Is Benitez about to be found out…?

[Dreambeliever]

Pure **** and what dreams do you believe in.

Robbie Fowler will lift the European cup with Liverpool.

[red g]

Ha ha.......

So far I've been called a manc, Jose and now Andy Gray.

I assure you I'm none of the above.

I guess 10 days time will tell us everything we need to know.

Even if we dont win it, it was a great effort to beat chelsea and Barca the 2 favourites to get there.

Rafa has performed miracles so far in his short tenureship and once he starts on a level playing field cant wait to see a team of his that isnt cobbled together and has the players at his disposal that he really wants

[friedk]

Ha ha.......

So far I've been called a manc, Jose and now Andy Gray.

I assure you I'm none of the above.

I guess 10 days time will tell us everything we need to know.

what will it tell us?

In 10 days we'll either be Champions of Europe again for the 2nd time in 3 seasons, or we'll be beaten finalists.

Irrespective of the outcome, 2 European Cup finals is an achievement beyond Wenger, Ferguson and Mourinho. 2 European Cup finals in 3 seasons is a monumental achievement. Add to that the state Liverpool was in 4 & 5 seasons ago and it is even more remarkable.

10 days will not tell us more than we already know, and if you can't appreciate what Rafa has achieved thus far, I doubt that will change if we win in Athens.

[Dreambeliever]

Not when you don't have the funding and are trying to be frugal with your budget.
Nunez was a risk as was Alonso and any other player that come in.
However when he's had to he's got rid of these players without any fanfare.
This season has been a disappointment but I don't solely blame Rafa for that.
A lot of our regular players who have proven themselves over the years have not been anywhere near as good as they should be.
We have improved our squad immensely and now we will see one or two top players come in to complete our first 11.

How many of our 1st 11 would make it into United's Chelsea's or arsenal's 1st 11.

Very very few.

In fact you could say Gerrard would be the only definate in the United or Chelsea team.

[tomasjj]

How many of our 1st 11 would make it into United's Chelsea's or arsenal's 1st 11.

Very very few.

In fact you could say Gerrard would be the only definate in the United or Chelsea team.

Nah... I reckon Finnan, Alonso, Gerrard, even Masher, Carra and Reina(Mancs) could get into those teams.

[Dreambeliever]

Cannot be arsed structuring an argument, but here are a few points that speak for themselves:

• -GH took us arguably closer than Rafa in the league but never had the Chavski factor to contend with
  
  When Ged took over we were in worse shape than when Rafa took over.
  
• Rafa has spent £40m net, so £85m is very misleading. In that same time, Scum & the Chavs has spent £20m+ on single players.
  Selling plays is part and parcel of football and to put that into the arguement is silly at best. If Rafa sell Gerrard for 35 Million this summer and buys Eto for 40M£ are you going to say he's doing well because he only spent 5m£ last summer? The fact is 3 years on we don't have a quality winger or striker.
  
• In that time he has takens us from struggling to qualify for the CL in GH's last 2 seasons to qualifying for it comfortably in Rafa's last 2
  That wasn't what he was hired for, not by a long shot.
  
• In the same time he has revolutionised the squad completely & instilled a different playing philosophy.
  Yes a negative style which folds away from home quiker than Superman on laundry day.
  
• Records for home wins & clean sheets have been equalled or surpassed.
  This is a very positive point but at what cost?? Our away form is brutal at best.
  
• He has raised the profile of the club so that we are respected and talked about in his homelands & elsewhere in Europe.
  
• You mention how Chavski were weakened when we played them, but you, like so many others who use the same argument, forget that we were missing Finn, Garcia & Kewell. They are equally as important players for us as the ones Chelsea were missing.
  
  Are really saying, missing Kewell Finnan and Garcia was the same as what Chelsea were missing???
  
• We have every chance of finishing above the Gooners for 2 seasons in a row despite all but throwing the last 2 games. How long is it since that has happened?
  Arsenal have been very average for 2 years now. 68 points is a big drop
• Fergiscum took 8 years to win Scum the League when it was a lot less competive than it is now. Also, the transition from Scottish football is less significant than that from Spanish.

I could go on.

It is undeniable that our away form needs significant improvement, but it was fine last year & the margin between victory & defeat has often been slight. Given the game-changing players we require I am certain that this- and our record against the other big 3- will improve significantly.

[Dreambeliever]

Dreambeliever, are you the same Dreambeliever that posts on 6CM?

No matter. Benitez has mastered European football but not yet the EPL. Slur Alex has about 20 years more experience and JM infinitely more cash. I expect Rafa to put up a better performance in the league tis year....

Yes but haven't we been saying this every year. Name me a fan who thought we would finish some 20 points off United at the start of the year? It simply isn't good enough. Rafa was brought in to win the league and at the moment the only thing saving him is his European record (exceptional as it is).

And yes the same DB. I see your new to here too. Enjoying it?

[Dreambeliever]

Not really mate, there is lucky and there is lucky. You tend to only get lucky once maybe twice .. But Rafa has won nearly every major trophey in football over the past 5 years, 2 La Liga Titles, Champions Lg, UFEA Cup, FA Cup, Super Cup.

Lucky? I dont think so

There is no doubtin we have a good team, but will ever be a great team.

LL titles mean nothing in England its a totally different style. Uefa cup is a 2nd rate comp won by the then champions of Spain, I'd have been shocked if they didn't win it. The only decent team we beat in the Fa Cup was a Chelsea team who had rested some key players and even then it took a wonder goal from Stevie G to rescue us. And as for the Super cup your having a laugh right? Why not throw in the Charity shield while your at it.

[Nicey]

How many of our 1st 11 would make it into United's Chelsea's or arsenal's 1st 11.

Very very few.

In fact you could say Gerrard would be the only definate in the United or Chelsea team.

**** sake you are taking the ****ing piss now

[Neil Young]

How many of our 1st 11 would make it into United's Chelsea's or arsenal's 1st 11.

Very very few.

In fact you could say Gerrard would be the only definate in the United or Chelsea team.

So are you now saying that having only one top-class player in the squad means Rafa has done brilliantly to get us one CL win, 1 FA Cup win, another CL final and easily qualifying for the CL?

In other words, I don't think your assessment is balanced.

[Dreambeliever]

what will it tell us?

In 10 days we'll either be Champions of Europe again for the 2nd time in 3 seasons, or we'll be beaten finalists.

Irrespective of the outcome, 2 European Cup finals is an achievement beyond Wenger, Ferguson and Mourinho. 2 European Cup finals in 3 seasons is a monumental achievement. Add to that the state Liverpool was in 4 & 5 seasons ago and it is even more remarkable.

10 days will not tell us more than we already know, and if you can't appreciate what Rafa has achieved thus far, I doubt that will change if we win in Athens.

If Milan whip the floor with us it should open up alot of people's eyes, including my own.

Of course I appreciate what Rafa has done. My question is whether he has what it takes to bring the league back to Anfield. At the moment basing it on the EPL he doesn't.

[friedk]

There is no doubtin we have a good team, but will ever be a great team.

LL titles mean nothing in England its a totally different style. Uefa cup is a 2nd rate comp won by the then champions of Spain, I'd have been shocked if they didn't win it. The only decent team we beat in the Fa Cup was a Chelsea team who had rested some key players and even then it took a wonder goal from Stevie G to rescue us. And as for the Super cup your having a laugh right? Why not throw in the Charity shield while your at it.

Stevie G didn't score against Chelsea and we also beat Machester United along the way, but besides that you are correct

Sorry, your English isn't very good, but I now realise you mean Stevie G's goal in the final.

[Dreambeliever]

Nah... I reckon Finnan, Alonso, Gerrard, even Masher, Carra and Reina(Mancs) could get into those teams.

Neville is a better right full than Finnan.

Carra although I love him, isn't as good as either United's or Chelsea's centre back pairing. Reina is a great shot stopper and quick off his line but Christ he flaps at everything. And had an awful start to the season.



Alonso too has gone off the boil alarmingly of late.

[Dreambeliever]

Stevie G didn't score against Chelsea and we also beat Machester United along the way, but besides that you are correct

Sorry, your English isn't very good, but I now realise you mean Stevie G's goal in the final.

Sorry ya meant his goal in the final.

[tomasjj]

So are you now saying that having only one top-class player in the squad means Rafa has done brilliantly to get us one CL win, 1 FA Cup win, another CL final and easily qualifying for the CL?

In other words, I don't think your assessment is balanced.