Chez

Saw the HCDAJFU thread and was going to be my suggestion. Still don't know why we didn't go for Butland and Redmond when Brum were on their knees. Can you point me to the story

If you are convicted of murder would it not be a good idea for the murders entire wealth be given to the family of victim and maybe also money earned whilst serving a sentence, be that from suing the state or any other ways of accumulating wealth?

really? So if we solid hundred of millions of pounds worth of players, we couldn't then sign lots of free transfers and use those millions to pay the higher wages?

its funny, because of his running style, which is very smooth and dare I say it, effortless, he never looks as though he is ever busting a gut to me. I am not saying for one minute that is not giving it all, but I look at him and just think there is 10% more in there somewhere. I personally think he was a poor signing. People point to it being a little desperate, but what worries me is that the club had tried to sign him a couple of times and had tracked him for a long time. With that being the case I think the scouts involved may have `fallen in love with him' so to speak, because the evidence I saw of him (a number of time live and many more on the TV) at WBA and Hull pointed to a willing (especially in the air) but relatively toothless striker that was anything but clinical and a difference maker.

tell me more, because every time I see him, I think, what a bloody fantastic player he is, and that just makes me think that we will struggle to keep hold next summer.

He is our Jonno quick of the premiership. Bang average player that we over paid for massively. Risky business criticising him on here though as there is bound to be someone that saw him score a screamer at Ipswich, which he seems to do just often enough to prevent fans noticing how average he is. As with all players you don't rate, the question is will the man at the helm replace with better. He won't be sold, so irrelevant, but I'd be more than welcome to offers. There is talent out there.

Virgil isn't a CM and never will be.

Three at the back immediately at half time.

11 Tadics in the side is what we should aim for. With that work rate and quality on the ball CL beckons.

Read my post again and you will see that I recognise that he has qualities needed in a side to do anything good. I have no problem with having that type of player in the team. But he doesn't work hard. Not a chance. How does fan attitude win anything? Forums are for voicing opinions by the way. Try not to cry when you see one that differs from your own.

He started just 19 of the 57 games they played last season. As I said Mason was first choice and just like Cork if we had offered him first team football his head may have been turned. Too late now.

Which one minute of one game did you see to come that conclusion?

The original poster said last year/year before. The thread largely looks at last year's squad/side. How about comparing it with the team of two years ago as they were then (not now). Is Caulker better than the much maligned Jos? Is the **** weak Target better than super slow Fox? The two long term injuries muddies the water a fraction, but what do you think? Boruc Clyne Fonte Lovren Shaw Morgan Wanyama Lallana Davis Rodriguez Lambert Forster Soares Fonte JVD Bertrand Classie Wanyama Mane Davis Tadic Pelle Davis Chamberlain Yoshida Jos Fox Cork JWP Ramirez Guly Gallagher Osvaldo Stek Martina Yoshida Caulker Gardos Targett Romeu JWP Juanmi Ramirez Rodriguez Long

Likewise. I posted a comparison on the Liverpool thread between now and two season ago and the first team is weaker and the second 11 pretty much the same.

he was at Sheffield United last season...****ing terrible. But he had the odd decent, or should I say uneventful game too to be fair. In my eyes he hasn't justified the fee.

Has Tadic ever worked hard? He has qualities, but working hard...do me a favour. Doubt they have to wash his shirt after a match.

looked **** when we played them and in every game I've seen him play for West Ham. Massively overrated. West Ham didn't seem terribly fussed about resigning him.

this. He couldn't get a game for Spurs last season with Mason first choice (so must have been an option), but when he played against us I thought he looked tremendous. Power and ability on the ball. Everything that Morgan has. We need that sort of combination of facets. Size and pace isn't everything, but winning headers, getting to the second ball, being able to make interceptions, get close enough to opponents to force errors, and then using the thing when you get it is what's required of a CM. Does that sound like JWP, Classie or Romeu?

you seem to have forgotten the indoctrinated saints hashtag, so I've inserted that for ya.

I agree their certainly wasn't any Lee Cattermole style giving up, but there were one or two opportunities to go for tackles that players decided (perhaps wisely) otherwise. Long certainly did, but maybe he would have pulled out anyway. By and large defeats, even heavy ones are not down to lack of effort, its down to poor performances and a lack of quality. And there lies the problem. An erosion of quality in many positions. IMO this side is not a patch on the side of two years ago. Many on here point to a stronger squad, but I'm not sure about that either. The two long term injuries muddy the water a little, but interesting to compare (not that it makes any difference) Boruc Clyne Fonte Lovren Shaw Morgan Wanyama Lallana Davis Rodriguez Lambert Forster Soares Fonte JVD Bertrand Classie Wanyama Mane Davis Tadic Pelle Davis Chamberlain Yoshida Jos Fox Cork JWP Ramirez Guly Gallagher Osvaldo Stek Martina Yoshida Caulker Gardos Targett Romeu JWP Juanmi Ramirez Rodriguez Long

My evening started with the discovery that the chosen pre match pint venue was closed and finished with me having to circle for 25 minutes in attempt to find a parking pace remotely near my home. Brilliant! What went on in between was, as you know, the stuff of nightmares. It wasn't just pub closure that got me off to a good start. Before the game there was a massive queue outside the Kingsland, so I only made it to my seat with 4 minutes played and therefore missed our goal. I suppose it could have been worse - Liverpool could have scored it, but of course they made up for that. I'm getting old now and defeats, even miserable ones, are starting to become water off a ducks back. Cup exits however, do still seem to smart a little. The limp displays at Sheffield United and Sunderland still leave a bad taste in my mouth. You can't criticise RK for not going for it this time. He put out a full strength side (which is a worry in itself) and threw caution to the wind having gone 1-3 behind. But I do certainly question the personnel in that reshaped line up in the second half. In my eyes we were getting overrun in the middle, with Classie offering nothing in the way of pressure on the ball or a physical presence to win second ball. Yet it was Wanyama that was dropped back, leaving us even more exposed. I thought JWP did pretty well when he replaced Classie, but someone as immobile as him left to command the whole midfield area seemed madness. Bertrand pushed into a central midfield role did inject a little more pace in that area, but at times he seemed to still be playing at left back, leaving first Classie and then JWP to battle against two or three opponents. If you want to get back into games you need to start dominating possession, not just add bodies in forward positions. The new formation meant Davis and Tadic touched the ball about twice and any thoughts of us getting the ball down and play went out the window as our centre backs had no central midfielders to offer an easy pass to. Time after time the ball was smacked long by the keeper and defender. What ever happened to us passing it out from the back no matter what? Klop is known for a pressing game, and they did that to a certain extent, but not so much that we couldn't try to pass it out. Pelle won a single header all night against Skrtel, as he does every season. Total waste of time us attempting it. I have to say when Long came on I didn't really know what the formation was. Nor did the players. But Liverpool certainly knew where the space was. Everywhere! Like a masochist I stayed to the end. I like to see which players are willing to battle to the end even when the game has gone. JWP and Mane certainly didn't give up, but the rest are perhaps older and wiser and avoided tackles and potential injury without making it too obvious. Long was especially good at that. Having absolutely slated Lee Cattermole for giving up when we turned them over last season I guess I shouldn't go easy on our own players. We usually bounce back from cup defeats, so hopefully we will wallop Villa, but will yet another season go by without a cup final. I suspect so.

In JWP and Classie we have two players that really lack the mobility to get close to opponents to put them under pressure. Because of this we don't tend to regain the ball half as much as we used to, plus the opposition tends to have lots of time to get their head up and pick a pass. That lack of pace and size also effects their ability to recycle loose ball and to win second ball. Romeu offers a little more in that department, but not much. There is some quality when on the ball, but greater athleticism combined with that quality on the ball is needed, especially in that central area.

Martina signing baffles me. Not good enough in Holland, so why sign him even as back up? Richest league in the world and a team in Europe yet we settled for second best.

It looked like a pass would work, but you have split seconds to see that ball. You need greedy strikers. The moans on here about not shooting...

Watched Black Mass the other night. Reasonable American gangster type movie, but not an outstanding film, which that genre often are. I am not sure why I wasn't blown away. Perhaps I am more critical these days or perhaps it just lacks something. Mind you in a world full of crap movies it's certainly won a watch. A far better movie is Dope. Nice pace and flow to it, half decent story and well acted. Nice sound track too. Really enjoyed it.