Liverpool 2010/11 Season Thread

[ezee ryder]

Yeah those stats really don't show much to be honest. Obviously Liverpool would like to play with Torres and Gerrard every game (their best players after all) just like we would wanna play with Rooney and Ronaldo every game. I'm sure the stats would be interesting for every big club as to how they perform without their so called big players.

The big players obviously make a difference but as the above stats show the difference is minimal or, as SharkSkin-Man said, insignificant.

[Team Andromeda]

OK, here we go (yes I was bored lol).
It was quite interesting looking through the results though, it's actually even more insignificant than I thought it would be.

I thought both were out for the Fulham game 2008, my mistake .

I admire your stat's all and that , but to me Raffa doesn't get the Premiership, you are only now going a bit gun ho , given that there's nothing left to play for imo . Maybe its just me , but every time Liverpool look set to kill a game or Tories is on a possible hattrick Raffa makes changes and plays safe (untill very recently) , and I still don't know why Raffa always wait until 70 or 80 mins to go , to bring on Babel .

Man Utd haven't been at their best at all , but they've won the games that they've really need to , unlike Chelsea or Liverpool They've made their home games count this year , where both Chelsea and Liverpool have drawn too many games


I guess we'll see, but to me Man U have all but won the title .

[MonkeySteve]

I'm sure it will, but remember this: I don't think there's a single Liverpool player or fan out there that thinks this had anything whatsoever to do with our dip in form, it's just everyone else that enjoys seeing it as a "turning point", for obvious reasons. Sure, I'd rather Rafa hadn't reacted at all to old whiskey nose's baiting, but not because I though it had a negative effect on the team. I'm glad and proud of the man he came out and said what he felt had to be said. 'nuff said, at the end of the day for me.

Right on. It's only the lazy journalists (so, all of them) that will focus on it, because it's an easy excuse and makes good copy.

Team Andromeda - you cleary don't like Rafa, which is fair enough, but IMO he is now starting to get to grips with the league, and we are starting to see that in the performance this season. Babel has been used a lot as a sub, but that's probably because when he does start, he disappoints.

I think we've had a good season in the league - done the double over Chelsea and Man Utd for a start. Our downfall was during the winter when we couldn't buy a winning goal against the 'lesser' sides - those draws killed us.

[Team Andromeda]

you cleary don't like Rafa, which is fair enough, but IMO he is now starting to get to grips with the league, and we are starting to see that in the performance this season. Babel has been used a lot as a sub, but that's probably because when he does start, he disappoints.

I think we've had a good season in the league - done the double over Chelsea and Man Utd for a start. Our downfall was during the winter when we couldn't buy a winning goal against the 'lesser' sides - those draws killed us.

I hate Raffa and I don't care if you win against Man Utd twice , only to then drawn with the likes of Hull, what's the point ?, hell even Middlesbrough have pretty good record against Man Utd, it counts for nothing if you can't maintain it .
I want Liverpool to win the league , and I don't think Raffa gets it at all, to me the league is your bread and butter , and what I as a fan of a club , would want to win above all else
Also is very hard from any Sub to make a impact on a game , with 10 or 20 min to go . Give Babel a few more starts, I really rate him as a player .

Sure you can all rub in it , and make fun of me if Liverpool lift the tile , this or next season , really it be a small price to pay .
But I don't think Raffa is the man that can deliver it , and he'll have million more to spend this summer , on more rubbish or average players

[hudson]

Without Rafa we'd have no Torres. He's my bird, so I'm grateful.

[SharkSkin-Man]

Babel has unfortunately only got himself to blame I think.

He really needs to look at how hard Benayoun has worked to improve his game off the ball. When you play 3 men behind a main striker there is a real need for the wide players to work hard off the ball and help the fullbacks cover the big gaps either side of the midfield.
Benayoun struggled with this at first as he'd never really had to do this kind of work at Racing or West Ham. But rather than whinge about not getting a game he's clearly tried really hard to improve in training with this side of his game and now he's really looking like an important part of the team/squad.

Babel has more than enough strength and athleticism to do this brilliantly, he's about 4 times the size of Yossi and twice as quick for starters, he just doesn't seem that interested in it. You can have all the technique in the world, but at the very top level you need to marry it with a bit of graft otherwise it doesn't count for a great deal IMO.

Personally I think he's a bit thick too and often makes the wrong choices in key areas, which is why Reira is ahead of him at the moment, even if Riera is very inconsistent.

It's a shame though, as every now and then you see a glimpse of the obvious raw talent Babel has. He could go on to be a world beater, but I don't think we have the time to wait for the penny to drop. He'll be the first sale of the summer I think.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Babel has unfortunately only got himself to blame I think.

He really needs to look at how hard Benayoun has worked to improve his game off the ball. When you play 3 men behind a main striker there is a real need for the wide players to work hard off the ball and help the fullbacks cover the big gaps either side of the midfield.
Benayoun struggled with this at first as he'd never really had to do this kind of work at Racing or West Ham. But rather than whinge about not getting a game he's clearly tried really hard to improve in training with this side of his game and now he's really looking like an important part of the team/squad.

Babel has more than enough strength and athleticism to do this brilliantly, he's about 4 times the size of Yossi and twice as quick for starters, he just doesn't seem that interested in it. You can have all the technique in the world, but at the very top level you need to marry it with a bit of graft otherwise it doesn't count for a great deal IMO.

Personally I think he's a bit thick too and often makes the wrong choices in key areas, which is why Reira is ahead of him at the moment, even if Riera is very inconsistent.

It's a shame though, as every now and then you see a glimpse of the obvious raw talent Babel has. He could go on to be a world beater, but I don't think we have the time to wait for the penny to drop. He'll be the first sale of the summer I think.

It's an excellent post, Shark-Skin, and whilst I agree with the large majority of what you have written, my opinion is also that Rafa hasn't helped the situation. On the admittedly rare occasions that Ryan has played well in a match, Rafa has only seen fit to bench him or even leave him out of squads for the following match. In that respect, Ryan is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't - what motivation is that for any player to work hard in training? The air of confidence and cocky swagger that Ryan had when he first arrived has all but gone now, and that can't just be all down to him being lazy, imo.

I'm all for players knuckling down and working hard in training to prove their worth, but surely Rafa has to show some incentive in return or at least some sign that they're on the right track. Talent and Potential in a player are well and good, but they'll never be realized properly if the playing time isn't given to allow the player to develop properly.

All that said, I do agree with you - Ryan's days at LFC look numbered, but I'll be amazed if we get anything near what we paid for him in the first place.

[Supergoal]

For me it's a shame if he does go, because he does show that quality that can take us to the next level at times. Surely if he can do it on occasion, you'd think he could be able to do it more often than not.

[saif]

I keep hearing that he shows flashes of his skill....when? This season, I have not seen it at all.
Ryan Babel seems to get the ball, run fast down the line, overrun it a bit, turn round, lean into the defender a bit, look like he is gonna lose it and then lay the ball off backwards.

[Extra Terrestrial]

The only negative point of the match is not being able to keep a clean sheet and, at times, Liverpool looked quite shaky in defence.

Let's hope Spurs maintain their two goal lead at the moment!

[SharkSkin-Man]

All that said, I do agree with you - Ryan's days at LFC look numbered, but I'll be amazed if we get anything near what we paid for him in the first place.

I'm hoping Harry Redknapp likes the look of him, Spurs are our only chance of getting decent money for him.


More than a bit shaky first half today. Skrtel had a full on nightmare, best thing he did all day was get kicked in the ribs. Second half wasn't exactly vintage, but it was more than enough to see off Hull. Yossi and Kuyt both very good again.

[hudson]

Finally! Agger agrees new deal

[Extra Terrestrial]

A convincing 3-0 win against Newcastle.

Yay!

[hudson]

Yeah, too easy. Could of very easily been 6. We are playing some great footy this season. We're like the Barca of the prem. With Benayoun as our Messi lol

[Jebus]

Benayoun is a marvelous player, had Benitez had shown faith in him earlier in the season you might still be top of the table.