Is this the worst Liverpool squad

[Alan Partridge]

I think it's not just Liverpool, it's all of the league. It's the worst 'Premier League' that I can remember. Stoke are 9th and Burnley 10th. They are both TERRIBLE sides. There are 10 sides in the league that are absolutely crap, and could all go down. The likes of Villa, Everton take 1 step forward 2 back. Tottenham are a better side this year as are Sunderland, City have spent billions yet at best will be 4th/5th.

Liverpool have no squad, I've seen Man Utd a few times and they aren't a patch on the side they were, mainly because of no Ronaldo but apart from Rooney they are powder puff (by their standards) up front, and still heavily reliant on the 30+ in midfield. Chelsea were considered an ageing declining side last year, they have the same functional side this year and will probably win the league. Arsenal are no better than they were, look great against Hull's, Bolton's but get turned over at daft places like Sunderland and West Ham.

But seriously

Bolton
Hull
Burnley
Stoke
Portsmouth
Birmingham
Wolves
Blackburn
West Ham
Wigan


None of them are really any great shakes. The 'best league in the world' with Stoke 9th, just LOLz.

[Tails]

Sporting Gijon in 7th?

You going to start picking holes in La Liga too?

[Alan Partridge]

Sporting Gijon in 7th?

You going to start picking holes in La Liga too?

Is half the league truly diabolical like the English league? I don't know I don't watch other leagues.


Wigan were beaten 9-1 last weekend and Stoke are the worst example of a 'football team' I have seen. Bolton also last week were beyond atrocious in surrendering to a mediocre Blackburn side.

all of those sides will probably stay up.

The strength of the league this year is the worst it's been, to have 10 teams out of 20 who are utter shit plus a weaker Everton at present, and with 2 of the top 4 weaker than they were last year, the other 2 just the same, it's just a very very average division this season.

[Archie's penalty]

Sporting Gijon in 7th?

You going to start picking holes in La Liga too?

Is half the league truly diabolical like the English league? I don't know I don't watch other leagues.


Wigan were beaten 9-1 last weekend and Stoke are the worst example of a 'football team' I have seen. Bolton also last week were beyond atrocious in surrendering to a mediocre Blackburn side.

all of those sides will probably stay up.

The strength of the league this year is the worst it's been, to have 10 teams out of 20 who are utter shit plus a weaker Everton at present, and with 2 of the top 4 weaker than they were last year, the other 2 just the same, it's just a very very average division this season.

Agree completely AP. Not been a very good season for the hyperbole men at Sky.

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

Dodd

[readingbedding]

Liverpool failed to qualify for the last 16 of European football’s premier club competition for the first time in Rafael Benítez’s 5½-year reign as manager.

[Gus the teenage cow]

Liverpool failed to qualify for the last 16 of European football’s premier club competition for the first time in Rafael Benítez’s 5½-year reign as manager.

weirdo! did barry george have an anti-liverpool thing going on?

[readingbedding]

Hi Stoke fan here.
Phuck off weirdo.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

I don't think Liverpool realised how important Alonso was to them last year. In my view he was very very unlucky not to on the shortlist for PFA Player of the Year. Liverpool relied on pace last year, i.e. breaking quickly, where Alonso would get the ball and give it Gerrard and Torres and counter attack, you very rarely saw Liverpool score goals with 20 passes.

I think Benitez doesn't rate Aquilani has highly as he first thought otherwise he'd be in the team already

Someone mentioned it earler, Rafa has wasted money on 5-8m players that were no good, he should have just spent big on another striker and a centre half. At least he is picking the rat now as he looks a decent player

[Southbank Old Boy]

I don't think Liverpool realised how important Alonso was to them last year. In my view he was very very unlucky not to on the shortlist for PFA Player of the Year. Liverpool relied on pace last year, i.e. breaking quickly, where Alonso would get the ball and give it Gerrard and Torres and counter attack, you very rarely saw Liverpool score goals with 20 passes.

I think Benitez doesn't rate Aquilani has highly as he first thought otherwise he'd be in the team already

Someone mentioned it earler, Rafa has wasted money on 5-8m players that were no good, he should have just spent big on another striker and a centre half. At least he is picking the rat now as he looks a decent player

Aquillani has been injured for quite a while and was always going to be slowly introduced back into the team

[papereyes]

Sporting Gijon in 7th?

You going to start picking holes in La Liga too?

The only comparison you can have is when English teams play Spanish/French/German in the UEFA cup. Looking at the middling-to-OK teams in the relevent leagues.

Its not a perfect comparison but its the only one that's available.

Oh, and size and reputation =/= effectiveness in a league. Stoke's strength is that they play exclusively to their strengths and the style of the league. Direct, muscular, atheletic. Of the 'big 4' Chelsea have those attributes in spades but the quality on top to make the difference when it matters. I think Villa outperform their squad because O'Neill knows that pace and power will get him through 60-70 % of Villa's battles.

You can cite Sporting Gijon but why? Because they've a silly name? Because we've never heard of them? http://www.fancysomemustard.esp cited us as evidence in 05-06 and Burnley and Stoke this season when they talk about how weak the PL is outside of the biggest clubs,

[Gus the teenage cow]

Hi Stoke fan here.
Phuck off weirdo.

lol, nice one barry!

[Tails]

Sporting Gijon in 7th?

You going to start picking holes in La Liga too?

The only comparison you can have is when English teams play Spanish/French/German in the UEFA cup. Looking at the middling-to-OK teams in the relevent leagues.

Its not a perfect comparison but its the only one that's available.

Oh, and size and reputation =/= effectiveness in a league. Stoke's strength is that they play exclusively to their strengths and the style of the league. Direct, muscular, atheletic. Of the 'big 4' Chelsea have those attributes in spades but the quality on top to make the difference when it matters. I think Villa outperform their squad because O'Neill knows that pace and power will get him through 60-70 % of Villa's battles.

You can cite Sporting Gijon but why? Because they've a silly name? Because we've never heard of them? http://www.fancysomemustard.esp cited us as evidence in 05-06 and Burnley and Stoke this season when they talk about how weak the PL is outside of the biggest clubs,

Fair point of view - especially regarding performance in the UEFA cup. Shame that the link isn't working for me...

[Tails]

Apologies for the brief/incomplete research to date - so feel free to ridicule what(and where) I reference from - but I'm ever so slightly sceptical of your (AlaPart, Archpen) stance that the Premier league is somewhat inferior to other leagues (and lets face it, thats the conclusion we are coming to, no?). I think its perhaps more of a general move in football that has gone further and further toward professionalism and reliance on athleticism of traditional concepts of footballing 'skill' - which is why the likes of Stoke can make an impression, at least in their first year. Furthermore, I'd argue that our first year of the premier league was not successful because of brute strength, but our confidence in our footballing ability (tactics...whatever)

I accept that there are differences in style and culture in different leagues, but by no means should this be instantly concluded as to be 'better' or more 'successful'. (have you watched a typical game in La Liga? and what constitutes a foul over there?)

Papereyes, your point is valid and I'd say it is an interesting way of finding a basis of comparison between the strength of the different leagues - though of course ultimately flawed. The IFFH wiki article here indicates that its been pretty even over the last several seasons - though I haven't quite seen what they base that on. (lets hope for the basis of my argument that it isnt solely the performance of the big 4 )

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

I don't think Liverpool realised how important Alonso was to them last year.

This is the key without question, but not just last year, he'd been pretty dam good for them for quite some time. Decent interview with him:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009 ... -barcelona

[Mr Irascible]

http://www.lfc-endofseasonparty.com/

[No Fixed Abode]

I've just bought a scouse advent calender. All the windows are boarded up and some b***ard has nicked the chocolates.

[BR2]

I've just bought a scouse advent calender. All the windows are boarded up and some b***ard has nicked the chocolates.

Ever been to Moss Side or Longsight?

[papereyes]

I've just bought a scouse advent calender. All the windows are boarded up and some b***ard has nicked the chocolates.

Ever been to Moss Side or Longsight?

There's a street in Salford that runs up to the Sports city and every single house on it is boarded and shuttered.

And there's always a teenager on a pointlessly small bike nearby.

[Thaumagurist*]

I've been to Moss Side. It's not a place you want to hang around in.