Are we expecting too much?

[ROBBO]

Reading the after match comments from last night i get the sense that some of us believe that we should be playing better than we are. It comes as no suprise to me that we appear to be struggling. The manager leaves with days to go before the start of the season, we don't strengthen when we all know we badly needed to, and we have a new manager who is trying all the squad to see who is worth keeping and trying different formations. I have all but written this season off and as long as we don't end up with the cellar dwellers i will wait to see what GH does with the squad in the summer.

[The Man With A Stick]

I couldn't agree more.  You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.  If we have a decent cup run (or two) and finish 8-10th then I'll be happy, all things considered.

It'll pay off in the long run, there's just no way I could have faced another summer of MON's dithering in the transfer market.

[Rancid custard]

I think the problem is Gerrard doesn't know our best team or the best formation to get the best kind of balance from opponent to opponent. We Know we've got a fairly decent squad, the frustration just comes from not seeing it all click into place on a more consistent basis.

[BannedUserIAT]

Well said, Robbo. I've said before that games this season are little more than training sessions for next season.

Houllier seems prepared to (for the most part) give everyone a go and not rely upon any kind of popular opinion in his choice of player.

Sadly though, taking a step or two back in order to move forward will not be acceptable in many eyes.
 

[pauliewalnuts]

From the moment MON left, this was always going to be a difficult season.

A few results have gone against us, but on the bright side, we're playing good football in spells, we're using the squad far, far better, we're still in the league cup and with an excellent chance of getting to Wembley again, and each match that goes by, the new management team get more settled, and we edge closer to the January transfer window.

[tim]

Unlike many manangerial replacements, GH did not have a chance to see us in action previously and had been away from the english game for quite a while. He has returned to a league he is a lot less familliar with and a team he had probably never seen play a full game until a week or so before taking over.

[Mr Diggles]

Unlike many manangerial replacements, GH did not have a chance to see us in action previously and had been away from the english game for quite a while. He has returned to a league he is a lot less familliar with and a team he had probably never seen play a full game until a week or so before taking over.

I'm not sure I agree with that - as a techincal director he would have watched and been aware of what was going on in the Premier League right up until he joined us, plus he has McAllister and Cowans in his management team.

Overall I think this will be a season of transition and I don't expect anything from the club until a year into Houllier's time in charge. He is trying to change a lot of what we were doing in the club for a long time football-wise, which will take time and new players. And I am delighted with the football we are beginning to play now, in comparison to the medieval tactics of MON.

[Concrete John]

I think the problem is Gerrard doesn't know our best team or the best formation to get the best kind of balance from opponent to opponent.

I think this is the key point, particularly in midfield. 

Defensively, even though we've been less than water tight away from home so far, the keeper and fullbacks pick themselves and, for me, it's then just a matter of who partners Collins.

Seems it's going to be one upfront, although I do think in some games 4-4-2 should still be used, with that being Heskey right now and more than likely Gabby once he's fit.

But in midfield we do seem to be having issues in getting the best out of Ireland and balancing the three wingers, who all deserve to be playing.  I think it will settle down to Ireland central and Downing/Ash wide, but even then they need to get used to the formation and the players around them.  This of course won't be helped by Petrov being out. 

And to answer the question in the title, of course we are!!   

[darren woolley]

We knew this season was going to be one of change when MON left so i dont think we are expecting too much, we are playing good football after the MON reign and he will bring in a few new players in january and next summer.  I for one is excited by what the future team will be like a bit of flair and attractive to watch. 

[Bosco81]

We now know that playing with no strikers is not the best policy at home to a championsip side, I'm sure we've all been wonering if it would work.

I hope Nathan Delf gets the same chances afforded some of the lesser talented players in the squad.

[Concrete John]

I hope Nathan Delf gets the same chances afforded some of the lesser talented players in the squad.

I do think there's an issue there somewhere that Gezza, and K-Mac before him, doesn't over fancy young Nathan.

[Dave Cooper please]

While I agree with the sentiment of your post Robbo, I still think we should have played better than what we came up with for the first 85 minutes last night. There are no excuses in the World for the ineptness displayed by Ireland and Sidwell, and the general feeling that the team thought Burnley would just roll over for them.
You shouldn't take comments from a match thread or immediately after the game as any sort of barometer for the overall feeling of fans for the season, match thread comments are just instant reactions to what is happening at the time.

[Concrete John]

We now know that playing with no strikers is not the best policy at home to a championsip side

Playing a bit of 'devils advocate', but I wonder what the reaction on here would have been if MON had done the same thing......?

[jembob]

Although it's been a difficult start to the season I still expect us to do very well this season. We have a strong first team and now a manager who should bring a bit of tactical nous to games.
Our problems will really begin if we start to get more injuries, as in previous seasons we seem to have escaped missing team members on a large scale. That problem would expose the lack of quality/experience which we have in the squad as demonstrated last night. Considering MON spent so much we don't have a lot to show for it.

Lat night was very disappointing and I feel that Burnley played the much better football. At the start of the second half they squeezed us into the centre of the pitch and we lacked any movement or composure to do anything about it. Sidwell was particularly poor and gave us nothing - we may as well as have down to 10 men before Albrighton got his marching orders for what he game us last night. While I can accept that he hasn't had much first team play for the last 18 months and his confidence might be low, I would expect him to be able to do basic things right, like completing a simple pass and moving into space. Houllier must move in the January transfer window to bring in a bit of quality for the likes of Petrov.

We have much to be encouraged about by recent performances and as long as we keep key players fit and add wisely to the squad in January I would still expect us to be capable of a top 6 finish.

[TheSandman]

I'm not expecting too much and as such I am not particular unhappy with the way things are going (though if things are not pretty on Sunday...). I said ages back that my enthusiasm and expectations under the previous manager had dipped somewhat. So for my money we are (irrespective of who is in charge) about where I expected. Perhaps if things settle down we might improve from this base in the remainder of the season but I think we will know more next season.

We now know that playing with no strikers is not the best policy at home to a championsip side

Playing a bit of 'devils advocate', but I wonder what the reaction on here would have been if MON had done the same thing......?

There would have of course been hellfire on here. I was somewhat miffed to say the least when I heard the team and tried to figure out the formation. Even on the basis of play it was clear that the game was crying out for Emile Heskey and he turned the game when he came on. Admittedly I can see GHou's thinking in leaving him out due to the game on Sunday but we still should have maybe given Delfouneso a go. The outcome is that whilst we won the game He's key will be a little less well rested on Sunday.

For me the difference is that this is one thing at the start of a manager's rein. If MoN did it a month or so into his time it would be overlooked. If he hadn't left and did it last night  there would be anger on here from people like myself who gradually lost faith in the manager over a number of things rather than one early issue.