Rafa had on off day?

[tomasjj]

Congratulations. Perhaps we should analyse how Rafa got us to those finals because if he is smart enough to get us there, which he has proven there must be method to his decisions. The fact we do not agree all the time is most likely due to information that we do not have. It's managing a squad with all the information before you, compared to us, that is the difference.

Rafa is very, very good. He's not perfect though, i will give you that. Still think he will rise above all at the end of the week

Mate, I firmly support Rafa. Make no mistake about that.

[Skillz]

Mate, I firmly support Rafa. Make no mistake about that.

I know, and fair play if you called it like that at the time. I am just pissed off at a lot of comments on here so soon after the great show of support last week. We could easily of won against Reading, just about everything that could go wrong, did.

It's just too easy too pick those games against Rafa, especially when we won one of them, and forget who we had to beat on the way.

[Guest]

I know, and fair play if you called it like that at the time. I am just pissed off at a lot of comments on here so soon after the great show of support last week. We could easily of won against Reading, just about everything that could go wrong, did.

It's just too easy too pick those games against Rafa, especially when we won one of them, and forget who we had to beat on the way.

You know what mate ? Some people just can't see the bright side of life.

[tomasjj]

I know, and fair play if you called it like that at the time. I am just pissed off at a lot of comments on here so soon after the great show of support last week. We could easily of won against Reading, just about everything that could go wrong, did.

It's just too easy too pick those games against Rafa, especially when we won one of them, and forget who we had to beat on the way.

Thing is, if we had the chance to listen to Rafa explaining why he was doing what he did in those games, I am sure we would all sit here nodding in agreement. Well, apart from not starting Didi in Istanbul. THAT was a mistake.

[The Erectile Banana]

I know, and fair play if you called it like that at the time. I am just pissed off at a lot of comments on here so soon after the great show of support last week. We could easily of won against Reading, just about everything that could go wrong, did.

It's just too easy too pick those games against Rafa, especially when we won one of them, and forget who we had to beat on the way.

Well said mate.

You could just tell during the game that it was going to be one of those days where everything went against us. Every team has one or two of those a season. We could have played better of course, but as you said, if one or two things went our way we could have won on the day.

[Guest]

Thing is, if we had the chance to listen to Rafa explaining why he was doing what he did in those games, I am sure we would all sit here nodding in agreement. Well, apart from not starting Didi in Istanbul. THAT was a mistake.

He tried to explain his idea here.

LIVERPOOL manager Rafa Benitez insisted he did not give up during Saturday’s shock 3-1 Premier League defeat at Reading.

The Reds boss defended his decision to bring on Ryan Babel in place of skipper Steven Gerrard with 20 minutes to go, just after James Harper had scored the Royals’ third goal.

Striker Fernando Torres was earlier taken off after taking a knock on his ankle but he is expected to be fit for tomorrow night’s crucial Champions League clash in Marseille.

Benitez said: “When you take decisions it is because you believe it is for the best. In this case, we protected a key player by replacing him with another player with quality and pace. I think it was a good decision, especially as we were losing 3-1 and they were physically very strong. I was trying to protect the players.

“I know Steven wants to play to the end of every game, the same with Carra and Torres, but I needed to think about whether I could change things in the game and, if it’s difficult to do that, I start thinking about the next one.

“You can’t say Babel is not a player without quality. I was doing what I thought was right for the team.

“I try to win every game but sometimes when it is not easy and you have options on the bench and you can protect key players, then you have to.

“It was clear some players were tired. The pitch was heavy and at 3-1 down with time running out I thought we needed fresh legs.

“If we are fit and have fresh legs then maybe we can score the winning goal in the last 10 minutes in Marseille.

“Some of our players have been playing a lot of games in a row. Sami Hyypia is 34 now and was really tired, and if we used him today maybe he could have got injured and be out for a month, so as a manager you need to make decisions because you know your players.”

Benitez was convinced referee Andre Marriner blundered when he had to make penalty decisions at either end of the pitch – awarding Reading one that appeared to be outside the box and denying his side two stronger shouts.

He said: “I am not happy with the decisions but we didn’t take our chances and that was maybe the key. We should have had two penalties.

“We had a lot of confidence before the game. I think that the key in this kind of game is to take your chances against opposition that has a very good team spirit and played a physical game. If we had moved the ball and taken our chances it would have been easier for us but we couldn’t do it.

“You must be disappointed when we make mistakes but I am not angry with the players. You can’t be when their commitment is fantastic and I don’t have any problem with them.”

Benitez also defended his decision to play 4-3-3 despite the fact that the Reds were woefully short of width.

“Sometimes it’s easier to talk about tactics after the game,” he said.

“But at Newcastle we played the same system and everybody was talking about a fantastic team, and in the first half hour against Everton we played the same way and were much the better team.

“Sometimes it works, and sometimes it cannot. If Torres had taken the early chance then maybe it would have been different.”

The Reds have no time to dwell on Saturday’s first league defeat of the campaign as they prepare for tomorrow night’s showdown in Marseille.

Benitez believes he will get the right response.

He said: “We have experience of finals so we will do the same thing we were doing before. It is an important game but the players have experience of those. Since I have been here we have been in seven finals. We have won four so we have enough experience and quality in the squad to win.”

The Spaniard insisted he was personally relishing the pressure he finds himself under and likened it to his most successful seven days as a manager in 2004.

He said: “We played one Saturday for Valencia to win the league and then on the Thursday to win the UEFA Cup. We won both so I like to be in this situation because it means you are playing for something. We have confidence that we can do it.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2007/12/10/rafa-i-didn-t-throw-in-the-towel-100252-20229178/

[Jazzmaster]

I too am very surprised at some of the reaction following the reading game. Yes we had expected to win but factors conspired against us and we dropped points. Disappointing yes, fatal, no. We had a hash penalty award against us and subsequently got back into the game with another gerrard goal. We should then have had our own penalty which would have put us in the lead ... etc etc and we lost 3 - 1. To be honest if arsenal had won yesterday I would have doubted our ability to make up 10 points on them, but they didnt and we're still in the race. Such is football. Fans have to accept that you cant always have it your own way. To be praising rafa one week after a win and then slating him the next after a loss is fickle in the extreme. Our club is moving forwards and upwards. What more do people want? Look at the goddam big picture people.

Rafa had no choice but to have one eye on marseille at the weekend. Its worth millions to the club and may define the budget available to him come the transfer window.

Granted though, the scum match is now huge. A win could bolster our title challenge no end. A loss could put it out of our reach somewhat. Having said that nobody has a crystal ball. Im just happy it's mid December and we're still in the race.

[Skillz]

He is spot on in reality. We did play the same system at Newcastle, except we had Harry on the left. However Harry is no way ready to play all 3 games this week. I want him playing against Marseille and Manu so I have no complaint's there.

Personally think we need to get behind Rafa, especially those going to the game on Sunday.

[Craig_H]

Leave it Sydney, leave it.

To be fair to Rafa it was our first defeat and I think we should have had 3 penalties. Rafa just prepares for these 'details' but when everything goes against us, it's just too difficult to control.

3 penalties? FLAMO

Everything didnt go against us, some things did, but we also didnt play well.

Your post sums it up though, Rafa Can Do No Wrong, if we win, he's a genius, if we lose, it's not his fault, it's because things go against us.

Riiiiiiight....

[Craig_H]

Rafa makes mistakes but to blame him for Saturdays defeat when we don't know how important the Marseille game is when it comes down to keeping his job and the transfer budget is pointless.

For all we know G&H could have told him that he will be sacked if we don't win that game or that he won't get money to spend in January.

Then all of you would probably have started an even weaker side than the one Rafa started with against Reading to be sure that players like Carra, Gerrard and Torres is fit against Marseille.

It's pointless to blame anyone when we don't know the facts behind the decisions.

So by this logic, it's never anyone's fault ever...

[Craig_H]

I tend to agree with this. The undue pressure Rafa's is under to get the result on Tues has underpinned his selection and decisions re Sat's game, a situation the owners could have easily resolved if they wanted to...

Why is it being considered that we couldnt have won at reading, while also then winning in Marseille?

People are acting as if you had to sacrifice one for the other.

[AFII]

Why is it being considered that we couldnt have won at reading, while also then winning in Marseille?

People are acting as if you had to sacrifice one for the other.

No one is saying that we couldn't have won at Reading and our next two games but we have some players that we can't afford to get injured, like Gerrard, Carra and Torres. It's a big risk to play three games in eight days.

Better to play it safe and look at what is best long term for the player and the club than to think only about one game, the Reading game in this case.

[Craig_H]

No one is saying that we couldn't have won at Reading and our next two games but we have some players that we can't afford to get injured, like Gerrard, Carra and Torres. It's a big risk to play three games in eight days.

Better to play it safe and look at what is best long term for the player and the club than to think only about one game, the Reading game in this case.

I'd have no qualms with that at all, it's a fair enough point.

What i would say though, is if you're going to rest key players and replace them with players that are inferior (as you'll invariably be doing), why complicate things even further by selecting a system that the players arent comfortable with or suited to?

Crouch and Voronin in wide forward positions, in a 4-3-3 was nonsensical.

[Skillz]

So by this logic, it's never anyone's fault ever...

Do you think it is fair to Rafa that he is still to be publicly backed by the board?

[Craig_H]

Do you think it is fair to Rafa that he is still to be publicly backed by the board?

Not really no, they should either say nothing, back him or sack him...playing games and putting out thinly veiled threats is pathetic.

This has nothing to do with the post of mine which you quoted, however...unless you can correct me.