Valerenga 3:3 Liverpool - Pre, in Match and Post Thread.

Was hoping to get home from work and watch the repeat of this on .tv but the 'video' is not ready yet.  I'll refrain from making too many comments before I see it.

As far as Aquilani goes, think the same way as many do about Xabi.

I'm not comparing them as players, I just think you have to look at the assist for the assist, if you know what I mean.

A good playmaker is only seen when he does the spectacular by many - I see it differently is all.

Agger was superb going forward, and nearly always a threat, but understandably looks very rusty when defending and needs to learn it again quickly. I'll give him six games tops before he's out for a month or two with a scratched tattoo.

Carra turns slower than a artic lorry doing a 7 point turn in the road.

Robbo ran his brass monkeys off, likewise Johno, both were always looking forward - which is probably why they forgot to look back sometimes.

Downing looked OK for the most part, he'll be a real asset this fella. Hendo not so good a night to be honest, likewise with Adam.

Spearing was just sh*t all night IMO, ran his little chopsticks off, but a mouse on a mousewheel does that and I couldn't tell the difference by the end of 90 mins.

AC looked like a sunday league player with a hangover for the most part, barring two or three instances where I could see why he was worth £35m - I've got to keep the belief that he is. Took his goal well to be fair.

Dirk was his usual energetic self, but with little quality on the ball. 50-50 for me.

All the subs did OK for the little bit they were on, but there was one who is clearly on a different level to the rest and has more creativity in his Stirrup bone than any of the other players have in their skeleton.

Has anybody worked out if we man mark or zonal mark nowadays - coz all I'm seeing is no marks !


Aquilani must go.................for his own sake.

FFS, nobody else in our team is on his wavelength; he's seriously wasted here. He's light years ahead of the rest of our team in thought & movement. He might not be able to look straight, but his peripheral vision is better than the rest of them combined.

Sorry lads, preseason or not, a few beers or not, long day & bad mood (after watching that) or not, if we get top 4 I'll be f**king amazed.

Aquilani sticks out like a 'White Elephant' (sic).

FFS Kenny, sit him down and tell him straight, something along the lines of

"Cecil & Bungle fu**ed you off last season, which was one of a number of senseless decisions this club made 12 months ago and for some inane & fu**ed up reason I was willing to do the same. Now we've all choked on a huge slice of humble pie you've kindly cooked for us so tell your wife to zip her gob, pack her bags & get her cute & pretty little arse over here coz you're nae going anywhere son!"

The first 40 minutes was a complete contrast to the rest of the match, we looked rusty and very sloppy. Valerenga are in mid season and have Europa league qualifying match on Thursday so they were up for it.  Then last 5 mins of first half we picked it up, got a goal. Came back 2nd half and started looking good as a team I thought, came back and fought through. Some players got 90 mins of fitness which is so much more important than anything else, so coming back and showing character in a pre-season when we could have just took in our stride was great to see. Nice to see Rahim Stirling come on too.

For me we need a winger, a left back and another striker. But things are looking better than they have been

We would have won if Poulsen had played.

i hope this doesn't mean anything...

Tue 05th August 2008
4-1 v Valerenga
Alonso (19) Torres (49) Benayoun (60) NGog (84)

i hope this doesn't mean anything...

Tue 05th August 2008
4-1 v Valerenga
Alonso (19) Torres (49) Benayoun (60) NGog (84)

Means about as much as us losing to Northampton. Doesn't mean we're only good enough for League 2.

Gerrard obviously can score around 15 to 20ish a season from there and make more than a few,

Of course he can, he's just not felt like doing it recently.

As for the game itself, no injuries and more match fitness gained.  Few looked a little rusty but should be sorted by the time the season kicks off.

I hope this doesn't mean anything...

Tue 05th August 2008
4-1 v Valerenga
Alonso (19) Torres (49) Benayoun (60) NGog (84)

Nothing

We hammerred Real and knocked out Barce doesnt mean we will be playing champions league this season

We were extremely poor last night when we were attempting to play 4-4-2 like we were against Villa and Spurs and as we will be against Sunderland if we play 4-4-2. Doesn't work, we were to static last night

I hope this doesn't mean anything...

Tue 05th August 2008
4-1 v Valerenga
Alonso (19) Torres (49) Benayoun (60) NGog (84)

It means Alonso and Torres are better than Adam and Carroll. Nah it doesn't mean that but that's obviously true.

It means we're at a different stage than we were back then coupled with Valerenga look a much better side thesedays, especially liked that Ousso

I thought we went wide way to much as well last night obviously trying to get crosses in for Carroll, if we don't mix it when Suarez is there we will not see the best of him.

What we need is to mix it up, playing out wide  and playing through the middle... otherwise we're gonna get sussed out if we just play it out wide for crosses.

What we need is to mix it up, playing out wide  and playing through the middle... otherwise we're gonna get sussed out if we just play it out wide for crosses.

Again, Kenny is far too smart for us to turn into a side that just goes wide all the time but Adam and Spearing both being carried in the first half along with Kuyt meant that the quality movement and ideas of Henderson were wasted. When he has someone like Suarez to link up with and the team is at full fitness then you will see just how good we can play. Adam aside (and maybe it was because he was forced to play stupid hollywood passes all the time) we have bought in Henderson and Downing two very intelligent footballers that are a lot better than people seem to realise.

I've said time and time again that Downing's decision making when he doesn't just look to beat his man and cross it is underrated and Henderson's movement and touches when he is in full flight will and do unlock the tightest of midfields and defences.

Very excited about this season with my biggest question mark being Charlie Adam but overall in pre season he hasn't done badly other than last night. Quality wise I much prefer Aquilani he's just a much better footballer, his touch, vision and movement are all better. Charlie Adam might be able to see a 50 yard pass but Aquilani can see a 2 yard pass that other players wouldn't think to play and it will go straight to feet, that's a much more valuable commodity.

I say keep them both, a little competition never hurt anyone and if Aquilani wants to go back to Italy then we either at least break even or he has to play his way back there at which point we'll make a profit.

I think if we go 4-4-2 with Carroll up top getting the ball wide to get crosses in will be a massive part of our game, I'd prefer us to vary it Suarez is brilliant through the middle, he is capable of finding space anywhere and is at his best when he is playing quick one twos with a fluid mobile partner.

That is why for me I'm unsure whether a partnership with Carroll in a 4-4-2 will see the best of Suarez.

I think if we go 4-4-2 with Carroll up top getting the ball wide to get crosses in will be a massive part of our game, I'd prefer us to vary it Suarez is brilliant through the middle, he is capable of finding space anywhere and is at his best when he is playing quick one twos with a fluid mobile partner.

That is why for me I'm unsure whether a partnership with Carroll in a 4-4-2 will see the best of Suarez.

Believe me you are worrying too much. With Kenny as our manager the words "pass and move" will always be echoed in the dressing room. There's no way we're just going to go wide to smack it to the big man, teams would see to that by the third game.

Mark my words, Henderson will bring out the best of Suarez and the fact that we'll have more width will open up the pitch for him as well.

 When I work out how to remove your ban I will. In the meantime you can figure out how to remove your Sig

My main worry is the lack of pace in the side, Downing is decent as is Glen Johnson, Luis Suarez also in bursts.

Other than that we have a pretty slow team, I reckon we could do with either a fast striker, or winger, as well as some defenders.

First off though, we need to be shifting the deadwood, and work on keeping Aquilani.

Agree defo a lack of pace in the side, Kuyt Carroll Adam Carragher are as slow as anyone in the Premiership

Agree defo a lack of pace in the side, Kuyt Carroll Adam Carragher are as slow as anyone in the Premiership

Not as slow as Soto or Poulson

Carroll was our fastest player according to the Daily Fail

F**k me, If Carroll was our fastest player we are in trouble, did Adam come second

F**k me, If Carroll was our fastest player we are in trouble, did Adam come second

Well according to the stats - he can hurdle at over 22 mph - which is only just slower then a few other players who have a reputation of "fast"

Also Glen Johnson's pretty fast too - so according to the daily fail, Carroll's faster.

Ya Daily fail is usually reliable, it is very rarely wrong

I think Carroll has very underrated pace on him. He's not the quickest, but he's not as slow as anyone in the Premier League.

I also think Adam is quicker than Alonso was.