Stan The Man

[Lynchyred]

Collymore with his expert opinion. This guy is a genius!

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Gambler Rafa is risking all with Gerrard
Stan THE MAN COLLYMORE'S TAKE ON THE WEEKEND
Collymore 22/10/2007

Rafa Benitez sure does like a risky decision. Because his move to substitute Steven Gerrard 20 minutes before the end of Saturday's game against Ever ton defied belief.

And if that was a shocker, Rafa's explanation afterwards was priceless. Gerrard? Brainless? This was the guy who had run 70 yards to win the penalty that got Liverpool back into the game.

The guy whose guile and cunning has unlocked countless defences to break deadlocks throughout Rafa's reign and Gerard Houllier before him.

One thing is certain. Had Liverpool not gone on to win on Saturday, that substitution would have come back to haunt the man who is emerging as one of the most stubborn managers ever in the Premier League.

He has kept the same side just once in a staggering 160 matches. The one time everyone did expect him to change, just as he was about to bring up the century, he stuck with a settled 11.

But he needs to tread very carefully with Gerrard (right). You could see the amazement on his face when his number was held up on Saturday and Jamie Carragher's face was a picture too. But it is Gerrard's schedule which is catching up with him. I said in this column last month that the big games he would have to play for Liverpool and England would take their toll on him and that's exactly what has happened.

But he normally comes good in the big games and I fully expect him to be back to his best for next weekend's blockbuster against Arsenal.

Perhaps he should sit out the Champions League game against Besiktas this week.

I mean, Spurs beat the Turkish side in the UEFA Cup last season and the Premier League is the priority for Liverpool. At least, it should be.

But back to Saturday and that decision not to allow Everton a penalty at the end was a disgrace. How Mark Clattenburg cannot see a 14 stone bloke being pulled backwards in the box is mystifying and proves how much we need video technology.

The bottom line is that his decision allowed Rafa to survive yet another bad day at the office. You wonder how many lives the lucky Spaniard has got.

[fred_plasticine]

because rafa doesn't stop rotating as the media demands, doesn't play gerrard "in his strongest position" as the media demands they label him stubborn. what a ****ing ridiculous thing to to. if one manager of a football club cannot substitute one of his players without causing an outcry than something goes terribly wrong. i for one am disgusted with the lack of respect shown towards rafa benitez by some sections of the media and sadly from our own fans.

[Fubar]

because rafa doesn't stop rotating as the media demands, doesn't play gerrard "in his strongest position" as the media demands they label him stubborn. what a ****ing ridiculous thing to to. if one manager of a football club cannot substitute one of his players without causing an outcry than something goes terribly wrong. i for one am disgusted with the lack of respect shown towards rafa benitez by some sections of the media and sadly from our own fans.

agreed mate. who the **** is that wife beating nob to talk about us anyway. ******

[Craig_H]

He's paid to express his opinion.

We've got some right drama queens around here...

[dww]

because rafa doesn't stop rotating as the media demands, doesn't play gerrard "in his strongest position" as the media demands they label him stubborn. what a ****ing ridiculous thing to to. if one manager of a football club cannot substitute one of his players without causing an outcry than something goes terribly wrong. i for one am disgusted with the lack of respect shown towards rafa benitez by some sections of the media and sadly from our own fans.

Although sections of the media are now criticising Rafa for playing Gerrard in the middle. Until we win the PL his methods will be attacked from all angles in the press as it is an easy target.

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

He must have been dogging somehwere with a decent W-LAN signal to get that report done.

[Craig_H]

Although sections of the media are now criticising Rafa for playing Gerrard in the middle. Until we win the PL his methods will be attacked from all angles in the press as it is an easy target.

It's an easy target, because it's a questionable decision.

[donpisci]

It's an easy target, because it's a questionable decision.

More like a brave decision...and one that worked. If it was Wenger, Ferguson or Mourinho who did something like this then they would be hailed as genius'.

We were one hell of a lot better with Lucas on the pitch. If Gerrard was still on, Lucas wouldn't have had half the impact he did because everything we do goes through Gerrard.

At least this way it would all go through Lucas.

[Parm]

Although sections of the media are now criticising Rafa for playing Gerrard in the middle. Until we win the PL his methods will be attacked from all angles in the press as it is an easy target.

Rafa cant win can he!!!in the middle out wide, wherever he plays Gerrard the media want the opposite. Sometimes I wonder if Rafa would be better off selling Stevie to put paid to all these headaches.

[KK07]

Collymore is a tosser but that doesn't mean that some of what he's saying doesn't make sense.

I'm not saying I know better then Rafa,but I was going mental on Saturday when he took Gerrard off and why didn't he change it when we were facing 10 men.

He stuck with 5 in the middle,when a 4-4-2 was surely the right move.

Rafa does some baffling things,he's unbelievably stubborn,Collymore has a point on the at least.

[Craig_H]

More like a brave decision...and one that worked. If it was Wenger, Ferguson or Mourinho who did something like this then they would be hailed as genius'.

It was brave/questionable/daft and maybe a few other things. Not sure if the others would've been hailed as a genius or not.

We were one hell of a lot better with Lucas on the pitch. If Gerrard was still on, Lucas wouldn't have had half the impact he did because everything we do goes through Gerrard.

At least this way it would all go through Lucas.

I think we won in spite of Rafa, as opposed to because of him, on this occasion.

Nobody was thinking "I know, we shoud take off Gerrard, that should do the trick" and the fact that Lucas was involved in the winning goal was quite concidental.

[fred_plasticine]

Collymore is a tosser but that doesn't mean that some of what he's saying doesn't make sense.

I'm not saying I know better then Rafa,but I was going mental on Saturday when he took Gerrard off and why didn't he change it when we were facing 10 men.

He stuck with 5 in the middle,when a 4-4-2 was surely the right move.

Rafa does some baffling things,he's unbelievably stubborn,Collymore has a point on the at least.

see, this is exactly what i mean. cause he didn't play a system that some wanted him to, he's stubborn. stubborn cause he doesn't give in to the so called pundits who are stubborn themselves in their unwillingness to accept that the game's not the same since the last had their boots on and that there are other methods and systems than the ones they know?
he's lucky because we won in spite of the ridiculous substitution? wtf? gerrard is not the be all end all of this club anymore whether you like it or not. he was off, we looked more assured and more in control, end of story.

[Craig_H]

see, this is exactly what i mean. cause he didn't play a system that some wanted him to, he's stubborn. stubborn cause he doesn't give in to the so called pundits who are stubborn themselves in their unwillingness to accept that the game's not the same since the last had their boots on and that there are other methods and systems than the ones they know?
he's lucky because we won in spite of the ridiculous substitution? wtf? gerrard is not the be all end all of this club anymore whether you like it or not. he was off, we looked more assured and more in control, end of story.

Rafa IS stubborn, i dont really see why you're trying to argue that point. Whether it's a good or bad thing is another issue, but he clearly IS stubborn.

What next? "Water is dry" says fred plasticine...

[fred_plasticine]

Rafa IS stubborn, i dont really see why you're trying to argue that point. Whether it's a good or bad thing is another issue, but he clearly IS stubborn.

What next? "Water is dry" says fred plasticine...

look, they only say he's stubborn because he doesn't do what they want him to do. is not that difficult to see, is it?

[Skillz]

It was brave/questionable/daft and maybe a few other things. Not sure if the others would've been hailed as a genius or not.



I think we won in spite of Rafa, as opposed to because of him, on this occasion.

Nobody was thinking "I know, we shoud take off Gerrard, that should do the trick" and the fact that Lucas was involved in the winning goal was quite concidental.

You have lost faith in Rafa that much is obvious. You're almost right in that noone was thinking take off Gerrard, Rafa was.

And his replacement played very, very well and in my world scored the winner. You are still sniping at Rafa after he makes an inspired substitution to win an away derby. Any draw or god forbid we lose another game and no doubt you will step it up again.

One question: What does Rafa have to do to win back your belief?