Rafa calls for change

[red g]

The games couldn't possibly be put back to the sunday because the CL starts and we amongst others have to play on the Tuesday.

And I'm not telling Rafa to shut the **** up, all i'm doing is expressing my opinion. I'm sure Rafa doesn't read this site and even if he did, i'm sure he's man enough to take my mild criticism on the chin.

i think he would be quite upset, that such an esteemed poster was expressing such a negative opinion of Rafa's views

[Morph]

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has backed Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez's criticism of bias in the Premier League scheduling.

Benitez claims that Liverpool have been getting a raw deal over kick-off times following international and European matches.

United's early kick-off at Everton on Saturday comes in the wake of the international break and Ferguson is in full agreement with Benitez, citing the example of Chelsea's meeting with Tottenham last season.

The United manager said: "It's difficult of course and we've had to do it so many times. I know Rafa's complaining and he's quite right to complain because it's an unfairness against teams that should be addressed.

"Rafa's comments were interesting and I did the stats myself and over the last five years we've had more lunchtime kick offs than anyone. How you complain about these things and I don't know if they'll listen anyway.

"You would think it deserves some sort of attention and you take last year's example.

"Chelsea had a Sunday game against Tottenham and had a Tuesday European tie and the Premier League changed it to the Saturday, giving Chelsea three days rest to prepare for the European game, fine, but it gave Tottenham only a day and a half's rest after their European game.

"They said they have to be fair to teams in the Champions League but their job is to be fair to teams in the Premier League so I can't understand that.

"We got a lunchtime game after the semi-final of the European Cup and asked for it to be changed and they said no, that it wouldn't be fair to Manchester City, who had no game at all that week. Wonderful.

"I think Rafa's got a good point that if there's an unfairness then it has to be addressed."

Ferguson, who could include Wayne Rooney in his squad at Goodison Park after a month out with a foot injury, admits Argentina international Carlos Tevez will take time to reach peak sharpness.

He added: "He'll have better fitness. With the way the fixtures have panned out we haven't really had a lot of time to work on him.

"He was away last week in Australia and he only came back on Tueday. For us to then play at lunchtime on Saturday, it's hard for us really to give him any endurance work, which he really needs but the games are helping him."

i'm sure all the manc fans are on their websites now, saying they wish slur alex wouldn't moan :whatever:

[Neil Young]

More proof that the FA are biased in favour of Chelsea. They let Styles off despite his financial relationship with Abramovich.

It reeks of corruption.

[Neil Young]

i'm sure all the manc fans are on their websites now, saying they wish slur alex wouldn't moan :whatever:

It's what we've been saying for decades. Good to hear that Manchester United fans are joining the campaign.

[red g]

i'm sure all the manc fans are on their websites now, saying they wish slur alex wouldn't moan :whatever:

[Sir Bob]

Sorry mate my post wasn't aimed specifically at you I know you didn't tell Rafa to shut the **** up but others on the thread did which I find a bit disrespectful.

Fair enough mate.

[Sir Bob]

i think he would be quite upset, that such an esteemed poster was expressing such a negative opinion of Rafa's views

[El Jefecito]

Read this interview if you don't think 2hrs and 15mins is enough to help win a match.

Fernando Torres: “I feel liberated and am enjoying myself”


Liverpool striker analyses in exclusive interview with Spanish newspaper ‘El Pais’ his first three months at the Anfield club





Torres has got off to a positive start to life in the Premier. The striker has three goals to his name in four league appearances, and his side are sitting pretty at the top of the Premiership. The forward, who still needs time to completely find his feet following his move to England, is happy with the experience so far, and especially with his new role as an out and out striker.

- Have you ever stopped to think that for the first time in your career you are top of the league?

The other day I realised that I have yet to lose a game playing for Liverpool. That is the major difference, here you grow used to winning. It becomes second nature, and I had forgotten what it felt like. Liverpool though have gone 18 years without winning the Premier League, and this year the Premiership title is one of the main objectives. Following our positive start, I feel that we are in with a good shout. We currently find ourselves in a good position in a league which in recent history has been dominated by Chelsea and Manchester United.

- How have you settled into life in English football?

Everything is working out fine, though I am still quite a way off from completely settling in. We are finding our feet; looking for a house, for a car… though the goals and victories make everything a lot easier.

- Did you feel more under pressure at Atletico Madrid where you were always in the spotlight?

Atletico Madrid were a big club, and want to return to the glory days. A mistake was made when they decided to lay so much responsibility on the shoulders of such a young player. At 19 years old I was named captain, and I had to handle a lot of pressure. It is quite possible that whilst I was at the club, I did not really notice everything that was going on around me. Now that I have left, I have seen the amount of responsibility there is at a big club and how actions can carry a lot more consequences; though I have also seen how the responsibility is shared. Also at Liverpool I cannot let my form slip, or I will be dropped. There is a lot of competition for places and the standard is very high. I do not have the guarantee of knowing that I will always play, unlike at Atletico where my name was always on the team-sheet. That kind of situation could lead you to take your foot off the peddle.

- You mentioned in a previous interview that after meeting Gerrard and Carragher you realised that the role of a captain is different from what you originally believed?

I should not have taken on all the responsibility that I did whilst at Atletico. A captain’s role goes far beyond just carrying the black armband. In addition to the responsibility that comes with being captain, you have to set an example, and to do a good job, you need experience, which requires time, something I never had the privilege of enjoying. Only two years after joining the first team squad I was named captain. Nobody looked around to see if there were any another candidates. When I started, the older and more veteran players, like Carlos Aguilera and Juanma Lopez , gave me a helping hand, but I only played with them for one year, and it proved to be too little.

- Are you relieved?

I feel liberated, and am enjoying myself like when I first arrived at Atletico, though I did not expect to receive so much help with settling in.

- How are handling your new role as an out and out striker?

I am very comfortable playing in that role, trying to break the offside trap and having the chance to play alongside great players capable of delivering you that final ball; I also always have two or three chances to score during a game. Getting used to playing in this new position has not been plain sailing though as I had a different role at Atletico.

- What was different?

Well, English football has a faster pace to it .Back in Spain a player could sometimes go 10 or 15 minutes without touching the ball, and when you finally receive a pass you could find yourself nowhere near the penalty area, in on the keeper, or for that matter even in a good shooting position. Here you might spend less time with the ball at your feet, but you regularly find yourself in front of goal or part of a quick counter-attack. At Atletico Madrid I was more involved in the middle of the park and I had to drop deep to look for the ball before even thinking of attacking the rival’s box. At Liverpool we have players in the middle of the park who take care of that job, because here each player has a defined role within the team.

- It looks like your speed is one of your main virtues, but the advantage must be lost if you have to run at goal from deep in midfield?

Maybe that is one of the reasons why playing football in England benefits my game. We play a more direct football, it is also quick with plenty of counter-attacks and you also have extra support from people making late runs.

- How does the style compare to that played by the Spanish national team?

It is totally different. We probably have players with a better technique because the national team always tries to have plenty of possession. This helps explain why a player is normally more involved in the build-up play. In England football is more direct, one touch, there is plenty of wing play, crosses, and balls behind defenders…everything basically happens very quickly. With the national team football is slower, and players like Xabi Alonso, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta have more time on the ball. It is not often that you see that happening in England, there it is more touch and go.

- Do you practice your finishing in front of goal with Rafa Benitez?

Depending on his position outfield, each player has his own personalized training programme. The type of training also depends on the strengths and weaknesses of your next rival. We all practice movements you might need to use in your position during the course of a game. If you have worked on specific moves 15 or 20 times, and you then use them out on the pitch, then you are more likely to improve.
- So your goals are down to the personalized training programme?

It is not that easy, and we also do a lot of tactical work. At Liverpool the group is the most important thing, as is playing as a team and knowing how to hit the opposition on the break. It is also very important to know exactly what is required from you, so that the team works as a unit. The goals arrive because you end up having more goalscoring opportunities.