Champions League: Semi-finals 20. - 28.4. 2010

[Shanks]

So you are saying that Shanks should have been sacked between 1966 and 1972?

From Brian Reade:

If the many sages who are astounded that Rafa Benitez is still in a job, could only see past their next bitter soundbite, they'd do well to study Shankly's position in 1972, when he'd gone six years without lifting silver. If they wanted to know why most Liverpudlians refuse to join in their witch-hunt, therein lies the answer.

Because Shankly injected loyalty into our DNA.

You're quoting Brian Reade and comparing to Shanks in 72?

Are you comparing this to Rafa? now

[fah-q]

It's called perspective.

You have Shanks as your name and Avatar so thought you might be able to make the connection.

But if it makes you feel better to dismiss it with a chuckle then fine. Well done.

[Shanks]

It's called perspective.

You have Shanks as your name and Avatar so thought you might be able to make the connection.

But if it makes you feel better to dismiss it with a chuckle then fine. Well done.

I aint chuckling but you can't bring Shanks into the same role as Rafa imo.

Totally different game back then and things have changed so much.

Shanks had the respect of the players, I'm not sure Rafa has that 100% and gets the same rsults.


P.S.

Aquilani wouldn't have got a look in under Shanks.

[Darkon]

Although having said that it was the most depressing team I have seen as a neutral, getting it a bit away, I have to say that Inter's defensive display was top class.

I understand why some people call it anti-football etc. but we have to accept that there are different ways of playing football - and the Italian way might be boring but it's also effective. This has more to do with the football culture than just Mourinho - but that just shows how good the man is at taking the focus away from the players on to himself.

In some ways it is impressive that a team can hold the (arguably) best attack in the world right now at bay for so long and with 10 men for most of the game. Mourinho is a class manager, it has to be said, the man simply just delivers results.

I also think it's a bit of a tainted view when people say Mourinho's teams are boring, destructive and defensive when we basically have a manager that plays by the same football philosophy as him - namely destroying the opponents game to strenghten your own. I can name very few neutral fans that think we are an enjoyable side to watch besides the few great comebacks we have produced - but it's just harder to look inwards I guess.

I still hope Bayern wins the final as it is the better team to watch for the neutral, but it all points towards Inter now...

[Roboklopp]

Football's changed like that Shanks.

Craig, that's not what I'm saying. Might have been confusing cos got bored halfway through me post and wanted to go to bed. Anyone would be stoopid to go to Camp Nou and not defend a lead.

Am saying that Maureen is essentially a defensive coach too but has had better tools to attack with- particularly at Chavs where we paid most attention to him.

For the record, I do agree Rafa is too defensive a lot of the time.

[reds123]

The better tools that Mourinho has is because he is better in the transfer market and almost every player that he buys will be important for him to adapt to his game eg. lucio, sneijder(just for 15 million euro), tiago motta, ... all were excellent signings and that's where Mourinho is better than Rafa.

However Rafa is as good as Maureen tactically and I think that next year he will learn from his mistakes.

[Neil Young]

I can't be bothered reading the last three pages so I apologise if this has been said: Mourinho stokes up matches like this, the game is a war and every match a battle. I don't mind defensive football at all - if you're playing a better footballing side then what else can you do? - but I strongly object to the way Mourinho winds up opponents. I think it's ugly and it debases us all.

I hate it when Ferguson does it so I don't see why Mourinho should be indulged.

[Tee]

Loved the way Barca put the sprinklers on when Inter were still celebrating on the pitch!

[CJ]

Maureen is a winner no one can argue with that.

tactically not sure he is hugely different to rafa. ie very organised as a first priority and then take it from there . he is very pragmatic.

Even some of his stunts dont bother me. If you read some of shanks things he said you can imagine people saying he had no class.

but i dont want him here becasue of the total timewasting and all his players wait to be touched and go down lick a sack of spuds.

It is good that he takes pressure off the players and makes it about him but i think he goes to far on this. If he came here it would be maureen fc in his head.

Also when he went over to the inter fans last night he walked in the centre of the pitch to do it. He knows barcelona call him the interpreter. so he was clearly sticking one to the barca fans. Fair enough as he got through to the final but he was inciting the fans. so to stop it i would put the sprinklers on.

Imagine dot cotton doing that after a scum win at our place. would we all go oh he was just celebrating to his own fans? no we wouldnt.

if i wanted a winner fabio or guus for me. as they dont have the baggage of maureen

and Inter lost the tie. so its not that impressive is it. the first leg was more impressive for inter.

[CJ]

is it me or did all the semi finalists dive and roll around more than we would like. benfica where the same as well agaisnt us.

is it getting worse ?

[Neil Young]

is it me or did all the semi finalists dive and roll around more than we would like. benfica where the same as well agaisnt us.

is it getting worse ?

[Rochdale]It's because of all the bloody foreigners. They should be banned from European football.[/Rochdale]

[Exiled_red]

The better tools that Mourinho has is because he is better in the transfer market and almost every player that he buys will be important for him to adapt to his game eg. lucio, sneijder(just for 15 million euro), tiago motta, ... all were excellent signings and that's where Mourinho is better than Rafa.

However Rafa is as good as Maureen tactically and I think that next year he will learn from his mistakes.

But isn't a large part of that due to having more funds available? Mourinho's net spend at Inter is ~24m euros a season, added to a squad that had won Serie A 3 consecutive years before him arrived. Rafa is scratching around trying to get a team that hadn't been challenging to challenge, with a net spend of about half of that! (And a net profit on transfers over the last two years)

[CJ]

[Rochdale]It's because of all the bloody foreigners. They should be banned from European football.[/Rochdale]

are you calling me a bigot?

[Reece]

It saddens me that there are certain posters on here that seem to love and support Mourinho more than our own manager

I can understand that people rate him as a manager, and I can understand why some would want him as our manager (however much it sickens me ), but the amount of bigging up and sucking of his cock is getting quite ridiculous.

It kind of feels that some are actually willing Rafa to fail in order to strengthen their argument for bringing Mourinho in

[Bender]

[Rochdale]It's because of all the bloody foreigners. They should be banned from European football.[/Rochdale]

geez lets see stevie g does his bit of diving as well as many other english players you wanna ban them as well oh yeah let's not forget NGOG'S infamous dive