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Posted on 4/28/12 at 7:37 pm to BobbyGoulet
Just finished the replay.
I just can't get enough.
I just can't get enough.
Posted on 4/28/12 at 8:43 pm to BleedPurpleGold
I'm not a big fan of Louis Suarez getting a hat trick and looking fricking classy ahead of our FA Cup clash! 
Posted on 4/28/12 at 8:44 pm to beezylsu
quote:
I'm not a big fan of Louis Suarez getting a hat trick and looking fricking classy ahead of our FA Cup clash!
I'm so nervous about next Saturday. It's going to be a huge uphill battle for us.
Posted on 4/28/12 at 11:16 pm to BleedPurpleGold
I'm curious about what the fulham lineup will look like. Do we play Carroll and rest Suarez, or let him keep going with the momentum and into the cup final?
Suarez has now scored 7 in his last 8 matches
Suarez has now scored 7 in his last 8 matches
Posted on 4/28/12 at 11:23 pm to BobbyGoulet
quote:
Do we play Carroll and rest Suarez, or let him keep going with the momentum and into the cup final?
In the words of ole Les.....
Posted on 4/28/12 at 11:30 pm to BobbyGoulet
I say rest Suarez, Gerrard, Agger and Downing. Get Maxi, Kuyt, Shelvey, Coates, Spearing and Carroll some PT against Fulham.
I liked our squad today against Chelsea. I would like to see Carroll or Maxi instead of Bellamy and Skrtel instead of Carra. Maybe Spearing instead of Shelvey. Maybe.
I liked our squad today against Chelsea. I would like to see Carroll or Maxi instead of Bellamy and Skrtel instead of Carra. Maybe Spearing instead of Shelvey. Maybe.
Posted on 4/28/12 at 11:52 pm to LSUSOBEAST1
I liked shelvey in there b/c he could play back or push forward allowing Stevie to drop if he needed too. Also shelvey had an easy opportunity for a goal but didn't get the right foot on the ball. It doesn't seem like wee jay has been able to get in the box and provide a scoring threat.
But yeah, I agree about the lineup today to go against Chelsea. Skrtel for carragher is a must.
But yeah, I agree about the lineup today to go against Chelsea. Skrtel for carragher is a must.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 12:06 am to LSUSOBEAST1
quote:
rest Suarez, Gerrard, Agger and Downing
Since Gerrard wasn't even selected for the West Brom match, I really don't see him being around for Fulham. I have no problem resting Downing...he played his best football as a red in the last cup final, so I'm hopeful for a repeat performance. Agger is like an NFL player, he constantly plays hurt and only sits when he's injured...he'll probably benefit the most from the rest. Suarez is the one I'm torn on...his form is great and an extra 65-70 mins may help keep that form; besides, he's used to playing a ton of minutes so I don't see it as a huge deal. What I'm interested in seeing is how KK handles guys like Bellamy, Kuyt, and Carra...he historically gives seasoned, loyal guys games on big stages like cup finals over younger (perhaps more capable) players.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 12:11 am to BobbyGoulet
quote:
allowing Stevie to drop
no no no no...this has been our biggest problem since Lucas went out and Gerrard came back. Without that strong defensive mid behind him, Stevie has had to drop way too deep into the midfield and it's killed his creativity and partnership with Suarez.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 12:44 am to xavierTIGER
Oh yeah, I totally agree. Gerrard needs to be the one pushing forward just about every time. But if he can't(tired legs, getting old), I feel like shelvey can push forward and fill that void a little for those couple of runs maybe more than a spearing. And like today, even put himself in position to score.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 12:52 am to xavierTIGER
quote:
no no no no...this has been our biggest problem since Lucas went out and Gerrard came back. Without that strong defensive mid behind him, Stevie has had to drop way too deep into the midfield and it's killed his creativity and partnership with Suarez.
From what I've seen of Liverpool recently I completely agree with this. To me Gerrard has seemed a little low on confidence and more importantly on confidence in his team mates. He's gotten frustrated and in my opinion has been coming way to deep in the midfield to pick up the ball and hasn't really been in the positions where he is most effective. Playing him behind a lone striker pushes him much higher up field. 4-4-1-1 was where he and Torres were at their best.
That said I watched the first half today and was very impressed with the way Liverpool pressured the ball high up field which led to mistake after mistake by a Norwich defense trying to pass its way out of the back. I still think if ya'll are to move forward next season a lot of dead weight needs to be moved on: Adam, Downing, Maxi, Carra and Spearing as well as possibly Bellamy, Kuyt, Carroll and Joe Cole
Posted on 4/29/12 at 12:53 am to BobbyGoulet
quote:
maybe more than a spearing
Spearing's role isn't really to push up. He's a deep lying DM/distributor (ideally). When he is playing quality football, the team is much better. He can have a solid defensive presence and adequately push the ball forward to other mids/forwards. The only problem is that he is super inconsistent and rarely goes a full 90 without making a bonehead mistake. Still, he (and Lucas) bring something to the squad that nobody else can. Our midfield looked a little bit better today, but it was still pretty sloppy and wasteful. I would actually say we played worse today than we did against West Brom last weekend. Only real difference was that we converted our chances today.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 12:58 am to BobLoblaw
quote:
4-4-1-1 was where he and Torres were at their best.
Only because we had Xabi and Mascherano pushing the ball forward. With nobody on the current squad capable of filling those roles, he is often forced to drop deeper to gain possession. Really sucks.
quote:
Adam, Downing, Maxi, Carra and Spearing as well as possibly Bellamy, Kuyt, Carroll and Joe Cole
The ones in bold will be gone. I would imagine Maxi and Bellamy would move on, but who knows. Downing and Carroll need to be given more time. Giving up on that investment so quickly just can't be done. Spearing will stay solely because he is the only other DM we have.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 12:58 am to LSUSOBEAST1
quote:
Spearing's role isn't really to push up. He's a deep lying DM/distributor (ideally).
FWIW I think he's a pure defensive midfielder. His job is to sit deep, read play and make simple hard accurate passes to those on his team whose job is to create. He's a functional player and all teams need these, a team full of playmakers is most likely to never have the ball. The thing is, players who play this position at a high level have to be very consistent and learn when to move forward vs. sit back.
In my opinion Alex Song has become the best at this over the last 2 or 3 years in the EPL but Lucas is more than capable of doing the same.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 1:03 am to LSUSOBEAST1
quote:
Downing and Carroll need to be given more time. Giving up on that investment so quickly just can't be done. Spearing will stay solely because he is the only other DM we have.
I'll give you Carroll and Spearing (has very low wages and is happy to be a squad player).
As far as Downing, he has shown some good signs and has looked to gain a little confidence lately. In my opinion the guy has taken the easy way out most of the season and just sent in a cross into a static box rather than take on his defender. He has gotten better but there still has been zero end product plus consider his age and wages and to me it makes sense to get some money back for him while you can. In two years he will be a 30 year old on massive wages who isn't playing regularly and can't be moved on.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 1:04 am to BobLoblaw
quote:
FWIW I think he's a pure defensive midfielder.
He absolutely is. His main problems are that he is young, not physically imposing and very inconsistent. He has had games where he completely takes over the midfield and distributes well. But for every one of those it seems he has 2 or 3 bad games. He seems to be technically sound, but lacks in maturity and real experience.
quote:
In my opinion Alex Song has become the best at this over the last 2 or 3 years in the EPL but Lucas is more than capable of doing the same.
I think Lucas is the best DM in the EPL. His passing still needs work, but defensively he is a rock. Most tackles in Europe last season and the most tackles in Europe this season until he got hurt. I am fairly positive he still has the most tackles on the team (even though he has been hurt for what...5 months? -- that stat was through like 3 weeks ago though..someone may have eclipsed him).
Posted on 4/29/12 at 1:10 am to BobLoblaw
quote:
As far as Downing, he has shown some good signs and has looked to gain a little confidence lately. In my opinion the guy has taken the easy way out most of the season and just sent in a cross into a static box rather than take on his defender. He has gotten better but there still has been zero end product plus consider his age and wages and to me it makes sense to get some money back for him while you can. In two years he will be a 30 year old on massive wages who isn't playing regularly and can't be moved on.
I agree. But at the end of the day we still need a true winger if we have any hope of Carroll developing into what we bought him for. Downing might fetch 10M and then you have to go out and buy another winger with that money. Just doesn't seem like a good plan. You haven't watched every match like I have. Downing has been far and away the most unlucky player on our team this year. He has created ample scoring opportunities, with absolutely ZERO being finished! On top of that, he has 3 or 4 shots off of the woodwork. Charlie Adam, who is incalculably worse than Downing IMO, somehow has managed 6 assists and a couple goals! What is that shite!
I do agree that Downing shies away from taking on defenders, but he has gotten better. If he continues to put in his 1 or 2 quality balls a game, they will eventually find the back of the net.
At the very least, he is a good squad player capable of starting cups and 10-15 league games a year (if we were to keep him but buy a player who takes his spot).
I'm not completely sold on him, but am wary of getting rid of him. What I'm really scared of is selling Downing, buying another winger, and then having to wait months and months for that winger to fit into the squad. Obviously if we were to sign a winger who has an immediate impact on the squad, I would be 100% for it.
This post was edited on 4/29/12 at 1:14 am
Posted on 4/29/12 at 1:11 am to LSUSOBEAST1
quote:
I think Lucas is the best DM in the EPL.
Maybe. I can accept that over the year or so before his injury. The problem is that is too small a sample size and he was very poor his first few years in England until he caught up to the pace of the game. If he was just a little bit faster I think he would be a much better player, he reads the game so well but just can't cover that much ground.
Posted on 4/29/12 at 1:15 am to BobLoblaw
quote:
The problem is that is too small a sample size and he was very poor his first few years in England until he caught up to the pace of the game.
You are absolutely correct. Last year was fantastic for him. And he started off so well this year. Unfortunately he got hurt and who knows what impact his injury will have on his career moving forward.
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