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Totally Gutted


Guest Simon L
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Guest Simon L

Again, and not for the first time we had a real chance to overtake the Blueshite and what do our gutless wonders do? we go and BLOW IT!!! :wallbutt:

 

Roll on the end of this season and let Rafa get shot of the deadwood once and for all.

 

Fucking pissed clean off tonight :wallbutt:

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Hmmm, who's left to clear out of the deadwood? Who do you want to see cleared out?

 

People say Igor should be given a new contract and Didi and TLT given a fair chance, Pelle given a coaching role, etc, etc. I'm not so sure anymore who should stay and who shouldn't. It's obvious we need some new players but which positions do we start with? We saw on Tuesday how the team can play when it feels like it but when it plays like today then who exactly is to blame? Who do you ship out and who do you replace.

 

We can't keep blaming the dead wood. There were plenty of players out there today who have been first choice for the most of the season and who the fans praise regularly but they are actually a part of the same team that keeps losing games we need to win. Are the entire team dead wood? Is the entire squad dead wood?

 

When we play like we did on Tuesday it's like "ooh, look how we can play all we need is xxxx and we'll be unstoppable". Does anyone feel like we're 2 players short of a title winning side right now? I personally think the team needs ripping to pieces and I reckon Rafa will do just that. If gerrard stays I think he'll leave the defence as it is and spend everything on wingers as we must provide fewer crosses than any other team in the history of the game and with someone like Morientes in the box that's just fucking ridiculous.

 

This post isn't particularly thought out, i'm just going off on one a little but I honestly don't know where to start with any kind of analysis. I'm just glad it isn't my job to sort it all out. Good luck Rafa.

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I honestly don't think that much of him (Moro) I think he's great in the air and a good finisher but I guess as a club we've been spoiled with the quality of our strikers over the past 20 years and for the first time in ages don't have one of the world's best in our squad.

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I'll judge Morientes when he's had 5 or 6 consecutive full games.

 

He's been in and out of the side and him being cup tied hasn't helped as well as a couple of niggly injuries. Don't think we'll see the best of him until next season. He's hardly had great service either has he? Surprised Smicer and Le Tallec were preferred to Nunez today. At least Nunez can get wide and put some crosses in. The trouble is, whenever we have someone decent in the air his crosses hit row z, yet when we have the midgets out there his crosses are perfect and theres either nobody there or the little fellas are beaten in the air!

 

I had a feeling we'd lose today, and listening to the first half commentary it was obvious we weren't going to get anything. I'd have actually been happy with 0-0 today - and it seems so would Benitez.

 

Our away tactics just aren't right. We either don't have the right players for Rafa's away system or they just don't understand him. But why can't we just go to Man City and say 'fuck you, you're shit, we're going to turn you over' ?

 

If Everton win tomorrow we're screwed. They'd move 4 points clear and we'd need to win at least 1 of our away games. And I can't see us getting much from Palace or Portsmouth. Wouldn't be surprised to see us beat Arsenal though.

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They seem to have a mental block about winning more than 3 games in a row FFS. It seems Rafa is still learning about getting results in the prem. The bits I saw look pretty dire - hopeful balls banged up front for Le Tallec and Moro - no one seem willing to run with the ball in the absence of Milan. No width either.

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Morientes, time to start doing something.

 

I warned befor he signed that he was not the player some people on here were making him out to be. Today was another totally anonymous performance from him, apart from missing the best chance of the game he was no threat whatsoever.

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I warned befor he signed that he was not the player some people on here were making him out to be. Today was another totally anonymous performance from him, apart from missing the best chance of the game he was no threat whatsoever.

 

I don't think he can play as a lone striker. He needs someone up with him. I'd say judge him when Cisse is back in the team playing with him.

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And if Owen becomes available I'd like to think we'd try be at the front of the queue to bring him back.

 

I think had there been a 20-goal striker up front for us this season then we'd be a hell of lot closer to the top three as we've (in my opinion) been profiligate in front of goal in far too many games.

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I don't think he can play as a lone striker.

This is absolutely the key factor. Morientes' major weakness is that he just can not operate as a lone striker - the problem being that he's the only striker we had available today. After that match, I feel it would be harsh to criticise him too much. One couldn't play Smicer as a target man, for example, and complain that he never won the ball in the air. Same with Moro - he's a great player, but (like most footballers) he has his limitations.

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Our biggest problem has been injuries..... the likes of Biscan, Traore, Nunez, Pelligrino, Riise in Midfeld etc etc although have the odd decent game just aren't up to it in the PL. The problem is the reserves.

 

You mean like Nunéz nullifying Juve's left winger on Tuesday, or the fact that he is giving us options on the right and starting to look like he has something to offer?

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The defence played well as did Stevie G. They just do not create eneough. Garcia looked terrible.

 

I thought it was generally a very poor performance by all...some of them looked really tired (Riise for one)...I felt we came for a nil niller and got what we deserved

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In truth, it's probably a combination of factors including all the issues of fitness, new tactics and adjustment to English football. However, I can't get away from the idea that some players are saving it for Europe. There are too many players in our first team squad who have doubts about their Liverpool future and, as such, see European matches as the ultimate shop window. Think about just how many of them appear to be at risk of the chop/not having their contract renewed or want to leave of their own volition: Dudek, Kirkland, Josemi, Sami, Vlad, Didi, Kewell, Baros, Igor, Gerrard, Le Tallec, etc. That's a whole team. Is it any wonder they are (consciously or subconsciously) picking and choosing which games to perform in?

 

Despite Everton's appalling form, I always saw our own inconsistencies as the greatest barrier to Champion's League qualification at the end of the season. It is even more worrying when Bolton's run of form is taken into account, as they still look the best placed, when form and league position are looked at together, to finish fourth.

 

Whatever happens this season, I'm utterly convinced that we'll be a completely different side next season, both in terms of style and consistency. However, I am slightly worried that one or two of the better players Rafa has got lined up for the summer will not come if we're not in the CL. The sooner this frustrating season is over, the better.

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How can our players be tired? Most of them have hardly played this season.

 

The issue of their futures doesn't hold up either, Everton told most of their squad in August that no contract negotiations would take place until the end of the season. How did they react? they amassed 40 points in the first 19 games.

 

Stop making excuses for our crap league form.

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How can our players be tired? Most of them have hardly played this season.

 

The issue of their futures doesn't hold up either, Everton told most of their squad in August that no contract negotiations would take place until the end of the season. How did they react? they amassed 40 points in the first 19 games.

 

Stop making excuses for our crap league form.

 

But they have to be excused or rather explained somehow.

I mean the potential and quality is there, the same set of players played Juventus off the pitch for 45 minutes. Personally i think yesterday was a combination of fatigue both in their legs and in their heads.

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But they have to be excused or rather explained somehow.

I mean the potential and quality is there, the same set of players played Juventus off the pitch for 45 minutes. Personally i think yesterday was a combination of fatigue both in their legs and in their heads.

 

Why are they only fatigued in the Premiership? They'll look fresh enough on Wednesday. It's an attitude of mind not physical tiredness. That's where the manager needs to earn his money.

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Rafa has his own ideas:

 

Benitez was keen to point out that it was a lack of experience rather than the players having their minds on the game in Turin on Wednesday and even went so far as to insist that finishing fourth is more important to the club than an extended run in the Champions League.

 

"It is more important for us to finish fourth in the Premiership than it is to do well in the Champions League," he said. "If we play to the level we can, we can still get there but if we do not improve on the mental approach we had today, it will be difficult for us. You want to win every game of course but with our injury problems you need to be clear about what is more important. Even if we won the next game against Juve we could go all the way and maybe lose the final and end up playing in the UEFA Cup.

 

"Our inconsistency is difficult to explain. At one point we are playing good football and winning, the next we find it really difficult. But I don't think there will be a problem raising the team for Wednesday. Champions League games are different and we will be ready."

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