[Archived] Other Pl Happenings 2009/10

[Tom]

I was just about to say Anelka isn't good enough for Chelsea when he creates a goal. Still think they could do far better

[Amo]

Liverpool really do look like a spent force.

[philipl]

We are down to 13th now.

Much as I dislike the Mancs, we are critically dependent on them making a fight of the title to the last day.

[Mr. E]

wow. I really wasn't expecting such a thing from Liverpool. Considering they beat us to try and stop us from winning the title.

[Amo]

Some Liverpool fans are truly deluded:

"Rafa please don't leave. I want you to walk the laegue next season, with the same squad, fully fit Torres of course. And drive all the ###### that the media has thrown at you back down into their throats. (Please don't use that word again) this. (Please don't use that word again) the league. (Please don't use that word again) United. (Please don't use that word again) football."

"I'd rather chuck the players into a combine harvester than lose Rafa."

"Rafa must stay. End of story."

"Rafa Benitez IS Liverpool Football Club, if a player was ever to 'not bother' playing for Rafa then I think of that as a personal insult to me and to the club."

[Ozz]

We are down to 13th now.

Which is where we will finish.

[Rovermatt]

Brilliant result for Chelsea. Just Wigan to overcome before United are put back in their place.

[Hughesy]

1 win should see us finish top 11.....now its up to our boys to deliver that win

[Ricky]

Hughesy, I can't see how one win will see us ending up 11th to be fair. either Fulham and Stoke will have to pick up points as they play each other.

Think we will probably end up 13th with two tricky games to play. Be happy to be proved wrong but it's abut ask with the games we have left.

[broadsword]

"Top 11"

Blimey, that's spinning it a bit. No team sets out to finish the season "Top 11" I'd bet, it just doesn't have the same ring as "Top ten".

[thenodrog]

We are down to 13th now.

Much as I dislike the Mancs, we are critically dependent on them making a fight of the title to the last day.

Personally after watching all those teams I think that the league table accurately reflects the abilities of all the teams. In the middle berths the exception being that I think we should be above Sland. imo Fulham, Brum and Everton have had excellent seasons and deserve to finish above us. Stoke too marginally. On the other hand we have definitely been better than Bolton, Wigan, WHU and Wolves whilst the relegated clubs are without a doubt the 3 worst teams in the div. It's often said that the final table never lies.

[Steve Moss]

13th or better. I count it a decent season.

We'll have improved on last year.

We'll have met our projected budget (actually improved, with the cup run and the additional TV games).

Our home form has been excellent, top 6.

We have a lot of room for improvement in our away form, which while depressing in hindsight gives hope for the future as even a modest improvement will see us move up the table.

We've uncovered some young gems, half a team of talent, who will only get better as they gain experience (N'Zonzi, Jones, Kalinic, Olsen, Hoilett).

Sam seems to be winning the fans over, or has at least improved his position from the start of the season, and think we can trust him when he says he only needs 1, 2 max, new players to improve the side next year.

All in all, regardless of what happens against Arsenal or AV, we've performed decently and have an expectation of an even better season next year.

[Mattyblue]

Some Liverpool fans are truly deluded:

"Rafa please don't leave. I want you to walk the laegue next season, with the same squad, fully fit Torres of course. And drive all the ###### that the media has thrown at you back down into their throats. (Please don't use that word again) this. (Please don't use that word again) the league. (Please don't use that word again) United. (Please don't use that word again) football."

"I'd rather chuck the players into a combine harvester than lose Rafa."

"Rafa must stay. End of story."

"Rafa Benitez IS Liverpool Football Club, if a player was ever to 'not bother' playing for Rafa then I think of that as a personal insult to me and to the club."

This is exactly why I dislike LFC supporters intensely.

They really think there is a media, FA, Premier League, you name it conspiracy against them.

They still think they are a 'special' club with special fans.

They insist on stating there is a 'Liverpool way'

They are ridiculously mawkish: 'Do it for the Liver bird on your chest' 'Do it for Shanks' 'This city breeds heroes' 'Liverpool FC embody the Socialist ideal' etc etc

They believe they have a divine right to be at the top and having nothing but contempt for clubs like us.

Face it, you were bloody nowt before Shankly, and hopefully you will stay in mediocrity for a long, long time.

[Darwen Rover]

Wasnt sure where to put this, but well done to Mcclaren... Dont get me wrong didnt want him at Rovers but must say credit where its due...

[John]

Intersting reading around other clubs this time of the season. Most of them stating the desire/need to splash the cash in the summer. You have Carsley/Ferguson saying Birmingham need to invest, Mick McCarthy saying they want to buy 4/5 British (ideally) players and West Ham saying they are intent to buy quality to ensure no relegation fight next time around.

Then there is poor old us...to be fair though, I agree with Sam we only probably need 2 players. However ideally 2 players who could come into the side and imrpove us (central mid and striker) - easier said than done...

[gumboots]

Intersting reading around other clubs this time of the season. Most of them stating the desire/need to splash the cash in the summer. You have Carsley/Ferguson saying Birmingham need to invest, Mick McCarthy saying they want to buy 4/5 British (ideally) players and West Ham saying they are intent to buy quality to ensure no relegation fight next time around.

Then there is poor old us...to be fair though, I agree with Sam we only probably need 2 players. However ideally 2 players who could come into the side and imrpove us (central mid and striker) - easier said than done...

They all say they need to buy but then when it actually happens how many of the players they will spend lots of cash on would you really want to see at Rovers - some no doubt, but not all. Also which players who are really good would go to some of those clubs. Players aren't daft and although the wages will talk, they are not all that goes through the mind of a footballer despite what you read. They look at the chance of a club staying in the premier league, its chances of European football,etc etc etc. You can't ever ensure there's no relagation battle even if you buy good players because sometimes the people you buy just don't work together, you get key injuries at important times, or you just get too many of those dodgy goals refereeing mistakes individual player errors etc. Give our manager a chance. What he says and what happens may well be 2 different things. Start shouting at this stage about the players you need and it only destabilises the players you have and drives up asking prices.

[47er]

Which is where we will finish.

And given the squad, what's wrong with that? As a test, name which Rovers players would feature regularly in a top ten side. Robbo is better than Tim Howard and ,ridiculously, better than anyone Arsenal could put between the sticks and all 3 centre-backs could play in a bigger club. That really shows they've held the team together all season. After that----who? No full-backs though we have a few, no mid-field though N'zonzi will get there soonish and most certainly no strikers.

Conclusion we are where we belong, somewhere under the top half. We hope to improve but fear any true emerging talent will be sold underneath us and we'll be feeding on scraps again. That's the reality we face so we do the best we can with a tried and tested manager who plays the percentages.

People who think this squad ought to finish higher than 12th are deluded.

[broadsword]

somewhere under the top half.

People who think this squad ought to finish higher than 12th are deluded.

Ha! That's a funny way of saying "bottom half". Admittedly, that has connotations of struggling against relegation, which we only dallied with. But, let's call a spade a spade. We are a bottom half team. There's nothing negative about that, because we have a bottom half budget.

[John]

And given the squad, what's wrong with that? As a test, name which Rovers players would feature regularly in a top ten side. Robbo is better than Tim Howard and , ridiculously , better than anyone Arsenal could put between the sticks and all 3 centre-backs could play in a bigger club. That really shows they've held the team together all season. After that----who? No full-backs though we have a few, no mid-field though N'zonzi will get there soonish and most certainly no strikers.

Conclusion we are where we belong, somewhere under the top half. We hope to improve but fear any true emerging talent will be sold underneath us and we'll be feeding on scraps again. That's the reality we face so we do the best we can with a tried and tested manager who plays the percentages.

People who think this squad ought to finish higher than 12th are deluded.

I find it strange when some have suggested we should be doing better with the players we have. As stated above, a way of looking at it could be how many other Premier League clubs will be in for our players this summer? Samba/Robinson possibly - some of our young players still have a way to go, but may court some interest (depending on their progress/improvement).

IMO, our midfield/strikers are fairly average. Can't keep looking back but in recent years there was no doubting the quality of Bentley/Bellamy however we don't have anyone near that class. Dunn, on his day and when fit, comes close.

Also, some crave and threaten to go on suicide watch if we don't play more attacking or 4-4-2. Our set of players generally lack creativity and we seem to struggle to pass/keep hold of the football. Granted, the manager will always favour a direct game but these are prerequisites if you want to play a more 'attacking' game.

Maybe I am being too harsh, however, a reality check is needed sometimes.

[Commondore]

I wonder how Moses will fare at Wigan next season, he scored a very nice-looking goal just now and will probably have to try and fill the boots of the destined-to-leave N'Zogbia.

[Exiled_Rover]

I hate seeing Moses do well. We should have been all over that transfer.

[Ozz]

And given the squad, what's wrong with that? As a test, name which Rovers players would feature regularly in a top ten side. Robbo is better than Tim Howard and ,ridiculously, better than anyone Arsenal could put between the sticks and all 3 centre-backs could play in a bigger club. That really shows they've held the team together all season. After that----who? No full-backs though we have a few, no mid-field though N'zonzi will get there soonish and most certainly no strikers.

Conclusion we are where we belong, somewhere under the top half. We hope to improve but fear any true emerging talent will be sold underneath us and we'll be feeding on scraps again. That's the reality we face so we do the best we can with a tried and tested manager who plays the percentages.

People who think this squad ought to finish higher than 12th are deluded.

I Don't. But then I never said we would.

[67splitscreen]

Hull 2-1 up, two debutants scoring.

[American]

Rovers, on the face of it, dont apear to be looking at points from the 3 remaining home games against Everton, manure and Arsenal - I say that looking at our midfield. All 3 teams will batter us senseless with the gaping hole in the middle caused by Andrews lack of footballing nouse.

Wrong again.

[Hughesy]

Very unlucky to drop a point against Everton, win against Arsenal & stopped United when they really needed 3.

Well done lads!!