Smith on the Liverpool situation

[dww]

We had plenty of chances yes, but the players we played wasn't really a goal threat and that is why we missed all those chances.

We played a team that really don't know how to do this....

The thing is though that we need other players to take responsibility too often this season and in the past everyone has left the scoring to Torres and Gerrard. Against a lower league team should be the time when the likes of Babel and Lucas show their potential. Other players who have done it in the past like Crouch and to some degree Kuyt also need to step up.

Building a side which only believes it can do anything when Gerrard plays is not a good plan I'm sure we all agree. The trouble is it is becoming true again - partly though I think this is a mental thing and the only way to get over it is for us to have players who have achieved things without him in the side. Whether that be by bringing in new blood or trying to develop it in games like this it has to be done for the club to progress.

It didn't work but I think it was a decision which has a lot of solid logic behind it.

[ronan]

Why should Gerrard have been playing? We should have been able to beat Barnsley without Gerrard playing. We should have beaten them with the side we put out. That's **** all to do with Rafa.

spot on just another chance for the big ol racist to put the boot in

[Dhav]

This is what I can't get my head round on here.

Surely he is allowed his opinion? I we all fans, ex players included, meant to keep there gob shut and not voice their opinion?

Yes, it may be criticism he is giving but you would not complain if things were going well and he was giving praise.

As soon as anyone says anything bad in the press about the state of our club at the moment everyone gets ****ing moany about it.

The fact is at this current time we are a shambles and that is going to attract the criticism it deserves.

If we beat Inter on Wednesday he will get the praise he deserves and noone will say "stop praising Rafa".

He is entitled to his opinion, but why does it have to be such tabloid garbage?

Too many ex-players are getting rich off sticking the boot in, and by that I mean the likes of McManaman, McMahon, Redknapp and now Smith. Tabloid opinions at their worst; Gerrard should start every game, even against H&W, Gerrard should only play in the middle, he'll be unhappy if he doesn't. :whatever: Just towing the media line without engaging their brain. These people are gimps, they;re not even as intelligent as the common Liverpool fan, who at least as his own opinion.

Contrast to the likes of Alan Hansen, who is more constructive with his criticism.

[wavydavy]

Yeah, just what we need, is this idiot sticking the boot in. Don't we attract enough criticism without Liverpool legends sticking the boot in as well?

does this old ****er only opens his mouth to criticize the team these days.

Shame on you

[Red_hot]

Shame on you

Why? If he cares about Liverpool FC at all he should keep his thoughts out of the media.

[Shaggy]

Yeah, just what we need, is this idiot sticking the boot in. Don't we attract enough criticism without Liverpool legends sticking the boot in as well?

Why should Gerrard have been playing? We should have been able to beat Barnsley without Gerrard playing. We should have beaten them with the side we put out. That's **** all to do with Rafa.

Amen.

Look at Arsenal and Man United FFS. Playing each other and left all their big-hitters out. Does that old idiot Smith not realise we have a massive game Tuesday? What if Gerrard had got injured, eh Smith? Eh? What would you have been saying then eh? Knobhead.

[Dhav]

Shame on you

SMith is an idiot and I stand by that. What he achieved as a player does not entitle him to stick the boot in to our current manager with such tabloid nonsense that he's coming out with now.

Amen.

Look at Arsenal and Man United FFS. Playing each other and left all their big-hitters out. Does that old idiot Smith not realise we have a massive game Tuesday? What if Gerrard had got injured, eh Smith? Eh? What would you have been saying then eh? Knobhead.

[Marky]

Anfield legend Smith begins Benitez backlash
Last updated at 10:45am on 17th February 2008


Legendary Liverpool defender Tommy Smith has launched a stinging criticism of Reds boss Rafael Benitez after his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Barnsley.

Brian Howard's injury-time winner at Anfield dumped Liverpool out of yet another competition, leaving them with just the Champions League - in which they face Inter Milan this week - to contest.

And Smith, who captained Liverpool to the 1971 league and UEFA Cup double, has hit out at Benitez's controversial rotation policy and decision to rest several key players for yesterday's visit of the Coca-Cola Championship side.

Smith said: "In the programme for the game Benitez said cup competitions are always dangerous if you think you can beat teams easily. So why on earth didn't he put a strong team out against Barnsley?"

Smith admitted Reds fans may finally start to run out of patience with the Spanish boss.

"I should imagine so. At the end of the day Bill Shankly used to tell us you're only as good as your last result. How on earth does Benitez think he's going to win stuff if he puts a second-class team out?

"Because Liverpool's squad is not as strong as I think he thought at the beginning of the season. I don't think he's even got a strong first XI.

"How could he leave (Jose) Reina, (Steven) Gerrard and (Javier) Mascherano out?"

Smith admitted the last-16 European tie with Inter is now do-or-die.

"I'm afraid so," he said. "He keeps going on about winning four cups and all that but at the end of the day it's not even entertaining at Anfield at the moment. The crowd keep it going but they booed everybody at the end of the game and quite rightly.

"The first person you put on the team-sheet is Gerrard. How on earth could he sit on the bench for 75 minutes and watch that...then he (Benitez) talks about chances. Well, they've gone. You can't score after the game finishes."

FFS what a spoon he is for saying that, so he's making out that a team consisting of Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Benayoun, Alonso, Babel, Crouch etc isn't good enough to beat Barnsley???
He's just jumping on the bandwagon about Rafa not playing the strongest team possible, at the end of the day he shouldn't need to.
Rafa has ****ed up alot this season, no doubt about it, i'm even questioning whether he should remain at the helm but for y'days performance i blame the players solely.

[Yozza]

Rafa has ****ed up alot this season, no doubt about it, i'm even questioning whether he should remain at the helm but for y'days performance i blame the players solely.

Spot on there mate....

Far too much Rafa kicking on here at the moment - the team fielded yesterday should have been able to win that game easily, & I'm not buying into this 'well rafa bought them so it's his fault the squad players are ****' argument... most of the team yesterday were full internationals... they really be ought to take a good look at themselevs & Rafa eeds to be ruthless this summer - big clearout of the ones that dont perform

[andyhanrahan]

the team yesterday should have won but by putting that muppet in goals we were onto a loser from a start( he makes magnificent saves every so often but often lets in v ordinary goals-he's a french version of westersveld)

[beabeasdad]

Ahh Tommy Smith. Isn't he the one who covered Howie Gayle with a bag of flour for a 'lark'?

[Rafa Shankly]

Shame on you

hes old and hes turning into a poisonous bad mouthing ****er,whats shameful about it

[Rafa Shankly]

Ahh Tommy Smith. Isn't he the one who covered Howie Gayle with a bag of flour for a 'lark'?

thats him,classy guy aint he.

[Fowler_God]

hes old and hes turning into a poisonous bad mouthing ****er,whats shameful about it

He has been like that for a while in his echo piece.

He always brings everything back to Shankly, well sorry Tommy but those days are long gone. Quit fanning the flames and help the team out.

[wavydavy]

CLICHE CORNER: If we'd had 11 Tommy Smiths playing yesterday we wouldn't have got turned over by the mighty ****ing Barnsley.
Tommy is entitled to his opinion and to bring up the Gayle incident now and judge it in today's context is naive. It wasn't right and he probably cringes at the thought of it now.