Liverpool Fans

The King takes his Throne. Long live the King.

Thu, 12 May 2011 15:49:12 -0400

Liverpool v Birmingham: Player ratings

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:55:28 -0400

A fantastic game for the Reds full of pace, movement, and power that was made all the brighter by the play of our two young fullbacks. Of course they weren’t perfect but they more than held their own and did the Academy proud. The fluid passing and distinct lack of long balls force me once again to wonder if the absence of Carroll isn’t a good thing. With Maxi’s fantastic play and ability to slot into a pass and move scheme seamlessly, I would be hard pressed to overlook him in the future.

And now the ratings:

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Reina - Really not bothered that much. He held onto a few tough shots that were very necessary and dealt with the arial stuff well enough. Rating: 3

Flanagan - I really liked his willingness to push the game forward which we haven’t seen him do much yet. His passing on the ground was solid although his longer stuff a bit wayward. The only thing our new fullback can’t provide is the attacking prowess which may mean we still need to dip into the transfer market. Rating: 3

Carra - Solid and pretty amazing to come back so soon after that impressive collision at the Emirates. Rating: 3

Skrtel - Another solid outing and he gave as good as he got. He has proved himself along with Jamie as our most reliable defender. His distribution was even good today. Rating: 4

Robinson - Played very well for his first start. Was understandably timid in attack but for the most part held his own. Had a few gaffes and missed assignments which are to be expected. His distribution was impressive, plus he kind of looks like a Beatle. Rating: 3

Maxi - Hands down the best player on the pitch. Movement, passing and finishing were great and he did a very good job helping Robinson defensively. Makes one wonder were he has been over the last month. Rating: 5

Lucas - Another good solid defensive game. Controlled the tempo well; linking defense to attack. He and Spearing seem to be starting to gel and he really has made me a believer. Rating: 4

Spearing - I really like his passing and he did a good job for the most part defensively. He did miss a few more passes and was caught out of position a few times but always hustled to make up for it. Rating: 3

Miereles - Seemed to spend most of his time in the middle instead of out wide with this game and was much more influential, I thought. Did a good job linking play and provides that forward midfield pressure. Rating: 3

Kuyt - Played solid as the target man. I think as his age starts to affect his already slow speed, his ability to link, move and hold up the ball will make him more effective as a target man. He did all the little things well and helped keep the play fluid. His ball retention is remarkable at times. Rating: 3

Suarez - Did really really well and was unlucky not to get a goal himself - he probably deserved it. His willingness to take on defenders and ability to skip by them is a joy to watch. Rating: 4

Subs

Shelvey - Played a bit out of position and did ok. Picked up another silly yellow card and I have to say his last two outings have shown his age a bit. Rating: NR

Cole - Came on to score and did a fair job. His lack of celebration suggests his discontent with this season but truthfully he can only blame himself for his average performances so far. Rating: NR

Ngog - Anonymous again. Rating: NR-

GSW

Liverpool v Arsenal: Player ratings

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:52:08 -0400

As I stated in my prior post, this game was always going to be a challenge. LFC has on the whole a pretty poor record against Arsenal over the last few years and in fact has never won at the Emirates. Things went from bad to worse when Aurelio left on 21 minutes and Liverpool retooled with what may be the youngest, most inexperienced pair of fullbacks in at least the top two tiers of English football. While both Flanagan and Robinson responded very, very well, without any offensive thrust from our wing backs (who we depend on for width when we play with two inverted wingers) we were never likely to score. However, the lads responded and put in a defensive effort that was a sight to watch. Lucas and Spearing ran and ran and ran and the two fullbacks played it safe and simple and were never out of control. A draw from this game was a magnificent result and in the end felt more like a victory. The sight of King Kenny slagging off Wenger at the end only made it all the sweeter.

And now the ratings:

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Reina - Made a few poor judgements in the first half, the most telling where he missed a corner that Szczeny smashed off the cross bar. He made up for it in the second half with an instinctual save from van Persie on a one-on-one in the box as well as a host of other really good interventions. Rating: 4

Flanagan - Another really accomplished outing. He has a cool head and you could see he was desperately trying to play football and not just smash it long. Played it safe and only made a few runs forward. He didn’t have much to do in the first half but was busier in the second with Arshavin and did a fine job. Rating: 4

Carra - Came out on 62 minutes after being knocked cold in a collision with Flanagan. Before that he had marshaled the defense well and made a few solid interceptions. I will be hard pressed to give anyone on the back line less than a 4 for this game. Rating: 4

Skrtel - Solid in the air and on the ground. Was harshly given a yellow card for a fair challenge in the first half, he still played aggressively and intelligently. Rating: 4

Aurelio - Didn’t have much chance to shine but looked in trouble from the off with Walcott’s pace. His substitution may have been a blessing in disguise. I do wonder if LFC can claim the prize for the most consistently injured fullbacks in modern history between Aurelio, Degen, and Johnson. Rating: NR

Robinson - Liverpool’s youngest player in history came in for his second game for Aurelio. Was burned once for pace by Walcott right after he came in but that was the last time. Did a great job from then on out, completely playing Walcott out of the game. Had a few rookie mistakes but I just can’t count those against him. Rating: 4

Miereles - Worked very hard and did his piece to protect his fullback. He is pretty hamstrung IMO by playing wide and its hard to fault him for that. He just can’t influence the game there like he can in the middle. Rating: 3

Spearing - A very good performance. I really love his early passing and his range and forward passing are getting better with every game. His defense and work rate were outstanding in this game and he wins co-Man of the Match with his midfield partner Lucas. I can’t blame him for a marginal penalty call. Rating: 5

Lucas - Probably the best player for LFC. Held the ball, kept it simple, completed his passes and was very strong defensively. He was always there on either side to back up the young fullbacks and won a lot of tackles. Rating: 5

Kuyt - A good game from him. His passing and hold up play was really solid and I don’t think it was coincidence that we looked more threatening up front when Carroll was removed. He linked a lot better with the wide players, Suarez, and the midfield. He had nerves of steel with the PK. Rating: 4

Suarez - Pretty anonymous in the first half, he came alive in the second. If he had just had his shooting boots on he could have had 2. He came back to defend well also. His decision making on the ball in the first half was a bit suspect and the chemistry with Carroll didn’t seem to materialize today. Rating: 3

Carroll - Not his best game. LFC’s need to sit deep and the lack of wide service had something to do with that for sure, but his link up with Suarez was missing as well. Lets hope he isn’t injured. Rating: 3

Subs

Kyrgiakos - I have to admit I was terrified at the thought of Arsenal’s twinkle toed front line against the lumbering Greek but he deputized well. Rating: 3

Shelvey - Showed good and bad. His tackle to earn the yellow card was absolutely ridiculous and he had a few really bad give-aways at the end. He is still a work in progress. Rating: NR

Coach

Kenny - A great performance from the manager. Joked with Robinson to steal the tension, calmed Flanagan after the Carragher incident, and told Wenger were to put his whining. I think I may have fallen in love with him after this game.

GSW

They got our number?

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:16:04 -0400

Thinking about this upcoming game with Arsenal I was trying to remember how many wins we’ve had against them over the last few years. All I could remember was Crouch’s hat-trick and beating them in the CL tie although we didn’t really win either game. I went back and counted from the 06/07 season and found that we are 2-7-6. That’s just 2 wins out of 15 tries. The gunners sure seem to have our number. Or maybe they just had Rafa’s number? With our new strike pair and the fact that we seem to be invincible against top opposition, we may be ok. Now if we could only beat the relegation fodder. Regardless it should be a fascination encounter.

GSW

Liverpool v Man City: Player ratings

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:28:00 -0400

Well, our topsy turvy season continues. Just when we seem to have lost our momentum, the lads come out and absolutely hammer a top four contender. It was as comprehensive a win as theirs was against us early in the season. Part of the credit has to go to Mancini who really messed this one up tactically for his team as he hoped to rest some starters for their upcoming derby against ManU. Add to that, the fact that he put in Mario ‘Self-Destruct’ Balotelli and you can see where he claimed the blame for his team’s failure. Now credit is certainly due to the boys who played much more cohesively and for whom the back line looked much more solid, but the comprehensive nature of the win must partially rest on the visitor’s ineptitude.

As for the Reds, it was great to see Andy get his first goal and to do it in such style. The absolute joy on so many of the boys’ faces as they went to celebrate reveals how quickly they have embraced our new number 9. His second was more graft than guile but in itself revealed the new dimension Carroll brings to the club - the ability to make something dangerous happen out of nothing. Suarez has also brought that dimension in brilliant fashion and it has done so much for our play. I still think we are too prone to use Andy as an outlet, but his other positives are becoming so clear that it may not matter (this season anyway).

So on to the ratings.

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Reina - Largely untroubled through the night. Got to the high balls when needed and dealt with the few shots that came to him. A great, easy night at the office for him and probably a bit unexpected. Rating: 3

Flanagan - What a night for the 18 year old. He did a great job, kept it simple and actually imposed himself on Balotelli. Full credit to Kenny for his faith in the youngsters and they are rising to the occasion. We suddenly seem to have an embarrassingly rich collection of right backs. How easy would it have been for the coach to push Jamie over and put Soto in? For me, this was a key piece of the win and well deserved praise for young Flanno. Rating: 4

Carra - Marshaled the defense well and backed up Flanagan on the rare instances that he needed it. He looks much more assured and useful in the center than he does on the right and is an upgrade over Soto. Rating: 3

Skrtel - One of his better games I thought. Won a lot of headers and kept his feet for the most part. It helped both centerbacks that Tevez was replaced by Balotelli who had a horrible game. I don’t think I have ever seen a professional forward hit so many shots so far off target. That being said, Martin’s discipline was good. Rating: 3

Aurelio - Every rare time he is in the side at full back I get caught by how much he brings to the position. Simple sense and discipline when on defense and some serious class when on the ball. His ability to get out of tight situations with a pass instead of a 40 yard boot helps this team’s possession so much. I can’t help but wonder what his career could have looked like if he wasn’t injured 75% of the time. Rating: 4

Miereles - Brought more to the game this time, however I still think his talents are wasted out wide. It didn’t seem so terrible with Spearing having a great game, but when Jay doesn’t play well as in our game with WBA it doesn’t make sense. Provided the cross for Andy’s second goal and got forward well, but just doesn’t seem the goal threat that he can be when playing central. Rating: 3

Spearing - A really good game from the little midfielder. His passing was crisp, early, and more incisive than I’ve seen so far. He didn’t do well against WBA but really looked the part in this game. He is probably not going to be the man to unlock packed defenses or add a goal threat, but he is smart and capable. I’m giving him this rating for stepping it up after last week. Rating: 4

Lucas - Not really his best game. He didn’t make any major mistakes but didn’t defend as well as he has done and really added little to moving forward. Perhaps he was staying closer to home to protect Spearing, but it also played him out of the game. Rating: 2

Kuyt - A pretty good day for the Dutchman. His finish was excellent and his link play very good as well. He is a very smart and hardworking player which covers his lack of athleticism. He did a good job linking with and covering for Flanagan behind him. A solid game which would normally get him a 3, but his goal boosts his rating. Rating: 4

Carroll - Man of the Match. His first goal was a carbon copy of the one he put past Pepe in the first half of the season. It looked close enough for Hart to save but the power was too vicious. His hold up play still needs work but his link play with Suarez is coming along very nicely. If that continues to show growth - watch out EPL. Rating: 5

Suarez - A very close second for MOTM for me. His movement was excellent - defenders never know where he is going to show up - and there is clear chemistry starting to develop between him and Carroll. I’m starting to think buying them together was genius. Thanks Nando! BTW how are things in London?…….(I promise not to do this often but with so many good performances I needed another level for something just a little more special) Rating: 4.5

Subs

Ngog - Did he touch the ball? Rating: NR

GSW

5 thoughts on WBA

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:11:03 -0400

I’ve been too busy to put up my score card this week. Suffice it to say that losing to WBA pretty much sunk our European hopes. Here are a few thoughts I had on the game however.

1. Liverpool seems to play the wrong way with Carroll up front - We’ve been hearing time and time again about how Carroll can play with his feet and doesn’t upset the pass-and-move game of Liverpool. However, over and over again the back line hoofed balls up to him and completely bi-passed the midfield. He does an extraordinary job of winning them but it is not the kind of play that is easy on the eyes or that I expect from LFC.

2. Martin Atkinson did a better job taking Carroll out of the game than WBA - The ref did nothing to protect Carroll as he was repeatedly hammered. When he finally boiled over because Atkinson wasn’t calling anything on him, he gets a yellow. From then on he couldn’t really mix it with their CBs and they had them. It was atrocious that he called Soto on the PK considering what he let them do to Carroll. It was a very unbalanced performance and really left LFC short.

3. Miereles’ talents are wasted on the wing - I don’t know if its our lack of wing depth but it seems both Roy and Kenny feel that shoe-horning him into the wing is worth it. However, he was totally out of the run of play and didn’t add anything. I like Jay Spearing a lot but don’t think his inclusion is worth pushing Raul outside. When we went on our winning run, he was in the middle and bagged several goals. With him outside, he’s anonymous.

4. The promise of Wilson - I have really been impressed with him. He makes me think a lot of Agger - comfortable on the ball, good movement, quick. He actually may be better than Agger in the air. I’ve heard a lot of talk that LFC needs CB cover - I think we have it in Wilson and Ayala. What we need are fullbacks.

5. Roy must have been smiling as he went to bed - I know everyone keeps downplaying it, but beating Kenny must have been sweet redemption for him. Why we never played like that under him is bizarre to me, however he was never the coach to move LFC forward.

GSW

Random thoughts for the week

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:56:33 -0400

-While I don’t know if he cares, I can’t help but wonder what Torres thinks as he watches Suarez. I am pretty sure the Spaniard would have had a few more goals to his name by now if he had stayed in the Red shirt with Suarez’s movement, trickery, and ability to set up his team mates. He was exactly what we have been missing and there is a chance their partnership could have been the next big star pairing in the EPL. Who knows, Carroll and Suarez may end up becoming that anyway, I just think it will take more time.

-Speaking of Carroll, I still am not sure how he will end up fitting in the line-up for LFC. I tweeted with SI’s soccer editor Jen Chang about this and he seems convinced (as does Kenny) that Carroll has good enough feet to play a pass and move game. I agree he has good feet for a big man, but to me they are much less developed than his heading ability and whether they will get much better is unclear. Don’t get me wrong, I think he can be a real force in the EPL, I’m just not sure LFC’s playing style will prove it.

-Rumors are that FSG’s plans for Anfield will supposedly be announced soon. What a difference some new owners make after the dragged out affair around the new stadium. As an American based fan who hasn’t been able to make the pilgrimage to Anfield yet, I personally hope for a renovation so I can experience the magic and the history.

GSW

Liverpool v Sunderland: Player ratings

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:59:57 -0400

This was an interesting game in that Sunderland probably shaded the play a bit. Their attacking players are very dynamic and the prettier football was definitely played by the home side. The opening goal was certainly controversial but given some of the poor calls we have suffered, it was probably due karma for us. And again, it is the ability to win the games we should win that tend to make good teams great. It is a critical time for us to put together a string of wins as Spurs have a challenging stretch will hopefully be more focused on their tie with Real Madrid then on their EPL form.

Once again Suarez worked hard and has been so integral to our successful form over the second half of the season. His absence was painfully obvious in our drab games against Braga. Carroll got another start and continues to look good - particularly in the air. We still seem to be working out how best to fit him into our system however and even Kenny was quoted bemoaning the team’s tendency to hoof it long to him instead of passing and moving. As a whole we did just enough to win without too much pain, although the early goal helped immensely.

Now on to the ratings:

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Reina - Despite good play by Sunderland, Pepe really had little to do. Most of the serious shots went right to him and he held them well. He had one little bobble where he came and missed a dangerous cross but it luckily didn’t hurt us. Rating: 3

Carra - Again, played ably and marshaled the defense well. I didn’t see him move forward much but didn’t make any mistakes at the back. Rating: 4

Skrtel - Played a solid game at the back and won quite a few headers. He did a good job keeping the physical Gyan at bay and didn’t let himself get exposed by the Black Cats movement. Rating: 3

Agger - Composed as always and did a solid job of distributing the ball from the back. Didn’t move forward much this game but was defensively solid. Rating: 3

Johnson - Was really pretty anonymous. Tried to make a few runs forward but never really pulled them off and was torched around the end line a couple of times. I am maybe a little harsh with this rating but thought he was the weakest of the back line. Rating: 2

Miereles - It is interesting how Kenny is putting players in positions that they played under Roy, but now they play so much better. That being said I think the wing really marginalizes Raul’s talents. He played an ok game but isn’t going to be our answer for a wide player. I was tempted to give him a lower rating but I don’t think it was his fault. Rating: 3

Spearing - A candidate for man of the match and if his second half cannon of a shot had gone in he probably would have won it. He won the first penalty despite exaggerating the contact quite a bit and being sure to stumble into the box before falling. Defensively he needs work but I like his quick passing and he is much more willing to pass the ball forward than Lucas. He could be a real asset if we ever play a counter-attacking scheme. Rating: 4

Lucas - Put in his usual shift and was generally tidy with the ball. He didn’t really influence the play as much as he has in the past but more importantly didn’t make any mistakes. Rating: 3

Kuyt - Another solid if unspectacular game. Kuyt plays his part well, like Maxi, but is not likely to take your breath away. Moving forward I see his role as backing up Carroll as a target striker because we must improve our wing play. Rating: 3

Suarez - My man of the match. The difference between our game with him and without him were starkly revealed after these last two Braga games. His movement, pace, and trickery are so vital and are traits that are really lacking in the rest of the line-up. With Carroll up front and some new dynamic wing players we could be a real attacking force. Rating: 5

Carroll - Absolutely dominant in the air and unlucky to not get a goal after having a header cleared off the line. He won virtually every ball that came his way and once we can get used to having a player of that ability in the line-up we will do much better. He caused enough problems without being spectacular to win this rating. Rating: 4

Subs

Ngog - Probably not doing enough to keep him comfortably on the first 18 in the future, especially if we get some striking reinforcements. Rating: NR

Maxi - Ok. Limited minutes and is generally solid. Rating: NR

Cole - Came on in the 89th with little to do and didn’t add anything. Rating: NR

GSW

That sound just might have been the season going thud

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:11:00 -0400

I”m trying to get a grip on how I feel about getting dumped out of the Europa League. Getting knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea or losing to West Ham (or being swept by Blackpool or getting outplayed by Stoke or …) was worse. However, it was a chance at silverware and a chance to paint yet another bleak season with a bit of a silver lining. Truthfully, I wasn’t really as shocked that we lost the tie as all the pundits probably thought I should be. Yes, we shouldn’t be losing to Braga, we should be able to at least score one goal against them. The problem is that this team is so thin and has played so terribly in the Europa League that I really didn’t think we had a chance to win.

Its clear that without Suarez and Gerrard there is very little creativity left in the team. Carroll is certainly a talent and a good footballer but I don’t think Kenny knows how to use him. Which is a little strange to pay 35 million for a man and not really know what you will do with him. The obvious choice is as a target man with endless long balls being pumped up to him to pull down or flick on. The problem is that you don’t really beat the good teams with that kind of play and the current team just isn’t set up to do that anyway. If this is how we are going to play moving forward then we might as well re-hire Roy, because long ball is his baby. When all we have to call on for attacking reinforcements are Ngog and Spearing, you know you are in trouble. I have yet to be sold on Ngog and Spearing will be a good little player but neither has ever proven able to turn a game. Maybe if get Aquilani back?

The other problem is that without European football it becomes increasingly hard to convince top players to come play for LFC. Its disappointing that now that we have money to spend, we may not get the players we want because we can’t offer them those special European nights. Its almost hard to imagine a Liverpool season without European football. It all goes to highlight the work and money that will need to be put into this team next year, because its increasingly clear to me that the drama of this season has finally been put to bed.

GSW

disgusted.

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:07:19 -0400

Couldn’t score a goal against the 6th placed team in Portugal. Twice.

European blues, the Ressies, and the Carroll question

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:19:00 -0400

Hmm, what a difference 1000 miles and a few days make for this team. With so many of us on a high after Sunday, the game against Braga felt like a chance to finally get the ball rolling on beating the teams we are supposed to beat. While no one would call Braga a sure win, after watching the game the only thing less impressive than the Portuguese was our own LFC. I’m just not sure how Kenny envisioned it working out but fielding a midfield line with 4 defensive holding midfielders was a terrible flop.

Was he just playing for a 0-0 draw? If so what a horrible way to play against weaker teams (just see Hodgson’s attempts). If it was play tight and then counterattack, then you need to have someone on the field who is faster than a glacier for the counter-attack part. Sadly the only player with any pace or attacking verve was Johnson - and its tough to influence an entire game from left back. These terrible away, European games seem to becoming a habit which to me is a real head scratcher. Sure you want to play it tight at the back, but 4 defensive midfielders? Why not give Pacheco or Suso or Ince a shot to add something? We have some great, young potential playmakers in the Ressies who are just bench-warming. And the U18s look great as evidenced by their classy play in the Youth Cup. They may have lost this weekend but the sophistication and skill of some of them makes me think they could be 1st teamers sooner rather than later. Lets give them a chance - heck, they can’t be any worse than Poulsen.

The one player who did do something to prove his worth was Carroll who, for a 10 minute period, brought the team to life. I can’t ever see him scoring 20 goals a year but his hold up play and ability to win headers is sensational. The problem for me is how in the world to fit a great target man into a pass and move system. It just doesn’t work for me. I can see him as a late game target man when we are behind and need to be more direct, but 35 million seems a lot for sub. Is his footwork that good that he can play pass-and-move? I think doubtful. Piecing this one together may be Kenny’s biggest challenge should he get the job. Carroll’s skills are undoubtable, I just hope we can create a system that lets them shine. Some quality wing-backs and true wingers would be a good start.

GSW

Liverpool v Manchester United: Player ratings

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:03:55 -0500

It may be King Kenny’s birthday week but it was the fans who got the gift. A fantastic effort from the boys yesterday saw them batter their most bitter rivals. As a fan it was close to heaven with us looking great and the Mancs looking flat, a new hero in Suarez weaving his magic and a first look at our giant new #9. It was easily the best we have played over the last two years with crisp first time passing, flowing movement from the front line and midfielders, and most importantly - passion. I remember thinking at the end of last year how few times I let out a gasp at a brilliant passing sequence or was amazed at a 50 yard pass on the dime - I probably did that 10 times yesterday alone.

Its true that Manchester were flat and tired and looked like their game with Chelsea sucked the life from them (a fantastic game by the way if you get a chance to watch it), however with everyone in red on the pitch playing at the top of their game we looked like world beaters. Now why we can’t do that against Wigan or West Ham is an entirely different story. If Kenny doesn’t get his final birthday wish and a shiny new contract soon, then my faith in FSG will be shaken.

Now on to the ratings:

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Reina - Needed only to make a few relatively routine saves, which says a lot about how poor Man U’s attack was. His only real scare was Berba’s early volley which nicked the post and would have been unsavable anyway. Rating: 3

Aurelio - Looked good for the first 20 minutes until he (seemingly inevitably) injured himself. Rating: NR

Kyrgiakos - Did well coming into the center for Aurelio. His reactions and pace will be his Achilles heal but he did well to stay in front of the play and his heading was solid as usual. Rating: 3

Skrtel - Also did just enough to keep everyone at bay. Picked up a yellow for barging Fabio after his incredibly dangerous and malicious slide attempt. Standing up for his mate was wholly justified and is why he gets my rating. Rating: 4

Carra - Had a solid game and made some good stops in the second half when Man U looked likely to score. His tackle on Nani was as hard as they get but NOT malicious. Fabio was trying to break a leg and nothing else - anyone who thinks differently doesn’t know the game. Rating: 4

Johnson - This was probably his best game this season. He was solid moving forward but even better defensively. If he clicks into action and Kelly continues his growth we may not need to buy a left back this year after all. Rating: 3

Miereles - A great game from the Portuguese as his bombing runs forward caused all sorts of problems for Man U. His tireless performance, solid skills, and goal scoring ability make him a real asset. He gets this score more for effort than final production. Rating: 4

Gerrard - A solid if unspectacular game from the captain. The best part was his ability to keep his position and his defensive work. He seemed to win header after defensive header as Man U pushed the game. He had two shots just inches wide. Rating: 3

Lucas - Again, played within himself but is continuing to show improvement in his passing and defensive work. Has made his position his own and really earned every start. Rating: 3

Maxi - He is just so technically sound. He is a more mobile ‘Kuyt’ who rarely makes mistakes but rarely seems to score either. His movement, first touch and early passing were really good yesterday and he kept the wheels turning. Rating: 3

Suarez - My co-Man of the Match with fantastic acceleration and a highlight reel slaloming run for the first goal. Kuyt had to knock it in but it’s too bad he didn’t get credit for it. He may end up being the buy of the season and he had a hand in every goal made. If I was an opposing centerback I would hate to have to stop him in my own box. Rating: 5

Kuyt - Co-Man of the Match for more than just his goals. His movement, link play, and tireless chasing all figured into the win. I don’t believe he will do this every game but for now he is the hero. Rating: 5

Subs

Cole - Hmmm, anonymous. I just can’t say he has brought a thing to this team this year. Rating: NR.

Carroll - It was good to finally see him out there. He had some good touches and hold up play but the thing that I was so impressed with was his willingness to get back on defense. At one point I saw him sprint to the backline to cover after Stevie had made a forward run and lost possession. To me that says spades about his quality and dedication. I truly look forward to having him worked into the side. Rating: NR

GSW

Liverpool v West Ham: Player ratings

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:36:25 -0500

Its hard to pinpoint exactly what went wrong Sunday. Losing Miereles and Kelly didn’t help although Johnson did fine at his usual RB position and Wilson got forward plenty at LB. We seemed to lose the midfield battle once we switched to a 442, however WHU didn’t score until late when we were pushing up so high and Skrtel and Carra got isolated. After reading the press about this game I was expecting something akin to our early season cock-ups (see our first game against Stoke this season if you’re not sure what I mean), but what I saw was some great defense and a hungrier midfield by West Ham and a lack of incisiveness in attack on ours. I didn’t think we played all that terribly, just not good enough to win. Again Joe Cole and Kuyt failed to provide any kind of attacking spark and improvement on the wings will be key to this team moving forward.

Sadly this loss probably spells the end of any hopes for a CL spot, as slim as they may have been anyway. Not that our chances of winning the Champions League next year would be significant, at least it would help us recruit some more first class talent during the summer. The bottom line is we just have not been good enough against bottom tier opposition with just 3 wins in 10 tries against the bottom 6 teams including losses to Blackpool (2) and West Ham (1). It has been a crazy season and Tottenham seem to be wobbling a bit so anything can happen, but without a big step up in our play I don’t see it.

Now on to the ratings:

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Ratings:

Reina - Not his best game. He made a few solid stops on long range shots but let the deciding goal in at the near post. He can’t be blamed for the loss but wasn’t his usual self. Frankly, nobody was on this day. Rating: 3

Kelly - Came off before half with what looked like a bad hamstring. He was doing well before that point and will be missed as he is surely out for some time. No rating due to his injury. Rating: NR

Skrtel - Also not his greatest game. Was muscled out in sadly impressive fashion by Cole on the last goal. Rating: 2

Carra - Unimpressive game. Was let down by some of his defensive partners. Anyone know how long Agger is out? Rating: 3

Wilson - Really didn’t deserve the stick he got. Sure his distribution wasn’t great and he missed the header that led to the second goal but the kid isn’t even 20 yet and is being played out of position. I thought he was very assured at left back in the second half. He is going to be a good one for the future and I just can’t sacrifice him here. Rating: 3

Johnson - One of his better games this season. He was aggressive and involved in a lot of the forward play. Of course he got the goal as well and didn’t look out of place in defense. Rating: 4

Cole - I’ll add him to the starters since he played most of the game. Looked ok in possession but never really looked dangerous. Rating: 3

Miereles - Continues to be solid. The midfield really weakened after he left and glaringly showed what he brings to the team. Rating: 3

Gerrard - Came back into the side and was the primary driving force in the second half. He was involved in almost all of our good moves but was guilty of some glaring give aways. Rating: 3

Lucas - Really didn’t impose himself on this game at either end of the field. Hard to think of a great or terrible play he was involved in. Rating: 3

Kuyt - Held possession well but his passing and final ball was terrible. I love his passion and work rate but we could use an upgrade. Rating: 2

Suarez - My man of the match simply because he (and maybe Johnson on his day) seem to be the only players who can bring that little bit special to unlock a defense. His turns in the box were really impressive and it is easy to see goals coming for him sooner rather than later. His turn in the box for the assist was astounding. Rating: 5

Subs

Ngog - A better display from him today. I just don’t know if he is just still young or just isn’t good enough. After watching Suso and Dani Pacheco in the reserve game today I just can’t see how Ngog is continually preferred over them. Rating: 3

GSW

Newcastle - the new Liverpool Reserves?

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:39:38 -0500

I laughed a little when I heard LFC was scouting out Newcastle’s Enrique. When did Newcastle suddenly have such a great team that we wanted to buy all their players? I was seriously curious and watched the Newcastle-Bolton game yesterday solely to scout Enrique (and to maybe spy on Stu Holden a little - go USA!). I remember when he came to Newcastle and was pretty hyped up, but totally failed to impress. I have to say though that he was easily one of the better players on the pitch yesterday. His delivery was excellent and he made a few really eye opening runs. I can’t say his defense was anything to write home about though - Sturridge just about stole his socks, pants and underwear on one move in the first half. However, if we keep playing a 3-5-2 formation he won’t need to do much defending anyway. Truthfully anybody would be an improvement over our current situation and with those crosses into the box and Andy Carroll waiting to receive them it could be a re-match made in heaven.

GSW

Day of reckoning

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:24:32 -0500

I’ll talk more about today’s disappointment after I get a chance to watch it in full but this loss and the two tedious and uninspiring eastern Europ(ean) League games against Prague have finally put this season into perspective for me. The bottom line is this squad just isn’t good enough. The relative ease with which we moved up to a sight of the Champions League places belied the holes in this team and gave me hope that was probably premature. Here are my points:

-After the starting XI things get pretty average. These games against Prague really highlighted how anemic our attacking line-up is. Ngog must be looking at Andy Carroll and seeing his place in the team disappear, and it is showing in his play. He got the start at home against Prague and was awful. Granted he was playing a role that is probably more suited to Carroll than to him, but he was given several glaring chances that he missed. He needed to prove he could play and is falling short.

-The sooner we see Carroll the better. It is easy to hail the new signing as our savior but after watching several games lately its clear we could use a target man. While Kenny doesn’t use long ball tactics much, having a player who can hold the ball while the midfielders move up is key and Ngog and Kuyt just are not going to be successful at that. I don’t know if Kenny is using this style to get the team ready for him or what but the sooner he’s playing the better.

-The games against Prague were so tedious. Poulsen was terrible, terrible, terrible on Thursday - constantly getting stuck in possession and the one time he was moving forward with the ball he looked so lost that he just kept running until he hit the center backs and lost the ball. He could have done anything else and it would have been better. Even a hopeful shot from distance would have been more productive. Shorn of Stevie, Suarez, Kelly, and Agger this team is really no more than average and it shows. You look at a bench with Maxi, Jovanovic, Kyrgiakos, and Spearing and its hard to see where the attacking guile will come from. Hopefully NESV will be plowing more money into the club during the summer since they didn’t have to in January with selling Torres, because this team is woefully short on depth.

GSW

Liverpool vs Wigan: Player ratings

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:15:00 -0500

This draw against Wigan has to go down as a disappointment, despite some really good play from Liverpool. The front four of the visitors (Moses, Rodallega, NZogbia, and Daime) are a skilled lot and were impressive, particularly in the first half, and probably should have troubled us more. As it was, our final ball really lacked a cutting edge and its becoming more and more clear who the dead-wood on this team is and who is good enough to take us forward. A player who definitely stood out was Luis Suarez who always looked dangerous and whose pace and trickery has been sorely lacking for the last two seasons. After a string of expensive foreign signings who seemed to need months to ‘adapt to the English game’, Suarez showed no signs that he was troubled by the pace or physicality of the EPL.

As an added piece to the ratings today I’ve put an asterisk next to the players who I feel just don’t have what we need to move us forward. It isn’t that they didn’t play well, just that they no longer or never really did have that special something that makes them worthy to wear the Liverbird. These would be my target positions for the summer transfer season.

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Starters

Reina - Played a solid game and was particularly good in dealing with crosses and high balls, which has not always been his strong point. Made a few key saves. Rating: 4

Kelly - Another solid outing for the youngster who is clearly growing in confidence, now taking on players and more willing to get involved in the attack. However, it was his defense that impressed the most, winning most of the battles with Moses and NZogbia - both athletic and pacey attackers. Neither fullback won them all but again Kelly stood out as the better of the two. Rating: 4

Carra - A very solid game and could have made an argument for Man of the Match again. Provided cover very well for Kelly and made at least two key interventions. Rating: 4

Skrtel - Played within his game and didn’t make any mistakes. Covered well for his weaker wing partner, Johnson. Rating: 3

*Johnson - While I like his athleticism, his defense is so shaky and his crossing so poor on the left that its hard not to imagine that we could upgrade in this position. He was troubled by N’Zogbia all game and Skrtel had to repeatedly bail him out. In the last few minutes he was isolated against the much less mobile Gohouri, yet only once took him on and still had his weak cross blocked. Rating: 2

*Maxi - The same story game after game for this guy. He is a smart, soccer savvy pro but I can’t think of any way that he has added to our play over the last few games. He doesn’t really make any mistakes but doesn’t really make any plays either. Rating: 3

Miereles - Played a good game despite being apparently quite sick. Scored a beaut of a goal but his tracking and work-rate were clearly not there today. Still gets points for his goal and link play. Rating: 4

Lucas - Not his best outing as Wigan’s front 4 repeatedly got the better of him. Pacey attackers seem to pose him a lot of problems and Diame clearly won the midfield battle all day. Rating: 3

*Aurelio - A classy player but another whose glory days are past. I thought he dovetailed well with the other midfielders leading to some very pretty passing moves and his fake to get in the cross that eventually led to the goal was nice. As a whole however, he is not going to be LFC’s future. Rating: 4

*Kuyt - This guy blew hot and cold all game. He was involved in almost all of our best moves but his final passes/crosses were just woeful. An upgrade in this position is the most vital in my opinion. Rating: 3

Suarez - Easily man of the match, his passing, touch, and pace were wonderful and he was linking up fantastically with Kuyt and Miereles. He was really unlucky to not get on the score sheet between a slick move and curler off the post and a dipping free kick that was inches from ricocheting in. Rating: 5

Subs

Ngog - Looked rusty on his first playing time in a while. Of anyone he probably has the most to prove after this January’s transfer doings, and this outing did not do him any favors. Rating: 3

Jovanovich - Also looked pretty rusty and his first touch repeatedly let him down. He has skill but probably won’t worry too many defenses when he comes on. Rating: NR

GSW

Liverpool vs Chelsea: Player ratings

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:06:13 -0500

While not an instant classic by any means, our win over Chelsea was a tactical master-piece. It also boosted us within striking distance of the European places and provides us with further momentum forward. Liverpool are now the hottest team in the EPL and no one is going to want to play us in this mood. All of this is even before adding our 57 million pound strike force to the regular line-up. On a personal level it was particularly satisfying to see Fernando totally ineffective and to watch him leave without really impacting the game was icing on the cake.

Liverpool showed off its new 3 in the back formation which worked like a charm, although it may not be a permanent fixture. It does get our 3 best defenders on the field at the same time, while allowing Johnson to play to his attacking assets without needing to defend as critically. The down side of course is that it takes away a supporting striker leaving the target man a bit isolated and in general our attack was sporadic at best. With a better front man like Carroll it could have been much more effective. All in all, it was a hugely satisfying win with good performances across the pitch.

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Reina - A solid game but surprisingly un-needed. He had two important stops in the second half but did not need to pull off any spectacular plays. His passing out of the back was good as usual. Rating: 3

Kelly - He continues to impress with solid defensive performance and good wing play. His service into the box is very good and will only improve as he learns when to play in the ball and when to take on his defender. He shows his age from time to time but still justifies his place. Rating: 3

Carra - An amazing performance considering he was out of action for 2 months - he wins my Man of the Match. He marshaled the defense well and his block on Torres in the first half may have saved a damaging early goal. Rating: 5

Skrtel - As a whole, the back 3 performed very well. Martin has struggled of late and may be the biggest loser with Carra back in action if we revert back to a 4 man back line. However, he did well against Chelsea. Rating: 3

Agger - Solid as usual. Didn’t really do much of great importance beyond flattening Torres first, which is what gives him his rating. A classy passer and all around good back, I’m really glad he is getting his chances under Kenny. Rating: 4

Johnson - Much more involved this game, he really adds a nice attacking dimension in this formation. Relieving him of some of his defensive duties is bringing out the best in his attack - which is a good thing too since the way Kelly is playing, the right back position looks to have waved him bye-bye. Rating: 3

Maxi - Had a bit of a nightmare out there - Passing was lacking, his shooting boots were apparently both left footers, and he forgot Torres was now on the other team. His miss was comical to say the least. I would like to see Suarez in his place sooner rather than later. Rating: 2

Lucas - Another really solid outing. He won a few balls and generally his distribution was tidy if not uninventive. Rating: 4

Gerrard - Played with his usual passion. He did a good job pushing forward and locked down Lampard well. He got the assist but it should have really gone to the comedy duo of Cech and Ivanovich. Rating: 3

Miereles - Got a goal with some good running. He still isn’t the guy to unlock defenses but his runs and general energy go a long way. His shooting boots are making him a Kop hero. Rating: 4

Kuyt - Worked very, very hard for the team. However, I couldn’t help but think how much better this line-up would work with Carroll up front, but that is for another day. I can’t really fault Dirk for anything but can’t really think of anything he did that stood out. Rating: 3

Subs

Aurelio - Came in and did his usual bit part at the end. Could have had a clinching goal on a nice break away but hit it right at Cech with his weaker foot. Rating: NR

Poulsen - Did ok… or at least didn’t make any mistakes. Rating NR

GSW

Notes on the last week

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:18:00 -0500

Sorry to any of you looking for my regular updates. Recovery from the plague + business at work = little blog time. So I’m going to skip the Stoke player ratings this week and will have Chelsea ratings out soon. With so much going on right now I have to share a few of my most recent LFC thoughts though:

-The Carroll Gamble - I, along with a lot of other football heads, thought 35m was a ridiculous amount to spend on this guy. It made me doubt FSG’s football intelligence that they would throw that kind of money at such an unproven player. However, Henry was quoted as saying that the Fernando Torres sale price was Carroll plus 15m. Apparently Carroll had already been seen as LFC’s primary off season target and the Torres deal allowed it to happen early. While the price was over the top, it wasn’t a case of terrible business for FSG, just a case of two screwball billionaires (Ashley and Abramovitch) screwing each other. In the end Henry stood back and watched Ashley drive up the price and leave Liverpool standing with two new, shiny, promising strikers and only in the hole 2m. This has the potential to be the deal of decade and hopefully means there will be more money in the coffers come summer.

-Suarez - He couldn’t have had a brighter start to his career at LFC. He brought pace and trickery that has been sorely missing from this team for years. As he finally gets his conditioning and some games, I think he could easily make us forget that pasty blond kid, what was his name….oh, Torres.

-And on that subject…I still hate that we traded him to an EPL rival but now that I know he won’t hurt us after his limp performance on Sunday, I don’t feel so bad. I still can’t help but think he will ultimately regret his choice as Liverpool are arguably the hottest team in the EPL right now. Chelsea is clearly in a slow skid and El Nino may have jumped a little prematurely just to try and get a Champions League run in right now. If Chelsea don’t right the ship they could see the Reds nip them for the last CL place. Their loss to us this weekend probably ended their title hopes. So, good luck Fernando, you looked a hell of a lot better in red.

-King Kenny - Well, the dream run seems to be on. I don’t think we can rest easy yet, but we are playing better, smarter football and a chance at salvaging this season suddenly seems real. With this run has come the cries for Kenny D to be made permanent manager, and if he does make something of this year he should get it. His chances got a huge boost from John Henry who spoke glowingly of what he has done to FoxSoccer this week. With this groundswell of support, Henry may not have a choice as sacking him at the end of the season could see a revolt of epic proportions.

-Player of the Year - Lucas? - I may have to eat my hat with this one. I have never been a great fan of the kid but he has really come to life over the last season and could rightly have a go at LFC player of the year. He has become much more consistent defensively and his passing rate is always very impressive. Of course his passing isn’t very incisive or positive but it shows that he isn’t making mistakes. With him coming into his own, it allows Kenny a lot more freedom to make changes to his midfield, knowing Lucas will mop up ably.

GSW

Liverpool vs Fulham: Player ratings

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:39:01 -0500

While this seems pretty meaningless now in light of all the transfer drama, I did want to keep the ball rolling on my player ratings. LFC were fortunate to come away with a win in this one as Fulham really played the better football. Some good goal keeping and a comical own goal really sums up the game. The stats say we out-possessed them but it sure didn’t seem like it. If it wasn’t for some poor finishing we could have lost it. Then again, if it wasn’t for some poor officiating we would have had a much earlier goal.

So, on to the game.

Key:

1 - Waste of space. We would have done better with 10 men than have him on the pitch.

2 - Not his best night. Maybe didn’t ruin the game for us but certainly didn’t help.

3 - Average. Neither was bad nor great or do anything of note.

4 - Played a key part in the game - added punch, pace, passing, assists or even goals.

5 - Man of the Match

Any subs who were on for less than 30 minutes will probably not get a rating (NR) unless they prove themselves particularly important or impotent.

Reina - Made a couple of really crucial saves in this one. Liverpool sat back a bit too much and almost paid the price for it. If it wasn’t for Pepe’s skill, we may have paid in full. He just pips John Pantsil and Kelly for man of the match. Rating: 5

Kelly - I thought he had a really fine performance. He got forward well and his service into the box was generally very good. He is making himself a name and didn’t disappoint on defense either. Rating: 4

Skrtel - Really isn’t having a great run of form lately. He gave up several really silly fouls in dangerous areas and Dembele used him time and time again. If he keeps this up he will be making it easy for Kenny to know where to put Carra when he comes back. Rating: 2

Agger - An assured display. Didn’t add or subtract much and did his job. Solid, average outing. Rating: 3

Johnson - Looked a lot better attacking in this game than he has in the previous ones. His left foot crossing is lacking but I can cut him some slack for that. Defensively was shaky and Dembele’s shot that he put right to Reina was allowed because he was behind the play. Good attacking play and sub par defense equals average rating. Rating: 3

Maxi - He plays his game well and knows how to work it. He isn’t flashy but gets into the box and generally mixes it up. Didn’t do much of note for this one. Rating: 3

Gerrard - A muted performance which surprised me after a 3 game lay-off. Didn’t command the game like he usually does, especially when playing a deeper role. Rating: 3

Poulsen - The best game in a Red shirt yet. Didn’t give the ball away and put in some decent passes. Still doesn’t pass the test for me as to being LFC material though. While only average it is probably his best score all year. Rating: 3

Miereles - Again, an ok display. I didn’t really care for Kenny having us play deep and I think it really shows in our play. I’m not sure what were afraid of but I didn’t think it allows Raul or Torres to shine. Rating: 3

Kuyt - A better performance from him than he’s had lately. Some good passes and hold up play. He did look really tired in the end. Rating: 3

Torres - After all of his shenanigans over the last few days, I want to give him a 0 but will elect to be more professional than him. I thought he had a decent game. The sit deep plan never really works for him so he was isolated for much of the game, however his shot that led to the comedy goal was well taken and vintage Torres. I will vomit when he does that to us in Chelsea blue. Rating: 4

Subs

Shelvey - I think he has tons of potential but still don’t really see him as our best guy off the bench. Speaks more to how far down Joe Cole has slipped. Rating: NR

Aurelio - Average in his short time on. Rating: NR

GSW

Where do we go from here?

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:02:55 -0500

While nothing is set in stone, it looks in all liklihood that Fernando Torres is now leaving for Chelsea. While transfers happen all the time, the way this one came about is just about sickening. With so little time left for any other deals there is no way LFC could find a suitable replacement. Add to it that he would be going to a major EPL rival. FSG did the right thing and rejected his initial request but all signs point to a deal being negotiated. Why? It seems ludicrous to sell our best player. Gut our attack to strengthen theirs? Its wrenching and I cannot believe FSG would even consider it. This doesn’t even take into account the general betrayal we all feel by the player himself.

What should be done is a clear statement that if Fernando wants to leave he can - but not to an EPL team. I suspect the floodgates would open with offers, most of them probably coming from Russia. Real Madrid need a striker, too. If he doesn’t sign then he sits until he begs to put the jersey back on. While it may seem silly to pay a man to sit, these guys are are thoroughbred competitors - there is no way he would let his best years just float by. Add to the damage that would do to his national team hopes and I’m sure he would come back sooner rather than later. Then come summer, let the bidding begin. We would lose his services but Chelsea wouldn’t gain.

So why deal now, in such unfavorable circumstances? The only reason I can see is the new Financial Fair Play rules that will come into effect next transfer season. LFC may not be able to get an exorbitant price like Chelsea is offering now again. FSG is known to buy low and sell high and this would be par for their course. The only way it would be worthwhile is if Anelka is tossed into the mix along with some tremendous amount of money. While he is not a striker for the future, he plays a similar game and wouldn’t leave our striking force gutted. Suarez is a bright spark but I can’t see him towing the line in the EPL - it just isn’t his style.

You have to wonder what FSG thinks of this adventure. After half a season of major decisions, to come up against this one was probably not on the radar. How they handle it could set the tone for the future. Cash in on Torres now but let it be known that they can be strong armed by the plalyers, or play hardball and make less of an investment? We will know the answer by tomorrow, however it sure isn’t going to hurt any less.

GSW