Official Liverpool FC Supporters Thread [Archive] - Page 5

poolmania

30-09-2009, 09:22 AM

Typical Rafa. Only he can suck the attacking impetus and confidence out a team like that. Total kill football tactics FTL. Absolutely no clue going forward. Lob it long for Torres and hope to get something out of that.

Pathetic :mad::mad:

Listen Alan. Try and cast your memory back, oh let's say 5 years ago up till now. We have on many a occasion come out victors away in Europe by playing that exact style. I don't think I need to remind you of all the games we have won away in Europe. It is not always going to work out for you but it has come good many times and in important matches.

I wonder what you were saying in 2005 when we lost 2 away games in the group stages and were losing at home in the final game in the group and had to score three just to qualify for the knockout rounds.

The only difference that I thought had a huge negative effect on the team was Aurelio in the midfield with Lucas. Aurelio has just come back from injury and he is not a proper midfielder so why Rafa put him there is beyond me.

I also think that Rafa's tactics were to take it easy and keep it tight as he had his mind on the Chelsea game on Sunday.

Alan

30-09-2009, 11:06 AM

Listen Alan. Try and cast your memory back, oh let's say 5 years ago up till now. We have on many a occasion come out victors away in Europe by playing that exact style. I don't think I need to remind you of all the games we have won away in Europe. It is not always going to work out for you but it has come good many times and in important matches.

I wonder what you were saying in 2005 when we lost 2 away games in the group stages and were losing at home in the final game in the group and had to score three just to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Need I remind you how lucky we were in 2005. Not to mention the fact it was a far weaker team back then. We've had a fair amount of luck away from home in Europe.

Away record in the CL under Rafa

P=28
W=12
D=8
L=8

On 2 occasions we've almost been knocked out the CL in the qualifying stages with away draw. To Liege( a game we should have lost) and Macabi Haifa.

Beginner

30-09-2009, 12:23 PM

Agree 100% with poolmania - Aurelio is a defender so Rafa's got his tactics wrong. He should have just played the 2nd or 3rd choice midfielder and we should have had a decent result

AMG133

30-09-2009, 02:46 PM

Should have put Gerrard in Midfield, Yossi behind Torres and Reira at wing

Alan

02-10-2009, 12:15 PM

4 GOALS IN 15 GAMES: CAN TORRES DO IT?

The Spanish marksman is on the verge of becoming the fastest Reds striker in history to reach the landmark of 50 league goals after netting 46 in his first 64 matches.

That means he needs to find the net just four times in his next 15 Barclays Premier League appearances to surpass Sam Raybould and Albert Stubbins; legends of the past who both reached the half century mark in their 80th game for the Reds.

Given El Nino's recent hot-streak of nine goals in 10 matches it is a feat that is well within his grasp and a record that would add further weight to claims that he is already one of the greatest forward's in the club's illustrious history.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N165970091002-0821.htm

What a player!!!! :cool:

and he won't be running off to Madrid *cough* Ronaldo *cough*

fishfly

02-10-2009, 12:24 PM

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...91002-0821.htm

What a player!!!!

and he won't be running off to Madrid *cough* Ronaldo *cough* ya he'll be running off to Barca :D

So Tough match this weekend for Liverpool... with both teams performance this week's CL who will have the edge this weekend?

nivek

02-10-2009, 12:31 PM

4 GOALS IN 15 GAMES: CAN TORRES DO IT?

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N165970091002-0821.htm

What a player!!!! :cool:

and he won't be running off to Madrid *cough* Ronaldo *cough*

Rafas only decent purchase :D

AMG133

02-10-2009, 12:44 PM

lol, well here's hoping he gets 2 this weekend :D

Stickfigure

02-10-2009, 01:00 PM

I'm hoping for a Pool win. Chelsea are always consistent. Pool will drop points against Hull and Stoke next year.

dbecks

02-10-2009, 01:01 PM

lol, well here's hoping he gets 2 this weekend :DChelsea 3 - Liverpool 2 :confused::p

AMG133

02-10-2009, 01:02 PM

haha to add to Gerrards brace :P

Chelsea 3 - Liverpool 4

dbecks

02-10-2009, 02:16 PM

haha to add to Gerrards brace :P

Chelsea 3 - Liverpool 4You should of said so in the first place:p

Sting

02-10-2009, 02:30 PM

haha to add to Gerrards brace :P

Chelsea 3 - Liverpool 4

And all this within the 90 minutes of actual playing time!! :D

Beginner

02-10-2009, 04:03 PM

Hoping for a Liverpool 2-0 win but realistically think a 1-1 draw is on the cards.
Both teams do not wanna lose and i think they will be more defensively minded.

Stevie G

03-10-2009, 08:39 AM

After Rafa's rant, i think pool will just nod it with a 2-1 win.

Maybe Rafa will use AF tactics.

He will probably hit Lucas with a boot in the face
:D:D:D

Sting

03-10-2009, 09:09 AM

Thankfully Masch should start and maybe Agger as well. We have been pretty shaky at the back.

fishfly

03-10-2009, 11:35 AM

After Rafa's rant, i think pool will just nod it with a 2-1 win.

Maybe Rafa will use AF tactics.

He will probably hit Lucas with a boot in the face only cos he can't come up with something more original he has to copy things that were tried and tested :D

smokey

03-10-2009, 12:09 PM

only cos he can't come up with something more original he has to copy things that were tried and tested :D

Unfortunately he won't be able to sell Lucas to Real Madrid for silly money.

fishfly

03-10-2009, 12:17 PM

Unfortunately he won't be able to sell Lucas to Real Madrid for silly money. LMAO! Jealously makes you nasty smokey :D

smokey

03-10-2009, 02:31 PM

LMAO! Jealously makes you nasty smokey :D

Jealous of Liverpool having a player of Lucas' quality? :erm:

fishfly

03-10-2009, 04:57 PM

ya :D Lucas is better than Ronaldo and K@k@ :D

smokey

03-10-2009, 06:31 PM

ya :D Lucas is better than Ronaldo and K@k@ :D

Too much software development has messed up your brain real good.

smokey

04-10-2009, 07:07 PM

'Allo lads... 'owzs fings?

Sting

04-10-2009, 07:09 PM

'Allo lads... 'owzs fings?

:mad: Troll !! :D

smokey

04-10-2009, 07:12 PM

:p

Game was top drawer though... Took a bit to get going but it was nice all the way. Nearly sh@t myself when Yossi came on.

PoiZoNouZ

04-10-2009, 07:36 PM

ROFL @ smokey, you always know what to say...

Nice game boys, thanks for putting up a fight, albeit a pathetic one...

fishfly

04-10-2009, 10:45 PM

Too much software development has messed up your brain real good. cos! monitor radiation ftw!

Fern9do

05-10-2009, 07:32 AM

**** performance yesterday. We just dont look up for it this season.

poffle

05-10-2009, 09:16 AM

woah, what a dismal performance by liverpool. Was expecting much much more, atleast to come away with a draw.

Beginner

05-10-2009, 09:21 AM

We don't have any real ideas in midfield - relying too much on Gerrard and Torres. Aquilani neesd to make an appearance now...

nivek

05-10-2009, 09:27 AM

We don't have any real ideas in midfield - relying too much on Gerrard and Torres. Aquilani neesd to make an appearance now...

You dont have any real ideas at management level ;)
The problem is Rafa.. Why didnt he start Yossi when hes on such good form?

Alan

05-10-2009, 10:00 AM

We don't have any real ideas in midfield - relying too much on Gerrard and Torres. Aquilani neesd to make an appearance now...

Lucas and Masch great nothing from midfield.

You dont have any real ideas at management level ;)
The problem is Rafa.. Why didnt he start Yossi when hes on such good form?

Agreed. It was the usual total kill football tactics. Prevent the opposition from playing and hope Gerrard or Torres pull something off. :rolleyes:

fishfly

05-10-2009, 10:49 AM

You dont have any real ideas at management level
The problem is Rafa.. Why didnt he start Yossi when hes on such good form?

+10000000

poolmania

05-10-2009, 11:00 AM

You dont have any real ideas at management level ;)
The problem is Rafa.. Why didnt he start Yossi when hes on such good form?

You've got no clue mate. We got hammered at Stamford Bridge on many a occasion in years past. Last year Rafa ended our 15 year wait on getting a victory at Stamford Bridge and ended Chelsea 4 and a half year home record without a loss. Not an easy feat I would imagine.

poolmania

05-10-2009, 11:00 AM

Lucas and Masch great nothing from midfield.

Agreed. It was the usual total kill football tactics. Prevent the opposition from playing and hope Gerrard or Torres pull something off. :rolleyes:

Worked last year. Were you complaining then?

nivek

05-10-2009, 11:03 AM

You've got no clue mate. We got hammered at Stamford Bridge on many a occasion in years past. Last year Rafa ended our 15 year wait on getting a victory at Stamford Bridge and ended Chelsea 4 and a half year home record without a loss. Not an easy feat I would imagine.

Chelsea aren't on form at the moment and they werent that great yesterday either

But its cool, the longer Rafa is at Liverpool, and plays his rotation game, the longer Liverpool will go without winning the league

You have a player score a hat trick, and the next week he's kept on the bench in a massive game

poolmania

05-10-2009, 11:28 AM

Chelsea aren't on form at the moment and they werent that great yesterday either

But its cool, the longer Rafa is at Liverpool, and plays his rotation game, the longer Liverpool will go without winning the league

You have a player score a hat trick, and the next week he's kept on the bench in a massive game

That is where you are so wrong. I doubt you have watched every single Liverpool game since Yossi's hat-trick.

:rolleyes:

Liverpool 1 - 0 Debrecen: Yossi started. He played okay. Gave the ball away on numerous occasions but was good in the attack.

West Ham 2 - 3 Liverpool: Yossi started again. Good game, set up one goal.

Liverpool 6 - 1 Hull City: Again Yossi started. Good game, set up 2 goals.

Fiorentina 2 - 0 Liverpool: Yossi started yet again. Poor game and gave away the ball often.

So since Yossi's hat-trick he has started in every single game (4 of them) and not scored a goal, set up three goals and had two poor games. His last game was an away game at Fiorentina and our midfield was too weak to contain them. Rafa decided to change it up to include a more solid midfield against a Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge. I see no harm in that.

AMG133

05-10-2009, 11:57 AM

I wouldnt say it was a poor performance, we played well but our final 3rd was poor. Torres wasnt given enough of service, Gerrard couldnt hit the target even if his life depended on it and Yossi's miss .... my word. I thought Rafa was right in starting with Riera, we need width when playing against Chelsea, so maybe Babel should have started at right wing.

Randhir

05-10-2009, 01:08 PM

Worked last year. Were you complaining then?

Rafa also played attacking football toward the end of the season last season, and cracked most teams with either 3,4,5-0 scores. Why not do that again?

smokey

05-10-2009, 03:01 PM

Worked last year. Were you complaining then?

Yes. He was.

fishfly

05-10-2009, 04:06 PM

Rafa also played attacking football toward the end of the season last season, and cracked most teams with either 3,4,5-0 scores. Why not do that again? cos he is too chicken to copy Arsene :D

look at arsenal playing some awesome football... dominating the lower half of the teams but playing in Europe they have this tendency to change to a more defensive gameplan...

Beginner

05-10-2009, 04:44 PM

Read that aqua's name has been pencilled in for the game against sunderland 17/10/2009

smokey

05-10-2009, 05:43 PM

Read that aqua's name has been pencilled in for the game against sunderland 17/10/2009

Which means Rafa gave the grass on the training ground a good stern talking to about not hurting his hope for the season.

Alan

05-10-2009, 06:28 PM

Worked last year. Were you complaining then?

Indeed I was. We won last year thanks to a deflected goal.

How many times have we scored at Stamford Bridge when not chasing the game?

AMG133

06-10-2009, 11:16 AM

Skertl coming out and saying he deserved a pen, granted if it were the other way around Drogba would have got a penalty, but ref's usually dont see these things for us.... Aqualani might be on the bench for the Sunderland game but they say by the 28th for sure he'll be in the starting team. Cant wait!

http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/data/500/5729_257795805536_802115536_8104841_299623_n.jpg

fishfly

06-10-2009, 11:32 AM

Aqua man... shame thought he was only suppose to be out for 3-4 weeks?

nivek

06-10-2009, 12:02 PM

That is where you are so wrong. I doubt you have watched every single Liverpool game since Yossi's hat-trick.

:rolleyes:

Liverpool 1 - 0 Debrecen: Yossi started. He played okay. Gave the ball away on numerous occasions but was good in the attack.

West Ham 2 - 3 Liverpool: Yossi started again. Good game, set up one goal.

Liverpool 6 - 1 Hull City: Again Yossi started. Good game, set up 2 goals.

Fiorentina 2 - 0 Liverpool: Yossi started yet again. Poor game and gave away the ball often.

So since Yossi's hat-trick he has started in every single game (4 of them) and not scored a goal, set up three goals and had two poor games. His last game was an away game at Fiorentina and our midfield was too weak to contain them. Rafa decided to change it up to include a more solid midfield against a Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge. I see no harm in that.

Exactly
So there we go
hat trick -> mediocre game -> assist -> 2 assists -> bad game -> bench

he is arguably your best player at the moment.. you're one of the few liverpool fans that question rafas decision in leaving him on the bench

fishfly

06-10-2009, 12:28 PM

one bad game and he gets the bench...

whereas Babel had one bad game then gets used as a sub, have a good game then gets benched...

nivek

06-10-2009, 02:56 PM

babel is wasting his career under rafa

AMG133

06-10-2009, 03:46 PM

oh crap ****s hitting the fans now, Gillet is coming out to say not to blame them for Liverpools poor form, blame Rafa. Now odds are going up for him to leave, they already having bets on whos the new manager, lol. Also new proposed investors popping up all over the place, 1 from China & now Kuwait

nivek

06-10-2009, 03:50 PM

rafa getting sacked is the worst thing that could happen...to the rest of the league..

AjAx30

06-10-2009, 04:53 PM

said it early last season, said it a few times since then and will say it again.. Benitez must go... Rather have houllier in charge again than him....

fishfly

06-10-2009, 10:27 PM

said it early last season, said it a few times since then and will say it again.. Benitez must go... Rather have houllier in charge again than him.... for him to have another heart attack?

poolmania

07-10-2009, 10:15 AM

Exactly
So there we go
hat trick -> mediocre game -> assist -> 2 assists -> bad game -> bench

he is arguably your best player at the moment.. you're one of the few liverpool fans that question rafas decision in leaving him on the bench

Come on Nivek. Is it not possible that because Yossi started against Fiorentina and had a bad game and we were well and truly beat that Rafa, knowing that we were up against an excellent team at their own ground, decided to spare Yossi for another defensive midfielder to contain the game and use Yossi as a supersub. It's worked many times before. It didn't work this time but who's to say that it would of been worse had he started.

I think Rafa's tactics were spot on. We just didn't work out as some of our best players didn't come to the party.

poolmania

07-10-2009, 10:16 AM

said it early last season, said it a few times since then and will say it again.. Benitez must go... Rather have houllier in charge again than him....

Really, I'm flaberghasted. Some people have no clue at all.

AjAx30

07-10-2009, 11:05 AM

Really, I'm flaberghasted. Some people have no clue at all.

I have been a fan since the mid 1980's.. i have been through the few ups and lots of downs since then.. Benitez did well to win the champ league once, but has nothing else to show for all his time at liverpool..

He cant even claim to have produced world class players cause he bought one 1 and inherited another. He does not have the ability to make good players into world class, which has become a necessity world wide in the last decade or so, because of the inflated price tag on most players.

I feel he started to run out of ideas last season, and when he finally found a tactic that worked well at the end of last season, he shelves it for this season.. A manager should get 3 years to prove himself at a club, and if he has not produced anything significant since then, then i feel its time for a fresh approach..

Yes, Liverpool came second last season only losing 3 or so matches, but they simply could not finish off teams -> they could not finish off cause of his negative tactics when going 1-0 up..

I will always support liverpool through thick and thin, but the manager has brought a negative approach to the soccer played at by liverpool which i do not think is their style at all... :(

smokey

07-10-2009, 11:41 AM

Tee hee...

Micheal Owen talking about Manchester United... (http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/10/07/1546061/michael-owen-manchester-united-are-the-biggest-club-in-the) courtesy of Goal.com

poolmania

07-10-2009, 12:48 PM

Where do I start? I'm off this week so I have time to dig up some stats.

I have been a fan since the mid 1980's.. i have been through the few ups and lots of downs since then.. Benitez did well to win the champ league once, but has nothing else to show for all his time at liverpool..

Let's compare the two shall we:

Houllier in the League:

1998/1999 - 7th, 54 points, W 15, D 9, L 14, GS 68, GA 49, GD 19 [This is not taken into account as he was taking over a struggling team at the time]

1999/2000 - 4th, 67 points, W 19, D 10, L 9, GS 51, GA 30, GD 21
2000/2001 - 3rd, 69 points, W 20, D 9, L 9, GS 71, GA 39, GD 32
2001/2002 - 2nd, 80 points, W 26, D 8, L 6, GS 67, GA 30, GD 37
2002/2003 - 5th, 64 points, W 18, D 10, L 10, GS 61, GA 41, GD 20
2003/2004 - 4th, 60 points, W16, D 12, L 10, GS 55, GA 37, GD 18

Average - P 3.6, 68 points, W 20, D 10, L 9, GS 61, GA 35, GD, 26

Rafa in the League:
2004/2005 - 5th, 58 points, W 17, D 7, L 14, GS, 52, GA 41, GD 11
2005/2006 - 3rd, 82 points, W 25, D 7, L 6, GS 57, GA 25, GD 32
2006/2007 - 3rd, 68 points, W 20, D 8, L 10, GS 57, GA 27, GD 30
2007/2008 - 4th, 76 points, W 21, D 13, L 4, GS 67, GA 28, GD 39
2008/2009 - 2nd, 86 points, W 25, D 11, L 2, GS 77, GA 27, GD 50

Average - P 3.4, 74 points, W 22, D 9, L 7, GS 62, GA 30, GD 32

Summary:
Rafa is better on every score.

Rafa also finished higher than 80 points (Houliiers highest points tally) on two occasions.

It is also interesting to note that last season was the highest points tally since 1987/1988 season where they achieved 90 points with 40 games (there were 21 teams in the league that year)

I think the stats speak for themselves.

Lets look at Liverpool in Europe:

Houllier:

1998/1999 - Uefa Cup (Rd 2)
1999/2000 - Nothing [ these two years can't be included as it wasn't his fault]

2000/2001 - Uefa Cup (Won)
2001/2002 - Champions League (QF), Uefa Super Cup (Won)
2002/2003 - Champions League (Group), Uefa Cup (Rd 5)
2003/2004 - Uefa Cup (Rd 4)

Rafa:

2004/2005 - Champions League (Won)
2005/2006 - Champions League (Rd 2), Uefa Super Cup (Won), Fifa World Club Cup (Final)
2006/2007 - Champions League (Final)
2007/2008 - Champions League (Semi Final)
2008/2009 - Champions League (Q-Final)

Summary: Rafa has definitely achieved much more in Europe. He has won the Champions League which eluded us for 20 years and he brought us to another final in two years. He has maintained a respectable record in Europe.

Domestic Competitions:

Houllier:

1998/1999 - FA Cup (Rd 4), League Cup (Rd 4)
1999/2000 - FA Cup (Rd 4), League Cup (Rd 3)
2000/2001 - FA Cup (Won), League Cup (Won)
2001/2002 - FA Cup (Rd 4), League Cup (Rd 3)
2002/2003 - FA Cup (Rd 4), League Cup (Won)
2003/2004 - FA Cup (Rd 5), League Cup (Rd 4)

Rafa:

2004/2005 - FA Cup (Rd 3), League Cup (Final)
2005/2006 - FA Cup (Won), League Cup (Rd 3)
2006/2007 - FA Cup (Rd 3), League Cup (QF)
2007/2008 - FA Cup (Rd 5), League Cup (QF)
2008/2009 - FA Cup (Rd 4), League Cup (Rd 4)

Summary: Houllier has the slight upper hand here but by only winning the League Cup twice which is hardly something special.

All in All, I prefer Rafa thank you very much.

He cant even claim to have produced world class players cause he bought one 1 and inherited another. He does not have the ability to make good players into world class, which has become a necessity world wide in the last decade or so, because of the inflated price tag on most players.

Mascherano, Alonso, Reina, Agger are some that jump out at me.

Who else besides Hyypia has Houllier bought that has turned out to be world class?

A manager should get 3 years to prove himself at a club, and if he has not produced anything significant since then, then i feel its time for a fresh approach..

Pity the Man United board didn't use your model when Ferguson started off in 1986.:rolleyes: It took him 7 years to win the League.

Yes, Liverpool came second last season only losing 3 or so matches, but they simply could not finish off teams -> they could not finish off cause of his negative tactics when going 1-0 up..

They lost 2 last year, not 3.

In the 4 previous times that Liverpool has won the title:
1983/1984 - drew 14 times
1985/1986 - drew 10 times
1987/1988 - drew 12 times
1989/1990 - drew 10 times

Last season 2008/2009 - drew 11 times.

Now I wonder why people kept on nailing Rafa on trying to finish off teams when even the great Liverpool teams of old found themselves wanting as well when it came to draws.

smokey

07-10-2009, 01:18 PM

*snip*

You really know how to take the fun out of footy :(

poolmania

07-10-2009, 01:25 PM

You really know how to take the fun out of footy :(

What, having a factual argument about football on a football forum. Do me a favour.

esit: Anyway it was fun for me and it really refreshed my memory and gave me insight into Liverpool over the past 12 years and especially gave me some more detailed info on what Rafa has done to this club. He has really changed it for the better. Fair, he might be taking a lot of time but Rome wasn't built in a day.

smokey

07-10-2009, 01:35 PM

What, having a factual argument about football on a football forum. Do me a favour.

esit: Anyway it was fun for me and it really refreshed my memory and gave me insight into Liverpool over the past 12 years and especially gave me some more detailed info on what Rafa has done to this club. He has really changed it for the better. Fair, he might be taking a lot of time but Rome wasn't built in a day.

Whatever dude, it was a joke mmkay. Do I have to put a :p smiley after every post to make my point? Anyway, I find it hilarious watching you stat-bash everyone.

AMG133

07-10-2009, 01:42 PM

Tee hee...

Micheal Owen talking about Manchester United... (http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/10/07/1546061/michael-owen-manchester-united-are-the-biggest-club-in-the) courtesy of Goal.com

does he want to die?

fishfly

07-10-2009, 01:44 PM

smokey

07-10-2009, 01:47 PM

I guess SAF took the last 10 years to get United to where it is... but he did win the League first tho... Guess it's just Rafa's priorities... he doesn't give a rats ass for the League but the CL.

AFAIK didn't he take a few years to win the league and that is what got him the time to build up United/steal the best kids from around the country?

fishfly

07-10-2009, 01:54 PM

Ya but compare that to RAFA... SAF doesn't build up a talent without trying to win the league...

RAFA invests in players only to snub them and sell them at a firesale

poolmania

07-10-2009, 01:58 PM

Whatever dude, it was a joke mmkay. Do I have to put a :p smiley after every post to make my point? Anyway, I find it hilarious watching you stat-bash everyone.

Of coarse, silly me, you're always joking around so I should of known.;)

poolmania

07-10-2009, 02:00 PM

I guess SAF took the last 10 years to get United to where it is... but he did win the League first tho... Guess it's just Rafa's priorities... he doesn't give a rats ass for the League but the CL.

Owen FTW! :D

Ya but compare that to RAFA... SAF doesn't build up a talent without trying to win the league...

RAFA invests in players only to snub them and sell them at a firesale

You're just another that has fallen into the media trap. Don't believe everything they say.

Demon7

07-10-2009, 02:00 PM

I have been a fan since the mid 1980's.. i have been through the few ups and lots of downs since then.. Benitez did well to win the champ league once, but has nothing else to show for all his time at liverpool..

He cant even claim to have produced world class players cause he bought one 1 and inherited another. He does not have the ability to make good players into world class, which has become a necessity world wide in the last decade or so, because of the inflated price tag on most players.

I feel he started to run out of ideas last season, and when he finally found a tactic that worked well at the end of last season, he shelves it for this season.. A manager should get 3 years to prove himself at a club, and if he has not produced anything significant since then, then i feel its time for a fresh approach..

Yes, Liverpool came second last season only losing 3 or so matches, but they simply could not finish off teams -> they could not finish off cause of his negative tactics when going 1-0 up..

I will always support liverpool through thick and thin, but the manager has brought a negative approach to the soccer played at by liverpool which i do not think is their style at all... :(

A fan who has no idea how many games we lost last season???
Which obviously means that you watched only a few of our games last season... Yet you have an opinion on the manager playing negative football..
Are you mad? Which team has the highest goal tally so far this season? Which Striker is currently the leading goalscorer?
Which team has the most shots at goal and on target this season so far?
Look this up and see if you still think he is negative...
WUM.

AMG133

07-10-2009, 02:04 PM

Crouch :(

you know Pool brought up some good facts but 1 thing you have to remember is how times have changed in footy from 6 years ago let alone 12!

The Abromovic factor swayed things in a big way for the EPL. You cant compare old stats to current ones. Its all about now and what you do now. Rafa has the right philosiphy in taking each game as it comes, his rotation policy last season was a good thing in a way, it helped figured out the keyplayers for the team. Now his more consitant in his team selections but he does have his favourites, no one can deny that, we all know who they are and we know they hard workers, but whats the use working hard but not getting anywhere? Kuyt got 15 goals last season, and quite a few assists, fair enough but in those games that we drew I recall him being a major frustration at times, but Rafa would never sub him......

Demon7

07-10-2009, 02:04 PM

AFAIK didn't he take a few years to win the league and that is what got him the time to build up United/steal the best kids from around the country?

Took Slur Alex exactly 6 years before he won the league...

AjAx30

07-10-2009, 02:26 PM

with all due respect... saying i want houllier back was just a tongue in cheek statement... I did not mean that houllier was better, but rafa is certainly not as great as u make him out to be..

Houllier had the team when soccer was still in the start of its financial boom... I would love to see the stats on the managers pre rafa and post rafa wrt money spent and received on transfers alone..

To say that Rafa has done a better job in the league is also not really as easy as you say it is.. I felt that when Houllier / souness was in charge, the league was a lot more balanced and it was more difficult to win outright.... Look at newcastle and blackburn for example..

Like someone also said.. rafa's priority was the champ league, and thats why his european record is a bit better than houllie's, but thats another issue..
This was not meant to be a Houllier vs Benitez debate, just a statement that Rafa has had his time to prove himself, which he has not in MY OPINION, and also in alot of others OPINION's..

As for the players you quoted.. Mascherano is very good, but Rafa did not make him good.. He came to west ham from south america being good already and has improved maybe 5-10% since his move to Liverpool. That being mainly because he is playing more regularly.. (dont come and say that because he was not a regular in west ham he was not good there.. that was a clash of personalities that kept him out..)

Alonso was also good when he arrived, as you would have seen if you watched him play in the La Liga every now and then. Reina is definitely not world class... If he was, he would make a hell of a lot less mistakes in goal and be giving Casillas a harder run for his money in the spanish #1 spot..

Agger is about the only player he has managed to find who has turned out good from a relatively obscure club. (Insua is also coming right, but he was also rated a promising youngster when he arrived..)

And as for remembering stats etc... just cause you remember who scored the goal in the 19XX league match vs Whoever, or how many matches you won/lost/drew does not prove you are any more of a supporter..

poolmania

07-10-2009, 03:34 PM

And as for remembering stats etc... just cause you remember who scored the goal in the 19XX league match vs Whoever, or how many matches you won/lost/drew does not prove you are any more of a supporter..

I didn't remember them, I researched them. I also did not say that I'm more of a supporter than you.

AjAx30

07-10-2009, 05:28 PM

ok pool.. i guess u have some kind of self confidence problem, cause you seem to take things very personally..

That comment of mine was not directed at you, but as a general statement. If anything, it was more directed at Demon7. I saw that you copied and pasted all the stats you gave, and saw that you said you have some time off to dig up stats, which i respect because it shows you have a leaning towards facts rather than random statements, such as the one below..

Which obviously means that you watched only a few of our games last season... Yet you have an opinion on the manager playing negative football..

fishfly

07-10-2009, 10:26 PM

You're just another that has fallen into the media trap. Don't believe everything they say. Nah I just watch/ed what RAFA did to Couch, Keane and Babel :D

He shows extreme favoritism to 3 players... Lucas!, Torres and Gerrard... yet I really wonder why Gerrard always gets the flak for under performing when the team plays crap... Not like Gerrard can always bail them out

Alan

08-10-2009, 10:23 AM

You forgot Kuyt ;)

poolmania

08-10-2009, 11:46 AM

ok pool.. i guess u have some kind of self confidence problem, cause you seem to take things very personally..

That comment of mine was not directed at you, but as a general statement. If anything, it was more directed at Demon7. I saw that you copied and pasted all the stats you gave, and saw that you said you have some time off to dig up stats, which i respect because it shows you have a leaning towards facts rather than random statements, such as the one below..

Not at all. I actually enjoy having an argument. People seem to think when someone disagrees with someone, then they taking it personal. This is an Internet forum ffs. Nothing should be taken personal. Maybe it's the way I write.;)

Anyway, there were a few points you made above that don't make sense but hey I'll leave it alone and carry on.

iceman23

08-10-2009, 02:00 PM

There's a thread on RedCafe asking how come Rafa gets all the blind loyalty. As much as I dislike manc's they do seem to have a point. Manc and Arsenal fans do question Ferguson and Wenger when they make silly decisions. Only at Liverpool do the fans blame the owners, the players, the grass, anything but the manager. If the team does well, Rafa is a genius. If the team does badly, its the players fault or its the owners fault. Also, how often has Rafa himself admitted that he got it wrong. Not very many....

I am not saying that Rafa is hopeless. I just don't think he is this messiah that most of our supporters make him out to be. He seems to be able to get away with anything.

There is one thing that I keep going back to. Had Gerrard gone to Chelsea in 2004, Would Rafa still be manager of Liverpool. I seriously don't think so.

AMG133

08-10-2009, 02:56 PM

^^not to mention bad mouthing Carra.........even his man enough to admit his playing shyte
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5616671,00.html

fishfly

08-10-2009, 05:05 PM

^^not to mention bad mouthing Carra.........even his man enough to admit his playing shyte I wonder why... with a head injury like that he's still playing... wtf? Look at that match between erm I can't remember who... with Skirtel and Carra both on head injuries but Rafa keeps playing them... they were like Dazed and Confused but still had to keep playing :D

The already fractious relationship between Rafael Benitez and Liverpool co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks is threatening to sink to a new low, after Gillett pointed the finger at the Reds manager for the club's mixed start to the season.

The American investors have rarely seen eye to eye with Benitez, and have also been on shaky ground with Anfield fans who remain unconvinced over whether their intentions are aligned with the club winning, or purely financially motivated.

Liverpool's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea on Sunday was already their third in the Premier League this season, and closely followed a reversal of an identical scoreline away to Fiorentina in the Champions League.

Gillett expressed his disappointment with the situation, and made it clear that no blame could be attributed to him and his partner, insisting that questions had to be asked of the coaching staff and not the financial investment.

"We have invested more money than our competitors, in keeping with the history of the club," Gillett said, according to The Guardian. HARHAHAHAHHAHA Well Said Gillett! Jou tune these pooh supporters and RAFA! Rafa even has the nerve to say United spends more money... Ye United spends more cos they earn it with Trophies....

What does Rafa do? Spend tons of money to win nothing... then sell the players for cheap cheap!

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2558/news/2009/10/06/1543880/rafael-benitez-to-blame-for-poor-form-liverpool-co-owner

AMG133

09-10-2009, 10:52 AM

lol, having fun fishy? with regards to Skertl and Carra playing with head injuries, we had no one left! well no one with quality experience, they only lads we had were Martin Kelly & Ayalla both of which are youngster's in the reserves that were never in the bench let alone start an EPL game. Agger was out with his back injury and we let Sammi go, hence we had to play them, only after that did we bring in that greek guy Kyriakodopalodipus.

With regards to Gillets comments, his right in certain aspects, everytime they hold a conference the press always questions their involvement against team results, they are partial the cause of it but ideally the problem is the teams and not their's, they are paid proffesionals to do what they suppose to do.

fishfly

09-10-2009, 11:33 AM

BS if the team can't win season after season whilst yet he has the money to blow without results who's fault is it?

If SAF spent all the money for Berba, Ronaldo, Nani, etc but couldn't win anything.. what does that say? Who's fault is it?

RAFA had money had players and the capability to win the league, yet he makes questionable decisions which costed him the title...

AMG133

09-10-2009, 12:31 PM

uh I was saying Gillet was right....

Ashez7

09-10-2009, 12:46 PM

Demon7

09-10-2009, 01:01 PM

Firstly, We might not have won the league under Rafa, but there has been constant improvement... For anyone to say he is failing.... ??
Last year was our best attempt and also gave us our highest points total in the league... How we did not win having only lost 2 games the entire season, is just down to bad luck...
that or the continuous luck Slur Alex gets from added time etc :P

I'm not saying Rafa is perfect, far from it, I just think that some people are too quick to jump on the bandwagon.
As for spending, please.. cant even compare...

Randhir

09-10-2009, 01:06 PM

Last year was our best attempt and also gave us our highest points total in the league... How we did not win having only lost 2 games the entire season, is just down to bad luck...

You say bad luck, I say eleven draws.

Just like a Liverpool fan, blame their inadequacies on someone else. Maybe Rafa (and the fans) should stop worrying about Fergie and concentrate on winning.

Demon7

09-10-2009, 01:50 PM

You say bad luck, I say eleven draws.

Just like a Liverpool fan, blame their inadequacies on someone else. Maybe Rafa (and the fans) should stop worrying about Fergie and concentrate on winning.

maybe whiskey nose should stop worrying about the ref and play the game..

Randhir

09-10-2009, 01:56 PM

maybe whiskey nose should stop worrying about the ref and play the game..

Whiskey nose can do whatever he wants, the trophy is his b*tch dude. When Rafa wins it he can start his nonsense again.

Demon7

09-10-2009, 02:08 PM

Whiskey nose can do whatever he wants, the trophy is his b*tch dude. When Rafa wins it he can start his nonsense again.

Shame.... I 4 1 am not going to take this personal...

Lets hope whiskey nose even makes it to the game....

Randhir

09-10-2009, 02:25 PM

Shame.... I 4 1 am not going to take this personal...

Lets hope whiskey nose even makes it to the game....

Why would you take it personally?? :confused:

Nothing was said about you in that post. Unless by some very weird coincidence your name is Rafa? ;)

Demon7

09-10-2009, 02:53 PM

No,4 1, you miss the point....!!

Randhir

09-10-2009, 02:58 PM

No,4 1, you miss the point....!!

I think you did.. Won the battle, lost the war :p

I'd take two losses to Liverpool again this year if United won the League again.. What's the point in bragging if you have nothing to show for it? Liverpool mentality :rolleyes:

Anyway, no point in carrying on this conversation, it seems.

Ashez7

14-10-2009, 08:13 AM

heskey return would it be a good move?
http://goal.com/en-gb/news/2559/rumours/2009/10/13/1557663/report-rafael-benitez-to-offer-emile-heskey-liverpool-return

smokey

14-10-2009, 10:09 AM

heskey return would it be a good move?
http://goal.com/en-gb/news/2559/rumours/2009/10/13/1557663/report-rafael-benitez-to-offer-emile-heskey-liverpool-return

Looking backwards, not forwards... bad idea.

AMG133

14-10-2009, 01:42 PM

Heskey now rumored to be going back to Wigan, LOL

we dont want him!

Gerrard back @ Melwood today getting scans on his groin....... he must feel like his a porn actor the because of the amount of times they take pics of his willy region

Beginner

14-10-2009, 02:30 PM

While Heskey isn't a prolific goal scorer in my opinion i think pool could do with a strong forward like him assisting torres.

poolmania

14-10-2009, 02:59 PM

While Heskey isn't a prolific goal scorer in my opinion i think pool could do with a strong forward like him assisting torres.

Not going to happen. Heskey has already said that the reason he want's to leave Villa is because he wants to be a regular starter due to the world cup coming up. That's NOT going to happen at Liverpool.

Beginner

15-10-2009, 10:23 AM

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/10/14/1561620/liverpools-sotiris-kyrgiakos-out-for-four-months

Wow - it was quite a knock but it seems like all our signings are made out of cardboard..

fishfly

15-10-2009, 10:35 AM

good going RAFA!

AMG133

15-10-2009, 01:47 PM

not like he was going to get game time in anycase, now that Agger is back.....

guru_pitka

16-10-2009, 09:52 AM

good going RAFA!

:confused:

Ashez7

16-10-2009, 10:01 AM

Babel needs to be given a chance with torress up front and gerrard behind them

AjAx30

16-10-2009, 10:51 AM

Babel needs to be given a chance with torress up front and gerrard behind them

+ 10000000

fishfly

16-10-2009, 11:26 AM

:confused:

Rafa moans about no money, moans that other clubs can win cos they have money blah blah blah... he's given the money to spend to buy players he brings in two guys that are like mirror

He moans about the players, he moans about the owners, he moans about the other coaches but never once has anyone pointed the finger at his idoitic tactics...

hence my good going comment :)

smokey

16-10-2009, 11:28 AM

+ 10000000

+1000000000000000

Would probbly be an epic fail, so I'd like him to give them a runout :D Babel's rubbish.

AMG133

16-10-2009, 11:29 AM

IN RAFA WE TRUST :D

Ashez7

16-10-2009, 11:37 AM

babel is the next henry he just needs to be given the chance ...he made the Holland squad and gets 15mins and sometimes not even a game to play

poolmania

16-10-2009, 11:45 AM

babel is the next henry he just needs to be given the chance ...he made the Holland squad and gets 15mins and sometimes not even a game to play

Haha......thanks for the laugh. I needed that.;)

poolmania

16-10-2009, 11:50 AM

Rafa moans about no money, moans that other clubs can win cos they have money blah blah blah... he's given the money to spend to buy players he brings in two guys that are like mirror

He moans about the players, he moans about the owners, he moans about the other coaches but never once has anyone pointed the finger at his idoitic tactics...

hence my good going comment :)

Have to agree with you on the point you made in Bold. It's the only thing that disappoints me with regards to Rafa. He has clearly had enough money when you compare it to the likes of Man United. He has made mistakes with it and he has success with it as well but he has definitely been given enough and he should not complain about it.

The rest of your points are pure rubbish. You can't have it all your way.;)

fishfly

16-10-2009, 12:29 PM

The rest of your points are pure rubbish. You can't have it all your way. oh? how is my points rubbish? it's fact... he craps on Gerrard for being below par when the team is below par...

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/steve-stammers/After-criticising-Gerrard-and-Carragher-Rafa-Benitez-needs-to-learn-what-goes-on-in-the-dressing-room-stays-in-the-dressing-room-article132001.html

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/08/30/1471306/steven-gerrard-feels-rafa-benitezs-criticism-of-liverpool

you know it's true ;) I'm not trying to be nasty but RAFA has clearly had his time and all he could do is come up with excuses and blame everyone else except himself... people questioned his Zonal Marking he said it's the right way to go... people criticised his defensive playing style. People criticised his rotational system as each time he does it Liverpool end up loosing.

poolmania

16-10-2009, 12:38 PM

oh? how is my points rubbish? it's fact... he craps on Gerrard for being below par when the team is below par...

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/steve-stammers/After-criticising-Gerrard-and-Carragher-Rafa-Benitez-needs-to-learn-what-goes-on-in-the-dressing-room-stays-in-the-dressing-room-article132001.html

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/08/30/1471306/steven-gerrard-feels-rafa-benitezs-criticism-of-liverpool

you know it's true ;) I'm not trying to be nasty but RAFA has clearly had his time and all he could do is come up with excuses and blame everyone else except himself... people questioned his Zonal Marking he said it's the right way to go... people criticised his defensive playing style. People criticised his rotational system as each time he does it Liverpool end up loosing.

I respect you opinion but you have generalized in some of your points. Like I've said on many an occasion, don't fall into the media trap.

I could get some stats to prove otherwise with regards to Zonal marking and rotation but I'm not feeling up to it. Not now anyway.

poolmania

16-10-2009, 12:45 PM

A quick one: Reina has won the Golden Glove award (most clean sheets) for three seasons in a row: 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007,2008. He was pipped by one clean sheet last year by Edwin.

Zonal marking FTW.;)

fishfly

16-10-2009, 12:45 PM

But after the crushing 3-1 defeat, on their own turf (double ouch!), Benitez said: “We conceded a bad equaliser from a set-piece. That was not because of the zonal marking but because players made mistakes to allow people space and time.” Players make mistakes because they allow people space and time? So if you marking in a zone and you have 5 guys running aorund in circles and all 5 plays get into your zone would you will be able to out wrestle all 5?

http://www.givemefootball.com/champions-league/zonal-marking-works-in-basketball-not-football-raf

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/53971,sport,football,anfield-manager-rafa-benitezs-worries-over-liverpools-defensive-frailties

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0414/benitezr.html

poolmania

16-10-2009, 12:47 PM

Players make mistakes because they allow people space and time? So if you marking in a zone and you have 5 guys running aorund in circles and all 5 plays get into your zone would you will be able to out wrestle all 5?

http://www.givemefootball.com/champions-league/zonal-marking-works-in-basketball-not-football-raf

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/53971,sport,football,anfield-manager-rafa-benitezs-worries-over-liverpools-defensive-frailties

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0414/benitezr.html

See my post above.

fishfly

16-10-2009, 01:04 PM

ya but pool you gotta agree Rafa makes more bad calls than good calls and he still has the nerve to blame the players, blame the Owners, blame other clubs with more money and blame his players

Each time he doesn't see a problem with his strategy? also what about that match when liverpool was 1-0 down (I think) and the other team was down to 10 men after 50 odd minute yet he only decides to bring on a extra attacker in the 75th minute?

poolmania

16-10-2009, 01:19 PM

ya but pool you gotta agree Rafa makes more bad calls than good calls

I do not agree with that. Surely the heights that we have achieved in the last 5 years compared to pre-Rafa, I would have to say that the good calls far outweigh the bad calls. It's common sense surely.

and he still has the nerve to blame the players, blame the Owners, blame other clubs with more money.

I agree with you about the money thing. I don't agree with you about blaming the owners and players. Don't forget that the Owners went behind his back and spoke to Klinsman. I can bring up numerous others things the owners have done that make my blood boil but I won't go into them. The players need stick now and then and in fact, in previous seasons, Rafa has been quite supportive of the players compared to other managers.

AMG133

16-10-2009, 01:37 PM

poolmania

16-10-2009, 01:54 PM

Its funny how everyone is quick to point out zonal marking as the cause of our recent spate of leaking in goals, but when we used zonal marking on those consecutive days we've kept clean sheets earning us so many defensive records no one said a word about it.

That's exactly my point about the media. That start off something, keep storm when we keep a clean sheet and then write an article about it when we leak 2 goals or so and they make out like it happens often. The same goes with the rotation. The funny thing is that people buy into it.

The facts of the matter are simple. Liverpool had the most clean sheets three seasons in a row. They were close last season as well. That is as clear a fact as you will ever get.

fishfly

16-10-2009, 02:57 PM

That's exactly my point about the media. That start off something, keep storm when we keep a clean sheet and then write an article about it when we leak 2 goals or so and they make out like it happens often. The same goes with the rotation. The funny thing is that people buy into it.

The facts of the matter are simple. Liverpool had the most clean sheets three seasons in a row. They were close last season as well. That is as clear a fact as you will ever get. I guess it's the clean sheet that matters the most which ended in 0-0 draws that costed your team ;) However this season...

poolmania

16-10-2009, 04:38 PM

No good news going into the weekend. Torres and Gerrard have been ruled out for the game tomorrow. Not ideal but let's see how it goes. We're playing away which doesn't help.

Bloody internationals.

fishfly

16-10-2009, 06:16 PM

but you only playing sunderland :D can send in your second string too :)

Ashez7

17-10-2009, 07:31 AM

babel should get a start with kuyt up front

Sting

17-10-2009, 07:41 AM

I hope it does not become a Dark Day for LFC at the Stadium of Light!

Stickfigure

17-10-2009, 06:22 PM

Unlucky.

Beaten by a balloon.

iceman23

17-10-2009, 08:28 PM

We may have been unlucky but we were terrible...

AMG133

17-10-2009, 11:58 PM

f_cking ball! it was the final nail in the coffin after the sharks lost :( what a *****ty sporting weekend...

Alan

19-10-2009, 10:27 AM

f_cking ball! it was the final nail in the coffin after the sharks lost :( what a *****ty sporting weekend...

+1

Rafa is in probably the biggest hole he's found himself in at Liverpool.

fishfly

19-10-2009, 11:11 AM

f_cking ball! it was the final nail in the coffin after the sharks lost :( what a *****ty sporting weekend...

Great weekend for me! except for the Sharks loss :(

Beginner

19-10-2009, 12:02 PM

f#cked up goal or not we did not deserve a point from the game.
It looks like our team only has about 3 or 4 players

poolmania

19-10-2009, 01:04 PM

f#cked up goal or not we did not deserve a point from the game.
It looks like our team only has about 3 or 4 players

....and how many did they have last season?

fishfly

19-10-2009, 01:10 PM

....and how many did they have last season?

5 with alonso? :p now you have 2/3 with Lucas! :D

poolmania

19-10-2009, 01:15 PM

Really disappointing result. Didn't deserve anything from the game. The goal should of not been given but the result was fair regardless. I actually expected the team to do a bit better without Gerrard and Torres (we did quite well without the two of them last season) playing. Alas, I was wrong, we missed their influence on the game.

It's still very early in the League and mark my words, the other big sides will drop points. We are a bit thin at the moment, but by the end of October, we should have a full squad with the addition of Aquilani. We could do with a lengthy winning streak then which should put us up there challenging.

poolmania

19-10-2009, 01:17 PM

5 with alonso? :p now you have 2/3 with Lucas! :D

Your arse!...;)

Beginner

19-10-2009, 01:36 PM

....and how many did they have last season?

same amount - every time torres and gerrard are injured we struggle to score.

The only players who seem to make a REAL difference is Reina, Torres and gerrard.

poolmania

19-10-2009, 02:13 PM

same amount - every time torres and gerrard are injured we struggle to score.

The only players who seem to make a REAL difference is Reina, Torres and gerrard.

It was almost the answer I was expecting.

Did you know that Gerrard and Torres only featured together 14 times last season. 2nd on 86 points, not bad that.

Beginner

19-10-2009, 02:26 PM

It was almost the answer I was expecting.

Did you know that Gerrard and Torres only featured together 14 times last season. 2nd on 86 points, not bad that.

Not bad at all but could have been better hey?

Even when gerrard and torres are having off days we pose more of a threat then we did on Saturday.

It seems as though our game dies without gerrard - no depth at all.
Hoping for aquilani to start playing - will hopefully put an end to our creativity problem.

poolmania

19-10-2009, 02:42 PM

Not bad at all but could have been better hey?

Even when gerrard and torres are having off days we pose more of a threat then we did on Saturday.

It seems as though our game dies without gerrard - no depth at all.
Hoping for aquilani to start playing - will hopefully put an end to our creativity problem.

Well it could of been better if both of them played most of the season.

All I'm trying to say is that Liverpool have more than 3 or 4 players. The team without Gerrard and Torres can still be a strong team. Remember Liverpool v Man United. We won 2-1 without both of them. The squad/team is better than you make it out to be.

Beginner

19-10-2009, 03:20 PM

Well it could of been better if both of them played most of the season.

All I'm trying to say is that Liverpool have more than 3 or 4 players. The team without Gerrard and Torres can still be a strong team. Remember Liverpool v Man United. We won 2-1 without both of them. The squad/team is better than you make it out to be.

I understand - guess it is just my frustration at the team not performing well and most of the time when those 2 aren't around.
I feel the team needs to pick up their game more as once again we create nothing.

smokey

19-10-2009, 04:43 PM

Well, you'll just have to hope beyond hope that Aquilani stays fit and has as much of an impact as Xabi did.

fishfly

20-10-2009, 11:05 AM

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=687165&sec=uefachampionsleague&cc=3888

ok I don't understand... these people moan about the team and the lack of depth so who's fault is it? Team's fault? shouldn't they blame RaFA?

Beginner

20-10-2009, 01:16 PM

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/10/20/1572256/manchester-united-fans-to-be-searched-for-beach-balls-at

poolmania

20-10-2009, 01:19 PM

AMG133

20-10-2009, 01:57 PM

media know **** all, the team lacked desire on Saturday, we allowed the Cats too much possesion, our attackers hardly saw the ball & hence the lack of creative chances. lets hope for better tonight!

Beginner

20-10-2009, 02:23 PM

pool 3-0 winners tonight

ALFAHOLIC

20-10-2009, 02:34 PM

WOAH...only found this now!!!

POOL FTW...me dad is a Pool supporter so is I...bought my little brother of 6 months a little original Liverpool kit with matching socks last weekend...man can't wait till me, me dad and me brova all wear our Pool kits and MOER Man U!

iceman23

20-10-2009, 02:53 PM

same amount - every time torres and gerrard are injured we struggle to score.

The only players who seem to make a REAL difference is Reina, Torres and gerrard.

Yossi has been pretty good since the turn of the year as well...

No point though, he still gets dropped every alternate match...

poolmania

20-10-2009, 02:56 PM

Yossi has been pretty good since the turn of the year as well...

No point though, he still gets dropped every alternate match...

Not entirely true.

ALFAHOLIC

20-10-2009, 03:58 PM

Not entirely true.

Entirely true!

In the last 5 games have Yossi played at least 3 full 90's?

Same with Babel..

Beginner

20-10-2009, 05:25 PM

I think most of us are just dissapointed by the start to the season and everybody already writing pool off.

As poolmania mentioned - there is still along way to go as we have only played 9 games while only 7 points behind the league leaders.

Some of the performances have been really weak but the season is long.

fishfly

20-10-2009, 11:19 PM

lmao 3-0...

so another defeat... 4 defeats in a row... when are you supporters gonna start chanting FIRE RAFA! FIRE RAFA! FIRE RAFA!?

smokey

20-10-2009, 11:22 PM

pool 3-0 winners tonight

Hope you realised that was Lyon you played against, not Rubin Kazan... wait...:erm:

I think most of us are just dissapointed by the start to the season and everybody already writing pool off.

As poolmania mentioned - there is still along way to go as we have only played 9 games while only 7 points behind the league leaders.

Some of the performances have been really weak but the season is long.

The season just became longer...

AjAx30

21-10-2009, 12:15 AM

so another defeat... 4 defeats in a row... when are you supporters gonna start chanting FIRE RAFA! FIRE RAFA! FIRE RAFA!?

been saying it for a year already..

I am however glad he did makes some changes and the team in general played well for the 1st half.. But 2nd half was a disaster.. lacked concentration and fight, no real chasing back when they lost the ball except Kuyt as always..

N'gog missed that sitter after a great chest down, but I think that's purely because of lack of match practice.. and that's one the problem with the fringe players / Rafa's rotation policy..

Kelly also had a pretty good game, but most likely wont play again for another month in the 1st team.

And then there is the managers decision making again... Why take off your most creative player in the 83rd min and put a striker in his position to play out of his normal position? Why risk Gerrard when he was doubtful before hand and risk him being out even longer than before. That shows to me how desperate he was and is running out of ideas to get the team to perform.

(btw, for once i do agree with him when he said that the big 4 will lose more matches this year in the league than usual, but we have lost 4 out of 9 already.... not 2 like chelsea)

Pepe Reina also contributed to both goals. First goal was yet again as a result of his poor decision making with crosses and yes, he made 2 good follow up saves, but those crosses..... Second goal he could have done better wrt positioning, but it was a good ball across the goal mouth.

I think the Man Utd match is gonna determine whether or not he has a job next week...

fishfly

21-10-2009, 02:38 AM

Reina was crap! He couldn't stop a cross even if the ball hit him on his head!

Sting

21-10-2009, 03:43 AM

Rafa must go!

smokey

21-10-2009, 06:18 AM

Aaaaah. The supporters baying for blood is starting. Interesting times we live in:cool:

ALFAHOLIC

21-10-2009, 08:11 AM

Eish...Im both glad and upset about the loss...However through all the madness we ahve to look at some individua performances that stood out last night...lemme know if ya'll agree:

New boy Kelly...good defender also very good going forward and crossing in, pitty his playing in Glen Johnson's role...

Lucas, I'd say I was more impressed than frustrated with him, which is strange...he played that holding midfielder role very well.

Aurelio, makes you wonder WHY Rafa don't start this boy PERMANENTLY

Ngog - I really wanted him to show why he should changed Rafa's mind and imply a 4-4-2 play with him and Torres in the future...just like Babel, he's been played too little and when he plays we only see glimpses of talent, other than that his lack in confidense shows.

We can't keep relying on Gerrard and Torres to win games for us...WTF is Aquilini!!!

smokey

21-10-2009, 09:10 AM

Aquilani is an Italian midfielder...

AjAx30

21-10-2009, 09:17 AM

WTF is Aquilini!!!

he is a player we spent close to 20mil pounds on, when we knew he was injured and we had no depth on the squad as it is...

think the money could have been spent better... sure, he might be good when he is fit in nov sometime, but we needed that depth last month already..

Beginner

21-10-2009, 09:19 AM

Hope you realised that was Lyon you played against, not Rubin Kazan... wait...:erm:

The season just became longer...

Tell me about it.
Atleast i got the amount of goals correct:o

Beginner

21-10-2009, 09:25 AM

Think i am going to have to echo poolmania here.
We are just playing bad - other coaches have done alot worse than Rafa so we need to just be a bit patient for the team to hit their stride.
No need to ask for his head when he has done so much for the club and i believe there is still more to come - if he is still around come end december

ALFAHOLIC

21-10-2009, 09:34 AM

Ok, I know who Aquilini is...the WTF was supposed to be read as Where TF is Aquilini...he's expensive and NOT playing...we bought a Code 3 car!

smokey

21-10-2009, 09:48 AM

Ok, I know who Aquilini is...the WTF was supposed to be read as Where TF is Aquilini...he's expensive and NOT playing...we bought a Code 3 car!

This is the internet. We're llowed to take the piss out of people for the most minute mistakes* things. Even if they are as plain as daylight.

* - or anything that is not according to internet decorum :p

hj2k_x

21-10-2009, 09:58 AM

ALFAHOLIC

21-10-2009, 10:25 AM

agreed lol

smokey

21-10-2009, 10:29 AM

And no, we don't want to hear about your Alfa. :mad::p

Beginner

21-10-2009, 11:54 AM

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2009/10/10/sack-benitez-well-fergie-and-wenger-should-go-too/

Alan

21-10-2009, 12:10 PM

icyrus

21-10-2009, 12:46 PM

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2009/10/10/sack-benitez-well-fergie-and-wenger-should-go-too/

"Written by Gareth Roberts on October 10th, 2009"

Is there a followup?

Randhir

21-10-2009, 01:29 PM

In the meantime, the arch enemy 30-odd miles away have won the thing two years running

Sorry, thats THREE years running mate... 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09

Then there’s the traditional pattern of performance of Benitez’s teams – they are usually stronger in the later stages of the season.

Uhh, no... That's United.. This is one of the best starts we've made to a season, iirc.

This bloke is almost as bad as Paul Tomkins. Look at Benitez, without comparing him to anyone else. Chelsea, United and Arsenal have all won the League within the last 20 years.

poolmania

21-10-2009, 02:11 PM

been saying it for a year already..
..

Clearly.....you knew it all along didn't you. A year you say. We were in the running for the Premiership last season. Clearly you were one of those who booed when we went top of the league last season. I give up.

poolmania

21-10-2009, 02:13 PM

Reina was crap! He couldn't stop a cross even if the ball hit him on his head!

Excellent post.

poolmania

21-10-2009, 02:14 PM

Rafa must go!

Who do we replace him with that will do a better job?

reddevilandy10

21-10-2009, 02:16 PM

Who do we replace him with that will do a better job?

Joel Santana anyone?:p

ALFAHOLIC

21-10-2009, 02:17 PM

LOL...good question, who is worthy? Can anyone say The Special One???

AMG133

21-10-2009, 02:18 PM

I think the call for Rafa's head is abit over the top, firstly who would we get? Joel Santana?
Seondly, most of the players we got are there because of Rafa, the likes of Mascherano, Aurellio, TORRES, Skertl, Insua to name a few, so if he go's you can kiss them bye bye.
In this mordern age of footy we do expect results week in & week out from our teams but cut the manager some slack, fine he does have some bone head decisions like playing Ngog upfront instead of Kuyt & lets not start on the transfer history... but his got the right attitude for the club, think of it, with the amount of bull**** he go's through with Tom & George, many a manager would have walked out along time ago, but he hasnt, his stuck by us through thick and thin you can see his a team player & other coachs would have chickened out. You know we'll come good, we have to, because we never do things the easy way.

poolmania

21-10-2009, 02:19 PM

Eish...Im both glad and upset about the loss...!

Why would you be glad for the loss. Is this a 21st century thing? Maybe I'm behind the times hey?:confused:

poolmania

21-10-2009, 02:22 PM

Ok, I know who Aquilini is...the WTF was supposed to be read as Where TF is Aquilini...he's expensive and NOT playing...we bought a Code 3 car!

His name is Aquilani.

ALFAHOLIC

21-10-2009, 02:23 PM

Why would you be glad for the loss. Is this a 21st century thing? Maybe I'm behind the times hey?:confused:

I'm glad coz it takes losses to prove you NEED to start doing something...this loss has sparked criticism left and right...we know Rafa won't waai...but at least we can count on the fact that NOW something will be done...can it get worse than this...this is our slump, our low, our bad luck, I beleive we've hit rock bottom, we can't go lower than this, the players are also fedup...thus me is glad...so now we can look forward to greater goals from Ngog!:rolleyes:

AjAx30

21-10-2009, 02:31 PM

Clearly you were one of those who booed when we went top of the league last season. I give up.

No... i NEVER boo the team i support.. i might be bitterly disappointed in them, like i am at the moment, but will never boo them..

I didnt not like what i saw for the 1st half of last season, and yes, we finished second and lost the least games in the league.. BUT WE DREW 11 FFS.... and those draws were against teams where most of the time we went 1 up, and then he gets the team to play defensively... That is why i did not like him, and that is also why we lost against Lyon last night..

poolmania

21-10-2009, 02:37 PM

4 in a row. Last time that happened was 22 years ago.

I don't think we played badly last night considering we lost Gerrard 20 minutes in. Both Yossi and Ngog missed excellent chances to put as 2-0 up against a quality Lyon side. Great to see Agger back and Kelly looks a quality player for the future. Aurellio also made a great impact

Having said that what was Rafa thinking taking Yossi off :eek:. Ngog looked finished towards the end not Yossi :rolleyes:. Lucas struggled again and IMO and so did Insua.

Insua was definitely not up to his best/standard last night. I think Yossi going off was to protect him for Man United. He's not one of our fittest players, so I've heard. Bringing on a striker for him was good move, pity it had to be Voronin. Not my favourite player. Ngog doesn't have the talent that Babel might have but I have time for the likes of Ngog and Lucas because they put in a decent effort every time. Babel on the other hand seems to be more focused on twittering and rapping.

Very impressed with the Kelly lad, a good prospect to eventually replace Carra when he retires.

Overall, we started off well, lacked the quality, but put in a decent effort. Fell away at the end and yet again, defensively, we were outfought. With our defences of the past few seasons, we would of won this game. We really need to sort out the defence, even if it means dropping Carra.

Otherwise, gutted at the 4th loss in 22 years. Let's go on the best winning streak in 22 years. That should sort it.

As for the rest of the drivel posted here, "Rafa out", "glad we lost", "saying for a year now".......etc....etc.... Get a Grip. I'm all for criticizing the team, manager, players as long as it's constructive and makes sense.

My opinion. I am willing to give Rafa until the end of the season to get things right. We will be taking a big risk by replacing him now. We need stability more than ever.

poolmania

21-10-2009, 02:40 PM

fishfly

21-10-2009, 03:19 PM

Thanks for that post. I agree entirely. This is not the time to start sharpening our knives. We need to show our support for Rafa and then review his position at the end of the season. There is too much at stake for this club to be drastically changing things when there is still such a long way to go in the season. lol I've been calling for his head since last season when pool couldn't make that last push :D but no Hicks and co gave him more power... to do what? buy 2 glassess that's cracked and use 3 players to try win the league :D

nivek

21-10-2009, 03:23 PM

Rijkaard is still out of a job?

Redknapp would probably drop spurs in a second and jump at the opportunity

fishfly

21-10-2009, 03:25 PM

I'd take Rijkaard

dbecks

21-10-2009, 03:31 PM

Ahhhh good times....:)

poolmania

21-10-2009, 03:32 PM

No... i NEVER boo the team i support.. i might be bitterly disappointed in them, like i am at the moment, but will never boo them..

I didnt not like what i saw for the 1st half of last season, and yes, we finished second and lost the least games in the league.. BUT WE DREW 11 FFS.... and those draws were against teams where most of the time we went 1 up, and then he gets the team to play defensively... That is why i did not like him, and that is also why we lost against Lyon last night..

Sorry if I offended you. Just reeling from some of the comments on here.

Let me explain what I'm trying to say in a nicer way.

Last season against West Ham, we drew 0-0 at Anfield. We were poor. The draw meant we went top of the league above Chelsea. The reaction of some of the fans was to boo the team. These fans were never satisfied even though we were top. You comment about how you knew for a year that Rafa is no good just reminded me about these lot.

You know Ajax30, we did well last season getting 86 points. We drew 11 games but it was no different to the 80's with the likes of Paisley, Fagan and Dalglish as our manager when we would win the league by drawing 11 times in the season and then we would come second or third by drawing 11 times in the season. Imagine if we had that attitude then. Paisley Out!!!, Dalglish Out!!!!!

Regardless of what the press or the man United fans have to say, we were unfortunate last season not to win it.

Now Rafa surely deserves respect for that achievement especially since we had never reached those heights in 22 years.

nivek

21-10-2009, 03:34 PM

I'd take Rijkaard

as a rival fan i'd be more worried about liverpool with redknapp

poolmania

21-10-2009, 03:43 PM

Something to look forward too. Aquilani is on the bench tonight in the reserves game against Sunderland.

fishfly

21-10-2009, 03:45 PM

as a rival fan i'd be more worried about liverpool with redknapp eh? I'm no pool supporter :D but Rijkaard would make me *** in mah pants! :D

nivek

21-10-2009, 03:50 PM

eh? I'm no pool supporter :D but Rijkaard would make me *** in mah pants! :D

haha
yeah true
but look at how redknapp has turned spurs around, they've gone from bottom of the table a year ago to barely losing a game..

Ashez7

21-10-2009, 03:59 PM

fishfly

21-10-2009, 04:02 PM

nivek

21-10-2009, 04:07 PM

Randhir

21-10-2009, 04:22 PM

that was disapointing last night. Aquilani better make a major impact in the mid and lucas should play in th reseave team im still not coninces about the former under 21 brazilian captain what is he doing in the squad. maybe players like silva and villa don't want to come to pool because they will get rotated by rafa.

Cm positions should be Mascherano and Aquilani (PROVIDING Aquilani settles in properly), with Lucas coming off the bench or playing less important games. Though for Pool now, every game is a VERY important one.

Liverpool cant afford either of them

Hard to afford them when the club refuses to sell, even though they have huge money problems. Not to mention the tax laws chasing footballers away from the EPL.

iceman23

21-10-2009, 09:51 PM

As a Liverpool supporter I really havent taken to Rafa as most other supporters have. I believe he is very good manager tactically but I don't think that he is this tactical genius as people make out. I am tired of him overcomplicating stuff, playing not too lose, negative defensive tactics, choosing our side to neutralise the opposition even though we are stronger than them. Let them worry about us FFS. I also believe that he is not so good with man management and I also dont believe that he is on the same level as Ferguson and Wenger. I am not anti-Rafa or pro-Rafa. I am pro-Liverpool. I want what's best for my club. Sadly, and this is my opinion, Rafa isn't whats best for Liverpool.

If we lose to United and Arsenal, I actually see no point in carrying on. We will be out of the league and the league cup. I highly doubt we are going anywhere in the CL as well. Might as well get a new manager in now and use this as a transition year instead of waiting till the end of the season and using next season as a transition. I highly doubt any new manager can do worse. I also see no signs of a player exodus. Torres has already said he wont leave. Masch is leaving anyway. Gerrard and Carra wouldn't leave. Come to think of it, has there ever been a stream of players following a manager. I cant really think of many. From what we know, he doesn't really have close relationships with any of the players any way. (Except Dirk that is ;) ). How many players would leave if we appoint Hiddink or Mourinho (Heaven forbid) or Rikjaard as manager?

I think its time for Liverpool to be proactive rather than reactive. I know it is not the Liverpool way to sack managers mid way through the season but the Liverpool way has been destroyed already, mostly by our lovely owners but partly due to Rafa himself...

Alan

21-10-2009, 10:42 PM

As a Liverpool supporter I really havent taken to Rafa as most other supporters have. I believe he is very good manager tactically but I don't think that he is this tactical genius as people make out. I am tired of him overcomplicating stuff, playing not too lose, negative defensive tactics, choosing our side to neutralise the opposition even though we are stronger than them. Let them worry about us FFS. I also believe that he is not so good with man management and I also dont believe that he is on the same level as Ferguson and Wenger. I am not anti-Rafa or pro-Rafa. I am pro-Liverpool. I want what's best for my club. Sadly, and this is my opinion, Rafa isn't whats best for Liverpool.

Well said. Sums up my opinion :)

How many players would leave if we appoint Hiddink or Mourinho (Heaven forbid) or Rikjaard as manager?

I think its time for Liverpool to be proactive rather than reactive. I know it is not the Liverpool way to sack managers mid way through the season but the Liverpool way has been destroyed already, mostly by our lovely owners but partly due to Rafa himself...

The problem is can those two idiot owners attract quality managers to Liverpool. I doubt they would sign up with all this instability and financial troubles. Firing the manager is serious business with a real danger the club could fall even further behind with a new manager.

smokey

21-10-2009, 10:53 PM

The problem is can those two idiot owners attract quality managers to Liverpool. I doubt they would sign up with all this instability and financial troubles. Firing the manager is serious business with a real danger the club could fall even further behind with a new manager.

That's the ticket... it's a gamble that doesn't always pay off (Lord knows Chelsea have had enough experience with it:o) but then again... if it was Redknapp...? Who knows?

fishfly

22-10-2009, 11:05 AM

lol you guys have a united supporter here telling you your manager is not working, yet no one thinks there's anything wrong with him :D
well lets see how the weekend goes

ALFAHOLIC

22-10-2009, 11:17 AM

Weekend predictions...Torres and Gerrad back in squad, Aquilini makes his Debut...

Liverpool 3 Man U 2

poolmania

22-10-2009, 11:55 AM

Alberto Aquilani has spoken of his delight after taking another step towards full fitness with an encouraging 15 minute cameo appearance for Liverpool Reserves on Wednesday night.
The 25-year-old made his Reds bow as a late substitute at Prenton Park in the second string's 2-0 victory over Sunderland - and wasted no time in serving up a glimpse of his vast potential.

"I am happy to have made my debut," Aquilani told Liverpoolfc.tv. "It's been a very long time since I last played.

"Although I only played for 15 minutes tonight, it is good for me and my fitness.

"I know I am not fully fit yet, but I hope to be soon."

An ankle injury has kept Aquilani sidelined since his August transfer from AS Roma, however the Italy midfielder admits he is pleased with the progress he has made in his rehabilitation.

And though aware there is still plenty of work to be done before he is back to peak fitness, the No.4 is already planning a long-term future at Anfield.

"Of course, I cannot wait to make my debut for the first-team now," he said.

"Like every other player, I want to be playing, but the important thing for me now is to keep improving my fitness.

"I don't want to stop now - I want to carry on working hard and improving for a long time.

"I have signed for Liverpool for five years and I want to play here for at least five years."

Some people who were at the game said they were impressed. He was playing very high up on the pitch, behind the strikers. Wonder if he and Gerrard will be changing roles in the future.

Whether he will make the bench for the United game, I very much doubt.

Randhir

22-10-2009, 12:07 PM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/oct/21/rafael-benitez-10-mistakes-liverpool

Rafael Benítez: 10 mistakes that have cost Liverpool

Excerpt:

Trusting the owners
Protracted contract negotiations concluded in March with Benítez in control of transfer policy, the youth set-up and being promised around £20m to spend this summer above whatever he raised through sales. Hicks and Gillett had sold their master tactician a dummy. As summer progressed it materialised that the improved contracts given to Steven Gerrard, Torres, Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger, Yossi Benayoun and José Reina were coming out of Benítez's transfer budget. Yet another reason for the Spaniard to rue the day David Moores accepted the Americans' higher bid for his majority shareholding

AMG133

22-10-2009, 12:18 PM

I said it on the UK boards & I'll say it here, the men to blame are RICK PARRY & DAVID MOORES, the dumb nitwits sold our club to the worst possible idiots in the world! fine they have a good track record in the states, but footy is a different ball game to hockey & baseball! Im not saying they should have sold it to DIC....well if they did we would have been the most powerful club in the world... but there were others, the Krafts, etc... Im not sure why Rick gave them more time to get in a better bid to that of DIC.

smokey

22-10-2009, 12:33 PM

Beginner

22-10-2009, 12:54 PM

Some people who were at the game said they were impressed. He was playing very high up on the pitch, behind the strikers. Wonder if he and Gerrard will be changing roles in the future.

Whether he will make the bench for the United game, I very much doubt.

Read some of the supporters saying that he has good vision but was afraid to enter 50/50 tackles which makes sense.

I also doubt he will make the united game with arsenal looking to be his first team debut

Alan

22-10-2009, 02:07 PM

Can't read to much if anything into his first reserve game surely

AveshR

22-10-2009, 03:00 PM

Weekend predictions...Torres and Gerrad back in squad, Aquilini makes his Debut...

Liverpool 3 Man U 2

post this in the joke thread :D

Ashez7

22-10-2009, 03:08 PM

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N166168091022-1048.htm

some good news aqualani better play the weekend at least 30mins

fishfly

22-10-2009, 03:13 PM

While Benítez has been restrained on some transfers – such as when he discovered he had less than £2m for a new central defender late this summer, hence Sotirios Kyrgiakos – he has squandered plenty. Inexpensive errors such as Josemi, Antonio Núñez and Mauricio Pellegrino were excusable as he overhauled the squad and concentrated resources on Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano or Fernando Torres. But to be six seasons into the job and have a squad utterly reliant on two players, one inherited, while £11m Ryan Babel was left on the bench against Lyon is damning lol

The Liverpool manager frequently complains about international commitments and their repercussions but rarely prevents his players, even those carrying slight injuries, from joining their national teams. Unlike, for example, Manchester United, Liverpool players do not often develop sudden, mysterious problems ahead of an international week. Torres suffered three injuries with Spain last season that may have cost Liverpool the title. Spain and England had qualified for the World Cup before their recent qualifiers, but Gerrard and Torres travelled with slight injuries and returned far worse so who's fault is that he does not try protect his assets?

this document is funny :D

zippy

22-10-2009, 04:21 PM

The press in UK have made the point that Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal also have key players injured. United have been without Rooney for a few games now. Ferdinand was injured and has come back, playing rubbish. Yet these teams still manage to grind out a result.

While you could argue Chelsea and Man United are financially better off, you cant say the same for Arsenal. They are busy paying off their stadium and havent spent huge sums on players in recent years. Arsene Wenge and the Arsenal coaching staff are managing just fine.

Just about all of Liverpool's recent signings are either crap or have been injured since their first press conference.

reddevilandy10

22-10-2009, 04:23 PM

Ashez7

22-10-2009, 08:02 PM

i will be suprised if Aqualani gets even 5 mins on the pitch. if he was 99% fit rafa would give him at least minimum 5mins knowing rafa when it comes down to fitness. its going to be very interesting to see how this guy makes an impact in the squad and what he provides for the team. i hope to see our midfield a bit creative when he finally makes his debut. his a great player checked a couple of clips on youtube but will an italian make a major impact at a club liverpool fc. thinkin of italian midfielders that have made a major impact in the premier league in the last 5 years perhaps?:confused: i cnt think of any at the moment. i cnt even think of any italian who has made a major impact to the EPL?:confused: hopefully Aquaman will be that man who can make a major impact:cool:ts looking really hope for Pool at the moment.

icyrus

22-10-2009, 10:44 PM

i cnt even think of any italian who has made a major impact to the EPL?:confused:

Zola

reddevilandy10

22-10-2009, 11:32 PM

Paulo di Canio.

fishfly

23-10-2009, 09:33 AM

Matarazzi :D

he was sent off four times in just 27 games! :p

poolmania

23-10-2009, 09:37 AM

http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/

A very long and very interesting read. If you have 15 minutes to kill (especially the LFC supporters) then do yourself a favour and read this.

He does go over the top in praising Rafa in everything he does but it's a good account of what Rafa is like when working with the players. It gives us a bit of insight to Rafa and his absolute dedication to the game, players and Liverpool FC.

smokey

23-10-2009, 09:58 AM

Awesome article.

Randhir

23-10-2009, 10:12 AM

He does go over the top in praising Rafa in everything he does but it's a good account of what Rafa is like when working with the players. It gives us a bit of insight to Rafa and his absolute dedication to the game, players and Liverpool FC.

I read his stuff regularly, and thats a bit of an understatement. He has his nose so far up Rafa's cooter his breath smells of digested paella.

Randhir

23-10-2009, 01:25 PM

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/index?cc=3888

Pennant: Rafa ruining Reds

AMG133

23-10-2009, 02:16 PM

I read his stuff regularly, and thats a bit of an understatement. He has his nose so far up Rafa's cooter his breath smells of digested paella.

good article in terms of getting to know the behind the scenes but Paul Tomkins is a brown noser and he tends to ramble on with jibberish at times but I enjoyed that piece.

Beginner

23-10-2009, 03:45 PM

Ashez7

23-10-2009, 05:15 PM

hoping too that aquilani gets atleast 10-15mins of the game no matter what the scoreline

yeah at least but knowing benetiz he will play it cautiously.

fishfly

23-10-2009, 06:00 PM

well given it's a united game and aqua man's history injuries I wouldn't risk giving him game time...

1. Suspectiable to another injury
2. He gives away the game

nivek

23-10-2009, 08:44 PM

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/premier-league-football-news/2009/10/23/arsenal-boss-hits-out-at-excessive-critcism-levelled-at-bosses-97319-25002242/

AMG133

25-10-2009, 12:18 AM

I just played 6 games of Liverpool vs Man U on FIFA10 on world class, with the speed set on fast with 10 min halfs, I thumped them 80% of the time....... I got a good feeling about tomorrow/today :)

Stevie G

25-10-2009, 12:28 PM

what time is the kickoff.some say it starts 2h30 and others says its at 3.

don't want to even miss the kick-off.

can't wait to see how we going to rape them today.

:D:D:D:D:D

AjAx30

25-10-2009, 01:40 PM

it is 1600 our time, 1400 GMT

nivek

25-10-2009, 02:31 PM

come on you scousers

Sting

25-10-2009, 06:06 PM

I promise that I will not make any posts in the ManU thread!!!

LFC 2 - ManU 0

It's gonna be a great week at work!!

B@rrels

25-10-2009, 06:26 PM

3 in a row against the enemy,without Captain Marvel!!!

AjAx30

25-10-2009, 07:48 PM

We won that match, purely because we took the game to them and did not allow them space... That is how we should play week in and week out. Attacking football and not that defensive drivel that cost us all those draws last season...

If he keeps this kind of tactic, then i might start respecting rafa again

reddevilandy10

25-10-2009, 08:21 PM

Well done.

theone

25-10-2009, 09:29 PM

I wasn't planning on watching this game but I'm glad that I did. Benayoun has been my lfc player of the season thus far.

Randhir

25-10-2009, 09:41 PM

Benayoun has been my lfc player of the season thus far.

Lucas has been my LFC player of the season this far.

But that's coz I'm a United fan :D

Sting

25-10-2009, 09:42 PM

Lucas has been my LFC player of the season this far.

But that's coz I'm a United fan

Well at least Lucas had a better game than Scholes!

Stickfigure

25-10-2009, 09:49 PM

Well at least Lucas had a better game than Scholes!

Lucas isn't 35 though. Surprised Scholes can still run.

Alan

25-10-2009, 09:50 PM

Great win. The highlight of a **** weekend :D

fishfly

25-10-2009, 10:33 PM

Well done pooh! played much better than expected... yet again without Gerrard Pooh beat united... maybe it's a trend?

Vidic sent off again! :D

Randhir

25-10-2009, 10:46 PM

Well at least Lucas had a better game than Scholes!

Scholes is far older, and to date, has already proven himself. He is hailed as a prolific passer by everyone in the game.

Lucas isn't even liked by Liverpool fans. lol.

fishfly

25-10-2009, 10:54 PM

Lucas is King! he'll be the next Ronaldinho!

Sting

25-10-2009, 11:11 PM

Scholes is far older. He is past his sell by date.

fixed.

I don't agree with you about Lucas.

Ashez7

26-10-2009, 07:53 AM

We were no doubt the better team!!!

guru_pitka

26-10-2009, 08:09 AM

Lucas has been my LFC player of the season this far.

But that's coz I'm a United fan :D

well he made both your midfielders look like ametures yesterday :D

Cantera

26-10-2009, 08:12 AM

Lucas was terrible yesterday.

guru_pitka

26-10-2009, 08:32 AM

Lucas was terrible yesterday.

We are talking about Lucas Leiva ...and not Lucas Radebe :D

what match did you watch the boy was immense yesterday, constantly closing down United Midfield how many times didnt he take the ball off them and start a counter attack ,how many fantastic late runs didnt he make getting into the box or the attacking 3rd :rolleyes:

poolmania

26-10-2009, 09:24 AM

Great hard fought victory. We really worked hard and closed them down. We said it last season and we'll say it again, if you work hard at closing Man United down, especially in the midfield, then you have a chance to match them or beat them.

For the first time this season, the Lucas/Mascherano partnership had a purpose and that was to battle it out in the midfield and battle they did and won. It was the first time they both played really well together.

Torres was not at his best but even so after coming back from injury he still caused lots of problems for the Man United pair of Rio and Vidic. Great goal by him. I was just a tad annoyed at his constant falling over, something that doesn't sit well with me. There were times he was taken down but I thought he went down too easy.

Carra was immense yesterday. He took the captains armband and lead the team superbly. He was 95% of the time spot on with his tackling and that made a huge difference to our defence. Drop Carra?, what was I saying? I should be shot.

Yet again the media and the Man United supporters have written this loss to the team not showing up for the game. This is yet another myth that needs to be exposed. Man United are an excellent team. They were outfought by Liverpool and hence they could not play there natural game. It's not like they went out onto the pitch to not show up. They tried to play how they know best and just couldn't. There were times where their excellent play shown through but it was far less than they were hoping/trying for.

MOM was between Yossi and Lucas. I thought Mascherano was excellent but he gave away 4 free kicks outside the box and on another day, that could cost us a goal or two. Yossi was excellent and linked up well, I just felt they held onto the ball a bit longer instead of shooting when in front of goal.

Lucas for me was MOM, not only was he breaking up the play well, he also contributed in the attack. He still has too improve a lot if he wants to be a first team regular but I thought, in such a big game like yesterday, he really put in a 110% effort after being used as a scapegoat for most of our losses, and for that he deserves my MOM. I'm proud of the boy. For me, there is more to football than just skill, it's passion, hard work, putting more than 100% effort regardless of your own form or confidence. He has done that in every single game I have seen him play this season. All the stick he gets, yet he still carries on and he doesn't let it get to him. Most of us in his situation would crumble, feel sorry for ourselves, not Lucas. For that he needs to be acknowledged.