The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Liam]

Of course it is the real issue, but you call a spade a spade and Albrighton play-acted. Sure, it happens every week, and isn't as big a deal as someone kicking someone in the ribs, but it came across more as 'hey look what he has done to me, ref!' deals than a legitimate injury.

[Lineker]

I bet it fucking hurt. If he hadn't of flopped over then the ref may have easily missed it, surely, with him being already down?

BREAKING MAN CITY TEAM NEWS Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero start up front, and Stefan Savic continues alongside Joleon Lescott at the back, with Micah Richards returning to the starting XI. Full line-ups and Spurs news with you very shortly.

[Liam]

I bet it fucking hurt. If he hadn't of flopped over then the ref may have easily missed it, surely, with him being already down?

So basically it is something he had (and chose) to do, rather than a natural response?

It isn't really an argument I want to get into, because a red is a red is a red, but he over-reacted to it.

Ironically enough, the ref was right there and would have sent him off without the need for drawing his attention to it.

[R.W.]

Yeah, the ref clearly saw it - when Henry did the "what did I do?!" nonsense, the ref mimicked his motion exactly.

Then Albrighton, feeling confused, rolled about even more

Seriously though, Henry is a dirty, dirty player.

[Summers]

Or maybe it hurt? When I've been hurt I don't just lie there still and not move. Him getting called a cheat for being kicked in the ribs is crazy.

[Colly]

If I get a bootful of studs in my chest I'm fairly confident I wouldn't lie prone saying 'ow' either. Nonsensical argument.

[Hobo]

Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager, threatened to get rid of disrespectful players after his side’s surprisingly emphatic 3-1 defeat at Bolton on Saturday, at the start of a week which could well determine his club’s entire season.

The Scotsman, usually fiercely protective of his players, accused them of being focused on forthcoming high-profile cup ties with Manchester City and United, rather than improving a run of league form which has now seen Liverpool collect just six points from their last six games.

With Liverpool searching for their first silverware since winning the 2006 FA Cup final, the two cup ties hold huge significance but Dalglish believes the preparation could not have been worse from his players, some of whom he accused of failing to properly represent the club.

“The most disappointing thing for me is I don’t think we were ready to play the game,” he said.

“I don’t think the approach was correct, I don’t think the way we went about our work was correct. The foundation of the football club has always been built on respect for other people, built on the philosophy that the next game is the most important one, not the one that’s two or three down the line.

“If they thought they could just turn up and get a result and not match the opposition for effort and commitment then they got a lesson today. If that was what the problem was, if they thought this game was not as important as the next one, then fine - but they won’t be here.”

Wednesday sees Liverpool take a 1-0 lead into their Carling Cup semi-final second leg with City while a high-profile fourth round FA Cup tie with United awaits on Saturday at Anfield — games which Dalglish believes to have been a distraction at the Reebok.

“I never asked them what they were thinking but I would assume that people would have that idea in mind,” he said. “If it is, then it’s not correct, in the sense that it’s not the right way to go about representing this football club.

“It was before the game [that Liverpool lost the match]. The start of the game, we lost a goal after four minutes and we’ve got to make sure we are ready to go before we start the match. I don’t think we were. That’s probably why we lost a goal in four minutes. They thought this game was not as important as the next one.”

- The Telegraph

[Lineker]

BREAKING TOTTENHAM TEAM NEWS Just two changes by boss Harry Redknapp. Ledley King replaces Michael Dawson at the back, while Jermain Defoe is in for the ineligible Emmanuel Adebayor up front.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Barry, Milner, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko.

Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Johnson, Kolarov, Onuoha, de Jong, Balotelli.

Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Parker, Modric, Bale, van der Vaart, Defoe.

Subs: Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Bassong, Dawson, Kranjcar, Livermore, Pienaar.

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)

Ledley's back!! !

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Put the pressure on Savic!

[Crybaby Bunting]

Ok, Kenny wants to remove the deadwood from Liverpool. That'd be easy enough if the deadwood didn't cost £80m and was bought BY Dalglish.

Surely it's the manager that should go?

[Colly]

Exactly. If the ridiculously overpriced mediocre midfield isn't good enough to justify their price tags how can he expect any more?

[Matt]

Ok, Kenny wants to remove the deadwood from Liverpool. That'd be easy enough if the deadwood didn't cost £80m and was bought BY Dalglish.

Surely it's the manager that should go?

But he's King Kenny and thus excused for anything and everything.

[Hobo]

The problem of Liverpool players not turning up in matches they should win is not exclusive to the last year.

In terms of KD's signings, Adam would qualify for this discussion. Downing has been generally shit, Henderson's been okay. Carroll's fucked by injuries and pressures and hasn't really fit I'd assume mostly because the system that KD expected to deploy with Carroll hasn't been possible (Gerrard's been out & Suarez has been suspended - at least he has a better goal return than Torres does at Chelsea as far as I remember ). Bellamy has been fine but is limited by injuries and Enrique has been a great buy.

But he's King Kenny and thus excused for anything and everything.

Like fuck it is.

I don't know about Liverpool fans as a whole, but I wasn't expecting anything more than we've got this season and viewed as a transitional season I didn't expect Kenny Dalglish to be bringing Liverpool their 19th league title this year.

So much can be made about the money spent because it's clearly a shock that young English players are generally going for silly prices no matter what club they go to.

[IAceI]

So all you have to do to win the league is change your manager every six games then? Constant honeymoon!

Agreed on the usual honeymoon period for a new manager but I think we're past that now and he's genuinely getting the best out of his players.

Edited January 22, 2012 by IAceI

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Even if 'King Kenny ran over someone in Liverpool it would be their fault for walking in front of his blessed vehicle.

[Summers]

Ace, he only signed like what two weeks ago? No way are you past the honeymoon period. That's crazy talk.

[Cymbols]

Selling Christian Poulsen was Liverpool's downfall.

[IAceI]

He's been in charge for over a month and managed us for nine games. I think any players 'still playing for their position' are past that point now and he's actually getting the goals out of Sessegnon, Vaughan, Gardner et al like we needed.

We haven't lost a game this season by more than one goal so it was obvious that we just needed some minor changes to get the best out of midfielders and the like, which is what we're now getting.

[Summers]

And you're still in the honeymoon period. He was our manager too, I know how long a honeyMON period can last.

[Dingle]

I don't know about Liverpool fans as a whole, but I wasn't expecting anything more than we've got this season and viewed as a transitional season I didn't expect Kenny Dalglish to be bringing Liverpool their 19th league title this year.

It's always a transitional season for Liverpool .

Top 2 sides in action right now then? Would love Spurs to get the win here, but all I want to see is great passing, some flair and a few good goals. Tonight's MOTD has a LOT to live up to.