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After the first games of the new Premiership season, here’s a quick review of how the season may pan out.
Arsenal
Defensive weaknesses have been well highlighted for over a season now, but in Djourou, they have one of the best defenders in the league. Never seems to be flustered, makes timely interceptions and can score too. The problem is, who to play alongside him?
It’s no doubt a problem which will continue to get noticed and undermine the team should it continue. Does Wenger step up his chase for Cahill at Bolton?
Personally, I don’t think he should. At £16 Million he’s way too pricey. Jagielka would be a cheaper and a better buy, sold as a rock, he also has a good shot on him, although he doesn’t score many.
As for the rest of the team, Van Persie looked lively as always, but with injuries, I would play Arshavin just behind him as a second striker, rather than a winger. His four goal haul against Liverpool showed what a high class finisher he can be, as a winger I think he’s wasted. Put him in central midfield and let him come from deep, either with the ball or arriving late in the box, he’d be almost impossible to mark.
Finishing position for the season: 4th but to win one of the cups this time around.
Watching the dire display from my beloved Liverpool FC against Wolves, then observing the Premiership table and counting just the 3 points from relegation we are, reminded me of the Liverpool team from a few years ago, in the bottom three at Christmas, yet managed to finish in the top three at the end of the season.
How did they manage to finish so high in the league after such a dire first half of the season?
By going back to basics.
If Roy Hodgson wants to remain as our manager, he has to get a grip of the 1st team he is playing.
If a player has one or two poor games, then they need to be dropped and the problems ironed out in the reserve team.
Guaranteed 1st team football for so called “stars” has never, nor will it ever, work!
How long does Torres need to sort his crisis of confidence out? 6 months on from the world cup finals, still he’s struggling?
I don’t believe he wants to play for Liverpool football club anymore.
He has been consistantly 10 yards off the pace all season, he is not hassling centre backs, he plays devoid of any positional sense, he does not look hungry, a token run towards any defenders clearing the ball, without so much as a tackle of block, is neither use nor ornament to anyone.
The Torres we paid more than £20 Million for, was alert, sharp, sat on the last man and frightened the life out of him, with pace, and running in behind the defence into the space. Defenders didn’t know if they should push up and risk being left stranded if any balls came over the top, or sit deep and be skinned as he ran at you with pace and trickery.
You only have to look at Torres this season and look at the Torres who destroyed Vidic in beating Man Utd 4-1 at old trafford.
Put him in the reserves and let the coaches there iron out his problems and give his place to a hungry forward who has positional sense in his play.
Another nightmare waiting to happen, is the continuous playing of players, out of position!
School boy error, it may be fine for half a game due to injury, but when opposing teams see Dirk Kuyt on the left instead of his familiar right side of midfield, it gives their winger and left back a lift and an attacking option.
It is school boy stuff Roy, for proof of this observe Fulham last season.
Fulham’s team picked itself. Players played week in week out alongside the same players in the same positions.
Why you are made manager of Liverpool, then decide to change players around and in and out of the team every other week god only knows.
Get a basic way of playing, put the first team in those positions and if changes are needed, make them gradually.
Let the team know a couple of bad games and then someone else will be given a chance in their position. To regain their place they must perform in the reserves and hope that the first teamer in their place has a couple of bad games, giving them another chance.
I really cannot understand why managers find this technique so difficult?
Play players consistantly in positions they were bought to play in.
Take Meireles for example, an attacking midfielder with a shot like a mule, scoring many goals ala graeme souness, from the edge of the penalty area.
Bought to provide more goals from midfield.
Where has he been played so far?
Right wing, left wing, sat in front of the back four, as a defensive midfielder. Why?
Maxi is another one. Starts scoring a few goals from the wing and midfield, then he’s “rested” – why?
Playing players in regular positions allows relationships to build and teamwork to grow, which increases defensive and attacking options.
They management can start coaching individual players in how they want them to play, improving individual technique.
It really is that simple
After years at the top of English football, Manchester united’s reign as the title/cup winning favourites, is coming to a slow and painful end, in full view of the world’s media.
As a Liverpool fan, I know only too well how this pans out.
The successful teams I have watched through the years in English football, Early 70s Leeds team, Liverpool through the 70s and 80s, Everton in the 80s, Nottingham Forest of the late 70s early 80s, Ipswich Town’s cup winning team, etc, have all had several things in common – making unknown players famous.
Once a club forget what put them in their dominant position, the unknown names that run through the core of their teams, and starts paying big money for “talent” then their days as the top club are numbered.
Liverpool’s best days consisted of teams made up of players from lower leagues and even gaelic football, the big money signings came much later, which slowed the fall from the top.
Nottingham Forest went from the old second division to European champions in a few short years with names such as Gary Birtles, John Robertson, Viv Anderson, Archie Gemmill, John McGovern, etc, all grafters from outside the top circle of footballing stars.
Manchester United tried for decades to buy the title, a succession of managers and big money stars passed through the club, Ferguson was himself close to being sacked, when injuries forced him to put out a young relatively unknown team of players, Beckham, Scholes, Giggs, Neville brothers, etc, and he struck gold.
Any line up of players brought in from outside the top tier, taught to play in a certain way, at the core of the team, can dominate English football. It is what makes our league unique.
This is why English teams are so successful in Europe, the pace and passion is rarely matched abroad. (Hence why, when we have international matches, where the play is slower, more methodical, we struggle – where as if we played as a league team, Capello has already stated this, we become close to invincible!)
Wayne Rooney is no different from Kevin Keegan, star of the Liverpool show, or Graeme Souness the midfield power house wanted by clubs around Europe, or even Ronaldo and his bizarre exit from Old Trafford.
Man Utd should simply sell him off for big money to any club stupid enough to pay big money for him.
Arsene Wenger knows all too well how much damage to a club can be done by holding on to players when they don’t want to be there.
Although I admire Rooney for sticking to his guns, I can’t help thinking we have seen all this before.
The difference this time, is that Ferguson is trying to justify his position by playing to the media. No manager should do this, the old Fergie would have kicked Rooney into the reserves for a couple of weeks or left him on the subs bench for weeks in full view of every fan.
Personally, if a player states they want to leave my club, then I don’t want to see them in the first team again.
Liverpool are seeing now, how damaging the promise of first team football to get players to join or stay can be to a club.
Before you start messaging me saying Chelsea are buying the titles they have won, just take a look at how long they have been playing together!
Big names they maybe, but the core of the team have been together through four different managers over 5,6 even sometimes 7 seasons.
Occasional additions are added with the odd injured player leaving. The example of Joe Cole is a stark one.
Seemingly a great pick up from Chelsea, as he is not offered a new contract, but watch him play, he’s lost a yard of pace, he’s trying to play a central role without the engine, he’s now too slow to do damage on the wing, he’s no longer a special talent.
Chelsea were right to let him go, Liverpool were wrong to pick him up, especially if, as it appears, he’s been offered a guarantee of first team football.
To be a top club you require hungry players, who are always looking over their shoulders, knowing that one or two bad games could see them out of the first team for at least three or four games.
No individual is ever bigger than a successful club.
Until Liverpool get back in this habit they will remain a mid table side with the occasional decent season, Man Utd are about to realise the exact same thing happening to them.
As a life long Liverpool fan, it pains me to say it, but the club is looking for leadership at every level, yet Rafa Benitez, is flapping around in the wind.
I have never been a fan of his, but I was won over as he seemed to be heading in the right direction. Unfortunately, the more I look at his “style” the more I see gaps appearing.
Youth set up:
In the past three seasons, the youth team has been right on the ball as regards league position and the youth cup. Where are these players coming through? Kelly and Spearing are the only ones I see, and their appearances (even when the team is losing regularly) are few and far between and involve substitutions.
Reserves:
We have a great string of reserve players, who, no matter how many injury problems and defeats, just don’t seem to get close to playing for the first team. How many more promising talents are going to farmed out to other clubs when on the verge of a break through into the first team?
The first team:
I have said it before and I’ll say it again, you cannot have players build up relationships on the pitch if every other week they are playing alongside different players!
How can Babel build rapport with his defensive back if he’s being subbed every time he plays and the defender is different?
Lucas, Ngog… are these players of the quality Liverpool need in a 65 match campaign?
Continuing to chop and change the first team put out for each game does not encourage competition for places.
It’s time to move on Rafa, Liverpool FC cannot afford to plod on any longer. Bring in a manager who will support the structure of the club, its traditions and its heart, no single player is bigger than the club and it is unfair to continually rely on two, maybe three, top quality players to keep its position in any competition.
The fans demand that the first team is put out for all games, get a system in place and stick to it, then everyone who supports/works for the club knows what is happening.
Corporations and vested interests are killing the sporting world.
Strong statement to make, after yesterday and today’s events in the sporting world, I no longer have any doubts about it.
Football:
Chelsea are playing Stoke City, Chelsea are 1-0 down, a couple of injuries, at the end of the first half, the third official holds up the injury time to be played board… 8 minutes!
Chelsea scored.
Second half, with 88 minutes played, Chelsea are still being held at 1-1, the injury time board goes up again, another 5 minutes to be played.
Chelsea scored in the 94th minute to win the game.
Tennis:
Serena Williams slams her racket against the floor in frustration at her own failings, she was given a warning.
When facing match point, she was given a foot fault by the line judge (when replays show she did not foot fault on the point, the line judge got it wrong) after a verbal outburst at the line judge, the umpire listened to the line judge then took a penalty point from Williams, costing her the match!
Formula one:
Watching the Italian Grand Prix this afternoon, it is dull!
Less overtaking opportunities, safety this safety that, its becoming mundane.
It is less about sport and more about generating money. For the fans that have paid good money to watch a “race” I feel sorry, they should have their money refunded!
“I went to monza today and saw a thrilling race where the winner took the lead with a faster pitstop!”
Come on sporting world wake up, anyone would think that influences and corporate money are dictating sports?
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