The Soccer Thread

[Archer]

Newcastle win but Forest stole a late winner

[mgoblue2290]

Rafa Benitez had better motivate this team. They are playing terrible out there right now. Gerrard needs to be at the center attacking mid. He's only playing back because Mascherano is playing right back. They need to bench Kuyt, shift Gerrard up, put Mascherano at center mid and bring in Glen Johnson to play right back.

[BigHouseUSA]

Awful game by Liverpool so far. I thought that they had maybe started turning it around enough to get 4th.

[BigHouseUSA]

[mgoblue2290]

I have never seen so many foolish passes and unnecessary moves. I feel like the only two guys who are playing solid out there are Insua, Kyrgiakos and Reina, maybe Maxi Rodriguez. I do feel like the refs have been hesitant to blow the whistle in our favor, maybe thats just bias talking though.

[Tearz49ers]

Rafa Benitez had better motivate this team. They are playing terrible out there right now. Gerrard needs to be at the center attacking mid. He's only playing back because Mascherano is playing right back. They need to bench Kuyt, shift Gerrard up, put Mascherano at center mid and bring in Glen Johnson to play right back.

That happend but all to late for Liverpool and really they should have been put to sleep twice near the end.

Jason Scotland is about as good in the EPL as my nan would be he really needs to look like he wants to score lol.

Oh well nice to see Liverpool suffer there 9th loss this season.

[mgoblue2290]

That happend but all to late for Liverpool and really they should have been put to sleep twice near the end.

Jason Scotland is about as good in the EPL as my nan would be he really needs to look like he wants to score lol.

Oh well nice to see Liverpool suffer there 9th loss this season.

Kuyt should've been out at half. Gerrard was playing just as bad but with a player like him, he has to be given more chances. The whole team was just deflated after that goal in the 35th minute. I think they're calling it a year and will just accept 7th, maybe 6th place.

[Tearz49ers]

Kuyt should've been out at half. Gerrard was playing just as bad but with a player like him, he has to be given more chances. The whole team was just deflated after that goal in the 35th minute. I think they're calling it a year and will just accept 7th, maybe 6th place.

That won’t help them financially though getting fourth place is a must or that’s more problem’s for them!

[Senser81]

Kuyt should've been out at half. Gerrard was playing just as bad but with a player like him, he has to be given more chances. The whole team was just deflated after that goal in the 35th minute. I think they're calling it a year and will just accept 7th, maybe 6th place.

Liverpool has been terrible to watch this year. The only bright spot IMO has been the play of Reina...sure, he's still shaky on corner kicks, but he's bailed out Liverpool's defense innumerable times this season.

I am thinking that Benitez's "genius" has been overrated...perhaps it was Reina that was the key factor in Liverpool's recent successes.

[mgoblue2290]

Liverpool has been terrible to watch this year. The only bright spot IMO has been the play of Reina...sure, he's still shaky on corner kicks, but he's bailed out Liverpool's defense innumerable times this season.

I am thinking that Benitez's "genius" has been overrated...perhaps it was Reina that was the key factor in Liverpool's recent successes.

Senser a Liverpool fan? Interesting.

I don't care if Rafa gets fired or not. I read however that it might take away transfer money for the summer because of early termination of his contract. It also killed me to watch Gerrard play the way he did out there, didn't play like a captain should.

Also I still don't get playing Dirk fucking Kuyt at attacking center mid. What a terrible decision. Kuyt was out there like a chicken with his head cut off.

[Senser81]

Senser a Liverpool fan? Interesting.

I don't care if Rafa gets fired or not. I read however that it might take away transfer money for the summer because of early termination of his contract. It also killed me to watch Gerrard play the way he did out there, didn't play like a captain should.

Also I still don't get playing Dirk fucking Kuyt at attacking center mid. What a terrible decision. Kuyt was out there like a chicken with his head cut off.

I think soccer "tactics" are somewhat overrated, but I think Rafa has killed Liverpool with his acquisitions. They really aren't strong in any area other than goalie. Carragher is old, Agger is good but short, I think Insua is average but he's also short, Glen Johnson was very good but he's hurt. The midfield is a mess without Alonso. Lucas is garbage. Gerrard honestly is a cherry-picker more than a playmaker.

I think Benitez's biggest blunder was the lack of a 2nd striker behind Torres. Torres has been hurt the past two seasons, and then Liverpool gets stuck playing Kuyt up front or, even worse, Ngog. Can you imagine Ngog going up against Chelsea's defense? He'd be steamrolled. At one point they had Robbie Keane, but Rafa didn't play him and let him go. The year prior they had Craig Bellamy (one of my favorite players), but Rafa didn't like him and let him go.

[BigHouseUSA]

[Tearz49ers]

The problem with Liverpool sacking Benitez is the "20m" hit they are going to have to give to him. Do they really have that sort of spare cash lying around and if they do would you as Liverpool fans not want that money to go towards more players?

Because seriuosly as much as I hate Liverpool even I can't see them staying around as league contenders when they only have Gerrard, Torres and Benayoun to rely on! Maxi Rodriguez was good in 2006/2007 not the same player anymore though. Dirk Kuyt is good in patches but poor in others.

Ryan Babel made the biggest mistake of his career going to Liverpool because since day one he hasn’t been anywhere close to the class he was at Ajax. If I was him I would get out of there ASAP.

Then there is Auqilani, 20M of pure dogs pooh ok it might be his first season but really a rush buy to replace Alonso who should never have been sold don’t you think?

[Senser81]

The problem with Liverpool sacking Benitez is the "20m" hit they are going to have to give to him. Do they really have that sort of spare cash lying around and if they do would you as Liverpool fans not want that money to go towards more players?

Because seriuosly as much as I hate Liverpool even I can't see them staying around as league contenders when they only have Gerrard, Torres and Benayoun to rely on! Maxi Rodriguez was good in 2006/2007 not the same player anymore though. Dirk Kuyt is good in patches but poor in others.

Ryan Babel made the biggest mistake of his career going to Liverpool because since day one he hasn’t been anywhere close to the class he was at Ajax. If I was him I would get out of there ASAP.

Then there is Auqilani, 20M of pure dogs pooh ok it might be his first season but really a rush buy to replace Alonso who should never have been sold don’t you think?

I don't think Liverpool has the money to absorb Benitez's "cap hit", but in a way its a Catch-22. For years Benitez complained that he'd never get Liverpool to compete with the other teams in the Big Four until he was given money in the transfer market. The past two seasons, Benitez has been given the money and he's essentially wasted most of it.

[Archer]

Dirk Kuyt is a hard worker but his ability is pretty bad. I wouldn't mind him in a team filled with other talent offensively but when he is one of the main guys you have a problem

Babel has struggled with the step up in class that is England [compared to Holland]. I never really rated Alonso but they have struggled to replace him and without a doubt the biggest problem Liverpool have is the lack of depth. After Torres they have NOTHING up front. I don't think most EPL teams would take Kuyt or Ngog if you paid them to do so... nevermind a title chasing team that is supposed to be Liverpool.

I question just about every one of Rafa's signings outside of a few

I don't think Liverpool has the money to absorb Benitez's "cap hit", but in a way its a Catch-22. For years Benitez complained that he'd never get Liverpool to compete with the other teams in the Big Four until he was given money in the transfer market. The past two seasons, Benitez has been given the money and he's essentially wasted most of it.

I agree with this. If I was the owners I would have to doubt whether Rafa would even use my money wisely if it was made available to him again. Some of his signings are head scratchers to say the least. For such a great tactical manager I also question his EPL tactics [squad selection, constantly messing with the lineup]. You see his tactics work great in Europe but in the EPL, I'm not so sure.