Brilliant Rafa Quote Re: Everton

[Kaip]

He can say what he likes but he was making excuses for his lack of tactics as I said. Do I need to explain it again?

If you have a spare 5 mins,then yes please

[Red_Al_77]

No.

[JRC]

Unless there was something else, this is the biggest non-story going. SSN and TalkSport played it bavk, with Rafa being asked to comment on us failing to break them down, admitting that we didn't do well enough to, and that it down to us to do it, until finally being prompted with a question about plenty of teams coming to Anfield and defending deep, to which he responded that a number of small/smaller teams have done that at Anfield this season, 'and they did the same'.

This is a simple statement of fact, and unquestionable in fact (they did play the same tactics as some of the smaller teams, and were quite proud to suggest that this was their game plan) and can equally be interpreted as inferring Everton are ALSO a small team as it can be interpreted that Everton did so despite NOT being a small team. He was frustrated, of course, but did not criticize them for playing the way they did, although he didn't give them as much credit as they seem to expect.

As it was ahis response tto a 3rd question on roughly the same topic, I certainly don't accept any suggestion that it was pre-meditated.

[lfcruleus]

Unless there was something else, this is the biggest non-story going. SSN and TalkSport played it bavk, with Rafa being asked to comment on us failing to break them down, admitting that we didn't do well enough to, and that it down to us to do it, until finally being prompted with a question about plenty of teams coming to Anfield and defending deep, to which he responded that a number of small/smaller teams have done that at Anfield this season, 'and they did the same'.

This is a simple statement of fact, and unquestionable in fact (they did play the same tactics as some of the smaller teams, and were quite proud to suggest that this was their game plan) and can equally be interpreted as inferring Everton are ALSO a small team as it can be interpreted that Everton did so despite NOT being a small team. He was frustrated, of course, but did not criticize them for playing the way they did, although he didn't give them as much credit as they seem to expect.

As it was ahis response tto a 3rd question on roughly the same topic, I certainly don't accept any suggestion that it was pre-meditated.

Whether he meant it or not, premeditated or not, mistranslation or not, it dont matter cos it was ****in funny.

[Bob]

What does he expect teams to do...let us score? If he couldn't come up with the tactics to beat them then he should just shut up in my opinion. Having a cheap shot was stupid. Rafa should have learnt from the Portsmouth home game. He didn't. The tactics against Everton were wrong and the comment about Everton just hides the inadequecies of his tactics.

Nailed on.

I've been vilified for criticising Rafa's Premiership tactics in the past, fact is there is plenty of games that typify your case in point. That doesn't mean he should be sacked blahdy blah, it merely means that he STILL hasn't figured out the English league yet.

The team and Rafa were clueless yesterday.

[Guest]

That doesn't mean he should be sacked blahdy blah, it merely means that he STILL hasn't figured out the English league yet.

The team and Rafa were clueless yesterday.

I don't think that he's failed to figure out the Premier League. It's just that his tactics (or trying to protect his players faliures) were plain wrong yesterday. He could have wanted to play Everton by their own game or was he having a specific game plan before the game ?

I don't know to be honest but it has clearly backfired. Even when we beat West Ham during the week, I wasn't satisfied with our play. Peter Crouch is having a bad influence on our game IMHO, as we're worryingly bypassing the midfield for a more direct 'impact' game.

[Dhav]

Rafa no doubt was speaking out of frustration, and I have no issue with the comments themselves, just that after a match like that it makes it sound as if Everton owed us a favour of playing into our hands without us trying to earn the victory. Obviously Rafa is speaking out of frustration, and I think realises the tactics weren't varied enough to break them down.

You have to say they came to Anfield with a small club mentality though - 25% possession, barely venturing forward in the second half, the Sky commentator syaing Stubbs and Neville entering their dressing room after the game to load roars after getting a 0-0 at Anfield - these are hardly the hallmarks of a big club.

[Kaip]

No.

Phones Mike and cancels ticket

[Beachy]

What he said was bang on. Smaller teams DO come and put men behind the ball. Everton ARE a smaller team.

Why cant he say that?

Precisely. Couldn't agree more

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Unless there was something else, this is the biggest non-story going. SSN and TalkSport played it bavk, with Rafa being asked to comment on us failing to break them down, admitting that we didn't do well enough to, and that it down to us to do it, until finally being prompted with a question about plenty of teams coming to Anfield and defending deep, to which he responded that a number of small/smaller teams have done that at Anfield this season, 'and they did the same'.

I reckon this is brilliant psychology from Rafa. All those smaller teams will have heard him say that. They won't be best pleased. It just might make them come here and have a go from now on = more points for us.

Also those comments from Rafa re Neverton were classic, but what about the reaction, ****ing hilarious, looks like he struck a nerve. They are small time and they know it.

[Red_Polo]

What does he expect teams to do...let us score? If he couldn't come up with the tactics to beat them then he should just shut up in my opinion. Having a cheap shot was stupid. Rafa should have learnt from the Portsmouth home game. He didn't. The tactics against Everton were wrong and the comment about Everton just hides the inadequecies of his tactics.

You are right, he did get the tactics wrong. We were so ****ing dull and prosaic in attack. Everything was telegraphed and we played right into their hands. Stubbs is nothing special but we made him look like it by giving him such easy ****e to deal with. One aerial ball after another straight onto his stupid ****ing head, our forwards allowing themselves to be marked out. Whenever we had the ball there was only ever one or two players making runs to hit with passes and it was Pennant and Bellamy. All the rest just ****ing stood there, watched and waited for someone else to do something. ****ing abysmal.

That said I think Rafa's comments are spot on, and if it somehow makes them play any other way in future then it has worked for us. Excuses like that can be useful, our lot can put it down to the way Everton played and then move on to the next game still feeling confident as there is no way in hell Newcastle are going to play that way. The only problem is if Rafa actually believes the excuses himself, as long as he learns form this and sorts it out for next time then we're ok.

[AFII]

So if we play in the same way against Barca as Everton did against us then we will act like a small team that isn't trying to win the game?

We will probably play that way, it would be stupid if we tried to play attacking football against Barca and it would have been stupid by Everton to play attacking football against us at Anfield.

Everton got it right yesterday, we didn't.

[Redlife]

Also those comments from Rafa re Neverton were classic, but what about the reaction, ****ing hilarious, looks like he struck a nerve. They are small time and they know it.

BBC:

"Everton have responded angrily to Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez branding the Toffees a "small club".
The Spaniard said after Saturday's 0-0 Merseyside derby: "When you play against the smaller teams at Anfield you know the game will be narrow."

Everton manager David Moyes was not happy with Benitez's comments.

"I would not say that about any football club anywhere," said the Everton boss."



Of course he wouldn't. There aren't any teams smaller than Neverton.

[disco]

"We always get small clubs at Anfield defending"

It is a very fair point - Everton made absolutely no effort yesterday, even less than teams much lower than them

It was sad to see, and very frustrating.

I watched the game with an Arsenal mate and he said it was just like watching Arsenal vs Bolton 2nd half a week ago when Bolton just sat on their 1-0 lead.

[disco]

So if we play in the same way against Barca as Everton did against us then we will act like a small team that isn't trying to win the game?

We will probably play that way, it would be stupid if we tried to play attacking football against Barca and it would have been stupid by Everton to play attacking football against us at Anfield.

Everton got it right yesterday, we didn't.

'Got it right' - you mean that they were aiming for a point and got it?!
Kind of proves his point.

Oh, and what exactly could we have done differently. We were playing 2 at the back for most of the second half