Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12 - Mod Note 4153

07-11-2011 08:58AM

The-Rigger wrote: »

Agger for captain.

He's too injury prone. I'd bet my house he'll be out again before xmas.

Hopefully not, he's in good form. Pity about his partner Skrtel who I hope gets shipped out sharpish.

Phoenix Park · 07-11-2011 09:05AM

rarnes1 wrote: »

He's too injury prone. I'd bet my house he'll be out again before xmas.

Hopefully not, he's in good form. Pity about his partner Skrtel who I hope gets shipped out sharpish.

Skrtel looks so much better playing with Agger than Carra though (although i agree we need better!)

kop77 · 07-11-2011 09:30AM

Phoenix Park wrote: »

Skrtel looks so much better playing with Agger than Carra though (although i agree we need better!)

Definitely....... said it here a while back, but would many here entertain the idea of trading in Skrtel in for a newer better model in 2012?????

07-11-2011 10:04AM

Phoenix Park wrote: »

Skrtel looks so much better playing with Agger than Carra though (although i agree we need better!)

He looks better, I wouldn't say much better.

Imo, Carra is still a better option in the middle with Agger. Just about.

07-11-2011 10:06AM

kop77 wrote: »

Definitely....... said it here a while back, but would many here entertain the idea of trading in Skrtel in for a newer better model in 2012?????

Yes.

We need at least another top CB imo.

Coates hopefully will slot in there next year and we need a top class CB beside him.

ilovelamp2000 · 07-11-2011 10:15AM

How much would people be willing to sell Carroll back to Newcastle for ?

Honest question. It's being rumoured already.

07-11-2011 10:18AM

Ba + £35m

jethro081 · 07-11-2011 10:33AM

rarnes1 wrote: »

Ba + £35m

don't you mean torres + 15 million?

seems fair

veXual · 07-11-2011 10:34AM

Thought this would be the best place to ask. Has anyone ever gone on the Ultimate Anfield experience its described as:

Begin the day at breakfast with an LFC Legend and then take a nostalgic tour around Anfield Stadium. Take part in a unique training session with the Legends at The LFC Academy and finish off with lunch in The Trophy Room.

A friend is considering buying this for her boyfriend as a Christmas present and was wondering if its worth the money. £235 I think it costs any info appreciated..

Kess73 · 07-11-2011 10:55AM

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote: »

That is a worry, but bearing in mind that we do have so many shots off the woodwork, those gents would have a lot more assists if we could get them on target than the woodwork.. Hardly the fault of the assisters (or would be assisters) for the strikers inability to convert.

Mr Alan wrote: »

Indeed, Kess that stat is somewhat flimsy & could change dramatically in the space of a match or two with ease & most likely will.

I totally agree that the stat does not take in the entire picture, but thought it was interesting given the debate that crops up regarding letting Meireles go (Personally I was for letting him go as long as it was to a team outside of the EPL and if we had a quality player coming in).

I agree Alan that the stat could change in one game, but the fact remains that after almost a third of the season Downing, Bellamy, and Kuyt have 0 assists between them in all comps, a stat I found quite amazing as I had thought that Kuyt and Bellamy had a couple between them.

What the stat does serve to do is confirm our woeful finishing this season

Leiva · 07-11-2011 10:57AM

Im amazed that no one else has mentioned our fitness levels .

We have looked very lethargic from around 70mins on in the past few games.

Charlie Adam should have been wipped off Sat from around the same time ...he was dead on his feet .

I know when i used to play we would ramp up certain aspects of the training (Cardio etc ) on winter time change just to make the body clock adjustment that little bit more seamless ...maybe thats we seen on Sat as a few players looked dead on their feet .

Mr Alan · 07-11-2011 11:01AM

mixednuts wrote: »

Im amazed that no one else has mentioned our fitness levels .

We have looked very lethargic from around 70mins on in the past few games.

Charlie Adam should have been wipped off Sat from around the same time ...he was dead on his feet .

I know when i used to play we would ramp up certain aspects of the training (Cardio etc ) on winter time change just to make the body clock adjustment that little bit more seamless ...maybe thats we seen on Sat as a few players looked dead on their feet .

Have we not gone hell for leather in the last 2 games pushing for a win late on?

Leiva · 07-11-2011 11:16AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Have we not gone hell for leather in the last 2 games pushing for a win late on?

Yes we did but that was last minute panic chasing a game that should have been finished off well before the 85th minute.
We did not show any urgency from between 45min to the panic of the last 5mins.

During those times (50min - 90min) some players looked fcuked .
If our overall finiteness levels were higher I think we would see more consistent levels of offensive play rather than the short period of panic at the end.

mike65 · 07-11-2011 11:17AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Have we not gone hell for leather in the last 2 games pushing for a win late on?

Only because the team don't put a proper shift in between about 20 mins and 80 mins!

Re Downing, I feel a bit sorry for him, like Enrique (and Bellamy) he has been pinging balls in and no one is making runs to get in the area to meet them, if the whole team were playing 30 yards higher up the pitch that would not keep happening.

re Agger I love him, we could do with more of his straight talking from a few others.

D'Agger · 07-11-2011 11:37AM

The-Rigger wrote: »

Agger for captain.

President of the world more like

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love that man!!

SlickRic · 07-11-2011 11:55AM

our problems are several fold IMO.

1) our complete reliance on Suarez for creativity.

2) barely any midfielders who are good at breaking into the box, especially when Henderson is on the field. with Kuyt, Maxi and Meireles last season, we had that. now, it's disappeared seemingly.

3) lack of dynamism in midfield. Lucas and Adam simply should are not the type of midfielders for a 4-4-2 on a consistent basis. it just isn't plausible.

4) bad finishing. Carroll's was a sitter on Saturday.

5) not scoring early and kicking on. we did it against Bolton, and it was a comfortable game. we don't do it enough.

the least of our problems is Carroll by the way. what an easy scapegoat he is going to be. yes, he missed a sitter, but he did well generally, yet again, on Saturday, but between Suarez having an off day, and no midfielders in and around him to help him, he's fighting a losing battle. he's not Torres. he's not going to turn, dart past a defender or 2, and shoot. but he is effective. we're not helping him at all right now in general play. if we did, i'd have no doubt we'd be creating more chances.

Henderson isn't a RM either. he can fill in there for Sunderland maybe, but the expectations for us need to be higher. he's a CM, end of, and just looks generally lost at RM for us.

Kenny needs to get to it. there's a lot to sort out. primarily the formation IMO. 4-4-2 will not work with the players we have. we have the players to play some very dynamic front 3s in front of a midfield 3 of Lucas, Adam and Henderson...with Gerrard in for Henderson when fit.

Downing

Bellamy

Suarez

Downing

Carroll

Gerrard

Suarez

Carroll

Kuyt

Suarez

Carroll

Kuyt

Downing

Suarez

...etc, etc, etc.

NabyLadistheman · 07-11-2011 11:59AM

I definitely think Maxi & Bellamy should be in line for some starts. Maxi was at the hub of everything good we did towards the end of last season and is now completely overlooked. He complement's Suarez really well, especially when you hear Kenny talking about pass and move. In a game like Saturday he could have made a massive difference (against the so called weaker teams) We were not quick / sharp enough with our passing giving Swansea plenty time to get back.

Mr Alan · 07-11-2011 12:08PM

I think it's very possible that if we can get Gerrard back fit, he'll be a huge player for us this season. With Carroll, Gerrards delivery & ability to run late into the box onto the balls Carroll wins will be massive for us imo. He also provides the urgency that we are currenltly lacking from midfield.

Leiva · 07-11-2011 12:17PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

I think it's very possible that if we can get Gerrard back fit, he'll be a huge player for us this season. With Carroll, Gerrards delivery & ability to run late into the box onto the balls Carroll wins will be massive for us imo. He also provides the urgency that we are currenltly lacking from midfield.

Aint it a bit silly that we now seem to be back relying on Gerrard ?

K-9 · 07-11-2011 12:22PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

I think it's very possible that if we can get Gerrard back fit, he'll be a huge player for us this season. With Carroll, Gerrards delivery & ability to run late into the box onto the balls Carroll wins will be massive for us imo. He also provides the urgency that we are currenltly lacking from midfield.

Said it last week, we need him back and match fit ASAP. It's just a shame we don't really have many options on the bench. 4-3-3 definitely should be the formation at home, gives more options, 4-2-3-1 seems to suit Away games better.

I wouldn't be as tough on Carroll either but really that should have went in, the problem is we never really had much more moves like the one for that chance. Interesting that Adam provided the cross, I'd try him in a more advanced role if we are persisting with 4-2-3-1 and try Henderson with Lucas.

It's very hard to get a balanced 4-2-3-1 without Gerrard, 4-3-3 just seems a better fit. For all the giving put about the new signings Kuyt has been poor enough this season. Put in a shift when he came on but isn't adding much attacking wise, despite the offside goal!

Mr Alan · 07-11-2011 12:26PM

mixednuts wrote: »

Aint it a bit silly that we now seem to be back relying on Gerrard ?

I didn't say we were or would be relying on him.

We're a gee hair off top 4 without him & with us having have our fair share of bad luck & players bedding in, poor form etc etc.

There's nothing wrong with pointing out the positive contribution he's likely to make when he returns. He is our player afterall.

K-9 wrote:

Interesting that Adam provided the cross, I'd try him in a more advanced role if we are persisting with 4-2-3-1 and try Henderson with Lucas.

For Carrolls chance? I could've sworn that was Downing?
could be wrong though

07-11-2011 12:33PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

I think it's very possible that if we can get Gerrard back fit, he'll be a huge player for us this season. With Carroll, Gerrards delivery & ability to run late into the box onto the balls Carroll wins will be massive for us imo. He also provides the urgency that we are currenltly lacking from midfield.

It was glaringly obvious on Saturday that he was the type of player that we were missing. Carroll won quite a few balls well, knocked them down and nobody was there from midfield. Gerrard is possibly the best finisher at the club, one of them anyway.

Kess73 · 07-11-2011 12:43PM

ilovelamp2000 wrote: »

How much would people be willing to sell Carroll back to Newcastle for ?

Honest question. It's being rumoured already.

Yep it has been rumoured for a few weeks now. Mentioned it on here after my last trip back home.

Kess73 · 07-11-2011 12:46PM

mixednuts wrote: »

Im amazed that no one else has mentioned our fitness levels .

We have looked very lethargic from around 70mins on in the past few games.

Charlie Adam should have been wipped off Sat from around the same time ...he was dead on his feet .

I know when i used to play we would ramp up certain aspects of the training (Cardio etc ) on winter time change just to make the body clock adjustment that little bit more seamless ...maybe thats we seen on Sat as a few players looked dead on their feet .

Adam at the weekend was yet again our player to have covered the most distance during the game. He does look tired around the 70 minute mark, but he is covering a hell of a lot of ground in each game.

Leiva · 07-11-2011 12:50PM

Kess73 wrote: »

Adam at the weekend was yet again our player to have covered the most distance during the game. He does look tired around the 70 minute mark, but he is covering a hell of a lot of ground in each game.

Fair point Kess but what sort of distances are we talking ?

Anyone else but Swansea and those tired players would have cost us a couple of goals in the last 15mins.

The more I think about it the more I think a point was lucky .

Blatter · 07-11-2011 12:54PM

Kess73 wrote: »

Yep it has been rumoured for a few weeks now. Mentioned it on here after my last trip back home.

I can't see Liverpool selling Carroll back to Newcastle until at least the Summer anyway.

How much would he go for(assuming no improvement), £10-12m?

joe123 · 07-11-2011 01:02PM

Most we could get for Carroll would be 15 million. A loss of 20 million isn't something I can see the Americans doing.

Problem with Carroll though, is he has a donkey first touch and is pretty awful with the ball at his feet. He breaks down so many of our moves by not controlling the ball properly.

Leiva · 07-11-2011 01:12PM

joe123 wrote: »

Most we could get for Carroll would be 15 million. A loss of 20 million isn't something I can see the Americans doing.

Problem with Carroll though, is he has a donkey first touch and is pretty awful with the ball at his feet. He breaks down so many of our moves by not controlling the ball properly.

Looking at the bigger picture we need to change our whole setup/formation and style to suit when he starts .

I feel better when he is not in the starting line up cause i know we will play the ball more on the deck and Suarez will get more service , and we look more balanced and in control .

Even in games that may need a formation with wingers more involved with service and quality into the box , im not even convinced he is a great header of the ball .

This is gonna be my last post on Carroll as my timing was crap with raising my concerns about him as it sounds i was making him a scapegoat for the recent dismal performances , i was not , i am making my judgement over the long term of what i have seen to date .

I just cant see the massive improvement coming or even the potential to back it up .

Personally i would bite Newcastle's hand off for half the fee paid to take him back (circa £18mil).
But i think there is lots of pride/face at stake so its never gonna happen

shotamoose · 07-11-2011 01:30PM

SlickRic wrote: »

2) barely any midfielders who are good at breaking into the box, especially when Henderson is on the field. with Kuyt, Maxi and Meireles last season, we had that. now, it's disappeared seemingly.

This is the big one I think, though as you say it's closely related to choice of formation. We're much more predictable than in the latter half of last season, and therefore much easier to defend against.

D'Agger · 07-11-2011 01:41PM

shotamoose wrote: »

This is the big one I think, though as you say it's closely related to choice of formation. We're much more predictable than in the latter half of last season, and therefore much easier to defend against.

Would agree with this also

We were passing the ball from side to side with no cutting edge, give & go's for large chunks of our attacks on Saturday which was terribly frustrating

We miss a player like Gerrard making runs, Henderson is capable of it but I just haven't seen it from him.

I'm also for the point of giving Maxi a chance, he's the type of player who would help us break down teams

Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12 - Mod Note 4153

Comments