Lack of goals could destroy Liverpool's season
Liverpool only have themselves to blame for getting beaten by Benfica - they could have scored 5 goals before Simao's stunner in the 36th minute. Liverpool did not play well for the rest of the match and, to be honest, the writing was on the wall very early on in the second half.
What really worries me is that Liverpool have only scored 5 goals in the last 10 games and none of their strikers look like scoring. Fowler has now had 3 goals disallowed and to be fair he still needs time to get fitter. Cisse just doesn't seem interested and Morientes is severly lacking in confidence. With a tough FA Cup game away at Birmingham approaching and 3rd place not yet secured in the Premiership, Liverpool must start finding the net or else their season could end in tatters.
posted by SKG at 3/08/2006 09:55:00 pm
EFT match of the season for 2008/2009: Barcelona construct a masterclass footballing performance to defeat the reigning Champions League holders and current English champions, Manchester United, by a scoreline of 2-0 in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome
EFT player of the season for 2008/2009: Chelsea central midfielder, Frank Lampard
EFT player of the month for May 2009: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for April 2009: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for March 2009: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2009: Phil Jagielka (Everton)
EFT player of the month for January 2009: Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd)
EFT player of the month for December 2008: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2008: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2008: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for September 2008: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for August 2008: Amr Zaki (Wigan Athletic)
EFT match of Euro 2008: Turkey's amazing comeback from two goals down to beat Czech Republic 3-2 as captain Nihat Kahveci's two goals in the last three minutes sensationally put his country through to the quarter finals at the expense of their beaten opponents
EFT player of Euro 2008: Spain (anchor) central midfielder, Marcos Senna
EFT match of the season for 2007/2008: Liverpool win titanic Champions League quarter-final second leg 4-2 against Arsenal that also saw two of the best football moments of the season - Fernando Torres' top corner strike and Theo Walcott's thrilling run across the whole of Anfield.
EFT player of the season for 2007/2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for May 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for April 2008: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
EFT player of the month for March 2008: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2008: David James (Portsmouth)
EFT player of the month for January 2008: Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for December 2007: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)
EFT player of the month for November 2007: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for October 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for September 2007: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for August 2007: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for May 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for April 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for March 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for February 2007: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for January 2007: Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for December 2006: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for November 2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2006: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers)
EFT player of the month for September 2006: Andrew Johnson (Everton)
EFT player of the month for August 2006: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth)
EFT match of World Cup 2006: Italy win a thrilling 'end-to-end' World Cup semi-final 2-0 against Germany courtesy of two late extra time goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro del Piero 
EFT player of World Cup 2006: Italy captain and centre-back, Fabio Cannavaro
EFT match of the season for 2005-2006: Liverpool win the FA Cup final 3-1 on penalties against West Ham after a Steven Gerrard-led fighback saw the Anfield side recover from 2-0 and 3-2 down to level the match in normal time
EFT player of the month for May 2006: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for April 2006: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for March 2006: Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur)
EFT player of the month for February 2006: Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough)
EFT player of the month for January 2006: Jason Roberts (Wigan Athletic)
EFT player of the month for December 2005: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2005: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for October 2005: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for September 2005: Danny Murphy (Charlton Athletic)
EFT player of the month for August 2005: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT match of the season for 2004-2005: Liverpool win Champions League final 3-2 on penalties against AC Milan after sensationally recovering from 3-0 down to level the match in normal time
8 Comments:
Don't panic just yet. We have been getting closer, we can dominate matches but teams are packing their defences to counter this. Once we overcome this we'll be fine.
At least we press and attack now!
3/08/2006 10:38 pm
true mikey cos under houllier we hardly attacked. but i hope the lfc board give rafa some serious dosh this summer as we desperately need a couple of strikers and a right winger. any suggestions?
3/08/2006 10:55 pm
We need to get rid of cisse, garcia and morientes they couldnt hit a barn door, crouch is useful but not for every match, we need a striker with a brain, i think morientes left his in madrid and cisse never had 1 to begin with, 1 more thing, to get be by a team as poor as benfica then there are serious issues in the liverpool camp that need sorting straight away. give rafa the money for real striking power than the jokes we have now.
3/08/2006 11:01 pm
I think a right winger and maybe a creative forward too. Not really sure about names although Defoe is reported to be on his way?? Not quite sure what I think about that.
There's Dirk Kuyt and David Villa that may be in our price range.
Don't know really, I'm happy to trust the boss. I think we really missed Sissoko in these two Benfica games. With him and Gerrard in the side we have two driving midfielders.
Heard JAR is out for a while which is bad news.
3/08/2006 11:02 pm
Relax Mr Anonymous......Rafa will get rid of the players he thinks aren't up to it.
I like Morientes but he plays a different role for Liverpool than he has done in the past - he drops deeper and his link up play is generally impressive.
Cisse, if anything, needed a run of games as a striker to see if he is/was up to it.
Garcia I don't think is fit. On his day he can turn a game but I think Rafa is losing patience with him.
I don't think Benfica were poor at all. They sat and countered. Well organised at the back so fair play to them. It's the old saying, when you get to the knock out stages there are no easy games.
3/08/2006 11:07 pm
Not a wrong word said. Tonight we could have scored the two crucial goals needed and defend a clean sheet. To lose Hyypia from the equation was bad enough, but then Riise, to be replaced by lapsidaisy Traore and a Warnock who needs sharpening up, the writing did seem on the wall. They weren't responsible for the goals but when we could have scored but didn't the likelihood was we would come up short. Then Simao is not closed down from outside the box and an excellent shot is taken that compleletly beats Reina. It was fate.
Same in the second half, Benfica had about three or four attacks otherwise we took the lead throughout and still we were not sharp enough in their third. We are usually astute with the pressure on us but tonight we were not sharp enough and thats the key. Other teams have players who have that pace, that touch on the ball, in front of goal, that we on a whole are lacking at the moment. A number fo crosses or passes can turn to be on the hopeful side rather than with forethought and precision.
We were the better team over the two legs but failed to develop our sharpness to impress as such while Benfica had their luck and took it and we congratulate them on doing so, going into the QF. It wasn't to be, as hopeful as many wished it would, and so we let it go and should hopefully maintain our position for next season's competition. It sucks but we need to make up for it in the remaining games of priority, that for 2nd/Champions League place and the FA Cup.
To add suggestions? Well Morientes was quite woeful, not sharp enough, not quick enough, his position is not as sharp as before, but he could become better next season.
Cisse needs to come on more in the striker's role than the wing. Then I will judge him. Was quite predictable as he always went for the touchline to cross.
Garcia was key for me today but his touches were not sharp enough either. I'd still keep him, can make the difference, just that we don't know when and for how long.
Crouch has his height and touch but needs to now get more aggresive and use his height to position his headers rather than they going wayward or too soft.
Sissoko could have been key tonight as well and his absence may well have been fate too.
The strikers I would like are Defoe as he is scarcely used by Spurs; Dirk Kuyt, still impressive; Torres would be nice. Mainly we need strong strikers with some height, pace and a good eye for goal. When you look at Saha, VNR, Rooney, Ronaldo; then Henry, Van Persie, Reyes; Crespo, J Cole, Duff, Robben, Gudjohnsen. Anon (11.01PM) above said it very well: we need strikers to have intelligence, movement, that kind of sharpness that finds them in good positions time and again. Basically like Fowler was back in the days.
Pity Agger and Krompamp were cup-tied but c'est la vie.
RedsMan.
3/08/2006 11:21 pm
Djimi Traore was the weak link as his lack of ability and confidence unsettled a normally very reliable defence. Had Agger been eligible or Hyypia been fit then we would have possibly repelled Benfica’s goal threat long enough for one of the many chances to go in before frustration and panic set into the attack. We have shown in the last few games that we are a very creative and powerful attacking side without converting the chances, this I feel will change soon if the lads carry on doing the great work they have been.
I feel it’s unfair to single out any strikers as they have all failed to score which leads me to think it’s a team issue and not a personal one. Lets hope this ‘metal block’ is cleared and soon.
3/09/2006 8:39 am
Thanks, firas. It does seem so bizarre why Morientes isnt as striking as he had been for Monaco, Cisse cannot get in on the goals and the number of chances we create aren't going our way. Perhaps we need to weather a storm before a longer calm. In the meantime, we need to keep on at it as we are probably 75% there.
RedsMan.
3/10/2006 11:45 pm
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