Is Benitez about to be found out…?

[KK07]

What progress was made this year????

Less points and we could end up fourth.

The last time we made the final we were still fighting for 4th.

This time we're qaruanteed 4th and have taken our foot off the pedal in order to make sure everyone is fit for Athens.

[Dreambeliever]

Bellamy: Not someone Rafa wanted as a 1st choice,but was available at a fee we could afford.

Morientes: Had a proven record and just look what he has achieved back in Spain since. He just wasn't suited to the EPL,Rafa wasn't to know that and we all creamed ourselves when he signed.

Nunez: Again he was a limited player but we were losing Owen anyway and I think Rafa took a chance to see if this makeweight would work.
He didn't and was gone quick enough.

Speedy: Young talented player when in Spain and alot of clubs were looking at him,hasn't lit the world alight but may come good.
May be too late if we believe some of the stuff on here and he's gone in the summer.

Kuyt: Again a provenm goal scorer in Holland and how many times have managers been burned by signing players with good records from abroad?
Whether he makes it as a yop striker only time will tell but he works god damn hard and I reckon Rafa will give him the time required.

(I'm getting good at this,not a in sight,if I keep this up I'll lose my bull**** brigade rimleader tag!! )

Nice post, but no offence its a load of bollox

The buck stops with the manager and he shouldn't bring in a player unless he's done his homework. If the player doesn't make it a large portion of blame goes to the manager.

If a player isn't good enough he isn't good enough, bringing him in because he's cheap, or a swap deal or available is bollox management.

[Morph]

What progress was made this year????

Less points and we could end up fourth.

How about a stronger squad and another spot in the CL final, the points tally is a bit irrelevant now

[Dreambeliever]

I think thats fair comment, however it probably won't happen next season either cos i think there will be more than a few changes to our squad before we get it right, which will probably see us more in the mix the season after that.

What i find better now is that there isn't really a match i go into thinking we can't win this one, which is the attitude i would have had to a lot of matches in rafa's first season. I think we're comfortably confident in beating the vast majority of the league now, except for maybe the away trips to the mnacs, chavs and arsenal, but even then we're still capable of doing them over

Errr........ you have had a look at our record from Anfield this year haven't you??

I'm ****ting myself everytime we play away in the EPL these days.

[KK07]

Nice post, but no offence its a load of bollox

And then you went and ruined it all by insulting me.

You're on you're own now buddy,feeding time for the sharks,get him boys,I'm finished with this thread.

[Dreambeliever]

Well it does look as if he is looking at Rafa from the perspective of a rival fan who doesnt know a whole lot about Rafa.

Yep its what every rival fan I talk to says about him really. Just interesting to see people's views on it.

[Nic83]

I bet Jamo thinks that's a good post DB!

I can see your point but I have to say I don't agree. I don't think the teams we disposed of were in near such a bad state as you are saying. No arguments that the league form needs to pick up though. If I have one thing against Benitez, it's that he rotates too much which is probably the season for our woeful early season away form.

[Guest]

What progress was made this year????

Less points and we could end up fourth.

Look at the big picture. We easily qualified for the qualifying rounds of the CL and we find ourselves in the CL final once again. We have a better squad than last year and that's a fact. We won't need great rebuilding in the summer, just more quality in attacking areas and the base is already there. That's certainly not regression.

[Morph]

Errr........ you have had a look at our record from Anfield this year haven't you??

I'm ****ting myself everytime we play away in the EPL these days.

whats that got to do with anything? i've seen all our away games on the tellybox and very few of them warranted a beating

[Dreambeliever]

- no one can just click there fingers and make us champions -....

Jose would have a very good go as would Fergie and Wenger IMO.

[Nic83]

whats that got to do with anything? i've seen all our away games on the tellybox and very few of them warranted a beating

I agree. I think if our squad contained a couple of top quality finishers, we'd have won most of those matches. EG: Blackburn away when we should have been out of sight by half time.

And, We will have those strikers this season methinks!

Owen back and Torres

[Dreambeliever]

So if a player intends to do something, then does exactly that, you call that luck do you? ****ing hell.

Read my posts in context will ya.

I was replying to someone who suggested Milan had no chances in the 2nd half.

And anyone who doesn't realise we had a huge slice of luck winning a cup comp where by we went through by the odd goal in 2 rounds and won the final on penos is either stupid or crazy or both.

We did however deserve our luck IMO.

[Dreambeliever]

Could it be that we played well limiting Barcelona to playing poorly?
We made Man United look below average at Anfield but lost. We are very, very good at stopping other teams playing. Not just defending in our box but preventing teams starting attacks as well. We need to add creativity.

When you are lucky repeatedly then more often than not you are not lucky but good.

I like this reply, but stopping others from playing doesn't win league titles......

Going out and attacking does as United and arsenal have proved over the years.

Negative football only gets you so far.

[sambirken]

Is Benitez about to be found out…?

No. now go away

[KK07]

No. now go away