the very exciting extra time compensated for the rest of the game but good grief what a very english penalty shoot out
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The 2011-2012 Football Thread
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Penalty-duffers Steven and Anthony Gerrard are both decidedly English. 
Though to be fair to the Gerrards, there were two more misses by a Scot and Frenchman respectively. Adam's miss was incredible - I don't think Sandra could have shanked the ball worse than he did.
Though to be fair to the Gerrards, there were two more misses by a Scot and Frenchman respectively. Adam's miss was incredible - I don't think Sandra could have shanked the ball worse than he did.
Further to my earlier post...Penalty-duffers Steven and Anthony Gerrard are both decidedly English.
...in addition to 'Arry being tactically out thought by a foreign manager we now have Steven Gerrard messing up in a penalty shoot out.In today's other, lesser derby Spurs coasted to a 2-0 lead before spectacularly imploding and – as I write this in injury time – are 5-2 down. I take back everything I said, this sort of result demonstrates that 'Arry would be perfect to manage England.
I declare our preparations for Euro 2012 complete.
Liverpool have a nearly Germanic record when it comes to penalty shootouts, and that trend continued today.
Today epitomised football; Red Card, Penalties, Comebacks, Milestones, Triumph, and Heartbreak.
So so happy we demolished Spurs today...were starting to mouth off a tad. Bonus happy points for wiping that smirk off Adebayor's face after scoring the non-penalty...on his 28th bday no less. Hapi Birfday mate. Thanx for the 3pts
Now if only we could produce performances like that for every game here on out...
So so happy we demolished Spurs today...were starting to mouth off a tad. Bonus happy points for wiping that smirk off Adebayor's face after scoring the non-penalty...on his 28th bday no less. Hapi Birfday mate. Thanx for the 3pts
Now if only we could produce performances like that for every game here on out...
Liverpool have a nearly Germanic record when it comes to penalty shootouts, and that trend continued today.
Liverpool is slowly starting to learn how to win ugly.
Every successful team has to learn this.
Liverpool is slowly starting to learn how to win ugly.
Every successful team has to learn this.
those red kits are a good start.
buzzing after yesterday! Can't believe we had to win it the hard way yet again, though Cardiff were fantastic.
Sorry to chime in late all the time, I usually watch most of the matches but not all in one day.
Anyway, I've a couple of things on my mind about Liverpool specifically.
Andy Carroll. I'm so sick of this man. He's lazy, he's slow, **** coordination, but worst of all...he is such a baby. He wanders around pissing and moaning all the time about everything. When he's not in the right position, it's his teammates fault...he's not a small man, but he runs about like he's a small woman and everyone on the pitch is trying to molest him. He needs to harden up, accept responsibility, work harder, and stop being a victim all the time about everything. I'd actually rather have Torres tbh. Whiny prima-donna certainly not worth what was paid.
Suarez. No denying he has talent, but as a player he seems like a complete ass. From the racism fiasco to his on pitch demeanor, he is going to further poison the team...while helping them in the ranks.
Liverpool made the final much harder than it should have been. Bellamy is a great asset and I'm glad to see his return to premiere league. I watch Liverpool now and cringe...they are not an enjoyable team. Cohesion is really lacking as is on pitch leadership. Despite the accomplishments, things need to change further IMO.
Anyway, I've a couple of things on my mind about Liverpool specifically.
Andy Carroll. I'm so sick of this man. He's lazy, he's slow, **** coordination, but worst of all...he is such a baby. He wanders around pissing and moaning all the time about everything. When he's not in the right position, it's his teammates fault...he's not a small man, but he runs about like he's a small woman and everyone on the pitch is trying to molest him. He needs to harden up, accept responsibility, work harder, and stop being a victim all the time about everything. I'd actually rather have Torres tbh. Whiny prima-donna certainly not worth what was paid.
Suarez. No denying he has talent, but as a player he seems like a complete ass. From the racism fiasco to his on pitch demeanor, he is going to further poison the team...while helping them in the ranks.
Liverpool made the final much harder than it should have been. Bellamy is a great asset and I'm glad to see his return to premiere league. I watch Liverpool now and cringe...they are not an enjoyable team. Cohesion is really lacking as is on pitch leadership. Despite the accomplishments, things need to change further IMO.
On a different front..li fail to understand why Danny is chosen over berbatov. I don't see it and I think berbatov has been greatly underutilized this season. I don't think Danny is that good tbh...
Maybe someone can enlighten me. Outside of brief injuries.
Maybe someone can enlighten me. Outside of brief injuries.
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Definitely not worth what we paid for him, but that is absolutely not his fault. I agree with most of your criticisms though. He needs to improve significantly or else he must go. I am willing to wait and see what happens over the offseason before I make a judgment, he is still young.
As for whining, it's not that that bothers me so much as the fact that people seem to find it easy to get inside his head. Bellamy whines too, but is less fazed by what others do (though he has a habit of laying hands on people). Carroll needs to learn to focus on his game and brush off the taunts and fouls.
I think the press have demonized Suarez to a certain extent, and will continue to do so. However, he is ultimately responsible for himself, and responsible for being mindful of the team. He needs to dial the passion down a notch but I think he can be a big player for Liverpool going forward. Also on the upside is the fact that he seems to be a decent guy off the pitch, unlike Carroll who is still surrounded by rumors of rough living now that he doesn't have Kevin Nolan to look after him.
Bellamy is old, and will only get older. He has come up huge for Liverpool this season and I hope he continues to do so. But we can't rely on him to play every match, and he is not a long-term solution up front. We need to replace him with a third striker when he leaves.
One thing to look forward to is the return of Lucas next season. He is a massive player for us and has really grown into the Xabi Alonso/Mascherano role. We need him.
on Andy Caroll: the price was obviously way to high but it has to be expected when a premier league club buys a young english player .. as a general rule you can estimate that a similar player can be had for 1/4 to 1/3 of the price...
as written before Just for reference: Mesut Özil went from Werder to Real for 15 million euro (3 months older), Robert Lewandowski (6 months older) for 4,5 millions from Lech Pozan to Dortmund, Lukas Podolski (a few years more but also more experience) 10 mio, etc.
Caroll has a good header game etc. but seriously similar players usually cost between 3-10 mio
even the austrian Marc Janko could do the same as Caroll except he went to Porto for 5 mio and scored 3 goals in 4 games ... after scoring 17 at Twente in the first half of the season
as written before Just for reference: Mesut Özil went from Werder to Real for 15 million euro (3 months older), Robert Lewandowski (6 months older) for 4,5 millions from Lech Pozan to Dortmund, Lukas Podolski (a few years more but also more experience) 10 mio, etc.
Caroll has a good header game etc. but seriously similar players usually cost between 3-10 mio
even the austrian Marc Janko could do the same as Caroll except he went to Porto for 5 mio and scored 3 goals in 4 games ... after scoring 17 at Twente in the first half of the season
I agree. Based on current form Carroll is worth maybe 10 million in the Premier league. If he was not English he'd be worth half that. Stoke would snap him up to partner Crouchy.
I think it's obvious that he's not the player Dalglish hoped he would get. I should add to my last post that I think Liverpool need another striker. Suarez can be expected to start for a whole season but Bellamy and Carroll cannot.
I think it's obvious that he's not the player Dalglish hoped he would get. I should add to my last post that I think Liverpool need another striker. Suarez can be expected to start for a whole season but Bellamy and Carroll cannot.
Have to agree with the Carroll assessment. Throughout the match yesternight Downing and Gerrard kept putting in some killer crosses, crosses you'd expect your striker (or any decent forward player) to be getting on the end off, but Mr Carroll was always either late or nowhere to be found.
No urgency, movement or general hunger towards the ball whatsoever, and then had the cheek to have a go at the passer for not placing the ball precisely on his head/at his feet.
Liverpool still need a striker because they effectively don't have one atm. Suarez seems to need a Hernandez-type player to play off of. The biggest goal threats yesterday were Skirtel and Johnson if i recall correctly which says something in itself.
Shame how the the biggest transfer deals in that window have turned out to be flops. (Torres/Carroll).
No urgency, movement or general hunger towards the ball whatsoever, and then had the cheek to have a go at the passer for not placing the ball precisely on his head/at his feet.
Liverpool still need a striker because they effectively don't have one atm. Suarez seems to need a Hernandez-type player to play off of. The biggest goal threats yesterday were Skirtel and Johnson if i recall correctly which says something in itself.
Shame how the the biggest transfer deals in that window have turned out to be flops. (Torres/Carroll).
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He was not the only player who made me shout at the TV, but you got the sense that he was the most lacking in terms of positioning and vision (except perhaps for Jordan Henderson, but let's just bypass that for the present
). Several times he was loitering around the top of the 18 yard box, and only belatedly realized that a ball was about to zip right accross the 6-yard box with the keeper stranded. He would then lumber in, hoplessly late, fall down and shout at the ref about some inconsequential contact from a defender. A better striker would have the anticipation to make a run and poke the cross in. He occasionally performs some classy flick-ons and knockdowns, but I'm increasingly getting the sense that these are instinctual and that, given time to make decisions, he either makes the wrong one or loses focus.Suarez is not the kind of player that leads the line, though when playing as part of a pair he doesn't need a No. 9 like a Carroll or Torres. Frankly, I think Carroll partially cancels out Suarez because the Uraguayan's good work goes to waste (see above).
If only Liverpool had Ba rather than Carroll, Ba is a big striker who actually knows how to use his size and also has positional awareness.
Henderson was terrible yesterday, Adam wasn't much better, neither was Gerrard. Fair play to Downing, he's been getting a great deal of grief, but he was amazing yesterday.
It may be controversial, but if I were Liverpool I'd sell Suarez, I think he's overrated, he constantly takes one touch too many, or doesn't see open teammates. Of course, he looks legendary compared to Carroll.
Henderson is young, so perhaps a loan spell back to Sunderland next season would be a good idea. Liverpool will also be better next season when Lucas comes back.
Liverpool has a very solid GK and back 4, they need a right winger (with Downing on the left) and one or two strikers, depending if they keep carroll and/or suarez.
Henderson was terrible yesterday, Adam wasn't much better, neither was Gerrard. Fair play to Downing, he's been getting a great deal of grief, but he was amazing yesterday.
It may be controversial, but if I were Liverpool I'd sell Suarez, I think he's overrated, he constantly takes one touch too many, or doesn't see open teammates. Of course, he looks legendary compared to Carroll.
Henderson is young, so perhaps a loan spell back to Sunderland next season would be a good idea. Liverpool will also be better next season when Lucas comes back.
Liverpool has a very solid GK and back 4, they need a right winger (with Downing on the left) and one or two strikers, depending if they keep carroll and/or suarez.
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I think part of it could be that Carroll is just holding him back. Personally, if I had to dump a striker it would be Carroll. Cut our losses and run.
Kuyt can be very effective on the right wing, so I'm not sure I'm too worried there, though his is 30. Perhaps a younger player to deputize on that flank when Kuyt is rested would be good for now, with the hope he will grow into the role.
I'm more worried about Adam. He is not convincing me. He's decent, but not a starter. We need a better central midfielder to partner Gerrard - who, dare I say it, we might need to start thinking about replacing or at least supplementing in the middle in the next couple years. Henderson was supposed to be the answer. As of now it looks not to be the case, though a loan might not be a terrible idea.
Carroll - Still young and (hopefully) developing. The problem is with a £35m price tag people are expecting him to be the PL's highest scorer. He's also in a team where he's not the main striker anymore and needs to adapt. Clearly not worth £35m but as has already been said, that's not his fault.
Graham - Great squad player, but first choice? With Gerrard not getting any younger, I think it was a mistake letting Miereles leave
Downing - Exceptional game? Or just the sort of game he 'should' be having but doesn't?
Graham - Great squad player, but first choice? With Gerrard not getting any younger, I think it was a mistake letting Miereles leave
Downing - Exceptional game? Or just the sort of game he 'should' be having but doesn't?
Cut in number of friendly international games.
At last, some thing that the top clubs have been asking for a few years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17191931
At last, some thing that the top clubs have been asking for a few years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17191931
Cut in number of friendly international games.
At last, some thing that the top clubs have been asking for a few years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17191931
Cue the future headlines blaming England's poor performances on them not being able to gel together due to lack of playing together as a team
Danny offers everything Berbatov does -- excellent hold-up play, good passing, nifty tricks and flicks -- but with pace and work rate that Berba doesn't have.
If Welbeck can continue to improve his first touch and become a more ruthless finisher, the sky's the limit for him.
Agger and Johnson have both picked up injuries from the Carling Cup final and will be out for several weeks. Agger has a rib fracture and that means he should be out 4-6 weeks. He's been having a great season and the loss of half of our defense is going to be a big blow to our FA Cup and 4th place campaigns.
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