so, spurs. do you think we have a chance?

[darkstarexodus]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=42886.msg1223991#msg1223991 date=1290746373]
It's why the old duffer is 'well respected within the game'. He's always talking up and praising the opposition, but is doing so not out of respect or courtesy, instead it's an attempt to reduce the expectations on himself and the club he's dragging down with him.
[/quote]

Yep. Especially in light of how Rafa was hung by his guarantee that we would qualify for Champions League last year. But Roy's consistent lowering of expectations simply means that I now have absolutely no faith that he can get us there. Because it doesn't seem as though that's really the target.

 

[Hansern]

I HATE him. These comments would have been okay whilst at Fulham, but not when you're at Liverpool.

Lowering expactiations before the game and when we lose on sunday he'll say; "yeah I said this would be tough place to come and that proved to be the case. Still, we put up a good fight and while we lost 4-1 we played our best game of the season".

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Binny link=topic=42886.msg1223973#msg1223973 date=1290734192]

Reds boss Roy Hodgson claims Spurs are no longer “mugsâ€, but insists Liverpool can end a run of three consecutive defeats at White Hart Lane.

“Wins are hard to come by against the top teams and we’ve got to admit that Tottenham are no longer the Tottenham of old,†he said. “They are a top team, an expensively-assembled team. We’re not playing against mugs anymore.

“We’ve had a very good run now - one defeat in eight is a good run at any stage of the season. We have to be happy with that, but we’re not stupid.

“We know that if you go to Tottenham it could be two defeats in nine, but, if we can play like we have been, we may spring a surprise.â€

[/quote]

fucking hell...

 

[Avmenon]

It's annoying how every sound he makes is dissected; to the extent that Neil probably has an interest in his flatulence.

But HOdgson really should shut the fuck up sometimes.

 

[Avmenon]

At least it's better than his claiming a 'famous victory'

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Yup Avvy, 100% right.

This 'we would be lucky to get a win at XXX stadium' BS is ridiculous. We're fucking Liverpool.

 

[King Binny]

"The away form has been bad for a long time," said the Reds boss. "We've had one good victory and a couple of reasonable draws but I'm afraid in this league away victories are hard to come by. I don't think mentality comes into it."

He added: "We've not been a lucky team so far, whatever we've got we've had to battle for.

"Against Stoke we had done well against them until they scored the goal.

"Then we took the game to them and conceded a second and everyone thinks the team played badly and were battered.

"I believe if we continue to play the way we did against West Ham we may get one or two but it is the level of performance which counts.

"Results determine everything and people look at the results and then judge the performance.

"I have to judge the performance sometimes when we win and say 'That was not very good and we could do better' and sometimes when we lose I have to look at it and say it was a bad result but not as bad as all that."

 

[Whitey85]

We were woeful against Stoke. What the fuck is he on about?

 

[manwithnoname]

Oh Budgie, Budgie, Budgie, you hapless, spineless, mediocre old loser. Do us all a favour.

 

[peterhague]

benitez was right, each press conference is even worse than the last. what the fuck is the matter with him? how can anyone not get such a simple message? it's easy enough ffs: 'spurs are a strong team but if we play to our potential we can get a result'. that's ALL any of us want. how can he be incapable of that?

it's beyond fucking belief.

 

[King Binny]

Haven't been able to see any video of his pre-match press conference yet but this latest quote from him is apparently towards a question of whether its a mentality problem, i.e. our players being weak mentally. Thus, his answer was kinda in denial by pointing out that if they are indeed weak, they would've have been able to 'perform' and its the results that are 'clouding' ppl's vision/perception.

Not that I'm in agreement though...

 

[Jack D Rips]

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson thinks that Fernando Torres and David Ngog are the key to causing an upset at Tottenham on Sunday.

The Reds travel to White Hart Lane this weekend in the unusual role as underdogs, having been usurped by Spurs as one of the Premier League's top four clubs last season before making a terrible start to the current campaign.

But Hodgson, who will again be without injured captain Steven Gerrard, saw his side defeat rock-bottom West Ham with ease last Saturday evening to ensure they have now lost only one game in eight matches in all competitions.

After an apparent lack of fitness and confidence, Fernando Torres has rediscovered his goalscoring form in that period, while Ngog impressed against the Hammers when starting in Gerrard's absence.

And Hodgson thinks the strike pair could have an important part to play in North London, as he said: "We've had a very good run now and one defeat in eight is a good run at any stage of the season.

Expensive
"We have to be happy with that but we are not stupid. We know that if you go to Tottenham it could be two defeats in nine but if we play like we did against West Ham we can make sure Tottenham don't have a cake-walk.

"And if we can keep Fernando Torres and David Ngog firing we may spring a surprise.

"Wins are hard to come by against the top teams and we have got to admit that Tottenham are no longer the Tottenham of old.

"They are a top team and have recently beaten the European champions (Inter Milan) in the Champions League. It is an expensively assembled team and we are not playing against mugs anymore."

But Hodgson, who succeeded Rafa Benitez in the summer, acknowledges that Liverpool's record of only six wins in 26 matches on the road in the Premier League is a concern.


Important
"The away form has been bad for a long time," he added. "I'm afraid in this league away victories are hard to come by.

"I believe if we continue to play the way we did against West Ham we may get one or two but it is the level of performance which counts."

Meanwhile, deputy-skipper Jamie Carragher admits that the absence of Gerrard, who damaged his hamstring in England's friendly defeat to France last week, is a setback.

The centre-back said: "There's no doubt Steven will be missed whether we win, lose or draw because he is such an important player."

 

[Le Chacal]

"N'gog impressed"... :-\

 

[Jack D Rips]

Seems Pepe is happy to give Roy a chance

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=846305&sec=england&cc=5739

 

[willby]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=42886.msg1223988#msg1223988 date=1290746081]
I defend plenty of his comments from the hysterical crowd on here, but I fully agree with you there.

He hasn't raised his ambitions since Fulham. Sack the useless bellend. Now.
[/quote]

We'll win on Sunday and he'll still be here at the New Year... hahaha!

 

[Delinquent]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=42886.msg1222184#msg1222184 date=1290418908]
We'll string 10 players across the edge of the box trying desperately to keep them out for 90 minutes.

Our attacking will consist of long hopeful punts up to Torres and praying like fuck that he pulls something out of his arse.

I can't hardly wait.
[/quote]

Yup. Everything that comes out of Roy's mouth is simply an attempt to 'manage' expectations. He's a loser, and would be overjoyed with a point.

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=peterhague link=topic=42886.msg1224068#msg1224068 date=1290768277]
benitez was right, each press conference is even worse than the last. what the fuck is the matter with him? how can anyone not get such a simple message? it's easy enough ffs: 'spurs are a strong team but if we play to our potential we can get a result'. that's ALL any of us want. how can he be incapable of that?

it's beyond fucking belief.
[/quote]

This, 100% this, but the simple truth is that he can't think quickly enough even to come up with this much when he's interviewed. That plus his lack of ambition = middle-ranking manager (at best) struggling waaaay out of his depth.

Someone please put the guy out of our misery.

 

[Delinquent]

"The away form has been bad for a long time," he added. "I'm afraid in this league away victories are hard to come by.

"I believe if we continue to play the way we did against West Ham we may get one or two but it is the level of performance which counts."

I find this kind of talk staggering, I really do.

I wish he'd just fuck off back to a lower-tier club before he turns us into one.

 

[spider-Neil]

"I believe if we continue to play the way we did against West Ham we may get one or two but it is the level of performance which counts."

one or two what? goals? wins? if it's the latter then fucking hell!

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

The real problem is that given his away record, he's probably being optimistic.

 

[Delinquent]

Of course, what he should be doing is questioning precisely why his away record is so bad and seeking to rectify it. But it sounds as though he's just accepted that it's "hard" and therefore insurmountable.

Presumably by emphasizing performance over results he can hold up games like the derby where he thought we were excellent, despite being soundly beaten.

What a fucking joke the man is.

 

[King Binny]

Provisional squad: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Lucas, Meireles, Kuyt, Rodriguez, Torres, Ngog, Jones, Poulsen, Aurelio, Kelly, Cole, Babel, Jovanovic.

No Shelvey, Eccleston and Pacheco it seems

*Edit: On second thought, might be wrong, cos there's exactly 18 men in there. Apologies.

 

[Jack D Rips]

So the first eleven names is the team. Or is that too simple?

 

[Asbo]

[quote author=Jack D Rips link=topic=42886.msg1224213#msg1224213 date=1290784723]
So the first eleven names is the team. Or is that too simple?
[/quote]

Shh You've let Roys tactics out the bag!

He names the Squad in oreder of whos playing and whos sub, maybe thats why he never wins away?

 

[LarryHagman]

I think we'll get beat. But, by the same token, I think we have a chance.

Thanks.

 

[King Binny]

Liverpool boss claims Jamie Carragher will captain club on his 400th appearance

 

[King Binny]

[quote author=Jack D Rips link=topic=42886.msg1224213#msg1224213 date=1290784723]
So the first eleven names is the team. Or is that too simple?
[/quote]

Lol. From another website:

Tottenham squad: Gomes, Cudicini, Hutton, Corluka, Bale, Gallas, Bassong, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Palacios, Sandro, Jenas, Kranjcar, Lennon, Bentley, Modric, Van der Vaart, Crouch, Pavlyuchenko, Keane, Defoe.

Liverpool squad: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Lucas, Meireles, Kuyt, Rodriguez, Torres, Ngog, Jones, Poulsen, Aurelio, Kelly, Cole, Babel, Jovanovic.

Funny how the Liverpool provisional squad list is exactly the same. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but based on these, Spurs have got 21 players. We've got 18 in the squad. The way Spurs' squad is listed, its more in terms of position whereas for ours it looks like a starting 11 followed by subs. Is it due to the way we 'submit' our squad list for travelling party? Shall refer back on match day to see how the actual line up turns out to be.

 

[TheBunnyman]

That team would make sense. And on paper it looks pretty adventurous. And no Pucas, which can only be a good thing...

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=Binny link=topic=42886.msg1224221#msg1224221 date=1290785595]
Liverpool boss claims Jamie Carragher will captain club on his 400th appearance
[/quote]

What a cunt Hodgson is.

 

[Delinquent]

I don't think anyone thinks he's a cunt. He's just hopelessly, and embarrassingly, out of his depth.