Utterly Useless in Utrecht - Rocked by the Seasiders

Well if ever one Blog post followed another seamlessly then guess this one does.

What an utter disgrace that performance was last week. We looked more clueless, lacked more cohesion and if possible slower!!! Honestly, what is going on here. there is no leadership on the pitch and there seems to be less from bench. Other than Sammy Lee doing his usual jack-in-box routine. Nothing. Our new manager sits there looking nervious and biting finger nails, but no change in the tactics or approach.

He then has the audacity to spout off about positive from the game. The only positive I saw was that a perfectly good goal for Utrecht was ruled out, and despite our ineptitude we hung on grimly. Hardly anything postive there Roy!!!

It appears much of same approach against Blackpool, although I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it yet. One can only handle so much depression at a time. Don't want to be hastening the arrival of SADS unnecessarily.

It all looks a bit too tentative, as if the players are scared to play. This smacks of a Benitez hangover.However I can't believe that the man who has managed Fulham so successfully over the last 2 1/2 season can be so inept. Fulham played high tempo passing football, closed down opposition and generally didn't allow crosses into the box. Even a 'luxury' player like Damien Duff tackled back and gave his all every week. What do we seem to be getting small minded, small club football. We are LIVERPOOL FC. The most succesful English Club EVER (just).

I am unhappy to be thinking about calling for his head already. That is generally a knee jerk reaction of an unstable club ala Newcastle or Leicester. I cant believe that he has basically no effect on the squad of players that are there. We have seen no spark of inspiration. Joe Cole looked good until he got sent off at Arsenal and now seems to be shoehorned out on the left where he did very little fo Chelsea. Not sure what Hodgson thinks he is going to get from him out there.

The players Hodgson has bought Poulsen, Meireles, Konchesky dont seem to be adding anything. Understand Poulsen and Ches are necessities, bourne out of replacing Mascha and having no left back to speak of at the club. I like Miereles, but when Spurs have snaffled Van Der Vaart for 3.5 mill less what have we actually bought! For Portugal and Oporto, he plays in the Stevie G/Joe Cole role, with the occasional foray on the right wing. He seems to not have a defined role when he does play and is struggling with the pace of the game. Unfortunately that last statement is true of the whole squad not just the new arrvals.

I dont think the game has changed that much since May has it? Chelski and Man City seem to be doing well with 7 defenders on the pitch and 3 attackers.Typical boring Italian tactics, hardly brilliant or new, Mourinho has made a career out of copying that approach. Thats only slighty worse than all the Benitez copiers at the World cup with their 4-2-3-1's.

Why do we look out of depth in all matches at the moment? Benitez has left a hell of a legacy if the players are so low on self belief that they can play even worse than they did under him! Like a herion addict, they know its bad for them and will make them feel more worthless than they do currently. One more uninspiring Rafa match pleeeease, shouts Stevie G and Carra!!!No I cant see it.

Torres still looks unhappy. Probably understandable because he is clearly not fit and if we are being honest hasnt been for about 2 years. He needs 2 month with no football to sort his body out.And as we look like not qualifying for next years Europa League, never mind the CL, perhaps now is a good time to rest him. After all finishing 8th or 17th, whats the difference? You dont play in Europe and you are still in the Premier League.


Roy this is what we DEMAND an Liverpool 11 to do.

1) Have Passion and Desire. At the moment I dont see a single player who is playing their hearts out for the shirt. That unfortunately falls at your door Roy. They should want to die to play for Liverpool anything less is not good enough.

2) Have the ability to control and pass the ball to another player in same colour shirt, quickly and effectively. Most of the squad should have this basic ability after all they are professional footballers. Its like being an accountant and not being able to count......

3) Play attractive high tempo football with a purpose and cutting edge. Simply the Liverpool Way. Others have copied it, hell Ajax have been claiming its their way for 40 years, but we all know it was Mr Shankly who started all this pretty triangles on the floor stuff! Roy I have seen you mould Fulham team into this model with players of far less ability, playing 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1, So please mate sort it out. That is your remit - motivate, tactical nous, drive. Not seeing anything at all on that front.

4) To be feared by every club in the land!!!! We want our mojo back Roy, it has been living in Salford for too long and appears to be leaking towards the Kings Road at the moment. Ian Holloway should not be able to stand in a post match press conference and say he wasn't worried about coming to Anfield! He should have been shitting himself!!!!! You need to make Anfield the most intimidating place in the land, not the soft touch it currently is. How do you do that, by doing the above! QED.

20% of the season is gone and we are probably 6-8 points worse off than where we should be. The 2 trips to Manchester werent points we expected, but it was the performances that really hurt. Totally out played, thought and fought. Blackpool and Sunderland should have been dispatched at home. If we had 11 or 12 points I would say decent start not too much ground lost. But unfortuantely Roy I have to give you a 'F' for fail at the moment.The last I expected of you was more negative dross.

We have to take 9 from 9 before Chelsea visit on the 7th of November, who knows we might we 12th by then!!! That wont be easy with away trips to Toffees and Trotters! (Not a meal I would look forward to). These 5 points dropped to Sunderland and Blackpool will ultimately cost us any chance to finish back in the top 4. SO next Summer Reina, Torres and Gerrard will be gone, but dont worry we will still have Babel, Lucas and Carra! Cant wait to play Scunthopre in the Championship in 2012/2013!!

YNWA

PS - For those of you who enjoy my rants please check out Phil McNulty's BBC sport Blog/articles.He has asimilar passion for the Reds and puts his points across more susinquently and eloquently.

No I am not being paid to advertise for him!!!