Kyrgiakos is making his Liverpool debut tonight.

[Chippo]

Looked better than the sadly risible Carragher.

 

As great as Carragher has been for us, he looked to be on the slide at times last season and all indications now are that he's just gone. It's absolutely no criticism of all that he's given the club, or the fantastic player he's been but sometimes players will just go suddenly, and unless he improves massively over the next game or two that's exactly what appears to have happened to him. No different to boxing where sometimes a fighter will just get old overnight and there's no room for sentiment and an automatic place in the team this season if he can't find his form soon.

 

Perhaps it's a perfect example of what a fantastic player he's been for us - never the most natural talent, but possessing an inhuman ability to push himself to the limit in countless fantastic performances. For someone of his style, even if the decline in his physicality is actually very small it could look much bigger and have a greater impact on his game than it would on most.

 

I think thats a bit unfair. I agree Carra has had a bad start, but I think he will be back to his best soon. This applies to a lot of the players in our team

[Paulie Dangerously]

Thought he did well. He's not the quickest but won a lot of headers. It's what you need when playing hoof merchants and setpiece bores like Bolton. He looked very slow though and got caught or nearly caught in possession once or twice I recall. Reasonably positive though, and I honestly didn't expect much for 1.5million.

 

Kind of reminds me of a Spartan too.

[RedKnight]

I've always found it strange why a portion of our fans have always been so quick to write off Carragher.

[Spy Bee]

I've always found it strange why a portion of our fans have always been so quick to write off Carragher.

 

Maybe it's because he's not called Carragherinho.

 

I think a more serious reason some will right him off is that his style looks so laboured. Even when he's playing at his best he looks a bit like he's struggling.

 

He's not started this season well though. He needs to up hios game to keep his place.

[hamstrung]

Watched the full game again and I am going to upgrade him from Ok to good.

[Captain]

Almost our entire team has looked sluggish so far this season, Carra included.

 

It pretty fucking far from that to claiming Carra is finished. He'll be back, as good as ever. And you cheeky bastards will be eating humble pie.

 

I can't wait to have Skrtel back, we'll profit from a settled back four.

[Unrighteous]

I think the squad is around half fit, really. We need to sort out the fitness before we squander more points.

[DonaldDonaldson]

As has already been mentioned, Kevin Davies is a handful for just about any centre half in the league so Kyrgiakos did ok.

 

Yet more lamentable capers from Carragher though: for their first goal, he was on the line about a yard away from the attacker, and just stood there and watched the ball enter the net – then had the gall to turn around and start bellowing at Insua and booted the ball at the net in his usual look-at-me-I’m-King-Carra-and-I-shout-and-scream-a-lot-cos-I’m-dead-passionate-la manner - fucking charmless. Then for the second, he’s flat on his face after a comedy collision as the attacker is about to fire home unchallenged. Pitiful.

[sir roger]

Watched the full game again and I am going to upgrade him from Ok to good.

 

Just got the chance to watch the full game myself & would agree with Mr H in that he looked good considering it was an awkward game & he was obviously short of match fitness ( spotted him at one point in the second half with both hands on his knees looking like he was going to puke - reminded me of me in the zingari League after a heavy Friday night )

[zigackly]

I think the squad is around half fit, really. We need to sort out the fitness before we squander more points.

 

I disagree, it's not as if they are all blowing at the end of the game. I just think they are all suffering from colour blindness, they are clearly unable to distinguish another red shirt.

[Kevin D]

As has already been mentioned, Kevin Davies is a handful for just about any centre half in the league so Kyrgiakos did ok.

 

Yet more lamentable capers from Carragher though: for their first goal, he was on the line about a yard away from the attacker, and just stood there and watched the ball enter the net – then had the gall to turn around and start bellowing at Insua and booted the ball at the net in his usual look-at-me-I’m-King-Carra-and-I-shout-and-scream-a-lot-cos-I’m-dead-passionate-la manner - fucking charmless. Then for the second, he’s flat on his face after a comedy collision as the attacker is about to fire home unchallenged. Pitiful.

 

Jesus.

[Unrighteous]

I disagree, it's not as if they are all blowing at the end of the game. I just think they are all suffering from colour blindness, they are clearly unable to distinguish another red shirt.

 

Eh... They don't have to be 'blowing' at the end of the game. When you're a bit more tired than your opponents, you have to commit more fouls and, you're more prone to mental errors.

[zigackly]

Eh... They don't have to be 'blowing' at the end of the game. When you're a bit more tired than your opponents, you have to commit more fouls and, you're more prone to mental errors.

 

So what you're saying is we have a squad of weaklings who can't get as fit as the likes of Villa and Bolton?

[Unrighteous]

So what you're saying is we have a squad of weaklings who can't get as fit as the likes of Villa and Bolton?

 

No, I'm saying that our preseason didn't make the squad as fit as the likes of Tottenham, Villa, and Bolton, right now.

[SpeedyG]

No, I'm saying that our preseason didn't make the squad as fit as the likes of Tottenham, Villa, and Bolton, right now.

 

Benitez did imply that we were not yet fit enough to play at the correct tempo?!?!?!?!?!?

[zigackly]

No, I'm saying that our preseason didn't make the squad as fit as the likes of Tottenham, Villa, and Bolton, right now.

 

If that were the case it would be a pretty damning indictment on our coaching staff wouldn't it? Personally I don't believe this is the case as it would show more later in the game, but we have also been shit in the first half.

[Unrighteous]

If that were the case it would be a pretty damning indictment on our coaching staff wouldn't it? Personally I don't believe this is the case as it would show more later in the game, but we have also been shit in the first half.

 

Could be, but I think it's still the case. You also have to take into account that there are 11 other guys who are pushing as hard as they can in the first half to take the lead(which we've surrendered in 3 of 4 so far)... that might have something to do with the first half performances.

 

Subtract our best Midfielder, and voila, we have our start.

[zigackly]

Could be, but I think it's still the case. You also have to take into account that there are 11 other guys who are pushing as hard as they can in the first half to take the lead(which we've surrendered in 3 of 4 so far)... that might have something to do with the first half performances.

 

Subtract our best Midfielder, and voila, we have our start.

 

See, I will offer you the alternative, and it's still based partially on our pre-season, that what we are lacking in is not so much match fitness as match sharpness.

 

Since the Spurs game this will partially be based on an unfamiliar defensive lineup, but especially for that game, and to a diminishing degree since, it's because our pre-seasons are based almost exclusively on fitness and not on bedding our players into the patterns of play and especially the lineups that they will be using when the real business starts.

 

We make no attempt during pre-season until perhaps the final game to replicate a competitive environment, in terms of the starting lineups, in terms of the positions and tactics, and in terms of the chopping and changing we always see. Instead of getting the team used to playing football together and raring to go, we fling them into the deep end and expect them to pick it all up there, sink or swim style. Is it any wonder we always flounder?

 

This has been exacerbated this season by the absence of Alonso and changes to the back four, no doubt, but it offers an explanation as to why the other players look, not unfit, but totally clueless in comparison to our opponents.

[Unrighteous]

Yeah, Match Sharpness. I'll go along with that. We always seem dull in the beginning of the season with Benitez.

[dennis tooth]

As has already been mentioned, Kevin Davies is a handful for just about any centre half in the league so Kyrgiakos did ok.

 

Yet more lamentable capers from Carragher though: for their first goal, he was on the line about a yard away from the attacker, and just stood there and watched the ball enter the net – then had the gall to turn around and start bellowing at Insua and booted the ball at the net in his usual look-at-me-I’m-King-Carra-and-I-shout-and-scream-a-lot-cos-I’m-dead-passionate-la manner - fucking charmless. Then for the second, he’s flat on his face after a comedy collision as the attacker is about to fire home unchallenged. Pitiful.

 

 

And where were you when the attacker fired home unchallenged. Eating a jam butty that's where. I hope you can live with that.

[RedinSweden]

I thought the greek lad did well. nothing spectacular but decent enough. It is possible to say that without slagging off Carra.

[Hooch]

I too was quietly impressed with him.

He seems to have a proper aerial prowess about him in both boxes I hope.

 

As for the Carra bashing, it really is laughable.

I'll bet anyone on here a £10 donation for the Forum that Carra is still our first choice centre back next season, never mind this one.

[Moschops II]

I too was quietly impressed with him.

He seems to have a proper aerial prowess about him in both boxes I hope.

 

As for the Carra bashing, it really is laughable.

I'll bet anyone on here a £10 donation for the Forum that Carra is still our first choice centre back next season, never mind this one.

 

I bet he's our first choice centre back next season too - but it won't necessarily mean he deserves to be.

[El Rojo]

He did well in a tricky fixture, one horrible mix up with Johnson aside.

 

I reckon he'll knock in a few for us too.

[Xherdan]

He done fine. Thats all we need from him.