I have always enjoyed watching Liverpool’s Glen Johnson as a footballer. Although you sometimes want to close your eyes when he is backing away onto his own goal defending against a tricky winger, the England international is tremendously gifted when the ball is at his feet.
A precocious dribbler of the ball, Johnson can cause nightmares for many opposition full backs, always ready and waiting to provide an overlap for a winger so he can either force his way into the opposition box or unleash a shot on goal with either foot. The 26 year old has certainly added an extra dimension to the Reds attack since joining from Portsmouth a couple of years ago.
Still, you would be hard pressed to find a Reds fan who feels Johnson merited the £17million fee which Rafa Benitez paid in the summer of 2009. It could be said to be the going rate for an England full back, but like Andy Carroll, you always seem to have to pay a premium for an Englishman.
Although he may not have been worth the fee paid, it must be said that when fit, Glen has managed some very good performances in the last half of the season under Kenny Dalglish. Under previous manager Roy Hodgson, he was a shadow of his former self, and no doubt it was unwise of Roy to criticise the player in public for his poor displays. It was one of the many mistakes during the former Fulham boss’s ill fated 6 month reign, and it was speculated that Johnson was so unhappy about the remarks that he was considering leaving Liverpool in January.
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I think he is a better left back than right and would look to strengthen other positions with available funds, as for his attacking options being limited – because he is so good with the ball at his feet he can happily be ‘shown inside’ where he becomes a threat with a right footed cross or a shot. Him on the left, Kelly on the right, with the kids getting hungrier by the minute.
I know it has been said before but I honestly believe his best position is wide right or even wide left. He certainly has more ability as a midfielder than others already employed in the midfield. With the rise of Kelly and Flannagan it makes more sense trying Johnson wide further up the pitch. This will help the youngsters come through and give us more width without spending a penny. Bring in a quality left back and a quality winger and we might be back in business.
i’d like to think that kenny and rafa (both top managers) have considered this and probably realised it wouldnt work.
Bob, I’m not claiming to know more than the King but I do find it strange that it hasn’t been tried. I have also heard it suggested by other managers and commentators, it’s not something I’ve just come up with. As for Rafa, let’s not kid ourselves that he didn’t make mistakes. No-one is going to convince me that Johnson is better left back than right winger!!!!
Well said like you ive been saying it since before he came to Anfield, ive been shouting out loud but still no response, even Phil Thommo agrees. I don’t see why it can’t work
1) we would save some money on getting right winger
2) he would be able to help out Martin Kelly/ Flanagan at right back at the sametime
3) everyone knows his strengths are going forward and not at the back, so why not use him to his strengths
4) Harry Redknapp wants him at Spurs why? because he sees Johnson as the new gareth Bale for the right wing and rightly so he could do that job well.
Referees H. Webb and M. Atkinson are both god refs. And also 100 % anti-Liverpool!
They have been hurting LFC tremendously for a very long time by interpreting the rules harshly against LFC, which is unlawful according to the rules of fairness!
Yesterday (15 May 2011) Webb did this in the 0-2 defeat to Spurs:
9 minute: goal – possible freekick to LFC?
26 min. : P. Crouch acting, gets a freekick – destroyng a LFC pressure
28min. : LFC contra L Suarez kicked from behind but no freekick no yellow card
29 min. : Rose clearly commits penalty against Kuyt – not given
45 min. : P. Crouch commits freekick against L. Leiva – results in a chance for Spurs
SECOND HALF
46 min. : S. Pienaar should have been booked for a freekick against D. Kuyt
47 min. : P. Crouch commits freekick but not given – results in a chance to Spurs
54 min. : SCANDAL: Flanagans lawful shoulder tackle gives Spurs a penalty – outside of box!
77 min. : Danish commentator: ” Webb has had many fifty-fifty decisions against Liverpool”
83 min. : D. Kuyt`s acting gets LFC wrong freekick, danish commentator:”you could say LFC
has had such a freekick in coming”
webb had a bad day. get over it.
Funny he has a “bad day” whenever he refs us.. Do you remember the no contact penalty against Man United?
The problem with that is he could not have been critisised if he had red carded Suarez for kicking but chose to leave it at yellow? O.k the kick was’nt exactly hard but the rules are…..
I guarantee that like in Italy, the high profile cheating and game rigging between clubs and top referees will come out here. Involving Manchester united and Webb he has got to many decisions wrong now for it to be bad judgement or any other excuse. It is not only against Liverpool it involves other teams who play united it will come out just because we are not Italians it doesn’t mean we are not greedy.
mr webb will definitely get whatever he deserve for all the bad things he did to liverpool, it’s a prophecy which shall come to pass.
Talking about Webb he is just an overated crap ref how can he be 1 of the Worlds finest refs when he aint even 1 of the best in Europe.
However this petition on getting Webb stopped to ref LFC games is wrong, i hate the guy as much as the rest of us do, but do we really want people saying the same things they say to Fergie paying off the refs etc?
If we got him banned from our games, which won’t happen by the way what would that say about us, hwere better then that and i think what goes around comes around and we will get our revenge 1 day so don’t worry.
But i do think refs get away scot free, don’t get me wrong im all for the Respect campaign, but when players and managers speak out about the refs they get punished, yet if a ref makes a mistake the players/managers can’t say a thing to him. Yeah sometimes they are demoted, but thats not enough they should be banned and fined from being a ref for 3 games or so and re-trained or maybe they could come infront of the camera to explain their decision, but i don’t see this happening because the FA who know “sweet F’All” have them wrapped up in a blanket……YNWA……JFT96
I think this petition could do more harm than good with other refs taking offence at one of their number being treated (rightly or wrongly) in this way…..
i like to add 1 player at leftback…
jose enrique
alexander kolarov
lieghton baines
clicy
boateng
Laiton Baines, who else? but the question is can the sweet toffees sell their player to Anfield?
Everton aren’t in a particularly good financial position and would consider selling any of their players at the right price. Baines himself is a Liverpool fan which surely would help.
I think it all depends on Moyes if he stays or goes to Villa which i think he will. Hes done a respectible job at Everton with limited funds, but theres only so much time you can manage a top team with a shoe string budget, thats why i think the Villa job will be a prospect for him, especially when Randy Lerner is a fan of yours, and if he took over and got Villa lets say in the top 8 nxt season, from what they’ve achieved this season that will be a big boost for him n the Villa faithfull……If Moyes goes then so do Evertons best players……YNWA