The recent games since the Chelsea game has seen us play worse than earlier in the season. The spark, the quick attacking play and the endeavor that was there at the start of the campaign has slowly faded and to be frank I do not understand why?
Personally, I would have been more excited than ever to perform if I was in the Liverpool squad at the moment. We are top of the league and have beaten arguably our two biggest rivals for the title.
Still I am concerned.
WHY?
- Keane's lack of playing time recently. He should be the one banging in the goals at the moment and if Benitez kept confidence in him the way he did with Crouch a year ago, it would only be a matter of time before Robbie would start to bang in goals. (Bent is a perfect example of this)
- Rafa's lack of balls that he seemed to have gained at the start of the season. - I remember when it was looking like it was going to be another draw ealier in the season. Rafa put on Nabil El Zhar for a right back and really pushed for a win. That did not happen against West ham, Fulham or Stoke. If we had gone for the win in these games I think we could have been 10 pts ahead now or at least 6 point ahead *assuming that it would lead to 1 loss and two wins* The fact that we are so high up the table has made Rafa even more defensive minded in my opinion something that hinders our development.
- The lack of playing time for Ryan Babel. Why not try him up front or on the right wing now that Torres is out. He is the only one in the front line that has the ablity to sprint past someone and beat them simply by using his pace. Why not take advantage of that? He got better and better last season but has not been given the chance to continually develop this season. Do not forget also that he is naturally right footed and is always being used on the left wing as a backup for Riera
- The lack of a real right winger (we have Pennant which is better than everyone apart from maybe Kuyt or Gerrard when we are playing against better teams. He is more creative and gets more crosses into the box than any other player in our team. Yes he lacks defensive dicipline but should be a player that we could use against weaker teams to open them up (the fulhams, stoke, west ham etc.)
- Benitez return to rotation. Yes, I realize that he has to a certain extent been forced to make changes due to injuries however I do not agree with them. Lucas still does not look good enough to replace Mascherano, Alonso or Gerrard in any of the positions. Dossena has been terrible at the start of the season but is starting to look better. Aurelio is still injury prone so maybe Andrea can come good.
Saying all this we are at the top of the table and in fairness to Rafa that is a massive accomplishment. I am sure we all would have been excited if wins would have come against Stoke and Fulham and draws against Man U and Chelsea instead.
Strange how we fail to be convinced when we beat the better teams in the league.
In the end we are still at the top of the league, the teams keeps getting better and better and in Rafa we trust.
It is funny to say it but this year is the first year I feel that he has made some big mistakes in managing the team, and we are qualified from our group in CL and top of the PL.
I guess the 18 year wait for the PL title has got us in a bit of a negative frame of mind....
who knows... there might be stuff going on behind the scences with Pennant and other players that we do not know about.
Presently I just think we are at time playing boring football... At times in the games against West ham and Blackburn at least it felt that way...
Hopefully the game tomorrow against PSV change my mind....
my guess for the result --> 1-1
YNWA
Stian
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