The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Hobo]

31 times, baby!

[DavidMarrio]

What a fucking goal!!!!!! (Although I now won't win 62 quid )

[Szumi]

Oh Suarez, you beauty

[EddieG]

You fucking beauty.

[Hobo]

That was marvelous!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Wigan can have all of my children. All of them.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

The Di Santo goal, wow.

Beautiful

[Szumi]

I feel like that Liverpool victory is very much a paper over the cracks one. All three goals were against the run of play; Suarez's first two came off of sloppy defending/passing by Norwich, and the third, while amazing, was still a total fluke. Despite controlling possession, we were only a threat to score when we were able to hit on the counter. The players need space to create something, as it seems like only Suarez has the capability to create a scoring opportunity when the defense is packed in. Gerrard could be that creative force with his passing if he wanted to, but I've always felt he wanted the glory with those 30 yard bombs of his. If he accepted a role as a playmaker/pass-first man instead of a goal getter, Liverpool would be better off.

Plus, Dalglish's tactics of having Downing on the right and Bellamy on the left just doesn't work. While Bellamy can actually work on the left, Downing is just a disaster on the right. He can't use his right foot at all, eliminating the ability for him to play an early cross into the area when he does get past his man. Every time he gets past his man, he'll chop to his left and either play a poor ball into the area because the defenders have recovered, or he cuts inside and shoots wide. I know he didn't play too great on the left earlier in the year, but surely he's better off there than on the right. Dirk Kuyt, for all of his struggles and mishaps this season, should be on the right over Downing... or Bellamy... or Maxi... or Sterling.. or anyone.

[Adam]

Loved di Santo's goal, superb and then Suarez...that is sublime finishing all round, a great hattrick. Shelvey desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as well.

Also, ignoring the fact that I think Fulham can feel slightly aggrieved...Jelavic <3

[Jimmy]

What was it with football this week and people simply failing to clear the ball off the line?

[DavidMarrio]

The thing with all three goals being against the run of play though is how many times have we actually got goals from situations like the ones we have this season? Hardly any compared to games were we have enjoyed pretty much total domination and not got goals.

Tbh that is the type of win with the type of goals we need instead of another smashing someone and losing 1-0 due to them scoring from their only shot on target. Clearly there is issues with the team that need ironing out that no one is denying and hopefully we can address the issues over the summer and be able to finish more of our chances next season, but Suarez done what any good striker should do and that was take his chances. Doesn't matter where they come from a goals a goal, whether it be from a 45 yard lob, a 2 yard tap in or a curled shot from the edge of the box.

Plus I wouldn't say the goals were really against the run of play as the game was pretty even and then Norwich switched off. The first two were just really sloppy defending and Suarez does what any striker should do and capitalize while the third came from a counter attack. I'm happy with the win as we didn't look like losing and it was comfortable performance for the team that will hopefully create momentum going into the FA Cup final.

Edit: Clattenberg...Wow....How did he not give a pen in that game?

[Hobo]

I feel like that Liverpool victory is very much a paper over the cracks one. All three goals were against the run of play; Suarez's first two came off of sloppy defending/passing by Norwich, and the third, while amazing, was still a total fluke. Despite controlling possession, we were only a threat to score when we were able to hit on the counter. The players need space to create something, as it seems like only Suarez has the capability to create a scoring opportunity when the defense is packed in. Gerrard could be that creative force with his passing if he wanted to, but I've always felt he wanted the glory with those 30 yard bombs of his. If he accepted a role as a playmaker/pass-first man instead of a goal getter, Liverpool would be better off.

Plus, Dalglish's tactics of having Downing on the right and Bellamy on the left just doesn't work. While Bellamy can actually work on the left, Downing is just a disaster on the right. He can't use his right foot at all, eliminating the ability for him to play an early cross into the area when he does get past his man. Every time he gets past his man, he'll chop to his left and either play a poor ball into the area because the defenders have recovered, or he cuts inside and shoots wide. I know he didn't play too great on the left earlier in the year, but surely he's better off there than on the right. Dirk Kuyt, for all of his struggles and mishaps this season, should be on the right over Downing... or Bellamy... or Maxi... or Sterling.. or anyone.

Gerrard playing just behind the striker worked when Torres was around. He is always prone to those captain fantastic shots but today was probably the first time in a while he has actually played in that role.

Bellamy is by no means a solution to anything. He is crocked and has been pretty poor since his return to injury. But having him out wide today was far better than the usual tactic of playing Henderson out wide. Henderson had a munch better game in central midfield (at one point he had 100% pass completion today during the first half). I would rather Kuyt and Maxi myself. But Im at least glad Dalglish went and put Gerrard and Henderson in more suitable positions,

The problem with Suarez is in most games he ends up doing a load of dribbling, beating whole defences and then has no energy to finish. The idea should be that Suarez shouldn't have to do all that work. If he is fed more often than having to make his own chances he will score more often.

[therockbox]

I don't think any of the goals were against the run of play, Norwich were shocking and offered nothing going forward. It was the most comfortable game for us probably since the game at Villa before Christmas. It was nice to see us actually trying to win the ball back off the opposition in their own half for a change, normally we retreat back to the edge of our own box whenever the other team has the ball so most of the time we have to build every attack up from scratch. Turning the ball over in the opposition's half is one of the most effective ways to score, and we've barely done it all season. We did it an awful lot in the second half of last year, when we had Kuyt, Maxi, Suarez, Lucas and Meireles - intelligent players all bought up to 'press' - doing it, but we lost that when we signed the likes of Downing, Carroll, Henderson and Adam.

Hopefully Kenny will get the hint, but I don't think he will.

[stokeriño]

What a thoroughly miserable day it is to be venturing out in. Chelsea had better win to make up for it!

Not just for us of course, but for Villa/Wigan/Bolton/anyone else who isn't QPR.

[Summers]

Tear 'em a new one.

[R.W.]

You beat QPR, we'll beat Spurs.

Deal?

[stokeriño]

That would be lovely.

[Colly]

I could live with that too.

[Lineker]

We won't win today, I wouldn't worry.

To add to yesterday's Bale misery...

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has admitted that playmaker Luka Modric may leave White Hart Lane in the summer.

The news comes a day after winger Gareth Bale, 22, told BBC's Football Focus he could leave if Spurs do not qualify for the Champions League.

"Last summer it was vital that we kept hold of Luka," said Redknapp. "I would be lying if I said I was sure that he would stay [this summer].

"You would like to think Luka would still be here, but you never know."

Much is likely to rest on whether or not Tottenham are playing in Europe's elite club competition next season.

"Certainly I wouldn't see Gareth Bale wanting to leave here," Redknapp commented.

"At the moment he is happy here, a big fish here. He is still learning the game, a young boy, and this is where he needs to be.

"Luka, it's different with him. I don't know what he would do."

Modric, 26, expressed his desire to leave Tottenham in 2011 but the club rejected a £40m offer from Chelsea on transfer deadline day.

The Croatian then played a key role in Spurs spending much of the season in contention for the Premier League title.

But Redknapp's men have since fallen to fifth with just three wins from 14 games ahead of Sunday's meeting with Blackburn.

They sit three points behind fourth-placed Newcastle with a game in hand and seven behind third-placed Arsenal with two in hand.

But if sixth-placed Chelsea win the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, only three other Premier League teams can qualify for next season's competition.

"I think that [the rule] is unfair," Redknapp added.

"You look at the teams that some other countries have in it and we have a team in this country that might finish fourth and are in the final. That shows you the strength of our league.

"I think the rule should be whoever finishes in the top four should get a Champions League place.

"I don't see any reason why there can't be five English teams in it. I don't know whether they will change it, though. You know what it's like with people changing rules."

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Of course it's likely he'll go....Unless we get Champions League and he gets £120,000+ per week.