone's valuation of a player they're interested in? Once they do that what do you suppose is going to happen when they do go after someone....inflated prices perhaps? Maybe, just maybe they should try and get a target as cheaply as possible, a couple of million off here, another couple of million off the next target and suddenly you've nearly got enough for a third, it's not rocket science, just basic economics, something practised by all clubs bar chelsea.

Not at all convinced that it was Liverpool who broke the story either.

Finally, it's only a transfer 'saga' because you lot make it so.

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