Author Topic: The Level 3 Thread  (Read 1185185 times)

Offline hesbighesred

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I thought the play we saw when our big guns came off yesterday was very encouraging. I sat with rangers fans on the train home and they were asking who these kids were: ngog, spearing, Insua, nemeth... they played some nice intricate stuff

Wasn't it? Quietly dominated a senior team who were actually genuinely trying not to be embarrassed, but failing badly. To see Rangers reduced to fouls from 20 years ago was both sad and a pleasure, but if anything that just helped the lads maintain control.

That said, the damage had to some extent been done by the senior players in the first place. I know Rangers aren't great, but they aren't mugs either, they were on home turf, theoretically a week fitter than us in their pre-season, and they set up to be as obdurate as they were in the UEFA, and be an equivalent to a lot of Prem teams we'll face this season, namely big, strong, and utterly negative in outlook.

Yet a side of only just apporaching full fitness players, many being integrated into the team, absolutely ripped them to shreds from start to finish, and scored a second goal just when hurt them most. I thought some of Keane's running and interplay hinted some real potential for the season, definitely real level 3 hall marks too, domination of possession, recycling of the ball, variation in attack, at times everyone apart from the centre backs was attacking, Agger and Alonso showed what they can do with a ball in the second half.

Only a pre-season game yes, but one that surely can't do the squad's confidence any harm at all. As a last word, N'gog could well be the new Babel for us this season. He won't be a nailed on starter, but I could see him causing a few surprises from off the bench.

____

Last point:

Regarding that very interesting quote about 'changing intensity' during a match, and over the course of the season, did anyone feel we did that very well against Rangers?

It seemed we went through spells of all out pressing in their half, spells of somewhere in the middle, and spells of no pressing until the ball was almost in our half. For example, we eased of Rangers towards the end of the first half, but from the start of the second we were at full intensity again...at least until N'gog scored.
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Offline The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society

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Roy this is an absolutely fascinating insight into how true students of the game work. All it's done is basically confirm what I've seen with my own eyes.

In Rafa's first season at times we played incredibly scintilating posession football where the opposition would barely get to touch the ball, since which we've seemed to go backwards in terms of performance wise, although we've become a lot more consistent at times the football we've witnessed hasn't been up to the very high level we saw only occassionally in Rafa's debut season.

I guess we needed to get rid of the likes of Cisse and Baros to bring in intelligent players who could take instruction and use the ball intelligently. What has impressed me is seeing the youth teams and reserves. When watching you feel you could be watching the first team with how comfortable they are on the ball, playing the same fluidity of football we see equivalently from the 1st team.

In the long run it's likely this method will bare fruit. I attended a John Barnes/Jan Molby night at Anfield recently and Molby said something that really stuck with me; basically he said that Liverpool reserves were as good as the first team, I've no idea how true this is as in those days I didn't really take much notice of anything bar the first team squad but he definitely meant it, and any number of players could come in and seemlessly replace you which kept you on your toes.

Perhaps when Mr Shankly said there were two great teams, in Liverpool. Liverpool and Liverpool reserves there was more than a modicum of truth in it :)

I fully expect us to get back to that fluid red machine we saw glimpses of in 2005, which we saw yesterday against Rangers, but on an increasingly more consistent basis.
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Offline The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society

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Didn't know that about Antwi, he seems quite underrated on RAWK.

Not by me, reminds me of Sami Hyypia (very composed and brilliant reading of the game with excellent positional sense and a great header of the ball - also does a very useful job as a central midfielder but I think again that may have been simply to get him comfortable on the ball) I thought he looked ready to be thrown into the first team fray at 17 but then I'm no Rafa-like genius and only go on what I see, Rafa obviously likes to give the kids a lot more experience and strings to their bow before throwing them in but it did genuinely surprise me that Hobbs (who I didn't particularly rate, looked like a big clumsy oaf when he first came) got a proper chance before Godwin.

He's gone on loan to Tranmere Rovers this season so I'll be checking in on his progress with my mate who's a season ticket holder. I did the same with David Raven but Raven flopped at Tranmere, although to be fair to the kid he was apparently being played at right-back.
Please take a look at my latest blog for theredmentv "Dispelling the Rodgers/Martinez myth" http://www.theredmentv.com/blog/p/263 All other blogs can be read at www.theredmentv.com/blog Let me know your thoughts

royhendo

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Wasn't it? Quietly dominated a senior team who were actually genuinely trying not to be embarrassed, but failing badly. To see Rangers reduced to fouls from 20 years ago was both sad and a pleasure, but if anything that just helped the lads maintain control...

yup - pre-season and all that, but i think you're right. they've had their first CL qualifying leg, and they've technically finished their pre-season, but they looked utterly outclassed and outworked on all fronts. they had a few moments (the novo sitter that dossena cleared in particular) and they were missing their 'gerrard and carragher' in ferguson and cuellar, but still, they're not a woeful side by any means. As you say, it's typical of the sides we'll face this coming season, and we largely dominated.

Quote
Regarding that very interesting quote about 'changing intensity' during a match, and over the course of the season, did anyone feel we did that very well against Rangers?

It seemed we went through spells of all out pressing in their half, spells of somewhere in the middle, and spells of no pressing until the ball was almost in our half. For example, we eased of Rangers towards the end of the first half, but from the start of the second we were at full intensity again...at least until N'gog scored.

i thought that when watching - there was real 'control' most of the time, save for a few scares. A good example for me came on the stroke of half time, Kuyt made a challenge using his body shape alone - it was like a judo or aikido technique. I think it was Lafferty out wide left, and Arbeloa and Kuyt both closing in. Kuyt's 'body management' was perfect - his centre of gravity was low, his balance was perfect, and he just leaned into Lafferty and eased him off the ball without actually 'making a challenge'.

I'm an aikido enthusiast (haven't practiced for several years now mind) and I like seeing that kind of poise in sport - it was brilliant. I know people feel he wastes chances and sometimes (like the Blackburn away game last year) he drives you insane; but his work rate and his defensive technique are superb for a forward.

Anyway, sorry, I've gone off on one there. I felt we really did press at times and they were encamped within their final third for most of the second half. Saying that, they have a habit of doing that in Europe, but the likes of Barca failed to break them down at Ibrox when they parked the bus...

Offline donniebrasco

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This is a fucking quality thread and i'm loving reading it..I just joined up today and it's threads like this that made me do so!!! :)

Offline Manila Kop

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Not by me, reminds me of Sami Hyypia (very composed and brilliant reading of the game with excellent positional sense and a great header of the ball - also does a very useful job as a central midfielder but I think again that may have been simply to get him comfortable on the ball) I thought he looked ready to be thrown into the first team fray at 17 but then I'm no Rafa-like genius and only go on what I see, Rafa obviously likes to give the kids a lot more experience and strings to their bow before throwing them in but it did genuinely surprise me that Hobbs (who I didn't particularly rate, looked like a big clumsy oaf when he first came) got a proper chance before Godwin.

He's gone on loan to Tranmere Rovers this season so I'll be checking in on his progress with my mate who's a season ticket holder. I did the same with David Raven but Raven flopped at Tranmere, although to be fair to the kid he was apparently being played at right-back.

Keep us updated mate.  There should be a 'LFC players on loan' thread to monitor everyone's progress.  Most of what I've read on RAWK (never watched him play myself) are of the 'not good enough' or 'Rafa buys another reject' variety.  Again an indication of the unrealistic expectations fans have sometimes not just of the first team but of the youth team - if a player isn't the second coming of Maradona they're automatically being loaned out to go on sale.  Crazy.
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Lolzies. More chance of a wank off the pope than beating United, I'm afraid. It is beyond Benitez, apart from when they were at their lowest ebb, when we knocked them out of the FA Cup. They certainly aren't anywhere near there now.

royhendo

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Seen this?

The Squad by year of birth (people on the books as of July 31st):
age listed is the age the player will turn during 2008.

1973 (35 years old):
Sami Hyypia   CB

1976 (32):
Steve Finnan  RB

1978 (30):
Jamie Carragher  CB

1979 (29):
Andriy Voronin  ST
Fabio Aurelio   LB

1980 (28):
Steven Gerrard  CM
Robbie Keane    ST
Dirk Kuyt      ST/RW
Yossi Bennayoun    AM/winger

1981 (27):
Andrea Dossena  LB
Xabi Alonso    CM

1982 (26):
Pepe Reina      GK
Charles Itandje   GK
Diego Cavalieri      GK

1983 (25):
Philipp Degen    RB
Alvaro Arbeloa    RB
Jermaine Pennant   RW

1984 (24):
Fernando Torres     ST
Javier Mascherano    CM
Martin Skrtel     CB  (born in December)
Daniel Agger      CB (born in December)

1986 (22):
Ryan Babel       LW/ST
David Martin     GK
Sebastian Leto     LW
Nabil El Zhar       RW

1987 (21):
Lucas        CM

1988 (20):
Damien Plessis      CM
Adam Hammill      winger
Craig Lindfield     ST
Jay Spearing       CM
Stephen Darby     RB
Jack Hobbs          CB
Paul Anderson      RW
Ryan Flynn        midfield
Robbie Threlfall     LB
Godwin Antwi       CB
Jordy Brouwer       ST
Ryan Crowther       RW
Francisco Duran       CM
Miki Roque            CB

1989 (19):
Krisztian Nemeth     ST
Emiliano Insua      LB
Ray Putterill      winger
Mikel San Jose        CB
David N'Gog           ST
Ronaldo Huth         CB
Michael Scott          RB/ST

1990 (18):
Steve Irwin            midfield/RB
Martin Kelly                RB/CB
Gary Mackay-Steven     LW
Dani   Ayala                 CB
Martin Hansen               GK
Peter Gulacsi                 GK
Dean Bouzanis              GK
Andras  Simon               ST/AM/winger
Vincent Lucas Weijl      AM/winger
Emmanuel Mendy       RB
Joe Kennedy            CB
Nathan Eccleston      ST (born in December)

1991 (17):
Nikola Saric          ST
Dani Pacheco        ST
Gerardo Bruna      LW
Laurie Dalla Valle   AM/ST
Alexander Kacaniklic   LW
Marvin Pourie       ST
David Amoo          RW/ST
Zsolt Pölöskei     AM/CM
Alex Cooper        midfield
Chris Oldfield           GK
James Ellison         ST
Adam Pepper        ST (born in December)
Jack Metcalf          Defender  (might actually be born in '92 couldn't confirm)

1992 (16):
Chris Buchtmann   LB
Pajtim Kasami         DM
Thomas Ince         ST/winger

1993 (15):
Andre Wisdom     CB




started just selecting "players of note" towards the end, I will add to it if anybody in the U18s becomes "noteworthy"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvIAyxpjEuc

Offline myrlas

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Interesting read.


It's a badly hidden fact that Sacchi is one of Rafas biggest influences. Interesting though to read Maldini's comments about the extreme high pressing game.

On a personal note. Could anyone help out with Maccas comments about Redondo in his biography? Redondo is my all time favourite player. I spent hours and hours to watch his every move on tape when he played for Argentina and Real when I was younger.

If you like Redondo, you might want to take a look at this clip - From a game Real played against Dortmund away. This kind of clip describes perfectly what kind of a player Redondo was. The most elegant midfielder ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFoBA3tWFHk&feature=related

« Last Edit: August 4, 2008, 12:17:17 pm by myrlas »
"Football is simple, you're either on time, or you're too late. If you're too late then you have to leave earlier." Johan Cruyff

royhendo

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On a personal note. Could anyone help out with Maccas comments about Redondo in his biography? Redondo is my all time favourite player. I spent hours and hours to watch his every move on tape when he played for Argentina and Real when I was younger.

i gave the book to a mate and he's moved, so i don't have it to hand yet... he talks about carlos on the left, and how some players have the ability to dominate multiple areas of the field on their own. then he talks about redondo and how highly regarded he was. the game v man u when he made roy keane look like a pub player, for example... it'd be good to track down the actual passages from the book.

i'd also like to find the part in the benitez book about pressing for 5 minutes, easing off for a period, then upping the tempo again...

Offline *

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This is the most brilliant post ever. Really!

However, while reading it I can and had already anticipated what most of the replies will be. Mainly giving Rafa more time and assuming at the end of it all success is guaranteed. ( Pls note that the comment about giving Rafa more time does not mean that I want him out, not at all. I like many regard him as the best man for the job. )

For starters we're just assuming that Rafa is some what following the RM method in some way. We're basically just taking what we've seen and fit it into a theory just like we can fit almost any teams methods into Sun Tze's Art of War as long as one look hard enough.

I just think it's wrong to assume that even if Rafa is following/creating some masterplan, we'll somehow be magically invincible.

Again, brilliant post and thanks for sharing!

royhendo

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while reading it I can and had already anticipated what most of the replies will be. Mainly giving Rafa more time and assuming at the end of it all success is guaranteed. ( Pls note that the comment about giving Rafa more time does not mean that I want him out, not at all. I like many regard him as the best man for the job. )

For starters we're just assuming that Rafa is some what following the RM method in some way. We're basically just taking what we've seen and fit it into a theory just like we can fit almost any teams methods into Sun Tze's Art of War as long as one look hard enough.

I just think it's wrong to assume that even if Rafa is following/creating some masterplan, we'll somehow be magically invincible.

This is great honest comment and to be honest more the type of objective feedback i was anticipating - it's all based on the premise that

a. he's applying the RM blueprint
b. he's going to win an acceptable number of pots in the interim
c. he's going to put up a realistic league challenge at least this year

any coaching 'bible' be it rinus michels' book described here, clive woodward's winning, or any other book from any sport - they all say the same thing - you need to win things to buy yourself time, because if you don't, you won't get that time. RM says that directly, and also brings in the need for luck.

i'm not sure magical invincibility is the goal, but true winning football probably is, and i suspect Rafa Benitez is just as if not more impatient for the big trophies as we are. if he wasn't, i'm not sure he'd be in the job he's in, with the reputation he has.

that said, i've been preoccupied with the 'liverpool project' for a long time now, and reading into quotes from literally every source you research, you find circumstancial evidence to corroborate the premises listed above.

remember the contract extensions pre-Athens? every one of the players talked about the project and how exciting it looked. then torres comes in? reference to 'the project'... i really got to a stage where i had to know more about this project - yeah yeah, i know there's this talk of a stadium and blah blah blah, but what does it involve in sporting terms?

i think it's more of a Spanish trait - when Ramos moved to Spurs there was similar dicussion of his desire for a long-term project in which he could control things from a sporting perspective - they seem far more 'holistic' in their thinking on that front as a whole - certainly in football. possibly that's not as true in other sports, as we have some true progressive thinking in this country, but in certain sports, the worst of which is football, we have endemic luddism and the belief at all levels of the game that if you've 'done your time' then you know all there is to know about the game, and that you can't learn anything new from other people or from other disciplines.

That's something certainly benitez doesn't suffer from, and in that respect he's in the same camp as shankly, paisley, stein, and co. These are people whose sole aim was winning, and doing anything that made winning possible on a consistent basis for the long-term. So we saw shanks introduce dietary changes from boxing, revolutionise training routines ('we're not training bl__dy marathon runners at Liverpool Football club' etc), upgrade the stadium and training facilities...  and similarly we see Rafa use his insight into computer science and multimedia technology, work with cutting edge dietary ideas, train himself in medicine (he did a year of a medical degree)...

anyway, i didn't mean to suggest invincibility - just that we'd be at level 3. the existence of other sides at level 3 is outwith our control, and as a result you'll get a sharing of the spoils, but with long-term planning and commitment, you get stability, and with it, a higher probability of success.

Offline Manila Kop

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Reading The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football by David Goldblatt and came across this passage on Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan.  The description struck me immediately as what the current Liverpool team look like when they play at their best:

Quote from: David Goldblatt from The Ball Is Round
Berlusconi's first coach was the little known Arrigo Sacchi, then with Parma in Serie B.  Sacchi was a man of well-cut suits, unfeasibly large glasses, and even bigger sunglasses usually worn at night.  He possessed a squad of considerable ability, including the young Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi in defence, and hard-working midfield destroyers like Alessandro Costacurta and Carlo Ancelotti.  Berlusconi had also obtained the cream of Dutch football: midfielders Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard and striker Marco van Basten.

Sacchi's Milan played a game that broke with some of the core principles of Italian football.  First they abandoned man-marking altogether: defence like attack became about the use of space.  This was not an updated version of catenaccio; it was in many ways it definitve rejection.  Milan never played with a sweeper or libero, but always with a flat back four, pressing high up the field, drilled in offside traps and mutual cover.  Defence continued all the way up the field with systematic pressing and crowding of the opposition when they were in possession.  Everyone in Sacchi's teams, from Van Basten at the front to goalkeeper Sebastiano Rossia at the back, had specific pressing duties.  In midfield especially the team hunted in packs, clowsing down space around the player on the ball, but also looking to cut them off from their team-mates, forcing an error that could be intercepted.

Set up like this, Milan were constantly poised to attack: as the ball was regained quick passing and lightning movement took over.  Milan were brilliant.  Gullit, in particular, played with a razor-sharp intelligence and technique.  They won the scudetto in 1988 and in the following season's European Cup they were at their best, announcing their return to the highest levels of football by shattering Real Madrid 5-0 in the home leg of their semi-final before traveling to Barcelona where they faced Steaua Bucharest in the final.

24 May 1989
AC Milan 4 Steaua Bucharest 0
Nou Camp, Barcelona


Steaua kick off, the flare and smoke bombs still drifting across the pitch.  In the first ten minutes they only get the ball out of their half three times, and two of those are long hopeless lobs instantly returned with interest by Rijkaard and Ancelotti.  Bucharest's Lacatus holds the ball under his control just beyond the centre-circle in Milan's half for less than a second before he is ruthlessly dispossessed.

Wherever the Romanians try to pass the ball, Milan are there.  Gullit and Van Basten are pressing the ball back into Steaua's penalty area, harassing and unnerving their centre-backs.  When the midfield tries to take it forward, Milan descent in a white snarling pack around them.  When they pump the ball forward it is intercepted by the tight back line with ease.

The moment the Milanese regain the ball the patterns on the pitch are suddenly transformed.  The defence rolls forward, white shirts break for the wings and through the centre, options and possibilities open up everywhere.  The four goals - Gullit's poached shot, a flying Van Basten header, Gullit's miraculous pull-down and volley on the edge of the area, and Van Basten's sinuous run and flick, are almost mere embellishment.
The infallible wank stain
Lolzies. More chance of a wank off the pope than beating United, I'm afraid. It is beyond Benitez, apart from when they were at their lowest ebb, when we knocked them out of the FA Cup. They certainly aren't anywhere near there now.

Offline Rob Jones Maybe?

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #212 on: August 4, 2008, 06:36:12 pm »
I love how there are so many brilliantly written articles and posts on here and at the same time loathe how they can be buried by shite.

No particular comment but have enjoyed this series of posts. Nice work!

Offline harrytrow

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #213 on: August 4, 2008, 06:53:06 pm »
Watching the Rangers game after reading this made me wet myself.
Haven't seen an opposition team so out played to the point of embarrassed frustration since Barca played us off the park and yes I missed that Valencia game where Raffa did the same to us.
How come pointed questions recieve blunt answers

Offline anil

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #214 on: August 4, 2008, 06:58:22 pm »
I love how there are so many brilliantly written articles and posts on here and at the same time loathe how they can be buried by shite.

No particular comment but have enjoyed this series of posts. Nice work!

Agreed.  Kudos for the effort in researching, analysis, interpretation and insights. 

Offline A Day 2 Remember

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Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #215 on: August 4, 2008, 07:02:15 pm »
I cannot help but think about this article when i'm watcing a game. Not sure if it is a curse or not as i am constantly over analysing the teams system of play.

As a coach i am glad i have read the article as it does give me a lot of food for thought.
5th times a charm

I want to read about a Welshman reclaiming our Kop and over engineering songs we have nicked. Priorities guys

Offline tea_tree

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #216 on: August 4, 2008, 07:45:17 pm »
I guess this is an example of circulation football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srui70ZzPC8
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Offline theallseeingeye

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #217 on: August 4, 2008, 07:50:35 pm »
good stuff.

Offline theallseeingeye

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #218 on: August 4, 2008, 07:56:47 pm »
I guess this is an example of circulation football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srui70ZzPC8

best goal ever?

Offline tea_tree

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #219 on: August 4, 2008, 08:20:05 pm »
Probably...Sami was upset during the build up play because we didn't touch the ball at all...if they could ruffle good ol' Sami's feathers, then you know that team was good
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Offline tellusajoke

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Absolutely brilliant post!

Can't wait for Level 4 football  ;)!
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Reading The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football by David Goldblatt and came across this passage on Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan.  The description struck me immediately as what the current Liverpool team look like when they play at their best:



That's a brilliant book and all, another one to buy and read and keep on your bookshelf folks.

"My idea was to build Liverpool into a bastion of invincibility. Napoleon had that idea. He wanted to conquer the bloody world. I wanted Liverpool to be untouchable. My idea was to build Liverpool up and up until eventually everyone would have to submit and give in."

Offline art03

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #222 on: August 4, 2008, 09:19:08 pm »
Wow!

Offline liverbird2005

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #223 on: August 4, 2008, 09:28:40 pm »
fantastic read, thank you!

Offline Bissboy

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #224 on: August 4, 2008, 09:41:25 pm »
Wonderful stuff. Im presume your not a proffessional writer and this was done in your spare time. Which begs the question, why cant highly paid national 'journalists' come up with anything near as well researched and executed?
Even if you are a pro, its a fine piece and has put a smile on my face in anticipation of what lies ahead. Bravo!
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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #225 on: August 4, 2008, 10:55:49 pm »
Good post.

Will do a reply tomorrow

Offline hassinator

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #226 on: August 4, 2008, 11:10:53 pm »
amazing post - superb work sir

Offline harrytrow

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #227 on: August 4, 2008, 11:19:58 pm »
Watching the Rangers game after reading this made me wet myself.
Haven't seen an opposition team so out played to the point of embarrassed frustration since Barca played us off the park and yes I missed that Valencia game where Raffa did the same to us.
I guess this is an example of circulation football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srui70ZzPC8
This was it for me.
I sit just behind the dug outs and what stood out for me was it was totally silent while they passed the ball, but when we did eventually get the ball, you could hear the thud of boot against ball when we passed it around.
How come pointed questions recieve blunt answers

Offline lukethered

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Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #228 on: August 4, 2008, 11:21:13 pm »
lets get to level 4

Offline donniebrasco

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Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #229 on: August 4, 2008, 11:26:06 pm »
Absolutely outstanding post..kudos to you mate for this.. :)

Now i'll finish reading it while i have my dinner  ;)
« Last Edit: August 4, 2008, 11:30:51 pm by donniebrasco »

Offline Ski

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #230 on: August 4, 2008, 11:33:23 pm »
something tells me I'm gonna be thinking about this post the next time I'm watching us play - which we be tomorrow.

top read. let's all hope that we reach the holy grail that is level3 football on a consistent basis.
Has Steven Gerrard scored a goal even more important than the one he got against Olympiakos - Is this the start of something BIG?

Offline Red_in_Holland

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One of the first things I read about Benitez was his high regard and respect for Arrigo Sacchi.   His Valencia was surely modelled on that style though restricted by his board.

Anyone looking at LFC under Benitez, can't fail surely to see the upgrade in quality throughout the squad.   The tweaking and consolidating, the discipline being ingrained, the flexibility being drilled into the team.

May not be this season, but by fuck Rafa is getting close..  I am happy to just let the man work his magic.  I am sure he will produce a team that will dominate.. in Europe and domestically.   Once we take the lead, I don't think anyone will catch us.

Yes.. its a prophecy, and yes it will happen.   Rafa is too tenacious to allow it not to, and it will take more than the American owners to stop him.   A whole lot know enough to love having Rafa as our manager.  I think a whole lot still just dont realise how gifted the man is.

Most teams he puts out, are definitely good enough to win the match.  Its the players that haven't done this.. not the Manager.

He is fixing this.. before your very eyes.

RiH

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"It's good to have a challenge in training. If you play against one of the best strikers in the Premier League almost everyday, that can only help you when the game comes around each weekend."
 
Asked if he had worked out how to stop Torres, Hyypia added: "I'm working on it, I'm working on it.

Offline Koparoo

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About time we had a doctrinate for the supporters.

Get them with the right mentality, and then teach them to sing.
Too many the other way round for my liking

HA Ha Ha - well put ;)!!!

I've thought this for a while - maybe Rafa's final piece of the jigsaw?? (after he's sorted the management team; the various teams; the extended youth development programme; the scouting network; etc etc... ;D ;D ;D)



I bet that we'd have very very few level 3 fans (apart from a few here on RAWK!! ;) ;) ;))
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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #233 on: August 5, 2008, 05:35:39 am »
I guess this is an example of circulation football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srui70ZzPC8

Just relentless, wasn't it?

Offline Brave Lee Flea

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Royhendo; that is one of the most insightful, intelligent and beautifully argued pieces of analysis I have ever seen regarding football.

I read and enjoyed every word, it's going to take me a long while to digest it all but I shall never view the development of the club in the same light again.

Thanks so much for putting in the effort to write such a long piece. If only there were articles of that standard available in the national press.
I'm a believer.

Offline pinky

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #235 on: August 5, 2008, 07:55:00 am »
I guess this is an example of circulation football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srui70ZzPC8

Nice circulation of the ball indeed with lots of first touches which it's fantastic, but I think Liverpool were a little bit soft defending there.

Offline Jin

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #236 on: August 5, 2008, 08:35:26 am »
Fantastic post as always Roy mate. I'm really excited about what Rafa's building here. I know it was only a friendly, but Rangers game was a bit of a glimpse into how we intend to play this season. I loved the interplay between our attack and midfield, the movement was fantastic, and there was some great pass and move football on show. There seemed to be a real purpose in everything we did, whereas in previous seasons, we were quite static at times, and players were guilty of standing still waiting for passes. I think we have the players to become the type of team that Rafa's always intended, I just hope that we attain that level of consistency that characterises Rinus Michels' level 3 football.

Offline Jin

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #237 on: August 5, 2008, 08:38:10 am »
This was it for me.
I sit just behind the dug outs and what stood out for me was it was totally silent while they passed the ball, but when we did eventually get the ball, you could hear the thud of boot against ball when we passed it around.
That was a masterful performance wasn't it, everyone knew exactly what to do and hhad the skill to execute it. It was a real lesson that night. It's never nice to be beaten, but hats off to the way they beat us.
« Last Edit: August 5, 2008, 08:40:43 am by Jin »

Offline rocco

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #238 on: August 5, 2008, 09:50:20 am »
Great post....just read all 3 parts....my minds racing ..cheers.

First up - we got confirmation in the last few days that Rafa approached Porto about Quaresma.

Found that very interesting......
does it mean there will be another player to come in after Barry ?

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Re: Re: Level 3 football - the final step in Rafa's plan, part 3
« Reply #239 on: August 5, 2008, 12:23:55 pm »
Thought I should post this on Vales - it's a google translation of the following article... with a bit of sanitisation on my part - ASF could maybe help on this one...

http://www.laopinioncoruna.es/secciones/noticia.jsp?pNumEjemplar=2429&pIdSeccion=12&pIdNoticia=113133

Quote
Rafa Benitez to recruit Conuna's Angel Vales as assistant   

[picture] Angela Vales, in his office at the University, with the Liverpool website on his computer.

The coach, the coach that Liverpool wanted to incorporate into the English club three years ago, will head up the reserve team and the game analysis department.

Ruben Dario Rodriguez in Coruna


Within nine days, when Liverpool begin the preseason at its Melwood sports HQ to prepare before the Champions League, a technician from Coruna will make his debut at the legendary British club, the last winner in Europe [this was a while back mind]. Angela Vales leaves his office at the University of La Coruna, where he teaches football at the INEF, to go to the other building shared by the technicians at Liverpool. Rafa Benitez, his friend since 1986, wanted him as his assistant coach three years ago, but the transfer was frustrated and Benitez opted to go with Paco Herrera. Now not. The Madrid-born manager remains confident that his new colleague will strengthen the coaching staff and as of next week he will have two functions: to train the second team - the reserves, which has its own Premier League, and to be the head of the game analysis department.

"As well as directing the second team, which will work in parallel with the first team players and will see players exchanged, I will be something like an auditor of what makes the team. I follow the game closely to make tactical profiles, presenting statistics, and propose decisions correcting faults", says Vales of his duties in his professional leap to the Premier.

He will have four close collaborators in this task. Fifty-two people in total, between technicians and staff, work in the Sports department at Liverpool, where Vales, who since 2004 has traveled nearly a dozen times to the English city, says that a devoted coach can find glory: "Working at Liverpool is like being in paradise for the technician who loves to work. It lives on a daily basis from eight o'clock to six p.m. No public meetings or media harassment."

The first pressure, however, is to work under the orders of his friend Benitez: "I'm really excited but also with much responsibility. Rafa is a very technical demanding, strong, secure, that does not deviate from what you think. All this character is reflected in deeds and that is their mark. "

Struggled with that last sentence, but maybe someone can help with the original Spanish:

Quote
"Voy con mucha ilusión pero también con mucha responsabilidad. Rafa es un técnico muy exigente, firme, seguro, que no se desvía de lo que piensa. Todo ese carácter lo refleja con hechos y ahí está su huella".
« Last Edit: August 5, 2008, 12:27:51 pm by royhendo »