Liverpool Banter Archive December 26 2014

26 Dec 2014 22:44:06
Now i'm not an expert on this subject, but as a layman, why don't football clubs start looking at other sports for certain players eg a goalkeeper. Primary role is to be very strong, organised with exceptionally strong hands and athletical. Why not try either basket ball players or rugby players? Surely someonne from these sports would make decent keepers. . or am i talking through my dark side?

You are right in a sense. I noticed Migs weakness today in his punching. No strength in his back, he needs to stabilise his shoulder cradle and develop his back muscles so he can punch through the ball with both hands independently. Boxing training incorporating weights would help. He's that weak he tried to punch the ball today with two hands in order to get a bit more purchase on it.

27 Dec 2014 00:23:56
Merry Christmas Tel. Your post suggests you have thoroughly enjoyed whatever its you were having

27 Dec 2014 01:34:18
Well Lev Yashin played ice hockey, and I heard Peter Schmeichel played handball, but they both played football all through their youth as well as those sports. It may not do any harm for a 'keeper to have also played something like rugby or basketball for conditioning, but kids who are any good are tied to club early and not allowed play anything but football anymore, so I don't see it happening. They should also have the necessary strength, conditioning etc. trained into them at the appropriate stage in their footballing careers anyway.

And at the end of the day, there's no real replacement for experience with the position. I'm a GK myself and started playing friendly 5 a sides with my workmates during the year, having not played a match of any description since 2006. Within a couple of weeks I was the best keeper there, despite still being a bit slow to get down to shots. I was miles ahead of the rest of the guys in terms of positioning, setting myself and charging out, because of the experience of having played in a goal twice a week every week all through my teens whereas the rest, even though they were all fitter and more agile, had always been outfield players.

So I think dropping in a 16-18 year old rugby player who never played football seriously into our youth team probably wouldn't work. And at senior level? He'd want to be extraordinarily naturally gifted.

I don't want any of what you are smoking.

I think that's why american keepers of are of a pretty high pedigree overall (I'm biased of course). The majority of hand-based sports in our culture lends itself to comfort in the keeper position. Maybe not too far off there Tel.

27 Dec 2014 01:54:57
All I will say to this subject pat Jennings one of the greatest goal keepers of all time and a close neighbour of mine learned his trade in gaa were I think a great goal keeper could be plucked from not only a keeper but a great defender.

You guys are nuts. I hope you're joking.

{Ed001's Note - why would that be a joke? Courtois learnt his trade playing handball, as his parents were professionals in that sport.}

Great point Ozone! Many NFL players practise and train in MMA and Kickboxing in order to make their speed of reaction quicker and make improve the speed of hand movement and footwork which allows them a competitive edge. For me, Mingo and Jones are BADLY coached and that poor excuse of a GK coach we have is robbing the club blind because he does NOTHING to improve the player. At this rate, it doesn`t matter who we get, he will struggle under this type of coach/coaching or lack thereof, IMO.

27 Dec 2014 03:24:22
You know what Tel, we actually had a basketball player for a goal keeper when I was in college. Guy had an amazing reflex and throw. He could jump twice as high as any of us could.

27 Dec 2014 05:42:04
Manuel Neuer, I am not sure what's his background is.
He could do quiet a lot.,

27 Dec 2014 10:08:05
I think this is a good point to be honest. It's a completely different level, granted, but I play cricket at a decent standard (don't want to sound big headed here as I'm not at all!) and as a result have to be quite a good fielder. When I go and play football on the odd occasion for one of my mates teams I always go in goal and am much better than any of the other keepers they have as I have good hand eye coordination, reflexes, handling and can throw the ball to the halfway line! So I think other sports can definitely help, particularly in this position.

Alan Hansen excelled at 5 different sports. I know that he wasn't a keeper but for all round strength Its good that playing as many different sports at a young age can be beneficial. As one of the above posters state, nowadays the young kids are tied to their clubs and not allowed to play sports as others do.

When I first read your post tel I thought you had lost it. But thinking about it more and reading the other posts I think your half right.
Maybe our academy players should be playing a whole bunch of different sports (if not already) as I'm sure a lot of the different skill sets can be transferred to football.

I'v played Aussie Rules football my hole life and i think they could find a keeper in the AFL easily. Plus the fact that 1mill australian currency is about highest they get payed, it would be easy to convince a convert.

26 Dec 2014 22:28:31
Honest assesment of todays game: we deserved to win, even though Burnley played well. Henderson is not comfortable plsying wide and some of his passes and crosses were poor.emre Can did more than enough to claim a starting place now, very assured on the ball, strong and intelligent. He knew just how to foul enough to stop the threat, butter than Kolo i thought.lallana is class and should now be a permanent starter if fit. I thought defence did ok, but deary me what on earth has happened to Migs confidence. He is a ddcent keeper but he's lost it somehow. We must get top goalie in Jan sales! I thought the rest of the team looked OK, nothing spectacular, but Sterling looks better in centre for me. Overall ? We did ok, and scraped 3 points, but at least we got them and didn't roll over like we used to !! All i sll a good effort against a difficult team who can play and defend !

26 Dec 2014 16:58:11
Hi to the EDS and fellow REDS

Very unconvincing win, mind you we have played well in games and lost this season, so this is one for the balance book, I suppose.
But BR and the boys know that we must do better.

Great 3 points, sorry Burnley, you played well but did not finish which has been the story of our season so far.
Isn't it ironic, the game we played our worst football we get the 3 points.

Here's looking forwards to better displays.

YNWA

Yes we need to play much better, and once again, ous smaller technical players like sterling are just pushed off the ball way too often, giving them easy possesion, when we play that type of match we need to play stronger players, you could go thru most of todays team, and say, could do much better,
another two awful mistakes from migs, henderson does not look good out right, lucas found ball watching most of the game,
and yet we won .
and you can forget these 3 0 wins some of the posters were thinking about, we were lucky to win at all, my heart was in my mouth last 5 mins .

26 Dec 2014 17:13:18
One sole reason we are struggling from years.
Similar game and same result on the opening day and this page convinced that we would improve.
18 games to season and we play poor. I can't believe how could we play this poor?
Could you mate?

Lets just hope that we pick up more points, before Sturridge returns, then we can move up the table as we see the team improve, while playing a more attacking game .

26 Dec 2014 15:21:42
Good man Jordan Ibe

Why have we got hendo on the right when we have a talent like IBE at Derby why can't the lad learn from the bench or start games at his own club nearly every player we loan out never achieves anything and is usually sold we are paying millions in to academy and buying young players for the lower divisions

He`s not a WB/RB do how would he ply ahead of Hendo? Like Hendo, Ibe will b wasted at that position.

26 Dec 2014 13:49:50
Aaaah Burnley. Many decades ago when I was a youngster Burnley were a big club. We always seemed to play them at some stage over the holiday period and we always seemed to beat them 3-0 or there abouts.

26 Dec 2014 14:56:13
Red Lenin

Many decades ago Lucas and Gerrard never started in the middle and Skretel was not the CB. If you know what I mean.

Pride and passion with more sarcastic remarks you never disappoint fella

26 Dec 2014 10:46:41
Brendan is being clever with 'Super Mario' (, what a joke).

There can only be two reasons regarding his recent comments.

He wants him gone or he's deliberately deflating that exaggerated ego of his.

Nothing else has worked and we all know that there's no other option but to kick him up the backside.

Maybe, for Mario's career prospects, this is the last option. I know this has become a bit of a Mario cliché but I can't recall any manager having the true plums to publicly criticise him whilst still a member of the squad, but I might be wrong.

Personally I've wanted him out since the inception of his transfer, but if we can get a few good games out of him then it's better than the garbage we've seen over the last few months.

The manager has no choice with this one.

I mean seriously, telling the world that Balotelli does not fit the pressing system but persisted with Balotelli up top when he knew it did not work in a system based on slow build up play? Now Balotelli mus't get used to the bench and now all of a sudden we are back to playing the pressing game which Balotelli is not suited to according to Rodgers but funny thing is that Balotelli looked quite adept vs Spurs when we thrashed them 3-0 in a pressing system. Rodgers is so full of himself, then goes on about not being able to play one touch football on the Anfield pitch because of it being old.

The excuses are just piling up now. Think it is a case now of trying to cover up his short comings this season so that when he gets the chop he will show that he at least he put a good run of results together by going back to the way we played last season. All Rodgers has achieved this season is to make a laughing stock out of us.

26 Dec 2014 11:39:50
His other signings have been utter disappointment than Mario.
this shows his inability of managing a team, If it was all down to a world class striker, like Suarez last season, Why on earth did he purchase others?.

There is a third reason: Brendan can't stop talking the rubbishtle as has been the case since he took over LFC.

I remember Rodgers saying it would not be "the Balotelli show for the press every week" and that "he is treated like any other player". Then why is he talking about Balotelli "not hitting the numbers he would have liked in terms of goals", the signing being a "calculated risk" and a question of "availability and affordability"? Why is he saying stuff like "Whether Mario’s best is good enough longer term, that remains to be seen", "…we were doing corners and he went ‘I don’t mark at corners…’" and "We have seen it's not really his game"?


If Balotelli really is "…treated like any other player", then why isn't he defending Balotelli like he recently did with Sterling saying "The criticism has been unbelievable, it has been ongoing" He even defended Wenger saying that "Some of the personal stuff he takes is disgraceful".

What about Balotelli? Isn't some of the personal stuff he takes disgraceful? Isn't the criticism unbelievable when all the players have been below standard? The criticism certainly is ongoing!

To quote Rodgers yet again:" you train dogs, I like to educate"

I believe Rodgers. He do like to educate. Just as i like to speak swahili and english, play guitar and talk about politics. I am just not that good at it. And some of the things he do in relation to Balotelli looks to me like an attempt to train a dog.

According to Rodgers: "If his (Balotellis) focus is right, his concentration is right… then he can play for any team in the world". Well if my boss expressed doubts about whether i would be good enough in the long term, told me that i didn't really fit in and that my appointment was a question about affordability and availability i guess i would find it quite difficult to apply the right focus and level of concentration in my work. And i wouldn't feel he did much to improve me as a worker and a person no matter how nice and engaged he where to me most of the days. Maybe i would be desperate to prove my boss wrong, show what i was capable off and that i was important. But most likely i would quit and search for a place where i would be more appreciated by the management.

I never liked Balotelli as a player and i never wanted us to sign him - maybe Rodgers felt the same way? What do i know… a signing forced upon him. ? But when we did sign him i had no other choice than to treat him and judge him exactly like any other Liverpool player. Rodgers have failed to do so. And Balotelli isn't the first and won't be the last. Suso, Lucas, Sakho, Agger, Borini springs to mind amongst others.

Before the signing of Balotelli Rodgers said "i categorically tell you Mario Balotelli will not be at Liverpool" …I guess he forgot to add "as soon as i am done with him"

I don't mind a young manager making mistakes as long as he is learning and improving. But there is no improvement to be seen, just someone digging a bigger hole for himself. He is only learning from within and that is "mislearning" and will only get worse over time.

"My biggest mentor is myself because I’ve had to study, so that’s been my biggest influence.”

Maybe Balotelli needs knocking back down to earth. He thinks he's a ready made star who's got nothing to prove. He's lazy and he's not a team player. Why should Rodgers lie and say he's good enough for the starting team?

Personally, I'm glad Rodgers has finally noticed what we've all been saying about Balotelli. He just doesn't suit the pressing game. If Balotelli has a problem with that statement, he can either start working hard to prove himself or he can go. No player is bigger than the club.

Red Rum

Couldnt agree more RR the bloke should be shipped out asap

Rogers is using Mario to take away the highlight from the poor job he has done so far the other week it was Sterling

Red Rum you are a very smart guy, don`t b fooled by BR`s political spin. He like every other politician, is trying to have it both ways because he anticipates he will b sacked in the summer so he is putting his excuses in now in order to gain goodwill from the neutrals and media when the chop eventually drops.

27 Dec 2014 08:02:59
Everybody has seen thru BR`s farce except BR himself. If he didn`t want him here, he could have threatened to quit and many including myself would have supported him and the owners would have thought twice and that shambolic commitee would have prob backed dow. He conveniently didn`t because he did not have the cojones to go thru w/ it. As Ed002 said, he had the power to stop it like the power to flog Carroll out on loan when it was clear he was too slow for the way we play. Pulis did it and followed thru with his threat and he now has the dignity intact. BR has no such dignity because he is an opportunist and a politician. He let's Balo come in and takes credit for his good perf in the "high press system" vs Spurs that ironically, he is no longer good for or doesn`t suit his game. He plays him all alone when we know it is not his game and puts him in a system where we all know he will fail YET throws the boy under the bus everytime he gets in order to shield him from having to defend the shambles we have been this year and by all accounts, even today) during games. The RM game at Anfield is a good example. Bar 20 mins, we were poor yet all we heard was how Balo exchanged shirts at half time, an act even the great KK nor I, had a prob with especially because it is done in other Euro leagues. Same thing this week with his big mouth running again about Balo not being suited for our style YET he too all the credit at his great perf vs Spurs. Even in the Utd, had Balo scored 2 goals, he would have been singing his praises BUT because he unluckily didn`t and Sterling also missed chances, he is now trashing the boy yet defends Sterling for missing even much clearer chances than Balo did. He is a politician and like one said on here, we an almost anticipate his tell-all interview after he gets the sack. Didn`t get enuff time (Really?), signings would have come good, we came close to the PL, Studge was injured, BLAH BLAH BLAH! Bye bye BR and don`t let the door hit you on the way out this summer

26 Dec 2014 10:12:33
Hope everyone had a great day yesterday. Love Boxing Day footie!

Question for EDs or anyone. What is the status of Rodgers as manager. Last couple of games we've played well but not got results, against top sides so could be forgiven by the board?

But today it's Burnley and after a few more we should be expected to beat. If we lose today is it over for BR? If we win, but don't go on a run, is it over? Will BR be given the season regardless as I can't see relegation ever being an issue.

{Ed002's Note - Nothing has changed.}

We will not be in relegation battle mate, that is for sure. There is too much quality in our squad to fall so low irrespective of how useless and stubborn the manager is. I have already given up hope of seeing us play UCL footie next season, so better let the owners take their time and and make the right changes than another panic decision.

Yeah. I can't see relegation either, that's what I said. So with that in mind will BR be given until the end of this season regardless or will the upcoming fixtures and their results dictate Rodgers future.

I wonder if a loss a Burnley is the end? Or we win it but then lose other 'easy' fixtures and that's it?

Fact is we do have quite a decent set of full international players and at least two in each position (except GK). We should be able to get top four, it's not like we're 20 points away from 4th. We are in cup semis etc. So would a new manager really need a Jan window? Only a keeper us really needed and maybe a new boss.

Think we have dropped too many needless points to come in the top four, but I do think that with sturridge coming back soon also Flanno and sacko getting more game time, we will make 6/7 th place, like others, think we are too weak, in the goalie and centre back dept, that we won't get past chelsea in the semi, and wwere maybe better to build for next season,
play the younger players, new manager in the summer, just buy 3 players in summer were we need them,
and someone to partner sturrdge up front, and def not a super mario type, but a very mobile, fast, able to pressure defenders, score every type of goal, and often, and next season will be so much better than this one,
oh and no taking a risk on players any more, this super mario transfer was always going to end in tears, as well as trouble every 2nd week,
so come on you reds, let's get back to were we should be .

"We will not be in relegation battle mate, that is for sure. There is too much quality in our squad to fall so low"

Don't count your chickens too soon. We don't score many and concede too many soft goals, Brendan Rodgers has made us relegation contenders, as we are a lot closer to that end of the table than the top. Sooner that buffoon is gone the better, wrong type of grass is the problem now. Brendan out!

26 Dec 2014 14:05:05
That's not fair Ed002, I shaved!

{Ed002's Note - Soles of your feet?}