Despite scoring against Chelsea in his last game, Maxi Rodrigues has been dropped by Kenny Dalglish for the Fulham game, which marks the third time this season the Argentinean has been dumped on the bench after scoring.
Here is the team:
Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Henderson, Spearing, Adam, Bellamy, Carroll, Suarez.
I love Kenny but repeatedly dropping players who score is out of order.
How is that any kind of effective motivational tool? How is that effective man-management? What does a player have to do to keep his place in the team?
Given the players selected, it once again looks like Jordan Henderson will be played on the right, which is majorly frustrating.
The team will probably line-up like this:
-------------------------- Reina
Johnson ------------ Skrtel ---- Agger ---------------- Enrique
Henderson -------- Spearing ----- Adam --------------- Bellamy
---------------------- Carroll -- Suarez
On paper, it's definitely a good enough team to beat Fulham; it's just disappointing to see that a player who guarantees goals at the moment can't get into a team that is struggling to score league goals (!).
Jaimie Kanwar
Here is the team:
Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Henderson, Spearing, Adam, Bellamy, Carroll, Suarez.
I love Kenny but repeatedly dropping players who score is out of order.
How is that any kind of effective motivational tool? How is that effective man-management? What does a player have to do to keep his place in the team?
Given the players selected, it once again looks like Jordan Henderson will be played on the right, which is majorly frustrating.
The team will probably line-up like this:
-------------------------- Reina
Johnson ------------ Skrtel ---- Agger ---------------- Enrique
Henderson -------- Spearing ----- Adam --------------- Bellamy
---------------------- Carroll -- Suarez
On paper, it's definitely a good enough team to beat Fulham; it's just disappointing to see that a player who guarantees goals at the moment can't get into a team that is struggling to score league goals (!).
Jaimie Kanwar
I just don't get why Kelly is overlooked again. I haven't checked stats but there have been a LOT of games since he last played.
ReplyDeleteArguably, the bigger story is that team all but confirms that Carragher is no longer first choice.
ReplyDeleteHenderson's fault for Maxi being dropped to the bench!!!!Maybe Dalgilsh has a game plan ready for Fulham and how they play, irrespective who scores tap ins in the previous game, dalglish said as much on LFC website how Maxi comes into consideration for every game the way he is playing
ReplyDeleteAgree. Kelly hasn't started a league game since Man United mid-October.
ReplyDeleteI think there will be 3 CM's and suarez and bellamy playing each side of Carroll
ReplyDeleteMaxi has 10 goals and 1 assist in the last 9 starts; that's a better record than every other striker/attacking player in the league bar Robin Van Persie, yet he's apparently not good enough to start? Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Kenny management skills are exactly what get the best out of Maxi. Just sayin
ReplyDeleteMight be to give a little extra protection in midfield. I reckon Henderson is better support in a midfield battle than Maxi. Especialy needed if we are usig a free roaming bellamy
ReplyDeleteIs pity. I don't know what's wrong with KK as he is picking wrong players time and time again this season who is costing LFC points. I am starting to lose faith on his vision for the game. If we don't win this game is KK fault for not giving balance to the team. Hope I am wrong and LFC win tonight
ReplyDeleteMaybe you're right.
ReplyDeletebet we will not win today with this team.. :(
ReplyDeleteIt does on the face of it seem harsh that Maxi's first team opourtunities are sparse but he may well be scoring BECAUSE of the intermittent selection - keeping him sharper, and as hes gettin' on his physical displays in training would tell the staff alot. Another reason for dropping him is to try and get Carroll out of his rut, after all he is the future.
ReplyDeleteJaimie- who'd you prefer to start, maxi or bellamy??
ReplyDeleteWhy can't both start?
ReplyDeleteCarroll is the future? *shudder*
ReplyDeletefor sure, 4-3-3 makes more sense
ReplyDeleteI welcome the 4-3-3 formation with Spearing, Adam and Henderson in the middle and Bellamy and Suarez out wide. I really think, that Maxi will replace Bellamy in the second half and therefore doesn't start .... Maxi is just unfortunate ....
ReplyDeleteYes, you're probably right; however, it's not like Liverpool play that formation a lot, so it would be (comparatively) alien to the players. Why not just play a formation they're comfortable with?
ReplyDeleteI think you may be a bit wrong about the lineup Jaime. Or at least, I hope you are. I'm hoping the lineup ends up looking a bit more like this on the field
ReplyDeleteReina
-----------Agger----------Skrtel-------
---Johnson---------------------------Enrique---
--------------------Spearing-------------------
---------------hendo-------Adam---------
--------Suarez-----------------Bellamy-------
--------------------Carroll---------------
Ideally we'd see Spearing providing Cover for Agger and Skrtel, with Henderson and Adam making up the other components of a three man mindfield. Johnson and Enrique overlapping to provide width, with Suarez and Bellamy playing off Carroll. This puts Henderson and Adam as more of the central midfield pairing, and I think that suits him much more than being expected to provide width. It also explains the selection of Johnson over Kelly (Johnson is much better at providing width, and Henderson does a good job of tracking back to cover for Johnson). I think Henderson will occupy more of a central midfield role to make up for the fact that Lucas is much better distributing and getting forward than Spearing.
You may be right with that formation, but this group of players has never played together in that formation before, so I doubt they'll be entirely comfortable; and if they're not, that may be a problem during the game.
ReplyDeletebecause Bellamy is more effective on the left, with his crosses and runs. To play him upfront with Suarez wouldn't work.
ReplyDeleteThis way Bellamy can supply the crosses to Carroll.
It seems like a good balance to me. Good players should be able to adapt to any formation. But Kenny always has a way of surprising us. We all thought it would be Downing or Maxi on the left but he's gone for Bellamy. As for Maxi, at least he's on the bench. At the beginning of the season he wasn't even there.
ReplyDeleteCan't we just wait on the judgement until the match is played. Daglish and Clark like their team to move around and swap positions a bit, so they don't really play a fixed formation when attaching. the formation is more visable when they defend and even a more strict 4-3-3 may become a 4-5-1 when defending. We'll see in some minutes.
ReplyDeletePrediction: I think Carroll will win the match for us tonight :)
I think Kenny will see tonight that in a game where we do not have Lucas to "clean-up" after Carroll loses ball, (and let's face it, Andy tries hard to do the job, but his first touch is just auful) it is not safe to play him. I am not a Carroll-basher, I would like him to play and prove himself... and hope he scores a few goals. But he is holding the team effort back. He creates more problems with his involvement into the game rather than solutions. I just hope we do not concede any soft goals tonight, and we score at least two.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Maxi's on the bench, and if anything goes fundamentally wrong, he will come on. Other that that it's a strong line-up.
Adam and Spearing will be the key tonight. If they fail, the whole team will fail. Lucas and Adam really started forming a good understanding in the last 2-3 games so lets hope Spearing can step up to the plate.
ReplyDeleteI like the lineup though, surprised that Downing is on the bench but Bellamy deserves his place.
Perfect opportunity for Carroll to enjoy the silence... and I hope he does.
King kenny cannot do anything wrong . just wait till his signing come good. Adam will excel now that Lucas is no longer. Henderson will finally find his feet in another 4-5 years after all king kenny bought him for the future and when Carroll evolves from a donkey to a mule...just you wait.
ReplyDeleteWhat a load of bull.
How can a team challenge for the top with Charlie Adam as a bludy play maker..unless you just believe and bury your head because kk is the best.
Lets be honest we ain't gonna win with this selection.
To answer with Bill Shankly's words: Why don't you go and jump into the lake? ©
ReplyDeletecant tackle anymore. shocking.
ReplyDeleteRodwell mark 2
ReplyDeleteSo its as we were then. play chlesea off the park twice, give Man City a lesson in football and then lose to Fulham.
ReplyDeleteNow starts possibly yet another shocking December. In the last 10 years i can only remember us having 1 or 2 half decent Decembers.
Wats up...truth hurts....kk cannot get anything wrong??
ReplyDeleteKeep on dreaming..they will come good..you just have to believe hard and long enough...and it will happen..keep it up lad
ReplyDeletei dont want to sound anti liverpool but i believe we are not capable of getting that top 4 spot. Tottenham have managed to keep their stars and look like the prem, man city well they have the title wrapped up now but spurs might just do it but i doubt really, united have an average squad with a few stars pulling their team(nani, rooney ), chelsea well they have money and tons of it and abramovic will just buy another superstar in jan who will carry the team back to CL, Arsenal are done without RVP but right now their better than us. we havent made the right transfer dealings in the summer. Carrol for 35m. Hendo for 20m i think hendo will be a really high caliber player but right now he is not good enough too make our squad so why not wait till he is free agent. Downing will come good but 20m is too much. not happy with lfc transfer policy. i dont see why we have to buy overrated englishmen as long as the team wins we are good. i hate to say it but we will be lucky to finish top 6
ReplyDeleteHow come the ref blew for every petty foul except on Suarez!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe team was all wrong today and by that I mean Carroll started. He runs, moves and finishes like Morientes. The most scary thing is he probably wins as few headers as Morientes used to. To be a Striker in the prem regardless of height you need to be either exceptionally quick or exceptionally skillfull and Carroll is neither. At the moment...no.... HE IS no better than Georias Samaras when Pearce signed him for 6million all them years ago. Slow, weak and poor in the air. 4-3-3 is the only way round it.
ReplyDeleteJaimie you are right about Maxi - what is the use of benching him after he has played well (unless it is fatigue or something we are not aware of)
ReplyDeleteSpearing - Forget the sending off, if anyone plays like a chicken on speed its him - there is very little reading of the game and it is all passion, rush of blood to the head and diving in - hence being caught out of position and letting people in behind (the space Dempsey found about 20 times between our midfield and back four). We are going to really miss Lucas.
I have made no derogoatory comments about Carroll thus far, but it is very very hard for anyone to argue what he actually brings to this team. For me it isnt the goals, if he was not scoring but looked like he was causing damage then its different, but in my eyes a striker who wins a few balls in the air to knock down to others, and also just waits for people to put a ball in the air for a 50/50 attempt on goal is not LFC material, Carroll on his day is still not good enough, he just does not have a versatile game in his locker and it is so predicatable and easy to defend him out of a game. We need a striker badly.
Who you gonna blame kk..how about your self...maybe playing maxi might have helped
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, Henderson looks like he is growing in confidence...
ReplyDeleteHenderson played well. Agree about Spearing played well but he his there to take the pace out of the game when Fulham attack and hold his position, fans that put Lucas down can see what he did now we were far to erratic at the back shows what a 2 yard pass with composer can do to a game gives players time to get their composer especially with Adam and Henderson pushing forward.
ReplyDeleteMaxi should of started Downing on the right with Suarez and Bellamy up front.
ReplyDeleteWell put mate..sad but true
ReplyDeletewe have scored 17goals in 14 games..
we have spent Carroll 35million..suarez 23million ..downing 18 million and Henderson 20million Henderson....96million worth of attacking players and look at others who have spent next to nothing...
newcastle have 19goals
villa 16goals
Bolton 19goals
blackburn 21goals
Sunderland 16goals
Wolves 15goals
Everton 15goals
norwich 20goals
qpr 15goals
fulham 16goals
shame on us..kk is getting away with murder..
It is official the liverpool way is now defined as "A big powerful club who only gets up and seriously contends in games against other big clubs, whilst playing "smaller", "weaker" sides will ultimately be not taken as seriously and the players who play well previously against big clubs get dropped for others who have not earned their spot!!!" what a great Philosophy our club runs by!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt is soooooo frustrating! and in Australia i had to get up bloody early this morning to watch us take another couple of steps BACKWARDS!
in saying that YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE!!!!
the fact is KENNY DAGLISH still cant get in to his thick head, yes we did use to play with all english players way back in his era, keeping hope on CARROL and he couldnt even score a goal or even shoot , i dont get one thing y do KENNY dont put MAXI ???
ReplyDeletebelieve me i still dont give a bit to KENNY DAGLISH, i dont like him a bit, and for those who saying he saved us last season, think again we didnt had worse players like CARROL HANDERSON OR DOWNING, i mean i dont mind about handerson and downing, but what about CARROL?
last season we had RAUL MIERELES who adapted very well, kenny daglish kicked him out oh wait sorry he gave the transfer request? naah it was kenny idea to kick him out, what about AQUA whos plays better than 3 stooges kenny bought?
KENNY DALGLISH i dont like u a bit, in ur era games were different in this era SOCCER IS VERY DIFFERENT
KENNY WILL SURELY sink liverpoool thats one thing if he uses carrol in every game, and leave out good players
no doubt about it! i can not understand why our best team is not played each week and why Dalglish continues to change things around??? especially when we have been playing well.
ReplyDeleteWe need a Striker who can finish. Cavani (maybe?) would have a instant connection with Suarez and Coates.
ReplyDeleteMaxi should have started and properly finished the chance Carroll missed when Suarez passed him the ball inside the area...
ReplyDeleteIf Carroll starts against QPR and fails to score again, think more fans are going to make noise...IMO the best attacking team:
Suarez
Maxi <------------> Bellamy
With 20 shots in a game without producing any goal is somewhat a habit Liverpool has developed into. Failure to kill off lesser teams will cost them dear in the league. Predator instinct is severely lacking in Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteWith more than 100 plus mil invested into the team since new owners took over, results were at best, mediocre. We have to admit, with or without the 100 plus mil invested, we will still be roughly the same in the table. The decision to spend 70 plus mil on 3 Brit footballers is silly. To those thinking we never spend enough over the past few seasons must be dreaming. I do not fool myself, I will not make more than 1 mil in my entire work life. So please do not say 100 plus mil is no small money since we have no oil fields as backup.
For so much that I dislike Arsenal, I've to say that their management and manager are great, if not the best. Panic buy, never! How many players in that team were bought for more than 10 mil? It's about an eye for spotting talents, developing players and astute business decisions.
So much said, the beginning of another sad day...
Yes, we looked real dumb and silly in the decision to splurge almost 100
ReplyDeletemil on these players. We are right to ask for a new striker, but what
about these bunch of 100 mil players? I'm afraid it's like money dumped
into a drain as we will get neither shirt sales nor results from these
dudes. This is
no monopoly money, 100 mil...
I start to worry about the finances of Liverpool. The owners are
business people, after wasting all these money, what will they do next? For now, I can only devotedly pray, hoping KD will not pay 30 mil for
either Danny Graham of Swansea or Anthony Pilkington of Norwich in Jan
or the summer.
id take 3m danny graham of swansea over him anyday. but seriously why dont we buy honda.
ReplyDelete