Luis Saurez----Should He Stay or Should He Go.....

Should I stay or should I go now

If I go their will be trouble

If I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know
Should I cool it or should I go

I miss The Clash, but more importantly I miss the loyalty of players to the Club. Steven Gerrard and Carra are probably creatures of a different century, a different upbringing.  Maybe what I really miss is directness. Where a player says something honest, like, " I want more money! That will make me stay ". 

But these are different times. Players say things like "the press are mean to me", "I'm homesick" and then their agent starts to make noise.

So Luis Saurez, what do you do?  He is a fantastic player. Scores goals, is aggressive, has great instincts, terrific pace, and disrupts the defensive lines effortlessly. He also regularly gets banned from games, causes distraction to the development of the squad, and makes noise direct and indirect about leaving the squad.

He makes about 4.5 million pounds per year, and misses on average 6 games (so far) per season. And still score more goals than most players in the EPL.

Today we here that the spendthrift Arsenal were offering €30000000 for Saurez. If true he must surely be worth double! 

My opinion, sell. Just using the Arsenal figure of €30000000 is an amount that could well set up Liverpool's financial stability for the years to come. It would allow for the acquisition , now and in the future, of solid players to get us back into Europe and, more importantly, to stay there.

Liverpool FC; Are we going back to Europe?

Damn right we are, and it is at all possible it will be because of this upcoming season.

Why now, and what is different?

Now, because everything has changed and an old philosophy has returned. The old philosophy is the pass and move football of the past has returned. Pressure is being mounted in the opposition end of the field, defending is taking place high up the pitch, and possession is treasured and maintained, not just (always) lumping the ball up the pitch. It is so good to see Liverpool play football again. Real football.

These ten goals just give us the faintest of memories of what happened in that distant past. In those days of yore.

In, now it seems, pre-history.

But the times are changing. A different field philosophy, pass and move, control and pass, patience. New players and revived careers. Brendan Rodgers has revitalized Henderson and Downing, he has identified the players and roles to move the squad forward (Allen, Coutinho and Sturridge [so far]), and has found, by hook and by crook, more goals for and fewer against. It is looking up. Way way up!

My name is Hal White.

YNWA

Manuel Neuer Training 28.09.2009 Notice how quiet their hands are

All I Want For ( A LIVERPOOL FC) Christmas

Poor Old Hal White has gone through a series of changes this past few months, an, as a result has been lagging in his posts on this little blog. As I know my readership is small, I don't think I've let you down too badly, but I am sorry.

I've had the greatest pleasure in coaching a fine squad this last outdoor season (this is Canada after all0) who had the distinction of winning their provincial championship, with an over all record of 23 wins, 4 losses and 6 ties. They took a league and district championship as well as placing in the "medals" in three tournaments. It was a true "Treble". Beat that this year Sir Alex!!

One new feature I am going to add is WWSD, or "What Would Shankly Do?". Not that I know what the great one would or could do now, but it is an opportunity to speculate and wonder about the future of this great Club, LFC.

All I want for Christmas this year is simple:

Three more strikers and a new home for Downing and Henderson. Who is out there for the taking, no one, so we have to do a little hunting: 

Germany:

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI (STRIKER) BORUSSIA DORTMUND- Robert Lewandowski will no doubt be one of the most talked about, and wanted, strikers in world football after Euro 2012. The 23-year-old doesn't receive any attention outside of Germany and Poland, despite being the most important player for Bundesliga table-toppers Borussia Dortmund this season. In 27 league appearances so far, he's scored 17 goals and made eight assists, and on average creates another goalscoring chance for a teammate. If that's not enough to convince you, overall this season Lewandowski's got 22 goals and 10 assists from 39 games. He is no doubt one of the main reasons behind the rise of Borussia Dortmund in the past two seasons.

Get him before Manchester does. Simple.

OLA TOIVONEN (STRIKER) PSV EINDHOVEN- Perhaps one of the most underrated footballer in Europe would be this man, Ola Toivonen. This 6 feet 3 inches PSV Eindhoven striker has been the key figure in the attack for past 2 seasons. He has so far played 76 games for PSV in the Eridivise and has scored 46 times. He is strong in the air and has great physical strength which makes it hard for the defenders to stop him in his stride. He can play on either Flanks, as an attacking midfielder and also as the centre forward. His hard work and great scoring records has made him one of the favorites among the PSV supporters and he is now regarded as an asset to the club which already boasts of numerous young talents.

OK, a big striker, with goal scoring potential and can play in the midfield. Where could we get one of those? It isn't like we have one already.

Giovani dos Santos Ramírez^[2] (born 11 May 1989) is a Mexican footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Spanish La Liga club RCD Mallorca. He can also play as a winger or second striker.

Dos Santos was a member of the Mexican National U-17 team that won the 2005 U-17 World Cup held in Peru. He made his debut for the Mexico national team in a 1–0 victory over Panama on 9 September 2007. He was called to play at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Dos Santos was also a member of the gold medal winning team at the2012 London Olympics.

 An attacking midfielder, who'da thought it, Liverpool needs another attacking midfielder. Why?Somebody is about to fall from his physical peak, and a good short passing midfielder like Dos Santos would allow Stevie G the breaks he needs during the season, and could easily fit into the current managers tactical plan.

Downing and Henderson? Anywhere they can learn to play soccer again. Loan them out, sure, but make sure it is somewhere they can relearn their confidence. If not, send them to somewhere. Take the loss and move forward.

This is Hal White, Manager of A Championship Squad.

YNWA

Am I A Loser?

Unequivocally no!!

A supporter is a supporter is a supporter, regardless of how well their team is doing.

Liverpool Football Club is a great club, that currently does not have a great team. It has some great players (Gerrard, Saurez, Agger), some formerly great players (Carragher), and some players on their way up (Sterling, Morgan, Coates).

As fans, we are suffering. Every defeat, every missed win, every missed shot, every sending off, we are suffering. We have suffered for two whole seasons, and I have no reason to suspect that we are going to suffer this season and one or two more to follow.

But at this very dark time, this is when we  can find and know the true fans. The ones who support the Club, and what it means, and what it will be again.

This is the best time to be a supporter, to be there when it is bleakest and to experience the inevitable climb back to the top, and with time patience and prudent investment, the Club will return to the top.
As supporters we need to recognize we are at the beginning of a brand new era. We have the opportunity to support our Club at the ground floor of a new dynasty. But if we insist on immediate and overnight results and dismiss managers and impulse buy players then we will not succeed .Fenway Sports Group, be patient. Let the new manager and style develop. The new era is upon us.

WE ARE LIVERPOOL.


Hal White

Of what worth are convictions that bring not suffering?
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

For God's Sake Hit The Net!!!!

Liverpool's attacking troubles

Shot conversion rate

·       2011-2012: 9.13%

·       2010-2011: 13.59%

·       2009-2010: 13.32%

·       2008-2009: 13.46%

·       2007-2008: 12.52%

·       2006-2007: 10.56%

·       2005-2006: 10.59%

·       2004-2005: 11.61%

Suarez's conversion rate at Liverpool: 9.26%

Av conversion rate in PL 2011/12: 13.30%

Quite frankly what you see above, sucks. If you want to win, you have to put the ball behind the keeper and in the net. Liverpool, in all their wisdom and "money ball" calculations, do not have a true finisher since "El Nino" left. They loaned out Carroll this year, got rid of Kuyt, sold Peter Crouch three years ago etc etc. They were all finishers (Carroll is in my opinion getting back to form, my opinion remember ). For heaven's sake they could have signed Berbatov, a true goal poacher if there ever was one.

Now I suspect John Henry and Fenway Sports Group won't listen to me, or read this Blog, but if they would this is what I would tell them:

1. Be patient and learn the game.Just as Kenny Dalglish couldn't manage the Red Sox, you can't expect to understand the nuances of a completely foreign sport in two years.

2. Keep the manager. Someone has to have a plan, and Brendan Rodgers has a few clues.

3. Buy low, sell high. Remember how money is made. Nothing worthwhile is quick.

4. Find Steven Gerrard's replacement. Not now, YESTERDAY!!! For this you will have to spend $$$$$$ I like Iniesta.

5. Invest at the grass roots. Make Liverpool a destination of choice for youth and academy aged players.

6. Sell Anfield and buy Messi.

Match Winning Goal!!!!

TRAINING STUFF

Over the last season my youth squad moved from a strong defensive side to a more balanced attacking side. The big reason was more emphasis on shooting and encouraging players to shoot. Every practice contained a component that encouraged the players to take chances and to shoot. As the season progressed every other training session had a penalty shoot out, which allowed players to experience the pressure of a shoot out and allowed the coaches to observe shooting technique of all the players.


One game that we used frequently was "King Louis".  This game requires two full sized goals, and a keeper in each. Mark out a 25x35 field with a half line. Place an attacker in the offensive half. In the defensive end place three defenders. In effect it is 1 v. 3 in each attacking zone. the game is designed  for the three players in the defending half to move the ball and either thread a pass to the striker to poach a goal, or ideally, have the defenders shoot and the striker pick up any rebounds. 

This game allows for lots of shots, passing and shot stopping. I usually play to five goals and switch the teams or keepers. The coaches should be on the sideline and feed balls in if they go out of bounds, and to encourage  passing and taking chances to shoot.

Why is it called King Louis, I have no idea.

Hey Brendan, you may want to use this.

YNWA

Hal White

The Worst Start in Fifty Years

How could it get any worse? How could this all come undone so soon? Why oh why oh why must we suffer?

Who was this manager who guided Liverpool to this same woeful start as the financially emasculated Brendan Rodgers?

It was that scatter brain, Bill Shankly. And we all know what a disaster he was. He was, for the non- Liverpool reader,  perhaps the greatest manager of the 1960's and 1970's, as well as the greatest manager of Liverpool ever.

So what is wrong with us? Like the rest of the world we are too impatient. We want instant gratification. We want the destination and no journey. We want to be like Manchester City, a squad of great players, but with no real depth of character.

As fans of Liverpool, and of the game, we need to remember that true success is not an overnight event. It takes time, guidance and nurturing. The Club barely escaped administration, and barely avoided being in the same situation as Glasgow Rangers, or Leeds United. The Club and manager have to be prudent with their investments, their players and their transfers, and not just in the short term, but for a very long time. If they do this, and we as supporters drop our rabid desire for instant success, we will get what we really want, a Club that will have the foundation to succeed over a number of years like it did with Bill Shankly.

Brendan Rodgers, stand fast, have a long term plan and stick to it.

We are Liverpool

YNWA

Hal White