What is acceptable after 19 games of our PL season?

[Jack the Sipper]

If, at the season's start, someone offered me a choice of playing our most experienced players in a style they were familiar with and finishing 6th-8th, or blooding some talented but inexperienced youngsters and introducing a different, more attractive and ultimately more efficient style into our play but finishing 8th-12th, I'd have taken the second option. The reason being that I never thought we had a real shot at glory this year and would rather see us in better position to move on in the future than sticking with the players and system that got us to 6th to 8th in the past three seasons.

 

Therefore, looking at raw data and ignoring any other considerations when reaching conclusions is a naive approach, IMO.

[DanDanShaw]

The only thing I can guarantee is we have a better chance of being successful if we stick together.

[The Woolster]

Until we stop passing the ball for the passings sake and actually are trying to look for options going forward and have the courage to take those opportunities when they rise.

 

The areas that we are playing on the pitch, which you keep mentioning, and looking for optionss going forwards, which you have just linked it to, are 2 seperate things though.

 

The areas of the pitch that we are playing in this season are not vastly different from last season. Its only 2% less as a proportion of our possession in the final third compared to last season (32% to 30%), but when you also consider that we have more possession, in absoute terms, we are playing 4 passes less per match in the final third than we did last season. I repeat, only 4 passes less per game.

 

We are however passing forwards less, and as you've seen in my other thread, making less through balls, but that is not linked to where we are keeping possession of the ball.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

The areas that we are playing on the pitch, which you keep mentioning, and looking for optionss going forwards, which you have just linked it to, are 2 seperate things though.

 

The areas of the pitch that we are playing in this season are not vastly different from last season. Its only 2% less as a proportion of our possession in the final third compared to last season (32% to 30%), but when you also consider that we have more possession, in absoute terms, we are playing 4 passes less per match in the final third than we did last season. I repeat, only 4 passes less per game.

 

We are however passing forwards less, and as you've seen in my other thread, making less through balls.

 

Would you reasonably expect that to rise if we had two or three better players up front. Say Walcott and Mertens, or whoever else?

 

EDIT: Also, do you have a more detailed breakdown of positions. In the first half of the season, Downing would hold the ball in the wide area for quite a while, passing it backwards when he couldn't beat the fullback. That happened all the time. Must skew the stats a little bit. I wonder how much time we spend in and around the box compared to last season.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Numero Veinticinco

[RobbieOR]

There is no such thing as 'passing for passing sakes'. It sounds like something Sam Allardyce would say.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

There is no such thing as 'passing for passing sakes'. It sounds like something Sam Allardyce would say.

 

I just don't think Code sees the logic in it keeping possession so that the other team doesn't have the ball to attack you with. I can concede that we're not doing it well enough at the moment, but I can't concede that it's fruitless when it is done right.

[RobbieOR]

I just don't think Code sees the logic in it keeping possession so that the other team doesn't have the ball to attack you with. I can concede that we're not doing it well enough at the moment, but I can't concede that it's fruitless when it is done right.

 

Absolutely. The more you have the ball, the less likely the others are to score. It's a basic of the game. We've just got to be more efficient.

 

Yet, Rodgers doesnt understand them so maybe not.

[The Woolster]

Would you reasonably expect that to rise if we had two or three better players up front. Say Walcott and Mertens, or whoever else?

 

EDIT: Also, do you have a more detailed breakdown of positions. In the first half of the season, Downing would hold the ball in the wide area for quite a while, passing it backwards when he couldn't beat the fullback. That happened all the time. Must skew the stats a little bit. I wonder how much time we spend in and around the box compared to last season.

 

Do you mean passing forwards less or playing less through balls?

 

The possession stats given by Opta, and therefore used by the media, is based on number of passes rather than time, so its number of passes played by each team divided by total passes in the match, rather than how long each team actually spends on the ball.

 

So a move that has 5 quick passes in say 10 seconds and loses the ball will have 5x the possession than a pass to a player who takes the ball into the corner flag and keeps it for 30 seconds before losing the ball.

[Captain]

Everybody has the right to an opinion but fuck me this is relentless. Worse than Rashid in his pomp.

 

I actually think Code has an even higher opinion of himself than Rashid did.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

We won't finish 4th this season. We haven't in the past 3 seasons. Rodgers squad is ludicrously thin right now. They've shown promise but little cutting edge. He deserves time to build a squad and buy some attacking players. So far he has bought 1 who got injured after a few games and since then he has been relying on kids and shit left over from previous regimes to score goals. In the league i'd say we've also been worthy of more points than we've accrued. Everton away should obviously have been 2 more on the board and the only 2 games I think we've been second best in are the Arsenal and Chelsea matches. He seems certain he will be able to add some goal scorers in January and if he does then we should see a lot of progress in the second half of the season.

 

Much as everyone loves Kenny and as shitty as it was to see him go the way he did, the team dropped off alarmingly in the second half of last season in the league. I'd say our performance levels have improved in the Premier League since then even if we haven't added a killer instinct to turn draws into wins. We're nowhere near United, Chelsea and City these days and Spurs, Arsenal and probably even Newcastle and Everton are stronger than us right now. We're not going to spend a stupid amount of money to catapult us back up to where we were for most of Benitez's time here unfortunately, so it's all about steady progress. It'll be frustrating and we'll have some shit days along the way, but if Rodgers can add to the squad with some quality players and his system kicks us on then things will start to look a lot better. It'll take time though, and in this day and age people want results yesterday, as your expectations of garnering enough points to secure Champions League football when we have 1 striker and 2 teenagers as our forwards, proves.

 

Rodgers has a plan, that's why he was brought here. I think the least we can do is give him a chance to properly implement it before we start talking about bringing in another new manager who will only have the same problems.

 

Brilliant post.

 

Also very impressed that you can motivate yourself to argue sensibly when faced with utter mong.

[zigackly]

[Code]

I just don't think Code sees the logic in it keeping possession so that the other team doesn't have the ball to attack you with. I can concede that we're not doing it well enough at the moment, but I can't concede that it's fruitless when it is done right.

 

There is no logic for a team who actually want to win things to rest on the ball when they have it unless you have a comfortable lead, when you have the ball you do everything in your power to score, if you lose the ball you win it back as quick as possible and have another go.

 

You can rest at half time and when the ball is out of play as it is out of play a lot, if that is not enough you are not fit to be a professional footballer.

 

Its the logic of a loser, not someone who do everything he can to win.

[Glock21]

The only acceptable thing is for him to step down or get sacked. I can't see us winning half the fixture during the Christmas period. We'll be hovering around 13-16th place until New Year.

 

Brendan Rodgers is a disaster to Liverpool Football Club. You have taken us down.

[Tommy Lawrence]

The only acceptable thing is for him to step down or get sacked. I can't see us winning half the fixture during the Christmas period. We'll be hovering around 13-16th place until New Year.

 

Brendan Rodgers is a disaster to Liverpool Football Club. You have taken us down.

 

Fucking hell!

[RedRazor]

The only acceptable thing is for him to step down or get sacked. I can't see us winning half the fixture during the Christmas period. We'll be hovering around 13-16th place until New Year.

 

Brendan Rodgers is a disaster to Liverpool Football Club. You have taken us down.

 

Jesus.

 

I am not a BR fan and didn't want him at the club. I don't think he has the experience to get us to where we want to be.

 

But.

 

He is the manager, he needs time and he needs backing in the transfer market. Most of all he needs the backing from the players and supporters. The players seem to be behind him but some on here seem to be putting support of their own opinions ahead of support of the club.

 

There have been times this season when we have looked good and others were we haven't. Whatever individuals think we must give him the time otherwise we will be back to the start of the cycle with a new manager trying to fix things that aren't broken and building his "own" team. We will be constantly in a period of "transition" but never getting to the promised land.

 

We are only a handful of points away from the fourth CL spot and no-one else is setting the world alight so with a couple of decent additions to the squad who knows what the second half of the season may bring, however unlikely that seems today.

 

Whatever you think of him - get behind him and give him a chance.

[Redder Lurtz]

The only acceptable thing is for him to step down or get sacked. I can't see us winning half the fixture during the Christmas period. We'll be hovering around 13-16th place until New Year.

 

Brendan Rodgers is a disaster to Liverpool Football Club. You have taken us down.

 

Can't neg you as I must have done so recently. So I'll just have to say on here that you're a dribbling fucking imbecile.

[corro]

The only acceptable thing is for him to step down or get sacked. I can't see us winning half the fixture during the Christmas period. We'll be hovering around 13-16th place until New Year.

 

Brendan Rodgers is a disaster to Liverpool Football Club. You have taken us down.

 

Fair enough Loon. What I want to know is your solution to our troubles. Who comes in? Whats the next step?

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

 

Fair enough Loon. What I want to know is your solution to our troubles. Who comes in? Whats the next step?

 

Get Code in, get Carroll back, play Downing and Henderson and tell the team to get the ball into the box ASAP. None of this passing lark. Score. Score. Score.

 

Oh, and get Voronin back. Code loves Voronin, which is why he includes him in his 'best players between 2007-2012' team. Then we just swap Lucas for Poulsen and Code's plan is complete.

[Ranxerox]

Get Code in, get Carroll back, play Downing and Henderson and tell the team to get the ball into the box ASAP. None of this passing lark. Score. Score. Score.

 

Oh, and get Voronin back. Code loves Voronin, which is why he includes him in his 'best players between 2007-2012' team. Then we just swap Lucas for Poulsen and Code's plan is complete.

 

Where is Poulsen these days? Not that I care too much, more of a curiosity like those "where are they now" bits you see occasionally about one hit wonders or child actors.

[Gym Beglin]

Ajax

[bouncebrigade]

Ajax

 

Anyhone think he actually resembled a footballer against Man City in the Etihad?

 

P.S. Code - you are a whopper.

[bouncebrigade]

Can't neg you as I must have done so recently. So I'll just have to say on here that you're a dribbling fucking imbecile.

 

:D

[TheHowieLama]

Ajax

 

He has been pretty useful for them as well.

[Major Tom]

There is no logic for a team who actually want to win things to rest on the ball when they have it unless you have a comfortable lead, when you have the ball you do everything in your power to score, if you lose the ball you win it back as quick as possible and have another go.

 

You can rest at half time and when the ball is out of play as it is out of play a lot, if that is not enough you are not fit to be a professional footballer.

 

Its the logic of a loser, not someone who do everything he can to win.

 

'It's Gimp O'clock with your host; Code72...'

[Champ]

Where is Poulsen these days? Not that I care too much, more of a curiosity like those "where are they now" bits you see occasionally about one hit wonders or child actors.

 

Ajax

 

I had to do a double take when I saw him playing Champions League football the other night