A reality check

[andrejwout]

Before i start, ill just qualify why im able to write on this.

I was a season ticket holder in 88/89 -89/90 at anfield. Im an out of towner, but born on isle of man (just dispelling out of townerr/cockney thing).

I have breathed every breath that the club has, since i was old enough to understand.

I lived through kenny the first time...he was great. I was at celtic park the day of hillsborough, i had tickets but my dad took me to scotland on business!! Lucky. From a dark distance, i remember that day etc etc.

Im a totally loyal fan.

But, despite loving kd, and the team, we are not performing. We have spent big and yet are only 2 points , with a game in hand , over makems. A club that were near bottom and had only a good manager to help them. Again, game in hand, 10 points off chelsea..a club that not performed this year.

What can you say....regardless of a cup win, this is awful. Im not saying we should ask for certain heads, but someone has to take the heat on this.

We cannot, no matter what the romantic instincts are, get romantic. Yes, its only a year, but the performances, over-all, have been pretty shocking. Our goal scoring is pretty much the worst in living memory. I wont go into the signings, point fingers and talk too much about the money spent etc. Fact is, we arent doing it...which ever way you twist it. Its piss poor and someone has to answer for that......whoever that may be.

We have to stop making excuses and looking for conspiracies ...........we need to sort our own boat out before blaming the other rowers.

out

[SwindleThis]

Personally, I think we have played some half decent footy at times this season.

However, there have been some strange decisions in selection, subs, tactics etc etc

Having said that, none of us know KK's reasons, and he certainly doesn't discuss them in the press, so it's all conjecture.

IMO there is something wrong on the coaching side, which would make sense in some ways, because clarke is a defense coach which may help explain why none of our midfielders get into the box very often in open play.

Sadly, there's only Gerrard that gets in the box effectively from midfield, and he's a bit injury prone.

I'm not saying we should flood the box, but if you look at the teams above us, nearly all of them get bodies in the box in open play.

[Magic Sponge]

WOOL!

[Rafiagra]

I can't understand how we have gone from being so good offensively last season and getting players into the box, into what has happened this season. We hardly ever get more than one in the box and although we have missed some great chances in games, we don't look particularly fluid going forward.

The summer's signings have failed miserably, but you have to question why players like Maxi, who was a revelation at the end of last season, just haven't had a look in when others have been so out of form.

[San Don]

Originally Posted by andrejwout

Before i start, ill just qualify why im able to write on this.

I was a season ticket holder in 88/89 -89/90 at anfield. Im an out of towner, but born on isle of man (just dispelling out of townerr/cockney thing).

I have breathed every breath that the club has, since i was old enough to understand.

I lived through kenny the first time...he was great. I was at celtic park the day of hillsborough, i had tickets but my dad took me to scotland on business!! Lucky. From a dark distance, i remember that day etc etc.

Im a totally loyal fan.

But, despite loving kd, and the team, we are not performing. We have spent big and yet are only 2 points , with a game in hand , over makems. A club that were near bottom and had only a good manager to help them. Again, game in hand, 10 points off chelsea..a club that not performed this year.

What can you say....regardless of a cup win, this is awful. Im not saying we should ask for certain heads, but someone has to take the heat on this.

We cannot, no matter what the romantic instincts are, get romantic. Yes, its only a year, but the performances, over-all, have been pretty shocking. Our goal scoring is pretty much the worst in living memory. I wont go into the signings, point fingers and talk too much about the money spent etc. Fact is, we arent doing it...which ever way you twist it. Its piss poor and someone has to answer for that......whoever that may be.

We have to stop making excuses and looking for conspiracies ...........we need to sort our own boat out before blaming the other rowers.

out

Sorry but this is fucking shit. You can count on one hand and still have fingers free our shite performances this season.

Our only problem has been converting chances. Anyone who says otherwise needs a trip to specsavers.

Apart from the gash performances, our play has been very good in fact better than most of the football I've seen served up at Anfield for the last 10 years.

If people think the King will be impressed by today's performance, they need a reality check. People also need to get it out of their thick skulls that we are a club to give managers a season, 6 months or a few games to get it right.

[Tyler Durden]

This season has wore me out more then any I can remember to be honest , if we finish 7th, which is now even looking under threat, then it's fucking shocking after the money spent over the past year. Only a few teams in the league can afford to spend what we have and no matter how shit they have played (Chelsea, Arsenal) they are still miles ahead of us.

The business done in the summer can't be excused because it was totally shit and someone needs to answer for it, how the club can be expected to lay out more money when such massive sums have been wasted I don't know, it's a disgrace.

For all the people kicking off about Kenny getting stick well they best get used to it because we are 2 points better off then we were with Hodgeson after spending around £100 million, that's the reality and it isn't good enough

[Toddler]

I'm with San Don on this one. You can watch the games or you can study the table. If you do the latter, you sack the manager. If you do the former, you realise the football we're playing far exceeds anything we saw under Hodgson and what we've got is a work in progress and a club to be proud of.

Even if we don't move any further up the table, we finish the season with a cup and European football for next year. That's an improvement on last season.

For me, as long as there is improvement and potential then you stick with it, whether it's a player, like we did with Lucas and are doing with Carroll, or with the manager.

Kenny has had a long time away from the bench so he'll have learnt a lot from this season and will make sure he mproves on his performance next season so we should all keep the faith and look forward to greater things to come.

We might even get another couple of trips to Wembley this season and if he wins the double he suddenly becomes a genius again!

[dirk grout]

I keep seeing people make the point that we spent £100 million in the summer. Now, either i'm shit at maths or these people are retarded.

[ShoePiss]

Smoke me a kipper I'll be back for...actually no I won't.

[xerxes]

Originally Posted by San Don

Our only problem has been converting chances.

But that is a football basic, fail and you get relegated.

Apart from the gash performances, our play has been very good in fact better than most of the football I've seen served up at Anfield for the last 10 years.

Better than our treble season? Better than our CL win season? Better than our demolition of Madrid? Better than our second finish? Perhaps you don't get to as many games as you would like?

People also need to get it out of their thick skulls that we are a club to give managers a season, 6 months or a few games to get it right.

Hodgson had five months.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Originally Posted by dirk grout

I keep seeing people make the point that we spent £100 million in the summer. Now, either i'm shit at maths or these people are retarded.

No, we've spent £111million since Kenny has arrived (which is in a year and two months).

The point still stands.

[RedRazor]

Its all just noise - the only fact we need to look at is Pld 27 Goals 30. We are creating the chances - well enough chances to have scored 60 goals - and if we had we would be talking about challenging for the title. But we didn't - so lets point a finger at......
- FSG
- Ayres
- Kenny
- Clark
- Henderson
- Downing
- Adam
- Carroll
- Spearing.
But the real failings lie with Kuyt - Suarez - Carroll - Gerrard - Bellamy. They are the men in the shirts - they are the ones who have the chances (and they have plenty) - and they are the ones who miss them.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Originally Posted by RedRazor

Its all just noise - the only fact we need to look at is Pld 27 Goals 30. We are creating the chances - well enough chances to have scored 60 goals - and if we had we would be talking about challenging for the title. But we didn't - so lets point a finger at......
- FSG
- Ayres
- Kenny
- Clark
- Henderson
- Downing
- Adam
- Carroll
- Spearing.
But the real failings lie with Kuyt - Suarez - Carroll - Gerrard - Bellamy. They are the men in the shirts - they are the ones who have the chances (and they have plenty) - and they are the ones who miss them.

You are absolutely blinkered.

Suarez is more of a problem than Henderson? Downing? Adam?

We could have challenged for the title if we scored all of our chances?

Fucking hell.

[RedRazor]

Originally Posted by FrenchEyeGlass

You are absolutely blinkered.

Suarez is more of a problem than Henderson? Downing? Adam?

We could have challenged for the title if we scored all of our chances?

Fucking hell.

Exactly my point.

I'm not saying that they are the best signings we have ever made but look at the men who are missing the chances. We have the lowest ratio of Shots-on-Goal to Goals in the Prem - the whole Prem - (including Wigan and Wolves and Balckburn and QPR etc) - we create the third highest number of chances in the Prem.

And this fundamental failing in front of goal is not down to Suarez or Kuyt or Carroll or Bellamy or Gerrard? I suggest you cannot see the wood for the trees.

No matter what you think of the limitations of Downing Henderson and Adam (and they are limited) we are still creating lots of chances - it isn't those three that are missing them.

No-one said if we had scored all our chances - but a conversion rate that came somewhere near the teams in the top six would have put us in the frame.

For reference we have had over 140 shots.

[Chinandeler Bong]

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Originally Posted by RedRazor

Exactly my point.

I'm not saying that they are the best signings we have ever made but look at the men who are missing the chances. We have the lowest ratio of Shots-on-Goal to Goals in the Prem - the whole Prem - (including Wigan and Wolves and Balckburn and QPR etc) - we create the third highest number of chances in the Prem.

And this fundamental failing in front of goal is not down to Suarez or Kuyt or Carroll or Bellamy or Gerrard? I suggest you cannot see the wood for the trees.

No matter what you think of the limitations of Downing Henderson and Adam (and they are limited) we are still creating lots of chances - it isn't those three that are missing them.

No-one said if we had scored all our chances - but a conversion rate that came somewhere near the teams in the top six would have put us in the frame.

For reference we have had over 140 shots.

Having 140 shots doesn't mean anything though. Shots don't equate to chances. Today was had six. Six! If somebody told me we had six shots today I would have shot them right there!

Unfortunately it is Downing and Henderson and Carrol (and Suarez) who have missed a fair few of these chances. I can remember Henderson missing two one-on-ones off the top of my head. Downing has missed a shit load at the back post.

I agree in part to your sentiment. What we need most is a striker. That is very true. But I assure you right now that if you think we only need to sign a striker in the summer then you are very wrong. We need atleast three players this summer to reach the top four.

[jamespp]

Originally Posted by San Don

Our only problem has been converting chances

Is that all? Thats the whole point of football

[Turkish Delight]

I'm a season ticket holder and this season I've at least seen every full game bar 4 which I missed due to work commitments which were both games against Wolves and the home games with Sunderland and Norwich.

Of the games I've seen my opinion is that we have had five really bad performances (Spurs (a), Swansea (h), Stoke (h), Bolton (a) and yesterday). On the flip side the games I've seen where I think our general play was excellent I can think of only Bolton (h), QPR (h), United (h), West Brom (a), Villa (a) and Arsenal (h). We've had some good results outside of that but I'm focussing on performances.

There seems to be an overstatement of just how good some of the chances we create are. We are wasteful but we create lots of chances under pressure which have to be taken quickly while giving away sitters on the few chances we conceed.

I think it's down in part to a lack of quality as well as our style of play which in the main is rigid, slow and predictable other than where Suarez has a moment of magic. It was clear when we signed the players we did last Summer that we would be changing our style of play and I commented on it on here. Unfortunately due to our structure off the field we don't know whether Comoli, Kenny or both are responsible. Someone needs to be accountable and I am all for giving second chances to both but the mistakes need to be acknowledged through actions this Summer.

As a final thought every average mid-table team is capable of great or terrible performances and that's exactly what we are.

[kalasoma]

It goes back to the whole scoring goals thing though, doesn't it. We're not scoring. Every team is capable of a shit or excellent performance. Tottenham sit third in the table with 53 points and have lost their last three. We had a great performance against Arsenal, but lost. We had a shit performance against Sunderland (lost to a spawny goal, but a goal nonetheless). We're not scoring when we should be. We now seem incapable of scoring. That's our biggest problem.

[Tyler Durden]

Originally Posted by kalasoma

It goes back to the whole scoring goals thing though, doesn't it. We're not scoring. Every team is capable of a shit or excellent performance. Tottenham sit third in the table with 53 points and have lost their last three. We had a great performance against Arsenal, but lost. We had a shit performance against Sunderland (lost to a spawny goal, but a goal nonetheless). We're not scoring when we should be. We now seem incapable of scoring. That's our biggest problem.

I said a few weeks ago that the lack if goals had becomee chronic throught the team and if it carries on (which it will because it's got progressively worse throught the season) then we will be lucky to finish 7th, my main problem is that it's been fucking blatant all season long where our problem was but there has been no change in coaching it seems or proper attempt to resolve it during tge window.

Turkish is right, for all the good football there has been at times this season there has been equally dogshit football served up along with some average, it's not good enough and some accountability needs to be there for the epic waste of money over the past year.

I don't want Kenny sacked but he needs telling in no uncertain terms that any transfers this summer must be perfect because all the misses were used up this past year. We can't afford to be sliding this far down the table.

[drewy]

I don't need a reality check I was fully aware of the size of the task before yesterdays result.

It's been compounded by some very poor signings and Kennys inability to drop certain players.

[liverpoolsno9]

Originally Posted by San Don

Sorry but this is fucking shit. You can count on one hand and still have fingers free our shite performances this season.

Our only problem has been converting chances. Anyone who says otherwise needs a trip to specsavers.

Apart from the gash performances, our play has been very good in fact better than most of the football I've seen served up at Anfield for the last 10 years.

If people think the King will be impressed by today's performance, they need a reality check. People also need to get it out of their thick skulls that we are a club to give managers a season, 6 months or a few games to get it right.

Shite performances, you say PERFORMANCES - Stoke (twice), Spurs, Bolton, Swansea, Mancs, Fulham, QPR (yeah we won) Wigan, Blackburn, Sunderland. There's 11 games right there, its the manner of some of these performances that concerns me though, Bolton, Sunderland, Mancs, Stoke, Wigan were totally unforgiveable, with too many players just not arsed. Thats 11 games out of 27. Nearly fuckin half! Even some of the 'good' games we have played we've been total dogshit for a half, we very rarely perform over 90 mins. Sunderland (H) 2nd half dreadful, Wolves (H) 2nd half dreadful, WBA (A)1st half dreadful, Villa(A) 1st half dreadful, Newcastle (H) 1st half shite. Have we turned into West Ham? Where were happy to play ok once a month? Dress it any way you like but at the end of the day we have won 4 home games, how many big clubs would let that happen without some pressure on the manager? Especially when the manager has brought in the 4th most expensive striker ever & he cant get a game, not to mention the other 40 odd million spunked.

[kalasoma]

Between what Kenny sees on the training ground, and the players who are selected to perform on the day, something happens. I don't know what he sees and I don't know what he discusses with the coaching staff.

I never thought that Charlie Adam, Andy Carroll, Henderson or Downing would be such poor performers. What I do know is that there is a serious form issue, compounded by the fact that we've got a lot of catching up to do. Fans aren't patient. However, I would have liked to have seen fans wait a little longer before the knives were out. Hodgson was a different story. I never wanted him here based on his lack of achievements as a premiership manager (bar the one appearance in the Europa League). But I did want Kenny here and I'm sure there were a few who, upon his return in 2011, were happy to see him back. We played really good football. I'd like to see him given a little bit of respect and some time to bring the team back to the type of level we are all hoping to see again. I agree with Drewy and others that this is a big task.