Comments on: Weekend Redux: Reds Fire, Rapids Expire

By: sfshwebb

sfshwebb — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:51:18 +0000

I thought the Liverpool game was more about Sir Alex’s poor team selection and tactics than about a Liverpool dominance. Liverpool were given the game by a fearful United. As a life long Liverpool fan, i was extremely proud of the result and it showed that with their backs to wall, the players have a spirit and determination that can take them far. Carragher, stepped up like he always does for the big games and hopefully this performance will inspire him to raise his game from the below standard play that he has been showing thus far this season. Glen Johnson curbed his forays up-field a bit to concentrate on defence and this was his best defensive display this season. I was happy that Ngog got his goal and it will do a lot for his confidence but when he was given his chance to prove himself midweek he failed. He has the skills to become a decent player but right now is too young to be counted on. Why Babel or Voronin arn’t give a longer look is beyond me. Voronin lit up in the Bundesliga last year and i think should be given a chance to prove himself. He’s more skilled than Ngog and certainly has more experience.

This is the most wide open Premiership in a long time and i believe that the winner will have 5-6 in the loss column. This is Liverpool’s first victory against a potential top 8 team and certainly the first clean sheet they have kept against a good team. Their defense played very well against Man U but is still very far away from being the dominant force it was the past few years. Hopefully this will help them go on a long unbeaten run.

By: matthewsf

matthewsf — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:55:02 +0000

@MM

Thanks for the feedback. I have not watched the Rapids so my thoughts were constrained to one observation.

That being said, I still didn’t see a team fighting for the playoffs, including Casey who got dispossesed in the 2nd half and prompty earned a yellow with a silly foul.

By: MM

MM — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:30:14 +0000

Injuries took its toll on Rapids. They lost Colin Clark, Jacob Peterson, & Jamie Smith. That’s all of their wingers. Not good when use the empty bucket formation. GK, Matt Pickens was also injured at the end of the season as well. Despite what Marcello Balboa says, Preston Burpo is not a number one GK in the MLS. The Rapids were lifeless over the last two months of the season. They couldn’t figure out how to play without wingers. Casey’s only goals over this stretch came off of PK’s.

By: matthewsf

matthewsf — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:39:58 +0000

@Tuesday

Interesting commentary on Gerrard. I do think the players defer to Gerrard too much when he is on the pitch. Are they a better team, hmm? I’ll have to consider that.

On Man U, I am lot more worried about them after that came. We’ve been saying all along that there midfield need new horses. I mean do we really think Scholes and Giggs are the answer this season for them? Maybe there is some truth to Man U ownership looking to pay off debt more than fund the team. Regardless, while we new about their weakness in midfield, how about the left side of their defense–I honestly thought it was atrocious and have never seen Evra not a give a hoot as much as he didn’t yesterday.

Chelsea need to be more dynamic on offense. Michael Ballack returning to form is huge for them, but they still need more out of Florent Malouda. I’m also interested to see how Terry and Carvalho hold up through the entire season. Both in my mind have lost a step.

By: i like tuesday

i like tuesday — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:49:42 +0000

The Liverpool v. Manchester United match demonstrated yet again that Steven Gerrard is as much a problem for his side as a solution. He plays like he’s a one-man team when he’s on so everything gets built around him. This of course means everything falls apart when he has one of the many matches where he looks distinctly ordinary. His inconsistency is the cause of Liverpool’s inconsistency. It’s no surprise how their midfield finally starts looking decent when he’s out injured and they can play a tactical system instead of the supporting cast in the broadway hit scored by Phil Collins, “The Stevie G Show”. The reality is that Liverpool are a better team without their talisman in the side.

As for United, their real problem is really the center of midfield. I just don’t rate Carrick and their Canadian is alright, but he spends most of his time hanging with the trainers. Giggs hasn’t got enough in the tank to cope with the wing in United’s expansive attacking style and leaves a soft underbelly when he plays at the base of midfield. Scholes is just plain done but he presents the same problem of no steel at the base of midfield.

Chelsea is going to run away with the PL this season on the strength of Lampard, Essien and Ballack – the three best midfield players in the league – especially if Joe Cole takes to the point of a diamond like a fish to water, as he was born for the role. I reckon Torres for Drogba would be pretty much a straight swap – main difference is that one’s taking a month off for the African Nation’s Cup.