Benitez .... prick

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:49 am

Verbal wrote:
blurred wrote:
Bruce Rioja wrote:Zonal marking = The work of the team with the most clean sheets over the last 4 seasons
You've conceded five in the last three games.

Correct. Your point being?

BWFC_Insane · Post by **BWFC_Insane** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:50 am

I thought the "aim" was to win the league.

Are Liverpool going to achieve that this season?

Given that last years winners have been significantly weakened, what excuses will be trotted out this time in defence of Benitez?

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:56 am

blurred wrote:
Verbal wrote:
blurred wrote:
Bruce Rioja wrote:Zonal marking = The work of the team with the most clean sheets over the last 4 seasons
You've conceded five in the last three games.
Correct. Your point being?

Well...it's not very good, is it?

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:57 am

Verbal wrote:
blurred wrote:
Verbal wrote:
blurred wrote:
Bruce Rioja wrote:Zonal marking = The work of the team with the most clean sheets over the last 4 seasons
You've conceded five in the last three games.
Correct. Your point being?
Well...it's not very good, is it?

Yes, I see. A sample of three games (where not all five were scored from zonal marking situations) is worth more than the sample of over a hundred games...

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:12 pm

blurred wrote:
Verbal wrote:
blurred wrote:
Verbal wrote:
blurred wrote:
You've conceded five in the last three games.
Correct. Your point being?
Well...it's not very good, is it?
Yes, I see. A sample of three games (where not all five were scored from zonal marking situations) is worth more than the sample of over a hundred games...

To be honest mate you've played crap twice and lost twice, and even if ZM isn't to blame for the goals then I think it's better trying to find out why the goals are going in, whether it be rash tackles, not closing down or whatever.

Either way, it isn't an impressive start for your boys, though I expect you to rectify that somewhat with a comprehensive 'to-nil' victory in Horwich. Also (genuine q) what's your hopes and fears for the coming season, oh blurred one?

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:37 pm

I don't disagree we've played poorly - could've escaped with a draw or two rather than two defeats, but I've not got many complaints about our results.

It's just the instant 'zonal marking' drum that everyone bangs that gets on my tits - we've consistently been one of the best defences in the league since we brought it in, and particularly from set pieces. Sometimes people will score from a set piece, a delivery, a well-timed run and leap will beat even the best of defences, regardless of personnel or system. D'you know what, though? Next time another side concedes from a set piece you won't hear 'man marking's a flawed system', you get 'it's an individual error'. And my money (and the experience of the last few years) shows that the individual errors occur for more regularly than errors in the system of zonal marking. But then facts get in the way of a good football argument, and people are much happier with pre-conceptions and clichéd bollocks than actually thinking for themselves or critically analysing something.

As for the season, well, my hopes or expectations are somewhat altered from what they were two weeks ago, or even 24 hours ago. I can put a positive spin on things (we've lost two games, but they'll both be sides in/around the top 8 - we've not lost to a Burnley or a Hull, we're actually only 1 point down on equivalent results from last year), or a really negative spin on things (we've already lost as many as last year, can't afford to lose many more, lost our unbeaten home record, can't expect such good results against the other top sides as last season, etc).

My gut feeling is that Chelsea are the team to beat this season, much as I thought United were last year. Our squad isn't radically altered from last season (outgoing players have been replaced, and more than adequately), so I'd expect a similar level of performance. The thing is, though, there's 4 sides capable of wining the league, and only one of them will. Man United and Chelsea will both think that they deserve to win it, and Liverpool and Arsenal would expect to at least challenge for it. There'll be 3 disappointed sides come the end of the season, and I expect us to be one of them. I didn't back us to win the league before the season, and I'm not changing my mind now. But who knows what the season holds - it's 3 games old (for most), and there's a long way to go.

Zulus Thousand of em · Post by **Zulus Thousand of em** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:39 pm

"You know what to expect when you play Bolton."

Come on in Blurred.The water's lovely!

Village_Idiot2 · Post by **Village_Idiot2** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:16 pm

The ZM drum was banged already when he managed Valencia, I don't give it any significance.

Blurred, what do you think about Aquilani? I know Alonso was as good as gone as soon as Real came in with the chequebook, but I thought that Benítez dropped the ball buying a player that's not going to be able to feature until October in such a key position as the team's playmaker (a position that needs considerable bonding with his teammates).

seanworth · Post by **seanworth** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:00 am

Blurred aside from Benitez being a prick and all.

Watching Liverpool's only game that they won. The first thing I thought was that with Glen Johnson playing the way he is, Liverpool are going to concede more goals this season, but on the other hand likely to score quite a few more. Didn't see the Villa game but do you see Johnson playing as aggressive a role as he did against Stoke or is he going to get his wings clipped a bit and told to be more selective when going forward. Obviously you bought him for his aggressive play but there are limits to everything. Is Glen Johnson one of the reasons you are leaking so many goals this season?

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:53 pm

seanworth wrote:Watching Liverpool's only game that they won. The first thing I thought was that with Glen Johnson playing the way he is, Liverpool are going to concede more goals this season, but on the other hand likely to score quite a few more.

Quite possibly, he's far more attacking than Alvaro Arbeloa, and has already had a major hand in creating a few of our goals this year - the penalty at Spurs, and his MOM performance against Stoke.

seanworth wrote:Didn't see the Villa game but do you see Johnson playing as aggressive a role as he did against Stoke or is he going to get his wings clipped a bit and told to be more selective when going forward. Obviously you bought him for his aggressive play but there are limits to everything. Is Glen Johnson one of the reasons you are leaking so many goals this season?

At home, yes, I see him effectively being a 5th midfielder a lot of the time. His willingness to commit to going forward and taking on a man, supplementing the midfielders and attackers is one of the main reasons I was chuffed that we signed him. He's not a solid as Arbeloa by any means, but then if you took the 7 games we drew at home last season and swapped them for 4 wins and 3 defeats we'd've come out with 12 points rather than 7.

I don't think he's the reason we've been conceding goals thus far (they've not come down the right, really, and have been a couple of set-pieces and a penalty), but I can't quite put my finger on why we have. He's certainly got some work to do in his partnership/understanding with Kuyt, both offensively and defensively. The side look a little unsettled in general, which is odd, but not insurmountable.

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:56 pm

Village_Idiot2 wrote:The ZM drum was banged already when he managed Valencia, I don't give it any significance.

Blurred, what do you think about Aquilani? I know Alonso was as good as gone as soon as Real came in with the chequebook, but I thought that Benítez dropped the ball buying a player that's not going to be able to feature until October in such a key position as the team's playmaker (a position that needs considerable bonding with his teammates).

From what I've seen of him (in the Champions League, mostly) he looks a decent enough player, and different to Alonso. He might not have the long-range passing of Alonso (very, very few do), but short and mid-range looks decent, and he can hit a belter of a shot, too. It'll be interesting to see a shift in our play with us having our 'playmaker' in a more advanced position, as Aquilani doesn't sit anywhere near as deep as Alonso used to. I'm very much looking forward to getting him in the team, but I doubt we'll see the best of a player this year who's recovered from injury and not had a pre-season to get fitness under his belt. I'll be witholding judgement (whether positive or negative) for a good few months at least.

seanworth · Post by **seanworth** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:58 pm

Blurred: Thanks for taking the time to respond.

bobo the clown · Post by **bobo the clown** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:36 pm

No idea what he's said or done today after our game against them, but he's certain to have done something.

Prick.

James B · Post by **James B** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:38 pm

heard some nonsense where he said they were in control of the game at 2-1 down when stevie g and lucas showed davis the red card. as laughable as the idea that they'll win the title with that squad.

do think johnson might be a good signing though, gives them an extra attacking option. although they'll have to make sure he's covered when they play better teams.

John Doe · Post by **John Doe** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:12 pm

He was doing his usual storm from the dugout to the touchline & gesture wildy virtually every time one of our players had the temerity to tackle one of his. I remember when football was a contact sport.

After the game he came out with his age old 'we controlled the game' phrase which really winds me up. Allow us to spend £100M more than you and then we'll probably control the game.

Fat Spanish Waiter.. Fact!

Prufrock · Post by **Prufrock** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:15 pm

John Doe wrote:He was doing his usual storm from the dugout to the touchline & gesture wildy virtually every time one of our players had the temerity to tackle one of his. I remember when football was a contact sport.

After the game he came out with his age old 'we controlled the game' phrase which really winds me up. Allow us to spend £100M more than you and then we'll probably control the game.

Fat Spanish Waiter.. Fact!

They didn't though! They controlled possesion but I find the idea you can be in control of a game in which you are 2-1 down bone shakingly laughable. Oh right...planned to be losing did you Rafa? All along?

John Doe · Post by **John Doe** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:26 pm

Prufrock wrote:
John Doe wrote:He was doing his usual storm from the dugout to the touchline & gesture wildy virtually every time one of our players had the temerity to tackle one of his. I remember when football was a contact sport.

After the game he came out with his age old 'we controlled the game' phrase which really winds me up. Allow us to spend £100M more than you and then we'll probably control the game.

Fat Spanish Waiter.. Fact!
They didn't though! They controlled possesion but I find the idea you can be in control of a game in which you are 2-1 down bone shakingly laughable. Oh right...planned to be losing did you Rafa? All along?

I agree mate, the GF is a liverpool fan so i hear benitez spouting more than I should. I think he more or less says that they controlled the game after every match whether they have won, drew or lost. Just a little bugbear of mine.

H. Pedersen · Post by **H. Pedersen** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:51 am

Shock! Benitez and Wenger opposed to new home-grown player quota system!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 258032.stm

Interesting stat here:

Benitez, whose Liverpool squad has the highest percentage of expatriate players in Europe - with 90%

hisroyalgingerness · Post by **hisroyalgingerness** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:13 pm

You'd think an area with such well-documented unemployment problems would cause uproar at an organisation who didn't employ enough locals

thebish · Post by **thebish** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 11:42 pm

bump (snigger)

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