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Author Topic: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker  (Read 14915 times)

Offline rutski

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2010, 10:51:17 AM »
Yep,the last two seasons could've ended differently if NRC was put in with Milner at the expense of the tiring Petrov.


Exactly.

Playing a poorer side at home who are after a draw?  Play Petrov.
Away and think you need more defensive strength?  NRC comes in.   
 
wasnt the player of the year the season before last stan petrov?

Yes, and he's a very good footballer.  However that doesn't mean he should be untouchable and guaranteed a place, especially when NRC's energy was needed centrally.
i was just responding to the comment about the last 2 seasons ending differently! season before last he was our best player! i also agree that no man should be untouchable.

Offline Villa'Zawg

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2010, 11:08:53 AM »
Yep,the last two seasons could've ended differently if NRC was put in with Milner at the expense of the tiring Petrov.

Exactly.

Playing a poorer side at home who are after a draw?  Play Petrov.
Away and think you need more defensive strength?  NRC comes in.   
 

our away form last season was astonishing, we took only 2 points less than Chelsea, four points behind Man Utd and ahead of every other team. I think it's a stretch to imagine we would have done better with NRC in for Petrov.

Offline Concrete John

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #17 on: October 23, 2010, 11:35:06 AM »
our away form last season was astonishing, we took only 2 points less than Chelsea, four points behind Man Utd and ahead of every other team. I think it's a stretch to imagine we would have done better with NRC in for Petrov.

That's very true.

Yet at times we looked a bit leggy centrally having him in there would have been an asset, especially during the 08/09 season when it was Barry and Petrov.  Thinking about it, having Milner central gave us the legs last season, so this is probably an argument more for seasons before the 2nd half of 09/10.   

Just because soemthing is working well does not mean it can't be improved.

Offline fredm

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #18 on: October 23, 2010, 01:57:42 PM »
Also NRC and Petrov could have been alternated during the match.  Most people would agree that Petrov's legs usually go around the 70 minute mark (before the new regime came in) so NRC coming on may have made a difference - or even starting with NRC and holding things tight then unleashing Petrov later on when we were looking to unlock them.

Who nows what might have happened - as far as I can recall we never had the opportunity to find out.


Offline SoccerHQ

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #19 on: October 23, 2010, 07:21:28 PM »
Probably our best player again today. Only trouble is defensive midfielders don't win you many games in this league!

Still him and Sidwell (shock horror) actually looked a decent midfield partnership so I'd try to get NRC on a new deal a.s.a.p.

Petrov's days are numbered, he won't be a first 11 regular beyond this season imo.

Offline jembob

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #20 on: October 23, 2010, 07:36:30 PM »
Another example to show just how much MON had lost it towards the end of his tenure. There were games last season that were crying out for NRC to come on and help secure things but he wasn't given a decent enough opportunity, but it was all our fault for applauding him when he warmed up!!

Good work by Houllier and team to invigorate some decent players who would have been sold if Judas hadn't done a runner.

Offline supertom

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #21 on: October 23, 2010, 07:47:08 PM »
It was very obvious, day one, Houlliers first order of business would be to put Nigel in the side, in front of the back four. He's always had that sort of player, and Nige is the best we have to do that.

I don't even think it's a case of settling though, Nige can and I think will, prove to be a very important player for us over time.

Online pauliewalnuts

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #22 on: October 23, 2010, 11:08:26 PM »
Another example to show just how much MON had lost it towards the end of his tenure. There were games last season that were crying out for NRC to come on and help secure things but he wasn't given a decent enough opportunity, but it was all our fault for applauding him when he warmed up!!

One of the most annoying things was the number of times we needed to do just that - shore things up and see out the game - when NRC would have been the obvious choice.

I really don't think he's a particularly talented player, he's a really poor passer of the ball, but he's a tenacious, energetic and awkward fucker who makes a right nuisance of himself at times, and sometimes that is exactly what you need in the middle.

Online Chris Smith

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #23 on: October 24, 2010, 09:58:20 AM »
To my mind the reason that Reo Coker is looking better is that we've switched to a different style of play so that his limitations that are only to apparent when he's part of a 4-4-2 are minimised and his strengths are maximised. After he recovered from his injury at the end of last season I don't think it would have made much sense to try to change things just to find a place for him.

Offline jembob

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #24 on: October 24, 2010, 11:06:00 AM »
To my mind the reason that Reo Coker is looking better is that we've switched to a different style of play so that his limitations that are only to apparent when he's part of a 4-4-2 are minimised and his strengths are maximised. After he recovered from his injury at the end of last season I don't think it would have made much sense to try to change things just to find a place for him.

Agreed that we should not have made changes to our general formation to suit NRC, the changes should have made because we faced the same problems game after game and MON did nothing to address that. The argument I make is that when we have a slender lead and come under pressure in the final minutes, the most pointless substitution (and MON's favourite) was Heskey for Carew and maintain 4-4-2 while being over run. Surely take off a non-performing striker (Heskey/Carew - which ever one was on the field) and stiffen up the midfield with somebody like NRC. To me that would have been basic common sense.

Online Chris Smith

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #25 on: October 24, 2010, 11:09:06 AM »
To my mind the reason that Reo Coker is looking better is that we've switched to a different style of play so that his limitations that are only to apparent when he's part of a 4-4-2 are minimised and his strengths are maximised. After he recovered from his injury at the end of last season I don't think it would have made much sense to try to change things just to find a place for him.

Agreed that we should not have made changes to our general formation to suit NRC, the changes should have made because we faced the same problems game after game and MON did nothing to address that. The argument I make is that when we have a slender lead and come under pressure in the final minutes, the most pointless substitution (and MON's favourite) was Heskey for Carew and maintain 4-4-2 while being over run. Surely take off a non-performing striker (Heskey/Carew - which ever one was on the field) and stiffen up the midfield with somebody like NRC. To me that would have been basic common sense.

It's one way of doing it but another school of thought is that by bringing on a fresh striker you pose more problems at the other end of the pitch and reliev the pressure in that way. I don't claim that either is always the right option but I would argue against idea one is common sense and the other isn't.

Offline Matt Collins

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #26 on: October 24, 2010, 11:23:36 AM »
Completely agree that NRC is suited to the formation we play. Provided Young is playing centrally, we don't need our central midfielders to be particularly creative. But I still think Delph should become a much better player. Playing them both would make opponents' lives a nightmare

Offline JUAN PABLO

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #27 on: October 24, 2010, 11:28:32 AM »
MON turned NRC into a player we would have let go for nothing..     Hes looking a very good player at the moment..  lets hope he continues..

Offline Rudy Can't Fail

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #28 on: October 24, 2010, 02:35:46 PM »
To my mind the reason that Reo Coker is looking better is that we've switched to a different style of play so that his limitations that are only to apparent when he's part of a 4-4-2 are minimised and his strengths are maximised. After he recovered from his injury at the end of last season I don't think it would have made much sense to try to change things just to find a place for him.
That's bollocks Chris, as we'll soon see when we go 442 or 433. The difference is he's been told to play a vital role, focus on breaking up play and deliver the ball to our more creative players. You can do that and need it with any formation. Don't you think it's a bit strange since we've finally "switched to a different style of play" and decided to pass the ball, NRC has been our best player? The same NRC that couldn't pass to save his life.

Gary Mac and Sid Cowans deserve medals for what they've done with him, not to mention the money we'll probably save.

Offline Dante Lavelli

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Re: Houllier thrilled with impact of "blossoming" Reo-Coker
« Reply #29 on: October 24, 2010, 02:50:52 PM »
MON turned NRC into a player we would have let go for nothing..     Hes looking a very good player at the moment..  lets hope he continues..

That still might happen as I'm pretty certain his contract expires at the end of the season.  He definitely deserves a new deal, but again the player will be the one with the power and leverage so he could ask for silly wages if he wants.

 


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