The biggest test for this new season comes up this coming weekend against our eternal rivals at Old Trafford. I must admit that Liverpool are not yet gelling as a team with that so-called ‘cutting edge’ as I know we need some more time for real chemistry after so many squad alterations; and with a new manager at the helm. Nevertheless, I want to hope that in the heat of this bitter rivalry against Manchester United that we at least see the real spirit of Liverpool displayed on the pitch come Sunday. My greatest concern at this point seeks to repeat that of many fans and pundits alike – the perceived unhappy countenance of Fernando Torres of late. I personally won’t bash our only dependable striker of quality, as now is neither the time or place, and for me I hope it will never be necessary to do that, but If he could just somehow hear me and heed my words here: We need him to forget all the negative issues surrounding the club and wherever else the possible source of his apparent low-keyed demeanour and just start doing the things on the football pitch that brings back the smile to his face and all the LFC fans alike. His only goal so far this season gave us a welcome reminder of his brilliance and if he can reproduce such genius and even that of his best moments for Spain in his last international against Liechtenstein earlier this month(where he scored a truly well taken double) then I would be the happiest fan alive at the end of what is probably going to be our most heated ninety minutes of football so far this season.
We expect the team to step up to the plate and hopefully drop what I believe is some nervousness in some aspects of our game and give more movement and support to the attack in the final third led by the dependable Gerrard and Torres. The squares are coming up short so far and might be partly due to the same reason – not enough clinical targets in the box but we must continue to work hard and we will get better. Incidentally, we haven’t seen the best of Stevie G so far this season but I cannot wait to see what happens in this crucial game as this fixture invariably brings out the best in our top campaigners year after year.
Move for striker when the window re-opens: We need top class signings, not stop gaps…
As we continue to patiently wait for those well publicised desires to be fulfilled with regards to acquiring some needed quality support for Torres, I was somewhat surprised to see that Roy Hodgson’s last moment dealings involved trying to get Carlton Cole to move to Anfield. In the end I was happy at how it turned out as I along with so many other Liverpool fans who agree when I say that C. Cole is definitely not a purchase I would consider as he just doesn’t score enough goals.
I honestly think I understand the gaffers decision at the last minute only because I believe he wants a strong striker that can play on his own if required and also hold up the ball efficiently and score at least ten goals a season. However, go back for one second to the days of Emile Heskey and you will understand when I now re-iterate an interesting comment from one of our readers some time ago, “ if the player is not top class then we shouldn’t buy at all, just stick with what we have and hope for new owners who will provide a sufficient transfer budget and until then lets just hope and pray for a top four finish this season”. This point is even more valid since we seem intent on playing with one striker as a point man, therefore whoever comes in must definitely be world class.
Incidentally, I had the fortune of watching Bryan Ruiz(a very recently rumoured LFC target) play for Costa Rica against Jamaica in an International friendly at the National Stadium in Kingston on September 5, 2010. The ‘Reggae Boyz’ being at home were strong as usual against equal CONCACAF opposition and came out well deserved 1:0 winners on the night. However, what interested me most was the fact that Ruiz was never a threat for almost the entire 90 minutes. He produced one move and shot with is weaker right foot, just inside the box, which went straight to the keeper. Furthermore, I was able to confirm that even though he comes back well and supports the play in the middle, his right foot is actually non-existent and I saw not even a glimspe of any exceptional skill to write home about. The other disturbing fact was that as a natural ‘lefty’ he still couldn’t work up a single strike on his favourite side all night. It might sound a bit biased but he reminded me of a certain Spaniard of our past – step up Fernando Morientes – and even after one match I am convinced that Bryan Ruiz of FC Twente is not the right choice either. I can only hope Roy had the opportunity to come to this same conclusion and as a result will not even bother to revisit this option when the new window opens in January 2011.
Follow us on twitter @live4Liverpool
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at editor@live4liverpool.com
Full trailer for ‘Buried’ the new thriller which hits cinemas Sept 29:
Ryan bable is better than all the rumored striker targets this season……….he was bought in as as cf and was never given a proper chance..he mostly played in the wings…how can a cf be so effective in wings and then he was crisezed for not performing well…i feel ryan should play behind torres with joecole in left…both of them constantly switching places …which naturaaly gives torres more space…babel can bring so many dimensions in to game….the way babel connects a shot is very clean…he brings pace and physical side into game…hes obviously very talented and can pass cross and shoot with either foot…
gerrard raul
maxi/jova/kuyt joecole
babel
torres
this squad look so dangerous with babel and joe switching places constantly
you’re judging ruiz on one game, ONE GAME! my god, you’ll be selling nando after sunday’s performance, along with the rest of the team, barring pepe!
i am glad you’re not one of our scouts!
you rattled me so much there, i forgot to make my point! which is this: i don’t necessarily feel we need to target another striker as our priority in january, i believe our overwhelming need is quality width! kuyt and jova are clones, neither of who can beat a player and deliver a cross. i think until january we should deploy joe cole wide left and either give young amoo a crack on the right or move glen johnson up, hopefully babel will prove ample back-up/support for nando! then when the window opens, should we have new owners, i personally think we should go for turan and ashley young and move JC back to the middle.
@Steve Mc
I understand your concern but i am not judging him as a footballer on one game, i’ve seen clips of him play, but never a full game…anyway, i’m simply relating to the fact that Liverpool needs top calibre and Ruiz showed absolutely nothing of that in 90 minutes…and yes if i was a scout i wouldn’t buy him. He’s OK at best and that’s not matching requirements at LFC in my opinion.
right with you Steve – it wouldn’t matter if we had two Torres clones at the moment, we’d still look a pretty average team.
The lack of width and pressure high up the field makes it easy for opposition defenders to crowd out the only two attackers that Hodgson deploys. Everybody else is so deep and so narrow that the defence can just ignore them, pressure the strikers early, take the ball off of them and build yet another attack free from duress.
We need width to divert attention from the main striker, not another partner up alongside him
We need the two greedy Americans out of the club as soon as possible and then we need to sell 3 players and bring in 5 players to implement and strengthen the squad.
And some serious investment, who will have the funds available for the team and give Hodgson some serious money to spend in january: £60-£70m on top of any sales made.
Hodgson needs to sell : Krygiakos for £1-£2m
LUCAS for £7-£9m To Inter Or Palermos
Kuyt to Inter for £10-£15
that could bring in : £18-£26m
Then Hodgson needs to have a next £35m on top of that, to bring in these 5 players to get Liverpool back challenging for title.
IN: 1: G Cahill of Bolton for £10- £15m CB
2: L Diarra of Real Madrid for £8-£10m or
M Sissoko of Juventus for £8-£10m DM
3: Arda Turan Of Galatassary for £8-£12m Or
Juan Mata Of Valencia for £8-£14m to play RW
4: Diego Capel Of Seville for £8-£12m LW
5: G Agbonglahor Of Aston Villa for £12-£17m FD
so spending would be : £62m-£80m
And Cahill and Diarra/Sissoko would bring more steel and power, solid, combatitive, competitive edge to squad and Turan/Mata, Capel and Agbonglahor.
And Turan or Mata and Capel would provide width that we have lacked for years, with pace, speed, creativity, trickery, quality, good delivery and goals from the wings.
And G Agbonglahor would be Torres’s Understudy and would offer Pace, speed, Strength and a presence.
Maxi Rodriguez, Jovanovic and Dirk kuyt are all good players, but neither of them are out and out wingers.
And they rarely stretch teams ever, so the support to Gerrard and Torres is limited.
But If Liverpool had Turan or Mata on the right wing, Diego Capel on the Left wing, we would stretch teams home and away in every game.
As they all have pace, speed, trickery to unlock teams and they are all out and out wingers.
Do a little research and you will find that Ruiz’s performance with his national side has always been up and down in terms of goals. This isn’t because he can’t score them, but because he continuously changes his position in attack game by game as the interim manager shuffles players around. Sure his performance against Jamaica was lacklustre, but did you see him play against France in the WC fiendlies? He gave Evra a headache. What about his performance last night for FC Twente against Inter Milan. Played deep to support his defence, still constructed attacking plays, and gave Cambiasso a hard time. This is Bryan Ruiz’s last few months in Holland and its our last chance to sign one of the world’s most versatile attacking players