I'm amazed, staggered but most of all saddened that some fans are already turning on our new manager. I absolutely believe that changing the manager constantly is the short cut to disaster, and ANY manager of Liverpool deservesto be given a fair chance. Only a fool couldn't recognise that some of the football we have played already under Kenny Dalglish is the best we have played for the last two seasons at least. I can only think that those who are championing change are either on a wind up, have an agenda involving someone previously in the position, or are clueless.
As far as this "modern football" argument, there is quite a lot of nonsense being spoken on here about it at the moment. All this "in modern football you need a holding midfielder" stuff, or "in modern football you need wingers". The simple fact of the matter is "modern football" is no different from previous football, in that the players at your disposal dictate the style of play, and the way most of the teams operate is dictated by their personel and by fashion as much as it is by some new mega system.
I'm a bit older than most, but when I was a kid "modern football" dictated that you needed a sweeper. What you needed then, was someone who could snuff out attacks through his superb reading of the game, could knock a forty yard pass, and when needed could step up and score the winner as well. The system went out of fashion once people realised that Franz Beckanbauer's were a bit think on the ground, Larry Lloyd couldn't hit a barn never mind the door from forty yards, and wasn't too good at stepping up except from corners. Holding midfielders are the modern buzz, and yes if you've got a Steven Gerrard or a fat Frank weighing in with 20 goals a season, you might as well absolve them of defensive duties and have someone cover their arse. Similarly, if you've got a Xavi and an Inniesta tying teams up in knots you might as well let them get on with it and leave a bloke behind. If you haven't though (and we didn't have last night for example) you might as well tell your two midfielders to push on. It isn't imperative to have a holding midfielder, any more than it's imperative to pass it 50 times before you have a shot. If we do have success under kenny (and I don't care what the knee jerkers say, I think we will) then the trend will be towards teams having a big lad up top. "Modern football" changes with successful teams, and successful/top managers move the agenda themselves.
When the Mancs lost 40 goals a season out of Ronaldo, they changed the way they played and still had success. That's what good teams and managers do. Kenny is a top manager make no mistake about it, and we'll come again as well. Anyone can see that we have a squad that is lacking in quality, once kenny beefs it up in the Summer we will be a better team. Time for some faith, not for back-stabbing.
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