Football Fixtures 15-16th December **Spoilers**

[[ASSE]Hinchy]

I have seen nothing but how great Torres is, and how much he has improved Liverpool as a side, and how he is the one.
Sky had his face plastered all over the pre match stuff.

And he didnt threaten at all.

Was pretty much impossible for him to. He had no service and his strike partner was awful. Not many strikers in the world can go up against a strong back four like that, the best in the league, and get anything out of them. Especially when a lot of the service he had was long balls. He's not going to get anything with that.

 

[Loki]

It would be fair to say I was a bag of nerves during that, but some of our players were awesome today.

VDS - Dodgy from crosses but kept hold of shots well.
Brown - Rubbish.
Ferdinand - World Class performance and had Torres figured out within 30 seconds.
Vidic - Superb.
Evra - Phenomenal.
Ronaldo - Poor.
Hargreaves - Epic performance.
Anderson - Unbelievable, had Gerrard in his pocket all day.
Giggs - Uninvolved in build ups, but there to break up play.
Rooney - Poor.
Tevez - Unending energy, brilliant.

Liverpool were very much all huff and puff with Babel being the only threat.
They got away with murder in some tackles, and got the benefit of all 50/50's, but I suppose every team does at some point.

Gerrard was rubbish, relegated to Free-Kick duty as Anderson had him in his back pocket all game and Hargreaves was incredible.
Mascherano is utter garbage, what exactly does he do that makes him so good? I hear Liverpool players bleat on and on, but I'm sorry, I don't see it and I definitely didn't see it today.
Kuyt is rubbish, Crouch did much more in a lot less time.
And as for Kewell.... ouch. Must hurt knowing you're paying him so much...

I thought Arbeloa and Hyypia did well for Liverpool, Riise competed well against Ronaldo (though having 3 players go to him all game was an annoyance ). Torres worked hard too which is nice to see and he would have had more luck against a lesser CB.

But anyone who says Ferdinand isn't that good, or as good as Terry or even worthy of an England place should start watching him, because he's performed brilliantly for a long time, but today he was World Class and there is no doubt about that.

Agree with most of that except for the Crouch one. Most teams know if he comes on then the ball is going to be played into the air. 6ft 18" standing up 2ft 4" heading the ball. The ball will never go into his feet as he is not technically good enough. So Benitez gets a poor mark from me as well. Going from a side with plenty of options to bringing Crouch on limited their options.

I don't agree with BaZ either on the foul count. Any potential heading situation, the ref always ruled against Rooney even if his arm wasnt leading

 

[Greenlizard0]

Good stuff, pity we have no RvP up top though, was hoping for 4-4-2. Surprised to see Hleb .

Hmmm that is very interesting. I think Wenger will stick RvP on later, I can just see Eboué doing absolutly zip, the latter lad really needs to improve.

 

[[ASSE]Hinchy]

One thing going to compete and another knowing you can't get the ball and either fly in with your elbow (like he done twice to Sami) or just clatter into the defender.

Rubbish. You're coming across as very bitter.

 

[Styles]

The difference being Ronaldo was out numbered 3 to 1 every time he got the ball. Gerrard was marked out the game by a 19 year old kid.

Gerrard is hugely overated. You put a decent player in that Liverpool side and they look great. He has his moments, but just not enough of them. Liverpool need to offload the rubbish i.e. Riise, Hyypia, Kuyt and most probably Kewell (I don't see him coming back to his brilliant days), buy some quality and buy Benitez a book detailing the pro's of using 'tactics'.

On another note, what a player Anderson is turning out to be. And Hargreaves, that was epic.

 

[wedgie]

I have seen nothing but how great Torres is, and how much he has improved Liverpool as a side, and how he is the one.
Sky had his face plastered all over the pre match stuff.

And he didnt threaten at all.

Not much he can do without decent supply.

With two teams so evenly matched, it's hard for even the best players to excel for long periods of time. So rather than United fans criticising the big Liverpool players, and the Liverpool fans criticising the big United players, I'd rather just see it as the kind of evenly matched game that very often is split only by the odd moment in the game, despite the many quality players on both sides.

Well done United, unlucky Liverpool.

 

[atpbx]

Fair enough but he didn't get ANY service. What did Ronaldo or Rooney do to deserve having their faces splashed all over the pre match stuff?

They didnt.
Thats what I'm saying you had a couple of shots of them, a 5 minute interview with "Il nino" (such an apt name) and his face on every intro and outro.
Very direct questions to Benitez about "do you think Torres is the one to give you the firepower to hurt the likes of united"

No he isnt, he looked lost.

Ronaldo and Rooney played up top with no support all match, Rooney got nothing but stupid free kicks given against him for no reason and Ronaldo had 3 players on him all match.

how much more evidence do Liverpool fans need of the complete averageness of Steven Gerrard as well?

 

[jojothemonkey69]

Very pleased with the victory today we dug deep and fought well. Hoping the Arsenal Chelsea game is a draw.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

The ball will never go into his feet as he is not technically good enough.

Most professionals and pundits would disagree

Edit: Unless it's that alcoholic druggy Merson

 

[Sean_UK]

Btw, how the heck do Kewell and Kuyt get in over Crouch and Babel?

Ive been wondering that for a long time myself....would rather see Voronin start ahead of Kuyt tbh.

 

[CliffyG]

Hmmm that is very interesting. I think Wenger will stick RvP on later, I can just see Eboué doing absolutly zip, the latter lad really needs to improve.

Aye definately he has been shocking the last few games. I guess Hleb will be in the hole, always an option to move him out to the right and swap Eboue for RvP in the second half i guess.

 

[red11]

One thing going to compete and another knowing you can't get the ball and either fly in with your elbow (like he done twice to Sami) or just clatter into the defender.

You mean like Crouch and most of his challenges in the air, or should he be let off for simply being 'awkward and lanky'?

 

[Billy 2 Sips]

Every time Rooney challenged for the ball in the air he had his eyes firmly on the ball. He was committed to the challenge but never malicious. Yes he had his arms up, but you need to for gods sake. The referee was far too fussy against Rooney's aerial challenges.

 

[MofoKilla]

thr refs allways are!

 

[BaZ87]

Rubbish. You're coming across as very bitter.

Nothing bitter about it. The ref gave countless fouls for challenges from Rooney (including 2 where he led with his elbow/forearm, 1 caught Hyypia early on if you don't remember). Whether you agree with the fouls or not they were given and to give away that many fouls yet not get a yellow was a suprise.

 

[[ASSE]Hinchy]

Plenty of times, the defender's arms were at the same level as Rooney's. Difference was Rooney was jumping sideways for the ball and the defender was jumping straight up. Makes it look like a foul, even though its not.

 

[Irish_Tom]

id rather see him play and fail and learn than not see him play and have kuyt on

True, I'd rather see the players put some effort in and not get anything out of it than not turn up to the game and get a lucky goal. As a Newcastle fan I thought the game last night was aweful and we didn't deserve to win.

However, in a game like today's when you're a goal down you can't afford to run the ball into trouble when there are team mates standing off you ready to receive it. You can't expect to run through 3 or 4 players so why waste the opportunity?

Panzer

 

[Styles]

Someone made a brilliant point about babel and crouch, i mean c'mon? Liverpool only looked threatening with them on. I stand by my opinion that Benitez is not the man to take Liverpool forward.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Someone made a brilliant point about babel and crouch, i mean c'mon? Liverpool only looked threatening with them on. I stand by my opinion that Benitez is not the man to take Liverpool forward.

He needs money for better players. We can't compete over 38 games with the players we currently have.

 

[Surfer]

Wait... you're not aloud to compete? If Carragher had any strength instead of just hitting the deck maybe. Rooney isn't the best in the air though, but I wouldn't say he was always fouling.

Or maybe he was handballing?
Seems everyone who plays against Liverpool does all the time.

"Handball".

Rooney was lucky not to be sent off for the way he tackles and barges and throws his weight about in that game.

I think liverpool focused too much on stopping Ronaldo... next time they should concentrate on their own attacking play. Way too many long balls, hopeful crosses into the box...very rarely good attacking interplay or one touch passes that opened up mancs.

As said play Babel more and buy 1 or 2 quality players (wingers) and then they have a chance of competing with the other 3 big teams.

thought Arbeloa was crap... what madness is it that a RB should be initiating attacking moves in an AM position???? Thats what Gerrard should have been doing.