Liverpool F.c.

[StevieH]

only one player in the league has been booked twice for diving this season,

Cheers Abrak

heh. thought that one was worth mentioning.

[StevieH]

I also agree that this writhing on the floor in agony crap has to be stopped,

Agreed..... it's amazing how most of them can throw themselves to the ground knees first and slide for several yards, smiling, after they have scored a goal of course.

tiote was the latest at the weekend wasn't he? the delayed reaction thing or the holding your face when you've clearly been slapped on the shoulder stuff should be dead easy to police. got no problem with retrospective video on that and bans for fakers.

[mrbojangles]

only one player in the league has been booked twice for diving this season,

Cheers Abrak

heh. thought that one was worth mentioning.

It was stevie.

[SantiSuk]

only one player in the league has been booked twice for diving this season,

Cheers Abrak

heh. thought that one was worth mentioning.

It was stevie.

Perhaps Abrak (or Bo) can tell us which referee has booked the most players for diving.

That big Milan Russian-sounding guy is another serial writher. You would think his leg had been broken by the mearest of glancing brushes on Tuesday night. Wenger was right about how the ref let Milan take advantage of him over trivial challenges (but as always he should have kept his whinging a bit more circumspect!)

[Devil]

Oddly a decent article in the Daily mail today with an interview with Glen Johnson - some valid and honest answers on the Suarez / Evra farce.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2111767/Glen-Johnson-Patrice-Evra-clear-didnt-want-shake-Luis-Suarezs-hand.html

Glen Johnson exclusive: Evra made it clear he didn't REALLY want to shake Suarez's hand

By Ian Ladyman

Last updated at 10:45 PM on 7th March 2012

Glen Johnson was five players down the line when Luis Suarez seemingly refused to shake hands with Patrice Evra at Old Trafford last month. He didn’t see it.

The Liverpool defender has watched it plenty of times on television since, though, and he is convinced of what happened.

‘Evra was clever at Old Trafford,’ said Johnson, extending his hand directly towards me. ‘Because - I’m not being funny - but if I wanted to shake your hand I would stick it right out in front of me like that. But if my hand is down here, almost by my side, then it’s because I really don’t want to shake your hand.

On the ball: Glen Johnson is convinced Luis Suarez would never use racist words and backs him over the Patrice Evra handshake affair

‘Luis didn’t shake his hand because Evra’s hand was down there. What else is Luis supposed to do? Would you go to shake someone’s hand if their hand is way down there by their side? Course not. But then, because Luis didn’t do it, Evra has pulled him back by his arm as he walked on, as if to say to everybody: “Look, I wanted to shake his hand and he didn’t…â€

‘He’s following Luis with his eyes as if to say: “Right he’s gone, he’s gone (past me) so I’ll pull him back now…†Evra probably stayed up all night thinking about how to do that. The whole thing was ridiculous.’

This week Johnson became the first member of Kenny Dalglish’s squad to talk in detail about the Suarez-Evra episode, a saga that shook football and - in many people’s eyes - left a dent in Liverpool’s reputation.

It would appear that those who think the resentment surrounding this awful dispute has vanished are quite wrong.

Controversy: Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra caused a storm with their non-handshake

Glen Johnson is the guy who got dragged into a race storm that had nothing to do with him.

Liverpool’s only black first-team player, the England defender has been criticised by other black sportsmen for standing by Luis Suarez after the Uruguay forward was found by the FA to have made racist comments to Manchester United’s Patrice Evra during a game last October.

Former United defender Paul McGrath took to Twitter on seeing Johnson join his team-mates in wearing T-shirts in support of Suarez as they warmed up before a game at Wigan.

‘If I was in Glen Johnson’s position, I would have thrown the shirt to the floor,’ said McGrath.

Weeks later, Worcester and England sevens rugby player Marcel Garvey used the same social network to call Johnson an ‘Uncle Tom’. The term is used to describe blacks who are willingly subservient to whites. When we met this week, Johnson remained baffled. Admirably phlegmatic, but baffled all the same.

‘It’s only an issue because I am the only black lad in the club,’ he shrugged. ‘If it’s bad that the other lads supported Luis then that should be seen as just as bad as me supporting him. But people are on to me because I am black.

‘The McGrath thing … that’s actually racist. Saying what he said is racist. He is only saying that to me because I was the only black lad wearing the T-shirt. He’s targeting me because of my colour.

‘Listen, I’m my own man. If I have something I want to say or do then I will do it. The reason I wore the T-shirt is because I know 100 per cent Luis Suarez is not racist. He is one of the lads in the team that I get on with best of all at the club.

‘I am still on Twitter but I don’t use it much now. I was getting pathetic stuff on there. But that is what people go on it for, to give people stick. I haven’t spoken to Paul McGrath about it. I don’t care what he thinks, really. I don’t know anything about him. But for someone to say that, it sums them up. It’s their problem.

Getting shirty: Johnson showed his support for Suarez, like the rest of his team, by wearing controversial t-shirts before a Premier League game at Wigan

‘As for the rugby guy… well, that was really intelligent wasn’t it? I don’t know who this geezer is either. He should stick to playing rugby.

‘If I was to react to everyone’s comments I would be arguing every single day, you know? Like I say, for someone like that to write such a stupid message … well, make your own judgment.’

Johnson sat down with me this week in Warrington as part of an obligation to promote a new England sticker collection for children. Scheduled to do a host of media engagements, he was willing and courteous as he talked and signed card after card that would subsequently be distributed to youngsters.

Traditionally not an easy interviewee, the 27–year-old nevertheless spoke openly, intelligently and at length about the Suarez issue. It is clear he has no doubt about his team-mate’s innocence.

Along with many others, I have been fiercely critical of Liverpool’s handling of the affair. Nevertheless, Johnson’s reasoning was compelling to listen to, even if it was not enough to persuade me Dalglish and his club dealt with the issue as well as they should have done.

‘The evidence was Luis’s word against Evra’s,’ argued Johnson. ‘I’m not saying Evra is lying but it’s his word against Luis’s, isn’t it? So how did it all turn out to be so strong in Evra’s favour? I work with the lad every day. There is no way he said that.

‘With the media these days and the way it was going to be blown up, maybe the T-shirts thing wasn’t the right thing to do. How should I say this? We wore them to show our support for Luis. It wasn’t to send a message to everyone else. It was just for him.

Critical: Paul McGrath had his say on the matter after the Wigan match

‘It seemed to come across that we were making a point. We weren’t. It was the club’s idea. But obviously we all agreed. We didn’t really think about how people would react.’

The core argument of Suarez’s defence was that the word ‘negrito’ — which he was found to use to Evra at Anfield last October — is not an abusive term in South America. Suarez has played in Europe since 2007. Many impartial judges believe he should have known better.

Johnson, though, accepts Suarez’s defence. He tweeted his support of his friend the day after the T-shirts came out at Wigan. His loyalty to Suarez is admirable. It is clearly genuine, as is his fear that Suarez may turn his back on the Barclays Premier League.

‘I wrote what I thought on Twitter,’ Johnson recalled. ‘Then when I saw him the next day he came over and said thanks and that it meant a lot to him. I didn’t write that for him to come and say thank you. I just wanted to let people know my point of view. Like it or hate it, I don’t care.

‘It was nice for him to see his team-mates supporting him, I guess. But what people don’t appreciate is that these things stick with people and it can ruin careers. He could get almost forced out of Liverpool. He’s a good lad and a fantastic player and all he wants to do is get on and play football.

‘I can’t understand how people don’t get that in his culture the word “negro†or “negrito†is genuinely normal. Just because he’s out of his country he is not going to stop using his mother tongue. If we went to another country, we would use our slang, wouldn’t we? I can’t see why somebody can get in trouble for using his culture in another country.

‘I work with him every day. I know what he is like. Other people don’t. I will not change my view.’

Brought up in Greenwich, south London, Glen Johnson used to fight with those who called him names associated with his colour. Happily for him, he has not had to put his fists up during his years in the professional game with West Ham, Chelsea, Portsmouth and now Liverpool.

‘Obviously, racism was there,’ he reflected. ‘Like any kid I had my fights growing up after somebody called me something stupid and I reacted the wrong way.

‘But I think the game is OK. We have had the two big issues this season, with two high-profile players who you wouldn’t expect it from. But I have never had it in a game from another player. Never.

‘When something like this happens then it seems to put it in people’s minds again and then it happens more for a period until people forget about it again.

‘It’s very frustrating for all the people who work in the anti-racism campaigns. They must think their work is being undone. But I don’t feel like that at all.’

Johnson can empathise with Suarez a little. He, too, has had image problems. During his time at Chelsea and Portsmouth, his commitment to the game was questioned.

Settled: Johnson is enjoying life on Merseyside, and is in a rich vein of form

Two stories stuck with him, one suggesting he forgot his passport on a Chelsea trip — it was actually a club official’s fault — and another that he had tried to steal a toilet seat, of all things, from a hardware store.

‘There were a lot of things said and written that weren’t great,’ he said. ‘It has died down a bit and it is all about football now, which is what I want to be known for. But it took a while and that’s why I feel for Luis. Mud sticks. The B&Q one was ridiculous. There was nothing else to do but laugh.

‘I mean, come on, did anyone really believe I would do that? What thief walks through the till trying to pay with their credit card in their hand? They are normally running out of the door, aren’t they?

‘The thing is that things like that affect everybody. My mum is hearing things she doesn’t need to be hearing. My brother is hearing things he is having rows about.

‘But it’s gone now. Now it’s just about the football. That’s how I want it.’

Settled: Johnson was an £18million signing from Portsmouth by Rafa Benitez

Brought to Liverpool by Rafael Benitez, Johnson suffered a little under Dalglish’s predecessor Roy Hodgson last season. The current West Bromwich manager didn’t always seem to trust his defensive work. It is something Johnson has heard before.

‘It’s just a talking point, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘They just say it about everyone. As you get older you improve all areas and hopefully I have.’

Johnson is settled at Anfield. What’s more, he may yet be about to find the England team is managed by Harry Redknapp, the man who first gave him first-team football at West Ham and subsequently took him to Portsmouth. Johnson — who once described Redknapp as his ‘mentor’ — said: ‘Only Harry can decide if he wants it.

‘All I can say is that he’s a fantastic man, a great manager. He has helped me a lot. At the age of 15 he believed in me and gave me the chance to train and play with the first team. He helped my family out a lot when I was growing up. All that side of it.

‘Then he signed me again at Pompey and that was when I played for him properly. He has always had faith in me and that’s welcoming. Not everyone has.’

Say what you like about the modern Liverpool, but it would be wrong to question the club’s unity or sense of purpose. The Premier League season may not yet yield the top-four finish many would consider a pre-requisite, but Liverpool do have the Carling Cup on the shelf.

Liverpool also have Kenny Dalglish, their iconic manager, who is clearly as revered inside the home dressing room as he is on the Kop. Happily for Johnson and his team-mates, though, the Scot has abandoned his early attempts to join in during training.

‘When he first started he trained with us for a couple of sessions but he needed a few days’ rest afterwards and knocked it on the head,’ smiled Johnson. ‘At the end — after the hard work — we have little games and he would join in but everybody was too scared to go near him. It was like, “You can’t tackle Kenny Dalglish!â€

‘It was good to see, though. He was a legend as a player and is a legend around the club. He came in and steadied the ship and brought a fantastic coach in Steve Clarke.

‘Training is sharper and he just put a smile on everybody’s face.

‘We are a tight unit. We defend together and do everything together. We are close on and off the pitch. Kenny Dalglish is good at that.

‘He places an emphasis on it and makes sure he involves everybody. We look forward to going into training and you can see that on people’s faces.’

Johnson accepts a campaign that ends without a place in next season’s Champions League cannot be considered an unqualified success.

‘No, I wouldn’t say that it would be a success,’ he said. ‘We need to be in the top four. That’s what we would take above all others.’

Race for fourth: Liverpool are the outsiders to secure a Champions League place

He is clearly a player, though, who is intelligent enough to understand what the club has been through this season. There is a sense that the next one cannot start soon enough. Time to wipe the slate clean.

Johnson has only been at Anfield for two-and-a-half years but has a clear understanding of the importance of the club’s reputation. It is obvious that he takes no pleasure from discussing the Suarez case.

There is no attempt to antagonise Manchester United or indeed Evra. It ought to be stated here that — in this interview — he was merely asked some questions and he answered them candidly.

Like everybody else, he wants to get back to the football.

‘People are now singing, week in week out, that Liverpool are a racist club,’ he sighed. ‘Well, no. We are not. We have had one incident concerning racism that we believe isn’t true. So how can people think like that? People wanted something to happen that day. I don’t know why they didn’t just scrap the handshakes like they did before the Chelsea-QPR game.

‘It’s sad because those Liverpool and United games are known for big rivalries, big tackles, great football, love of the game.That day everything was not about the football and that was very sad. It was about everything else.

‘It was good that both clubs came out afterwards and said, “We are over it, it’s in the past. Let’s move onâ€. That’s how it should be.

‘Everybody should now start loving hating each other again. For football reasons.’

"Bastion of Invincibility" Liverpool Football Club.

[carmine]

Back to the old chestnut! I don't blame him for not shaking hands but i don't like his diving. The one last weekend should have seen a yellow card. That said, with all the writhing around on the deck and the look of consumate agony contorting his face i thought he had suffered an extremely serious injury. thankfully it was little more than a bite!

[carmine]

Back to the old chestnut! I don't blame him for not shaking hands but i don't like his diving. The one last weekend should have seen a yellow card. That said, with all the writhing around on the deck and the look of consumate agony contorting his face i thought he had suffered an extremely serious injury. thankfully it was little more than a bite!

[StevieH]

Back to the old chestnut! I don't blame him for not shaking hands but i don't like his diving. The one last weekend should have seen a yellow card. That said, with all the writhing around on the deck and the look of consumate agony contorting his face i thought he had suffered an extremely serious injury. thankfully it was little more than a bite!

he was fouled last weekend. minimal contact but still contact. didn't particularly like the histrionics myself but hey, was still a peno.

[carmine]

Back to the old chestnut! I don't blame him for not shaking hands but i don't like his diving. The one last weekend should have seen a yellow card. That said, with all the writhing around on the deck and the look of consumate agony contorting his face i thought he had suffered an extremely serious injury. thankfully it was little more than a bite!

he was fouled last weekend. minimal contact but still contact. didn't particularly like the histrionics myself but hey, was still a peno.

You know i'm just joking, but you know what, the histrionics of all these players now i just find a total embarassment.

[StevieH]

Back to the old chestnut! I don't blame him for not shaking hands but i don't like his diving. The one last weekend should have seen a yellow card. That said, with all the writhing around on the deck and the look of consumate agony contorting his face i thought he had suffered an extremely serious injury. thankfully it was little more than a bite!

he was fouled last weekend. minimal contact but still contact. didn't particularly like the histrionics myself but hey, was still a peno.

You know i'm just joking, but you know what, the histrionics of all these players now i just find a total embarassment.

oh aye, it's pathetic. i just wish the rules were different and some of these tarts were introduced to the likes of tommy smith, norman hunter, ron harris etc. really give them something to writhe and scream about.

[rixalex]

Back to the old chestnut! I don't blame him for not shaking hands but i don't like his diving.

Back to that old chestnut indeed.

You don't blame him? Erm, i do.

I think the right think to have done would have been to put it all behind us, and that would have started with the two men shaking hands. But ok, if Suarez felt that he couldn't bring himself to that, if he felt that he was a completely innocent victim in all this, then the thing to have done was to have told first off his manager that he couldn't shake hands, and then told everyone else, before the game. But of course, to have done it this way, he wouldn't have had the satisfaction of the public snub - i think he wanted that. Bit selfish wouldn't you say? Wouldn't you also say that the extra negative media frenzy that he inflicted on the club was deserving, and not worthy of sympathy, as articles like the one devil posted attempt to in some way elicit? I would. I'd also say that all this talk of him in some way being justified in not shaking hands because Evra lowered the angle of his arm a few degrees, is absolutely pathetic. So what if Evra did? His arm was still out and his hand open. From Evra's point of view - although i appreciate that's not one you care to consider - i imagine that took a decent amount of pride swallowing itself - having to be the one to make the first move in extending the olive branch.

It seems though that Liverpool's one-eyed we-have-done-no-wrong approach to this, in spite of having time to reflect, is being maintained. Oh well....

[carmine]

Back to the old chestnut! I don't blame him for not shaking hands but i don't like his diving.

Back to that old chestnut indeed.

You don't blame him? Erm, i do.

I think the right think to have done would have been to put it all behind us, and that would have started with the two men shaking hands. But ok, if Suarez felt that he couldn't bring himself to that, if he felt that he was a completely innocent victim in all this, then the thing to have done was to have told first off his manager that he couldn't shake hands, and then told everyone else, before the game. But of course, to have done it this way, he wouldn't have had the satisfaction of the public snub - i think he wanted that. Bit selfish wouldn't you say? Wouldn't you also say that the extra negative media frenzy that he inflicted on the club was deserving, and not worthy of sympathy, as articles like the one devil posted attempt to in some way elicit? I would. I'd also say that all this talk of him in some way being justified in not shaking hands because Evra lowered the angle of his arm a few degrees, is absolutely pathetic. So what if Evra did? His arm was still out and his hand open. From Evra's point of view - although i appreciate that's not one you care to consider - i imagine that took a decent amount of pride swallowing itself - having to be the one to make the first move in extending the olive branch.

It seems though that Liverpool's one-eyed we-have-done-no-wrong approach to this, in spite of having time to reflect, is being maintained. Oh well....

I do agree that he should have told Dalglish he wouldn't shake hands and then appropriate action could be taken, ie forget the whole handshake business all together for that game.

I would further say that by misleading his manager, vastly contributed the the clubs greatest ever player, a legend at anfield, having to make a public apology and that was unforgiveable of Suarez.

Regards the rest of the Evra/Suarez episode i suggest we agree to disagree.

[rixalex]

Regards the rest of the Evra/Suarez episode i suggest we agree to disagree.

OK, but just so we are clear, what we are disagreeing on is not that i think Suarez was completely guilty and Evra completely innocent, cos i don't know that to be true and suspect it isn't, but we disagree in that i believe, as i stated before the outcome, that the thing to do was let the people who were privy to all the evidence available (which you and i were not) come to a decision, and then the players and the clubs accept it, whatever it might be, and we move on... whereas you, only believed in this if the outcome was the one you agreed with.

[Jimjim]

Sunderland are hot and about the last team I'd want to play right now to try and snap out of our poor league form. Let's hope we can have a repeat of last season, a dubious penalty given to us (that we actually score) and a wonder goal from Suarez.

[Penkoprod]

And no beachballs !!!!!

[StevieH]

Sunderland are hot and about the last team I'd want to play right now to try and snap out of our poor league form. Let's hope we can have a repeat of last season, a dubious penalty given to us (that we actually score) and a wonder goal from Suarez.

sessegnon and cattermole are both suspended for them, which is theoretically good for us. if we play like we did against arsenal last week we should beat them. be bloody nice to put some chances away for once though.

[Abrak]

Liverpool have drawn 8 home matches and lost one (to Arsenal). In all 9 of those matches they had over 50% possession and on average they had 57.8% possession in those matches. Still could be worse.

[StevieH]

team is: presumably gerrard on the bench. good to see coates getting a start.

LFC team at Sunderland - Reina ; Johnson, Coates, Skrtel, Jose Enrique ; Kuyt, Spearing, Adam, Henderson, Bellamy ; Suarez

[cardholder]

Some people are suggesting that the bench looks stronger than the starting line up.

Should be an interest battle between two very good managers.

Not one to bet on - I fancy a draw.

[wellred]

Not managed 3 defeats on the trott in 5+ years I believe. Anyway we were dogshite today and deserved nothing. I don't think Kenny even knows what his best team is. I think he's had a fair crack and in the summer he should move aside. He came in to steady the ship and he done that but he should have moved over then in the summer. The problem is Kenny has been out of the game too long, he isn't up to date in terms of tactics and it shows week in week out. We are essentially playing the same brand of football as he had Newcastle playing, negative tactics with no real purpose.

Tactics aside he has also wasted so much money in the summer. It beggars belief we had more points this time last year.

Not sure who we should get in tbh. Heart says Rafa but id like us to maybe get in AVB. He's a young guy with good ideas who was like so many others (including players) wasted at Chelsea.

[Devil]

Not managed 3 defeats on the trott in 5+ years I believe. Anyway we were dogshite today and deserved nothing. I don't think Kenny even knows what his best team is. I think he's had a fair crack and in the summer he should move aside. He came in to steady the ship and he done that but he should have moved over then in the summer. The problem is Kenny has been out of the game too long, he isn't up to date in terms of tactics and it shows week in week out. We are essentially playing the same brand of football as he had Newcastle playing, negative tactics with no real purpose.

Tactics aside he has also wasted so much money in the summer. It beggars belief we had more points this time last year.

Not sure who we should get in tbh. Heart says Rafa but id like us to maybe get in AVB. He's a young guy with good ideas who was like so many others (including players) wasted at Chelsea.

Haha now that's a knee jerk reaction, what nonsense!

Poor display today and yet with the same player as last week were we played Arsenal off the pitch....but to suggest Kenny should go already???

Anyway all opinions I suppose

"Bastion of Invincibility" Liverpool Football Club.

[Penkoprod]

I have always thought the AVB option, linke to Comolli, was the one Fenway were looking at all the time, until they saw all the adoration from the fans that KK had, and, seeing as how he seemed capable, he was given the job instead of AVB.

[nellyp]

We were shit tonight. After seeing the game against arsesnal i don't understand this any more. Do we need the challenge? Can we not get up for it unless the other team are top draw? I seem to remember that being what teams did against us. I asm sick and tired of watching mr Adam balls-ing up free kicks and corners, I like henderson but feel he should not be playing every game, Carroll should be being used as he was tonight and brought on at the end of a game. It was great to see coatez on the pitch but I would like to have seen Shelvy and maybe paccio as well. I could not believe we brought on downing, what was the poiint by the way is Maxi dead?. We had no chance of 4th so we should be messing with the team to see if we can blood the new talent.

My misses said to me after the game that we had to blame the manager, she is no football expert but she can spot good and bad football, and thinks that the team are not playing because he (KK), picks stupid teams and substitutes too late int the game. I am finding it harder and harder to defend against this. I personally blame the players, they are all under performing except for the big games. We will never be the team we were until all the players start to play with passion and the talent that they obviously have.

I am so glad that i am not writing this as keeping the pen on the paper would be a problem, what with my knees jerking all around the room.

I am watching Chronicle as I'm typing this...wicked film...... watch it. It's less stressful than watching LFC, sort of Lord of the flies, meets Cloverfield, meets Hancock

[spongeman]

Im so depressed after that but what is worse is that Im starting to accept it.

And Ive been supporting them since 1972.

[carmine]

Not managed 3 defeats on the trott in 5+ years I believe. Anyway we were dogshite today and deserved nothing. I don't think Kenny even knows what his best team is. I think he's had a fair crack and in the summer he should move aside. He came in to steady the ship and he done that but he should have moved over then in the summer. The problem is Kenny has been out of the game too long, he isn't up to date in terms of tactics and it shows week in week out. We are essentially playing the same brand of football as he had Newcastle playing, negative tactics with no real purpose.

Tactics aside he has also wasted so much money in the summer. It beggars belief we had more points this time last year.

Not sure who we should get in tbh. Heart says Rafa but id like us to maybe get in AVB. He's a young guy with good ideas who was like so many others (including players) wasted at Chelsea.

Bit OTT don't you think? I don't think he's done a particularily good job either regards league form but you are still in the FA cup and have already bagged some silverware! There is also some very stiff opposition for a top four place as Spurs are finding out. You'd be better off making a judgement call on the manager maybe by next christmas. By then you should be seeing better quality football and hopefully have found someone that knows where the net is. You might even be the holders of the FA cup too.

It really isn't Dalglish's fault either if Carroll is so poor, Henderson average and Downing, well he just simply hasn't stepped up to the plate. Totally ineffective that guy.

[rixalex]

Bit OTT don't you think? I don't think he's done a particularily good job either regards league form but you are still in the FA cup and have already bagged some silverware! There is also some very stiff opposition for a top four place as Spurs are finding out. You'd be better off making a judgement call on the manager maybe by next christmas. By then you should be seeing better quality football and hopefully have found someone that knows where the net is. You might even be the holders of the FA cup too.

It really isn't Dalglish's fault either if Carroll is so poor, Henderson average and Downing, well he just simply hasn't stepped up to the plate. Totally ineffective that guy.

Tend to agree. On the pitch, don't think KK has done such a bad job. Been let down by some of the players not performing - at least not consistently.

Off the pitch is where i think he has made more of the mistakes. Some dodgy buys and some badly mishandled public relations. Those indiscretions aside, still think he deserves to be given more time, and i have no doubt that is a view shared by the vast majority of Liverpool supporters, many of whom i dare say would stick by him even through relegation. I don't blame them that. Nice to see some loyalty these days. Only wish it didn't make some of them so darn one eyed.

[Abrak]

I am certainly one for patience.

1) We are a relatively new team of players. It should be remembered it took City a couple of years to turn a team of superstars from a good team into a top team. It doesnt happen overnight.

2) Looking at the League is slightly misleading. Look at what the team has achieved in the cups against the likes of City, Chelsea, and United. If you bear this in mind our overall results are nothing like as bad.

3) Although, we have made no progress in the League, we are averaging 55% possession against 51.6% last year. You have to feel that 57.8% possession for 9 home games that you draw 8 and lose 1 is a pretty poor and a pretty unlucky return.

We are certainly not good enough but I dont think things are quite as bad as they seem.

To give you an example of how unlucky Liverpool have been this year - when Liverpool visited Stoke and lost 1-0, they had 72.7% of possession and all 11 LFC players (including Pepe) had more completed passes than any single Stoke player. Somehow it is a bit harsh to blame something like that on Dalglish.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Abrak

[carmine]

I am certainly one for patience.

1) We are a relatively new team of players. It should be remembered it took City a couple of years to turn a team of superstars from a good team into a top team. It doesnt happen overnight.

2) Looking at the League is slightly misleading. Look at what the team has achieved in the cups against the likes of City, Chelsea, and United. If you bear this in mind our overall results are nothing like as bad.

3) Although, we have made no progress in the League, we are averaging 55% possession against 51.6% last year. You have to feel that 57.8% possession for 9 home games that you draw 8 and lose 1 is a pretty poor and a pretty unlucky return.

We are certainly not good enough but I dont think things are quite as bad as they seem.

Stats on possession being a positive are totally overated. Its about what you do with it isn't it. Rather like stats on the number of assists a player has. You can set a striker with a perfect ball but theres no assist given if the striker can't bury the chance.

Anyway back to your original point. Take Napoli for example. They'll give you all the possession you want because their game is all about sucking the other team in and then hitting back with lightning breaks. For this reason i doubt if Chelsea will be able to do much in their return leg though i might ofcourse be wrong.

[rixalex]

3) Although, we have made no progress in the League, we are averaging 55% possession against 51.6% last year. You have to feel that 57.8% possession for 9 home games that you draw 8 and lose 1 is a pretty poor and a pretty unlucky return.

Don't recall any of you guys saying United were unlucky when we played you in FA Cup and completely bossed possession.

[maccastime]

Bit OTT don't you think? I don't think he's done a particularily good job either regards league form but you are still in the FA cup and have already bagged some silverware! There is also some very stiff opposition for a top four place as Spurs are finding out. You'd be better off making a judgement call on the manager maybe by next christmas. By then you should be seeing better quality football and hopefully have found someone that knows where the net is. You might even be the holders of the FA cup too.

It really isn't Dalglish's fault either if Carroll is so poor, Henderson average and Downing, well he just simply hasn't stepped up to the plate. Totally ineffective that guy.

Tend to agree. On the pitch, don't think KK has done such a bad job. Been let down by some of the players not performing - at least not consistently.

Off the pitch is where i think he has made more of the mistakes. Some dodgy buys and some badly mishandled public relations. Those indiscretions aside, still think he deserves to be given more time, and i have no doubt that is a view shared by the vast majority of Liverpool supporters, many of whom i dare say would stick by him even through relegation. I don't blame them that. Nice to see some loyalty these days. Only wish it didn't make some of them so darn one eyed.

Yes i agree with you,K.D. should be given more time,or we will end up having more manager turn overs than Chelsea,when all else fails the manager gets the blame,we had enough posession against Sunderland to grab the points,but once again poor finishing options.It was a really boring game at times,wind blowing a treat,but both teams had to endure it.