Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12-Jan 2012 onwards

That is hilarious. Don't think it would go down too well with the Liverpool players though

opr wrote: »

Good post, this is long but excellent article on the ideas of pressure.

http://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2012/03/stupid-football/

Thinking correctly under pressure seems completely different for different players. Some seem to relish and thrive under it but for others like Downing at some point the brain seems to shut down all cognitive thought at a certain pressure point.

Opr

Only 2 words needed, Headless Chickens.

Kess73 wrote: »

Have noticed that expression and variations of it popping up a lot in recent season on one fansite or another and by supporters of many clubs.

To me it is a handy little phrase that gives underperforming players sopme kind of excuse for their non performances.

The days of "integrating" players into a club are pretty much gone when it comes to new signings, especially big money signings.

Most big money signings at most clubs go straight into the first team. So pretty much every club "transplants" their signings rather than "integrating" them. So on the basis of that excuse logic, pretty much every signing that is put straight into a first team should struggle as they did not get time to be eased into the club and team.

The one pattern that is there under Kenny, Hodgson, Rafa, and Ged (just to use our most recent crop of managers) is that the British/Irish players who were either big name or big money have had a pretty big fail rate at the club. A few came good, but more have not done well and got moved on quickly than succeeded. The club just does not have a good record over the past decade and a half with buying British/Irish players, especially when one looks at the money the club pumps into getting such players..

I think it's a bit much to expect so many first-team changes to have no effect on the performances, is all. For the money spent, I can understand why the first team should be improving, but throwing them all in together is not going to work.

I have more of a problem with how the the new players were being used all at once than with the signing of the players themselves. I'm not using that as an all-purpose excuse for poor performances from these players - obviously I expect them to work hard and keep their heads up regardless which they've all failed to do at various points, and Downing has been especially guilty in that regard - but there were better ways to use and integrate these players than we've seen, and the season overall could have been better if their deployment as a group was more gradual.

mixednuts wrote: »

^^THIS X 1000^^

Downing was always going straight into the first team.

Henderson should have been introduced to the first team over a longer period , cause his confidence will/has (imo) got a bit of a battering as the crowd hasnt exactly been cheering his name .

Adam on the other hand should never have been a starter . If selling Raul or letting Aqua go was because Adam was seen as a sufficient replacement then i am sorry that was madness.

Enrique was going to be a starter and the only one who has taken up their position like a duck to water .

So you agree that any player we sign should go straight into the first team, but that Henderson should have been integrated slowly? I can only assume you're saying we shouldn't have signed him at all?

missingtime wrote: »

Very interesting article that.

One thing that I dont understand about Kenny is that if he's worked in a team with players who were both game intelligent and proper players, why is he signing players who are not game intelligent.

He goes on about how maxi is a very intelligent player but then never plays him?

Yeah agreed I think it's a really interesting subject. I don't think it's uniquely a football thing. In all walks of life people have different attributes, intelligence and pressure points in certain situations whether that is in work life, chatting up a girl or a whole host of different situations.

The thing with it in a footballing sense is that I think it's down to manager to be able to break down those different things and apply it to each player. Kenny seems to be of the opinion that every player should be able to go out and influence a game as they see best. That brings its own pressure which maybe some players struggle with. The manager should also be finding the position a player will best influence the game.

If I was to take some of our players for instance. Gerrard is immense under pressure a player who thrives in situations like Istanbul. He has a game inteliigence but it's one which thinks only about how we can score goals. Never thinking about how tactically what he does influences us defensively or as an overall team. That isn't a bad thing but as Benitez said in a very recent interview " You need to manage Gerrard". So you take those responsibilities away from him as a player by playing him further forward. Do this and you can basically just tell Gerrard go and play son.

Lucas as a CM you can just tell him to go and play son. That kid tells pressure to go **** itself. Getting booed by his own fans, slated right and left and he kept plugging. The other side of that's I think that Rafa would have given him more of a defined role to help him come out on the other side that as a player now he can be just told go play. In regards position I don't believe for one minute I could play him behind the striker like Gerrard and he would have nearly the same kind of impact as Stevie. I think Lucas would understand the role but he would lack Gerrard's immense physical/technical attributes.

Downing is different in that he seems to wilt under pressure. He needs more instruction. I don't think he has a particularly bad footballing intellgence ala Babel but the pressure just seems to make him melt. You need to find ways to ease that pressure on him. A more defined role. Someone who can help him use his footballing ability. I don't think Downing is a bad player just not a guy who can be told go and express himself. Maybe with a little more confidence and less pressure over time he can be given more freedom.

Intelligent players certainly should come near top of the list Kenny should be buying based on. The other thing that stands out most along with it for me in regards Kenny philosophy is a players ability to cope under pressure. Playing for Liverpool but especially with the kind of freedom Kenny allows players it's a key attribute needed. Thing is it's a hard one to measure.

Opr

mixednuts wrote: »

Well fück me ....



£15mil and it's a deal

PSG: Gameiro for Cole plus moolah
Lille: Hazard for Cole plus money

Your move frenchies

kevohmsford wrote: »

I think just getting Cole and Aquilani off the wage bill at the moment will be a big plus and will free up places for quality replacements, I hope. Even if we get 5 million for Cole if would make the loss on Aquilani's fee easier.

Accounts wise €6 Million or whatever the fee is with Aquilani shouldn't leave much to write down on him, he's "here" 3 years come the Summer, plus there would have been a contribution towards his wages from Juventus and Milan.