Rafa Benitez appreciation

[sonsofthedesert]

I would like to use this thread to pay tribute to our manager Rafa Benitez. We have IMO the finest manager in world football right now, certainly one of the top 3 anyway. The way he has transformed us into being one of the most feared/respected clubs in world football again in such a short space of time is remarkable.

The reason he has done this is down to many reasons, his tactical knowledge is second to none. There hasnt been a manager born yet that gets EVERY decision right, but I have never seen a manager get his tactics right as often as Rafa does. Also, he is mentally strong, he picks HIS team, not what player power or fan power dictates. He sticks with rotation, even though a million internet managers tell him its wrong, because HE BELIEVES ITS THE BEST WAY TO GET RESULTS OVER THE COURSE OF A SEASON. And judging by the fact we are generally the best team each season from november onwards this would seem to be correct. Now that we have finally had a good start to a season, god only knows how good we will be when we really kick into form in a month or so.

Finally, and most importantly, he is not too proud to admit mistakes. Morientes, Pellegrino, Kromkamp etc under a lot of managers would still be playing and still be struggling week in and week out due to the managers fear of admitting he dropped a bollock by selling them. Not with Rafa.

Finally, I would like to say a big **** OFF to some of the ballbags on this site who have been talking about getting rid of Rafa you know who you are

RAFA RAFAEL RAFA RAFAEL RAFA RAFAEL RAFAEL BENIIITEZ


Anbeleebable

Quality mate, yes he does make mistakes but not that many. His biggest problem is the way the media treat him/us, all this zonal marking and rotation stuff, failing to realize that it works.

[tomasjj]

I would, and we would all wear football maniac socks happily ever after

Oh, i know you would, Coops.
I was just asking Red Hot.

[Pacman]

Here here Coops.

I love Rafa and I think he's the best man to win number 19.

[paulcooper4]

I love Rafa very, very much. A massive fan and we're in the best possible hands. Rafa was born to manage LFC.

Even the lure of his boyhood idols and the club that is in his heart couldnt persuade him to turn his back on us. Even though a lot of our ****e fans are oh so keen to turn their back on him.


Rafa

[Red_hot]

Would you have Rafa's little tubby babies?

Oh yeah! It'd be rude not to.

[Manofthebog]

I love Rafa very, very much. A massive fan and we're in the best possible hands. Rafa was born to manage LFC.

[paulcooper4]

Oh yeah! It'd be rude not to.

[CAD]

Rafa was right about Torres V Brum, a packed box makes for no room to manouevre, and Torres needs space to be able to use his pace. Kuyt and Voronin were the best choice, it seems that the crow had an off day.

With or without space - Torres is the best striker we have period. He didn't need much space when he scissorkicked the ball just over the bar against Brum, did he? How strange that he looked more like a goalthreat than any other player we fielded the entire game, when he finally came on.

I plea guilty to Rafa-bashing after the Pompey game but this is reversed kneejerk if I ever saw it.



PS: You forgot the RCDNW in your signature.

[paulcooper4]

With or without space - Torres is the best striker we have period. He didn't need much space when he scissorkicked the ball just over the bar against Brum, did he? How strange that he looked more like a goalthreat than any other player we fielded the entire game, when he finally came on.

I plea guilty to Rafa-bashing after the Pompey game but this is reversed kneejerk if I ever saw it.



PS: You forgot the RCDNW in your signature.

How is giving my opinion on Rafa based on 3 years of him managing my club rather than judging him on a home game against birmingham kneejerk?

[Sir Bob]

Nobody is a bigger fan of Rafa than me, but I still consider he made a mistake in not playing torres against Brum. This packed defence argument is nonsense in my book. Torres played against Derby, who played exactly the same tactics as Brum. In fact if torres doesn't play in games were the oposition play 4-5-1, he's going to spend alot of games on the bench. Also this implies torres is a one trick pony ie he needs to be able to use his pace or its not worth playing him.

I wouldn't swap Rafa for any manager but in not playing torres as often as possible in the league, I feel he's not giving us the best possible chance of winning the league.

[sonsofthedesert]

With or without space - Torres is the best striker we have period. He didn't need much space when he scissorkicked the ball just over the bar against Brum, did he? How strange that he looked more like a goalthreat than any other player we fielded the entire game, when he finally came on.

I plea guilty to Rafa-bashing after the Pompey game but this is reversed kneejerk if I ever saw it.



PS: You forgot the RCDNW in your signature.

If there is one thing that pisses me off on any forum it is that, I like everyone else dont think that Rafa can do no wrong but this seem's to be mentioned when people who think they know better about everything have no real argument or proof. It is strupid and lacks imagination.

[CAD]

Good input to the thread there btw

I'm sorry - I forgot who I was dealing with.

You just go ahead and throw these in where ever you like:

**** ****ing cocksucking ****ing **** da di******** badabing de ****ede**** ****aduck ****suckcock ****ade ****aaduck. ****asuckingcocking **** **** wanka****.

[CAD]

With or without space - Torres is the best striker we have period. He didn't need much space when he scissorkicked the ball just over the bar against Brum, did he? How strange that he looked more like a goalthreat than any other player we fielded the entire game, when he finally came on.

I plea guilty to Rafa-bashing after the Pompey game but this is reversed kneejerk if I ever saw it.



PS: You forgot the RCDNW in your signature.

How is giving my opinion on Rafa based on 3 years of him managing my club rather than judging him on a home game against birmingham kneejerk?

"Originally Posted by JRG"

Are you JRG as well now? I'll see your and raise you with:

:whatever:

[paulcooper4]

Nobody is a bigger fan of Rafa than me, but I still consider he made a mistake in not playing torres against Brum. This packed defence argument is nonsense in my book. Torres played against Derby, who played exactly the same tactics as Brum. In fact if torres doesn't play in games were the oposition play 4-5-1, he's going to spend alot of games on the bench. Also this implies torres is a one trick pony ie he needs to be able to use his pace or its not worth playing him.

I wouldn't swap Rafa for any manager but in not playing torres as often as possible in the league, I feel he's not giving us the best possible chance of winning the league.

Fella, wait til the season has finished before you complain about how many league games he has started

I can understand why he done what he did against birmingham, even though I wouldnt have done it myself.

Maybe he got it wrong, I suspect he did, but he doesnt get many wrong and didnt deserve anything like the **** that was thrown his way afterwards.

Also, will we ever know if he would have made a big difference had he started against birmingham. A pacy player coming on as a sub will generally always make a big impact on a game, but would he have been effective from the start? maybe he would have but we will never know.

[paulcooper4]

I'm sorry - I forgot who I was dealing with.

You just go ahead and throw these in where ever you like:

**** ****ing cocksucking ****ing **** da di******** badabing de ****ede**** ****aduck ****suckcock ****ade ****aaduck. ****asuckingcocking **** **** wanka****.

Aother good addition to the thread fella, youre on a roll here with your footballing insight