Rafa...

[Monty]

I'm not one of them who lives in the past but we expect so much more, we're LFC, the greatest team in the world.

I know Rafa has brought us the CL which I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd see but I really can't see us getting the league for a long, long time.

We're a ****ing mess and we're struggling. It's like the whole club has gone, dissapeared for good and a dark cloud has descended over us. Over the last 10 years we've lost all of our passion, all of our fire; our self belief, everything that's made us the club we are, we're nothing but a joke now.

I'm ****ing well and truly depressed.

FFS mate Now I'M depressed!

[Slinky Skills]

FFS mate Now I'M depressed!

Sorry bud.

[alunevans]

The thing I'd say is this.

Rafa in my view buys pretty well. He'll screw up because purchasing players is inherently a gamble and all managers will buy their fair share of duds.

But simply compare this squad to the one he inherited.

Rafa's weakness is that he makes some baffling team selections (baffling to me anyhow!)

But what if the choice wasn't Voronin/Kuyt v Babel/Crouch for instance.

What if we had owners who gave him money to ensure that everyone in our 1st 16 were top notch. So even if Rafa made a baffling decision, that the player in the team was still the dogs nads.

This is not implausible and it is a scenario where Rafa, with all his faults, could be very successful domestically.

If we do end up being able to compete financially with our main competitors, then this could well be how things turn out.

Rafa could still act eccentrically and yet we still put out a 1st 11 that is devastating. Its not beyond the realms of possibilities by any stretch.

[Owen20]

what he needs is a bit of job security from those soft yank ****s

...Wont get that mate ~ not a chance!

[Alpha]

The thing I'd say is this.

Rafa in my view buys pretty well. He'll screw up because purchasing players is inherently a gamble and all managers will buy their fair share of duds.

But simply compare this squad to the one he inherited.

Rafa's weakness is that he makes some baffling team selections (baffling to me anyhow!)

But what if the choice wasn't Voronin/Kuyt v Babel/Crouch for instance.

What if we had owners who gave him money to ensure that everyone in our 1st 16 were top notch. So even if Rafa made a baffling decision, that the player in the team was still the dogs nads.

This is not implausible and it is a scenario where Rafa, with all his faults, could be very successful domestically.

If we do end up being able to compete financially with our main competitors, then this could well be how things turn out.

Rafa could still act eccentrically and yet we still put out a 1st 11 that is devastating. Its not beyond the realms of possibilities by any stretch.

I couldn't agree more.

I honestly don't think Rafa's methods would be a problem if he had the personnel to exact them.

[alunevans]

I couldn't agree more.

I honestly don't think Rafa's methods would be a problem if he had the personnel to exact them.

Well they'd still be a problem as we still wouldn't be getting the very best that we could out of the 16 we had. But it wouldn't be the mega problem that it is now, and it does offer a scenario where LFC are successful domestically despite Rafa's incorrigible eccentricities. How's that for syllables!!!

[kurtangle01]

Just got in from the match. Tonight was one of those again. Played quite well created chances yet Villa, who were absolute dog****, ended 2-1 up due to two high balls in to the box from freekicks. We should have defended better but that's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose.

Rafa got it spot on with his subs though and Villa were hanging on in the last minute or two.

Great goal by Crouch...he should start with Torres next match.

[alunevans]

Just got in from the match. Tonight was one of those again. Played quite well created chances yet Villa, who were absolute dog****, ended 2-1 up due to two high balls in to the box from freekicks. We should have defended better but that's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose.

Rafa got it spot on with his subs though and Villa were hanging on in the last minute or two.

Great goal by Crouch...he should start with Torres next natch.

As Aldo was apparently ranting on the radio, Crouch and Torres should simply be our striking partnership.

[kris90210]

I'm not one of them who lives in the past but we expect so much more, we're LFC, the greatest team in the world.

I know Rafa has brought us the CL which I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd see but I really can't see us getting the league for a long, long time.

We're a ****ing mess and we're struggling. It's like the whole club has gone, dissapeared for good and a dark cloud has descended over us. Over the last 10 years we've lost all of our passion, all of our fire; our self belief, everything that's made us the club we are, we're nothing but a joke now.

I'm ****ing well and truly depressed.

I know mate, I feel the same way at the moment and Im sure most of the other fans do as well to some extent even if they wont admit it.

But do you know what, when you look at our situation in the cold light of day there are reasons to be optimistic. The league isnt going to happen this year (again!!) but its important we realise what a huge task it is to win it. Utd spent 70 mil in the summer improving a side that ran away with the league last year! Think back to when Rafa first took over - those were proper dark days. We are improving every year - its just that our main rivals are also improving.

Consider Man Utd when Ferguson took over. They didnt win anything for 5 years. The guy was 3 games away from the sack and now look at whats happened. Patience is a virtue mate.

As far as our passion is concerned you're right. But its not dead, it just needs a lift. Think back to when we won the champions league and how fans lined the streets for 10 miles. I wasnt there but it made me so proud to be a liverpool fan that did.

Keep the faith mate. We'll be back

[NICKZS]

I'm worried for him, i really am.

I know he had a cold but he really didnt look well, looked extremely stressed (as you'd expect) and almost looked like a man who's doing all he can, but to no avail.

You cant blame anything on him tonight, we played well, we controlled the game...villa did nothing other than benefit from sloppy defending and good luck. Rafa could've done little more than he did (other than play Crouch from the off) but in fairness, the side he picked did everything but kill the game off.

Rafa, bless him, didnt do much wrong and yet still the side dont win.

I really felt sorry for him when i saw his post match interview and i hope he still has the strength and will to keep fighting, he's done a great job of fighting the yanks from the inside and i hope he keeps going.

Rafa.

Good post DJS, and, I think, a perceptive one. He is fighting for the club's life at the moment.

[robbielad9]

I couldn't agree more.

I honestly don't think Rafa's methods would be a problem if he had the personnel to exact them.

Or maybe an experienced No.2 to advise him?

[MrMichael]

I'm worried for him, i really am.

I know he had a cold but he really didnt look well, looked extremely stressed (as you'd expect) and almost looked like a man who's doing all he can, but to no avail.

You cant blame anything on him tonight, we played well, we controlled the game...villa did nothing other than benefit from sloppy defending and good luck. Rafa could've done little more than he did (other than play Crouch from the off) but in fairness, the side he picked did everything but kill the game off.

Rafa, bless him, didnt do much wrong and yet still the side dont win.

I really felt sorry for him when i saw his post match interview and i hope he still has the strength and will to keep fighting, he's done a great job of fighting the yanks from the inside and i hope he keeps going.

Rafa.

Good post DJS, that was pretty much my assessment of the game too.

I know mate, I feel the same way at the moment and Im sure most of the other fans do as well to some extent even if they wont admit it.

But do you know what, when you look at our situation in the cold light of day there are reasons to be optimistic. The league isnt going to happen this year (again!!) but its important we realise what a huge task it is to win it. Utd spent 70 mil in the summer improving a side that ran away with the league last year! Think back to when Rafa first took over - those were proper dark days. We are improving every year - its just that our main rivals are also improving.

Consider Man Utd when Ferguson took over. They didnt win anything for 5 years. The guy was 3 games away from the sack and now look at whats happened. Patience is a virtue mate.

As far as our passion is concerned you're right. But its not dead, it just needs a lift. Think back to when we won the champions league and how fans lined the streets for 10 miles. I wasnt there but it made me so proud to be a liverpool fan that did.

Keep the faith mate. We'll be back

[kris90210]

As Aldo was apparently ranting on the radio, Crouch and Torres should simply be our striking partnership.

Thats all very well - hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I actually thought Dirk had his best game for us in a long long time and if anything he was more effective than Torres. Of course he still wasnt that good and that speaks volumes about his form of late.

We dominated a very good side tonight. But once again the scoreline paints a different picture.

[alunevans]

Thats all very well - hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I actually thought Dirk had his best game for us in a long long time and if anything he was more effective than Torres. Of course he still wasnt that good and that speaks volumes about his form of late.

We dominated a very good side tonight. But once again the scoreline paints a different picture.

To be fair Kris, its got nothing to do with hindsight when it appears that the overwhelming majority of people have been saying it for yonks. I certainly have.

I wouldn't disagree with your final paragraph incidentally. They offered very little and got lucky.

But its still unfair to say that calling for a Crouch-Torres partnership has anything to do with being wise after the event, as I'm sure you'd admit.

[kris90210]

I'm worried for him, i really am.

I know he had a cold but he really didnt look well, looked extremely stressed (as you'd expect) and almost looked like a man who's doing all he can, but to no avail.

You cant blame anything on him tonight, we played well, we controlled the game...villa did nothing other than benefit from sloppy defending and good luck. Rafa could've done little more than he did (other than play Crouch from the off) but in fairness, the side he picked did everything but kill the game off.

Rafa, bless him, didnt do much wrong and yet still the side dont win.

I really felt sorry for him when i saw his post match interview and i hope he still has the strength and will to keep fighting, he's done a great job of fighting the yanks from the inside and i hope he keeps going.

Rafa.

He seemed thoroughly dejected to me. Its not surprising though - he'll know we have no chance of winning the title now. He'll be frustrated with the whole behind the scenes goings on. And he was lost for words on how we didnt win that game. Plus he has a cold.

The bloke should take a well deserved rest. Recharge the batteries and come back ready to take on the world. He knows he has the majority of fans on his side and that will pull him through this