Topic: Liverpool 1 West Brom 0: Substance Over Style

[Murpheus]

Goal apart, it was brutal.

[Mutton Geoff]

agree with garsonite's view. be interesting to see what happens after the next match when Cole is back. the anti-gerrard consortium will not agree with your MOTM though. even though the did look the most threatening for us.

cole has one more game ! now we have an anti gerrard consortium,
you couldnt make up how immature that looks is that with the anti Carra, anti roy, the dirk stabbing boys, lucas stabbing boys, is it?

[TepidT2O]

Pfft, we aren't winning the champions league once

Just edited your post for you there Michael.

Whatever you say about us mate, at least we can say our chairman is a Chelsea fan

[Mutton Geoff]

Pfft, we aren't winning the champions league once every 3 years.



What the hell are wanker hats?  Little red flags would be an excellent first step though.  Also, get Harry J Allstars to do a remix of your never walk alone song.

how is your antique set of free plastic flags for your plastic fans and you lot should come out to Russ Abbots Atmosphere!

[Mr Dilkington]

Does anyone think Roy has made a rod for his own back in the way he presented the Cole deal. ( by the way , i am not anti Roy , i think he will do very well for us when he gets the team drilled , just thought i'd say this before i made my point incase it was mis understood as a slant against Roy as a whole ).

The reason i say this is , when Cole came in the press was full off , " Joe will get to play in his favourite position off the front man ". Joe himself said he signed because he wanted to play in the hole ( No Mick McCarthy please  ). I feel Roy should have made an effort to say , Joe will get games off Torres but we know he can play very well from the left or the right , cos he's a world class player , blah blah blah. By not doing that , it feels as though he's obliged to play Joe in behind Nando. Now for me Gerrard isn't at his best from the centre of midfield , it;s obvious we get the best out off him when he is as close to Nando as possible , no matter what you don't sacrafice your best players best position for Joe Cole , for other players it would be understandable , i just don't think Joe is good enough to merit moving Stevie back one.

Unless Roy had planned from the start to play Gerrard from deep ? , we don't know , but whether Joe likes it or not , something has too give. The decision to be made is simple , do you want the best out of Joe Cole ir do you want the best out of Steven Gerrard ?.

[ChelseaMike]

Hey........that's not what I originally posted. 

*watches highlights of the 4 champions league Chelsea eliminations prior to last seasons....*

Oh, cheers for the edit.

[Mutton Geoff]

You guys could learn ALOT from Chelsea....

not when it comes to class we cant!

by the way mikey me auld china tis A Lot not ALOT

[TepidT2O]

not when it comes to class we cant!

Oh come on humour him, deep down Chelsea fans know their standing in the football world, you don't need to make it too obvious

[Mutton Geoff]

 

Oh come on humour him, deep down Chelsea fans know their standing in the football world, you don't need to make it too obvious

sorry 

ask him does he remember Bobby Tambling or Charlie Cooke?

[ChelseaMike]

not when it comes to class we cant!

by the way mikey me auld china tis A Lot not ALOT

Oh COME ON!  That's about as grammatically incorrect as not starting your sentences with a captial, or not putting a comma in a sentence....and who would care about either of those things.

[redoneusa]

roys first seven game results are not so bad ...five wins, one draw, one loss....better than Rafa and Ged - tho i am sure there are lots  to say about this!

And how many years where those two managers of Liverpool Football club? And what did they win?

[OohCampione]

Hey........that's not what I originally posted. 

*watches highlights of the 4 champions league Chelsea eliminations prior to last seasons....*

Oh, cheers for the edit.

Don't mind them lot Mike, You and I can have a nice time. We can talk all about your history, we can converse about all the great managers and legendary players you've had, We can laugh and joke about all those magnificant european night at the bridge and how you- bunked around Europe during the 60's 70's and 80's. We can disect all of the original songs the Chelsea sing and list times you entertained the world. 

At five past nine - you can fuck off back to the hole from which you crawled

[ChelseaMike]

Oh come on humour him, deep down Chelsea fans know their standing in the football world, you don't need to make it too obvious

Yeah, this guy knows the score!

[Mutton Geoff]

Oh COME ON!  That's about as grammatically incorrect as not starting your sentences with a captial, or not putting a comma in a sentence....and who would care about either of those things.

Now and then i adapt my posts to suit the reader, ok pie and mash boy!

[Kasper]

If all our players were fit , my team would be:

                                                         Reina

                           Johnson           Skrtel      Agger           Kelly

                                                Poulsen     Mereiles
                             Maxi                                                        Cole

                                                Gerrard
                                                                 Torres

Yeah, I agree - it would be my preferred lineup too, as things look at the moment (apart from the left back - Kelly is showing a lot of promise, but I'd prefer a left footed player at LB. Aurelio for the games we'd dominate, and Konchesky for the games where we need a more solid defender). Poulsen as the traditional anchor/holding midfielder, who cleans up and covers for Johnson, when he bombs forward, and with Meireles in a more dynamic box-to-box role - giving us more of a presence and forward drive than the pairing of Lucas and Poulsen.

What I'd really like, though, would be for Maxi, Gerrard, and Cole to fluidly interchange during the course of a game. We look very static at times, and I think it could really add some dynamism and movement. A bit like when Kuyt and Jova switched flanks today, and Gerrard switching to the left in the second half. It just mixes things up and opens space. Movement, movement, movement - that's the key.

[ChelseaMike]

Don't mind them lot Mike, You and I can have a nice time. We can talk all about your history, we can converse about all the great managers and legendary players you've had, We can laugh and joke about all those magnificant european night at the bridge and how you- bunked around Europe during the 60's 70's and 80's. We can disect all of the original songs the Chelsea sing and list times you entertained the world. 

At five past nine - you can fuck off back to the hole from which you crawled

Damn, and I thought you scousers were supposed to be friendly.  I wanna chat to that guy who spoke about fans having class.  Maybe I can have a laugh with him instead...

[Twelfth Man]

Does anyone think Roy has made a rod for his own back in the way he presented the Cole deal. ( by the way , i am not anti Roy , i think he will do very well for us when he gets the team drilled , just thought i'd say this before i made my point incase it was mis understood as a slant against Roy as a whole ).

The reason i say this is , when Cole came in the press was full off , " Joe will get to play in his favourite position off the front man ". Joe himself said he signed because he wanted to play in the hole ( No Mick McCarthy please  ). I feel Roy should have made an effort to say , Joe will get games off Torres but we know he can play very well from the left or the right , cos he's a world class player , blah blah blah. By not doing that , it feels as though he's obliged to play Joe in behind Nando. Now for me Gerrard isn't at his best from the centre of midfield , it;s obvious we get the best out off him when he is as close to Nando as possible , no matter what you don't sacrafice your best players best position for Joe Cole , for other players it would be understandable , i just don't think Joe is good enough to merit moving Stevie back one.

Unless Roy had planned from the start to play Gerrard from deep ? , we don't know , but whether Joe likes it or not , something has too give. The decision to be made is simple , do you want the best out of Joe Cole ir do you want the best out of Steven Gerrard ?.

I have been calling for this since the last two seasons. Having actually seen this in action I must admit Gerrard will need some time before he truly finds his feet again in the deeper role. Today the telepathy between Gerrard and Torres was excellent. The Gerrard/Cole conundrum may be helped by the fact that Gerrard is so effective on the wings, as well as behind the hole. Roy could employ either in the hole or out wide depending on the opposition. Gerrard was given a lot more space today, no doubt other teams would close him down much quicker, perhaps in those games Cole's trickery would be more effective. There is no denying SG and FT have a special understanding.

[TepidT2O]

Yeah, this guy knows the score!

I do indeed because I know it crossed the line








Ha ha

[Cruiser]

Damn, and I thought you scousers were supposed to be friendly.  I wanna chat to that guy who spoke about fans having class.  Maybe I can have a laugh with him instead...

Don't try to hijack an otherwise good thread.

Kindly go to the off topic for a laugh. Thanks

[ChelseaMike]

Now and then i adapt my posts to suit the reader, ok pie and mash boy!

Nothing wrong with a bit of pie and mash to cure the old hunger pains!

EDIT: ^ politely noted.

[John C]

Good write-up as always Garstonite.
Its not just the first half in this game is it, there's a pattern emerging. As I said in the other thread I'm confident things will improve though. There's competition for places and new exponents to welcome.

And I agree about SG's role, its essential Roy assess's this thoroughly a hopefully puts Cole to the left of an attacking three with Maxi on the right.

[lachesis]

Does anyone think Roy has made a rod for his own back in the way he presented the Cole deal.

It's an unusual one for sure. Gerrard may have played well individually today but was it him that created a goal? No. It was Kuyt for Torres from Reina. Whereas Cole has been off the pace (arguably) he has still created two goals for others in the team. It seems Stevie can only create for himself or Torres.

This isn't a dig at Stevie either. It will take more than Stevie and Nando to help us challenge for the top four, and we have to put the team before the preferences and wants of fans and players.

[♠Dirty Harry♠]

Damn, and I thought you scousers were supposed to be friendly.  I wanna chat to that guy who spoke about fans having class.  Maybe I can have a laugh with him instead...

As Cruiser said don't derail this thread, although welcome to the forum, be nice and people will return the favour albeit laced with some jibes but most of it's said in jest.

 

[OohCampione]

Damn, and I thought you scousers were supposed to be friendly.  I wanna chat to that guy who spoke about fans having class.  Maybe I can have a laugh with him instead...

There are plenty off oppo fans that use this site but they don't try to antagonise people. You want to chat then integrate.
If you want to be a prick, well, you won't last long.

[Mutton Geoff]

Seriously when i worked down in the smoke I could never understand these larndarners  the guys i worked with would change teams depending on who was winning each season( with the exception of Milwall fans because what happened on the pitch never bothered them!)
 You would have guys supporting West Ham one year Spurs the next, or out west QPR when they were good or Fulham or Chelsea, even had a couple who supported Arsenal one week and Spurs the next and this was in the seventies so i figured London must be were Glory Hunters were first created, never see that up north do we?

What do you reckon Mikey fanbase increased recently has it?

ok back on the thread!

 Substance will do for now but it may become the norm given Roy's previous teams!

For style we will need a lot of individual skill rather than any adventurous tactics!

[Borninbethlehem]

Just got back from the game. Pleased with the win, but my god, were we atrocious.

Credit to West Brom. Fans out sung us and their team out played us for a large part of the match.

I never want to see a Lucas/Poulsen partnership again. Atrocious. Both players particularly poor today. When they pass the ball they just stand still and don't contribute at all to our attack which is why we had about only 2 shots on target. Gerrard and Johnson's passing was poor also. Jovanovic, again, was a disappointment.

Onwards and upwards though. We have Konchesky coming to play left back (which is needed as Agger looks uncomfortable there) and Meireles to come in and give the midfield a kick up the ass.

[Mark Walters]

Thanks for the write up Garstonite.

I didn't see the match so I can't comment.  What I will say is that I have reservations about Roy in the same way that I had them about Andrea Dossena and Morientes.  But in both cases I gave them time to prove me wrong.  Neither did and I'm really hoping that Roy will be different.

[dobbadobbs]

                   Reina

Johnson  Carra  Agger   Konchesky

             Meireles Poulson

Gerrard          Cole             Babel
                     
                    Torres

Gerrard on the right of an attacking three. Meireles to break forward at home leaving Poulson to tidy up. Give this a go and hope it opens up the likes of West Brom at home.

[ChelseaMike]

As I said before, politely noted as to not hijacking this thread.  I had my cheeky intro, only meant in jest, so I do not mean to provoke a war of words in an irrelevant place.  If you use the same retorts when I post elsewhere, however, you can be sure that I will respond to them if I see them   (EDITED: because the first time I posted this sentence I came across as a smart arse.)

I actually joined about a month back because I had something to say regarding the joe cole transfer, but that's sort of old news now, and it took a while to get accepted by the mods, which is fair enough.

In terms of your game today, a bit ropey.  Liverpool were on my accumulator (which City cost me), so I was actually behind them for the game.  Overall I would say you deserved it, but in terms of challenging for the league I don't think it was that great of a performance - hence my cheeky 'you could learn something from Chelsea' - having said that I took a 2-0 win at home to Stoke yesterday so there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to do the same.  Fair game. 

I think Jovanovic looks a good player, but I don't think winger is his best position.  Given your formation though, hard to see where his best position would  be.  As an outsider fan, I would probably be most scared if you had Torres up front, Gerrard in the hole, J.Cole and Maxi on the wings and Poulsen/Meireles in the middle.  That is assuming both Meireles and Rodriguez hit top form.

As an off topic side comment, very happy with Yossi by the way, although I am a bit concerened that he is unsure of what he is here to do.  It seems he wasn't happy on the bench at Liverpool, and I can't honestly see him breaking into a first team regular here unless 2 of Lampard/Essien/Mikel/Ramires get injured, or 2 of Drogba/Anelka/Malouda/Kalou get injured.  I would personally have him ahead of Kalou to see when he can do given a run, but our managers seem to rate Kalou a lot more than the fanbase, so there must be something there...I guess.

I think, from looking around, our fans have a similar relationship with him as you seem to with Lucas.

[Mutton Geoff]

                   Reina

Johnson  Carra  Agger   Konchesky

             Meireles Poulson

Gerrard          Cole             Babel
                     
                    Torres

Gerrard on the right of an attacking three. Meireles to break forward at home leaving Poulson to tidy up. Give this a go and hope it opens up the likes of West Brom at home.

my only problem is will Gerrard play on the right?

and Skrtel instead of Carra his distribution is better which is very important for an attacking formation!

[Mr Dilkington]

As I said before, politely noted as to not hijacking this thread.  I had my cheeky intro, only meant in jest, so I do not mean to provoke a war of words in an irrelevant place.  If you use the same retorts when I post elsewhere, however, you can be sure that I will respond to them if I see them   (EDITED: because the first time I posted this sentence I came across as a smart arse.)

I actually joined about a month back because I had something to say regarding the joe cole transfer, but that's sort of old news now, and it took a while to get accepted by the mods, which is fair enough.

In terms of your game today, a bit ropey.  Liverpool were on my accumulator (which City cost me), so I was actually behind them for the game.  Overall I would say you deserved it, but in terms of challenging for the league I don't think it was that great of a performance - hence my cheeky 'you could learn something from Chelsea' - having said that I took a 2-0 win at home to Stoke yesterday so there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to do the same.  Fair game. 

I think Jovanovic looks a good player, but I don't think winger is his best position.  Given your formation though, hard to see where his best position would  be.  As an outsider fan, I would probably be most scared if you had Torres up front, Gerrard in the hole, J.Cole and Maxi on the wings and Poulsen/Meireles in the middle.  That is assuming both Meireles and Rodriguez hit top form.

As an off topic side comment, very happy with Yossi by the way, although I am a bit concerened that he is unsure of what he is here to do.  It seems he wasn't happy on the bench at Liverpool, and I can't honestly see him breaking into a first team regular here unless 2 of Lampard/Essien/Mikel/Ramires get injured, or 2 of Drogba/Anelka/Malouda/Kalou get injured.  I would personally have him ahead of Kalou to see when he can do given a run, but our managers seem to rate Kalou a lot more than the fanbase, so there must be something there...I guess.

I think, from looking around, our fans have a similar relationship with him as you seem to with Lucas.

That's better , by the way , no one here expects us to challenge for the title. Cause we won't. 

[ChelseaMike]

no one here expects us to challenge for the title. Cause we won't. 

That's a shame, because apart from the last time we met (when your team was not in it's best frame of mind mentally) Liverpool is always a really tough game.  I expect us to challenge for the league, so if you play how you usually play us, there is no reason why you can't be up there.

[vorsprungtorbenpieknik]

I take heart that, without an injury time gaff from Pepe against Arsenal, we'd be in the Champions League places. If other teams keep nicking points from the big guns, we may have the time needed to gel together whilst hanging onto the coat tails of the top four.

[jaffod]

Well said and the thing about Gerrard at the end about his position is spot on

Funny that, I thought it was a great OP until that final paragraph.

[Mark Walters]

That's a shame, because apart from the last time we met (when your team was not in it's best frame of mind mentally) Liverpool is always a really tough game.  I expect us to challenge for the league, so if you play how you usually play us, there is no reason why you can't be up there.

We wont as we don't have a manager who will prepare us as tactically well as Rafa.  I'd expect you to spank us home and away unless you have a really really bad day and we have an outstanding one.

[Dubai_Red]

Not even sure that we have substance at the moment if I am to be honest. We are not even controlling games at home. Yes a win is a win, but it doesn't cover the glaring cracks we have.

We are struggling to retaining possession, there is no spark, and very little confidence in the defence. Yes we have won 5 out of 7, but have looked poor in each of those games.

I still believe that Roy is the wrong man for the job and hope time will prove me wrong. So far its not looking good and let's hope Raul and Cole can add something to our game which is clearly needed.

Still can't understand why Aqualani was allowed to leave. He would have been a good option in the middle today. Yes, we now have Raul also, but even then Aqualani would still have been a good option on the bench.

Thank God we have Torres, for now!
 

[Mutton Geoff]

We wont as we don't have a manager who will prepare us as tactically well as Rafa.  I'd expect you to spank us home and away unless you have a really really bad day and we have an outstanding one.

however i think Fulham under Roy always gave Chelsea problems, I am sure Mike knows more about it, I also think although a different style Roy has to know as much if not  more about tactics than Rafa, but the comparison is not required really!

[Gnurglan]

Not even sure that we have substance at the moment if I am to be honest. We are not even controlling games at home. Yes a win is a win, but it doesn't cover the glaring cracks we have.

We are struggling to retaining possession, there is no spark, and very little confidence in the defence. Yes we have won 5 out of 7, but have looked poor in each of those games.

I still believe that Roy is the wrong man for the job and hope time will prove me wrong. So far its not looking good and let's hope Raul and Cole can add something to our game which is clearly needed.

Still can't understand why Aquilani was allowed to leave. He would have been a good option in the middle today. Yes, we now have Raul also, but even then Aquilani would still have been a good option on the bench.

Thank God we have Torres, for now!
 

You're not the only one.

On the signing of Meireles, Hodgson added: "We're very pleased about that. We've lost some quality midfield players in Benayoun, Riera, Aquilani on loan and Mascherano. It was very good to bring in Poulsen and Meireles, two quality players." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/roy-on-signing-a-new-striker

We chose to send AA on loan. If we thought he was such a quality player and an asset to the squad, why didn't we keep him?

[TSC]

Just home after the game.  Matthew st festival post game was exellent.  Some atmosphere.  On the train home there was some girl singing beatles songs and got the whole train to sing along.  Cracking train home.

Anyway, to the game.  Thank whoever for Torres.  Only he could've scored that goal.  Don't know whether WBA are actually better than what I thought, or we're worse than I thought.  We really struggled to maintain possession.  Created little.  Yet on paper we look a decent side.  Maybe they need a few weeks to settle in.  Unfortunately the prem lge doesn't afford that luxury.

Least the blues are now in relegation trouble. 

[montysmum]

Juat watching the game on the telly now and so far it has been better than I expected after reading some of the comments on here.  Not brilliant, just not as bad as I anticipated.

  Just coming towards the end of the first half though so maybe we weren't so good in the second.  At least I know we won!