The case for Hodgson’s dismissal. An LFC rant.

I really wanted Rafael Benitez to become Liverpool manager before he took over in 2004. I was away living in Edinburgh for the summer but when his name was linked with the job I thought back to the time his Valencia team had thoroughly dismantled Liverpool in 2002, with Pablo Aimar and company running rings around a shaven headed Gerrard and his teammates.

Clueless? Hodgson's future as Liverpool boss is looking bleak

I was still on the fence about the case for Benitez’ dismissal in the summer, and let’s face it, his time had come to an end and the mutual decision was a case of saving face for the former owners, Hicks and Gillett. I still felt that with proper backing, with the ability to choose the right players to sign for the club, Rafa could have won the title.

When Hodgson signed, I felt nothing. No excitement, nothing. It was a case of Hodgson taking a team who weren’t very good and making them punch above their weight with Fulham. He did a terrific job. But he hadn’t been given the big jobs over more than three decades of management. He presided over an Inter Milan team in a rebuilding phase but as recently as five years ago had been manager of Norwegian team Viking.

This season has been an unmitigated disaster, on and off the pitch. But while fans and commentators are queuing up to criticise the effort of the players, something has to be wrong with the style of management when the likes of Torres and Gerrard don’t even have the usual passion for the game, especially against rivals Everton.

It has become popular to say that Liverpool need massive rebuilding of their squad, but these are the same players who were winning big games with ease two years ago. Rolling out victories as they chased Man Utd, hammering the likes of Real Madrid and the league leaders within a week. Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Carragher, Lucas, Kuyt, Babel, Gerrard, Ngog, Torres. They were all a part of it. Johnson is not a bad signing. Meireles is not a bad signing. Cole is not a bad signing. In replacing the likes of Degen, Mascherano and Benayoun, the fact is the first team should not be considerably weaker.

Meireles has not been utilised to his potential under Hodgson

Mascherano and Alonso were the perfect platform for any team and them leaving has ripped the fulcrum of the team apart. But the first team is still performing well below its ability.

The full backs look up and see no-one on the wings. As Hodgson said recently, “we don’t play with wingers” meaning that Konchesky and Carragher had to pass the ball infield at every opportunity today because Maxi and Cole were invariably nearer the centre circle than the wing. The lack of width is frightening, especially when the opposing team has the ball it means that they can switch play with ease and find themselves with acres of space with which to attack a frightened defence.

The usual criticism applies of Liverpool failing to test the goalkeeper. Any save Howard had to make today was a hopeful shot straight at him, with the exception of a Torres header in the first half that would have taken a Howard howler to give Liverpool the lead. Torres’ running was shocking today. He was heading for the same channels as his teammates. When he laid the ball off to good effect he failed to show the ambition to get into the box.

This points to a lack of belief in the tactics. It seemed he wanted to drop deep and try and work magic on his own because once again he received no service in the box, nothing to trouble Jagielka and Distin. Indeed Everton dropped back with half an hour left because they weren’t afraid of Liverpool attacking. The midfield five passed the ball among themselves with no penetration, no ideas, meaning Everton knew the victory was theirs if they kept their discipline. Which they did.

Hodgson's comments in the media have failed to inspire confidence

Hodgson’s dismal start as manager is all the more depressing for his growing tendency towards foot in mouth moments in front of the microphones. Here’s the phenomenal delusion he showed after today’s demoralising defeat:

We suffered at the hands of an early onslaught which you invariably do at Goodison but towards the end of the first half we started to even things out.

From what I saw I thought we dominated the second half totally.

I thought the shape of the team was good, the quality of our passing and movement was good.

We didn’t score goals and Everton did but I refuse to accept that we were in any way outplayed or any way inferior.

Is it a crisis? I don’t think it is a crisis, I thought the way we played today was not the level of a team in the bottom three.

Torres? He got battered during the World Cup and mentally he is probably a bit low and he needs a goal or two to get it back. Certainly today I would have no qualms about his performance.

Before Gerard Houllier was sacked as Liverpool manager, he had become fond for noting statistics like the number of corners his team had won as a way of batting away suggestions that his tactics were negative. Today’s comments from Hodgson beggar belief though. That he could go on to describe the second hand performance as the best of the year so far is nothing short of a disgrace.

If that is Liverpool dominating and performing well, if Hodgson says he can’t ask for anything more from his players, what can Liverpool fans genuinely hope for this season.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright shows new Liverpool owner John Henry how to point and laugh

I try and maintain this blog impartially as I watch all teams play and love The Premiership as a whole. But when it comes to Liverpool at the moment it is important to show that this is a team I watch week-in, week-out. I hate seeing us exit the Carling Cup because it means another matchday with no Liverpool involvement. But I was almost smiling this afternoon. It was a weary smile of someone who has given up. That I saw Hodgson do the exact same thing on 90 minutes made me angry though.

The team has gone backwards again after a poor season last time out. Decisions to invest in the likes of Konchesky and Poulsen rather than stick with Insua and Lucas in similar roles and failing to bring in a striker are strange, bad judgement maybe.

Investing in Poulsen and Meireles after bringing in Cole is odd, given that it was possibly the one area Liverpool didn’t need strengthening in. Playing Cole and Meireles on the wings, keeping faith in Maxi for 85 minutes today despite his complete lack of imput,  risking Ngog only when games are lost, failing to inspire his team despite the roar of the Merseyside Derby and new owners watching from the stands, describing his Northampton team as a “B team”, failing to back Fernando Torres against Alex Ferguson, publicly flirting with the sale of the likes of Babel and Lucas, only to go back to them in times of desperation, signing in Paul Konchesky a likeable man but a decidedly average player, these are no the decisions of a top coach.

I expect Hodgson’s comments to lead to his dismissal shortly. New owners will want to start afresh. They will see some despondent players today and will probably make quiet signals to key players and hierarchy like Gerrard and Dalglish to see what they feel needs changing.

Hodgson admitted the buck stopped with him after Blackpool. He couldn’t do so again today as it would be like a broken record interview. His time is running out. The gamble on Hodgson has backfired. Far from steadying the ship, Liverpool are in their worst-ever position in Premiership history, with a team containing some world-class players. Players who don’t believe in their coach either.

 

Why Roy Hodgson needs to adapt his approach to get results.

Torres looks to the gods for inspiration. They say to try Lucas.

Another game, another disappointing performance from Liverpool. That a 0-0 draw away to Utrecht is being hailed by Roy Hodgson as a “good point” is an indication of Liverpool’s expectations for the season.

That Hodgson put out the strongest team available to him is an indication of the pressure he is facing at Liverpool this early in his career as manager.

Hodgson knew that defeat would mean further dissent among the media and fans but cannot have conceived of such a disjointed Liverpool performance against a team who while no pushovers, seemed a little shocked that they were going to be given such an easy ride. Indeed FC Utrecht looked far more dangerous in attack, and manager Ton du Chatinier summed the game up nicely when he said: “They had a lot of the ball in midfield but we saw in the second half against Manchester United they have problems when they play against attackers.”

Hodgson has called games badly with his tactics so far in his Liverpool campaign. Only when Ngog came on for Liverpool against Manchester United did they begin to look dangerous with Meireles in a more central position. Likewise the game against Birmingham the team were clueless as to their positions. Kuyt was poor tonight but didn’t seem to have a position and is not a player who thrives in a free role as he poses no danger from long-range shots and doesn’t have the vision to pick out passes. Meireles was once again deployed on the right-wing and didn’t have a clue.

Lucas looks to the gods for inspiration. They don't answer.

When Meireles and Cole were in midfield they combined neatly and Cole at least looked full of energy and attempted to make Liverpool move the ball quicker. But with Poulsen and Lucas sitting behind the duo, it left Liverpool with Kuyt and Torres effectively being swarmed with defenders. No width whatsoever – Johnson has clearly been warned about his defensive positioning and looks less eager to bomb forward – and a lack of pace meant Utrecht’s defence had a comfortable night for the most part.

Five things we learned from Man Utd V Liverpool

1. Alex Ferguson was very, very worried.
   For all his post-match talk of Utd threatening to score ten, the facts are these. United managed five shots on target. Three of them went in. To beat Pepe Reina you have to do something a bit special, and Berbatov executed his three goals brilliantly. The truth is Liverpool looked comfortable for long periods of the game. Wayne Rooney was anonymous throughout and while Liverpool didn’t offer anything going forward, the sole point Ferguson made that bears any credence, they scored two goals easily and Meireles could have even made it 3-2 had he managed to make proper contact with his header minutes after Gerrard’s free-kick.
   

   Berbatov had a red-letter day for United

2. Torres did try and get O’Shea sent off, but the real theatrics came from Nani.
   Ferguson claimed after the game that Torres tried to cheat the referee into awarding a red card to John O’Shea. This is true, Torres clearly remonstrates with Howard Webb after the award of a yellow card as if to say it was the wrong decision. It wasn’t. Torres couldn’t get to the ball, was not denied a goalscoring chance, but it was a yellow card and a free-kick. That Gerrard scored made it even better that O’Shea hadn’t been sent off as we had an enthralling encounter on our hands.
   However the real theatrics came from Nani, something Ferguson failed to refer to after the game. The Portugese attempted one outrageous dive for which he had to be pulled away from a seething Daniel Agger. The game had to be stopped for another similar dive which Nani attempted to turn Konchesky’s challenge into some form of assault charge. Nani’s two crosses against Everton were perfect, but he’s a player no-one will miss when he starts hankering after a move abroad. As for trying to get a player sent off, perhaps Ferguson’s forgotten his berating of the officials for failing to give Nani a free-kick for a nothing challenge?
3. Liverpool’s have had a tough start with the fixture list, but things won’t get much easier.
   Ok Northampton on Wednesday in the Carling Cup isn’t a bad way to get your mind  off a defeat at Old Trafford. But after that the fixture list looks easier, but not easy when you look at the lack of service Fernando Torres is receiving. Sunderland and Blackpool at home are winnable games, but Everton away is a tricky ask of any team and Liverpool’s performances will be put under a media microscope until they start winning again. Games against Blackburn and Bolton then beckon before Chelsea arrive on Merseyside.
4. Ferguson and Hodgson may not be such good friends after all.
   Roy Hodgson fielded several questions about his friendship with Ferguson in the run-up to the game as supporters struggled to get to grips with the fact that not only is Hodgson a cockney, but a Ferguson buddy to boot. The friendship may be on the rocks this morning. Ferguson’s post-match analysis that Torres cheated, Liverpool offered nothing going forward, United could have been ten up before the penalty, all pointed to a man who is worried about his own team and feared a fourth draw in succession.
   Liverpool had 50% possession and looked reasonably comfortable with the ball. United had the right formation though and while Cole and Meireles looked good going forward, there was little end product.

   

5. United need Wayne Rooney to return to his best, fast.
   Rooney struggled to do anything of note yesterday. Michael Owen must have been watching from the bench wondering did Ferguson just play a really cruel joke in signing him to irritate his rivals. Berbatov is in great form and finished his three goals with incredible precision. However the Bulgarian blows hot and cold. Ferguson is doing his best to boost the striker’s confidence but he has gone missing in games already this season and will do so again.
   Wayne Rooney offers a goal threat from all over the pitch but looked as though he was happier offering the responsibility to his teammates yesterday. Eager to pass rather than to shoot, Rooney has had three poor games since the tabloids blew the lid on his indiscretions. Ferguson’s team always have a star man, a Ronaldo, a Cantona, even a Keane to give them a lift when needed.They need Rooney to be back to his best soon or the title will be in London quicker than Ferguson can say boo.

5 things we learned from Man City V Liverpool

1. If Man City play like that week-in, week-out, they will be challenging for the title. - People who say this morning that last night’s performance doesn’t mean anything are wrong. Yes, it is very early in the season, but that is precisely why we should be taking Man City seriously. Not only was Mancini’s selection mature (David Silva and Balotelli left out for the right reasons), but this is just the second game of the season. We all assumed it would take a long time for these players to gel but Man City’s midfield was awesome last night. Not a word we particularly like using. Ever.
   

   Hodgson has plenty to ponder after a comprehensive defeat

2. Man City’s away form will be crucial this year
   Useless at Spurs, poor in the Europa League, Man City were a different team last night. Points may come thick and fast at the City of Manchester stadium, but a lot will depend on how the big-name players travel this year. Will the likes of Yaya Toure and Micah Richards play with as much confidence on the road? If so then the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd will be looking over their shoulders.
3. Roy Hodgson doesn’t need to panic, but Liverpool are aiming for fourth and no higher.
   One bad result doesn’t mean too much here for Liverpool. However the performance will be a big concern. One of the reasons Kuyt is utilised on the right is to offer protection to the attack-minded Glen Johnson. Last night Johnson was the only danger Liverpool possessed from the right in an attacking sense. By having Kuyt as a defensive winger, Johnson finds himself further and further forward, leaving gaps at the back.
   Die-hard Liverpool fans will point to Chelsea’s defeat at Man City last year as proof that the team can bounce back. But despite what Hodgson says, no Premiership-winning team gets dismantled so completely in any of the 38games, let alone the second game.
4. Liverpool are still carrying too much dead weight.
   The acclamation Milan Jovanovic received on his Premiership debut against Arsenal from the Liverpool fans is indicative of the fans crying out for attack-minded players. However the Serb has shown little in his games so far to show he is more than an average player. One run that ended in a square pass against Arsenal got the crowd going. Last night he showed reluctance to really run at Micah Richards and pin the English player back in his own half.
   Lucas is not as bad as people would have you believe and may be a victim of the tactics employed by the club, but he is certainly no Mascherano. Poulsen will be the ball-winner in midfield and a ball-winner was desperately needed to allow Gerrard to roam free. Likewise Kuyt, Agger and Ngog all struggled in unfamiliar positions (except Kuyt who just struggled in general) and showed Liverpool urgently need new blood and attacking blood. They have commitment. They have a top-class keeper, they have good defenders, now Hodgson needs to figure out how to get opposing teams on the back foot.
5. Money can buy you love.
   Ask the Man City fans do they love owner Sheikh Mansour? Yes. Yes they do. One new signing James Milner was instrumental in the victory. But then again, all the others were new signings as well weren’t they. Micah Richards maybe not, but he certainly played like a new guy. Mansour was in the stands smiling last night. Alex Ferguson was in the stands frowning.

Handy Carroll destroys Villa (Newcastle V A Villa report)

St James Park witnessed a spectacular game this afternoon as Newcastle thumped Aston Villa by six goals to nil with number nine Andy Carroll grabbing a hat-trick.

Handy Andy

Aston Villa enjoyed a 3-0 win in their opening game of the season against West Ham while Newcastle had been outclassed by the same scoreline at Old Trafford against Man Utd. However Newcastle fans were treated to one of the team’s finest performances for many years, albeit after being fortuitous to go 1-0 up.

Always exciting going forward with Routledge and Gutierrez superb on either flank, Newcastle fans will also be impressed by the defensive performance with new signing James Perch in particular and Coloccini excellent at the back. Spanish left-back Jose Enrique was at his devastating best combining with Gutierrez on the left, while Andy Carroll was unplayable throughout.

Stephen Ireland was a peripheral figure throughout on his debut, while questions will be asked of Villa caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald who seemed to employ young centre back Ciaran Clark on Carroll rather than the experienced Richard Dunne.

John Carew stepped up to take Villa’s 10th minute penalty but blasted it over the bar. From there on it became the Toon Army’s day and the ever-controversial Joey Barton stepped up to rifle home a screamer from 25 yards just two minutes after Carew had wasted Villa’s chance to go in front. (Did Barton follow-up his goal with a ‘Hitler’ celebration though http://bit.ly/ad94AB ?)

There was further controversy to come however as Ashley Young was played through to level at 1-1 before the referee disallowed the goal despite it seeming to be legitimate.

From that point on the party started for Newcastle however. A beautiful, flowing move from the left found Carroll who laid the ball off for Nolan to head not once but twice at goal and after Friedel saved the first effort, he could do nothing about the second. Andy Carroll added a third minutes later and Newcastle were cruising at the break.

Carroll hit a fine fourth and last minute sixth for the Toon Army in the second half , while Kevin Nolan grabbed his second as Aston Villa essentially gave up and collapsed at the back.

What the opening Premiership weekend taught us:

(1): Football is beautiful again.

We are (joint) top of the league, we are....

It’s been an arduous summer, beset by diving players at World Cups, Dutch players attempting to kill their illustrious Spanish opposition in the final (which was a little dull), players returning to the front pages of newspapers before the back pages and Man City and Barcelona leading arrogant public pursuits of players regardless of the club they belong to.

But then along comes the opening weekend of the Premiership and all is forgiven. Blackpool are bottom of everyone’s predicted table outcome apart from a select few residents of the seaside town who choose instead to place ten pound notes on their team to win the league at 5,000-1.

And while the bookies aren’t about to slash those odds (particularly with a trip to the Emirates coming up on Saturday), a 4-0 away hammering of Wigan can’t help but put a smile on many a football fan’s face. Roberto Martinez is not laughing however because for every big winner there is a big loser. West Brom took a 6-0 pasting at reigning champions Chelsea but still won’t feel as dejected as Wigan fans this morning.

Drogba hits an opening day hat-trick

(2): Man City aren’t going to be cheered on by many, including the media.
So Harry Redknapp reckons Man City making the top-four is a long shot (and we’re only 90 minutes into the season). Based on Saturday’s performance he has a point, but is only indulging in a little added pressure on one of Spurs big rivals this season. Redknapp will probably be a little concerned that Spurs were unable to take maximum points against a team of individual stars playing together like a team lost in space.

Bellamy has been effectively sacked by the club due to his displeasure at the way he has been treated in the past few weeks. While TheFc100 sympathises with Bellamy, we are not surprised. Adebayor’s cameo at the en of the game will concern the Togo striker. With Balotelli set for a debut against Liverpool next week, where will he figure this season? Indeed where will any of the team figure this season? It’s a conundrum that Mancini probably can’t even solvehimself. This week will probably see the exits of players including Bellamy, Given, Robinho and Santa Cruz. Stephen Ireland may be playing for Man City reserves the way things are going.

Not that people seem too heartbroken to see a little early season suffering for the boys in blue. The media leapt all over Redknapp’s comments and were more than a little harsh in their reporting of the game on Saturday towards Man City. It’s going to be tough for Mancini’s millionaires to win many friends this year.

(3): It must only be crazy people who become referees:
Steve Bruce is rarely a man to talk ill of those dressed in black but….Ok, too farcical to continue with that line. Bruce feels that #fast-tracked’ referee Anthony Taylor had a nightmare on Saturday. He makes one good point: Would a referee with just four years experience be given the job of officiating Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal? Even Man Utd’s with Newcastle? Probably not. But Sunderland V Birmingham does seem like easy pickings. However his slightly biased view of Lee Cattermole being a demigod (He is in fact a fine player with a propensity towards kicking people) means that Taylor was doomed the moment he brandished red. Of a slightly more serious nature was the penalty Taylor awarded in favour of Sunderland for a foul committed by Stephen Carr outside the box. But Bruce failed to mention this in his post-match “I fancy getting an early fine from the FA” rant.

Special Mentions:

(1): Aston Villa. 3-0 winners, with Milner getting the third and sitting two points above the big, bad Man City already.

(2): Joe Cole. Anonymous for 45 minutes, page one material for the 46th minute. Whether he’s that kind of player doesn’t matter. He also may not be the kind of player Gerrard believes he is for footballing ability (Messi would probably have been a little more involved).

Oops.

(3): England goalkeepers. Ok – Kirkland, Carson, Foster, Green – you conceded a lot of goals. But Joe Hart, you didn’t. Fair play.
(4): Putting Didier Drogba in your fantasy football team rather than Nicholas Anelka was a smart move. If you did it.
(5): Alex Ferguson: A little bit of a sour old man if you hate Utd, the best manager in history if you don’t. Ferguson’s comments about hacks predicting Utd would finish outside the top-four were deliciously arrogant and playful: “United not to be in the top four? You have to worry about what upbringing they had or what kind of porridge they’ve had.”

Man Utd 3-1 Chelsea + friendly highlights

Man Utd beat Chelsea 3-1 in today’s Community Shield. Highlights of the game here from MySoccerPlace, though you will have to make do with commentary in Italiano. Moments to look out for include Hernandez’ ridiculous second goal (he tries the rarely-used ‘place ball in the net off my face’ trick), Rooney’s delicious ball for Valencia to open the scoring showing that all is not lost for the English striker after all (despite another failure to get on the score sheet) and Edwin van der Saar showing why he is one of the most crucial links to success this season for Utd.

Man Utd V Chelsea highlights

An astonishing final friendly for Arsenal showed what we all suspected. That they can score goals for fun, but unless they get a new goalkeeper they won’t challenge for the title. Still, we applaud any teams that put on a 6-5 friendly, there’s nothing at stake guys, go for it. And they do. Some absolute cracking goals here too.

What have we learned about the new Man Utd?

Macheda celebrates his 24-second goal

Ok a game against the MLS all-stars doesn’t exactly represent an accurate trial-run for a Premiership game against Chelsea or a Champions League clash with Barcelona. Still, this was an MLS team who are mid-way through their season and considerably fitter than their opponents as well as more experienced in a lot of areas.

Albeit they don’t ever train together. Still, it was a nice test for Man Utd and  convincing 5-2 win ahead of the Community Shield clash with Chelsea next week. The famous Alan Hansen line “You don’t win anything with kids” is overused when it comes to Man Utd, he got it wrong, spectacularly, and people who think Alex Ferguson is on his last legs also need to rethink.

Five conclusions to take from last night’s game:

• Manchester United instil confidence in their young players like no other club (even Arsenal) in the Premiership.
• The likes of Macheda; Hernandez; Evans and Rafael are all ready for regular first-team action, despite being a little rough around the edges.
• In Edwin Van Der Saar, United have retained a formidable weapon. The Dutch man staying fit is crucial to their league chances.
• Financial debt aside, United’s future as a powerful club is secure. Moving into central America has cemented their status as the biggest club worldwide, with more than 70,000 fans in attendance last night. A phenomenal figure for a friendly game in a football/ baseball stronghold. Believed to be the fourth-highest attendance for an all-star game in any sport in US history. And they like their all-star games.

• Ferguson isn’t going anywhere. When Nani trudged off to the sidelines expecting a bit of sympathy from his boss for the kick he had just received, Ferguson wasn’t interested. Instead he berated the Portuguese international for not releasing the ball quicker. When the injury-prone Fabio limped off (again), Ferguson looked at him as if to say, “don’t say I didn’t give you a chance.” It may take a force of God to remove the Scot from the hot seat anytime soon.

Hernandez takes aim

Weekend Premiership Review

Manchester United finally delivered the beating that everyone has expected them to dish out on at least one occasion so far this term….Wigan were the hapless visitors to Old Trafford and despite most of United’s side picking up injuries at one point or another, Wigan were eventually undone by a superb goal from Carlos Tevez……

Spurs 4 Aston Villa 4

 

(“son of a b****”) 

One of those brilliant nights where you go down to the pub on your own, braving the pitying looks from the locals who regard you with the kind of face that screams ‘you’re in your twenties and yet you still have no-one to watch a game of football with in the pub you sad bastard’. Still, the last laugh is on them. As they ‘chatted’ about whether they had milk in the fridge or did they feed the dog that day, Spurs and Villa served up a feast that any dog would’ve devoured without a second thought. Dunno where I was going with that one, moving on….