[Barlinek]

I have a beef to pick.......

After a fantastic run in the CL, and the PL, wherby about 95% of the season was led by Phil Thompson, why did Houllier come back? Think about this for a minute before you get on my back. Sure he made a courageous comeback after his heart surgery, but was it the best thing for him, or for the team?

There was nothing he could bring to the team that was not there already. The only possibility would be that he would become a detrament, as there could be a slight change in philosophy at this late juncture of the season.

For the good of the team, he should have played a secondary role for the remainder of this year.

There was a possibility for two great trophies, now it looks like none. I don't think Liverpool gave up 4 goals in any game this year. Houllier returns, and now we are left with nothing.

That's just my two cents.

 

[AMOROSO!]

This is Houllier's team. Credit to Thompson for what he did, but Houllier build this team, he made the signings, he made the basic tactics. Its his team and as he worths the credit for a possible success, he will take the responsibility for failures.

 

[Gilli]

Ridiculous...

Can anyone tell me in what way did GHs presence affect the team??? Not only that Thommo employed the same tactics and lineup GH would when he took over but GH was there last year when we won the treble, I assume it didn't bother us to win it then did it???

We all know you have a personal agenda on GH due to his dispute with the Polish NT but please, this is out of line...


Yes I am pissed as hell that we lost, but no, I am not blaming GH, and why would I? The team sucked and that is why we lost. No other reason.

 

[B*O*S*H*]

I don't think Liverpool gave up 4 goals in any game this year. Houllier returns, and now we are left with nothing.

That's just my two cents.

Shame on you!!!!!!

The fact that Houllier has awaken us from our sleep in the 90s and help us progress this far is an amazing achievement...

Putting the blame on Houllier is absolutely absurd....

Its the team that let him down....

 

[AMOROSO!]

Houllier does hold some responsibility for today's result. We were inexistant offencivelly and we looked completely toothless. Only reason we scored our second goal was because of Jari's individual brilliance- we had absolutely no plan in attack.

Nothing went right today.

 

[John Barnes]

Yep,GH for the first time in a while did make an error.However,IMO it is a moot point.Too many people lost their respective midfield battles,and the team as a whole just did not play well enough.Give credit to Ze Roberto & co.,they played well.

However blaming this 1 defeat completely on GH is a tad harsh to say the least.It's Houlliers team,and Houlliers tactics that has got us to the 1/4 finals of the CL in our 1st attempt,with let's not forget a relatively young team.A team that will learn from tonight,and this campaign.There are numerous positives to draw on - not least being the 1st british club to EVER win away in Kiev!,(just about)surviving the "group of death",and knocking out Dortmund who look like they're headed to the UEFA Cup final,amongst others.We've covered it up well for the most part this season,but tonight we DEFINITELY missed Markus - he doesn't suffer quite the same flaws as Sami & Stephane.Still we can look forward to strengthining these small weaknesses during the summer,and emerge even stronger!

 

[Kyo]

:angel:

 

[Rosso]

Houllier does hold some responsibility for today's result. We were inexistant offencivelly and we looked completely toothless. Only reason we scored our second goal was because of Jari's individual brilliance- we had absolutely no plan in attack.

Nothing went right today.

But wasn't that the plan, to sit back and absorb everything Bayer could throw at you guys??? Tactically, away from home, sitting on a lead, Houllier did the right thing. It just didn't work this time and came down to the final six minutes.

But props on getting this far!

 

[lskydiver]

I think that was the plan, only it didn't work because the defence was crap and he took Hamann off for "tactical reasons."

 

[Gilli]

OK, I am not saying GH is a saint - From my initial understanding GH took Hamann off due to an injury but it wasn't like that. Taking Didi off because he is underperforming is not a good enough reason. If he's underperforming, who would do better at his place?

Our defence completely sucked, conceding goals you wouldn't see 2nd division teams in Hungary get, this was perhaps the worst performance Hyypia and co put on for a long time if not their whole LFC career. We conceded 8 goals for the whole campaign so far and tonight we conceded half of this amount - Shows you it all went wrong. It was just one of those nights everything went bad, nothing worked right, it happens and sadly it happened to us at the most important moment of our European campaign. We've managed to keep clean sheats at Dortmund, Roma and Barcelona and sadly collapased in Leverkusen. But remember: It was our first year guys. It took the Mancs and even Bayern Munich a lot of time to catch up and learn, and if we'll manage to reach those stages the next few seasons things will look much better. But let's not jump the gun and look too far. I think I can call our first CL campaign decent.

But we are not gonna break now, we're Liverpool dammit.

YNWA, I already think of Sunderland.

 

[Arthro Enas]

the "under par" Liverpool. The ball is going no where, the defense is poor and Owen was not the wonder boy.

Didi subbed for tactical reason (and I think it was a poor decision :depress and I think we cannot completely blame GH for the defeat. Players have their bad day and I hope this defeat will be the last one for this season and everyone will concentrate on the last 5 games.

 

[Yasir]

My point is.. EVEN if GH was at fault for last night's result.. would that mean we would have been better off without him returning?? Be real!! I think Arsene Wenger was to blame for Arsenal not qualifying.. I don't see anyone asking for him to leave.. managers and players do make mistakes.. managers tactically and players on the pitch.. maybe it was a mixture of both last night!! but if you ask me if I'm happy GH is back.. I'd say YES.. we look stable now with our Top Man back.. no disrespect to Thommo at all as he did exceptionally well for his first venture into management.. but GH return was really needed too...

 

[Barlinek]

Yes, I understand that its Houiller's team. However, since EVERYTHING was pretty much going right, why did he need to come back with only a very few games left. The most important games at that. Personally i believe his comeback was a real detrament to the team.

Can anyone really give me a reason as to what a return by him at this very late and important stage of the season would add?

It was a very unnecessary distraction. Sure some may say that it may have put the players on a high, and give them the extra lift to win it all. Well it didn't. It all crashed at his feet.

Houllier wanted the glory for himself. Why else come back and potentially be a big distraction? Greed.

 

[Badge]

GH's return to Anfield inspired the team (and crowd) to beat Roma and get to the 1/4ers in the first place. Gerard is THE man!

 

[AMOROSO!]

Don't you realise Houllier would take the glory anyway? Its HIS team. Returning was a normal thing to do! He is the coach!

What if Dudek got injured for a month, Kirkland stepped in and played very good, would you want Dudek back when he was fit again or not? Answer this and realise what you're saying.

 

[Barlinek]

Don't you realise Houllier would take the glory anyway? Its HIS team. Returning was a normal thing to do! He is the coach!

What if Dudek got injured for a month, Kirkland stepped in and played very good, would you want Dudek back when he was fit again or not? Answer this and realise what you're saying.

What you people seem to be missing in all this is the timing. Of course it would be better if Houllier was here all season. But to return at such a critical juncture was only for the benifit of him. Not the team.

Id Dudek got injured, and Kirkland was playing superbly, and there was only a few games left for a potemtial title, i would think it crazy to put Dudek back in at such a critical time. It would not be for the benifit of the team. Sure if Dudek was injured for the first few games of the season, and Kirkland stepped in admirably, I would still put Dudek in when he was healthy, as there would be a full season ahead, and we know what Dudek is capable of.

In hindsight, can anyone tell me what benifit there was to the team because of Houllier's return? I say nothing. He was a detrament. We played the worst game in a year.

Sure its better to have Gerard back next year, but he came back this year for the benifit of only himself.

 

[Badge]

If I got ill my boss would want me back as soon as I was fit again and not 3 or 4 months afterwards ! Its his job he has every right to come back when he wants and I believe the docs reckoned his involvment was actually part of his quick recuperation. If your argument is based on one game then I presume you think Ferguson should have packed it in at least 8 times this year alone.

 

[Arthro Enas]

Yes, I understand that its Houiller's team. However, since EVERYTHING was pretty much going right, why did he need to come back with only a very few games left. The most important games at that. Personally i believe his comeback was a real detrament to the team.

Did you watch soccer games? Should I say, did you watch Liverpool games? Do you know how the crowd sang GH name? Do you know his return inspired the players and excited the fans? Did you see the some of the flags made by the fans praising GH?

There might be some one like you who don't like GH but most of the fans are on GH side and they love him, they love GH's team. His return is a boost for the players.

 

[Barlinek]

GH's return to Anfield inspired the team (and crowd) to beat Roma and get to the 1/4ers in the first place. Gerard is THE man!

But you can't say the result would have been different had he not returned.

 

[AMOROSO!]

Neither you can say the same thing about the game at Leverkusen!