Oh well, here it goes then lads, my assessment of yesterdays game, which I watched via internet stream. There were a few positives to take out of the game. The first positive was another clean sheet, will go a long way to restoring confidence. Really hope Agger can string a good run of games together, we look a different outfit altogether when he's at the back, the next Alan Hansen? Steven Gerrard slowly getting back to his best, thought he was awesome in the second half, played some nice passes and made some good runs, just a shame that the players around him are too slow to react. Glen Johnson was phenomenal, our most potent attacking threat, man of the match for me, closely followed by Masch. Pepe Reina, player of the season so far, he's keeping us in this title race, yes that's right, we're still in it. The last positive, we closed the gap, proof again with the City result, that everyone is going to get beat quite a lot this season.
Now for the negatives, starting with the left back position and Emilio Insua. The lad is getting a f**king liability now. Too often he is getting found out of position and cruelly exposed. His attacking play at the start of the season was his strong point, he now resembles Ryan Babel when in possession in the opposing half. Don't know what the score is with Aurelio's fitness levels, but we need his calming influence back. Blackburn recognised this and the majority of their attacks were down the right flank.
Lucas Leiva, how long are people gonna keep defending the lad. He spent the majority of the game sitting 'behind' Mascherano, yes that's right, behind Mascherano!!! Carra and Agger were getting pissed off with him too, every time they passed the ball forward to him, he f**king passed it straight back to them! To be fair to the lad, on a couple of occasions he did pass it 'sideways' to Masch, Benayoun and Kuyt. Not f**king good enough. And it's not like he's being restricted by our formation or style of play, our formation is the same as last season, barring a couple of games. With Masch in the middle, this affords Lucas the opportunity to express himself, but he doesn't. And his pathetic attempts at 'tackling' are only bettered by the worst tackling midfielder in the history of the EPL, Paul 'Ginger Tosser' Scholes. Have to agree with Corballyred, Lucas is 'stifling' this side.
What's going on with Aquilani I don't know, but I'd rather have seen him come on for twenty minutes in a competition we can still win, than saved for a f**king meaningless Champions League game against Fiorentina. We needed creativity and what did we do? We brought on El Zhar instead! Do we want to win this f**king league or what? If Aquilani is fit enough to start against Fiorentina, then why the f**k couldn't he play for twenty minutes or so against Blackburn, when we needed a player in the middle of the park who is naturally 'forward thinking'?
Dirk Kuyt? Is he a striker or a winger? I don't think he knows himself anymore. Don't know what's happening this season but we can't afford to carry him. Yes, his work rate is second to none, but we need a lot more than that from him. Bought as a striker, converted to a winger. His 'instinct' is to shoot, but his job description is to pass or cross. A confused man he is. Has had the first touch of a Rhinoceros wearing oversized Wellington boots this season. When we're counter-attacking we need players who'll take the ball on the move and run with it, not stop and pass it backwards or sideways. When the move should be flowing, Kuyt has too often turned off the tap so to speak. His shooting has also been dire this season, too often he just takes the 'get it on target' option than trying to place the shot.
Albert Riera, he's going backwards with each game he plays. Was f**king anonymous yesterday, we can't afford to have any player going missing during the game. The only surprise was that Rafa left it so late in the game to bring him off. It's like watching slow motion replays when he gets the ball, like a rabbit in the headlights. Kuyt and Riera's play this season more than highlights the fact we need an out and out winger to become a threat again. Riera was good when he first came, but he hasn't improved. Injuries haven't helped him, but Gerrard and Torres etc. bounce back time and time again.
David Ngog is still too raw, but I have sympathy for him and believe he should be given time. Was unlucky that Johnson's cross clipped Nelsen, otherwise he would have definitely scored. Other than that though he offered nothing. He just ran at defenders, stopped right in front of them and by the time he'd thought of his next move he'd been tackled and Blackburn were off on the counter again.
Positives and negatives in my post, make of them what you like. I am as passionate as the next Liverpool supporter, as much as I will praise the positives from a performance, I will not brush the frailties under the carpet. These are issues that Rafa will no doubt address in due course, of that I have no doubt. He will always have my full support.
And to finish off, Alberto Aquilani (again) - a few people have stated that maybe Rafa didn't pick him for the Everton game due to the high intensity and that yesterday he would have put him on had we been 2-0 up and cruising. The fact is that we were 0-0 with Blackburn away and with the exception of Gerrard and Johnson, offering nothing offensively. We needed that type of player that could unlock a stubborn defence, the type of player that could make something out of nothing, we sent Aquil........ no sorry, Nabil El Zhar on!!! There isn't going to be a right time to bring him on, whether we play Stoke or Chelsea, everyone is aware of his injury record, and make no mistake, Aquilani will be a 'target man'. Strong hard tackles are a part of the game in the Premier League and also the Champions League, no matter who you play.
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