Topic: Reality Check

[James Mac]

I think it's the style of football which is grinding my gears the most. We're better than this, and, yes, I suppose you could offer the excuse that many players have never played together thus farly, and the team needs time to gel, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of decent football being played whatsoever.

[tomred]

Santa is not coming.We have been waiting for 3 years now.

Santa has gambling debts. He's in so deep he's selling his reindeer to a venison farm outside Reykjavic and replacing them with moose. The moose aren't going to fly.

[shanklyboy]

Play well and win and we are either a. Lucky or b. World beaters.
Play badly and win and we are either a. Lucky or b. World beaters.
Play well and lose and we are either a. Unlucky or b. Shite.
Play badly and lose and we are either a. Unlucky or b. Shite.

The reality check was thrown out of the window over the last few seasons.
2 seasons ago we started the season by playing in a combination of ways. We were either below par and winning or ripping teams to shreds. Either way it's par for the course over the course of a season.
Unfortunately at the beginning of the season we were scraping results and even though in a great many of those games we were creating lots of chances we didn't take them and had to rely on a bit of luck to get the results.This wasn't good enough for a great many of our fans though.
In the 2nd half of the season we started playing well and creating chances. The difference being that we  were now taking them.
In that season we had lost only 1 league game up to February. Yet our fans booed us off the pitch after going top of the league.

Last season we started off badly and despite some resounding victories it was a stop start type of season which we never recovered from.
In a great many of the games we played over those 2 seasons we were rarely well beaten or out played.

This season we have done nothing of note as of yet but at this stage last season we had almost double the number of points we have now and that was classed as being absolutely shite.
This may all change of course,but I'm sure that the majority of Liverpool fans would swap last seasons start for this seasons.
They would be orgasmic if they could swap the season befores points total at this stage of the season for what we have now, even though that season we were 'lucky' to get the results and the manager was shite is some peoples eyes.

So you pays your money and takes your choice.
From my personal persepective I want to see the points on the board at this stage of the season, however we get them but I would expect the early season problems to be ironed out very quickly and would expect to see the team progress on the playing side.

If that happens I'll be a happy bunny with a firm grasp on the reality checker.

[whtwht]

I think it's the style of football which is grinding my gears the most. We're better than this, and, yes, I suppose you could offer the excuse that many players have never played together thus farly, and the team needs time to gel, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of decent football being played whatsoever.

I cant remember watching us for a full 90 minutes for a long time now even under Rafa. Its piss poor football and we rightly expect more from our players.  Simple pass and move , is it too much to ask

[rafathegaffa]

I cant remember watching us for a full 90 minutes for a long time now even under Rafa. Its piss poor football and we rightly expect more from our players.  Simple pass and move , is it too much to ask

It would seem that it is too much to ask.
Unfortunately it's anything but simple and a team can't just switch it on. But where has the tempo gone? The sense of urgency? The desire to get at the opposition when in possession?
Any team will score against you if you let them have the ball. Any team, no matter how shite, will create chances or melees where a goal is likely if given enough possession. It galls me to watch tentative pussy-assed football.

[The G in Gerrard]

Roy inherited a disillusioned, demoralised side whose final day achievement was to fail to score against a dismal Hull side. In the summer we lost a genuine world class player in Masch, and a fine player in Yosser, banked some cash and spent a fraction of the money on inferior players. That's the reality.

What I don't understand is that you act like this a new thing? We all knew it, Roy should have known the constraints of this job before he took it on so it's not like he's had it all thrust upon him when the previous manager had this for more than 1 transfer window.

[Red-juvenated]

After the early games, it is evident that the team will take time to get playing well. Its a Catch 22 situation - Confidence comes with a winning run, a winning run comes from a confident side.

So far Roy has been unable to rid the 'uncertainity' amongfst players, when they seem to be unsure what to do with the ball, where to move to, who to pass to etc. This is a lack of confidence but also the effects of fear of doing the wrong thing.

Only way I can see is to get the shackles off and play your own style, maybe against easy oppos, like the early CC games. But it wont happen. Roy will use his vast experience to get the team settled and playing fluent, fluid football. (NO HOOF!)

[stockdam]

It's going to be a long hard season. If Torres starts to regain his form then we'll start to look much better. I think Mereiles will be the key.

We're currently one point behind where Utd were in the 2004/05 season and they ended up finishing 3rd........I'd take that.

We have players that have the potential to play much better than they are. A bit of confidence will do wonders.

[nico 8]

Roy inherited a disillusioned, demoralised side whose final day achievement was to fail to score against a dismal Hull side. In the summer we lost a genuine world class player in Masch, and a fine player in Yosser, banked some cash and spent a fraction of the money on inferior players. That's the reality.

The reality is that you have changed your tune.When everyone around you was telling you what the reality was,you now conveniently advise us of the reality.People seem to be using the word asif it is a newly created word.Go back 3 years and nothing has changed save for the manager.At the very least we would have expected a renewed vigour and energy in the players.That hasn't happened and hope it soon starts to turn otherwise we will be fighting relegation.

[shanklyboy]

After the early games, it is evident that the team will take time to get playing well. Its a Catch 22 situation - Confidence comes with a winning run, a winning run comes from a confident side.

So far Roy has been unable to rid the 'uncertainity' amongfst players, when they seem to be unsure what to do with the ball, where to move to, who to pass to etc. This is a lack of confidence but also the effects of fear of doing the wrong thing.

Only way I can see is to get the shackles off and play your own style, maybe against easy oppos, like the early CC games. But it wont happen. Roy will use his vast experience to get the team settled and playing fluent, fluid football. (NO HOOF!)

I think that asks more questions than it addresses mate.

[doikc]

Last season we were playing more attacking football at the beginning of the season and a combination of bad luck & injuries culminated in dodgy results and Rafa changing the tactics to try and regain our defensive solidity. This led to huge criticism of our style of play, however it all begun once our defensive game that won Reina all those golden gloves came off the rails.

This year the coach is emphasising the same tactics and going even further; the 2 banks of four when we don't have the ball, not pressing, surrendering territorial posession to keep our shape. Now whether this is "right or wrong" it's his system and the team will learn it and once they do we will become a one size fits all team. We will know our best 11, no need to "rotate" bcoz the best players always play... bye bye Babbel, Lucas and Agger. How long do you think they will settle for being benchwarmers? No wonder he thinks we have a bloated squad! No need for Kyrgiakos to come in and play when an aerially dominant team comes to visit. Where Rafa wanted possibilities Roy wants a team that is well drilled and knows its shape.

It sounds very safe and practical for all the people who had a problem guessing who would play under Rafa.

[Crimson_Tank]

It's going to be a long hard season. If Torres starts to regain his form then we'll start to look much better. I think Meireles will be the key.

We're currently one point behind where Utd were in the 2004/05 season and they ended up finishing 3rd........I'd take that.

We have players that have the potential to play much better than they are. A bit of confidence will do wonders.

I would take that in a second

[wah00ey]

It's going to be a long hard season. If Torres starts to regain his form then we'll start to look much better. I think Meireles will be the key.

We're currently one point behind where Utd were in the 2004/05 season and they ended up finishing 3rd........I'd take that.

We have players that have the potential to play much better than they are. A bit of confidence will do wonders.

How can anyone say Torres is out of form?  He's had next to no service whatsoever this season!