In recent weeks, both Daniel Agger and Luis Alberto have revealed their frustration at constantly warming the bench at Liverpool, and now, Victor Moses - the newly-crowned African footballer of the year - is the latest LFC player to publicly express his disappointment at a continued lack of playing time at Anfield.
After starting six games in a row for the Reds, Moses is now seemingly relegated to the bench, and over the last four games, he has been granted only 75 minutes of pitch-time (an average of 18.7 minutes per game)
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo today, Moses - who cost Chelsea €11m last summer - delivered a veiled-threat to Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, and made it clear that he wants to play more games for the club. He explained:
“The main thing is to be on the pitch and enjoy football. That’s always been on my mind – to play games. There was only a little spell at Wigan when I first signed there and I wasn’t in the team every week.
“I’ve always gone to places for the football, places where I’m going to play. By playing, you learn, and I think I can develop a lot more but I realise to achieve that I’ve got to play as much as possible.”
Whether fans choose to accept it or not, this is the typical footballer method of delivering a veiled threat and/or sending a message to the manager. Moses:
* Mentions his need to play more games SIX TIMES.
* Specifically references Wigan, where he 'wasn't in the team every week'.
* Hints that his development could be stunted through lack of game time.
This is not an accident - Moses knows exactly what he's doing, and reading between the lines, it's clear that he's unhappy with his reduced opportunities on the pitch.
Moses is the third LFC player this month top publicly complain about lack of game time. At the beginning of November, Daniel Agger tolf Danish TV:
"If I don't play, and if the manager doesn't think I am good enough, that could make me leave Liverpool. I'm here to play football, nothing else. So if I don't play football, then I don't want to be here anymore."
Two weeks later, Agger hinted that Rodgers had made a mistake in not playing him regularly. He told TV3:
"I have been waiting for this chance. I feel I have got the right to play, and of course I would have liked it to have come earlier".
A couple of days later, Luis Alberto publicly revealed his frustration with his status as a perennial bench-warmer. He told the LFC.com:
"I would like to play more. I am waiting for chances, but the truth is, I need to play more. I have to wait for the manager to start having confidence in me".
Sebastian Coates has also gone public on his disappointment with life at Anfield. In a March interview with Uruguayan newspaper El Observador, he said:
"I need to play, whether in Liverpool or somewhere else. I have a contract until 2016, but don't know what will happen in the future. I will wait until the end of the season and then speak to the club."
In Moses' case, he probably feels emboldened by winning the African player of the year award, which probably explains his willingness to publicly complain about his playing time. The underlying question seems to be: why is the African player of the Year always on the bench at LFC?!
The truth is though, Moses had his chance. He started six games in a row after arriving at Anfield, and contributed a solitary goal on his debut. That's not enough to justify a regular starting place, and like Alberto and Coates, he's going to have to get used to being a squad player.
If he'd scored/created more goals in that six-game spell, Moses would've made it difficult for Rodgers to leave him out, but with Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez firing on all cylinders at the moment, I don't see how the Nigerian is going to get the regular game-time that he craves. With the World Cup on the horizon too, the problem for Moses will become more acute as the season wears on.
Things will only get worse when Iago Aspas returns, and - as seems likely - Liverpool sign another attacking midfielder/central midfielder during the January transfer window.
Author: Jaimie K
After starting six games in a row for the Reds, Moses is now seemingly relegated to the bench, and over the last four games, he has been granted only 75 minutes of pitch-time (an average of 18.7 minutes per game)
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo today, Moses - who cost Chelsea €11m last summer - delivered a veiled-threat to Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, and made it clear that he wants to play more games for the club. He explained:
“The main thing is to be on the pitch and enjoy football. That’s always been on my mind – to play games. There was only a little spell at Wigan when I first signed there and I wasn’t in the team every week.
“I’ve always gone to places for the football, places where I’m going to play. By playing, you learn, and I think I can develop a lot more but I realise to achieve that I’ve got to play as much as possible.”
Whether fans choose to accept it or not, this is the typical footballer method of delivering a veiled threat and/or sending a message to the manager. Moses:
* Mentions his need to play more games SIX TIMES.
* Specifically references Wigan, where he 'wasn't in the team every week'.
* Hints that his development could be stunted through lack of game time.
This is not an accident - Moses knows exactly what he's doing, and reading between the lines, it's clear that he's unhappy with his reduced opportunities on the pitch.
Moses is the third LFC player this month top publicly complain about lack of game time. At the beginning of November, Daniel Agger tolf Danish TV:
"If I don't play, and if the manager doesn't think I am good enough, that could make me leave Liverpool. I'm here to play football, nothing else. So if I don't play football, then I don't want to be here anymore."
Two weeks later, Agger hinted that Rodgers had made a mistake in not playing him regularly. He told TV3:
"I have been waiting for this chance. I feel I have got the right to play, and of course I would have liked it to have come earlier".
A couple of days later, Luis Alberto publicly revealed his frustration with his status as a perennial bench-warmer. He told the LFC.com:
"I would like to play more. I am waiting for chances, but the truth is, I need to play more. I have to wait for the manager to start having confidence in me".
Sebastian Coates has also gone public on his disappointment with life at Anfield. In a March interview with Uruguayan newspaper El Observador, he said:
"I need to play, whether in Liverpool or somewhere else. I have a contract until 2016, but don't know what will happen in the future. I will wait until the end of the season and then speak to the club."
In Moses' case, he probably feels emboldened by winning the African player of the year award, which probably explains his willingness to publicly complain about his playing time. The underlying question seems to be: why is the African player of the Year always on the bench at LFC?!
The truth is though, Moses had his chance. He started six games in a row after arriving at Anfield, and contributed a solitary goal on his debut. That's not enough to justify a regular starting place, and like Alberto and Coates, he's going to have to get used to being a squad player.
If he'd scored/created more goals in that six-game spell, Moses would've made it difficult for Rodgers to leave him out, but with Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez firing on all cylinders at the moment, I don't see how the Nigerian is going to get the regular game-time that he craves. With the World Cup on the horizon too, the problem for Moses will become more acute as the season wears on.
Things will only get worse when Iago Aspas returns, and - as seems likely - Liverpool sign another attacking midfielder/central midfielder during the January transfer window.
Author: Jaimie K
Agger got his go back in the team and has yet to shine but with games coming every 3 days from 1st to the 7th I can imagine there will be need for a little rotation or at least some tactical subbing so I wouldn't be concerned. In fact I personally am happy that their are players of decent quality feeling they need more game time. When the time comes they need to perform. If they don't they don't get back in.
ReplyDeleteI think the Flannagan thing is quite good. It shows if your working hard in training you can get in the team.
What is the threat exactly Jaimie? Whats he going to do go on strike? A player who wants to be on the pitch all the time should have thought about that before going to Chelsea.
ReplyDeleteWhats the threat of Jaimie? What is he going to do go on strike? A player who wants to play more games should not have gone to Chelsea in the first place.
ReplyDeleteIs moses playing for chelsea, is he breakin his back weekly for chesea
ReplyDeleteNo, you're right. Agger and Coates are veiled threats; Moses and Alberto are using the media to send a message to the manager.
ReplyDeleteI think Flannagan is in the team mostly due to having a lack of quality options at Lb. Working hard might come into but BR clearly doesn't rate Aly so Flannagan is an option there.
ReplyDeleteOr they are just responding to questions they've been asked. I think you read too much into this stuff.
ReplyDeleteSo what if they're responding to questions? What question do you think Moses was asked that led him to say he needs to play more 6 times in a couple of sentences? Players seize on certain questions to get their point across.
ReplyDeleteTruth is that if we have a disincentive to play Moses since he's only on loan.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason why he should be playing consistently for us is if he's better than the other player in his position.
He's not better than Coutinho, Sturridge, Suarez, Lucas, or Gerrard. The only one he contends with is Henderson, but he's not so much better than him to the point where it's in our interest to play him at Henderson's expense when both are healthy.
But once December hits and we play so many games in the month, players will start getting more time on the field.
Maybe Moses should ask to play DM?
ReplyDeleteThe team has a disincentive to play Moses since he's on loan.
ReplyDeleteThe only time he should be playing ahead of one of our permanent players is when he's better than whoever we have in the given position.
At this time, when all are healthy, he's not going to play over Coutinho, Gerrard, or Lucas, meaning his only chance of play is over Henderson, who he simply hasn't shown that he has THAT much better than.
Therefore, we'd be better off playing Hendo as long as he's playing well.
What worries me are the guys we buy and don't play (Aspas when healthy, Ilori, Luis Alberto, etc.). It's nice to have depth, but this is where not being in a Capital One Cup really hurts us.
We should get a pretty good rotation going in December with the large number of games to be played in a short span of time.
BR had said something about Flannagan's attitude and while I agree that it is largely to do with Aly Flannagan is not the only option.
ReplyDeleteYou make a bid deal out of all this, you're the only person who thinks it's a threat. It's just obvious a player wants to play.
ReplyDeleteIn fairness whatever they say in the press doesn't necessarily mean they will get on the pitch. They can talk it up as much as they want but it means nothing.
ReplyDeleteI can't see why there is a worry about Ilori and Alberto as they are quite young. What I would hope is that they are first team ready next season or we sign someone in an AM position and both those players get some loan time. They definitely need game time but we can't risk results. Buying them is the right decision if you think they can be great at some further on in their careers.
ReplyDeleteIt would help if the team didn't go out of cups early and perhaps qualified for Europe for a change.
ReplyDeleteEven if he asked, I don't know that we'd play him there.
ReplyDeleteBecause they are young, I have less of an issue with them not playing right away.
ReplyDeleteBut even looking ahead to next year, the only way they play is if we have multiple competitions.
Odds are they wouldn't contend to be the first choice for team selection. They would simply rotate in when we are playing 2-3 games per week and need to rest our first choice players.
Unfortunately only 11 players can play. Either they can try to be better than others or wait till next season when we are in Europe and will need a bigger squad.
ReplyDeletePreparing to watch Bayer beat manu 2-1.
ReplyDeleteBy the way,I forgot to mention it this weekend- we will finish above manu this year..
ReplyDeleteIt may mean nothing, but it puts added pressure on the manager.
ReplyDelete!!
ReplyDeleteGet real.
ReplyDeleteThis year,maybe.This season,different story.
ReplyDeleteWell fingers crossed we will have champo but maybe if not we will have Europa. Could give the league cup a better go, especially if our squad is better then too. So that rotation may be necessary.
ReplyDeleteWould a young Michael Owen get a look in now? Could we risk it given how valuable every point is in race for riches of top 4?
ReplyDeleteOwen got his break at tail end of 1996/97 season if we were actually challenging for titles?
I think it is well possible but it won't be easy. They will start to pick up the pace but I hope we do too. January for both teams will be important I think.
ReplyDeleteWe were in Europe last season and got to to finals the season before, the season before that we were in the Europa too. If we get Europe next season then this season will be the exception rather than the rule. Unless we do well in the FA cup that is.
ReplyDelete"So Victor. You uh... how's things? Would you like to play more first team football? I bet you would."
ReplyDeleteThey pick up pace- we take 9 from next 3. They can not take 9. We win a derby, draw a derby, lose a derby. They take6-7. January- we know excatly what we want and get it. Win some more 'small matches', a derby or two at home- it's been a while with the exception of manu...
ReplyDeleteWe are there...
Do not need Europe, we need to focus to EPL to get the real Europe. Some will be lost among the way, one way or another...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, he did not seem unhappy in the interview- just eager to play, and is assured he will play...
Crap lost a good comment......
ReplyDeleteSummary of it was Robbie Keane was offered chance to join number of big clubs, including Liverpool, chose Wolves. Went on to play for a multitude of clubs, earned a fortune, net worth €40 million, finally got to Liverpool
While becoming 5th highest European international goalscorer of all time, behind Puskas, Gerd Muller etc and level with Ronaldo, goofy one, and Didier Drogba on 62 goals
Be patient young players, be patient!!!!!
So I agree with author here
There is no question In the original interview, ha...
ReplyDeletePart of the problem is the changing social / economic conditions
ReplyDeleteLuis Suarez would not have the ruthless determination and "street fighter" skills if he grew up in 1990s Britain or Ireland
Kids used to learn their skills on the street. Now we have over trained robots who can run 16km per match. Skill, wit, imagination is discouraged because it's risky
Everyone marvels at Wilshire when he beats a man and does something creative. It should be common place. That's why we all played football in first place, score goals, do something special. Not do "safe" 5 yard pass, rack up good passing stats etc
Liverpool have an immense array of talent at the moment in lower levels and owners who really see the sense in developing this talent, alongside big splurges. I have hope :)
I agree about their next three. We can't be counting chickens before we've won the games (or something) but I doubt very much that they will get six from Spurs (will be wanting to get back on track) and Everton ( a match for anyone on their day). They may have done well in the Champo but that is a game Ferdinand and Giggs will still be feeling come Sunday and Rooney and the rest may still be feeling it too. Then the Toffees are only three days after that. We really need to get those points that we should and things will look rosy.
ReplyDeleteExcatly..
ReplyDeleteHey Jamie you sound like a ignorant troll!!!! name a premier league club that has produce any top call youngster! WE all know you hate Liverpool you ignorant twaty!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete