2 May 2012

'It was awful' - Anfield Legend slams 'shocking' LFC performance. Deserved?

Liverpool legend David Fairclough has slammed Liverpool's players for their 'awful' performance in last night's home defeat to Fulham.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish criticised the 'attitude and desire' of his players in his post-match interview, but Fairclough - who won three European Cups during his Anfield career - went one further, arguing it was one of the worst performances he's seen from this Liverpool team. He told LFC TV:

"It was shocking. I can't remember a worse performance; it was awful.

"The tempo just never got going, and that was worrying to see, and it was so devoid of ideas.

"You can't put a red shirt on like that and go out and do nothing. It was absolutely unbelievable to see"


Strong words from Fairclough, who is usually more moderate with his comments, but he probably felt able to be more critical due to the fact all the big guns were not in the team. If Gerrard et al had put in a similar performance - which they have several times during the season - I doubt he's would've been so fierce.

Also, as usual, Fairclough refused to criticise Dalglish, and focused solely on the players. It's kind of understandable given the fact he was on LFC TV (!), but Dalglish was just as culpable as the players.

I can definitely remember worse performances this season, specifically the 3-1 Bolton defeat in January. Fairclough went on to argue that Liverpool were lucky to avoid a heavier defeat:

"Skrtel and Coates did okay in the first half but they went off the boil in the second half, particularly Coates, who had a little bit of a nightmare, and we were probably lucky that it only ended up 1-0".

I have to admit that I'm still not convinced by Coates, and IMO, a top class centre-back should remain a priority for Liverpool this summer.

Jaimie Kanwar


42 comments:

  1. Most of his signings have been terrible. How can FSG trust this guy in the summer with company funds.  Gross financial mismanagement in the market last summer.  He can't coach. That's not his forte. So he leaves it to Clarke and Keen. Clarke is all about shape and defense. Where is the philosophy, the pattern of play, combination play. We simply cannot play pass and move football with a purpose.  The worst league campaign in 50 years. The worst home record in god knows how long.  He's breaking all records. The cup shouldn't save his hide in my opinion.  He has proved beyond any reasonable doubt he can't motivate this team consistently. 80% of the league games have been an absolute disgrace. Completely out of his depth. The league is the only true barometer.  How anyone can have any confidence for next season with KD in charge defies logic. The mentality and attitude being bred at the club is shocking. No professionalism for league games. They look unprepared and going through the motions. Unacceptable

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  2. Every time we're crap in games, another 'Liverpool legend' comes out and blames players for not being up to it, but nothing is said about the failings of Dalglish who put this team together and continues to refuse to acknowledge its constant underperformance. This is a sure way to more underachievement.

    Regarding the needs in the Summer: I think a midfield reshuffle should be more of a priority. The Carra-Skrtel duo (as well as other combinations featuring Agger) used to be one of the best (stats-wise) defensive pairings in Europe in 2008-09 and adjacent seasons. We need to sort the midfield out and defensive issues will be solved as a result of that.

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  3. Kenny is right.  The attitude is poor.  That's only one of many problems.  In truth, the talent/quality is seriously lacking. The summer buys are all flops and I don't see them improving that much, even with a better attitude.  I'm over the anger phase.  It's sad to say but I think Kenny should step aside at the end of the season and let someone else have a go.  You can't get things this wrong for this long.  The squad needs an overhaul too, but top 4 is still possible next season even after major changes if the right personnel are hired.  Any team can be lucky enough to win a cup but consistent quality is needed for a high league position.  We've certainly achieved consistency in the league this season...we've been consistently poor.  Roll on next season and good luck to the team for Saturday.

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  4. FENWAY SPORTS HAVE BEEN A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT - TERRIBLE

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  5. FENWAY never APOLOGISE FOR THE RUBBISH HOME RECORD

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  6. IS DALGLISH STILL THERE ?????????????????????????

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  7. Yes, we were crap & should admit it! Apart from Suarez & Gerrard there are no forwards / midfielders capable of putting the ball in the net, losing the odd goal in games with the likes of Fulham etc should not matter as we should be capable of overpowering these teams, with a midfield & forward line brought in with an outlay of £100,000,000 plus.  I have no problem with KD as manager but I have with the scouting & advice re signings. I appreciate KD has publicly taken reponsibility for the recent signings but if that is the case what was Commolli's role?

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  8. The amount paid for each of the players was not KD's responsibility! The man that was responsible for agreeing the transfers has been sacked. KD identified the players, and if he'd been told they were too expensive, he would identified someone else. 

    As for the play, we've played a high quality of football for most of the season (barring a few performances like last night) but without the end product. The philosophy is there and just needs fine tuning!

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  9. Dalglish must go. He may blame everyone else but It's only him who is responsible. If you can't control your players' attitude, you are not their manager. 

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  10. Even three
    games before the end of the current premier league campaign Kenny Dalglish and
    the players he has personally chosen for the current season continued to
    embarrass and humiliate the LFC’s fans in all over the world.  We, the LFC’s fans in all over the world,
    just hope that Kenny Dalglish will realize that he cannot continue to be LFC’s
    manager any longer and will step down at the end of the season.  Additionally, the game against Fulham was
    another resonant message to the Principal Owner John W. Henry and Chairman
    Thomas Werner that as they can protect the LFC sponsors’ investments and as
    they can transubstantiate
    their promise to the LFC fans in all over the world when they were buying LFC
    that they would make LFC a title contender team again they must appoint a world
    class manager for the new season!  

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  11. Why? Because they brought in the man the fans were crying out for, backed him in the transfer market and have put a lot of time into securing investment for the future?
    You sir are a fool!!

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  12. The truth is that this was the latest in a long line of woeful performances this season. It may have been the reserves playing but the same problems that were on show last night have been on show all season -

    1. Complete lack of ideas
    2. Complete lack of quality
    3. Complete lack of cohesion
    4. Inability to respond and change the game.

    These problems we've seen time and time again this season, whether it's been the first team or not.

    KD is the common denominator in all this. Granted, he's not out on the pitch. But it is his job to respond to what's happening on the pitch and he just has no idea whatsoever.

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  13. Our league campaign this season has been a disaster and im afraid Kenny has to take the blame for this. The signings just haven't hit the ground running, I don't believe this is because lack of ability but more of a mentality and confidence thing. We started the season brightly but have tailed off so badly it's becoming embarrassing. In my opinion the forward players are to blame for this. Despite spending 55m on our forward line we look toothless in front of goal, Kuyt has been awful and surely must leave in the summer. Bellamy has done ok but Kenny seems reluctant to play him. Our failure to score in games is putting added pressure on the defensive line, they know that if one mistake is made then we will be punished while chances will be squandered at the other end. Confidence is so low that I fear for us on Saturday. Lastly, if Kenny plays Carragher in front of Skrtel or Agger Saturday then I really will of lost all confidence in him.

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  14. Dalglish is responsible for the attitude of the players. It is interesting (sorry, that should read "cowardly") that he criticises his second string side and never his summer purchases.

    Then he comes out with "everyione has a chance to paly the final" - what a load of b*******, he's a brazen liar. By resting 9 players last night, he already knows who is starting and playing the final on saturday so I am not suprised in the lightest that the players last night didn't have the right attitude - would you?

    KD is so full of it it beggars belief. I absiolutely resent the guy and think he is the worst manager ever at LFC. Yes, that means Souness did a far better job of it than KD IMO. Utter disgrace, he shoudl be ashamed of himself and leave before being pushed. He is destroying this great CLub slowly but surely. The humiliation of a 5-0 drubbing on Saturday shoudl hopefully pave the way for his departure - and good riddance to such an inept, digraceful manager. I am so angry with him that i have lost all respect for him . . . the same as a lot of people did when Souness was in charge . . . why do some still see KD as the one to take us forward and blind to his obvious failings? Legend my eye - maybe as a player but he has tarnised his status as a manager and should resign immediately

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  15. i agree with redheart, another manager will not tolerate such poor attitude, it all starts with the manager.

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  16. From the moment KD bought those terrible signings - Adam, Henderson, Carroll and Downing - he was finished. But they will still be at the club next season fouling everything up, even if Dalglish isn't.  No-one in their right mind will pay anything for them so they'll have to be let go at a catastrophic loss. Look for next season to be slightly worse than this has been. Relegation could be as little as a couple of years away. It happened to United and Leeds, who were huge clubs. It can happen to us too.

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  17. Did anyone expect the lineup to work? Like seriously? 4 senior players out of 11 - one of whom it's his first game all season, 2 supplying Carroll, being supported by 3 kids in the midfield. There was no tempo obviously because this lineup did not gel sufficiently! Doni is no Reina where it comes to starting the play. Aurelio looked extremely out of it. The midfield trio of Hendo, Shelvey and Spearing very obviously didn't read one another very well, logically, there will be no tempo! That we even edged possession and shots comfortably is testimony to our players ability to try stringing something together, but with the lineup, we were never going to win this one.


    It looks like we're going with Reina, Johnson, Carra, Agger, Enrique, Downing, Henderson, Gerrard, Bellamy, Suarez and Carroll for the FA cup. I hope I'm wrong. I'd prefer to see Agger with Skrtel and no Henderson, but you can just so see it coming.

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  18. Absolutely agree with you mate.

    Some of the stuff he comes out with is insulting to our intelligence.

    This blind loyalty many fans feel towards him is dangerous. When you're happy to overlook cold hard facts and embrace sentiment, you're on a slippery slope. The truth is LFC are heading in the wrong direction and lots of fans are happy to go along for the ride. A bad result here and there is tolerable and to be expected but crap performance after crap performance shows an underlying problem.

    The truth is he's bought bad players that we're stuck with. Adam, Downing, Henderson, Carroll etc know that LFC is as big as it will ever get for them. Nobody else will pay their wages, nobody will pay a decent fee for them and they know it, so the chances of getting rid of them are zilch.

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  19. High-quality football? Against who? Have you been watching a different team to us?

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  20. This site is full of moaning so-called Liverpool fans who have probably never been to Anfield let alone paid for a match ticket. So I say carry on moaning. The true Liverpool fans were in the stadium last night supporting the team and know what it means to support this great club...something that is obviously lost on the majority of posters on this site.

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  21. Does not matter if its a bunch of non-first XI players who have hardly played together and that we have little to fight for in the league, at this club, there are still standards to reach and respect in terms of performance and professionalism. 

    There is no excuse for the 'can't be arsed' mentality, no excuse at all. Its not a pre-season stroll. Its a league game. The bread and butter. 

    It has happened far too often this season and in the past, the mentality shown in our performances in the league.

    No excuses.

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  22. I expected effort, desire and certain level of quality. In other words, the bare minimum. Its one thing losing when you put the effort in to try and win but its another thing losing without putting effort in. There is no excusing the lack of effort and attitude.

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  23. I am a supporter of KK as LFC manager but the time has come for him to make some big decisions, to show he has what it takes to move us forward in footballing terms. the squad we have is IMO big enough but some payers are lacking in desire, belief, mental strength or the ability to perform at a consistent high level. He needs to put his hands up and say sorry Charlie, Stuart, Maxi, Dirk, Jamie, Fabio it hasn't or is no longer working you have to move on. Players out on loan if unable to perform in less taxing leagues should also be sold. Yes a loss will be made in resale value but they can be replaced without breaking the bank, add to this the prospects we have in reserves, a year older who should be ready to be blooded next season. If he is given the chance, which to be frank is looking less likely, he has to be strong enough to correct the mistakes that have been made this season. Two cups, if we win and finishing 5th/6th for me would have been acceptable at this stage. Two cups and 8th-14th is not. If I have been a victim of being caught up romance the honeymoon is over. If he cannot give these assurances to the club owners and fans then I hope he wins two cups and returns to an ambassador role with more than a little pride and self respect.
          

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  24. I pity some of your thinking when it comes to football i bet many of you have been born in the 90s where statistics in football you think works. How do you judge a manager in one season who has won trophies with different clubs? Liverpool is a big club and many of those signings have found out that its not easy to play for a big team. Getting rid of KK won't solve any problem rather bring us more problem. You have to look at the bigger picture coz inspite of our demise in the league many things have gone wrong especially with the players brought in but now that KK is scouting himself rather that relying on Comoli's statistics book trust me things will get better next season coz KK will fix what went wrong.

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  25. Whose to say KK wasn't scouting players when Comolli was at the club. 

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  26. Missing the point, even if Downing, Henderson and Carroll etc were signed at half the prices they still wouldn't have offered anything, as is the case now. The prices were stupid, no doubt, but the players recruited just stink of clueless buying.

    The biggest sin was the notion that a British recruitment policy would see us into the top 4! It has done the converse and seen us have our worst league performance for 50yrs. The league is the barometer of success and currently after spending 114m, we are the 8th best team!

    Time for Reds to wake up and smell the coffee! We have lost 3/4 of our last home games to WIGAN, WBA and FULHAM, preceding this was a draw with the might Villa.

    In 2012 only Wolves and Villa have worse records!

    Long live the King!

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  27. Totally agree with your comments. It has got to the stage where when we draw it is a good result... now I,m off to be sick

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  28. You know your team is having a bad season when you're surprised they don't lose! So it was no surprise or shock when Fulham came away with a 1-0.

    I was always worried when Liverpool decided to appoint Dalglish on a wave of optimism after a late season rally when effectively we had little to play for. He'd been out of the management game for too long IMHO & his last management role was hardly a success, so his reputation certainly garnered more support. I was, however prepared to back him & support him, which I still do.

    Just how long do we continue to back him & when does this support become blind to the facts though? This has been nothing but a season of sound bites for the headline writers - take your pick from shambles, horror show, terrible, worst season in living memory - to name but a few. Add in Dalglish's PR disaster's of post match interviews & it's not an inviting cocktail for anyone associated with the club. Some of it is unforgivable. 5 wins in 18 home games, 10 defeats in 13 games, players given match time after match time when they've not produced, I wish my boss was as forgiving.

    Worryingly some people in the club seem to think a Carling Cup win is a success story - not for a club of our stature I'm afraid & not when we are closer to relegation points wise than we are the top 4.

    Personally I think he has until Christmas to turn it around. Our summer transfer dealings will be crucial if we are to see steps in the right direction. We must also see the likes of Raheem Stirling given their chance, afterall how long does be give Downing to turn his form around?

    They may only be small steps, we have to be realistic but forward steps are needed. At one stage we were ahead of Arsenal with a game in hand & what are we now, 20pts adrift?

    It's been said before but Roy was not afforded this kind of generosity from either the fans or owners, during what was a tough time for the club, how much rope does Dalglish have left...

    I can't wait for the season to end when we can watch England toil to failure at another big tournament, kinda like a busman's holiday.

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  29. I actually thought Coates defended well. It was just his distribution that wasn't good. Skrtel nearly scored two own goals but I don't see Fairclough criticizing him.

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  30. No he actually played bad. He totally turned a blind eye to runs through the center. Rookie mistakes IMO.

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  31. Ya supplying us with £130m is very disappointing

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  32. YOU ARE AN IDIOT. WHY SHOULD THEY? THEY HAVE ENTRUSTED KD AND FORMERLY DC WITH RECRUITMENT. IT HASN'T WORKED OUT, SO THEY WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. THEY HAVE STARTED ALREADY. DO THE ARSENAL BOARD APOLOGISE FOR NOT WINNING A TROPHY FOR THE LAST SIX SEASONS?? FOOL!

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  33. OK EVERYONE. LETS GET RID OF KD. WHO IS GOING TO COME IN? ANY OF YOU WHO WANT RAFA, DON'T BOTHER RESPONDING, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SERIOUS, REALISTIC NOMINATIONS PLEASE, NOT WHO YOU WANT...........

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  34. As opposed to KD not apologising for the entire season?

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  35. Wilson Michaelpaul8:40 pm, May 02, 2012

    If he could instill the fight and belief into our team that he has put into wigan these last 6 weeks then I would have Martinez here in a heart beat .

    legend or not , the time for blind sentiment is long over as the team is so shot that major changes are now needed.

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  36. I agree with Chazz, liverpool is just without end product(a finisher) to end the game....look at all our previous stat. We control most of the possession, we have a lot of shot... 

    In my opinion, the big mistake that he made is, he didnt purchase any Goal scorer or someone to back up lucas on january transfer window..

    if KD still in charge of next season, i hope he will get a true goal poacher and a good back up for lucas. 

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  37. wow....for me i would love to see adam,carroll and downing together in a same team....rather than ngog,voronin,riera,pennant. 

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  38. what do you expect? We dont have any captain on the game - Gerrard, Carragher, Reina.... you cant motivate player by standing at the side of the field and shout " COME ON" ....player like coates,shelvey,carroll,hendo,spearing,doni,kelly and aurelio has already put 100% on the game. 

    the one to blame for the game is maxi and kuyt, when time needed them to step up they didnt. 

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  39. Agree with you on this, KK should get the blame for this game instead of the player. 

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  40. some of the interview taken from liverpoolfc.tv

    from - http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/kenny-backing-for-duo-s-new-roles
    Kenny Dalglish today gave his backing to the news that Ian Ayre and Damien Comolli have taken up key new roles at Anfield. ("Damien has come in more recently but has proven himself already and he did a tremendous job in the January transfer window by getting Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez into the club.")

    from - http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/damien-comolli-first-interview
    In his first interview after being appointed Director of Football Strategy, Damien Comolli reveals his vision for Liverpool Football Club. (First of all Damien, what does Director of Football Strategy mean?Obviously it means that I will look after the football side of the club, most of it or part of it. There are areas where I will be more involved with and I think what's important is the word 'strategy'. For me strategy means the future so I need to make sure we know where we are going looking forward and know what we are doing in the future to take the club forward.It's a new role for Liverpool Football Club -)
    from - http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/comolli-on-kenny-suarez-carroll
    The morning after being named Liverpool's Director of Football, Damien Comolli gave an in-depth interview to Liverpoolfc.tv about his new role, Kenny Dalglish, Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll and his plans for the future. 
    (Congratulations on your promotion to Director of Football at Liverpool FC - what remit does this new title bring with it?
    It covers pretty much all of the football side. Obviously I'm not getting involved in anything to do with team selection or training, that's the manager's remit. It's basically a day to day relationship with the manager and his coaching staff, it's also medical and sports science, performance analysis, player liaison, team travel, scouting and negotiating transfer contracts. A big part of it is the Academy.)

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