6 Dec 2011

STEVE NICOL admits: I was a little surprised by Kenny's decision ...

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has expressed his disappointment with the result at Fulham last night, and he also revealed his surprise at one of Kenny Dalglish's key personnel decisions.

Speaking on ESPN, Nicol - who won a bucketload of trophies as Liverpool player, including 4 league championship titles - noted:

"Disappointing is not the word; it's frustrating.

"I was a little surprised that Kenny didn't play Suarez up front on his own aainst Senderos and Hangeland.

"The last thing they want is someone like him, with a low centre of gravity, twisting and turning

"Liverpool carried the game. I can't believe the amount of shots there were at goal without real chances being created.

"Up until they get to the final third, they look as though they're going to do something, and then it just seemed to fall away".


Elsewhere, Wimbledon legend Robbie Earle argued that Luis Suarez's disallowed goal should've stood:

"Liverpool will feel a little bit hard-done by. In fairness, you've got to give the benefit of the doubt to the forward.

"You see the run that was made from Suarez - he's clever, and we know he can do that kind of thing. You can understand maybe why the flag went up, but you just hope the officials get that kind of thing right".


Jaimie Kanwar


39 comments:

  1. On account of such lame performance and poor tactical play, LFC is far from top 4 quality; may be in the mix with Villa and Everton fighting for mid-table placings soon in the new year

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  2. Refs had a bad night. End of!

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  3. Yes, that's the only reason Liverpool lost the game. It's all the fault of the referee.

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  4. Should had played

                                        Suarez
              Downing   Henderson Adam Spearing Kuyt
              Enriquie    Agger       Skirtle  Johnson
                                      Riena

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  5. I must have been watching a different game completely. I'd be the first to criticise an inept performance. I personally felt we played well last night but, yet again, were left frustrated. I believe, as a whole, the team is showing concrete signs of real progress. Andy Carroll was a real disappointment. I felt he was a passenger. In that regard, I think a change could have been made earlier. A brave man would of hauled him off in the first half when it was obvious it wasn't working. Kenny's the type of manager though who likely would have felt it would have destroyed the lads confidence, and wanted to give him every chance possible. As a unit though we showed a real cohesiveness. The build up play was good, if still not totally polished. The understanding between the team, bar Carroll, seemed good. I genuinely just felt we lacked that bit of luck you need in football. In my own opinion I genuinely believe we need to get a really decent out and out right winger. We lack that width on both flanks needed to create space in the centre when we're playing a team that sits back and tries not to get beaten. Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm sure Kenny has experience and knowledge of the game far greater than I, or any other poster. We're beginning to forge an identity of how we play which is something we haven't seen from a Liverpool side for a long time. When the jigsaw is finished I've no doubt it will be a beautiful sight. Patience is a virtue, and a critical one in football.

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  6. The elephant in the room here, and unfortunately he moves like one, is Carroll. Kenny & Comolli are putting the season in jepody by trying to play Carroll into form and convince John Henry that they have not wasted £20m+ of his money. Carroll would never have been considered as a starter had he cost the same as N'gog. I sense an element of panic behind the scenes as to what to do with Carroll. We would have waltzed the game last night playing 4-5-1 with Maxi/Kuyt/Downing/KK himself playing instead of Carroll. His confidence is shot, his motivation is suspect, his movement is embarrassing and his technique is crude. What the hell did they see in him? He must go out on loan because we can not afford to keeping playing him in the first team. It time for Kenolli to make some tough decisions no matter how personally & professionally embarrassing it may be to them. No one is bigger than LFC.

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  7. It's the ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM sorry the baby Elephant on the Pitch Andy Carroll.
    Why is he being selected when we have better strikers in the reserves?
    I don't care about Carrolls confidence or Kenny's reputation.
    I want decent players on the pitch who know how to play and give 100%.
    Carroll is neither.
    It was a stupid gamble buying a injured player, paying over the odd for him and on 6 months form.
    We should get rid of him ASAP he's not a pass and move player and cannot gain pace he'll get slower if anything.
    The worst most expensive purchase in Liverpool history

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  8. I thought it was a pretty decent performance from Liverpool. Suarez badly needs somebody upfront to help him though, and it obviously isn't Carrol, who continues to underwhelm ! The sending off of Jay Spearing just goes to prove that referees no longer see football as a contact sport. I thought he was very harshly done by. Suarez is a brilliant talent but I wish he would spend a little bit of time watching Messi playing. This guy gets tackled from every angle in every game but he still manages to stay on his feet. If he goes down, he picks himself up right away and gets on with the game. No theatricals, no mouthing off at the ref, no arm waving. Suarez could learn a lot !

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  9. Completely agree. But like FSG said at the start of their tenure, any signings are a team decision. In that respect, that team should sit down and decide exactly what to do with their costly investment. Do they try and give him a year as a squad player and see if a spell in and around the first team and reserves motivates him, or do they take a hit on him. I doubt John Henry would be losing too much sleep. The man essentially made his fortune taking gambles. He'll know more than anyone, some you win and some you lose. It would take a brave management team to ship him out so soon. Brave decisions are what make successful businesses and successful clubs though. It would show a level of real leadership at the club rather than a game of pass the parcel. We all remember what happened when Rafa shipped Robbie Keane out after a big money transfer. He saw it wasn't working and made a decision. Look what happened. Tom blamed Rafa, Rafa blamed Rick, Rick blamed George. It turned into a food fight. We can't have a repeat of that. Strong decisions and collective responsibility will be as much a sign of progress at the club as performances on the pitch.

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  10. hate to say this but, if kenny was goning to prove he was the one, then he would dropped carrol, or at least pulled him off, he just not working, carrol and liverpool dont work he not fast enough, i also think that kenny is not the man for the job, i think as liverpool fans we think with our hearts and not with our heads, my heart saying yes, but my head saying no, carrol will take dalglish down, he will be KD downfall.  with him in the team we play square and he still cant compete, lol

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  11. give him time, how many of u out there said the same about lucas

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  12. @PMX  Lucas was under the wing of Benetiz and cost us ..well not £35 million.simples

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  13. It could be argued that his failings in the team cost us a Champions League place and so even more than £35m...

    When he was first gifted a starting place in one of the best teams in the country, Lucas wasn't performing to an acceptable level and so should've been dropped. Since Carrol has been handed a starting place in this aspirational team, he hasn't been performing and so should be dropped. Simple as.

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  14. K D must stop this ego trip and drop Carroll otherwise we will end up potless and without a champions league position.
    I was bemused to see Maxi was dropped especially after he'd been praised by Kenny.Clearly there is a stubborn streak in our hero verging on self-sabotage:if we do not make top 4 J. H. will surely wield the axe.

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  15. @79629199e9de633f95b68a979caf2735 ,
    I agree what people should note is the silence of  John Henry.....LOL.
    John Henry is RUTHLESS I watched turn around Fenway Park and if Kenny think Fan Power and his illustrious past will hold any sway his deeply mistaken.
    His British Player purchase is a massive failure and frankly stupid.
    I trust that EVERYONE on this board will say that IF we don't finish in the Champions League places at the end of this season.
    THEN KENNY DALGLISH MUST GO 

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  16. I'm surprised more hasn't been said about his comments regarding Maxi.
    These have been put out to placate the fans because he's about to do something unpopular.
    People have taken them at face value as being positive, but its really a backhanded compliment which fans have failed to pickup on.

    When he says: 'He likes the weather in London', read, 'doesn't put a shift in on a cold windy night in stoke...'

    And when he says ' he must have been some player 5 years ago...' read, 'he's too old, I'm getting rid of....'

    Its a patronizing remake designed for us 'stupid' fans who don't get his genius.
    I know people love Kenny for his past glories, but there is certainly another side to him people refuse to see.

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  17. Totally agree. This sort of thinking should apply to every player: if you don't perform, you're out.

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  18. I'm disagreeing with everyone here. An I don't care. I thought Carroll shown some good touches with his chest and head and brought players into the game too by holding the ball up an passing it to a red shirt. I love Suarez but besides his goal (which wasn't offside) he didn't do much either, he needs to play to the whistle and stay on his feet more. he looks a lot better on the ball with his skill an dribbling but what is the point with no end product? I think we where unlucky to come away without 3 points an that sending off was a joke, but it's a team performance and why one player gets the blame I don't know. I don't have teamsheets to hand but did andy start against Norwich, Swansea, Sunderland etc? Suarez is missing a lot of opportunities but because his skill has amazed us an he looks great it doesn't seem to matter if he doesn't score despite having one of the top shots in the premier league.

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  19. Great points, totally agree. If we had any repeat of the in-fighting under Benitez/H+G, it would be a sign of regression.

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  20. Agree, Brian. Messi just has an amazing attitude, and Suarez could learn a lot from him.

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  21. Chuckyred  you said 'Carroll shown some good touches with his chest and head'.Football is called football because it's played with your feet 90% of the game.
    What you didn't mention was the touches with his feet.
    As for your comments on Suarez he does something which Carroll CANNOT do which is create chances.

    Frankly I blame Kenny Dalglish for playing Carroll.
    Andy Carroll just isn't good enough, I know a woman with  massive knockers and a big head perhaps she'd have better touches if we hoof the ball up to her instead

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  22. Amazing that there's not one comment on Reina's mistake or indeed the one from Johnson that led to it. Without those we would probably be looking at a credible 0-0 draw with ten men against a decent Fulhman side. Good contest. We looked like the home team for large spells until the sending off. Just one of those days. No luck, very debatable refereeing and we lost.  

    Everyone is quick to lambast Carroll but he didn't single-handedly lose us the game. It was Bellamy who missed our best chance when clear in the box.As I have said before we need to practise corners and free-kicks a lot more in training. Only team that hasn't scored from a header in the EPL. Only one goal directly from a free-kick (Gerrard vs Man Utd) and one goal from a crossed free-kick (Suarez against Sunderland from a C. Adam FK).

    We've played very consistently all season (Spurs excepted), our defence looks great and we need nee to work hard on our cutting edge.

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  23. finally some sanity. Good post.

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  24. People like laying into Carroll purely due to price tag.  Fair enough he's not having a good season, but the team having a rubbish goal scoring record is down to quite a few players.

    the signings and seniors, surprisingly perhaps, do a great job of getting into the final third.  
    They also do a great job of getting balls into the box (slightly less last year), however there's a problem hitting the back of the net from half a dozen players.

    Would like to see some articles that actually addresses this, not least looking at Suarez.

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  25. That's the channel I like watching!

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  26. Dalglish thinks he can steamroller teams playing the same team like in the late 80s,you cant Kenny times have changed,premiership sides defences are set up to cope with big lumbering target men.Dalglish is not tactically aware,when we went down to ten it was always Fulham who looked the more likely winners,and even after the goal we offered nothing in attack.Its all well saying we are playing pass and move in our own half but its getting no final result.We rely on Suarez to score wonder goals every game as he has no support from a decent partner.Dalglish has messed our season up,hes spent all the money and we are all now praying for a miracle to sneak into 4th spot.I knew Dalglish would try his hardest in the league cup as every other prem team doesnt take it seriously so its a soft option for a cup then he can turn round and say this is the start of a revolution weve won a cup.How times have changed weve gone from regularly competing in champions league finals winning the FA cup getting second place in premiership and being ranked no1 team in europe to all getting excited about the league cup and hoping for a miracle to get 4th spot.When Rafa got 2nd in prem he had Torres as his only real striker manutd had ronaldo tevez berbatov and rooney to pick from and Rafas LFC still got topscoreres beating manutd by 9 goals thats a tactical genius,thats someone who knows what hes doing.We now are just another  above average team in the prem nothing special anymore just in the second tier of teams.ynwa Rafa.

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  27. Yeah, cos all the other guys are just banging goals in for fun right?
    Try opening your eyes.

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  28. Senderos should have got 3/4 yellow cards, awarded a penalty and given Suarez' brilliant goal.

    You don't get much more influential to the game than that.

    It's amazing you can write about liverpool without actually noticing what happens in a game.

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  29. These people comparing Rafa is 2008/2009 to Dalglish aren't even close to comparing apples with apples. With one exception - Rafa's LFC never really convinced in the EPL.  And he had 5 or 6 seasons to try and get it right. Different story in Europe at all.  And boy just like every manager he made some bad buys. Dalglish and Clarke need time. Not to repeat myself ad infinitum but with the exception of one game (Spurs) we have played consistently well, defended very well but lack a cutting edge. yes, a prolific striker would be nice BUT what about our appalling stats from corners and free-kicks. They as much as poor finishing have not allowed us to convery pressure into goals. Watched Spurs vs Bolton this Saturday. Spurs strikers were unbelievably wasteful but obviously through practice on the training ground (and some admittedly poor defending from Klasnic) scored 2 goals from corners.  Skertel hit the bar against Norwich and that is all we have to show from the dozens of corners we have had this season.

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  30. I said it B4 & I'll say it again. Time to count our losses with this BUM and move on. He simply isn't a good player and overrated. People talk about how young he is and that he will eventually come good. Personally I don't see that happening he has shown nothing to convince me otherwise. Love my Liverpool but I'm a realist and I can admit when my team makes a bad decision. I just hope that this Buy YBT project is officially put to bed once and for all and you buy the best player available for the right money.

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  31. Good post Kevin.

    Fulham played very condensed, parked the bus and did it very well.  Bit more wing play might have helped but it wouldn't have stopped them packing their third and they did well in the midfield.  Dembele was our Lucas last night, almost.

    It was very tough getting the finish.  We are able to work the ball into the area on the ground or in the air with regularity but not finish, and that's coming from all the forwards despite the anti-Carroll sentiments commonly on this site's articles.

    KK as a rule seems not to want to change things for at least 70minutes.  
    He wants players to have as full a game as possible, especially new ones to get them settled in and December has a run of lower league sides.  I think that will pay dividends in the back run of the season.

    I think there was only one game where he took Hendo off at half time but that's an exception.

    I don't know how you get players finishing more ruthlessly, but I hope as coaches they find it.  

    Don't think we'll get a clue from this site's writings though, other than sell everyone and buy overseas again.

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  32. Yes, Messi is using his hand in a slightly more positive way as well -- to score a goal and not prevent one :)

    Joke aside, I love watching both of them play football.

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  33. Why all the panic?   We've come a very long way in a short period of time.. The team finally performs like a unit,we're creating chances and eventually they'll start to go in.Everybody is quick to criticize Carroll,but give the lad a chance..name me another player that wouldn't look average when compared to Suarez week in week out. His age is a factor when you take the price tag into consideration,it's a tremendous amount of pressure. Add to that the step up from Newcastle to a bigger club...most people would feel the expectations weighing heavy on their shoulders.
    We as supporters should be getting behind our team regardless of anything else...Carroll will come good,a couple of goals under his belt and he'll be tearing up defences consistently.

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  34. You have to give K D 5 years at least. he's building for the future . he has won the league with blackburn and Liverpool and he signed Alan shearer and john barnes ..he made players welcome.


    he has signed Carroll for the future and also chelsea refused to buy torres for 50million unless we signed Carroll for 35million ..also Enrique would only sign for us if we signed Carroll first.

    suarez only agreed when he realised we would be signing Henderson and Adam and also Downing.

    So leave kk alone he is doing a wonderful job..we are playing great attacking and counter attacking football..we have already scored 17 goals in 14 games ..blackburn have only scored 21goals and bolton have scored 20 goals in 14 games.



    we have won 2 games out of 7 at home...and we made sure we beat bolton and wolves at home...and made sure that swansea and nowrich couldn't beat us.


    So excited ..just cannot wait 4 which players kk will sign in January to compliment the talent he has already assembled.

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  35. Septimus, I love a good bit of patronisation, but what I really love is when someone picks holes in my response without carefully reading. I actually add on to the quote you picked to write about with him holding the ball up and passing it bringing people in to play. Or did you think I meant he held it up on his chest and head like some big red seal? I agree with Jonny, it's the pricetag definitely, too much is expected of a 22 year old man too soon. If he can do it at Newcastle then surely he can do some damage at Anfield. I seem to remember Wenger wanting him, and Redknapp. Capello liked him, Roeder, Pardew, Shearer, Dalglish and Comolli. I stand by all my points, and as for Suarez creating chances, not that many actually pal, and he's managing to miss a lot. Which is surely what matters.

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  36. Lucas at least put his heart in it and never gave up to prove most fans wrong. Carroll is a joke. He was on form for newcastle for 2 years, so I don't see why people make excuses for him. Average players belong in average teams. We need quality to be the best again.

    YNWA!

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  37. You live in a dream world bud! Wake up, this isnt fifa 12!

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  38. Sadly, I don't think John Henry will give Dalglish 5 Years !

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