Liverpool F.c.

[rixalex]

i don't like to see any money wasted but thats probably the Spurs fan in me!

If that's the way Spurs fans think, i can understand now why Smokie became one!

He's as tight as two coats of paint!!

About the most tasteful "tight" analogy i have heard for some time. Good job.

[StevieH]

Much of the problem with Carroll is that people are judging him as a 35m player which he's not. So basically expectations on the part of many people are unrealistic. secondly. he's been absent a fair bit through injuries and i really don't think they have worked out how best to play him yet. The crucial thing for me is how good an understanding he can build with Suarez.

My view is that he will turn out to be a decent player in time but the purchase price was a sickening waste of money and is probably not helping him one bit

it's almost all of the problem carmine, and i don't know why people are quite so hung up on it. it's not your money so why are you sickened by it?

yeah we overpaid. clubs overpay all the time for players, both transfer fees and wages. carroll's still getting match fit, still adjusting to new teammates. i'm confident he'll be an important player for liverpool and probably england too in the long run. i just don't understand other fans' obsession with us paying a lot of money for a player. ho hum.

[StevieH]

saying that, just heard from a mate that carroll's not bloody playing today anyway. reported team:

reina

kelly carragher skrtel enrique

henderson adam lucas downing

kuyt suarez

[Devil]

saying that, just heard from a mate that carroll's not bloody playing today anyway. reported team:

reina

kelly carragher skrtel enrique

henderson adam lucas downing

kuyt suarez

Weve drawn Stoke for the next round of the Carling Cup !

[StevieH]

i know man, away again as well. guess if we're going to win this cup we're going to do it the hard way.

[Devil]

Heard its this line up??

Carroll for Kuyt

reina

kelly carragher skrtel enrique

henderson adam lucas downing

Carroll suarez

Edited September 24, 2011 by Devil

[StevieH]

ok, looks like our lad was wrong - carroll in for kuyt in the above team.

[StevieH]

yes dev. go get 'em big lanky pissed overpriced andy.

[Devil]

yes dev. go get 'em big lanky pissed overpriced andy.

bench is looking good now - Bellamy, Kuyt, Gerrard !

[StevieH]

yep, proper gamechangers on the bench. we're still missing glen johnson as well, becoming a bit of a forgotten man that one.

coates, flanagan, spearing also on the bench.

[Abrak]

yes dev. go get 'em big lanky pissed overpriced andy.

Thought that Carroll had his best match in a Liverpool shirt. He looked very lively, seemed to have an extra yard of pace and looked far more like the player he was at Newcastle.

Gerrard was only on for 10 minutes but looked very sharp and fit.

The back four, with the exception of Enrique, look pretty shaky.

[carmine]

yes dev. go get 'em big lanky pissed overpriced andy.

Thought that Carroll had his best match in a Liverpool shirt. He looked very lively, seemed to have an extra yard of pace and looked far more like the player he was at Newcastle.

Gerrard was only on for 10 minutes but looked very sharp and fit.

The back four, with the exception of Enrique, look pretty shaky.

You lot are obessed with Carroll.

[StevieH]

yes dev. go get 'em big lanky pissed overpriced andy.

Thought that Carroll had his best match in a Liverpool shirt. He looked very lively, seemed to have an extra yard of pace and looked far more like the player he was at Newcastle.

Gerrard was only on for 10 minutes but looked very sharp and fit.

The back four, with the exception of Enrique, look pretty shaky.

yes, carroll had a really good game and was hellish unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. he's getting fitter and getting used to his teammates more too as shown the few times he and suarez linked up well.

good to see gerrard back and looking fit aye, i'm still concerned about adam though. and we could really do with fielding the same back four for a run of games, the constant chopping and changing doesn't seem to be helping them at the minute.

credit to mick mccarthy by the way, wolves gave it a real go yesterday and his half time changes were excellent.

[rixalex]

yes dev. go get 'em big lanky pissed overpriced andy.

Thought that Carroll had his best match in a Liverpool shirt. He looked very lively, seemed to have an extra yard of pace and looked far more like the player he was at Newcastle.

Gerrard was only on for 10 minutes but looked very sharp and fit.

The back four, with the exception of Enrique, look pretty shaky.

Everything seemed to step up a notch when Gerrard came on. He really does lift the team and the whole place. Looks like he's still got "it".

And as Stevie says, Wolves really are a fun team to watch, aren't they. Fletcher, Doyle, Hunt, O'Hara, all those lot, might never be top team material, they ain't half bad mid-table players. Really play some nice stuff. Give anyone a game.

[Devil]

Downing is looking like one of our best signings already and played another excellent game. Gives us such width and pace. Love the way he keeps it simple and keeps the ball and just beats his man when its on or links with Enrique instead to get a decent ball in the box.

Kelly was clearly exhausted around 70 mins but played well, Glens got a job of getting back in the first 11.

Skrtel's naturally more comfortable at CB in complete contrast to being asked to play RB and yet again showed a bit of character given the nightmare he had last week.

Carroll, Downing, Suarez, Bellamy and Gerrard - must be the best attacking options we have had in years.

Massive boost to get that win especially with some tough games coming up.

Edited September 25, 2011 by Devil

[Abrak]

There is quite an interesting tool at ESPNsoccernet.com that plots the average position of players during a match. Accessible via team/fixtures/results/choose match/Gamecast/tactical formation. Here is what it looks like for Liverpool v Wolves.

It is quite noticeable that Carra's (23) average position is some 10 yards back from Skrtel - you dont see this very often with other formations and presumably it makes it difficult to hold a high backline.

The other player that is noticeable is how Carroll (9) is perhaps not as far forward as you would expect. It is only an 'average position' and he was tracking back a lot and defending. It just seems that Carroll often isnt in the box when he is needed because he isnt far enough the pitch in the first place.

[StevieH]

that 'average position' of carragher's is at the root of any and all problems we have had this season. it drags both lucas and adam further back towards the defence and increases the gap between the midfield and attack, making opposing teams' midfields' lives easier. i don't think we've actually caught an opposing player offside this season. it's a major concern and it can't go on being ignored.

[carmine]

Why on earth is Cahill still at Bolton? I had Liverpool or Arsenal down as bankers to try and buy him. Yes, you've made some good buys but Cahill would have been an excellent fit don't you think?

We should have bought him too what with our reliance on Ledleys fitness, off loading Woodgate and an aging William Gallas.

[smokie36]

Why on earth is Cahill still at Bolton? I had Liverpool or Arsenal down as bankers to try and buy him. Yes, you've made some good buys but Cahill would have been an excellent fit don't you think?

We should have bought him too what with our reliance on Ledleys fitness, off loading Woodgate and an aging William Gallas.

Only answer can be wage demands....which will be met by someone in lieu of the big transfer fee Bolton wanted on top. Makes sense to Abrak probably.

Precontract agreement in January....not with us though I wouldn't think....

Edited September 26, 2011 by smokie36

[carmine]

Why on earth is Cahill still at Bolton? I had Liverpool or Arsenal down as bankers to try and buy him. Yes, you've made some good buys but Cahill would have been an excellent fit don't you think?

We should have bought him too what with our reliance on Ledleys fitness, off loading Woodgate and an aging William Gallas.

Only answer can be wage demands....which will be met by someone in lieu of the big transfer fee Bolton wanted on top. Makes sense to Abrak probably.

Precontract agreement in January....not with us though I wouldn't think....

Yes, a Liverpool or Arsenal player by january i think. An ideal buy for either club. If not he's not going he's costing Bolton big time and going for a Bosman, similar to what a vile scumbag did to us.

[Abrak]

that 'average position' of carragher's is at the root of any and all problems we have had this season. it drags both lucas and adam further back towards the defence and increases the gap between the midfield and attack, making opposing teams' midfields' lives easier. i don't think we've actually caught an opposing player offside this season. it's a major concern and it can't go on being ignored.

Yes..... or the opposite happens where there is too large a gap between the midfield and the defense as in the Stoke game. It is basically the same problem.

Compare this with Man City against Everton....

Man City average positions......

[StevieH]

it gets ignored because of the credit carragher has in the bank. if it were skrtel making us play that deep there'd be murder. definitely needs sorting out pronto.

[Abrak]

By the way, if anyone has an iphone or ipad, I cant recommend '442 stats zone' App highly enough. It really is awesome. Obviously the word 'stats' in the title will put a lot of people off but it is incredibly detailed. It is powered by opta. Anyway it is free to download with all last seasons data so it is easy to checkout. And it costs 2.50 quid for current season data.

Anyway back on topic. I think it is going to be interesting to see how Gerrard fits in once he is fully fit. I am wondering who is going to be the major casualty from the current team. Adam is the obvious choice but in his defense I would say he is a totally different player in the final third of the pitch than when he is deep. He has decent numbers in terms of corners, assists, passes, chances created and goals or even half goals. When he is further back we see speculative tackling, speculative passes, 50 yard shots. And the problem is that the CMs have been sitting very deep.

The other player there is a question mark over is Henderson. Essentially he does nothing wrong but it really doesnt do much at all apart from recycle the ball fairly effectively. I am not laying into the player in fact I think he is going to be a very good acquisition. I think it is pretty tough asking a 20 year old to play out of his central midfield preferred position.

Anyway so long as Gerrard doesnt come back and take all the corners I am happy.

[StevieH]

getting giddy about the derby against the tricky blues now.

after seeing how moyes detailed his players to kick lumps out of david silva last week i hope the ref is up to scratch. can see there being red cards in this on both sides.

[carmine]

getting giddy about the derby against the tricky blues now.

after seeing how moyes detailed his players to kick lumps out of david silva last week i hope the ref is up to scratch. can see there being red cards in this on both sides.

You're starting to sound like one of Red Nose's pre most press conferences stevie.

I reckon a one all draw for this if its at Goodison which i think it is.

[StevieH]

getting giddy about the derby against the tricky blues now.

after seeing how moyes detailed his players to kick lumps out of david silva last week i hope the ref is up to scratch. can see there being red cards in this on both sides.

You're starting to sound like one of Red Nose's pre most press conferences stevie.

I reckon a one all draw for this if its at Goodison which i think it is.

nah, the derby is just exciting mate. love it.

and yes, it is at the ground that's made of wood. so a draw is probably a pretty likely outcome all things considered. don't think gerrard is ready to start unfortunately.

[mrbojangles]

after seeing how moyes detailed his players to kick lumps out of david silva last week i hope the ref is up to scratch. can see there being red cards in this on both sides.

Albeit I don't like that type of play. Moyes had them disciplined and playing to the plan for a good 60 minutes. But surely he won't adopt that same gameplan at home will he?

[StevieH]

after seeing how moyes detailed his players to kick lumps out of david silva last week i hope the ref is up to scratch. can see there being red cards in this on both sides.

Albeit I don't like that type of play. Moyes had them disciplined and playing to the plan for a good 60 minutes. But surely he won't adopt that same gameplan at home will he?

they tend to line up without any forwards and have a pretty spoiling game so i'm expecting suarez to come in for some rough treatment. i hope we go with the more senior players who have a bit more knowhow - would rather see bellamy and kuyt in that henderson etc.

[Abrak]

they tend to line up without any forwards and have a pretty spoiling game so i'm expecting suarez to come in for some rough treatment. i hope we go with the more senior players who have a bit more knowhow - would rather see bellamy and kuyt in that henderson etc.

At some point this season I am pretty sure that Suarez's temperament will get the better of him and he will get a red card in a match. It would be a nightmare if that happened in the Everton match with the Mancs coming up next.

[StevieH]

they tend to line up without any forwards and have a pretty spoiling game so i'm expecting suarez to come in for some rough treatment. i hope we go with the more senior players who have a bit more knowhow - would rather see bellamy and kuyt in that henderson etc.

At some point this season I am pretty sure that Suarez's temperament will get the better of him and he will get a red card in a match. It would be a nightmare if that happened in the Everton match with the Mancs coming up next.

yes, quite. he'll be their number one target tomorrow as well. last week rodwell, neville and one or two others tag-teamed david silva. have a feeling they'll rotate on winding up suarez too. he's going to need to be clever.