Rafa on Athens...

[Dhav]

Babel could be just brilliant for us. Needs a lot of game time and experience, but could be the next big thing for us.
As for the final, pah, what can you do now? We all know we controlled the game but didnt create enough chances, just as milan controlled most of the 2005 final but didnt out their chances away. Cant spen our lives thinking about could have, should have would have, lets move on to Moscow 2008

I think you could be right about Babel, he definitely needs experience but he has the potential to be a big player for us. I certainly have more faith in him to make an impact on that left wing than say Zenden and Gonzalez, assuming that is the role Rafa has earmarked for him.

Agreed, about Athens also. Post-mortem on that has been done now, we know it was a missed opportunity, but we learn our lessons, and use the disappointment to drive us to glory.

Comparing the squads of 2005 and 2007 that got to CL finals to the the current one, I think we have an infinitely stronger squad now, and it bodes well for the future

Rafa

[Joe King]

I think since the final, Rafa has had a different perception about Liverpool. Against Milan, we were cancelling them and then trying to attack down the wings and we did that quite well, Rafa got it tactically spot on. However now Rafa believes in murdering teams with pure attack like he did at Valencia but not in a Scum way- a more constructive, tactical and efficient way. The players like Gerrard and Carra are hurting like Rafa and now have this different psyche. You can tell from the temperament and the mind set of Gerrard and Carragher that they have this burning desire more so than ever to pull this side out of the dead and back alive. Every pass has more purpose, each tackle is timed to perfection and each shot has to be hit perfectly and this might be the edge we need- the heartache of Athens to remind the players that we have been cheated of a sixth European Cup and that it has been too long since Liverpool were champions of England.

The players who played in that very unfortunate night in Athens maybe scarred for life however that memory could be repressed with the title returning back to Anfield after 17 years.

[dom9]

Is that article for real?

Doesn't seem right to me.

[Pablo]

I queried it yesterday as did PostmanPat today. It feels like someone writing a fake article trying to get inside the mind of Rafa. It's kind of what you would have thought was going through his mind, but I certainly wouldnt expect him to say any of those things in public, especially the criticism of individual players, some of which are still at the club. I think if it is a fake we should be made aware as we dont people attributing these quotes as the great man's own words if they are not.