new liverpool thread - everyone loves them (1 Viewer)

[Wheels]

Thank you Mr. Benitez, that will be all.

 

[Wheels]

I would like to officially join the 'I've had it with Rafa' gang. I just can't defend him anymore. Through a series of player driven results, and poor form by the other big three, Liverpool somehow managed to get into a position where they had a chance at the title. His ego and stubborness have ruined a brilliant opportunity to have a go at the title, which is just unforgivable. His negative tactics, poor in game decisions and shocking man management have blown all the hard work. It's been coming, but we are back in our more comfortable position of third. If we lose to Chelsea at the weekend, we'll be battling with Villa for third for the rest of the season.

Such a waste.

 

[Janer]

Nice post Wheels....cept the bit dismissing us for 3rd or 4th.

 

[Hector Grey]

I would like to officially join the 'I've had it with Rafa' gang. I just can't defend him anymore. Through a series of player driven results, and poor form by the other big three, Liverpool somehow managed to get into a position where they had a chance at the title. His ego and stubborness have ruined a brilliant opportunity to have a go at the title, which is just unforgivable. His negative tactics, poor in game decisions and shocking man management have blown all the hard work. It's been coming, but we are back in our more comfortable position of third. If we lose to Chelsea at the weekend, we'll be battling with Villa for third for the rest of the season.

Such a waste.

spot on. glorious opportunity, and he pissed it away, which suggests to me he's taken this club as far as he can. however, if he fucked off now, he'd have left the club in a better state than houllier did, and a bit like houllier, the next guy would probably succeed with benitez'z team. give it to sammy.

 

[ratmonkey]

Leave Rafa there and he'll have a serious challenge the season after next.

 

[Hector Grey]

Leave Rafa there and he'll have a serious challenge the season after next.

for the championship?

 

[sealed human]

spot on. glorious opportunity, and he pissed it away, which suggests to me he's taken this club as far as he can. however, if he fucked off now, he'd have left the club in a better state than houllier did, and a bit like houllier, the next guy would probably succeed with benitez'z team. give it to sammy.

I'm a United fan (Boooo) so excuse me wading in here, but Sammy Lee? The same one that would have relegated Bolton if left in the job? If replacing him with Gary 'mediocrity' Megson was enough to steady their ship it shows the extent of Lee's talent... Good assistant doesnt always equal good manager (just look at Carlos Queiroz!)

 

[Cormcolash]

Benitez is a total fucking idiot.
Fuck knows how he ever managed to win the Champions League.

 

[Hector Grey]

I'm a United fan (Boooo) so excuse me wading in here, but Sammy Lee? The same one that would have relegated Bolton if left in the job? If replacing him with Gary 'mediocrity' Megson was enough to steady their ship it shows the extent of Lee's talent... Good assistant doesnt always equal good manager (just look at Carlos Queiroz!)

liverpool don't need a "tactical genius". it's simple. play the players in their correct position. play 442. drop kuyt. it's really quite simple. all sammy has to do is pick the bleeding team, badda bing. give the job to gerrard then, he do it better than rafa. really, my point is, at this moment in time i rate liverpools chances with rafa at the helm lower than i would with sammy lee there.

 

[sealed human]

I do agree with you there, I'm happy to see such an open field at both ends this year and its been too long since theres been a real United / Liverpool rivalry over the top spot at this stage of the season. But Benitez seems to be shooting himself, the club, the fans and the team in the foot at every opportunity atm...

gerrard in a Kenny Dalglish player/manager role eh? Stranger things have happened...

 

[ratmonkey]

its been too long since theres been a real United / Liverpool rivalry over the top spot at this stage of the season.

True. It's a pity there isn't such a thing yet.

 

[Hector Grey]

Benitez is a total fucking idiot.
Fuck knows how he ever managed to win the Champions League.

his greatest achievement, but equally the worst decision of all time to drop hamman for the start of the game. but that was years ago.

 

[Cormcolash]

liverpool don't need a "tactical genius". it's simple. play the players in their correct position. play 442. drop kuyt. it's really quite simple. all sammy has to do is pick the bleeding team, badda bing. give the job to gerrard then, he do it better than rafa. really, my point is, at this moment in time i rate liverpools chances with rafa at the helm lower than i would with sammy lee there.

It's just completely true.
If Liverpool just played their best team 442 every match, they'd still be 3 or 6 points ahead in the title race.
Benitez is a fucking fool.

 

[ratmonkey]

Calling Benitez is a fool is a touch simplistic. A fool wouldn't have won two Spanish titles with Valencia.

 

[trev]

Benitez is a total fucking idiot.
Fuck knows how he ever managed to win the Champions League.

are you talking real world or pro ev here?

 

[trev]

Calling for Rafas head end of Jan eh? Hes improved again this season so...ye were calling for his head end of october last year.

5 or 6 goals more and liverpool would be well infront at the top. thats the fine margin setting aside Rafas bizarre management or late.

its simple...the players (whoever plays) arent takin their chances and the defence is too sloppy.

and if another gowl blabs about putting arms around players shoulders I'll go apeshit...how many times has your boss put his arms around your shoulders? and would you want him/her to?

 

[Hector Grey]

Calling for Rafas head end of Jan eh? Hes improved again this season so...ye were calling for his head end of october last year.

5 or 6 goals more and liverpool would be well infront at the top. thats the fine margin setting aside Rafas bizarre management or late.

its simple...the players (whoever plays) arent takin their chances and the defence is too sloppy.

and if another gowl blabs about putting arms around players shoulders I'll go apeshit...how many times has your boss put his arms around your shoulders? and would you want him/her to?

liverpool aren't going to score those 5-6 goals if rafa keeps taking off the actual goal threats. took off gerrard when chasing the wigan game, took off torres, fucked up the formation and let everton back in, started with 1 up front against stoke. that one was dirk kuyt. does dirk pick the team? is dirk's mother the manager of the team. am i the only person on earth who watched liverpool and muses thus: hum, dirk doesn't appear to be very good. 20 millions quids worth or keane, being crushed. dirk, 12 yards our against everton, perfect ball from gerrard, kicks it into the ground, straight at the keeper. unusual for dirk, you say, the man who scored 3 league goals last season, two of which were penos. as long as rafa plays dirk, and makes defensive substitions, then he can carry the can for this shit. defensive formations at home against shit teams. rafa's fault again. riffing at the press about fergie. for fucks sake. follow it up, rafa. fergie this, fergie that. fact: liverpool have drawn every game since that comedy, united have won every game.

 

[Jerry Twig]

I can't post in here or even look at it cos it gives me a headache.
Liverpool are a fucking useless shower of pricks

 

[Hector Grey]

I can't post in here or even look at it cos it gives me a headache.
Liverpool are a fucking useless shower of pricks

that's the thing, they're not.

the stoke game, that's the clincher for me. with so much at stake, the worst game i've seen liverpool play in years. cockfarm.

 

[Wheels]

Benitez is obviously quite a good manager, you only have to look at his record to see that, and I'm not calling for his head before the Summer. That would just cause chaos. However, in order to overhaul United's dominance of the Premiership, to overcome the 18 years of inferiority and under achievement he needs to be a great manager. Is Benitez a great manager? Closer scrutiny of his achievements doesn't support that at the moment. He achieved great things in Spain, and got a lot of mileage out of The Champions League exploits, but his marker lies in the Premiership. Nothing else matters at this point. Benitez is also blessed with having Steven Gerrard in his team. Istanbul, Cardiff - any number of crucial winners or man of the match performances. Take Steven Gerrard out of the last five years and you would have a very different situation.

Liverpool have a huge amount of talented players, but they are being made to cater to Benitez's often baffling whims. You don't have to be a cavalier idiot like Keegan was at Newcastle to challenge United, but you need something between that and the safety first, no risks approach of Benitez. Mourinho had it, but he could play the mind games. Rafa clearly can't. Difference was that Jose's players were all behind him. They were all happy on their roles, and would die for the cuase. How many Liverpool players truly believe in what Rafa is doing, when he keeps shutting up shop or dropping players who need to play?

Liverpool are enjoying their best season in years, and as a fan I'm grateful for that. But it's the details that betray the league table. If we were playing 4-4-2, with players in the right positions, giving it all and it just wasn't happening, through the pressure on the players or whatever, then I'd be as happy as fuck. Hats on to Rafa in that case. Instead week in week out, we're left to scratch our heads at team sheets and substitutions, watch the expressions of bemused potential match winners and listen to bullshit after the fact.

When Fergie was presented with a similar daunting task 20 years ago, he did so by cultivating an attacking team, with a never say die mentality. I thought Benitez had that sorted at the start of the season, but he's shelved it for some reason. If Benitez wants to prove he's a great, he needs to find the team that beat United and Chelsea, that refused to lie down and came back against Man City, Wigan the first time, Middlesborough. If he needs a hint where to find them, they're in the dressing room. He might consider letting them play for the rest of the season just to see what could happen.