The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[ONeill]

As someone said earlier, it will be the lowest points total in many a year that will win it.

Nonsense. Derby had 11 points last season in total.

[Hound]

If only there wasnt as much pace on Kuyt's centre late in the first half he would have had a simple tap-in.

I had completely forgotten about that. Should have been a goal. Kuyt just put too much on it. A bit less power and Gerrard would have tapped it in.

Disagree with that. Kuyt had to put pace on the ball to get it by the defender. Despite Andy Gray doing his best, there was no excuse for Gerrard missing that. He'd a shíte game, and that typified it.

I agree with Laoislad in that Kuyt had a poor second half, particular the last quarter. Himself and Babel were the death of almost all our moves in that period. Keane was by far our most likely scorer, so taking him off was strange. Though El Zhar was very unlucky with that header at the end.

Arsenal were cat in the second half, but we werent good enough to break them down. Lucas was the best midfielder on the pitch and Insua was the most creative player. That says a lot about both teams! For Liverpool that was another two points lost.

[corn02]

If only there wasnt as much pace on Kuyt's centre late in the first half he would have had a simple tap-in.

I had completely forgotten about that. Should have been a goal. Kuyt just put too much on it. A bit less power and Gerrard would have tapped it in.

Disagree with that. Kuyt had to put pace on the ball to get it by the defender. Despite Andy Gray doing his best, there was no excuse for Gerrard missing that. He'd a shíte game, and that typified it.

Thank you. The crowd I watch the match with are very anti-Kuyt and he was getting the brunt of it. The fact of the matter is he done well on the right and put a good ball in, terrible miss. If it had of been a role reversal Kuyt would have been strung up.

[AZOffaly]

I agree with that. Kuyt did very well there, and he had a great shot that was well saved by Almunia as well. Not Kuyts worst game by a long way, although he still traps the ball like he hates it

Great finish by Robbie Keane, delighted for him to score, but Liverpool are really missing a cutting edge. In my mind that's another 2 points gone begging, given the way the game panned out. I'd have been happy enough with a draw at 3.55 pm, but Liverpool had the winning of that.

Still a 1-1 away to Arsenal won't lose the league. Draws at home to Stoke, Fulham, West Ham et al on the other hand....

[mackers]

I agree with that. Kuyt did very well there, and he had a great shot that was well saved by Almunia as well. Not Kuyts worst game by a long way, although he still traps the ball like he hates it

Great finish by Robbie Keane, delighted for him to score, but Liverpool are really missing a cutting edge. In my mind that's another 2 points gone begging, given the way the game panned out. I'd have been happy enough with a draw at 3.55 pm, but Liverpool had the winning of that.

Still a 1-1 away to Arsenal won't lose the league. Draws at home to Stoke, Fulham, West Ham et al on the other hand....

The stats shown just before the sending off showed that Liverpool had something like 74% of the possession up to that point in the 2nd half. That backs up your point AZ and is the story of Liverpool's season. It also makes a mockery of Wenger's post match interview. My God that man is blinkered, saying that THEY were dominating the game and how he had no doubt that they would've won the game with 11 men. In fairness Arsenal really stood up to Liverpool with the 10 men. Though that Lucas had by far his best game in a Liverpool shirt with Insua showing some potential in a position Liverpool badly need filled. Gerrard was disappointing, he didn't link up with Keane the way he did so often last year with Torres. I was thrilled for Keane, what a goal, and silenced the Boos in the Emirates for all of five minutes which really is saying something.

[GalwayBayBoy]

If only there wasnt as much pace on Kuyt's centre late in the first half he would have had a simple tap-in.

I had completely forgotten about that. Should have been a goal. Kuyt just put too much on it. A bit less power and Gerrard would have tapped it in.

Disagree with that. Kuyt had to put pace on the ball to get it by the defender. Despite Andy Gray doing his best, there was no excuse for Gerrard missing that. He'd a shíte game, and that typified it.

Well I have to disagree with that. Kuyt had to put pace on it alright but he put too much. He practically blasted it across. Gerrard was stretching for it so I'm not sure how it can be classed as his fault. Not getting on Kuyt's case about it but my instant reaction was that he hit it too hard.

[corn02]

but Liverpool are really missing a cutting edge.

Certainly. Is another striker the answer? Owen?

[AZOffaly]

I think Torres coming back will be a help, assuming he can get sharp, but I'd rather a right winger that can beat people, put in crosses, get behind people, etc etc.

Trouble is there's not that many out there. Shaun Wright Philips?

[magpie seanie]

Jimmy Bullard is the man but I kinda hope United buy him.

[AZOffaly]

Is Bullard a right winger? I thought he was more of a central player. I haven't watched him for a while, but I can't ever remember him racing down the line and whipping in crosses. Good dead ball option as well though.

[brokencrossbar1]

I think that the players are there to do what is necessary to succeed, but that the system is not the right one.  I think that they have to bite the bullet and play Gerard on teh right with Alonso and either Lucas or Masch in beside him. You 2 out of 3 from Keane, Torres and Kuyt in a front 2 and Riera on the left.  This formation can adjust to the 4-3-2-1 that is being played fairly easily but the 4-4-1-1 should be the main one.  Torres as the main striker with the other two as support strikers, the roles they played in their previous clubs.

I know this will never happen and the dogmatic, conservative approach that Benetiz has will be the downfall in winning the League.

[magpie seanie]

Is Bullard a right winger? I thought he was more of a central player. I haven't watched him for a while, but I can't ever remember him racing down the line and whipping in crosses. Good dead ball option as well though.

I seem to remember him in his Wigan days a right sided midfielder though he operates more through the middle these days. Really like him as a player, seems to have a great attitutde.

[corn02]

I think that the players are there to do what is necessary to succeed, but that the system is not the right one.  I think that they have to bite the bullet and play Gerard on teh right with Alonso and either Lucas or Masch in beside him. You 2 out of 3 from Keane, Torres and Kuyt in a front 2 and Riera on the left.  This formation can adjust to the 4-3-2-1 that is being played fairly easily but the 4-4-1-1 should be the main one.  Torres as the main striker with the other two as support strikers, the roles they played in their previous clubs.

I know this will never happen and the dogmatic, conservative approach that Benetiz has will be the downfall in winning the League.

Don't know about that. We are top of the league. People will point to West Ham, Fulham, Hull, but we battered them and we were very offensively minded.

The correct formation is a weird one. If Barry had of arrived it is safe to say 4-4-2 would have been the order of the day, but I quite like Gerrad in behind a striker. Ok it hasn't worked wonders, but that is because it needs to be Gerrard and Torres to work.

As Lee said - every team is different, different players uit different teams. The league is becoming that mechanical now.

Two years ago Charlton away from home use to play 4-3-3 going forward and 4-5-1 when without the ball. We are basically doing the same thing and so far, so good. To do it right you need two workhorses on the wing and they also have to be speed merchants. We have a mixture.
Kuyt is obviously a workhorse, but is not going to break at pace. Reira isn't fast but is a good worker and is very good at moving the play swiftly forward. There are few players who fir the mould - Tevez is probably the best in the Premierhsip at that role. I think Bullard was a wind-up but and in an ideal world we would get Young in, but never in a million years.

The key is being able to adapt. I think we should have went 4-4-2 a lot sooner, but credit has to be given to Arsenal.

[corn02]

Is Bullard a right winger? I thought he was more of a central player. I haven't watched him for a while, but I can't ever remember him racing down the line and whipping in crosses. Good dead ball option as well though.

I seem to remember him in his Wigan days a right sided midfielder though he operates more through the middle these days. Really like him as a player, seems to have a great attitutde.

A great player indeed with a fantastic attitude, but certainly not a top four player. He reminds me of McFadden. When on-song for Everton he was first class, but you just knew he wasn't top four, or should that be top five, quality.

[under the bar]

A great player indeed with a fantastic attitude, but certainly not a top four player. He reminds me of McFadden. When on-song for Everton he was first class, but you just knew he wasn't top four, or should that be top five, quality.

Dunno if it's easy classify a player in that way as different managers can get different things from players.   Take Riera for example, not good enough for City but then ends up at Liverpool.