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RedWristband

Listed below are comments made by RedWristband between Sunday, 15th March 2009 and Wednesday, 25th November 2009.

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Benitez under spotlight after Champions League exit 10:55am on 25 Nov 2009 Quite simply, Benitez has completely messed up this season, almost beyond repair.

I was never one of the famous deluded Liverpool fans who said this year will be our year, but I could never have expected us to capitulate in the way we have. Benitez has to take the fall for this poor season, he has been a little unlucky but as posters on here rightly point out, he is not the only one with difficulties and a team of Liverpools stature should be able to deal with them.

The owners, I think, are less of a problem than they were, in past seasons if Benitez ever came under pressure, he could just point gently upwards towards the people who promised millions and delivered a few hundred and then spent years squabbling over the pennies. But Benitez has now got his man behind the scenes in Purslow and there seems to be more stability than at any point in the past few years.

The rest of the blame has to be layed at the players feet though, some players like N'Gog have seized their opportunities with relish, whereas players like Babel consistently disappoint and then snipe in the press. Kuyt has struggled to score the important goals that came in so handy last season, Skrtel seems to have forgotten how to defend any type of through ball, Dossena arrives for 8 million and is quite happy to be 3/4th choice left back as long as he gets paid. The biggest shock was Mascherano, particularly as the season was in its infancy, who was very poor for a long time.

It's Benitez job though to get things sorted, he has time. Liverpool have never been a club to sack managers midway through a season, he has a long term contract and Purslow assures him his job is safe providing a complete catastrophe doesn't happen.

I won't ever shout for a managers head, especially one as good as Rafas. Progress has been made in the last few years and the team is steadily improving, but missing this years Champions League spots would be a hammer blow and would undo a lot of the good work done.

Benitez is safe until the end of the season, wether he lasts till next season depends almost entirely on our Premier League finish now.
No rush for Rodwell move 1:10pm on 19 Nov 2009 A fantastic talent and it's probably right he should leave. But not yet, he needs competitive games to improve and he will certainly get more at Everton than United, I don't think Rodwell has to be told this. The only worry is if Chelsea/United break down Moyes resolve to keep him, or more importantly, Kenwright's resolve which unfortunately can't be as high as Arsenals or Uniteds.

If Everton sell Rodwell after being prised of Rooney and Lescott then their status will be sealed as a 'selling club'. And I think Moyes' patience could snap, unsurprisingly really he is too good of a manager to be in the situation he's in at Everton so I hope Kenwright can get it sorted soon, but as new investment has looked remote, the selling of Rodwell could have much wider implications for the Toffees.
Mixed fortunes for England duo 2:07pm on 15 Nov 2009 Regarding Foster, I think he had a good game, everytime a cross came in you feared he would come out and flap at it but he did everything he was asked. A few awkward shots like from Dani Alves he dealt with well, got his body behind. Admittedly he didn't do anything spectacular, but from our current crop of goalkeepers, I'd quite happily take 'solid' against any team.

None of the defence where first XI and it showed, they looked edgy and nervous at times. Bridge didn't really do much at LB, solid but unspectacular, which I think sums up the team performance. Plenty of industry and intent but nothing spectacular that is going to rock the top teams.

If there are injuries coming in the World Cup, and lets face it there will be, then we will need to be lucky with the teams we play with a depleted team. We should be able to beat teams like North Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and the like with a mostly B team, but if we're going to compete alongside Spain and Italy, and turn ourselves from Quarter Finalists to winners then we need a bit more inventiveness throughout our side.

And it might be worth noting, that a Plan B is going to have to be formed in place of the 'bring Crouch on and hope for the best' strategy. But I trust Capello to do that or start to rectify that soon.

As for your comments on Bent, Capello is more than intelligent enough to know that he had no service yesterday I think. Admittedly this was maybe his last chance to really impress in an England shirt against top class opposition, but surely if he keeps up his goals per game record towards the end of the season then Capello has to take him as Englands leading goalscorer?
Mixed fortunes for England duo 11:07pm on 14 Nov 2009 Hi Phil, usually a big fan of your blogs but feel the need to call you up on Darren Bent here

I don't see how he 'blew' his chance to go the World Cup, as has been stated by almost everyone here, he didnt get almost any service today against the best team in the world. I think Capello's certainly intelligent enough to realise that Bent with a first team midfield behind him stands a much bigger chance of getting chances, and I trust Bent to put chances away more than Carlton Cole.

Agree with you regards Milner though, have been a fan of his ever since I first saw him at Newcastle and Martin O' Neill has made an excellent signing in him. Nothing spectacular but a workman like performance, unless his immediate form going into the World Cup is nothing short of spectacular he won't make the first eleven but is definately worth taking to South Africa.

I think all in all it was a decent performance, I didn't expect a win even before Terry and co. dropped out. We were outclassed by the best team in the world, but I think with a fit first XI and we could certainly give them more of a game. All that was proved today, is that while England can match anyone when fit and firing, the need for us to stay injury free in key areas is much greater than Brazils, Italy's and Spains for example.
Phil McNulty Q&A 8:07pm on 11 Nov 2009 Regarding Liverpool, don't you think that Sami Hyypia's departure over the summer has also made Liverpool ridiculously streatched at the back. He didn't play much last season but was reliable and experienced, as he shown in the 4 - 1 win at Old Trafford.

This isn't to downplay the departure of Alonso, who is a big loss, but I think at times this season, particularly with injuries to Agger, Skrtel and a suspension now to Carragher that he would be invaluable.
Anfield's day of destiny 5:29pm on 23 Oct 2009 With regards to Michael Owen, I think are ambiguous at the moment towards him. I don't think he'll be booed, he carried us for many a season with his ratio of goals/games. But you don't sign for United and still expect to be welcomed back to Anfield with open arms, so it'll be a mixed reception if its not complete silence that greets his announcement.

I can see Liverpool rallying in this game, a draw and a good performance would be enough to stabelise (sp?) Benitez position and hopefully stop the rot.

A United win though would no doubt about it be fatal to any lingering hopes of the premiership.

I'd like to see some Benitez reaction if we do win this game, just so we know he understands just how important this is in his Liverpool tenure, but I doubt it.. I'll have to look towards Sammy Lee instead :)
How will the Premier League unfold? 3:00pm on 11 Aug 2009 kopsense

As a Liverpool supporter I am flattered but not convinced that we will win the league. I may go so far as to say we will even be luck to win the FA cup!!! This is because of two reasons; we have a weak bench. After the first eleven I do not think that we have a bench that can strike fear in other teams' hearts! The second reason is that we have a dithering and bumbling coach in Rafa Benitez. Last season he had a strange policy of keeping some of our best players on the bench when we were playing the so-called small teams. His explanation then was that we would see the wisdom of his policy when we are getting to the end of the season. Well the season ended and we had nothing to show for it. We will not win the title this season, not with Benitez!

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The best players you have though doesn't always make the best team for some games. I.e. Gerrard, Aquilani, and Torres will likely all start against Arsenal, whereas tactics and personnel will change against Stoke and Bolton. You rotate the players to keep them fresh, and though it didn't give us a title, it gave us an excellent last three months, being 4 points and two games behind and pushing it to the second to last game I think was an excellent achievement.

But anyways...

Beating teams like Stoke (I know I keep mentioning them but we drew twice last year so they're the first name to come to me) I think relys heavily on Johnson and Riera. I like Riera even though he is inconsistent, Johnson is an excellent wing - back who can get to the line and strain the defence, if Johnson settles in, and Aquilani stays fit (and that's a big if, he is a potential make or break signing for Benitez) and flexes his technical muscle, then I think Gerrard and Torres wont have to change plans that much and you'll see some of those draws turn into 1-0 wins.

2nd I think (or first....just ;) )

Utd will miss Ronaldo, and Owen is nowhere near a replacement for him but he will come in handy, he'll never be a game changer against the top 4 but will get his fair share, prob averaging a goal every 3 games. Ferguson had planned for the departure of Ronaldo long before he left so Utd fans shouldnt fret too much, rather than on new signings they will rely on Berbatov and Nani to show their quality this year, Berbatov will need to do more for the team, or score a higher goals to games ratio and Nani will have to show why he was so expensive two years ago.

Chelsea will do pretty much the same as last year, coming bottom of the 'Grand Slam table' will stop Ancelotti from winning the title but he will certainly get more ut of them than Scolari did. And IMO he shouldn't be trusted to replace the squad there, there's too much money to be wasted and he's never really shown a knack for unearthing young talent.

Arsenal will be the same every year until they get a destructive midfielder, Song is probably their best atm but never gets a sustained run to make it his own. They will score all the beautiful goals and play the free flowing moves but not win anything, because Wenger refuses to acknowledge his sides soft centre.

1st and 2nd: Liverpool, United (not saying which order ;P)
3: Chelsea
4: Arsenal

5: Man City

18 - 20:

Wolves
Hull
Birmngham or Burnley
Cech gives Chelsea final hope 11:55pm on 28 Apr 2009 poor match, but I agree with Etoo's point, Chelsea will have to open up at Stamford Bridge and this could easily play into Barcas hands, though without Marquez and Puyol, Drogba will certainly fany his chances..

Certainly an intriguing match at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea will want to go through in normal time, and Barca will struggle to dfend but have so much talent going forward its had not to see them scoring.
Ferguson the winner in CL draw 3:59pm on 20 Mar 2009 Liverpool fan here, I have absolutely no clue as to whether we can beat chelsea, drogbas come alive again, essien is back and carvalho, if i remember right will be fit again. And Hiddink has got them grinding out wins again, real nip/tuck stuff, but I think whoever wins that game will go on to the final. Bayern and Barcelona just arent strong enough, Barcelona in particular have had a lot of plaudits but defensively are suspect, nullify Messi (easier said then done I know) and their most direct threat is gone.

Could be same final as last year, or could be a Liverpool - United final, if the latter ends up being true then god help us all, two arch rival clubs with huge fanbases who will take thousands and thousands of fans to Rome, a city not noted particularly well for its security ^o)
Liverpool make Ferguson suffer 10:20am on 15 Mar 2009 United will still with the EPL, though I do think Liverpool will go on a run now to keep up the pressure till the very last game.

Hopefully over the summer we can add some attacking guile to help break down stubborn teams and next year it should be in the bag ;P

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