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View from the Kop

It’s Not Rocket Science Roy!

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It matters not an iota how loyal you are to the club and its players, last night’s performance by Liverpool in Utrecht, as with most in recent weeks, was simply not good enough. In fact, it was not remotely close.

I have defended Roy Hodgson during the early stages of his Anfield tenure, and will continue to do so, but I cannot attest to being convinced either by his tactics or selection. There was a seemingly endless queue of ex-Liverpool stars who criticised Rafael Benitez’s selection policies during his time with the club, and whilst I did not always agree with ‘Rafa’s Rotations’, I always felt that he had a good idea of his best XI – even if he might have played it more often!

At the start of this season, I get the distinct impression that most armchair pundits, not to mention those who will already be selecting their Liverpool teams on the newly released FIFA 11, have a similarly sure notion of the best XI that Hodgson can name for the Reds.

The calamitous League Cup exit apart, Hodgson has not been making wholesale changes, but still enough of them to impact the team’s stability. Moreover, this is a team with new players settling into the club, bought to play in key positions. They must be given the opportunity to play together if the team is to move forward. I firmly believe, like many, that the trio of Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, and Raul Meireles are the three creative players around whom any success will be based. I present a summary of their selections this season, excluding the first round of Europa Cup qualification:-

Arsenal (h) – Gerrard & Cole
Trabzonspor (h) – Cole
Man City (a) – Gerrard (Cole suspended)
Trabzonspor (a) – Cole
WBA (h) – Gerrard (Cole suspended)
Birmingham (a) – Gerrard (Meireles used as late substitute; Cole suspended)
Steaua (h) – Cole, Meireles
Manchester United (a) – Gerrard, Cole, Meireles
Northampton (h) – None of them
Sunderland (h) – Gerrard, Cole, Meireles
Utrecht (a) – Cole, Meireles

I accept that Joe Cole’s suspension, and the late arrival of Meireles have not helped matters, but the simple fact is that Hodgson has not selected the same combination in consecutive games at any time this season, and whatever we might think of our rivals up the East Lancs Road, that was never a great venue at which to select them together for the first time. Added to this, Meireles has played in 2 positions since his arrival, neither of which is the position in which he excelled during the World Cup.

I have no idea of Roy’s views on the concept of telepathy, but it will not develop unless this group of players are selected together on a regular basis, and that should have included Northampton. Not only is it their understanding of each other, but the ability of their team mates to link with them.

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26 comments

  • ed smeulders says:

    We need to abandon the over cautious aproach from Roy Hodgson,start to play postitive,constructive football with the same settled 11(baring injuries,loss of form)in EVERY game,as the Liverpool teams of old used to.No room for sentiment,players must forget the off field boardroom distractions and start to remember what the `THIS IS ANFIELD`sign above the players tunnel is all about.With that in mind,start.11

    Reina,
    Kelly,Wilson,Skrtel,Agger,
    Johnson,Gerrard,Mereiles,cole,
    Torres,Pachecho.

    subs=Konchesky,Carragher,B.Jones,Kuyt,Babel,Ngog,Jovanovic.

  • Marshy says:

    At the match there is massive discontent with Hodgson’s woeful performance. However, true to the ‘Liverpool Way’, it does not translate into outright anger. No chants, no boos just frustration and disbelief. I’m not sure how long this situation will last, as everything this guy does is simply awful, from team selections tactics, substitutions and interview embarrassments. He had better wake up to which club he’s actually managing, he’s not at some third rate Scandinavian club now.

  • gary c says:

    this is what roy should do
    Reina
    Johnson Carragher Skrtel agger
    Poulsen
    Kuyt Cole
    Gerrard
    Torres Ngog

  • dee says:

    I wonder how some people analyse this round leather game………..
    My question is simple ”Tell me a first class coach dat will be willing to take over the club @ the time RH took over with all d off field rubbish?”

  • Jay Wright says:

    Dee – I’m sure that Dalglish wouldn’t have changed his mind about taking over in the last month, and I’d happily try him out in Hodgson’s place.

    In the summer, Riijkaard was my first choice and obviously wouldn’t jump ship now mid-season, but I’m sure that Bilic would be prepared to make that move

  • Stevie G says:

    Mark – We will be relegated at the end of the season if this inept manager stays in charge – that’s why he MUST go soon. Roy Hodgson is simply not good enough to manage Liverpool. He has taken the spine of a great team that tonked Man Utd and Real Madrid in the same week about 18 months ago and turned them into relegation contenders. That requires a fair amount of ineptitude and Roy has it in abundance. It’s not just the results that worry me – its the performances – they are utterly pathetic. We have been outplayed by West Brom, Birmingham and Sunderland frankly that is a bloody disgrace! Never mind making excuses for Woy!! Rafa would have been slated! Yet Woy is not! Why? Because the media LOVE the fact that he is taking Liverpool towards oblivion. Let’s face it – if this was happening to Man Utd with Hodgson in charge, do you think Woy would be given such an easy ride in the press – NO CHANCE!!!

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