ash1

iTrader: (2)

Watching briefly the Arsenal game yesterday and couldn't help thinking how much we are trailing this team. General player attitude, ball retention and overall attacking flair. Even when the **** were 4-0 up they were chasing the play.

Its only been two games and we're 5 points behind. Biggest fear now is that if Houllier carries on like this then Owen and Gerrard will leave in the summer (both not signed extensions yet). Steve G is already giving hints of not wanting to play in UEFA next year....

I've given GH my backing, I believe we have a strong enough team to compete for a top 3 finish (minus Cheyrou, Biscan, Heskey and Murphy), but if things don't change soon then I feel we are getting very close to someone up top with different footballing ideas.

I was willing to give GH until xmas, but his time may come sooner than that......

paulr

Difficult one.........missing out on the Champions League was a massive blow last season.

Davestamf

As an impartial observer, Liverpool were last season's under-achievers, especially after such a hefty summer spending spree.
So far this season, (including the Amsterdam tournament) they appear to have deteriorated even further. The fine passing and attacking style that was once their trademark is no longer evident, and the only time they now look like scoring is when adopting a purely aggressive and physical method, which tends to invalidate any skilled players such as Owen.

NAF

I gotta agree
Imho I believe Liverpool may have gone as far as possible with GH.
Liverpool are playing negative boring defensive football and it sucks . . .
I'm resigned to another season of Sh1te

MattW

As a Utd fan, funnily, I take no joy from Liverpool's demise. Even when I grew up in the 70's and 80's the scousers were always good humoured in victory. Banter yes, nasty no...

Arsenal on the other hand....

Anyway, i have to say that Roy Evans leaving was tragic. At the time I couldn't understand what he'd done. With hindsight it seems even more bizarre. What they need is a good British manager, prepared to invest soome money and time in home grown scousers.

ash1

iTrader: (2)

If only Evans had had the fore sight to buy a decent defender or two and it would have almost been there I think. But then he did have some ageing players too - thinking of Barnes, Rush etc.

I wouldn't say past 5 years has been a waste - scoring 125 goals in one season is not negative. And don't care what anyone says, but winning 5 honours in the same year is good going - some clubs (e.g. Newcastle) haven't won anything since 50's. We've had some excellent runs, most notably when we got 2nd place, in some years getting 80 points would have been good enough to win the league. But the **** were too good that year.

But since the 5 trophies and 2nd place, its kind of stalled, like a false dawn now. Whats also interesting is that year on year the games in the Premiership are getting tougher and tougher. We should be going to place like Villa and spanking teams like that, but GH shows them too much respect. Take the f'ing handbrake off, who cares if you concede a goal or two, doesn't matter if you're putting away four goals a game.

Well, this year sees the end of GHs 5 year plan - he was asked to be judged on that, but waiting until the end of the season may not be an option.

As for managers, perhaps we may have to wait for Erikkson as I think he will quit after Euro 2004. But I suspect he may want to move to a club thats in a 'better' position. I would also welcome Capello - he's done a lot whereever he's been.

Anyway, I think the next 2-3 games are crucial.

Toonman1

Oh yes we have. Get your facts right please.

Cheers

ash1

iTrader: (2)

Toonman, wasn't having a go, you won the UEFA cup in 69. But was using it more as an example.

Toonman1

Okay Ash, but there have to be better examples. Try Middlesbrough - they've never won anything! Zilch, nought, big fat zero...

Cheers

MattW

I think ash was refering to the big clubs like Chelsea, Newcastle, Sunderland

Middlesboro' are hardly in that league

crowt123

i'm also resigned to another season of crap...i hate the way hollier has got the team playing over the last 3 years..it's so negative...let's get back too the good old days where people respect us for the quality attacking football we used to play...liverpool are now a mid-table team which i hate...move gerard upstairs and bring in somebody like john toshack who knows a bit about the game...quote of his after the chelsea game "if you have 5 out and out attackers on the pitch at one time, you are in trouble"...we ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ash1

iTrader: (2)

Not sure about Toshack myself.

The coming weeks are a big challenge to GH. We'll see what he's made of, I for one want the team to win and hopefully that might set us off for the season. But time has come to stop tinkering with the players and play them where they should play.

Our away strategy worked well last year, lets do the same again and at home play with more passion and flair. How many times I recall in the past where we used to score within the first 10 mins of a game at Anfield. Hasn't happened enough times under GH reign.

Redkop

Different story today though - eh?

ash1

iTrader: (2)

Yep different story, difference being more positive strategy and players like Kewell playing in the right positions.

Also, think putting Murphy / Riise on bench a good idea - they may taken their position in the team for granted.

Would like to see Le Tallec given a chance in the midfield. Thought Diouf played well too, he looks very slow at times but very rarely loses the ball.

One thing we lack is crosses into the box though. Would like to see more of that and players like Heskey, Owen and Baros gettin on the end of it.