Liverpool face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light today in what is surely a must-win game (how many of those have we had this season?!). Sunderland will be missing two of their most influential players, which should - in theory - make it easier on Kenny Dalglish's team to get a result. Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson is sure that Liverpool can get a result, but he's insisted that even with a victory today, his old club has no chances of finishing in the top four.
Speaking to the BBC, Lawro - who first wrote off Liverpool's top four chances in October 2011, observed:
"Sunderland are generally very good at home, but I cannot see them beating a Liverpool team who actually put in one of their best performances of the season in their defeat by Arsenal last week.
"That left the Reds 10 points behind Arsenal in the race for fourth place but, even if they had drawn that game at Anfield, I still don't think they would have finished above the Gunners.
"The amount of games they have drawn at home is what they will look back on with regret at the end of the season".
Liverpool's away form this season has been excellent at times, and with Lee Cattermole and Stephane Sessegnon both suspended for Sunderlan, you would have to say that there's no real excuse for Liverpool not to get a result.
Having said that, we need to consider the Martin O'Neill factor. Sunderland have improved immeasurably since the Irishman took over, and after suffering a humbling 4-0 defeat to West Brom last week, the Black Cats will be looking to bounce back strongly.
As any long-term reader of this site knows, I've been arguing for Martin O'Neil to become Liverpool's manager for years. All the way back in 2004, I wanted O'Neill instead of Benitez, and to be honest, I would take him over Kenny Dalglish too.
Obviously, that head taking precedence over heart, but I truly believe that if O'Neill had come to Liverpool in 2004, the club would've won the league by now.
Jaimie Kanwar
Speaking to the BBC, Lawro - who first wrote off Liverpool's top four chances in October 2011, observed:
"Sunderland are generally very good at home, but I cannot see them beating a Liverpool team who actually put in one of their best performances of the season in their defeat by Arsenal last week.
"That left the Reds 10 points behind Arsenal in the race for fourth place but, even if they had drawn that game at Anfield, I still don't think they would have finished above the Gunners.
"The amount of games they have drawn at home is what they will look back on with regret at the end of the season".
Liverpool's away form this season has been excellent at times, and with Lee Cattermole and Stephane Sessegnon both suspended for Sunderlan, you would have to say that there's no real excuse for Liverpool not to get a result.
Having said that, we need to consider the Martin O'Neill factor. Sunderland have improved immeasurably since the Irishman took over, and after suffering a humbling 4-0 defeat to West Brom last week, the Black Cats will be looking to bounce back strongly.
As any long-term reader of this site knows, I've been arguing for Martin O'Neil to become Liverpool's manager for years. All the way back in 2004, I wanted O'Neill instead of Benitez, and to be honest, I would take him over Kenny Dalglish too.
Obviously, that head taking precedence over heart, but I truly believe that if O'Neill had come to Liverpool in 2004, the club would've won the league by now.
Jaimie Kanwar
I think the limb that you sit on is very small and weak mate!
ReplyDeleteI argued for O'Neill to succeed Benitez - he seemed like a genuine candidate with track record and personality. Instead we went for Hodgson and now Dalglish, and are effectively in the same post-Benitez state as a result.
ReplyDeleteHe's a quality manager, but I don't think much of Lawrensons punditry to be honest Jaimie. I truly believe that fourth is there STILL for the taking. I can't see Arsenal being consistent enough. But it obviously depends on us. It's an old cliche but we need to take each game as it comes and concentrate on us, not them. Its one of them seasons where 5 wins and your up there because it's only United and City consistent enough to lose us. If Spurs lose a couple more they'll be fighting for fourth soon, although I know that's a big IF.
ReplyDeleteAnd if Benitez wasn't manager we would be -1 Champions League And -1 FA Cup.
ReplyDeleteIm not surprised that your site attracts so much attention, it is an interesting ploy which has been used many times before. About twenty years ago , radio city in liverpool had a dj so annoying that you couldn't turn him off. I wanted to meet him for ages so I could knock his teeth out. I actually did meet him at Speke airport on the way to an away game one day and he was a really nice bloke. hopefully you are the same. Martin ONeil instead of Benitez or KK, you'll be telling me David Moyes is underated next or that Sir Whisky Nose Cheat deserves respect.
ReplyDeletewhat ploy is he using?
ReplyDeleteit always interest me to see the negative feedback jamie gets on here but if you don't like it you have the free will to log on and not comment.
i don't get why people criticise him yet keep coming back.
i for one find it very refreshing to see someone with the balls to have abrupt honesty and not tow the usual party line.
and we wouldn't have been blessed with legends like voronin,pellegrino,kronkamp and ngog.
ReplyDelete@titi_camara - and Alonso,Torres,Mascharano,Reina... not his fault he didn't have the money of Chelsea.
ReplyDeletehenderson is the worst midfielder i have seen in a red jersey, how he gets a game before shelvey is unbelievable
ReplyDeleteKenny is clueless and goaless AGAINST SUNDERLAND RESERVES
ReplyDeleteWhen I watch Liverpool play and I take into account exactly what Steve Clarke won with Chelsea as assistant manager It makes me realise exactly how good a coach Jose Mourinho was and is.
ReplyDeleteCould it be that the assistant manager who oversaw West Hams relegation and our current slump won trophies at Chelsea despite of Clarke instead of because of him? I am seriously starting to entertain this idea more and more.
In a fair world Clarke Kenny and AVB would all be hunting new employment but the world especially in Liverpool land (next door to Disneyland) is far from fair.
Oh... and our stats since Lucas left the team and Gerrard was introduced to it don't make for good reading for all those who constantly slate and belittle Lucas' ability.
just heard on fox soccer- liverpool are mid table club after 0-1 i agree
ReplyDeleteyour on your own kid
ReplyDeleteTo make matters worse it was Nicolas Bentshot
ReplyDeleteI second that
ReplyDeletekenny dalglish will take liverpool to 10th wow, in fox news they said...LIVERPOOL NOW ARE A MID TABLE club....thats the fact
ReplyDeleteAdam is worse. I don't care what your arguments are, the fact that this screaming waist of space can continue to take his woeful "10mil" pound kicks is really beyond me. He is the pinnacle very definition of a woeful player who likes to go about the pitch making fans angry and frustrated. Shocking arghhh
ReplyDeleteSo do I.
ReplyDeleteam just arguing the lip side,not rose tinted.
ReplyDeletehe wasted alot of money-look at moyes and how he has spent wisely,rafa couldn't do that.
how much did all the players you have named cost?
ReplyDeleteVery poor performance today, i think it's time for the kids to come through, or at least Shelvey & Maxi to make more appearances.
ReplyDeleteHenderson & Adam were shocking today, even Suarez, Kuyt & Bellamy didn't look themselves.
We still need one more point to get to 40 points and secure premiership football for next season.Looks like Stoke in the cup could be our last meaningful game this season,even if we beat them after the disastrous performance against cardiff at wembley i wouldnt be too confident of beating Spurs or chelsea in the semifinal at wembley were good wingers prosper.
ReplyDeletenot only will liverpool finish mid-table but they will reveal a horrid financial state, the end is nigh for liverpool, spending out of their means on absolute wastes of money, the silly amounts your club has given newcastle and sunderland has put both of them in a better league/financial position than you.
ReplyDeletefarewell
RIP
Yes, totally on his own, i hope!! 4th is still there for the taking? Wasn't this morning and definitely is not now!
ReplyDeletePoulsen was worse to be fair
ReplyDeleteAdam gives the ball away too much in dangerous areas often turning attack into defence
ReplyDeletebullshit performance.. i think flanagan and jack robinson can do the defend job better than enrique..
ReplyDeleteNot only Clarke, if we have half the West Ham coaching team, it is not surprising if we get West Ham results. I'm more concerned about the likes of Kevin Keen than Clarke, to be honest, but you could well be right about Clarke also.
ReplyDeleteYes, Liverpool land loves its messiahs, even when it is obvious it is not working. Makes me laugh that half the supporters seem to want to rotate the manager's job between Dalglish and Rafa until they go to their graves. Resistance to change or what? Why not just offer them a job share?
Liverpool FC have no debt unlike you mancs who owe at least 500m on what basis other than ignorance can you say we will reveal a horrid financial state.
ReplyDeletewhen will the lemmings learn that queen kenny is one of the worst managers in the league! this guy doesn't have a clue how manage a team.. FIRE DALGLISH NOW!!!.. and take the garbage out with him!
ReplyDeleteOk, no one has answered yet, on any of the threads. Who is creating all these chances for us that we are missing?
ReplyDeleteAnd the paranoid delusional fan base are not prepared to accept the team is not good enough because a club legend is running the team.
The same people are not prepared to accept that our star striker can do any wrong, so the fact that he actually does not score that many doesn't seem to make any difference. But we are, apparently, creating the chances to score.
Apparently, the other day, we were creating more chances than anyone and KD had improved the team and the cost was irrelevant. And some of us were being negative.
Fast forward to Saturday 10th March, we are 2 points ahead of Sunderland, who have the manager that we should have taken all along. And guess what? We lose without scoring yet again. No sign of too much creativity today. Dire, negative rubbish.
As we are already in the Europa League and not going to make Champions League, I would go as far as to suggest that if the next two games go against the team, then the time to start looking for alternatives should be now. That way, we are ready to appoint a new man as soon as the season ends. KD should do the decent thing and avoid an embarrassing situation and prepare to make way.
And we are improving? Under the great-not so King Kenny
ReplyDeleteI was an advocate of O'Neil after Houllier was pushed.Haven't really much more to say other than it is simply unacceptable,more millions wasted,and any other manager in charge of this Liverpool squad on this run would be beginning to feel the tightening of the noose,as with most,if not all things in life you should never go back.
ReplyDeleteWhat kids.. this delusion that we have this academy stocked with talent is ridiculous..
ReplyDeleteEverton are 1-0 up at half time, if they come to Anfield with a chance of closing right up on us it could be very tense. The next two games should decide the manager's fate, to be honest, if it has not been decided already, and potential replacements should be sounded out now so we can move early in the summer.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that Tottenham are starting to stall and while Arsenal and Chelsea are trying to make some kind of move, we are going in the other direction.
ReplyDeleteI hope that John Henry and Tom Werner have a plan B and more or less have someone lined up to replace Kenny at the end of the season.
ReplyDeleteI dare anyone to defend Kenny Dalglish and his purchases and justify why he should be given more money and another year.....IN FACT I DOUBLE DARE ....ANY TAKERS ?
ReplyDeleteThought not.. the King Kenny Brigade have gone to ground I hope they stay there.
Why oh why..... Why did we choose hodgson in the first place, when o'neill was available??? He could make good use of the transfer money in the first place... And we don't have to stuck with KK, adam, henderson, carrol, etc......
ReplyDeleteJust read KD's comment after the game on liverpool tv news..... OMG, please...just stop talking.
ReplyDeleteI wish people would stop yammering on about the top 4.. we never had a chance at the top 4 from day 1... Dalglish brought in too many players that are mid table crap and forced all of the foreign players with talent out of the team. he is making Roy Hodgson look like Jose Mourinho... Fire QUEEN KENNY NOW!
ReplyDeletethey are going to own us .. its obvious that the players do not want to play for dalglish.. they could care less at this point and are just collecting paychecks and deciding where to head on vacation after the season.. based on the way they play...they think dalglish is a joke..
ReplyDeleteThe experimentation with queen PENNY has failed...
ReplyDeleteTime to admit we were wrong and bring back the main man back .....RAFAEL BENITEZ .
Yeah I forgot about Keen. Our management team have been marinating in failure for a few years now. Change is needed.
ReplyDeleteThe Rafa kenny to and fro is incredible. If we're not going to win anything at least entertain us damn it!! Our next manager (hopefully next week) HAS to be an attacking coach who loves flair. Please!!
Flanagan, Robinson, Sterling, Suso, Coady, Morgan...all good players, all hungry and willing to play for the shirt.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of disrespect on here towards Kenny Dalglish, it's unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteFrom all I saw, they didn't want Dalglish and only hired him because the pressure from the fans was so high at the time with Hodgson in charge.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, Dalglish said that he was only doing the job as he was the best man for the job. He has clearly proved that he isn't and should do the honourable thing of stepping aside to save the club he loves, rather than continuing to drag it down, or forcing the owners to sack him and have the vocal fanbase braying again
Some people think to only way to make an argument is to resort to childish namecalling. Seeing as a lot of posters online are just children (or borderline retarded), that isn't surprising though
ReplyDeleteSadly Gerard is no longer the player he once was - he cannot cut it in midfied any more - and is not a captain.
ReplyDeleteI expect a arrage of comments re last statemeny but he is NOT the player he once was
ReplyDeleteWhat happens after a manager leaves the club has nothing to do with what happened while he was in charge
ReplyDeleteBenitez had 6 years and failed - get over it.
I thought we finished ahead of Everton under Rafa? Something we seriously might not manage to achieve this year.
ReplyDeletedaglish out no good with his crap english players
ReplyDeleteThink you will find Liverpool only spent £40 million net in the last 2 years and so the financial picture is not as bad as people say when they say we spent £120 million.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't in Rafa's first season!
ReplyDeleteSeptimus we have had this problem of money being spent badly since Souness, so why has it come has any shock this bunch have so far failed in bringing the title home, British or foriegn signings have failed this club for the last 22 years.
ReplyDeleteOh well..guess we'll have to settle for a Champions League trophy for that season then... ^^
ReplyDeleteStill not the league.
ReplyDeleteAnd what? Did Everton win the title that year?
ReplyDeleteor Alonso, Torres, Luis Garcia, Reina, Arbeloa, Macherano ......
ReplyDeleteYou must be about 12, then. I had the misfortune to watch Kozma, Stewart and Ferri. In my darkest moments I still see Kozma laughing as he fucked up a corner, and within seconds Chesterfield had gone up the other end to score their 3rd of 4. Gulp! Henderson is just a kid, give him a break.
ReplyDeleteI said the same a while ago. Gerrard appears to be a spent force. I have also been saying for years that he is not a Captain. Fair enough, he has (had) the ability to take a game by the scruff of the neck, and has put in some incredible performances (including THOSE Cup Finals). His performance at OT this season, frankly, stank, and he has often bottled games at Stamford Bridge.
ReplyDeleteThe game that sums up my views on what a captain should be was the League Cup Final, 2005. Didi Hamann had put in a tackle and was surrounded and jostled by Chelsea players, but Gerrard just stood away from the melee, seemingly not wishing to upset his England pals John and Frank. I was livid at the time, and hopefully Didi said something to Stevie in the dressing room after.
dont think benitez failed jay, if anything it was the american owners that fcuked things up for him and the club. No manager would be able to work under those conditions.
ReplyDeleteBut that is very indicative of the fan base stuck in the past.. still thinking SG will save the day and still thinking Dalglish can manage.. SG is over the hill and Dalglish is a clueless old man.. and until the fans get past that.. we are gonna continue to be mediocre garbage...
ReplyDeleteWe really should have had a chance at the top 4 this season. Now, even if we do make a change, we will have that 'settling in' period to go through again, while Chelsea and Arsenal power on. Tottenham are having real problems at the moment and things might get tricky for them when Redknapp leaves, but Chelsea and Arsenal will not leave the door wide open again, so we will have to hope that Man Utd go into serious decline next year to get anywhere near 4th, unless a new manager can shake things up. We should go all out to bring in O Neill, but i don't think he is the kind of manager to leave a club so soon. Still think Villas Boas has potential, despite what Chelsea did to him, and his experience there might even make him a better manager.
ReplyDeleteWhat you expect from a free transfer and how much we spend on ngog compare to carroll???
ReplyDeleteWe dont deserve Fourth and you know it
ReplyDeleteWhen rafa spend $20 mil on failure everyone was calling for his head which he still can recoup what he spend but funny things is i don't hear anyone calling for KK's head on spending on those average jo by $$$mil
ReplyDeleteJust like you on rafa idiot.
ReplyDeleteDalglish is shite. That is a truly amazing conclusion to come to after some of our performances this season. I am in full agreement that recently we have been on the slide, but there have been small margins that have cost us games that would have dramatically affected our position and in turn our confidence. The suarez saga didn't help and neither did the Stevie G injury. I think Kenny proved he was right about Carragher and I also agree that SG should play right midfield. Overall we have played some bright football in spells and lacked confidence and finishing in front of goal. We have dominated some top sides and been bland in front of mediocre sides. I think the players have let Kenny down this year and they have been extremely inconsistent. Something that will be addressed next season when Kenny has a much better understanding of their characters.
ReplyDeleteAll the fans screaming for change should support Chelsea you will be more suited. It takes time to get things right, a manager cannot control how a player is hot and cold. My only criticism of Kenny's managerial reign this time is his substitutions. It irks me when the game is not going our way and subs come on at 70 minutes. I understand fans have opinions about the players bought, some rise in a move to a better club and some don't, that is the luck of the draw. All excelled for their previous clubs in the premier league and showed great potential. So get over it and have some faith in our manager. A leader, a great manager and a man obsessed with the game. His press conferences have a purpose, his desire to win will see things right and he deserves more than one season for his service to Liverpool Football Club.
GM23 you must be about 12 aren't you?
Welll...you have a point there but where does kenny got us to with 100 mil spent,twak.
ReplyDeleteWhen you want to compete you don't compare with the worst you would wanna compete with the top,bird brain.
ReplyDeleteSo is lucas when he got here,did you give him a break???
ReplyDeleteYeah... even my granny can outrun adam,my sister can jump higher than carroll,even my father are more adventurous than henderson,what a bunch of garbage bought by garbage
ReplyDeleteYEAH... But the man still get us competitive with those top team up there compare to this current garbage,and with no $$$ to spend,thinkabout that JAY SPEARING,btw he's a crap too.
ReplyDeleteBecause we love liverpool,NO INDIVIDUAL IS BIGGER THAN THE CLUB,and we don't like to see our club fill with garbage,if you support individual than you're not liverpool fans. travel to where the manager will gypsy fan.
ReplyDeleteIn the end of the argument it doesn't matter who's the boss as long as it'll get liverpool being competitive at the top is good enough,i love kenny BUT I LOVE LIVERPOOL MOOOOOOOORE, GET RAFA BACK
ReplyDeleteDon't you? You obviously aren't paying attention then!
ReplyDeleteThe comment being disputed was that "Henderson is the worst midfielder ever seen in a red jersey"...
ReplyDeleteJust heard? You only need to look at the table to figure that out. Anything from 7th to 12th is midtable, so we've been in the position for a good little while now...
ReplyDeleteI agree that our kids aren't as good as they are made out to be by some, but the simple fact is that our senior players are letting us down severely so we might as well give some of the kids a try to freshen things up. What's the worst that could happen; we lose another league position or two??
ReplyDeleteNo manager would be able to work under the conditions of having terrible owners? Man Utd and Ferguson would beg to differ...
ReplyDeleteNo individual is bigger than the club yet you guys continue obsessing over Benitez, as if he's the only manager in the world that knows how to manage a club better than Hodgson and Dalglish have done!
ReplyDeleteLol were 10 points behind with 11 games to go - we have to pick up an additional point very game to the end of the season - i'm willing to put the money up now, we arent playing champions league next season. Or the following season unless KK stops this non-sense of buying British players.
ReplyDeleteYou won't believe me, but YES, because he showed heart and NEVER gave up. And if he made a mistake, he wouldn't stand there with his hands on his head, feeling sorry for himself, he would try and win the ball back. And that's all you can ask of a player.
ReplyDeletetotally agreed red33. In our last 4 managers, only Benitez have come close to winning the league. he also won us the champs league. Benitez lost his job because he finished outside the top four. i personally think Daglish will finish 8th or 9th. We criticize Benitez for buying dud players. Remember we still made huge profit from the sale of masha, Abeloa, alonso, and torres. How much profit are we going to get if we sold carrol, henderson, and adam. Thats the difference between Benitez and Daglish. One made the club money and look at the thanks he got,
ReplyDeletewhy the fuck are you advertising man utd merchandise on a liverpool website you fucking dick jamie????????
ReplyDeletefirstly if i was to refer to anyone as bird brain JK would have deleted the post. Secondly muppet if you had red the posts someone had said Henderson was the worst midfielder to be seen in a red shirt I would argue that Poulsen (and others) have been worse
ReplyDeleteonly? give your head a wobble mate, where will they recoup that 40m from ticket sales?, programme sales?, replica shirt sales?, you aint even got a player worth 20m in your team now Gerrard is injury plagued and no champions league for a team that spends like one can only mean one thing, GLASGOW RANGERS here you come and not before too long.
ReplyDeleteim no manc. the fact that your odious club spend like a team in the higher echelons of europe, but your not and wont be for a while/ever, check your agm meetings your loosing money like crazy every month, u only get 40000 in your ground (but cant even fill it anymore) no european competition, gerrard is knackered now, reina will go end of season and you will bank roll kenny dogleash again come transfer window, he ruined NUFC and hes gonna ruin you too
ReplyDeleteHow about the £20 million a year from Standard Charter and the new shirt deal with Warrior?
ReplyDeleteAfter what performances this season? Do you reckon that West Brom and Swansea, they beat Man City today, don't have good performances once a while also? You set your standards far too low. We spent over 100 million and the result has been more dross.
ReplyDeleteBland in front of mediocre sides, and beaten by a good load of them, what does that make us? While we are addressing our issues, what do you think all the other clubs are doing? Sitting on their ar$es eating cake?
Rather than tell supporters to go and follow Chelsea, maybe you should go and watch Tranmere or something if you want to see Football League standard football.
There's is no luck of the draw, there are decisions made, money spent, people sold and people bought. Carroll, Downing and Henderson for 70 million, and Parker, Ba and Ashley Young for 30 million is not the luck of the draw. Henderson never excelled at Sunderland.
Have faith in the manager? Faith, the word that people always use when reason does not agree with them anymore. I've a grandad who is obsessed with the game and loves Liverpool also, can he have a job? Dalglish has had enough time, he's made us a laughing stock off the pitch and now is making us a bigger one on the pitch. We should be making a short list now and as soon as we go out of the FA Cup (playing like we are, it is a certainty before the final) we should line someone up for next season. Be decisive for a change so we don't end up with the next Hodgson.
complete bile you are a manc or the very bitterest of blues you have no place on this website you are extremely odious yourself
ReplyDeleteWith due respect, I believe Kenny tried to get Young (and Phil Jones) but they [inexplicably] chose Man Utd. We didn't really need Parker because of the form shown by Lucas, but we do seem to miss out on players of the ilk of Ba, that other clubs pick up for peanuts, which is worrying.
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't get so hung up with "laughing stock off the pitch", though Gab. That wasn't Kenny's fault. He's an honest man who has always done his very best for his players and for the club. Frankly, I couldn't care less what other people think, and it shouldn't really bother you that much. The only people who think we are a laughing stock are supporters of traditional [bitter] rivals, or supporters of teams that we have given some serious doings over the years. I work with Wolves, Villa and Rangers fans who are a lot more concerned with their own teams' failings than with LFC.
I’m sick of hearing this it doesn’t matter what we made from sales we spent an astonishing amount of money on absolute garbage.
ReplyDeleteWe got rid of our deadwood to bring in more expensive deadwood and this deadwood is making the starting line up week in week out.
Kenny has to go.
Although i was upset when they paid that ridiculous sum for Carroll looking at the season was it not said they were rebuilding for the future.
ReplyDeleteI do realizse too words were spoken about cl football at the berginning of the season but all in all they are not far from where many expected them maybe fifth but no higher.
I think although things are not looking great presently things will improve over coming seasons.
Less than Charlie Adam.
ReplyDeleteCertainly less than Henderson. At least we got value for them in transfer market.
ReplyDelete