The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[Minus15]

season appraisal

Pepe Reina: solid season again from liverpool custodian. ever reliable with excellent distribution

Steve Finnan: had some rocky displays earlier on notably against Marseille at Anfield. Injuries haven't helped since either but still best option at right-back when fit.

Sami Hyypia: Delighted to see him earn new contract. In the abscence of Agger he has really done well. Never had much pace and hisreading of the game is excellent. Does tend to stuggle when his man drags him out wide where he seems to give away free-kicks in dangerous positions. However, still a decent season from the big Finn and still a threat from set pieces. Likely to feature less next season but ten years of service for a foreign player is a fantastic achievement.

Daniel Agger: Really expected him to confirm to the rest of the Premier League how good a player he was and maybe help to dispel the myth that Rafa doesnt have a shrewd eye for a player. Unfortunate with inability to recover from metatarsal injury but should be ready for next season. Will be like having new player. Vitally important in home games as he has great ability at carrying the ball out from the back and great distribution. offers good balance to the defence also.

John-Arne Riise: Confidence seems to be at a great low this season. The lack of goals seems to worry him and also the murmurings that he will be out this summer. On the playing side he has had a poor season and his lack of ability on the ball has been shown up by Aurelio's technique. Seems completely lost when he crosses the half-way line and continuously loses the ball in tight situations. Think a left-back will be on Rafa's wishlist this summer just like last year and Riise could make way.

Harry Kewell: Once again reported for pre-season injured. Had a mini revival pre-christmas with notable substitute appearance against Porto away helping to turn the game. however, despite getting a run of ten games or so failed to complete the 90mins of any. Rafa has always been a fan of Kewell and has given him every chance to get into the side but he seems to have finally run out of patience. Highly unlikely that he will be offered a new contract in the summer.

Steven Gerrard: 21 goals only 2 off his best tally for Liverpool with a potential 5 games left, a total which included half a dozen in champions league qualifying rounds.  so in terms of goalscoring against strong opposition he has become ever relibale. Really mature as a player now and still only 27. seems to take the right option rather than seek the killer pass which he used to be guilty of. Leads by example and can handle the pressure situations. I'm only 22 so I would rank him as the best player I have ever seen play for Liverpool. Just can't imagine what it would be like without him. Partnership and understanding with Torres is fantastic. Forget Ronaldo and Rooney these two are the real deal.

Fernando Torres: 30 goals, first since Robbie Fowler. Seems to always score in front of the Kop and works so hard when the team don't have the ball. Combines his pace with a great touch and has scored all sorts of goals. long- range, chips, towering headers, glancing headers, left foot, right foot. No two goals are ever the same. And he is the master at taking the ball around the goalkeeper. My favourite Torres goal? away in Marseille, out of absolute nothing. Class.

Andriy Voronin: Started off with a few goals against poor opposition and perhaps injuries have meant we can't see how good he is. But he seems lazy and lacking in commitment. Has a good touch at times but seems to buckle in front of goal. expect him to leave this summer and head back to Germany.

Yossi Benayoun: Two hat-tricks, double figures in goals. not a bad first season. Don't think he would be first choice when everyone is fit but is a fantastic weapon on the bench to come on in tight games to hold the ball and unlock defences. Perhaps a bit light-wait but has greater ball retention skills than Luis Garcia, whom he effectively replaced.

Fabio Aurelio: We know hes injury prone but when he got a run in the team lat season I liked him and again the same has happened this season. He has a great left foot but someone please stop him from hitting free kicks and corners just because he is Brazilian.

Xabi Alonso: If only he had been fit all year because we haven't really seen the real Alonso this season but we all know how good he is. Still only 26, his best is yet to come. Still has an important part to play this season.

Peter Crouch: Not as much game time this season for Crouch. Been a victim of a new formation of late when he has looked in decent form but still an important weapon to have. Disappointed to see him left out of match squads earlier in the season in favour of Voronin but good news to hear that Rafa wants to keep him. In certain games, particularly in Europe, his mere presence on the pitch instigates anxiety and panic in other teams.

Jermaine Pennant: I like Pennant when hes on form but just feel he isn't consistent enough. has the ability to beat any full back but his final ball invariably lets him down. But I would give him another season at least. He is still learning and think there is great potential there. Like i said he just needs to perform regularly and improve his goal return.

Alvaro Arbeloa: Quiet, efficient, unspectacular but not a bad squad player to have. has good stamina and he is an able deputy at right or left back.

Dirk Kuyt: We all know about Kuyt's season. Seemed to struggle badly in the early part of the season and the death of his father undoubtedly affected his confidence. But never stops giving his all. He needed time to overcome his problems and his position on the right of midfield appears to be suiting him. Now that there is less pressure on him to get goals he seems to have performed with greater freedom and if kept in that position next season will improve as he gets to know the position. his technique lets him down at times and is very one footed but is vitally important to the team at present. Man for the big games with goals against Chelsea, Inter Milan, Arsenal and AC Milan in the champions league. Confidence player.

Ryan Babel: Extremely raw but has great potential and has improved over the course of the season. has the right temperament to play for Liverpool. Feels he is slightly out of position but never complains. sees his long-term career as a striker in the Thierry Henry mould. Why not bring Henry to Liverpool this summer and let Babel learn from the master?

Javier Mascherano: Maradona described him as a 'monster' of a player. I think every Liverpool fan knows what he means. You need to watch every game to see his true value and it was vital that he was signed permanently. Master of the slide tackle chasing back towards his own goal and just so good at using his body and shielding the defence. He's like didi hamann with the busy running of sissoko. Fanatstic player who just cannot be left out in the big games.

Lucas Leiva: Quiet first season for a young player trying to settle. Has ability but hard to tell as yet exactly how good he will get. seems to lose concentration easily and can be a bit lazy with his passing but time is on his side.

Jamie Carraagher: Class act. End of story.

Charles Itandje: Back up and no more. had good games and bad. Expect him to leave this summer for another back up keeper.

Sebastian Leto: Has a good reputation in youth football with Argentina but does not look the part in a Liverpool shirt.

Martin Skrtel: Shaky start when he was lacking in match sharpness due to the Russian close-season but has proved to be a class buy. Reads it very well and has the physicla attrbutes to succeed. Excellent tackler but sumtimes goes to ground too easily and can be suscaptible to the long ball over his head from the opposite wing  but with time will improve.

Nabil El Zhar: Only played a couple of games but is like a jack in the box for the reserves. Quick and takes on defences on both wings. Remains to be seen whether he can make the step-up to the first team.

Jack Hobbs: Signed at 16 with a big reputation from Hull City and looked ok in the first team. Loan experience this season and probably next is what he needs to improve his game.

Momo Sissoko: Sadly, his passing was just not up to scratch and had to move on. Mascherano is a better player so Mo was no longer needed. But has been performing well for Juve and could meet him again in Europe in the coming seasons.

Rafa Benitez: Sadly, a championship challenge did not materialise but the team is definitely improving and he is the right man for the job. Board need to back him because he has the fans on his side. Could still lead the team to Moscow so would be a fine achievement. The departure of Pako Ayesteran was a worry but has proved since that Liverpool are in good hands. He gets too much bad press in terms of sqaud rotation. The problem is not squad rotation. His record of being in finals come the end of the season every year has proved him right. The problem is perhaps that the overall ability of the squad is not good enough, but is getting better.

[gawa316]

The Liverpool team in full:

Reina, Finnan, Riise, Skrtel, Hyypia, Plessis, Lucas, Pennant, Benayoun, Voronin, Crouch.

Subs: Itandje, Gerrard, Kuyt, Carragher, Insua.

Thought he might've given a few more young boys a go

[J70]

1-0 to Birmingham. Forssell unmarked in acres of space at the back post.

Liverpool don't look too interested.

[Carmen Stateside]

Poor stuff!

[gawa316]

brutal

[Minder]

Did anyone expect anything different?

[J70]

Nice free kick.

[gawa316]

Superb goal

[Carmen Stateside]

Crouch 2-1

[J70]

Lovely work from Pennant.

[J70]

Liverpool starting to open Birmingham up a bit now. Could be something in this game after all.

[J70]

2-2

Lucky deflection of a weak Benayoun header.

[gawa316]

Great game from Pennant, why can't he do that more often?

[Minus15]

Great game from Pennant, why can't he do that more often?

My sentiments exactly

[stiffler]

Birmingham will be kicking themselves if they end up getting relegated, Liverpool where there for the taking today.

Great performance by pennant, he must have been motivated to perform against his former team.

Voronin=waste of space