LFC II - You'll never Walk Alone

[Cheesecake]

aiya...winning EPL is not so simple as 1 theory mah....Chelsea won lot of 1-0 match. yes..their striker is not strong, I never said Drogba is good. But having midfielder score most of the goal..that is not a healthy or balance situation...Unless the striker department has the highest number in assist in goal.

Not having highest number of assist in goal and not having the highest of goal scored...then we pay 15m for a striker...might as well playe Sinama and Mellor.

For me...Chelseas last season success was quite similiar to ours during 1999/2000. They won lots of 1-0 match...they are extremely strong in defending...look at their number of goals conceded last season.
Terry and his team, and Cech just did a wonderful job..

In contrast...we have Kirkland and Dudek did us several floppy goalkeeping..ie we lost 1-0 to MU..Rooney weak shot just past dudek arms...we lost 1-0 to everton...where Kirkland did not move but diving at the same place when everton scored from freekick.

and Josemi....always off position and waved the hand to linesmand + jogging behind the striker together with our oldest player Pelle.

Attack can only build on strong defence. Even Fergi nowadays still looking desperately replacement for SheisMichael and he always give credits to the twin tower, Bruce + Pallister.

i've not much issue with Man Utd but i know they'll be strong this season. so too the likes of Arsenal and Chelski. Newcastle can't play as a team for all i care. everton's true form will finally show this season.

as for Liverpool, perhaps it is still early. alot of details need to be ironed out. definitely stronger than the season before.

we need a total out and out striker. cisse's the one?

 

[nemesis32]

aiya...winning EPL is not so simple as 1 theory mah....Chelsea won lot of 1-0 match. yes..their striker is not strong, I never said Drogba is good. But having midfielder score most of the goal..that is not a healthy or balance situation...Unless the striker department has the highest number in assist in goal.

Not having highest number of assist in goal and not having the highest of goal scored...then we pay 15m for a striker...might as well playe Sinama and Mellor.

For me...Chelseas last season success was quite similiar to ours during 1999/2000. They won lots of 1-0 match...they are extremely strong in defending...look at their number of goals conceded last season.
Terry and his team, and Cech just did a wonderful job..

In contrast...we have Kirkland and Dudek did us several floppy goalkeeping..ie we lost 1-0 to MU..Rooney weak shot just past dudek arms...we lost 1-0 to everton...where Kirkland did not move but diving at the same place when everton scored from freekick.

and Josemi....always off position and waved the hand to linesmand + jogging behind the striker together with our oldest player Pelle.

Attack can only build on strong defence. Even Fergi nowadays still looking desperately replacement for SheisMichael and he always give credits to the twin tower, Bruce + Pallister.

On the contrary, i think Drogba is very good. It's just that the system that Chelsea is playing makes it difficult for him to score. If you put Drogba in Man U or Arsenal, i believe he will score almost as many goals as RVR or Henry.

In chelsea, they built from the back and rely on their wingers to breakdown defence on solo runs... Lampard will then comes in for headers and long shots.. Thats how they play. They don't play an open game so won't score a lot. IIRC, Chelsea scored only 68goals, which is the lowest for EPL champions for a while...

Like you have said... attack can only build on strong defence... We need to ensure we don't lose before we can win. I think If we continue to strengthen our defence and midfield, Reina playing better than Dudek/kirkland, we will be fine. The goals will come as CIsse and Morientes and Baros are quality strikers... May not be natural striker like Fowler or Pacy like Owen but they have their own attributes. Cisse is built like an ox, i think he can go boxing with Heskey and win. Morientes is good in the air but we hardly play any crosses in due to lack of wingers (he did score with header in the friendly right?). Baros is quick and direct... so long as he's in the mood... he will hassle the defender and get some goals.

 

[MichaelLee]

aiyo pls lor.. this is the first game... we only have one friendly before this game... we fielded a few youngsters... we bought new players... a few more coming..

To win EPL...this season ? not likely..Unless the strikers department really improve much compared to now. Cisse, and morientes are not youngsters. they both need to start to bang in goals..hopefully as much as cole+yorke partnership...

Of course....at the end of this season...I hope to be backfired myself by this statement.....and I am willing to apologize to all of u here by giving such a prediction, buy u drinks..no problem..

Anyway.. as usual...every season I would place a bet for LFC to win EPL, to keep the hope. This season I have a side bet of $200 with my friend. The odd given by him is 1:25.

FYI, odds given by England Broker is 1:14.

 

[zhapchit]

not likely means there is chance. Winning the CL last season was not likely also.. but we did it.

Your friend is very brave to give this kind of odds.

 

[MichaelLee]

On the contrary, i think Drogba is very good. It's just that the system that Chelsea is playing makes it difficult for him to score. If you put Drogba in Man U or Arsenal, i believe he will score almost as many goals as RVR or Henry.

errrr..this is hard to define. For me Diouf is good...if he is 2m. but at 10m, he sucked.. For me Drogba is very good...if he is at 8m. But if he is at 24m..he is another flop. Me a very money minded person..whether good or bad....must take in the account for the price tag. :bsmilie:

baros - tested and proven..to be around 15 goal a season (for overall competition) normally 10 EPL goal. the best he can be our 2nd striker.

now we need a true 1st striker - something like MU Ruud, Arsenal henry, Real Ronaldo, Milan Shevo....or Liverpool Owen from 1998 to 2003.

We have Cisse..but would he play up to his reputation ? Morientes is heskey to me...around the box..asisst in goal and do header...

Gerrard and Alonso both can distribute the ball wall..but so far I see that there is still lacked of communication between them and the strikers...they release the ball but the strikers are not really anticipating. Either they run to worng direction, or they are too slow (not anticipate).. those gerrard long pass to reach the on running owen had not been seen at all last season.

rotation to keep them refresh, it is good...but rotate too often make them less udnerstand to each other. Stick to Moreintes and Cisse for at least 8 games..and to see how the progress....if we are not signing any new striker.

 

[nemesis32]

now we need a true 1st striker - something like MU Ruud, Arsenal henry, Real Ronaldo, Milan Shevo....or Liverpool Owen from 1998 to 2003.

We have Cisse..but would he play up to his reputation ? Morientes is heskey to me...around the box..asisst in goal and do header....

IIRC, as i ever dig up the scoring chart of EPL, even owen don't score 20 goals in EPL from 1998-2003. At least not in most seasons. Fowler prob scored more than 20 in before Owen came into the side.

As for Morientes, he's very different from Heskey in my opinion. Heskey is big and win headers but somehow he don't score much but do more flick ons etc. Morientes has better touch and score more with his header than just mainly flickons.

Either they run to worng direction, or they are too slow (not anticipate).. those gerrard long pass to reach the on running owen had not been seen at all last season.

Different type of players require different passes... If Alonso is fit this season, you dun need to worry that Cisse and Morientes cannot score, it will not happen.

 

[MichaelLee]

IIRC, as i ever dig up the scoring chart of EPL, even owen don't score 20 goals in EPL from 1998-2003. At least not in most seasons. Fowler prob scored more than 20 in before Owen came into the side.

As for Morientes, he's very different from Heskey in my opinion. Heskey is big and win headers but somehow he don't score much but do more flick ons etc. Morientes has better touch and score more with his header than just mainly flickons.

aiyo brother..i just list Owen as an exmaple to be our main striker..Not looking exactly how many goals he scored..Eventhough he did not score 20 goals in any season..he was still our main striker duing the period he was with us. As long as he scored most of the scores of the season.....


Heskey is of course different type of player than Morientes. I did not say their style is similiar, did I ? but I am saying that role are quite similair.

For example...both play outside the box most of the time...both like target man when in corner kick...both take header...and both has a role to receive the ball and feed the ball to the main striker..Both play their game not based on speed..both can hold the ball.

Of course, the best morientes outclass the best of heskey. Now I wonder whether we could see the best Morientes again with LFC.

If Alonso is fit this season, you dun need to worry that Cisse and Morientes cannot score, it will not happen.

I dun worry whether Cisse and Morientes can not score...Even Forlan can score. But the issue is " how often" ??

But frankly...I notice that Cisse does not play with Liverpool as the way/style he did with Auxerre. In France, he played alike a very out and out striker. but with Liverpool, he played wide and not so deep in the box....

Wonder why ?

 

[nemesis32]

prob due to difference in style for Cisse's case. I think for morientes, he's much more a penalty box player compared with Heskey...

 

[MichaelLee]

btw...Rafa still very much prefer to play 1 supportive striker and 1 striker (ie Garcia + Cisse/Moreintes)...rather than 2 striker.

His success with Valencia actually used this formation. But that provided that the striker is very much lethal weapon and the supportive must be damn good as play maker role...ie Rivlado + Ronaldo in world cup 2002, henry + bergkamp for arsenal.

I am not sure we have the resources to play these within Garcia, Cisse, Morientes, Baros.

May be Rafa play 2 striker at home game and 1+1 in away game. Die die must win game..then push Gerrard up.

 

[nemesis32]

yah... he seems to prefer this formation so does Bolton, Everton, Chelsea and Man U. The days when EPL is for those long balls days are over. Now, you need more technical skills than before.

I do not recall he has a star striker at Valencia though... Carew?

 

[MichaelLee]

yah... he seems to prefer this formation so does Bolton, Everton, Chelsea and Man U. The days when EPL is for those long balls days are over. Now, you need more technical skills than before.

MU, Ruud and Rooney...Although Ruud is the target man..but both are strikers. Arsenal, Reyes and Henry, both striker. CHelsea Drogba and Gudjhonson ( never know how to spell his name) are both striker.

I mean if u start with 2 strikers, but one is more donimant role as the other , then it consider as 2 strikers. But Liverpool...Garcia + Cisse, not really leh...Garcia is not a striker..

 

[MichaelLee]

But I was really disappointed with Morientes. Really didn't do much running, weak in ball holding, and finishing also below par. Although the opposition keeper did well, he should have scored at least a brace.

Seem like I am the only one here who dun fancy Morientes performance at all last night.

Not really...read te time online here.

He was rated the lowest among the team...and being commented as
"His aerial power will be a weapon for the Reds but he lacked sharpness as he missed chances he would expect to put away. "

Morientes really need to get back his striking instinct as quick as possible...or else he is very soon to be labelled as "Diouf No2".

 

[nemesis32]

Now still early... Despite what you say or rafa says, this is still pre-season.

 

[MichaelLee]

Now still early... Despite what you say or rafa says, this is still pre-season.

chelsea had a friendly match..5-0.
we had a CL qualifying game..3-0. see the difference ?

btw...rumours report that Vieri leaving Arsenal for Juventus. Deal done.
Gallas leaving Chelsea to Liverpool. Deal done, after we fail to get Milito.

 

[nemesis32]

Difference? The difference is different teams playing mah... How to compare. It's like if Chelsea lose to AC milan and they will alslo lose to us.. not logical lah... Our last friendly ended 4-3 leh.. so whats the diff? btw, in that friendly, both MOrientes and Baros scored 2 goals each..

Viera prob done deal... gallas, i not so sure...

 

[MichaelLee]

Viera prob done deal... gallas, i not so sure...

hope gallas is coming over....we really need another good central defender. Carra can play RB and Gallas can play LB if necessary...

 

[zhapchit]

Wycombe 1-5 chelsea actually...
but how can compare this way...


gallas should be a good addition to the squad

 

[MichaelLee]

i know can't compare in such a way lah...

just list out for fun..

Gallas !!! Where are u ?? Pls come pls come..

 

[zhapchit]

i can't wait to see momo and gonzales play.

 

[ibitemynails]

wondering why cardiff city - a welsh club - is in the english coca cola championship????