Middlesbrough v Liverpool match thread

[Matt]

Abysmal first half.

Riise hasn't scored in the league for 16 months. Thats probably the last time he had a good game. I'm sick of him.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

No link-up play back to front, inside and out. Dreadful, worse than luton.
Club is surely suffering with the behind the scenes shenanagins.

When in doubt blame that.

It couldn't possibly be the manager and the players fault, could it?

[Tom]

Performance of a team with other things on its mind.

[Harv]

Well I can definitely say that's the worst 45mins I've seen from Liverpool under Benitez.

absolutely disgraceful.

[Shaggy]

Speechless.

[disco]

You can blame him for picking them though!!

I guess so.

Seriously though, let's see how we play second half.

[ForeverRed]

They all need a rocket up their ass...

[John_Gotti]

Crow & Riise off, Babel & Alonso on. Push Stevie forward.

[Craig_H]

The players shouldn't need motivating. They're playing for Liverpool football club!

They're professional footballers for christ sake, the best of the best. The team has no confidence at the moment, it's nothing to do with motivation. It wasn't so long back that we were stuffing teams so was Rafa not motivating them no??

I'm listening to it on the radio and it isn't very good but it's not Rafa's fault.

The players are letting him and the fans down.

So what? Aside from a couple of them, playing for LFC means little, it's just a job. They're not fans like us.

And of course they need motivating, every sports person does.

As for Rafa motivating them, it's easy when things are going well. When the chips are down, people's heads drops and the manager must get them up again. He isnt doing it.

How is nothing ever Rafa's fault? Who does the buck stop with? Who BUYS and PICKS those 'let down' players? What IS Rafa's fault, ever?

We're heading for 7th place and it's the manager's responsibility.

[Nic83]

Can't blame Rafa for Voronin and Riise's performances. The players are ****ing good enough to win this game, but they're not doing their job.

However he earns his money now at half time

Let's see what happens.

you can blame him for signing the donkeys arse and blame him for playing the donkeys arse.

[blacky]

Oh **** off with that bollocks Tom

You're brainwashed by journalists

In fairness players read the papers aswell so if it unsettles us the thought of Rafa leaving then it will unsettle them. It's plain to see that there are probles both on and off the pitch you just need to use your own common sense to realise this.

[Nicey]

Shocking First Half

[Kaip]

**** me that was piss poor, he's gorra change it at HT




Please

[JohnDoe]

I don't want to go "I told you so" when I'm just so saddened about what's going on.

Riise and Voronin are just so crap I feel sorry for them. It's as if we brought in a couple of fans into the pitch and let them have a go. The rest of the team is struggling because we're playing with 9 men.

Rafa has to make two subs at half time and go with this:

Alonso Mascherano
Benayoun Gerrard Babel
Torres

If we want any chance of winning this game, this is the only way.

I'm gutted, I hate this because I want Rafa to stay and sort it out. There is no one better out there and I feel he's losing his chance to keep his job. If this goes on, it'll be easy for G&H to get rid of him.

[tomasjj]

Crow & Riise off, Babel & Alonso on. Push Stevie forward.