tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post3357013301477808301..comments2023-12-22T01:47:49.178-05:00Comments on oh you beauty: Liverpool 1-1 Sunderlandnatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043601945557998732noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-37234386420644669192012-09-17T12:54:28.150-04:002012-09-17T12:54:28.150-04:003 summers of transfers since Rafa and still the sa...3 summers of transfers since Rafa and still the same striker problems.<br /><br />For Rodgers to decide it was our playing style that is the real problem and not goal scorers is just being blinded by an ideology.<br /><br />As for the tv program, we really need to know what happened last January and why we didn't get another striker eg Jelavic. What was Comolli playing at, saying our squad was fine.<br /><br />There's a second reason we didn't win against a pretty ordinary Sunderland (Sunderland have spent continuously for a few seasons now) is because we just made pot shots from outside the box - where the averages are slightly above zero.<br /><br />So where is this 'patience', where is the coaching in the last 20 yards? Sterling's cross for the goal seemed to be the only real attack on the penalty area in the whole game and Sunderland just went to pieces on it.<br /><br />Whatever Rodgers is obsessed by, it isn't scoring or working the penalty box. Look at Ferguson, it's the one thing that characterizes his game, work the penalty box from all sides, penetrate and get a short pass/cross in or play for the penalty.<br /><br />It's astonishing that there seems to be zero work on the last 20 yards. Johnsons's shot off the crossbar wasn't good, it was a waste, just like last season and this season so far.<br /><br />Rodgers will not achieve anything more than Swansea last season (he has a poor away record too, like Hodgson) - and he will change the entire team to do it too. <br /><br />In 2 seasons Rafa's boys will be moved on, too old to be given a contract extension.<br /><br />Mediocrity here we come.jonnySingaporenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-69441515539997281022012-09-17T10:56:27.487-04:002012-09-17T10:56:27.487-04:00Suarez is a true enigma. He is at the same time o...Suarez is a true enigma. He is at the same time our best threat for goal and the reason we are struggling to score despite so much possession. As others have said, he is not a pure play off the shoulder striker. He is a playmaker, but his decision making lately has been very bad. Several times in the match he received the ball in the box, drew 2 or three defenders to him and had Borini and Shelvey making good runs, but he decided to take on defenders and was dispossessed. I love his brash attitude toward the game, but he simply has to create more goals. He also gets impatient and drops to deep to pick up the ball sometimes, which leaves us very light upfront.<br /><br />We are passing the ball around nicely, but our buildup play is simply too slow and allows the other team to keep their formation. On the reverse, we see how a quick counter can rip our defense apart at will. The only time we are really dangerous is when we win the ball back in the opposition third. Ryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-21942301690861885842012-09-17T08:26:31.115-04:002012-09-17T08:26:31.115-04:00Gerrard will retire after next season. His injuri...Gerrard will retire after next season. His injuries mounted over the last 3 seasons. After his groin surgery he has lost pace dramatically and his overall game looks like that of a 38 y/o. Sadly, we aren't in the running for any world class midfielders. Gaston Ramierez or Sygfulsons sp? the guy who went to Tottenham, would have been great replacements for Gerrard and are young but we let them both go to other teams in Southhampton and are competition in Tottenham.<br /><br />Who watched Being Liverpoool on Fox last night? I came away thinking Brendan would be a great Assistant Coach but he never a head manager of a world class team. Plus, his house is HUGE! Love that the world is going broke and the EPL is just fine lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-27806872735779958892012-09-17T00:12:04.327-04:002012-09-17T00:12:04.327-04:00Gerrard continues to be ordinary. We are playing ...Gerrard continues to be ordinary. We are playing a VERY young side and, for us to win, he must live up to his wages. He thankfully didn't have a fatal error yesterday but cannot create or score like he used to.Stephennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-65100606947938367392012-09-16T23:40:51.049-04:002012-09-16T23:40:51.049-04:00The problem with Suarez is that he's not an ou...The problem with Suarez is that he's not an out and out striker. He's a poacher. He puts himself in the right places to clean up spilled balls, errant passes, poor clearances. Sure, once in a while he hits a wonder strike that drops your jaw, and he's creative on the ball and in space, but he functions MUCH better when there is another threat in the box. Borini will improve with exposure and time, but he's not a big enough distraction for defenses yet to create the environment where Suarez thrives. /2cents. Ivynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-13751361882489525352012-09-16T17:22:28.081-04:002012-09-16T17:22:28.081-04:00Nate,
Great analysis as per usual. I just finish...Nate,<br /><br />Great analysis as per usual. I just finished watching the match and I don't disagree with anything you said, except you might have been a little harsh on Borini. He is beginning to put himself in the right situations and once he gets to know his teammates, I think the goals will come.<br /><br />Your comments do make me wonder. If LFC bring in a new manager, overhaul the philosophy, yet still have trouble converting, when does one point at the players (and I'm really talking about Suarez here) and say, "he's is about as creative as they get, but he just can't finish."? I'm not advocating anything here, more just thinking (typing) out loud.UnGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-40950968807775320722012-09-16T12:21:49.040-04:002012-09-16T12:21:49.040-04:00Appreciate the kind words about my past work, but ...Appreciate the kind words about my past work, but I (obviously) disagree with your assertion about the above.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure I both described the match and listed what I thought were pertinent statistics. It is possible to do both. I never said I blamed Rodgers for the outcome. I never even hinted that I don't expect Liverpool to improve as his system and ideas take hold. Saying that his tactical curveballs, especially in the front-three organization, didn't quite work is nowhere near blaming him for the result, especially since almost everyone's been clamoring for him to play Suarez wide and Borini central.<br /><br />I actually flat out said that there was progress yesterday. Liverpool's patient build-up and continuing to work within Rodgers' system to get the equalizer was clear progress.<br /><br />Nonetheless, regardless of my faith in Rodgers and hope for improvement, the match itself and those listed statistics reinforced the notion that Liverpool still suffers from many of the same issues as last season.<br /><br />Liverpool may have been the better side for long stretches if not the entire match, but it was not a great performance in my opinion. How many times were Liverpool the better side last season, with more possession, "dominating" the opposition only to come away with a draw or loss because they couldn't put the ball in the net. And how often does Liverpool need to be unlucky before it becomes more than luck?<br /><br />Also, the shot at Liverpool's most successful manager since the 1980s seems somewhat unnecessary.natehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10043601945557998732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-70462719315271377672012-09-16T07:16:56.467-04:002012-09-16T07:16:56.467-04:00Sorry I have been an avid follower of your blog fo...Sorry I have been an avid follower of your blog for at least 2 years and I at times have been a bit lazy too write a response despite your fantastic work. However on this occasion I have to say "your wrong". You have not described the game, you have described numbers (statistics). We have a new manager with a good long term plan. But you talk as if he was the manager for 50 plus games. It was a great performance & they were unlucky. In fact they played like they were at home. If Rafa was still here they may just have won but you would come away thinking "wheres the entertainment". I am a realist. I expect LFC to finish between 8th & 10th. Once I can see the progress I have no issues. <br /><br />Peppersaucepsmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10791065062943933552noreply@blogger.com