posted May 25, 2007

Coachk, are you really trying to explain the game of football using Basketball as a reference to one of the best manager's in our league? I mean, I hear what you say, but I think it is better left for your Sunday little league team, but perhaps explained with less flowery language

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posted May 25, 2007

Regarding the ridiculous comment on Basketball??? and all others pretty much over analysing Liverpools performance in Athens.
Firstly Im guessing that the fact that there has NEVER been a cross over of Basketball to Football coaching means that it has absolutely no relvance. The size of a basketball court and pace of the game, means turning Defence into Offence is quick and easy, plus as often happens a shot at the "goal" can take place as soon as the ball comes into play, this aint rocket science!!!! just a completely different game which is irrelevant to top level football.

There lies my second point, we were playing a top level side. The fact they seemed average on wednesday was down to Liverpool, not Milan.
Mascherano kept Kaka quiet until he was taken off when immediately after he made his only contribution to the game......2-0.
The game hinged on a fluke goal at the worst time, and yes liverpool need to stregthen, but so do Milan and so do Chelsea and Man Utd.....name me a team who doesnt.

I was proud to be a liverpool fan, we dominated a team who murdered man utd 3 weeks earlier and were unlucky. My only gripe was why didnt crouch come on earlier and for Alonso, moving gerrard slightly back and leaving mascherano to control Kaka as he had done throughout the game. Would this have prevented the second goal and led to an equalizer......I think so! but hey thats football.......not basketball!!!!

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posted May 25, 2007

Benitez's ill-fated love affair with Zenden continues.And treating Crouch like a pariah.Surely Crouch should have been there from the beginning and maybe Bellamy for a pedestrian defence. Is Benitez contrarian for the sake of being contrarian.I do not claim to have the insight of the better brains but it seems that Benitez has lost the art of keeping it simple. I cannot for the life of me see what B sees in Zenden.

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posted May 25, 2007

Benitez's ill-fated love affair with Zenden continues.And treating Crouch like a pariah.Surely Crouch should have been there from the beginning and maybe Bellamy for a pedestrian defence. Is Benitez contrarian for the sake of being contrarian.I do not claim to have the insight of the better brains but it seems that Benitez has lost the art of keeping it simple. I cannot for the life of me see what B sees in Zenden.
Jonathan David South Africa

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posted May 25, 2007

i disagree with arab 87, there is a shedload benitez could have done to change that match.
firstly never play zenden, he is just plain crap and unworthy of us. secondly play crouch, benitez seems to dislike crouch and never plays him despite him being the best english striker. how can pennant make an impact without a head to aim at in the shape of crouch, especially when kuyt is awful.

and y did kewell, who is awful even come on the pitch, he hadnt played for months, we should sell the bugger.

benitez is a good tactician but makes the worst substitutions ever, takes off the wrong players and puts the wrong ones on, and when he does make the right decision its too late for a difference.

replacing carrager is a dumb idea hes an excellent defender and a firm pillar of our defence normally, i will not turn on him for onw mistake after so many right decisions

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posted May 26, 2007

keep kewell, when he's not injured he's better than zenden...zenden is a squad player. should never have taken mascherano off, he was marking kaka really well.
carra can't be blamed he gives everything and everyonbe makes mistakes, his was just unfortunately timed and normally mash would have had it covered.

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posted May 26, 2007

all the mancs and chavs goin on about playing for 1 cup,the league was over for us after the bad start so concentrating on one major prize was ok for me.
worry about your own team and stop trying to be a big club

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posted May 26, 2007

comment by Gooner_3000
posted Yesterday

Momoofalgiers, which winning team would you have chosen? Obviously Rafas idea of playing with two deep lying midfielders to stop the three most gifted players on the field from dominating possesion and orchestrating attacks was a stupid idea. What would you have done?
-----------------------------------------------

First, by no means i would've mocked Rafa Benitez, one of the best managers in the world. we all acknowledge his achievements that rely essentially on an average team. So what's the issue?

In my view,Liverpool were caught short by lack of confidence rather than by lack of class as suggested by the writer of the current article.In fact,it was a matter of courage and wisdom.

A matter of Courage because Benitez should've built up a winning strategy relying on his ground aces not on his weaknesses.

A matter of wisdom, because if it ain't broke don't fix it. We should've got the same starting squad we had vs Chelsea.

Crouchy instead of Alonso would've been a better choice.Gerrard behind the latter would've brought us more consistency upfront from the start. haven't you noticed that Zenden and Pennant weren't able to make even one cross with confidence? And guess why? Cause there was no one up there in the box.But what happened when Crouchy showed up? Ac Milan and their supporters started to have goose bumps! Then, Ancelotti made a quick replacement of a centerback. Was it worth it? No of course,they were all looking after Crouchy forgetting about Kuyt who scored easily. This was the only corner ball not wasted by Liverpool.Why? Cause all Crouchy's team-mates were taught this season to play using him as a target man and sometimes as a fake dangerman as well.

I would add,even if we had to rely on two deep midfielders, I would've choosed Sissoko for one simple reason, he defends better and he's able to quiet anyone on the pitch meaning he's one of the rarest who can "keep a sharp eye on the ball" during 90 min.

Finally if it was up to me to decide, i would've used more deterrence instead of trying this useless containement policy. I would've used my reputation of the most dreaded team all over europe -when it comes to a single or double tie- to win the game.

A harsh attacking line up should've made us safe from mistakes we did backwards(Alonso and Carra ones).

We were millions the late wednesday to notice that Ac Milan were too scared of Liverpool.Frankly they were paralysed. First they tried to set the tempo but they were physically overrun.Ten minutes later they didn't even dare to emerge from their fifty yards till this "gift" given by Alonso. We really missed a tremendous opprtunity to win our 6th title.

Even though, there are some people who still think that Benitez's tactics was spot on. May be. For my part I still think that we lost our real DNA that night. Didn't we?

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posted May 31, 2007

I am an avid Liverpool fan, have been for 25 years. I have followed them thru thick and thin..The great dalglish days, the dark and bad Souness days, Houlliers days and now Rafa..

Something amazes me about Rafa. The way he thinks and eat football. His tactical brilliance is for all to see. His rotational policy is sometimes strange. But he is a shrewd manager always working to a tight budget
to bring in the best players...So why arent Liverpool spending when we have mega rich Americans at the helm now... ?

His system of play SHOULD be like the Souness Rush, Daglish era in my view. Just the way Kaka and Brazil play, but this is not happening..? why ? he has Alonso who can make a telling inch perfect pass to a forward to go on and score. He also has Gerrard whho can also pass inch perfect and is arguably the best midfielder in the world right now.
They also have Mascherano who was once compared to maradona. he could have perfect passing as well..

On the Champions League final I didn't understand the team selection. How can Gerrard play upfront for only the first time he has ever done ? why ? where was Sissoko ?(why did Rafa not say about man marking Kaka ?). This was the most oddest team selection/formation and for a match and it not being a ordinary game but a Champions League Final of all games !!

then the subs, Kewell was a joke (he has only played 45 minutes or so of football all season !!). Crouch did not have time and Bellamy didnt get a chance. How were we expected to score...?

i think I have said enough. I was just upset that this Milan team could have been 3-0 down by half time and we would have won for a 6th time......That would 'ave made the scum (Man U that is..) look even more average..!!

Shabbir

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posted Jun 8, 2007

Interesting article; I feel that Jermaine Pennant was exceptional on the right - after Mascherano our best player - no doubt in my mind this guy has all the ability he needs to be a real success if he keeps plugging away. If the Pool had had a bit more luck then we may have won and certain analyses would have been completely different. Good to see the reds pushing for the title next year the way it should be!

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