The Rafa Thread

[Guest]

I genuinely think all we need is a coach, like Rafa was at Valencia. If you look at all the issues that Rafa has had, it's to do with transfers, boardroom issues and other off the field shenanigans. Chelsea have a "coach" and leave the rest to Kenyon, Wenger overlooks evrything at Arsenal but is now easing off, Fergie the same - and football is becoming so big now I don't think it is possible to do "everything" like in the old days.

We need to get a solid CEO or a Sporting Director in to work with the manager and the youth team to overlook footbal matters including transfers from behind a desk and leave the coaching and the first team to the manager.

Rafa may have complained about Valencia but he bought noone there and that's where he had most of his success.

You finally talk some sense. That's an articulate and well argued post.

[friedk]

High price of ignoring Rafa

Aug 19 2008 by Ian Rush, Liverpool Echo

IT’S an old football saying – back him or sack him – and it’s one Liverpool should be adopting with Rafa Benitez right now.

I share Rafa’s belief that Gareth Barry would be an excellent addition to Liverpool’s present squad. Equally I accept that he’s not worth £18m.

But if the money is available in the club coffers and the manager wants to spend it, he should be given those resources.

That’s how successful football clubs work.

Except it doesn’t seem to be working that way at Anfield right now.

If the manager is allowed to buy the players he wants, you can then judge the manager on how those signings perform.

If Rafa signs Gareth Barry, and Liverpool don’t progress into at least the top two, then the manager wouldn’t have any excuses for a lack of progress. At the moment the Reds boss would be justified in saying he is not being allowed to do the job to the best of his ability.

On the evidence of the first two matches there is still clearly plenty of room for improvement in the Reds’ starting line-up – although I’m a firm believer of the philosophy that you just need to win your first match of the season no matter how you perform.



To go away on day one is always tough, especially a passionate place like Sunderland, and the priority must always be to collect three points.

Xabi Alonso received the post-match plaudits at the Stadium of Light, but as always it was the big players, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, who produced.

Torres’ strike was magnificent, while Gerrard performed like a real captain, constantly driving his side on throughout.

I was also pleased to see Alonso make the kind of impact he did when he came on at half-time.

He has had injury problems over the past two seasons and also suffered a loss of confidence, but there’s no doubt he is a quality player.

I would like to see both Gareth Barry come in and Xabi Alonso stay.

In the end, though, it comes down to the manager’s judgement being backed by other people at the club and then judge him on his performance.

If you don’t do that, you can’t really complain if he fails to take the club forward.

Rushie talks sense

[rage]

we have backed the manager's judgment. we've just spent another 20 million plus on a striker.

keeping alonso and also buying barry will mean we have 5 players competing for 2 places. complete stupidity when we're lacking elsewhere.

maybe if he loaned out plessis or lucas this could work but as it stands - no chance

[Laz]

Clearly they haven't backed him on the Barry situation. Whether you or I think going after Barry is stupid or not is immaterial, Barry coming in may well mean another player moving out on loan or permanently. How often do you hear that teams need 2 players for every position? We would have loved 5 quality centrebacks for the 2 positions at one point last season because we certainly could have done with them!

[Kenneth]

Spending millions of pounds over the odds to buy a rope for the manager to hang himself with doesn't sound like sound business to me.

[badpiggy]

Spending millions of pounds over the odds to buy a rope for the manager to hang himself with doesn't sound like sound business to me.

that makes it sound like rafa is a spendthrift maniac constanly wasting millions on ****e. he's not. he gets back money on those who don't work out. sounds to me like the amaericans are willing to spend to keep us inthe top 4 and doing well in europe but no more than that and previous quotes by hicks indicate that he doesn't see winning the premiership as vital to the "brand".

[rage]

that makes it sound like rafa is a spendthrift maniac constanly wasting millions on ****e. he's not. he gets back money on those who don't work out. sounds to me like the amaericans are willing to spend to keep us inthe top 4 and doing well in europe but no more than that and previous quotes by hicks indicate that he doesn't see winning the premiership as vital to the "brand".

thats nonsense, they've made the money available just not for another central midfielder. and i doubt anyone on here or anywhere else is going suggest that we're a central midfielder away from the premiership,

[El Jefecito]

thats nonsense, they've made the money available just not for another central midfielder. and i doubt anyone on here or anywhere else is going suggest that we're a central midfielder away from the premiership,

And would have thought Manure we're a Carrick away from the EPL, eh

[rage]

And would have thought Manure we're a Carrick away from the EPL, eh

they were a central midfielder away from getting better el jef. its a position they were weak in.

[El Jefecito]

they were a central midfielder away from getting better el jef. its a position they were weak in.

And some would say Xabi's performances last year would suggest that it is a position we could do better in....

Anyway let's leave it there, we've all been over this ground before

[Rashid]

And would have thought Manure we're a Carrick away from the EPL, eh

When Carrick was bought by United, who did they have at United? They had Fletcher with Scholes out for a year with an eye injury....and Keane was retired. If Barry came here he would be the 4th best central midfield player.

[El Jefecito]

When Carrick was bought by United, who did they have at United? They had Fletcher with Scholes out for a year with an eye injury....and Keane was retired. If Barry came here he would be the 4th best central midfield player.

In your humble opinion.

[Rashid]

In your humble opinion.

Well he isn't better than Mascherano, he isn't better than Gerrard- so that make him 3rd best.... and IMO and the opinion of many other people he isn't better than Alonso.

The point was it's nothing like the Carrick signing at all.

[Darth Marty]

If he was used as cm I also think he would be 4th best, therefore not value for money.

[El Jefecito]

Well he isn't better than Mascherano, he isn't better than Gerrard- so that make him 3rd best.... and IMO and the opinion of many other people he isn't better than Alonso.

The point was it's nothing like the Carrick signing at all.

The point was that it's the little details that make the difference and maybe 9 more assists is enough.

By my reckoning SG is not in contention for the 2 CM positions in the 4231 which I think we'll keep.

El Jefecito #1 for sure. I lean towards getting more out of Barry than Xabi , so that makes him #2 in my book.