Semmy

[johnb]

Fair enough Steve, Gav, DT - I give in! 3 big hitters so to speak ;)

 

Just would hate for him to be moved on and for someone like Diao on huge wages to be kept...like it was painful to see Diomède sit on a contract when youngsters could have played instead. Cheyrou? Get in the team, be confident, keep scoring and creating - then he'll get some credit. You can say 4 goals in 5 games or whatever...you can equally say 4 in a season-and-a-half.

 

Fuck it, I'm becoming optimistic and I don't like it.

[johnb]

Steven Wright was sold for £3m and although it baffled me at the time, I think it has now been justified by the fact that no one is really noticing how he's doing anymore. If say he's an average player at Sunderland (haven't seen him play for them in ages tbh), then why would he have been more than that here?

Ste Wright has had a terrible run of injuries. And he was distinctly unaverage for us - any time I saw him play, he looked really good. Of course, playing with better players at Liverpool would have helped him come on too, so the Sunderland comparison is hardly fair. But you knew that already. ;)

[Beni]

Finnan is a genuinely two footed player and he is the only member of the back four who is truly comfortable in possession but the fact that Semmy is not even considered to be his replacement is a F******* travesty.

[Gav]

Just would hate for him to be moved on and for someone like Diao on huge wages to be kept.......

Thats not even like for like John - wright was left go because a Portugese International fullback was available as Cover for both the german and english fullbacks-

 

Re Cheyrou - are you even a tad happy with his turn of fortune ?????

no-one on heres goin to town on the goals things , fact is ,as far as I can see ,you're the only one who's mentioned the 4in 5 thingy ( you watchin too much sky)

The finishing for all 4 goals was top c lass (especially the chelsea one ) but it was his involvement on sat that pleased me most -at one point he made a excellent tackle on the touchline near our box in the first half and that to me showed a better attitude .All I 've been saying all along is that we can't say simply "He's Shit" without ever seing him play .hopefully ,with the confidence hs's bound to have now , we might see what it was that prompted the french manager to give him a cap

[goatboy59]

What about Otsemobor in front of Finnan? Save Le Tallec for the second half if Jon or even Bruno have a bad game. If they still play that fat twat Unsworth at left back, he'll get a red card or have a seizure. Semmy first half, Antony second. Go for it!

 

(Though I know that's a bloody big 'if' in Cheyrou's case ;))

[aws]

I expect Murphy to start on the right and Cheyrou and Kewell to alternate between the left side and the reserved striker role.I doubt Le Tallec will be thrown into the derby mayhem until the pace and the tackling quieten down a bit second half.

[johnb]

as far as I can see ,you're the only one who's mentioned the 4in 5 thingy ( you watchin too much sky)

No, can't get it here. I actually go to the game.

 

Happy? Me? You're joking, right?

[Paul]

Whilst I can't see what John is basing his enthusiasm about Semmy on (too few games to tell), I think he's got a point about some of the other players who are ahead of him in the pecking order.

 

GH's one massive failing has been the way he's targeted his transfer funds. After the initial changes he had to make, he should have focused his funds on the first eleven by buying top class talent. Instead, many signings were clearly always going to be squad players. Surely that is where he could have relied on the Academy boys? He really needs a first eleven that's as strong as possible with experienced cover for goal, defence, midfield and attack (5 players). After that, however, lads like Semmy, Welsh, Warnock, Wright etc can fill in the gaps. When injuries inevitably come around, these boys would have greater opportunities to make substitute appearances, acclimatise to the first team and prove conclusively whether they've got what it takes or not.

 

It seems like a no-lose situation to me: you save transfer funds and wages for the big-name proven talent; you potentially get a couple of diamonds break through that have cost you nothing; and you get a half decent transfer fee for players who are surplus to requirements but have shown enough talent to interest other clubs.

[johnb]

Whilst I can't see what John is basing his enthusiasm about Semmy on (too few games to tell), I think he's got a point about some of the other players who are ahead of him in the pecking order.

 

GH's one massive failing has been the way he's targeted his transfer funds. After the initial changes he had to make, he should have focused his funds on the first eleven by buying top class talent. Instead, many signings were clearly always going to be squad players. Surely that is where he could have relied on the Academy boys? He really needs a first eleven that's as strong as possible with experienced cover for goal, defence, midfield and attack (5 players). After that, however, lads like Semmy, Welsh, Warnock, Wright etc can fill in the gaps. When injuries inevitably come around, these boys would have greater opportunities to make substitute appearances, acclimatise to the first team and prove conclusively whether they've got what it takes or not.

 

It seems like a no-lose situation to me: you save transfer funds and wages for the big-name proven talent; you potentially get a couple of diamonds break through that have cost you nothing; and you get a half decent transfer fee for players who are surplus to requirements but have shown enough talent to interest other clubs.

Enthusiasm based on hope to a large extent Paul, but also on the fact that he's done very well in the few games he's played. If he can come in to the team and perform like that, imagine what he could do after a run in the team.

 

The Academy boys have been overlooked at the expense of foreigners and everyone knows the reason for that.

 

I'll keep saying it till I'm blue in the face - Carra, Steviue and Michael didn't cost a penny and none of us would put anyone on the teamsheet ahead of them.

 

Robbie and Macca the same. The Academy can work and this is why Semmy and the likes need to be given the chance. If they aren't, there are plenty of other places where they can go. We can't lose them.

[DT]

"Of course, playing with better players at Liverpool would have helped him come on too, so the Sunderland comparison is hardly fair. But you knew that already."

 

I'm not sure I'll agree 100% with that actually.

 

I think you can make the point that if he's nothing special with Sunderland, then he was not going to be the long term solution with us. And I am not saying I wanted Xavier to be:-) Shouldn't he have been outstanding in a crap side rather than be average? (which I am assuming he has been since no top club has come in for him since)

 

Anyway, we'll never be able to settle this argument seeing as he's no longer at the club and I don't think the disagreement on the Finnan/Otsemobor issue is that big. Everyone is acknowledging the promise that the latter has shown.

[johnb]

He should not have been sold in order to keep Xavier at the Club. That's a fact.

 

I want a fight!!! ;)

[Kopite]

With the addition of Cisse and hopefully a creative, goal-scoring midfielder the onus will be on our defenders to defend rather than create chances.

We've got one Paul.

 

Step forward the goalmachine Bruno Pires, er Cheyrou ;)

[sammya]

Fair enough - that's your opinion. But I don't agree.

 

And it's not just about defending - it's about what full-backs can bring further up the field too. That's the biggest mystery for Gérard with me - the move away from the Babbel-like full-back of 2000-01, one with licence to move forward, towards the more defenisve-minded full-backs we see today.

 

Semmy's run against Southampton was everything that Liverpool should and can embody. He's local, he's good, he cost nothing - don't lose him!!! We don't want another Ste Wright scenario, do we?

Wright wasn't good enough. Don't get me wrong I really rate semmy and will be well pissed off if he is allowed to leave. Its just that the first thing a full back has to be ablke to do is defend and finnan is good at this. Semmy really can get roasted in that position sometimes. Finnan also has very good use of the ball going forwards normally so he is more complete than semmy. Semmy deffo should be groomed though

[sammya]

Whilst I can't see what John is basing his enthusiasm about Semmy on (too few games to tell), I think he's got a point about some of the other players who are ahead of him in the pecking order.

 

GH's one massive failing has been the way he's targeted his transfer funds. After the initial changes he had to make, he should have focused his funds on the first eleven by buying top class talent. Instead, many signings were clearly always going to be squad players. Surely that is where he could have relied on the Academy boys? He really needs a first eleven that's as strong as possible with experienced cover for goal, defence, midfield and attack (5 players). After that, however, lads like Semmy, Welsh, Warnock, Wright etc can fill in the gaps. When injuries inevitably come around, these boys would have greater opportunities to make substitute appearances, acclimatise to the first team and prove conclusively whether they've got what it takes or not.

 

It seems like a no-lose situation to me: you save transfer funds and wages for the big-name proven talent; you potentially get a couple of diamonds break through that have cost you nothing; and you get a half decent transfer fee for players who are surplus to requirements but have shown enough talent to interest other clubs.

i agree

[johnb]

Semmy really can get roasted in that position sometimes.

 

Don't know why Kevin Lisbie's name just came in to my head there...;)

[Nunavut Patrick]

I tend to think of Dyer.....

[johnb]

I tend to think of Dyer.....

That's between you and your conscience.

[sammya]

Semmy really can get roasted in that position sometimes.

 

Don't know why Kevin Lisbie's name just came in to my head there...;)

I've seen contra destroy Carra but I've seen even more people do Riise

[Brownie]

I don't know what it is with Finnan I just seem to have a soft spot for him. He's impressed me a lot ever since he first came here and i'm made up he's back now. Yeah he isn't a fantastic defender like Carra for instance but thats because he's always looking to get forward. He just strikes me as a very gifted footballer. Great first touch, can run with the ball, and despite saturday he can put a good cross in. Remember the one at Fulham for h*****.

 

It was brilliant to see him bombing on down the right on saturday 'cos we've lacked that width since Semmy was dropped. I thought Semmy did very well in the games he played and am mystified by the way he's suddenly been frozen out. If anything happens to Finnan he should defo be next in line to play at right back I reckon.