Liverpool "need a miracle to win the title....."

[Craig_H]

You having a bit of a mare this morning voz?

[Pacman]

I have a problem with any ****e quotes from that **** rag being quoted on a Liverpool fan site.

The paper is the scum of the earth.

[Elvoz]

You having a bit of a mare this morning voz?

no you just quoted what i had already , earlier in the thread craig

[Elvoz]

I have a problem with any ****e quotes from that **** rag being quoted on a Liverpool fan site.

The paper is the scum of the earth.

we all have/should

[billy_mac]

Obvious that he's deflecting pressure away from the team. Nothing to worry about.

All depends how deeply you want to look into the mind games. Chelsea players have been quoted as saying its between them and utd. Now rafa says that we need a **** up to win the league, which as you say deflects the pressure off us. But I think he's questioning the belief in the dressing room. He's saying we can't win it without other teams slipping up and this is from 1st position. So what I think he's doing is seeing if the players will react and show him that he is wrong to say that. And what we need is a reaction and a convincing display at home on saturday. Hope it didn't come from the **n all the same.

[Tee]

I have a problem with any ****e quotes from that **** rag being quoted on a Liverpool fan site.

The paper is the scum of the earth.

[Exiled_red]

Rafa is obviously deflecting pressure away from us and on to opponents, it's all mind games. I'm happy for everyone to keep writing us off it was what happened in Champions League in 2005 and look what happened there

[dww]

Is it only me or does the phrase 'mess up' seem singularly un-Rafa?

[Kenneth]

Very much so

[Kenneth]

It's going to be so tense in the next few games. Hull at home, will we win and stay 1 ahead, or win and go 3 or 4 ahead. Or chuff it up and end up level or fall behind? One game and the outlook could look so much different. And it's going to be like this all the way if we can maintain our results. Don't know if my nerves can take it.

[Pacman]

It's going to be so tense in the next few games. Hull at home, will we win and stay 1 ahead, or win and go 3 or 4 ahead. Or chuff it up and end up level or fall behind? One game and the outlook could look so much different. And it's going to be like this all the way if we can maintain our results. Don't know if my nerves can take it.

It's ****ing enjoyable though.

We are usually out it by now.

[Ronnie]

It's actually come from "So Foot" - a French magazine.

It's on the Irish Examiner website here - Irish Examiner | Irish News | News from Ireland - with a Ben Lyttleton byline.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Rafa waiting for rivals to mess up

By Ben Lyttleton
RAFA BENITEZ has admitted that he is reliant on all three of Liverpool’s title rivals slipping up for his side to have any chance of winning their first league title for 19 years.

He went on to compare this season’s side to the Valencia team he built which won the Spanish title in 2002.

Liverpool go into this weekend’s round of matches one point clear at the top of the Premier League having already played, and beaten, rivals Manchester United (at home) and Chelsea (away) to cement their title credentials.

“For me, Valencia and Liverpool are similar clubs,” said Benitez, “in that for them to win, the bigger clubs have to do badly. When I won La Liga with Valencia that’s what happened: Real Madrid and Barcelona were in a period of transition so it was easier. For Liverpool to win the Premier League we need Chelsea, United or Arsenal, who all have a lot greater financial means than us, to mess up their season. But normally it is very rare that three teams will all mess up.”

Arsenal are eight points adrift and have already lost five league matches this season, while Chelsea have struggled to kill off sides at Stamford Bridge, following up their defeat by Liverpool with a win over Sunderland, and a draw with Newcastle either side of losses to Burnley and Arsenal.

“When I arrived at Liverpool we had to start all over again from zero,” Benitez explained. “To build a team and to model it the way I want takes a bit of time. At Valencia it was different, the club had played two Champions League finals with a block of players who had a lot of understanding.

“But when a club gives you the necessary time, you can bring in players who will adapt more naturally to your ideas. Over time, I have been able to build more or less the team that I wanted to see on the field.

“Liverpool are a lot like the Valencia side I used to train: rigorous, ordered, and with a great deal of balance. But all of that took time and I managed it by bringing in players capable of taking on my philosophy.” Benitez, speaking to French magazine So Foot in an interview that was published this week, praised his players for their intelligence in adapting to the three different systems he has introduced to the side.

“At Liverpool we have three systems: the 4-2-3-1, the classic 4-4-2 and then the 3-4-3. The goal is for your team to be just as consistent with the first-team regulars as with their replacements.

“As we say in Spain when you pass your coaching badges, the system is about footballers’ positions and tactics is their movement on the field. If you don’t know how to occupy space, restrict or conquer it, your system is worth nothing. Tactics are the key to everything.” Benitez went on to say that his tactical model is based on the Milan side that was so successful under Arrigo Sacchi, winning Serie A in 1988 and the European Cup in 1989 and 1990. “He had an incomparable spine with Franco Baresi and the Dutch players. They managed to totally close up a game, contain the opponents and at the same time, play attacking football.

Tactically it was perfect.” That is the benchmark by which Benitez models this Liverpool side, and as they enter the New Year having finished top of their Champions League group and currently top of the Premier League, the situation is looking rosy for the Reds.

Benitez was adamant that his team is not a defensive one. “When people say to me my team is a rigid block or tactically very structured, for me that’s a compliment,” the Spaniard added.

“Sometimes people don’t understand that a team which is good in defence is not necessarily a defensive team. What I see is that Liverpool defend very well and attack very well too. Last year we were the team with most number of shots on goal in England, we were not the most efficient but we shot more often than teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United.” This season Benitez can sense the opportunity to emulate those clubs and write a new chapter in the history of Liverpool.

[dom9]

A slightly different set of qutes from our esteemed manager:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7763481.stm

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wants his side to build a lead at the Premier League summit before their Champions League campaign resumes in February.

"We can now concentrate on domestic matters. We do not want to give up top spot," he said, prior to hosting Hull.

Striker Marlon King will continue to lead the Hull line despite being arrested earlier this week.

But Andy Dawson and Caleb Folan miss out as they continue to recover from their respective injuries.

Liverpool lead Chelsea by a point at the top of the Premier League table and have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League.

"If we are still there when we start up again in Europe, the chances of a really good season will be obvious," added Benitez.

"We now have almost three months to concentrate on the Premier League, and the FA Cup.

"We would want to go back into Europe next year still top of the table." 606: DEBATE
Can Hull upset Liverpool at Anfield?

Benitez also praised the performance of Brazilian youngster Lucas Leiva, who was outstanding in the Champions League win against PSV Eindhoven in midweek after recently suffering criticism from his own supporters.

He said: "Myself and the staff, as well as his team-mates, know that Lucas is a very good player. He showed that he has character and quality.

"Maybe Lucas has been spurred on by some of the criticism. But this week he has shown he is a good professional.

"His response to questions about his form - and the reaction to him from some fans recently - has been very good."

[Parm]

we should really only concentrate on our own game and not worry about other teams. If we win every game until now and the ned of the season it wont matter what the **** any of those ****ers do, we'll be champions.

[Craig_H]

Just seen Rafa on SSN and he denies having even made those comments