posted Sep 1, 2008

Redsaman, I completely agree with you. As for Torrerising, you obviously live in the same sub-standard dream world that Rafa is living in. How can anyone agree with Rafa's tactics???

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posted Sep 1, 2008

rafa should leave

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posted Sep 1, 2008

I love Rafa and have always tried to have faith in him but I honestly think that he looks like he has lost his passion for the job and the club,which is probably understandable given the lack of support from the board that he's had this summer and the mess that the club is in financally.Maybe it's pressure from above but I agree that he just seems terrified to lose games.Some of his tactical decsions are just baffling.Torres goes off and he brings on Ngog and leaves Babel on the bench.??? Khyt and Keane, £30m worth of forwards now playing out wide??? Why wasn't Babel on from the start given the obvious lack of width in the team? It was painful to watch at times yesterday and liverpool must be the most boring team in the Premiership at the moment.We've been poor since the start of the season and it's only a matter of time before our luck runs out and someone beats us. I just hope it lasts until after Man Utd visit but I doubt it somehow.I know we need to keep the faith and all that but it's getting harder every game.
C'mon Rafa, give us the title and we'll love you forever.Just go for it.

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posted Sep 1, 2008

I've had full faith in Rafa. Every season I believe he has strengthened the squad, brought in players in areas where we have been weak. His signings in recent times have been better with not so many flops.

At the end of last season we looked a better team, coming good in the Prem when many were forecasting Everton to finish 4th, and also getting to the CL semis.

I believe he's made the right signings in the summer, and I was looking forward to a proper challenge in the Prem (not necessarily win it). But what has happened on the pitch? Ok, we're up there after 3 games, but more luck than judgement. We don't look like scoring goals, because we are not creating chances. We're relying on a bit of magic or luck rather than ripping teams apart and creating a dozen chances per match.

I was hoping Riera would be the wide player we need, but will Rafa actually play him? He seems reluctant to give us width, prefering solid hard workers rather than creative, skilful players. We can but hope Rafa puts it right and we come out and tear in to a weakened, faultering Utd side, and these 1st couple of weeeks can be forgotten. However I suspect he is going to be even more cautious against Utd, not wanting to lose to a "title rival".

Perhaps we will match Arsenal's undefeated season, but finish 4th because we drew so many games 0-0.

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posted Sep 1, 2008

It's quite hard to have faith in Rafa, on the whole he doesn't seem to do all that badly on the transfer market but for some reason he seems to think you shouldn't have to pay any money for wide players, so we end up with lots of players out there who are just not good enough (Benayoun, Pennant) or central players who've been forced out there (Kuyt, Keane). When he took over, our lack of width was one of the main problems he needed to address, and he's only made it worse!

The only way I can see us challenging this season is if Riera turns out to be almost Cristiano Ronaldo, Babel learns to play on the right (because Riera's stolen his position) and if Torres and Keane can gel together.

At least third this season, and one decent trophy. If not, I'm going to sack Benitez myself.

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posted Sep 1, 2008

I agree with razzamatazzdazz (what's in a name? ). I also have always supported Rafa, but from what I have seen this season we are more scared of losing than going for wins. Even Standard de Liège scared us, for heaven's sake! Its is about time Liverpool keeps its quality players and let them play the way they should. That is not happening right now and for both problems Rafa is one of the guys to blame (but as I said, not the only one). I hope we improve very very soon (in two weeks time against United to start with, please), otherwise I don't see The Reds win anything again this season

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posted Sep 1, 2008

We didnt play with 11 behind the ball and as someone said, its down to the other side to break the resistence down. We have had teams do that to us at Anfield and prosper. My latest recall was Everton last season. Saying that there were chances for both sides, and on balance probably both had good ones.

I dont believe we played for a draw either. As were testing the water without Gerrard and Torres usually leading the charge, we had to be defensive first then surging on the counter. I dont believe in the term either. If a team has a chance of scoring, do they then miss deliberately?

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posted Nov 15, 2008

Chelsea are scoring goals for fun and have double Liverpool's goal difference, which at the end of the season is as good as an extra point. Liverpool need to be more clinical in front of goal. They could and should have scored five against Bolton today but were guilty of some awful finishing, not for the first time this season I might add. It may prove their undoing.

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posted Nov 15, 2008

"They could and should have scored five against Bolton today but were guilty of some awful finishing, not for the first time this season I might add. It may prove their undoing."

Yeah. Funny, was going over past threads I've commented on and saw this from September! One theory is we get to boss games and create chances and dont put them away, probably more times against the non-top 4. Bolton and Spurs should have seen us 3 goals up at least and on today's evidence it should have been 2-5.

My concern is not this but Keane and Babel. Keane looked discontented coming off and Babel said he is worn with coming on as a sub and preferring to go upfront. It's enough to level the ship but need nothing like a mini-mutiny within the crew. Only way to supplement Benitez is regular playability. I would have Babel and Keane and leave Kuyt out but there is something with Kuyt that pleases RB, some consistency about him that grants him a place every game.

Keane needs to develop his scoring habit and I cant stomach that RB is looking to squeeze Keane down after spending £20m on him. Hopefully Keane and link with Torres on a regular basis, and we started with Keane on his own because RB was pleased with his performances. Hope Keane was just upset at not scoring and denied doing so in having to come off. I want to stabilise ourselves to keep within the top spot by a point or two come April. That would fly in the many faces of the 'doubters' and would put pressure on anyone else thinking we would have dropped off by then.

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posted Nov 20, 2008

Bolton and Spurs should have seen us 3 goals up at least and on today's evidence it should have been 2-5
Actually I agree we should have been out of sight against Spurs but it happened to the great Liverpool sides as well and it could/should have been 6 (two hit the woodwork, 2 shocking misses). However the original point was so anti-Rafa it was shocking, reading back now I can't believe the crap written by people who've never said O sorry we apologise. The point at Villa Park looks good now boys, but somehow I don't expect the knockers to apologise for their comments. Finally regarding Chelsea scoring more goals than us, yes they are far better to watch than us, in fact I think they're the best team in England I've seen this year but did anyone seriously expect LFC to win the title this year? I didn't, still don't, they've got a guy who throws money about for fun we've got Stadler and Wardolf, (actually Stadler and Wardolf may sue me for that!!).

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