Chelsea - Loserpool (R)

[alka...@hotmail.com]

0-1 1st half

Terry with an embarassingly free header off a corner.

Liv playing a 3-5-2 similar to how they did in the second half against Everton.

[alka...@hotmail.com]

1-0, not 0-1.

[The Scrutineer]

wrote in message
news:72029e91-921d-41b2...@googlegroups.com...

Looks like a serious injury to Terry...

1-0 38'

[alka...@hotmail.com]

1-1

Louis S scores off a Carragher assist!

[alka...@hotmail.com]

Fucking Hollywood Gerrard, his cheap giveaways will cost us the game.

[Google Beta User]

On Sunday, November 11, 2012 12:45:21 PM UTC-5, alka...@hotmail.com wrote:
> Fucking Hollywood Gerrard, his cheap giveaways will cost us the game.

Can't complain with 1-1.

I know it's strange to say, but I really am at peace watching the team.

I hope when we buy a striker NOT called Walcott in January, Suso and Sterling will still be part of the first team even as subs.

[alka...@hotmail.com]

1-1 Final.

Liverpool with two great chances to steal it at the end. We have more than held our own against the big 3 this season. Going away to the best team in the league and keeping 57% is good stuff. Our results have been similar to this stage last season but it's clear that Rodgers is building an impressive project.

On the individual front, Enrique was a pit bull on the left flank, out muscling everyone who came up against him. He wasn't bad going forward either. He may yet survive this Jan's transfer window, if he can be more consistent. Suso looks way too raw out there sometimes. I wonder why Ousama bin Assaidi isn't getting more minutes in the league, he looks bright out there in the Mickey Mouse cups. Finally, Suarez is exorcising the not enough goals scored demon. Second highest scorer in the league after RvP.

[Google Beta User]

On Nov 11, 1:54 pm, alkami...@hotmail.com wrote:
> 1-1 Final.
>
> Liverpool with two great chances to steal it at the end. We have more than held our own against the big 3 this season. Going away to the best team in the league and keeping 57% is good stuff.

We haven't played in Manchester yet.

>Our results have been similar to this stage last season but it's clear that Rodgers is building an impressive project.

Yes. I like that players are playing on merit. Not on price tag or
reputation. It will be interesting to see how much longer Reina
remains "unfit".

> On the individual front, Enrique was a pit bull on the left flank, out muscling everyone who came up against him. He wasn't bad going forward either. He may yet survive this Jan's transfer window, if >he can be more consistent. Suso looks way too raw out there sometimes. I wonder why Ousama bin Assaidi isn't getting more minutes in the league, he looks bright out there in the Mickey Mouse >cups. Finally, Suarez is exorcising the not enough goals scored demon. Second highest scorer in the league after RvP.

It's perfectly acceptable for Suso to look "way too raw" out there.
Honestly, I didn't think he'd be in games against Man U, City or
Chelsea already. Him and Sterling, I just want them injury free and
to not burn out, that's my only expectation off of them for this
season.

By the way, what do you make of a Guardian article speculating about
Sterling's wages or Hodgson basically telling Sterling to get ready
for WC 2014?

[Alkamista]

On Nov 12, 12:07 pm, Google Beta User <wanyik...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Nov 11, 1:54 pm, alkami...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > 1-1 Final.
>
> > Liverpool with two great chances to steal it at the end. We have more than held our own against the big 3 this season. Going away to the best team in the league and keeping 57% is good stuff.
>
> We haven't played in Manchester yet.

United have been on a good run but their defense is very suspect. City
are just a weird team this season. Dzeko has been bailing them out in
the league and they are plain dismal in the UCL. I think this season
will be Mancini's last; it was raw talent that won them the title last
season, and he is simply clueless in Europe. Back to front Chelsea
has been the best team in the league. If they pickup a marquee striker
in Jan then they are a lock for the title, IMO.

>
> >Our results have been similar to this stage last season but it's clear that Rodgers is building an impressive project.
>
> Yes.  I like that players are playing on merit. Not on price tag or
> reputation. It will be interesting to see how much longer Reina
> remains "unfit".
>
> > On the individual front, Enrique was a pit bull on the left flank, out muscling everyone who came up against him. He wasn't bad going forward either. He may yet survive this Jan's transfer window, if >he can be more consistent. Suso looks way too raw out there sometimes. I wonder why Ousama bin Assaidi isn't getting more minutes in the league, he looks bright out there in the Mickey Mouse >cups. Finally, Suarez is exorcising the not enough goals scored demon. Second highest scorer in the league after RvP.
>
> It's perfectly acceptable for Suso to look "way too raw" out there.

Then why was Assaidi signed? He's more experienced and has played well
when given a chance, why is this raw teenager playing much more?

> Honestly, I didn't think he'd be in games against Man U, City or
> Chelsea already.  Him and Sterling, I just want them injury free and
> to not burn out, that's my only expectation off of them for this
> season.
>
> By the way, what do you make of a Guardian article speculating about
> Sterling's wages or Hodgson basically telling Sterling to get ready
> for WC 2014?

I didn't read it. What did it say?

[MH]

On 12-11-12 1:47 PM, Alkamista wrote:
> On Nov 12, 12:07 pm, Google Beta User <wanyik...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Nov 11, 1:54 pm, alkami...@hotmail.com wrote:
>>
>>> 1-1 Final.
>>
>>> Liverpool with two great chances to steal it at the end. We have more than held our own against the big 3 this season. Going away to the best team in the league and keeping 57% is good stuff.
>>
>> We haven't played in Manchester yet.
>
> United have been on a good run but their defense is very suspect. City
> are just a weird team this season. Dzeko has been bailing them out in
> the league and they are plain dismal in the UCL. I think this season
> will be Mancini's last; it was raw talent that won them the title last
> season, and he is simply clueless in Europe. Back to front Chelsea
> has been the best team in the league. If they pickup a marquee striker
> in Jan then they are a lock for the title, IMO.
>
>>
>>> Our results have been similar to this stage last season but it's clear that Rodgers is building an impressive project.
>>
>> Yes. I like that players are playing on merit. Not on price tag or
>> reputation. It will be interesting to see how much longer Reina
>> remains "unfit".
>>
>>> On the individual front, Enrique was a pit bull on the left flank, out muscling everyone who came up against him. He wasn't bad going forward either. He may yet survive this Jan's transfer window, if >he can be more consistent. Suso looks way too raw out there sometimes. I wonder why Ousama bin Assaidi isn't getting more minutes in the league, he looks bright out there in the Mickey Mouse >cups. Finally, Suarez is exorcising the not enough goals scored demon. Second highest scorer in the league after RvP.
>>
>> It's perfectly acceptable for Suso to look "way too raw" out there.
>
> Then why was Assaidi signed? He's more experienced and has played well
> when given a chance, why is this raw teenager playing much more?

Good question. I have liked what I have seen of Assaidi too. WHen is
Lucas due back ? I have been a bit disappointed in Allen. Not that he
has been bad, but just based on his play last year for Swansea, and the
fact that he is at an age where rapid improvement is possible, I
expected more. No goals or assists, btw. In any competition.

Just for comparison.

Liverpool 2011-2012 after 11 games had 19 points and were in sixth
place. 5 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses. 14:10 goals.
Undefeated at home (2 wins 4 draws), 3 wins 2 losses on the road.
On track in League cup

This year, 2 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses for 12 points and 13th place. 1
home win, 3 draws and 2 losses. 14:16 goals.
Knocked out of league cup

A devil's advocate might say that it is hard to see much improvement
there, so far, especially given that a member of last year's coaching
staff is accomplishing great things with West Brom. (I wonder if
kicking Dalglish upstairs and letting Clark run everything might have
worked). Don't get me wrong, the team is playing nicer football than
they were at most times last season (and certainly way better than the
season before), but some of the problems have not been fixed - too many
draws against weak opposition, too many opportunities needed to score.

Was the opposition in the first 11 games tougher this year? Probably
yes. Easier home matches last year, but more difficult away ones (on
paper, before balls were kicked).

2011-2012
H Sunderland, Bolton, WOlves, Man United, Norwich, Swansea
A Arsenal, Stoke, Spurs, Everton, W. Brom

I would have guessed 5 home wins and a draw, 2 away wins and a draw for
24 points.

(Next three matches were Chelsea away (won), Man City home (draw),
Chelsea away (league cup, won), so they had not hit the bad patch yet.)

2012-2013
H Man City, Arsenal, Man United, Reading, Stoke, Newcastle
A West Brom, Sunderland, Norwich, Everton, Chelsea

Before the season, I would have picked 5-6 wins, 3-4 draws and 1-3
losses out of that lot. Conservatively that is 18 points.

[Alkamista]

On Nov 12, 5:31 pm, MH <MHnos...@ucalgary.ca> wrote:
> On 12-11-12 1:47 PM, Alkamista wrote:

>
> > Then why was Assaidi signed? He's more experienced and has played well
> > when given a chance, why is this raw teenager playing much more?
>
> Good question.  I have liked what I have seen of Assaidi too.  WHen is
> Lucas due back ?

He has started light training again I believe, so maybe in a month or
so.

>  I have been a bit disappointed in Allen. Not that he
> has been bad, but just based on his play last year for Swansea, and the
> fact that he is at an age where rapid improvement is possible, I
> expected more.  No goals or assists, btw. In any competition.

Really? I love him. He's another great useless square passer. Very
confident and deft in possession too. In fact, he's little Xabi!

>
> Just for comparison.
>
> Liverpool 2011-2012 after 11 games had 19 points and were in sixth
> place.  5 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses. 14:10 goals.
> Undefeated at home (2 wins 4 draws), 3 wins 2 losses on the road.
> On track in League cup
>
> This year, 2 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses for 12 points and 13th place.  1
> home win, 3 draws and 2 losses.  14:16 goals.
> Knocked out of league cup
>
> A devil's advocate might say that it is hard to see much improvement
> there, so far, especially given that a member of last year's coaching
> staff is accomplishing great things with West Brom.  (I wonder if
> kicking Dalglish upstairs and letting Clark run everything might have
> worked).

I lost respect for Clarke when he started towing that "we didn't fail
last year, we just needed more time" sorry assed line. He should be a
man about it, and a realist too. Dalglish and Comolli wrecked our best
chance at a swift return to respectability. Now we are just floating
around indefinitely in purgatory. Keep in mind that Hodgson did well
at WBA too. Some managers are just suited to a lower level, when the
stakes are not that high.

>Don't get me wrong, the team is playing nicer football than
> they were at most times last season (and certainly way better than the
> season before), but some of the problems have not been fixed - too many
> draws against weak opposition, too many opportunities needed to score.

Yup, but that was after a very visible and acknowledged timing blunder
in the transfer market. If Rodgers wasn't burdened with over-priced
donkeys he needed to dispose of and had £120 million to spend, I would
be viewing the current situation much differently.

[Google Beta User]

On Nov 12, 10:19 pm, Alkamista <alkami...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Yup, but that was after a very visible and acknowledged timing blunder
> in the transfer market. If Rodgers wasn't burdened with over-priced
> donkeys he needed to dispose of and had £120 million to spend, I would
> be viewing the current situation much differently.

And with half the squad of basically academy players. I agree with
you, two completely different contexts.

[MH]

On 12-11-13 7:43 AM, Google Beta User wrote:
> On Nov 12, 10:19 pm, Alkamista <alkami...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Yup, but that was after a very visible and acknowledged timing blunder
>> in the transfer market. If Rodgers wasn't burdened with over-priced
>> donkeys he needed to dispose of and had �120 million to spend, I would
>> be viewing the current situation much differently.
>
> And with half the squad of basically academy players.

Not sure exactly what you mean by basically academy players, but that
statement seems a bit exaggerated, and should not go unchallenged.

A plausible first 11 for Liverpool - some might even argue close to the
the strongest they could field, if everyone were healthy, might be:

Reina ? transfer fee ?

Enrique 7 Million pounds
Agger 6 Million pounds
Skrtel 6.5 Million pounds
Johnson 17.5 Million pounds

Sahin (loan, Real paid 10 million E for him)
Lucas 5 Million pounds
Allen 13.5 Million pounds

Assaidi 2.4 Million pounds
Borini 10.5 Million pounds
Suarez 22.8 Million pounds


On the bench could be:

Coates (undisclosed ?)
Cole (free transfer, but expensive salary)
Henderson (16-20 Million pounds)
Downing (ca. 20 million pounds


None of those players came through Liverpool's academy, and that is a
fairly expensively assembled squad, and one that should not be sitting
in mid table.

It is good that Rodgers is giving opportunities to younger players, and
not automatically playing some of the high priced ones (should start
that with Gerrard too), but it is not as if Dalgish had not already
started the trend. Carragher was already being phased out last year,
and Carroll was often on the subs bench. Dalglish did give
opportunities to Kelly, Shelvey and Spearing, as well as occasionally
Flanagan and Robinson, and he started doing some of that right away
after taking over from Hodgson.

[Alkamista]

You are right, Dalglish can be faulted for a lot of things but
blooding youngsters wasn't one of them. Rodgers' biggest blessing is
that there are very low expectations from the team this season. In
that regard, having a lot of money to spend can sometimes be a double-
edged sword.

[Google Beta User]

On Nov 14, 12:45 pm, MH <MHnos...@ucalgary.ca> wrote:

> > And with half the squad of basically academy players.
>
> Not sure exactly what you mean by basically academy players, but that
> statement seems a bit exaggerated, and should not go unchallenged.

Of course it's an exaggeration, you take everything *so* literally,
but perhaps I should say exactly what I mean so probably my fault on
that one.

[RED DEVIL]

You'd call me a liar for doing something like that