Benitez .... prick

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:31 am

Batman wrote:Oh aye, beating Sunderland and Villa, you are a shoe-in

Well that's why it was said with a knowing wink, but seriously, most of the people I speak to haven't felt this good about a season for a long time. There's an attitude in the team, a belief in the supporters, and most importantly a half-decent start to the season. You may mock about beating Sunlun and Villa, but those are the sorts of games that we usually drop points in - our away record in the last few seasons has been abysmal. I think we did something like score more than one goal in only one away game last year.

I think we'll be a lot closer to the top of the league this year, and with a bit of luck, who knows?

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:38 pm

blurred wrote:
I think we'll be a lot closer to the top of the league this year, and with a bit of luck, who knows?

Who knows indeed. All as daft as relegating us after three games was. Long ways to go.

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:59 pm

TANGODANCER wrote:Who knows indeed. All as daft as relegating us after three games was. Long ways to go.

Well precisely, not worth even really looking at the table until sides have played probably at least 10 or so games to have a rough reflection on how it might pan out.

Was talking about this earlier, and I really can not remember a squad as strong as this season's for us for at least a decade. You could take out 5/6 players and still have a strong starting XI and bench - I think that's the difference over the last couple of years, where Benitez has started to mould his squad into quality in depth, rather than square pegs in round holes (Nunez, Josemi, Kromkamp, Zenden and the likes).

Also, keep your eyes out for Andrei Voronin this season - surprise package, him.

Athers · Post by **Athers** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:02 pm

Blurred, are you comfortable with your options at left back and on either edge of midfield?

Will Pennant win a league title for instance? What about the other side, playing Babel left of a midfield 4 is something new to him I believe as he's used to the Allardyce (TM) 4-3-3 isn't he?

..and your backup options?

James B · Post by **James B** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:02 pm

blurred wrote:Also, keep your eyes out for Andrei Voronin this season - surprise package, him.

aye i was shocked when i thought brian kilcline had come out of retirement to play for liverpool

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:11 pm

James B wrote:aye i was shocked when i thought brian kilcline had come out of retirement to play for liverpool

He looked more like Rick Parfitt when he turned up at Melwood!

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:30 pm

Athers wrote:Blurred, are you comfortable with your options at left back and on either edge of midfield?

Will Pennant win a league title for instance? What about the other side, playing Babel left of a midfield 4 is something new to him I believe as he's used to the Allardyce (TM) 4-3-3 isn't he?

..and your backup options?

Bollocks! Just lost a massive long post. fecking work computers. Will answer this at some point properly.

Grrrrr!

boltonboris · Post by **boltonboris** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:33 pm

blurred wrote:
Athers wrote:Blurred, are you comfortable with your options at left back and on either edge of midfield?

Will Pennant win a league title for instance? What about the other side, playing Babel left of a midfield 4 is something new to him I believe as he's used to the Allardyce (TM) 4-3-3 isn't he?

..and your backup options?
Bollocks! Just lost a massive long post. fecking work computers. Will answer this at some point properly.

Grrrrr!

That's cos Benitez is a prick!

bobo the clown · Post by **bobo the clown** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:35 pm

boltonboris wrote:
blurred wrote:
Athers wrote:Blurred, are you comfortable with your options at left back and on either edge of midfield?..................

Grrrrr!
That's cos Benitez is a prick!

I wish I'd said that, Boris.

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:07 am

Athers wrote:Blurred, are you comfortable with your options at left back and on either edge of midfield?

Left back is an area that we don't have a world-beater in, that's for sure, but then there are very few quality left backs around the place, and for the record I'm not sure that Heinze would've been any improvement on what we've got by any real stretch. We've got 3 players who can play there, though - Riise, Aurelio and Arbeloa. Aurelio's a bit of an unknown quantity, unfortunately, as he's spent a lot of time on the treatment table since arriving, but he's a quality player when fit. Shame he's got a bit of the Harry Kewell-itis. Almost any team in the Prem would probably take Riise, despite his limitations, and Arbeloa's been doing a very good job there at the start of the year so far. It's not perfect, but there's plenty of options.

As for the wings? Yeah, I'm pretty happy with our attacking midfield options. We've brought in Babel who's a promising sort, and Benayoun's not a bad like-for-like replacement for the Garcia type of player. Pennant's clicking into gear nicely, and we can always stick Gerrard out on the right/left should we need to. If we ever get Harry Kewell fit then he's a cracking option down the left, and we've always got the likes of Riise to play there as well.

Our central midfield is, quite simply, the best in the world (I defy another team to have the quality of the 5 players we have who play there), so that's no problem.

Athers wrote:Will Pennant win a league title for instance? What about the other side, playing Babel left of a midfield 4 is something new to him I believe as he's used to the Allardyce (TM) 4-3-3 isn't he?

He's not a match-winner like Ronaldo, if that's what you're asking, but if you're asking if a team with Pennant in can win the league then I'll point you towards Darren Fletcher last year! He's been on the improve after some incredibly shaky performances at the start of last season, and from Feb/March onwards started to look like a quality player and got a good run in the side. He's started well this year, and I think people will be surprised with his contribution this season. Babel's more of a forward in the Allardyce/Dutch 3 pronged attack, this is true, but I think his role on the left will largely be a 20/30 minute cameo to come and tear at defenders, because the lad's got bags of pace and some tricks to his name too.

Athers wrote:..and your backup options?

Our strength in depth is better this year than any other that I can remember in at least a decade, if not longer. We had a bench for our first leg against Toulouse that had Agger, Riise, Alonso, Sissoko, Kuyt and Torres (and that's a squad of 18 that didn't even include Pennant, Kewell or Aurelio). I don't know how Rafa will keep everyone happy, and of course there'll be plenty of whinging in the press about rotation and all that, but for the average Prem/domestic game we will be leaving out of the matchday squad some players who would make the starting line-ups of 10-15 other Premiership teams. For instance, against Sunderland, the players that were not in the shake-up: Aurelio, Kewell, Crouch, Gerrard, and Benayoun off the top of my head. That's not bad for a list of players that can't even make the bench, and doesn't even include Lucas (Brazil U20s captain who played on Tuesday against Toulouse), who's an incredibly exciting prospect and at £6m was not brought across as a reserve/youth player for some experience.

It'd be easy to construct two Liverpool sides of reasonable strength that'd be a match for most Premiership sides out there, I reckon.

There's a great feeling around the place this year that we're on to something, and I know that there's always the 'this is the year' line trotted out every season, but that's a load of shite in the press. This is the first time that I can genuinely say we've got a squad capable of a tilt at the title. Rafa's had a couple of years to get a squad to his liking, and has no more square pegs in round holes that he's had in the past (Josemi, Kromkamp, Nunez, Zenden, etc). No excuses this year.

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:21 am

blurred wrote: No excuses this year.

That'll be the day....

mummywhycantieatcrayons · Post by **mummywhycantieatcrayons** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:36 am

From what I've seen of Babel, I have to say *grudgingly* that he looks a great prospect.

I reckon he could operate effectively in the centre of midfield when he matures a bit.

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:08 am

Montreal Wanderer wrote:
blurred wrote: No excuses this year.
That'll be the day....

mummywhycantieatcrayons wrote:From what I've seen of Babel, I have to say *grudgingly* that he looks a great prospect.

I reckon he could operate effectively in the centre of midfield when he matures a bit.

Interesting, as I'm not completely sold on him yet. I know it's only been a handful of games, but my jury is very much still out on him. I'm sure he's got the potential, though, as that amount of money is a lot to spunk on a player that young, but then the likes of Ronaldo show that the investment can easily be worth it in the long run.

boltonboris · Post by **boltonboris** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:10 am

From BBC

1024: There is always the chance your club could sign a right chump today and Liverpool could be that club. Despite your rumours of a welter of wonderful signings coming to Anfield today, the Italian daily Tuttosport reports that Jean-Alain Boumsong will arrive from Juventus. Yes, that's the same Boumsong who blundered his way around Newcastle's defence from 2005 to 2006.

Go on.... Sign him ya prick!

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:36 am

I'd be immensely surprised. Unless Carragher's injury is worse than first thought, I'd've thought he'd wait until January before signing someone.

He was quoted in the Echo yesterday as saying that there was nothing doing, apart from perhaps a couple of deals for the reserves/kids, and that's good enough for me. More tabloid shite, I'm afraid.

boltonboris · Post by **boltonboris** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:45 am

blurred wrote:I'd be immensely surprised. Unless Carragher's injury is worse than first thought, I'd've thought he'd wait until January before signing someone.

He was quoted in the Echo yesterday as saying that there was nothing doing, apart from perhaps a couple of deals for the reserves/kids, and that's good enough for me. More tabloid shite, I'm afraid.

But how much would you.. Sorry we laugh if it happened! like you say though, can't see it unless it's a short term loan deal which would suit nobody

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:38 pm

Soldier_Of_The_White_Army · Post by **Soldier_Of_The_White_Army** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:50 pm

Batman wrote:

Quality!

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:59 pm

feck*' 'ell, top of the league? Can't remember the last time that happened...

Soldier_Of_The_White_Army · Post by **Soldier_Of_The_White_Army** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:00 pm

blurred wrote:feck' 'ell, top of the league? Can't remember the last time that happened...

Did you just copy/paste that from a pie eater board last week?

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