Roys view on the team

[JermainePennant]

"After seven training sessions with what I regard as the key players, it is pretty obvious to all that we are a long, long way from being a team like Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea.

 

"I don't even pretend that the team, after six or seven training sessions, are going to be anything like the team we want to be.

 

"It would be ridiculous to suggest that we can be at the top of our game now in terms of how I want the team to play."

 

Wasnt one of the reasons roy came here supposed to be his better man management skills then rafa?Not only do I disagree that our first eleven is a long, long way of teams like united, chelsea and arsenal I think this is poor management.I dont see our players being happy with the manager saying after seeing them that we are nowhere near the other top teams, he didnt have to say we would challenge for the title but putting down our players down is helping no one.

[gingerhulk]

Is this from the offal?

[JermainePennant]

I got it from here

 

TEAMtalk | Football | Premier League | Liverpool News - Roy dampens Red fans' hopes

 

its in plenty of articles today aswell.

[zigackly]

New manager in talking down chances shocker. I don't think he's far off the mark either; it takes time to change the way a team play.

[05 Milan]

Here we go, lowering expectations again...

[Bernard Diomede]

Read that earlier, I reckon he means more in terms of the style of play he wants us to play, that after 7 sessions the team wont be working so much to his footballing philosophy yet. Still pretty strange comments on the eve of the new season though

[Il Fenomeno]

Get yer excuses in early lads.

[Dicko]

New manager in talking down chances shocker. I don't think he's far off the mark either; it takes time to change the way a team play.

 

Read that earlier, I reckon he means more in terms of the style of play he wants us to play, that after 7 sessions the team wont be working so much to his footballing philosophy yet. Still pretty strange comments on the eve of the new season though

 

Yet what legitimacy does he have.

His style of play hasn't won him a major trophy in 36 years.

 

I agree with him btw.

I also agreed when Rafa said it as well.

[Newport]

I think he's trying to motivate the players by saying "I don't think you're as good as the other sides, now prove me wrong."

[redsfan]

I think judging by his cmments the way I would interpret what he means is that in terms of how he wants the team to play, they are no where near in terms of his style and expertations after the 7 training sessions.

 

Personally speaking I prefer us to be not discussed about watching tele other day and no one was hardly discussing what they expected from us today it was all about city, tottenham etc. I just thought yeah keep it like that and lets go about our business quietly on the pitch and suprise a few people.

[Pidge]

I think he's trying to motivate the players by saying "I don't think you're as good as the other sides, now prove me wrong."

 

Exactly, I think that people are massively over-reacting. There has been an upsurge of optismism since the Joe Cole deal. I think Roy was just trying to stop it from getting out of hand. A reality check. The hard work is still ahead.

[Johnni]

Least he's honest unlike Redknapp saying his side could have a chance to win the League. But i think what Roy meant is that we are a long way to playing his type of football and thus getting results and performing in each game to the best they can be & the system they play rather than saying our players are not as good as there's

[RedKnight]

Massive difference between what is said in public and private.

[redsfan]

I think he's trying to motivate the players by saying "I don't think you're as good as the other sides, now prove me wrong."

 

I'd go with that.

[zigackly]

I also agreed when Rafa said it as well.

 

Don't really want to dredge up a Rafa argument again, but there is no doubt for me we hugely underperformed last season. I was really hoping we would take the momentum of the previous season into the opening games but instead we collapsed spectacularly and did nothing to correct it all season. My personal belief in retrospect is that various factors meant a title challenge was too much to expect, but we should have been comfortably top four.

 

If Hodgson plays it right we should not expect sweeping changes, but we should at least expect to play like the sum of our parts.

[Tyler Durden]

Don't really want to dredge up a Rafa argument again, but there is no doubt for me we hugely underperformed last season. I was really hoping we would take the momentum of the previous season into the opening games but instead we collapsed spectacularly and did nothing to correct it all season. My personal belief in retrospect is that various factors meant a title challenge was too much to expect, but we should have been comfortably top four.

 

If Hodgson plays it right we should not expect sweeping changes, but we should at least expect to play like the sum of our parts.

 

So what do you expect this year?

In terms of finish

[zigackly]

So what do you expect this year?

In terms of finish

 

I expect us to put in a decent challenge for Champions League qualification at minimum. I have downgraded my expectations a little since last season obviously, because the teams who finished above us can all strengthen (barring Villa) whilst we are evidently completely broke. It will also take time to change our playing style. I still don't think a top four finish is out of the question however, and that has to be our target.

[Brownie]

I can't say I like those comments. I'd have been disappointed had Rafa said it and i'm disappointed now that Hodgson has.

 

Redknight makes a legitimate point though; it could be in stark contrast to what he's telling the players in private, but even still it's not something I like to hear.

[Tyler Durden]

I expect us to put in a decent challenge for Champions League qualification. I have downgraded my expectations a little since last season obviously, because the teams who finished above us can all strengthen (barring Villa) whilst we are evidently completely broke. It will also take time to change our playing style. I still don't think a top four finish is out of the question however, and that has to be our target.

 

Id say it should be a minimum of 4th, most other teams involved at the top end after that 4th place dont have one of the top ten players in their team, never mind the fact we have arguably 2 of the worlds best players.

In terms of styles of play being changed its not like we are changing from Wimbledon to Barcelona is it? Im sure the players are intelligent enough to be able to make minor changes with out forgetting how to play football.

 

If Rafa so massively under achieved last season as people have said then barring a similar injury list then I dont see how anyone can say we shouldnt expect to finish 4th, Villa will be out of it and I dont see anyone having improved that much where I think with Cole and Jovanovich we will be a lot stronger.

I dont like what he has said there really, saying it in private then fair enough but not in public, he doesnt have to say we will win the league but something a bit more subtle then telling us we are nowhere near a team is a bit much.

[Tyler Durden]

I can't say I like those comments. I'd have been disappointed had Rafa said it and i'm disappointed now that Hodgson has.

 

Redknight makes a legitimate point though; it could be in stark contrast to what he's telling the players in private, but even still it's not something I like to hear.

 

He is a pretty straight talking fella so I cant see him saying much different in private, why would he anyway, if he doesnt mean what he has said then he is saying it to lower expectations.

[dennis tooth]

Roy Mourinho in 'we've got all our good players back and their shit and we won't win anyfin' shocker.

 

This is LFC you stupid cockney prat, no time to be in awe of any other teams, you thick lumpy cyst. No foot warmer for 1 week and let's increase the anti-senility tablets jsut to make sure he's not gone yet.

 

 

Christain Poulsen?

Christian Purslow?

 

Time for threadery.

[dave u]

Take no notice. This is his way, he did it at Fulham and he did it before the first leg of the Rabotnicki tie. He tells the players something completely different.

 

And what he said is actually true anyway, after seven sessions with the players they aren't going to be as well drilled as teams who've been together under the same manager for a long time.

 

We'll win tomorrow.

[Brownie]

Take no notice. This is his way, he did it at Fulham and he did it before the first leg of the Rabotnicki tie. He tells the players something completely different.

 

And what he said is actually true anyway, after seven sessions with the players they aren't going to be as well drilled as teams who've been together under the same manager for a long time.

 

We'll win tomorrow.

 

This is good to hear. If it's true then i'm fine with it but as I said i'd probably be hammering Rafa for it so it's only fair to do the same with Hodgson.

 

I suppose playing things down does tie in with the Liverpool Way as well.

[zigackly]

Id say it should be a minimum of 4th, most other teams involved at the top end after that 4th place dont have one of the top ten players in their team, never mind the fact we have arguably 2 of the worlds best players.

In terms of styles of play being changed its not like we are changing from Wimbledon to Barcelona is it? Im sure the players are intelligent enough to be able to make minor changes with out forgetting how to play football.

 

If Rafa so massively under achieved last season as people have said then barring a similar injury list then I dont see how anyone can say we shouldnt expect to finish 4th, Villa will be out of it and I dont see anyone having improved that much where I think with Cole and Jovanovich we will be a lot stronger.

I dont like what he has said there really, saying it in private then fair enough but not in public, he doesnt have to say we will win the league but something a bit more subtle then telling us we are nowhere near a team is a bit much.

 

If our first eleven remains injury free, squad morale is high throughout the season and the manager makes the best use of our playing resources in every game then I would say a top four finish is readily within our grasp, but there are too many slices of luck required there to expect it to come easily.

 

Would you honestly say we are at the level of Chelsea, Arsenal and the Mancs? They have fewer weaknesses in their first eleven, much deeper squads and established managers who have all proved they know what it takes to win the league.

 

I don't think Hodgson has said anything contentious there and he's certainly within his rights to use the media to publically challenge the team to perform. He will live or die by the team's performances at the end of the day, not what he says in public, and that's as it should be.

[lifetime fan]

Take no notice. This is his way, he did it at Fulham and he did it before the first leg of the Rabotnicki tie. He tells the players something completely different.

 

And what he said is actually true anyway, after seven sessions with the players they aren't going to be as well drilled as teams who've been together under the same manager for a long time.

 

We'll win tomorrow.

 

Take no notice? Why come out and say it? He can play down expectations easily enough without comments like those. I fully agree he should play down expectations, with what little money we have it's no wonder.

 

Of course a side wouldn't be as drilled under a new manager after 7 sessions together but would you expect him to come out and say they we're no where near good enough? Surely a manager wouldn't expect the side to be ticking over in his fashion in such a short period of time.