YES, I hear you saying I’m the master at stating the obvious, but time and time again this season I’ve fallen into the deluded trap of thinking “It’s only Stoke, Blackburn, Wigan, Sunderland, surely this has to be a guaranteed 3 points”. But sadly that kind of thinking is a thing of the past.
Anfield scares no one and it’s the saddest inditement of Liverpool’s season. The reality is these days most teams are disappointed only coming away from Anfield with a point. Possession and chances are one thing, converting them into winning goals is another and Liverpool are simply incapable of doing just that.
Back in the January transfer window I was convinced Liverpool needed to sign another quality striker. It was an obvious failing for all to see but those more knowledgeable than I believed the current strike force was good enough.
How misguided was that thinking?
I wasn’t suggesting we sell Carroll, tempting as it was, or Suarez but Liverpool were crying out for a natural and gifted goalscorer who could put away those endless chances that the likes of Carroll, Suarez and Kuyt were so incapable of doing.
As a result of this failure, Liverpool are now losing game after game at Anfield, something that was simply unthinkable a few seasons ago. It’s simply a mathematical impossibility to build any kind of challenge for the league or a top four spot if you don’t win the majority of your home games, never mind provide the 44,000 inside Anfield, and the millions watching on TV, something to cheer about.
So Kenny would have us believe the failings of this season are all down to bad luck but whose buying that argument? No, me neither. You make your own luck and if you’re constantly hitting the post isn’t that poor finishing? Buying a quality striker has to be a priority during the summer transfer dealings. With Kuyt almost certain to be leaving – no loss in my eyes – the need for a new finisher will be even greater. Any suggestions who?
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But it’s not only the strikers I’m getting concerned about it’s the goalkeeping as well. Reina worries me. He isn’t the dominate force he was a few seasons ago and he’s starting to get beaten far too easily, especially at the near post. He’s had seasons where he’s been simply outstanding, could be relied on to be the finest last man in defence and invincible when it came to saving penalties. But things have changed and Reina is now vulnerable and his frailties have been highlighted many times this season with West Brom’s winner providing another stark example.
The bottom line is there needs to be several key player acquisitions and changes in the months between June and August and in the meantime the current squad need to take a good hard look at the “This is Anfield” sign above the tunnel as they run onto the Anfield pitch and realize why Bill Shankly put it there. It was a simple, provocative, statement meant to intimidate visiting teams and remind them they were about to enter one of footballs hallowed arenas where they would be shown no mercy by Liverpool players and fans alike. It’s a message all Liverpool players needs to live up to now and in the future if we are ever going to see the glory days return to a L4.
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Given a few quality signings and maybe a new manager (RAFA or Special One) then i see fortress Anfield returning.
Another note …. given the way we play football albeit intend to play coupled with the the frustration of this season and the last, has anyone actually thought that the pitch we play on is too small. if you look at Barca for example they have a massive pitch for their pass and move game, that makes the opposition run around alot more chasing the ball and getting tired than for example at Anfield.
Even Reading and Derby have a bigger pitch than us. The 2 Mancs teams have the biggest pitches in the league and look how they acccomodate their style of play – food for thought !!!
YNWA
Great players, managers like Messi, Ronaldo, Stevie, Shankly, Mourinho, Guardiola or even teams like the LFC of old and Barca did not became great because of luck alone. They became great because they worked hard, had talent and knew what they were doing. I am saying this because KD had said after the West Brom game (actually he had been saying all season) we need luck. You could be unlucky in a few games maybe 3 or 4. If you said that in almost every game (in our 11 draws and 12 loses)you are not unlucky but INCOMPETENT. Surely if KD is any good he would have a solution by now?
If we are in any other profession or any other organization, could we keep on saying this to our bossess to save our skin?
Paying 85 mill for a set of Chanpionship players and playing them out of position is not down to luck. Playing Skrtel at rightback at Spurs is not luck. Failing to try harder to retain Meireles when we are so in need of creative players is not down to luck (oh he is having the last laugh now, his team is in the FA Cup and CL final). Failing to play Maxi eventhough he scores almost everytime he plays is not down to luck. I could go on and on but you get the point.
If you talk about out of luck it would be LFC. Cowboy owners, kicking out our true world class managers in recent years and having not one but TWO clueless managers in succession.
Oh i take the cowboys owner appointment back. Its not down to bad luck but the extreme greed of a certain Mr. Parry and Mr. Moores
I MADE THE ABPVE POST IN AN EARLIER ARTICLE BUT I STILL THINK IT APPLIES HERE. KEEP KD FOR NEXT SEASON AND NOT ONLY TEAMS DO NOT FEAR ANFIELD BUT WE WOULD BE A LAUGHING STOCK. SORRY, I TAKE IT BACK. WE ARE A LAUGHING STOCK NOW!
Read the article again on this day : March 16, 2014.
🙂