While all people around me seem to enjoy pre-Christmas time, I am not in the mood to join them. I am too worried about what is going on at our beloved Liverpool FC. I cannot remember a more terrible Christmas in terms of football but then I cannot remember a worse spell of luck either. Fact is: the refs really are not on our side, I’ve lost count on how many big decisions went against us. But unfortunately it is also a fact that our team from last season simply does not show up. At the moment it lacks quality in pretty much every department apart from the goalkeeping position. I do not dare to think where we would be if Pepe would have been injured this season… It’s obvious that apart from a few exceptions (Pepe, Torres, Ngog), none of our players are on the level that we expect from them. Steven Gerrard seems a different player from last season, no inspiration, hardly goals and his typical leader qualities fail to shine through. True, he was injured but still, we should expect more from our Captain. The defense, one of Europe’s best not so long ago, looks shaky and vulnerable at every set piece. In midfield Mascherano switches between monster performance and red cards while Lucas is trying his best to replace Xabi Alonso but (understandably) still lacks experience and class. The judgment on Aquilani is yet out because we still haven’t seen enough from him. Our wingers are quite simply awful with the exception of Benayoun and even he was in better form at the start of the season. I miss the passing skills and especially the spirit of the team that last year showed such an impressive “never say die”-attitude and came back from behind to win games. I wrote it a few weeks ago: what we need more than anything else is confidence and it hurts to see that we did not make a single step of progress in this matter.
Now we are at a decisive point of the season: title dreams are all over but our position is so serious that the next games still are all must-win games. We now are in a situation where we cannot afford to drop points at Villa Park because we move further and further away from 4th place with Villa being in great shape. Not to mention Tottenham and Manchester City. If we fail to beat Wolves, Villa, Reading in the FA Cup and Spurs, we are in deep troubles and I am not sure if there is enough time left to recover this season. Villa broke down towards the end of last season but I do not want to rely on this hope. And I do not have to explain what missing out on the CL would mean for Liverpool in terms of keeping and signing players.
The pressure on Rafa is rising but all he can do now is hoping that the players will respond. The players did all the talking, now they have to finally live up to their words. They all let us down so far and while I accept it becomes more and more difficult to win the title in England with so tough competition around, I cannot accept a team that does not show the right spirit and performs below par more often than not. Most of the players can play a lot better than they are doing which might be the result of a lack of confidence. But they have to understand that they can only win back their confidence by fighting their way back into games and showing commitment, not in front of a micro but on the pitch. We have to force the luck back on our side again. It takes players with character now but we doubtless have them in our side. Rafa has been loyal to his players, kept the faith with them – now it is about f****** time they pay him back!
Oh, and if Santa Clause is reading, my wish-list looks as follows:
1. New owners. We need to get rid of these cheats. I admit that it will take a miracle to see new owners coming in but hey, if not at Christmas when else is the time for miracles?
2. Back up Striker. I dream of Edin Dzeko but will modestly accept anything that is better than our current alternates that are either still too young, not clinical enough or simply not good enough.
3. Right Winger. Please, the current interpretation of that position drives me mad, give us an alternate.
Merry Christmas to all of you, YNWA!
Players just not good enough for a title winning team:
Kuyt … if Babel was given as long a run on the wing as Kuyt has been he’d have scored and assisted more, caused more problems for defenses. Yes Kuyt has commitment, but what use is commitment when you get shit all for it, apart from the odd very odd occasion (he’s meant to be a CF for god sakes his touch and finish are worse then mine)
Benayoun … Yes he has got us out of sticky situations on a number of occasions but that’s his job as an attacking midfielder, look at the amount of times he wastes a chance or takes that extra infuriating touch and loses the ball, he has done that on 3 occasions with Torres through on goal in last 2 games he played.
Aurelio … having one good cross does not make you good enough to earn a place in Liverpool’s squad. the guy has no defensive nor attack quality he is just useful over a stationary ball.
Dossena and all the rest of the dead weight who play like sunday league players… the sad fact is we cant even get rid of them coz no one wants them…
And for all the people having a go at Babel and Lucas, infuriating and frustrating as they maybe these 2 players have real talent, Babel won young player of the year at Liverpool first season… since then not played 3 games on the bounce… thats shocking… Lucas won the same award as Kaka, Ronaldo and Romario… he didn’t win it coz he’s shit… stop getting on his back everytime he touches the ball … I still trust in Rafa but this was my rant my opinions but I still support the players and rafa till the end… but I’m allowed to be hurt and air my opinions.
Peace
And why doesnt Rafa trust in his youngsters… Owen was a regular at 18… pacheco deserves the chance now… He’s been a constant youth and reserves performer… also Nemeth… I only moan coz it hurts me to see Liverpool lose
Indeed, players needs to pay back rafa’s loyalty to LFC. Spirit, passion, and determination are what that missing from LFCs players this season.
I don’t if there something going wrong at the backroom. Player really should ease the supporters feelings. It’s hard for us to see them playing like that.
Hope this christmas break could also be a time for players and rafa to ease back a little. Breaking this unliverpool way of playing.
The post sums it up…
While I agree to an extent with some of the sentiment of this article it is generally riddled with contradictions.
Claims that Ngog is one of our better performers but then goes on to say that our back up strikers have not been good enough.
Mascherano switches between monster performances and red cards this season? He has had one red card and his performances in large have been phenomenal. His position in the team is vulnerable to those around him performing well. He can only do so much and does so every game. He is also an extremely controlled and generally disciplined tackler, but again is more prone to being carded due to his position and role. Yesterdays tackle was not great but certainly not malicious.
Lucas has been another of our better performers and certainly one of our most improved with some great figures to his name on the Opta stats list, none more than his passes attempted and success rate.
I have to agree with the comments about Gerrard who, for whatever reason, has been sub-standard this season. A shadow of himself from previous years but for what he has done for our club over the years I can afford him a poor spell. Gerrard is one player who will certainly bounce back and when he does I think that will help the confidence situation within the team too.
All I hope is that we play Wolves off the pitch and take the 3 points and set us up perfectly for what is sure to be a tough run of games.
In Rafa I still trust and we will come through this.
YNWA
Gerrard, please shakes the World Cup off your head.
“Claims that Ngog is one of our better performers but then goes on to say that our back up strikers have not been good enough.” Even though he is having a good season, we need more quality up front because Ngog is still young and therefore cannot be the answer to our problem.
Liverpool Forever!. :)