I was deeply saddened today to hear the news of Gary Speed's tragic death. It's easy to get hysterical in these situations but you only have to listen to the phone ins and interviews today to realise that Speed really was thought of that highly by so many. I defy anyone not to be moved by the audible cracking of Robbie Savage and Darren Fletcher's voices on 606 on 5live earlier this evening as they tried to round off a tribute to Speed.
I first got into football in 1995 and for more than the next ten years, he was always there, always playing well. He was one of those players everybody wanted in their team as he was undoubtedly immensely talented with a great range of passing, a good shot, excellent positional sense, impressive aerial ability for someone of his size and a tireless workrate. Perhaps more remarkably he was one of those few players who everyone liked regardless of who they supported. The likes of himself and someone like Denis Irwin are a rare breed, that player that transcends allegiance.
For anyone to lose their life at such a young age and through sheer despair is incredibly sad and just goes to show that what's going on in your life can often not have any relation to your state of mind. Condolences go out to his widow and children left behind. RIP Gary Speed.
Sunday 27 November 2011
Liverpool 1-1 Man City
This season has been frustrating for a Liverpool fan with some excellent results, particularly away from home mixed with disappointing home draws. Nevertheless, today had many pleasing aspects to the performance. I felt it was a fair result in the end and against Man City this season that is a no mean feat. But for the heroics of Joe Hart, a win would have happened, but there was a lot of excellent effort by the team today and some good chances. Specifically, Lucas had an outstanding game and Charlie Adam as well created much of Liverpool's good work and Suarez was as dangerous ever. On the debit side, Enrique was a little shakier than he's been in an excellent debut season so far and again Downing offered little but workrate. I don't want to comment too much on the quality of the squad as I think I covered this in my 'Liverpool's Squad Status' blog, but again I did feel a little frustrated that we seemed to lack that touch of creativity and magic, particularly in the midfield on the wings. Nevertheless, the pressing and general attacking mindset of the Dalglish era (this time around) must please any Liverpool fan and I feel we're on the way to something positive. As an aside, I felt the sending off of Balotelli was harsh. The first booking was fair, but I felt the second was a perfectly fair attempt to win possession and shouldn't have warranted a booking and is typical of the increasingly card-happy approach coming into refereeing. Not blaming the refs, they've been told to follow this, but I'm not a fan. A more detailed blog on this to come.
Player ratings:
Reina - 7
A couple of excellent saves although one or two uncharacteristically shaky moments
Johnson - 6
As ever, a real threat going forward but defensively reasonably sound as well
Enrique - 5
Not his finest game today, seemed jittery
Agger - 6
Solid and good going forward
Skrtel - 7
Did a fine job on Aguero and defended sensibly
Henderson - 7
Battled hard and injected a good energy into attack
Downing - 5
Worked hard but unable to offer a great deal in creativity
Lucas - 8
Deservedly named man of the match by Sky, a tireless display with vital interceptions and good distribution
Adam - 7
Has grown in stature in recent weeks and this was another good display
Kuyt - 6
It's unneccessary to say this guy worked hard because he always does
Suarez - 7
Always a nuisance to the defenders and looked a real threat although finishing was a tad wild
Subs:
Carroll - 5
Not much time to make an impact but he didn't
Man City ratings:
Hart - 8
Richards - 6
Kompany - 7
Lescott - 5
Clichy - 6
Milner - 6
Barry - 7
Nasri - 5
Silva - 6
Y Toure - 7
Aguero - 6
Subs:
Balotelli - 4
Dzeko - 5
K Toure - 6
Player ratings:
Reina - 7
A couple of excellent saves although one or two uncharacteristically shaky moments
Johnson - 6
As ever, a real threat going forward but defensively reasonably sound as well
Enrique - 5
Not his finest game today, seemed jittery
Agger - 6
Solid and good going forward
Skrtel - 7
Did a fine job on Aguero and defended sensibly
Henderson - 7
Battled hard and injected a good energy into attack
Downing - 5
Worked hard but unable to offer a great deal in creativity
Lucas - 8
Deservedly named man of the match by Sky, a tireless display with vital interceptions and good distribution
Adam - 7
Has grown in stature in recent weeks and this was another good display
Kuyt - 6
It's unneccessary to say this guy worked hard because he always does
Suarez - 7
Always a nuisance to the defenders and looked a real threat although finishing was a tad wild
Subs:
Carroll - 5
Not much time to make an impact but he didn't
Man City ratings:
Hart - 8
Richards - 6
Kompany - 7
Lescott - 5
Clichy - 6
Milner - 6
Barry - 7
Nasri - 5
Silva - 6
Y Toure - 7
Aguero - 6
Subs:
Balotelli - 4
Dzeko - 5
K Toure - 6
Destructive hype - no-one does it better than England...
I've been meaning to write this blog for a while but things have got in the way...so here are a few in quick succession. First up - England. They are quite the most frustrating national team to follow and the main reason is the outrageous hype that goes with every game and especially every tournament. Hats off for a workmanlike performance against Spain and an excellent result of course...but you know what's going to come now, all that hype again and this is the main crux of my blog.
Let's get some important facts straight: England are not that good. That is the truth and the sooner everyone accepts it the better. Every tournament, everyone pipes up with the usual 'England's squad is as good as any in the tournament'. Well guess what...it isn't! And it hasn't been in a long, long, long time. England's strikeforce in the last world cup was Rooney, Crouch, Defoe and Heskey. Are you seriously telling me that is a list of strikers to strike fear into the football world? Jermaine Defoe is an average premiership striker, not a bad player but by no means an international class forward. When you consider that the strikeforce for England in the mid to late 90's could be any of Shearer, Fowler, Owen, Sheringham or Ferdinand, I hardly think Defoe would have got anywhere near it. And as for Emile Heskey...a sterling workhorse but come on...
And that's just the strikers, I could go on about every other position as well. How about the fact we've only one goalkeeper of any sort of quality? How about the fact that in my life of following football (since 1995) we haven't had a single natural left winger who has convinced long-term?
So that's my first point to illustrate England's lack of quality players. Much of the blame for this is attached to the influx of foreign players to the Premiership and don't get me wrong, that has certainly played its part because an England manager now has so few English players to choose from who actually play regularly for a Premiership club, let alone a top club. But just a minute...do you not think there's a reason that all these clubs wanted foreign players rather than English players? I remember watching England under-18's some years ago play Holland and it was frankly embarrassing. When it comes to technique, English players are light years behind. You see it every time they play the likes of Spain, Holland, Italy, Argentina et al. As good as the result and workrate was against Spain recently, the amount that Spain controlled possession and had England chasing shadows was apparent to all. That's no disgrace against Spain of course, but the same was true when they lost to the mighty...er..Croatia...English players are one-footed for one thing to a staggering degree but they also lack invention and instinctive awareness that only comes from top class coaching. Even England's top players like Gerrard, Rooney and the like have immense physical presence and a maverick quality which is the main driving force behind their impact, far more than actual skill. It's fine when you're playing alongside world class players as they are, but not in a team of much more average players. It pains me to say it but I actually think Ashley Cole is the only English player who could be the best in his position in any team. Sorry to pick examples but I often think some of the attacking midfield players are the best of examples of the limits of English players. Players like Theo Walcott, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young are quick, athletic and produce an occasional good moment but when push comes to shove they just don't have a trick hence why England fail to break down the likes of Algeria. Until grassroots training is sorted out, English players are not going to be good enough, simple as that.
Now this in itself does not have to be as much of a problem as it is - psychology is the key and this is where my main point about media coverage of England comes in. A very good point to make is the best side does not always win a tournament - Aston Villa stunned the football world by winning the European Cup in 1982, my greatest football experience was Liverpool winning the same tournament in 2005 with a far inferior squad to many in the competition and of course Greece won Euro 2004 against all odds. Now maybe that happened because none of them actually thought they would. They approached the tournament with an attitude of one game at a time, let's just do our very best as underdogs and you never know what could happen. England proved against Spain that with superb workrate, a bit of luck and a flash of quality anything is possible. The problem of course is every tournament comes with the 'we're good enough to win it' instead of 'let's do our best'. The players probably believe it and are then stunned when they get torn apart by Germany or fail to break down a team who contained two professional camel herders and a country that doesn't even know the right name for the sport and when they only just beat the smallest nation in a world cup because they have no real creativity.
Of course their morale is also totally deflated by the knowledge that unless they win every game 4-0, there's going to be multiple headlines that say 'you're letting your country down'. Perhaps the most infuriating thing of all is the fixation on one thing that's apparently going to change everything in England's favour. It's always if one player is fit or if the manager picks so-and-so or if he plays the right system. I couldn't believe when in the last tournament everyone thought Gareth Barry coming into the team was going to change everything and be the rock upon which England's triumph would be built...Gareth Barry? I mean he's a good player I suppose, but hardly a player upon whose tournament hopes should be built. Frankly, any team that wins a world cup is probably not dependent on one player to do it. Even Messi couldn't win Argentina the world cup and Brazil won the 1962 world cup without Pele.
Going back to tactics and team selections etc brings me back to another media gift in England - manager bashing. Don't get me wrong, successive England managers have infuriated me with some of their decisions. Eriksson's utter negativity and picking a striker who'd never played a Premiership game, Cappello's decision to abandon his principles for the 2010 world cup and pick an ageing and ineffective squad are just two examples. But does anybody actually think England would have won either of these tournaments regardless? Sven Goran Eriksson and Cappello have two of the most glittering management records in club football history, Bobby Robson transformed Ipswich Town into a domestic and European football success and managed Barcelona successfully and even the much maligned Steve McClaren got Middlesbrough to a European final. These are not bad managers - England just aren't that good and bashing the manager every time they don't win is not going to help.
Do I think Harry Redknapp should be the next England manager? Yes probably. Do I think Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley, Micah Richards, Joe Hart and co represent a potentially half decent spine of a team? Well yes, better than recent years. Do I think Gerrard and Lampard should never be played together ever again and Ferdinand and Terry should probably make way too? Well yes. But crucially, I don't preach that these things are going to turn England into world beaters because they're not. Can they win a tournament? Anything can happen in football so yes, but the media and hence the psychology are going to stop it happening. It's a shame the topic of England's national football team is apparently an excuse to abandon grown up discussion.
Let's get some important facts straight: England are not that good. That is the truth and the sooner everyone accepts it the better. Every tournament, everyone pipes up with the usual 'England's squad is as good as any in the tournament'. Well guess what...it isn't! And it hasn't been in a long, long, long time. England's strikeforce in the last world cup was Rooney, Crouch, Defoe and Heskey. Are you seriously telling me that is a list of strikers to strike fear into the football world? Jermaine Defoe is an average premiership striker, not a bad player but by no means an international class forward. When you consider that the strikeforce for England in the mid to late 90's could be any of Shearer, Fowler, Owen, Sheringham or Ferdinand, I hardly think Defoe would have got anywhere near it. And as for Emile Heskey...a sterling workhorse but come on...
And that's just the strikers, I could go on about every other position as well. How about the fact we've only one goalkeeper of any sort of quality? How about the fact that in my life of following football (since 1995) we haven't had a single natural left winger who has convinced long-term?
So that's my first point to illustrate England's lack of quality players. Much of the blame for this is attached to the influx of foreign players to the Premiership and don't get me wrong, that has certainly played its part because an England manager now has so few English players to choose from who actually play regularly for a Premiership club, let alone a top club. But just a minute...do you not think there's a reason that all these clubs wanted foreign players rather than English players? I remember watching England under-18's some years ago play Holland and it was frankly embarrassing. When it comes to technique, English players are light years behind. You see it every time they play the likes of Spain, Holland, Italy, Argentina et al. As good as the result and workrate was against Spain recently, the amount that Spain controlled possession and had England chasing shadows was apparent to all. That's no disgrace against Spain of course, but the same was true when they lost to the mighty...er..Croatia...English players are one-footed for one thing to a staggering degree but they also lack invention and instinctive awareness that only comes from top class coaching. Even England's top players like Gerrard, Rooney and the like have immense physical presence and a maverick quality which is the main driving force behind their impact, far more than actual skill. It's fine when you're playing alongside world class players as they are, but not in a team of much more average players. It pains me to say it but I actually think Ashley Cole is the only English player who could be the best in his position in any team. Sorry to pick examples but I often think some of the attacking midfield players are the best of examples of the limits of English players. Players like Theo Walcott, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young are quick, athletic and produce an occasional good moment but when push comes to shove they just don't have a trick hence why England fail to break down the likes of Algeria. Until grassroots training is sorted out, English players are not going to be good enough, simple as that.
Now this in itself does not have to be as much of a problem as it is - psychology is the key and this is where my main point about media coverage of England comes in. A very good point to make is the best side does not always win a tournament - Aston Villa stunned the football world by winning the European Cup in 1982, my greatest football experience was Liverpool winning the same tournament in 2005 with a far inferior squad to many in the competition and of course Greece won Euro 2004 against all odds. Now maybe that happened because none of them actually thought they would. They approached the tournament with an attitude of one game at a time, let's just do our very best as underdogs and you never know what could happen. England proved against Spain that with superb workrate, a bit of luck and a flash of quality anything is possible. The problem of course is every tournament comes with the 'we're good enough to win it' instead of 'let's do our best'. The players probably believe it and are then stunned when they get torn apart by Germany or fail to break down a team who contained two professional camel herders and a country that doesn't even know the right name for the sport and when they only just beat the smallest nation in a world cup because they have no real creativity.
Of course their morale is also totally deflated by the knowledge that unless they win every game 4-0, there's going to be multiple headlines that say 'you're letting your country down'. Perhaps the most infuriating thing of all is the fixation on one thing that's apparently going to change everything in England's favour. It's always if one player is fit or if the manager picks so-and-so or if he plays the right system. I couldn't believe when in the last tournament everyone thought Gareth Barry coming into the team was going to change everything and be the rock upon which England's triumph would be built...Gareth Barry? I mean he's a good player I suppose, but hardly a player upon whose tournament hopes should be built. Frankly, any team that wins a world cup is probably not dependent on one player to do it. Even Messi couldn't win Argentina the world cup and Brazil won the 1962 world cup without Pele.
Going back to tactics and team selections etc brings me back to another media gift in England - manager bashing. Don't get me wrong, successive England managers have infuriated me with some of their decisions. Eriksson's utter negativity and picking a striker who'd never played a Premiership game, Cappello's decision to abandon his principles for the 2010 world cup and pick an ageing and ineffective squad are just two examples. But does anybody actually think England would have won either of these tournaments regardless? Sven Goran Eriksson and Cappello have two of the most glittering management records in club football history, Bobby Robson transformed Ipswich Town into a domestic and European football success and managed Barcelona successfully and even the much maligned Steve McClaren got Middlesbrough to a European final. These are not bad managers - England just aren't that good and bashing the manager every time they don't win is not going to help.
Do I think Harry Redknapp should be the next England manager? Yes probably. Do I think Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley, Micah Richards, Joe Hart and co represent a potentially half decent spine of a team? Well yes, better than recent years. Do I think Gerrard and Lampard should never be played together ever again and Ferdinand and Terry should probably make way too? Well yes. But crucially, I don't preach that these things are going to turn England into world beaters because they're not. Can they win a tournament? Anything can happen in football so yes, but the media and hence the psychology are going to stop it happening. It's a shame the topic of England's national football team is apparently an excuse to abandon grown up discussion.
Wednesday 2 November 2011
Liverpool Squad Status
Dear all,
Firstly a brief introduction to this blog - my name's Dan Walsh, a professional musician but also an extremely passionate Liverpool fan. I blog regularly on my official website http://www.danwalshbanjo.co.uk/ but have always been a keen football writer as well so I thought a seperate blog just devoted to football would be a good idea so here it is. Obviously it will be about Liverpool a great deal, but by no means exclusively.
Anyway here we go then. To start I'd like to give my assessment on Liverpool's season thus far. I confess to having had very mixed reactions to the close season spending spree. The overriding reaction of everyone seemed to be that Liverpool were now an amazing side and in contention for the title and I thought this was hysterical to say the least. Our squad certainly improved, but at vast expense and I felt that we signed a lot of average players for extortionate fees. But that said, we do have a better squad than we did and some of the signings are looking good while others have struggled.
My view of the squad as it stands:
Goalkeepers - well not much to be done here provided we can keep hold of the main main Pepe Reina who is indisputably the finest goalkeeper we have had since Bruce Grobelaar and arguably since Ray Clemence for he has the agility and attack-minded approach of the former but the consistency and reliability of the latter.
Defence - this for me is where we still need reinforcement. Jose Enrique has been arguably, apart from Suarez, the best signing of the Dalglish era and would appear to have solved the nagging left back problem which had been there since the loss of form of Riise. Martin Kelly is an outstanding defender already with great potential and would be my first choice right back and does an accomplished job at left back. Young John Flanagan is also a bright prospect though a tad erratic at present. Glen Johnson I have never been a great fan of as a full back for the simple reason that he can't defend, but there's no denying he's a weapon going forward and perhaps a good choice in home games against teams who are likely to park the bus.
My big concern is in the middle of defence. Dear old Carra is nothing short of a Liverpool legend and I'm not one of those clamouring for his immediate and permanent axing. But I am aware his best days are over and he is increasingly error prone. He should remain a great squad member, but the reliability on him as our defensive lynchpin in the way Vidic is for United or Terry is for Chelsea cannot remain as it is. Agger, I rate highly but he is injury prone and not quite defensively sound enough to be that reliable world class defender. Skrtel is solid and a good backup but for me not up to this standard either. Coates I assume was signed to be that player but I'm not too impressed so far although of course he deserves a chance to prove himself in a different league. In conclusion, a Hyypia-esque defender is vital to our success!
Midfield - I was bewildered at the start of the season as to how many central midfielders we had at the start of the season! Gerrard, Lucas, Aquilani, Adam, Henderson, Spearing, Joe Cole and Meireles were all in the squad and all, to admittedly varying degrees, with a reasonable right to expect an appearance. However, three have gone so I guess Kenny had it reasonably worked out. Gerrard of course is Gerrard, the greatest player Liverpool have had since Dalglish but his injury problems have given a chance to others this season. Adam has been mixed, the odd impressive performance but I have a nagging doubt as to his ability to really step up to the mark although he would remain a useful squad player. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but Lucas is pretty much undroppable now and a vital player. Henderson was the summer signing I understood least - he seemed ludicrously expensive for a largely unproven player in a position we already seemed to have but he has performed reasonably well. In my opinion, he works best as a central midfielder in the same sort of vein as Lucas rather than the right wing role he seems to often play where I think his lack of creativity is exposed. Spearing I've always liked and I think is a cracking player with his passion, range of passing and workrate. So in the middle there are a fair few options it's fair to say.
On the wings, I do think we lack something. For me, Kuyt goes back in every time and is a vital vital player. So that's the right sorted but in terms of backup Henderson, as I've said is better in the middle and Maxi, on other side, for me is ineffective despite his surprising flurry of goals towards the end of last season. Downing has been a disappointment so far although again I thought we vastly overspent on him to start with. He is an average Premiership winger, a good crosser and no-one can fault his workrate but really lacks creativity and inspiration in my opinion. I don't want to dismiss the lad, but he's been in the Premiership a long time and plays in England's long standing problem position and still there isn't exactly a clamour for him to have the left wing role there. For all Kuyt's stirring qualities I think a trickier, more inventive winger to counter him would be a good buy.
Strikers - Well Suarez has of course been a massive success. Carroll is an interesting case - I certainly wouldn't have signed him and he was signed for a truly obscene amount of money. I believe he's limited, a reasonable but not clinical finisher although he has the obvious aerial prowess. His work rate sometimes leaves something to be desired though and at present I'm far from convinced. I was shocked at the re-signing of Bellamy but he's a bit of a bargain with his work rate, nuisance factor and solid finishing/passing. Another striker, of the young and pacy variety wouldn't go a miss I think but time will tell.
So that's my view of the squad at the moment. I'll be posting game ratings and reports as each game comes.
Firstly a brief introduction to this blog - my name's Dan Walsh, a professional musician but also an extremely passionate Liverpool fan. I blog regularly on my official website http://www.danwalshbanjo.co.uk/ but have always been a keen football writer as well so I thought a seperate blog just devoted to football would be a good idea so here it is. Obviously it will be about Liverpool a great deal, but by no means exclusively.
Anyway here we go then. To start I'd like to give my assessment on Liverpool's season thus far. I confess to having had very mixed reactions to the close season spending spree. The overriding reaction of everyone seemed to be that Liverpool were now an amazing side and in contention for the title and I thought this was hysterical to say the least. Our squad certainly improved, but at vast expense and I felt that we signed a lot of average players for extortionate fees. But that said, we do have a better squad than we did and some of the signings are looking good while others have struggled.
My view of the squad as it stands:
Goalkeepers - well not much to be done here provided we can keep hold of the main main Pepe Reina who is indisputably the finest goalkeeper we have had since Bruce Grobelaar and arguably since Ray Clemence for he has the agility and attack-minded approach of the former but the consistency and reliability of the latter.
Defence - this for me is where we still need reinforcement. Jose Enrique has been arguably, apart from Suarez, the best signing of the Dalglish era and would appear to have solved the nagging left back problem which had been there since the loss of form of Riise. Martin Kelly is an outstanding defender already with great potential and would be my first choice right back and does an accomplished job at left back. Young John Flanagan is also a bright prospect though a tad erratic at present. Glen Johnson I have never been a great fan of as a full back for the simple reason that he can't defend, but there's no denying he's a weapon going forward and perhaps a good choice in home games against teams who are likely to park the bus.
My big concern is in the middle of defence. Dear old Carra is nothing short of a Liverpool legend and I'm not one of those clamouring for his immediate and permanent axing. But I am aware his best days are over and he is increasingly error prone. He should remain a great squad member, but the reliability on him as our defensive lynchpin in the way Vidic is for United or Terry is for Chelsea cannot remain as it is. Agger, I rate highly but he is injury prone and not quite defensively sound enough to be that reliable world class defender. Skrtel is solid and a good backup but for me not up to this standard either. Coates I assume was signed to be that player but I'm not too impressed so far although of course he deserves a chance to prove himself in a different league. In conclusion, a Hyypia-esque defender is vital to our success!
Midfield - I was bewildered at the start of the season as to how many central midfielders we had at the start of the season! Gerrard, Lucas, Aquilani, Adam, Henderson, Spearing, Joe Cole and Meireles were all in the squad and all, to admittedly varying degrees, with a reasonable right to expect an appearance. However, three have gone so I guess Kenny had it reasonably worked out. Gerrard of course is Gerrard, the greatest player Liverpool have had since Dalglish but his injury problems have given a chance to others this season. Adam has been mixed, the odd impressive performance but I have a nagging doubt as to his ability to really step up to the mark although he would remain a useful squad player. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but Lucas is pretty much undroppable now and a vital player. Henderson was the summer signing I understood least - he seemed ludicrously expensive for a largely unproven player in a position we already seemed to have but he has performed reasonably well. In my opinion, he works best as a central midfielder in the same sort of vein as Lucas rather than the right wing role he seems to often play where I think his lack of creativity is exposed. Spearing I've always liked and I think is a cracking player with his passion, range of passing and workrate. So in the middle there are a fair few options it's fair to say.
On the wings, I do think we lack something. For me, Kuyt goes back in every time and is a vital vital player. So that's the right sorted but in terms of backup Henderson, as I've said is better in the middle and Maxi, on other side, for me is ineffective despite his surprising flurry of goals towards the end of last season. Downing has been a disappointment so far although again I thought we vastly overspent on him to start with. He is an average Premiership winger, a good crosser and no-one can fault his workrate but really lacks creativity and inspiration in my opinion. I don't want to dismiss the lad, but he's been in the Premiership a long time and plays in England's long standing problem position and still there isn't exactly a clamour for him to have the left wing role there. For all Kuyt's stirring qualities I think a trickier, more inventive winger to counter him would be a good buy.
Strikers - Well Suarez has of course been a massive success. Carroll is an interesting case - I certainly wouldn't have signed him and he was signed for a truly obscene amount of money. I believe he's limited, a reasonable but not clinical finisher although he has the obvious aerial prowess. His work rate sometimes leaves something to be desired though and at present I'm far from convinced. I was shocked at the re-signing of Bellamy but he's a bit of a bargain with his work rate, nuisance factor and solid finishing/passing. Another striker, of the young and pacy variety wouldn't go a miss I think but time will tell.
So that's my view of the squad at the moment. I'll be posting game ratings and reports as each game comes.
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