Liverpool Fc @ Anfield - Reds Supporters Gatherings

[Offspring]

Originally Posted by snakehead

Would have been different if Pongolle is spanish..... Rafa hates the french ! Think it was something that gotta do with his sacking in his 1st managerial job years ago.

If i am not wrong, he never left spain to manage in franch lah dude. He was either in rayo vallencano or vallodolid (cant remember which) and real madrid B team before managing valencia to their best success ever.

He got fed up and left valencia due to the boards' intrusion in the transfer market. Thou rafa have made some bad signings like nunez, morienties, josemi, and that dutch rb, no one can take away his credit for the fa cup and CL wins.

He said time and again that liverpool youth system is way below standards and i agree with that. After the influx of players like macca, fowler and owen, we only see carragher and gerrard promoted from within in these past 5 to 6 years. Shows where we are lacking terribaly.

Now he is trying to build up a good youth squad with 5 signings this jan and some bright young english players are in our ranks like guthrie, peltier, martins, anderson, lindfield. Wherethe they make it to the big time depends on their determination but not forgetting, the coach abilities do plays a part too. So lets hope the young guns come thru. Time to build up on the youth fa cup success and bring them into the first team.

I liked what i see in danny guthrie. Some decent touches and good awarness of players moving around him during the game against barcodes. Definately one for the future.

[snakehead]

Originally Posted by Offspring

If i am not wrong, he never left spain to manage in franch lah dude.

bro, I neber says he managed in france hor..... I said he hates the french cos they gave him much troubles when he was managing Real Valladolid which was his 1st club as manager until he got the sack after 23 winless games.

During his time there, he won only 2 games losing the rest.
There was a french midfielder named Daniel something (forgot his last name) who is only a so so player but Benitez was "forced" to play him every game cos his "godfather" is a major shareholder of the club.

The other players oso could not get along with this french guy so Real Valladolid was actually playing with 10 men most of the time. Not surprisingly they went down to bottom of the Liga.

The majority of the club's directors are french which was funny as this is a spanish club.

Years later when Benitez was managing Osasuna, he mentioned he tries not to sign any french players if he can help it during an interview.

I'm not surprised he mothball Cisse, Le Tallac, Pongolle..... they all french.


bro snakehead

[rahl]

Originally Posted by snakehead

During his time there, he won only 2 games losing the rest.
There was a french midfielder named Daniel something (forgot his last name) who is only a so so player but Benitez was "forced" to play him every game cos his "godfather" is a major shareholder of the club.

Interesting, you dig up all his distant history

It's clear that there are players the fans seem to rate like Pongolle, Warnock whom Rafa clearly doesn't. Which is a pity since he seems like a rational man on the surface.

[Offspring]

Now i remember reading it from somewhere. Not sure about the french board but read about him being forced to play a player etc. Hehehe...

Pongolle can stay. Le and cisse abit of attitude. Ship them both out with zenden too.

[Frankiestine]

Problem with Pongolle, he looks too light weight for the EPL...every time kena tackle abit start to fly all over the place...skillful and quick but I think too much like Diouf..tends to dive..

Originally Posted by canthaveenuf

Just wondering -- does "Natural" translates to "Opportunistic"?

The way I see it, Owen and Van Nisteroy are those Opportunistic type. They will lurk around the penalty area and strike at the first opportunity, whether it is the first chance at goal or the 2nd ball.

In this respect, I do agree Crouch, Kuyt and Bellamy aren't exactly in that mould. We do need someone like dat to cover all angles.

Cheers

Yup, owen and ruud are these natural predator types, always hungry and waiting to devour the ball at any chance. Give them space and they will be clattering away to goal.

Bellamy, Kuyt and Crouch all have the same ethic as in they'll work hard and chase down defenders. Which is great, but at the end of the day it's the goals that count.
Kuyt has a better first touch, better vision, better distribution of the ball, more strength, overall more ability compared to Crouch, but looking at recent displays, or displays this season its apparent to me that out of those three Kuyt is the least likeliest to find the onion bag.

It's not Rafa's strikers are there to get you goals like Rush, Owen, Fowler, Shearer and Linekar did for there teams respectively. I just think Rafa shouldn't pick Kuyt game after game if he's rotating the majority of players around him on a regular basis. The only player who hasnt really been rotated this season is Finnan and thats due to the fact we've got no one who can fill in. But the same cant be said for our strikers, so Rafa rotate all FOUR of our strikers, not just leave one position free to fight it out between three. Hell play Robbie more, the guy deserves more than five minutes at the end of every other premiership match way play

So maybe Rafa will have to stop being stubborn and change this minor detail, because the 4 forwards we have now are all his buys.
I think Bellamy scored 17 goals for Blackburn last season so why isn't he that prolific for us?
Is it because he is having to do other things rather than just be that fox in the box?

Originally Posted by Frankiestine

Problem with Pongolle, he looks too light weight for the EPL...every time kena tackle abit start to fly all over the place...skillful and quick but I think too much like Diouf..tends to dive..

I think he can still do a job for us. He's still only young. He's got pace and he knows where the goal is. He's proved vital for us in past seasons i.e. Luton in the FA Cup when he scored 2 goals to get us back in it and when he scored against Olympiakos in 2005 to getus back in that game. That season in 2005 when we had Baros etc injured he came in and scored a few goals.

He's is in great form at Recreativo and I hope it continues. He can still do a job for us. He is determined as well which is good, he never complains when subbed and gives 100%

Only thing is that he requires regular first team football and if Rafa has plans for him next year that's gonna mean Fowlers out and maybe him as the fourth choice striker.

He's got like 8 goals in 13 games this season or something, so he's clearly on a mission. He's already scored against Madrid at the Bernabeu and if he keeps it up, we'll be silly to discard him out of hand. I think we should watch his progress this season with interest. He's bulked up a bit, which is good to see, and it may be the case that one of Houllier's young guns is actually on the verge of fulfilling his potential

[canthaveenuf]

Originally Posted by Sirus_The_Virus

I think he can still do a job for us. He's still only young. He's got pace and he knows where the goal is. He's proved vital for us in past seasons i.e. Luton in the FA Cup when he scored 2 goals to get us back in it and when he scored against Olympiakos in 2005 to getus back in that game. That season in 2005 when we had Baros etc injured he came in and scored a few goals.

He's is in great form at Recreativo and I hope it continues. He can still do a job for us. He is determined as well which is good, he never complains when subbed and gives 100%

Only thing is that he requires regular first team football and if Rafa has plans for him next year that's gonna mean Fowlers out and maybe him as the fourth choice striker.

He's got like 8 goals in 13 games this season or something, so he's clearly on a mission. He's already scored against Madrid at the Bernabeu and if he keeps it up, we'll be silly to discard him out of hand. I think we should watch his progress this season with interest. He's bulked up a bit, which is good to see, and it may be the case that one of Houllier's young guns is actually on the verge of fulfilling his potential

Yah, I remembered him doing a pretty good job for us back then. Wow, it seems like he is doing not too bad Recreativo huh. This guy does have some potential. One bro said he is quite light weight. I agree too. A simple shove and he will fly, but I dun think he is those diving type like Diuof. But if fly fly like that can get free kicks and penalties, OK lah.

Cheers

Originally Posted by canthaveenuf

Yah, I remembered him doing a pretty good job for us back then. Wow, it seems like he is doing not too bad Recreativo huh. This guy does have some potential. One bro said he is quite light weight. I agree too. A simple shove and he will fly, but I dun think he is those diving type like Diuof. But if fly fly like that can get free kicks and penalties, OK lah.

Cheers

Haha yup bro, i like the guy, and i was sad to hear the new of him leaving, however if this is true then i'm pleased he is staying. I will never forget the game against the arsenal when he fooled Pires, deep in the left hand corner (of their half) with his trickery and left him cold. He scored a beauty against betis the other year in the CL which kicked things off nicely for us, and has scored some crucial goals.

I'm glad he is getting the games and goals, will build his confidence up no-ends, however it is a different skill/situation to score goals in the EPL than it is in spain, however he has proved he can score them

[GhostFish]

Originally Posted by Sirus_The_Virus

I think he can still do a job for us. He's still only young. He's got pace and he knows where the goal is. He's proved vital for us in past seasons i.e. Luton in the FA Cup when he scored 2 goals to get us back in it and when he scored against Olympiakos in 2005 to getus back in that game. That season in 2005 when we had Baros etc injured he came in and scored a few goals.

He's is in great form at Recreativo and I hope it continues. He can still do a job for us. He is determined as well which is good, he never complains when subbed and gives 100%

Only thing is that he requires regular first team football and if Rafa has plans for him next year that's gonna mean Fowlers out and maybe him as the fourth choice striker.

He's got like 8 goals in 13 games this season or something, so he's clearly on a mission. He's already scored against Madrid at the Bernabeu and if he keeps it up, we'll be silly to discard him out of hand. I think we should watch his progress this season with interest. He's bulked up a bit, which is good to see, and it may be the case that one of Houllier's young guns is actually on the verge of fulfilling his potential

Yes Pongolle is really fast, skillful, good in the air and a good finisher. I was watching (sky sports classics) the match when we beat olympiakos and without him i don't think we would have beat them in the second half, he held the ball up won a few corners and scored one important goal!!

I think tht he will be brilliant to keep... him, kuyt, bellamy and crouch, (if fowler doesnt get fit) ....

[jootjoot]

Originally Posted by Offspring

Guess what? If arse won their game in hand, we will be in 4th. ARGH!!!

they still have a game in hand advantage over liverpool. will feel lousy if they overtake liverpool and liverpool down to 4th position haiz.. hope liverpool will play their remaining matches well.

Liverpool pair named in Europe XI

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will play for a Europe XI side in a jubilation match against Manchester United on 13 March.

The game at Old Trafford commemorates the 50th anniversary of United's first competitive European fixture as well as the founding of the Common Market.

Marcello Lippi will manage the Europe team and Real Madrid's David Beckham will also play against his former club.

Fixture congestion means Lippi cannot select Arsenal and Chelsea players.

Sir Alex Ferguson has already pledged to field a full-strength line-up, including Henrik Larsson in what could be his farewell United appearance.

While the precise European line-up is yet to be finalised, Lippi has expressed the hope that most of his 2006 World Cup-winning squad will be at Old Trafford.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists he is happy to release his two most senior England internationals for the fixture.

He said: "It is an honour for our club that two of our players have been selected to represent Europe.

"I know that they feel very privileged to be in the team and that they will enjoy playing alongside the top players from other clubs.

"It will be a nice experience for them and one I am sure they will remember with pleasure in years to come."

[spunk9]

Let's cross finger and hope Liverpool will not lose stupid games again!!!

Originally Posted by Wowholing

Liverpool pair named in Europe XI

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will play for a Europe XI side in a jubilation match against Manchester United on 13 March.

I think it's an accolade to the club that we can produce to players worthy to be in the Europe XI squad and it's good to see them getting their bit of recognition, but I don't see why it's not being played in the close season.

I'm surprised Man U have committed to a full strength line-up at what could be a critical time in the title race.

WAH... Well, I would like to see them playing with other great players against Manchester United and win, but do hope they will not get any injuries for that and that will not affect their performance in the remaining season