Matchday: Liverpool v. Sparta Prague

what was that i almost fell asleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I thought Hodgson had already left us...

jeeze, that was absolutely dreadful!

Kuyt & Maxi's hard/clever work to create space for our 'galloping full backs' didn't quite pay off (yet again) eh...

I like how you continually point out the problem and have yet to offer a solution in the shape of let's say, a name(s).
Clearly Bert Van MarWijk, Sergio Bastista, Steve Clark and Kenny Dalgleish don't know their stuff. So please, enlighten us all!

Actually that's a nonsense, as I've been posting my preferred lineups before most games for ages now, and even today had my preferred lineup with no Kuyt or Maxi at the bottom of this very page! (with Meireles sliding in due to the unavailability of Poulsen)

There's been very little reason to see so much Dirk Kuyt or Maxi Rodriguez this year, especially now that everything should be geared towards mounting a title/CL challenge next year...

Apologies then excuse my awareness, though I do agree next years wish list should definitely be topped by a (proper) winger in the shape of a Navas or the like, I don't believe Cole or Jovanovic merit being anywhere near the first team at this, the business end if the season. Mainly as like Maxi and Kuyt, would be playing outwith their preferred position.

I guess that's where we differ - I don't see this as the business end of the year for us, but more like an extended pre-season (kind of). We're not breaking into the top 4 this year, so I want to see which players can feature in a title/CL contention squad this year and to just give up on those proven failures.

Usually we'd have to loan the likes of Pacheco, Suso, Wilson, Kelly etc out to get first team football in their preferred positions, but Hodgson has left the club in a position where there is little pressure on the team to deliver results and so we could blood them in in a controlled environment at our own club now instead. Just look how much Wilshere benefitted from a few months of first team football and think how much stronger our squad would look next year if some of those teens had 10 or so first team games under their belts already!

Anyway, Cole and Jovanovich might not deserve a first team berth, but Maxi and Kuyt definitely don't. I honestly don't think the youngsters would do much worse than the rest of this lot have though, as these guys are setting a dismal example of what is required. At least the young'uns would inject some energy and pace into our movement, and give us good reason to believe that things will naturally continue to improve over time as the players gain more experience...

its very hard for me to admit like but i think your right and its time we sold kuyt. i do realy like the guy as he has always gives his best efforts and runs up more miles then any other player but for a winger/striker i dont think he has got more then 5 goals this season and he has taken penaltys his assist also not good. if antyhing i would play him as a defending mid? but liverpool without gerrard luis the only player now that looks like can score is raul. we can not rely on 3 players when united arsenal tottenham and so on have a lot of player pitching in. question is how much do you think we will get for kuyt??? i would say 12mil

I'd probably be foolish not to agree with your extended pre- season assessment as it would very much make sense.
Think I'm rather more sub-consciously kidding myself we will make a final push for 4th. Had we won at Wigan I could've seen it. Not so much now.

And I'm not sure galloping fullback Danny Wilson crossed the half way line at any point in the match.

(well, okay, to be fair I remember him being invited up once by a pass into space that he had to sprint half the field to pick up five yards into the Sparta half)

Naa never really seen that one happening myself. Actually missed the second half but I'm guessing Aurelios departure didn't improve proceedings after the break?
Kelly-less Liverpool is actually quite frightening.

you didn't miss anything at all - Johnson was the only player who looked remotely capable of doing anything in the opposition half, much less the final third, and even then it wasn't anything special...

Isn't it about time for a Meireles volley?

It's about time for something

Something is bound to happen sometime.

With great hesitation I leave you for the second half--work calls. Don't be jealous.

I would not F around with Repka...

I don't think Gattuso would f around with Repka!

JOE COLE WALKS AMONG US

We can only hope he has the stamina to make it to the half.

That's why I didn't say "runs among us." Expectations.

I thought Repka was great in "Eastern Promises"

"A great wine, old ash fuck!"

This is dreadful.

Is it just me or has the carra hoof morphed into some sort of dink?

He's not doing too badly with distribution today. Problems elsewhere, though--for all that I'd take him over Cole, Maxi's been anonymous; meanwhile N'Gog isn't making a case for himself and Aurelio is trying to spray it around like Alonso and conceding possession every second time he gets the ball as a result.

It wasn't a criticism believe me, it seems more concentrated, more accute. Makes you wonder where it's been all season.

I'm streaming this game at work but I think I'd rather be working.

Same...

Interesting to see Carragher on the left. Can't remember him ever not being the right of any back pair, hope somebody asks about it post-match.

Come on you reds

Are you sure this isn't going to be another 3 center-half backline, with Wilson playing the part of Agger, and Johnson and Aurelio as the wing backs? Isn't Wilson more of a CB than an LB?

Yeah, anyone's guess, the above is a stab made minutes before a quick meeting I got pulled into. Inclusion of Wilson throws things off--talk of covering at LB earlier in the season, but now with sense restored to the world and a fit Aurelio who knows.

I wouldn't be hugely surprised to see that, with Raul more reserved to partner Lucas again and Kuyt dropping off a bit with Maxi, but there's certainly a bit of fuzziness either way you go with that personnel.

How on earth do Kuyt and Maxi keep getting so many chances to impress??? It's not like they're even of an age where they have any chance of getting better over the coming months/years.

I really do think that we could immediately elevate our performances a couple of levels if we stopped having these two holding the team back every week... :-(

(the lineup does look more suited to the 5-4-1 than a 4-4-2 anyways fwiw)

I understand your frustration, and your certainly not alone, but where Kuyt certainly isn't a recognised winger he is effective playing in many positions. Whether it's allowing galloping full back to get forward or holding up play to allow space for others.
He must be doing something right to be one of the first names on the Dutch, and Liverpool, teamsheets.

that's the thing - everybody says that he's so effective in so many positions, but he simply isn't! Whether it's Johnson behind him, Kelly (or Arbeloa or Finnan) or even Carragher ffs, it's ALWAYS up to the fullback to provide any width on the right because Kuyt can't do it.

As two of the most experienced players in our team and for players guaranteed a starting role in our attack every width (with the freedom to drift around wherever they want also, seeing as there is no requirement for either of them to provide any width) a lot more should be expected of them than is.

All that Maxi can do is loiter around the box and wait to take potshots, whereas Kuyt offers absolutely nothing in attack from open play! I don't care what he does for Holland, but there's no way that Kuyt should be starting for Liverpool, much less being seen as a key player for us.

Well, I'd have either over Cole or Jovanovic any day.

Cole wouldn't really be an option as a wideman either, but at least there's still a little bit of an unknown quantity about him and Jovanovich - we've seen Kuyt and Maxi playing week in, week out and we should all know by now that it just doesn't work.

Neither of them offer enough (anything) from open play and it's time to give others the opportunity that they've been afforded - preferably younger players that may figure to be prominent squad players for us next year

Amen

Hopefully... 433

Reina
Johnson-Kelly-Carragher-Aurelio
Cole-Poulsen-Lucas
Pacheco-N'gog-Jovanovich

Time to start giving Kelly games at centreback and Pacheco the opportunity to show whether he is good enough or not. Stick Cole with a more attacking role alongside Lucas, ahead of Poulsen and see how he picks up the role.

And most importantly, no more chances for Kuyt and Maxi on the 'wings'!!

Poulsen's been left out, his wife is in labor/recently had their child.

Should we send an Alice band to congratulate?

Was the child not born with one?