I should begin by pointing out that I am not a fan of the current manager. But credit where it’s due: Liverpool won a game of football yesterday. It was an unusual feeling, getting toward the final 5-10 minutes of a home game and being in front. The performance itself was a Liverpool side playing with more confidence than they have been all season. However, it was a side still playing about 3 gears below even some of our worst performances last season. As things have gone this season though, we’ll take what we can get and perhaps take a look at a handful of positives from yesterday’s game.
First things first, our defence has been shoddy, at best, this season (shocking at worst). I may take some flak for saying it but Jamie Carragher has been at the root at a lot of our defensive woes this season, along with Paul Konchesky. However, since he was pushed to right-back and Kyrgiakos was put at centre-back Liverpool’s defence has gradually grown a little stronger. Carragher has been taken out of the firing line and the big Greek has grown into the role over the past couple of games. Contributing a solid display at the back today (and perhaps an even stronger one up front!) and chipping in with a great headed goal, Sotirios should have earned himself a deserved run of games in the side after coming in and strengthening the backline against a – for lack of a better way of putting it – ‘rambunctious’ Blackburn side.
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why does Kuyt always automatically get a place in the starting line up??
While he was fit he was playing as poorly as anybody, so he should have to prove himself with 10 minute cameo appearances and fight his way back into the team!
Agree Jay but it’s not just Kuyt who automatically gets a start is it
no, one of my big complaints this season has been the unfairness is seeing the “Big Guns” play every meaningful game regardless of how poorly they performed, even when the “B Team” were playing (slightly) better football and picking up better results when they were thrown together.
My response above was to the line “Once Kuyt is fit, he will OBVIOUSLY take Maxi’s place” though. I’ve made it clear that I’m not a fan of Maxi, but I just totally disagree with the idea that Kuyt should automatically been thrown back into the first team, irrespective of how the team might be performing, or how poorly he was playing when he was fit.
He should be treated just like the current fringe players are, and be expected to get a hat-trick with the reserves/in his 15 min appearance, or just have to wait for somebody to get injured before he gets another start alongside the “Big Guns” again
Doesn’t happen like that now though does it. Usually first team players will get their place back once they’re fit. Would love to see Gerrard, Carragher and Torres playing for the reserves!
One comment about the defense vs Blackburn: despite their very good play for the rest of the game, Soto and Skrtel were nowhere to be seen when B’burn scored. It was Konchesky and Carra trying to stop Diouf scoring.
I like Soto and Skrtel – their commitment especially, but I do feel we can get get better players in those positions. It would be nice, for instance, if Dan Agger could make up with Woy.
Yes you are right Greg – Carra stopped Diouf scoring cos he scored for him instead
Wo how is that giving everybody a fair chance to prove themselves then Matt?? – the fringe players aren’t getting a look in at all (don’t be fooled by them all being chucked into near meaningless games together, or after seeing Shelvey get “rewarded” with 2 minutes on the pitch) so where is the competitiveness in the squad supposed to come from?? At the very least Jovanovich should have kept his place after the crap served up from Maxi & Cole for 2 consecutive matches and his own subsequent performance in the Europa Cup, but Hodgson has clearly shown that there is no way in for the fringe players, barring injury
Gerrard has at least looked better than his counterparts this season, but yes I do believe that Torres and Carragher have also deserved to be dropped this season.
Now that Kuyt has given up his place in the first team though, he should have to wait his turn and fight his way back in- especially if the team is playing better at that time than it was when he was still in it
At some level I will have to agree with Jay here. Look at ngog he is our topscorer and still spends most his time on the bench. I also feel kelly earned his spot. Bench carra i don’t care. And pacheco needs to be more involved. Also how does roy not start jova in the derby? Hes a goddamn tank. Id like to see yakubu try and push him over.