Liverpool vs Barcelona(The Bull The Matador)

Rafa the tactician will decide, do Liverpool be the bull and hammer and bulldoze Barca’s shaky defense? Bombard them and with this smaller pitch it is even possible to play Crouch.

or Maybe Rafa will decide that Barca are good in the counter or maybe can dominate the center, so Rafa will the become the matador? Bait Barca, Move the ball and tired Liverpool player.

But regardless of Rafa tactics, Barca still have a chances. A factor that wasn’t available in the Camp Nou. He is Ronaldinho perfect partner. He is the poisonous tip that kills instantly.

Question will be ask, and Qusition will be answer. Barca still have a chances, with Eto back Barca chance have increase. But can Barca stop Liverpool from scoring? or Will Eto score the enough goal or maybe will just Liverpool buy him out next season?

Tune in tonite 6 March 2007 8.35pm Uk time!

Liverpool Vs Man Utd(All is not lost)

Liverpool 0 Manchester 1(John O Shea 92 min)

In a game of fierce rivalry, rich tradition and mutual hatred but respect, Two of the biggest England club slug it out once again.

If it were a boxing match Liverpool would be the boxer winning and dominating for 12 round but only with a lapse of concentration got knock out with a sucker punch in the dying second.

But alas this is football, whether or not Ferguson agree or disagree with Liverpool domination(Man Utd was lucky.) Goal is what really count.

Rafa had his tactic right, using just one out and out winger in Gonzalez to attack Neville’s at the right making him unable to overlap and leave Ronaldo alone to handle Gonzalez and Risse.

Xabi and Sissoko were dominating the midfield and Gerrard at the first half was given a virtual free role even if he was a right midfield. Evra too was pinned down, So both the Man U  winger was virtual asleep and alone for most of the game.

Man Utd only chance was on the counter or when the moment Liverpool Sissoko unforced error when passing or Xabi fancied dive that the ref didn’t buy. But even then the windows of opportunity was very short.

even Man utd best player of the season was very quiet. He was even more mature and new very well that he can not run at Liverpool Midfield was at the strongest for he were afraid of loosing their possession. Ronaldo has matured.

Liverpool this season is very vulnerable specially when the score is nil nil. They just take too long inr finding the first goal. This a weakness Rafa needs to address.

The result should have taught Liverpool to be more ruthless in front of goal. It was not just Man U, other team has manage to shut down Liverpool not by neutralizing the game but just by hanging on with Liverpool wastefulness. today Liverpool were punish!

While Liverpool has lost this game, all is not lost. Barca is a bigger fish to fry. This painful defeat should be a painful reminder on how to win a game or win the league.. Just don’t forget it.

Help Needed!!!!

This blog has somehow a screw up date? anyone know what is the problem? It seams as if it is over 30 days off!!! please leave comment at the commment box! cheers1

Barcelona 1 liverpool 2

The Belated Post

Sorry for the late post but What a game it was and what a great nite too. Again Rafa has shown to the world why he is regarded the as the Master tactician of the new generation. Capello of Madrid was once regarded like this too but he is of Fergie’s generation. Ferguson currently rely heavily on his no.2 Queroz in this aspect of the game.

The Pundit

Before the game everyone was belittling Liverpool chance with their best hope of achieving a goalless draw. Jamie Redknapp even think Liverpool will be lucky to have an away goal? Lucky one? Well Rafa gave you two and a win too!

The Build up

The build up between Barca and Liverpool was relatively quiet. The only thing that seam to make news was the non-playing/non-singing events. There were no argument and heat between both of the club. Earlier Edilmison of Barca said that Liverpool were bigger than Mourinho’s Men. Indeed Liverpool are the true giant of Europe.

The Strategy

Barcelona overall strategy was simple. Keep the majority of ball, move the ball around the pitch quickly and attack. Don’t overextend,keep the pace up and attack from all angle.. left, right and center too.Constantly wear and tire the Liverpool player.

Liverpool strategy was to maintain compact formation all the time and to overpower them. Wait for the right time and hit them on the counter or by attacking from the air.

The Barca Tactic

Barca employ their basic tactic with a little adjustment. First Messi was restored to the left midfield even if he was fit for only 40 minutes. secondly Saviola nimbleness and quickness was preferred over the well known former Chelsea player Gudjohnson. Then the introduction Of Motta instead of Edmilson as a Defensive Midfielder to counter against Peter Crouch second ball. Barca had prepare a special play to foil Crouch.

The Liverpool Tactic

Double up the wing with Gerrard playing as a right Midfielder and Risse as a left Midfielder in a flat 4-4-2 formation with no wingers. The introduction of a athletic and fast left-defender even if he is a right back in the newly purchase  Arbeloa because mobility and quickness is more vital than power and strength in this part of the field.

The use of two striker instead of one as a measure to pin the opposing central defenders instead of the need to control the center. The use of Bellamy pace instead of what Rijkaard prepare for Peter Crouch height! This was the shocker that made Rijkaard in disbelief. The size of the pitch factor was the other reason why Crouch was deem unsuited for and even with the Karaoke incident Bellamy pace was chosen ahead of Crouch.

to be continue…

4-4-2 or 4-5-1 (4-2-3-1)

Liverpool have play basically play a 4-4-2 system this season. Sometimes against weaker team Rafa employs a 3-4-3 system. Last season we generally play a 4-2-3-1 formation which transpose to a 4-5-1 when defending. The difference in the latter against a 4-4-2 system is that you sacrifice one striker for a central midfield.

Last season we had only three striker. Initially we had Morientas, Crouch and Cisse. Cisse then was made into a right winger and Morientas was deem ineffective and dropped. That leave Crouch as our main striker and latter we brought Fowler but he was use against weaker team only.

This season we have 3 main striker in Kyuut, Belamy and Crouch plus 1 Fowler! For strategic reason we need to play two of them all the time. No point in having so many striker but to play only one. But against Barca at Barcelona is a special occasion! So Rafa can play just one but will he play just one?

In the midfield last year we had 4 strong center midfielder in Didi, Xabi, Gerrard and Momo. Rafa usually play with three of them at the same time. A strong central triangle is form in the middle will and make it a very hard team to beat or dominate. This system will score less but dominate or neutralize more.

This season we initial had only three strong midfield in Momo, xabi and Gerrard. Gerrard was shifted at the right wing leaving only 2 central midield. So we use 2 central midfield with two flank midfield. and then Momo got injured so Gerrard play in the center again. standard 4-4-2 system.

So for 3 month Gerrard and Xabi played the central midfield. But now Momo is fit again and we suddenly had loan a brilliant player in Masecherano. So who will play in the middle and how many cental midfield, 2 or 3?

Barca will play a 4-2-3-1 one system for a balance formation and use a 4-2-2-2 if Barca will be more adventuress.Against Barca rafa can not allowed Barca with too much of the ball and dominate.

Rafa needs to nullified Barca midfield. One way is too shift Gerrard to the right wing and mark Ronaldinho. the Other system is to use a strong triangle trio in the midfield which can control all aspect o the midfield. So my prediction for is bellow.

The Day of Dependence

So it had finally been confirm. The Dubai deal had been canceled and the Americans one had been accepted. I have been feeling down this whole time and was hoping for a miracle to happen but alas things came to a conclusion that the inevitable had to happen. We had been sold, hopefully not sold out. Sorry for the belated update.

What made me question the decision from a business prospective is not who will Liverpool fc be sold to but why do Liverpool fc need to be sold? Was Liverpool Fc that poor? Was we that bad in debt? Were we worst than we were 5 years ago? The answer actually is No !

We were only had a debt as reported of around 80 million but a revenue of around 122 million pound. This year we are the 10 world richest football club with our English rival Manutd being No.4 with of annual revenue of 167 million. But their debt is around a whopping 600 million due to refinancing of Mr. Glacier debt(when purchasing ManUtd) by retransferring(restructuring) his personal account to his personal club account!

So why is this dependency on foreign money? The only financial decision were because we needed money to finance a new stadium. Nothing else! We didn’t have the money nor the guts to borrow more money. A new stadium is needed for the long term success both on and of the field. Any delay in building it, will not only be a loss of future increase of ticket revenue but also the cost of building a stadium later, will rise much more due to the rising of oil, steel and inflation.

Still they were many question that needed to be answered. Like how much extra money do we really need? It was reported that Mr. Parry initially was searching for just only a 50 million pound extra investment? And what about the future extra potential revenue come the new season? Was there any other alternative? We will look into this with another post.

Suffice to say the first good thing that comes from this historical event is our new owner first official speech. “We are custodians, not owners of the franchise,”

Leaving the word franchis, what a great talk for a starter. Just hope they can walk the walk and also walk our walk! You’ll Never Walk alone!