Houllier or Rafa's?

[Jennings]

Interestingly both teams have a problem at wide-right.

[Sadgeek]

We have not had a full out attacking team since the days of Evans! At least his teams would go for it. Think back then we had the right team but wrong man in charge. We should have moved heaven and earth to bring back kenny after the 1995 season he won the prem with blackburn as he would of no doubt have jumped at the chance.

Sorry, but for me I don't think we've had a decent attacking team since 87/88

[anfieldanfield]

Houllier and Benitez are remarkably similar in many ways.

Their stuborness has been the death of both of them.

[Joe King]

Benitez is the long lost child of Houllier.

[Baldemort]

lets compare like for like with the players on the pitch for Gerrards last game.

Jerzy Dudek <Reina
John Arne Riise > Aurelio/Dossena
Jamie Carragher
Sami Hyypia > Skittles
Steve Finnan = Arbeloa
Harry Kewell = Riera (Harry was barely ever fit)
Steven Gerrard
Dietmar Hamann > this season's Mash
Danny Murphy < Alonso
Emile Heskey > Kuyt
Michael Owen < Torres

[BigChief]

The biggest similarity between Houllier and Benitez is by the fifth season other teams had worked out we only play on the break, and not very good at that either. Plus the over reliance on Gerrard and Owen/Torres. That's 10 years wasted in the league with no forward momentum. :-(

Admittedly we're brill in the CL but I wish it was the other way round. Plus, all English clubs seem to be top nowadays anyway.

[BG1973]

Yes, but we haven't replaced them with players who are as good as they were, thats my point.

We've built a good squad for the future how exactly? By having several average players for each position?

The fact of the matter is Rafa has only brought in Torres, Reina and arguably Alonso who are better players than anything Houllier had. Flooding the squad with large numbers of average players goes hand in hand with Rafa's safe approach to football.

if you rate Risse then there is no point having this debate.

[FatTony]

if you rate Risse then there is no point having this debate.

If you fail to understand the concept of this debate then there is no point in you contributing.

[murder_inc]

Benitez is the long lost child of Houllier.

And your the long lost son of Trigger.
Well done lad.

[murder_inc]

If you fail to understand the concept of this debate then there is no point in you contributing.

Under Houllier Carra was playing full-back and Sami and Henchoz were our first choice CBs until Finnan came in.

Our Midfield was completly different as we didnt really use Defensive midfielders as we do now and Owen was mostly injured through the seasons.
Heskey was great in his first season but was a big sack of **** for the next 3 seasons and was played well out of position. The understudys to these players were **** most of the time. (Biscam, Smicer, Baros, Le Tallec, Pongolle etc etc)
Yes you can point to the Subs bench under Rafa and although it doesnt strike that much fear into the opposition is a hell of a lot better in terms of having to change a game than what Houllier had. (Babel against UTD? Beny who has changed a few games this season, El Zhar who has changed a few games this season)


I do think we need some REAL quality on the wings this summer and a top class partner for Nando (Villa?) if we are to seriously challenge to win the league.
For me Lucas, Kuyt (possibly), Dossena and possibly Babel has to go.
I quite like Reira but I reckon we could do with better on the left. Maybe keep Reira on the subs bench imo.

We also maybe need a premiership title winner in the team. I think this could make a difference to our mentality. I have thought about this for the past few months and recknon maybe if we had another Gary Mac in our team, that could give us that extra 10% needed to win the games were we are drawing.
Cant think of anyone in particular but Maybe someone like Henry.

Sorry for the long winded essay.

[redpablo]

sorry, he has brought in mascher, xabi etc for our ce ntral midfield, much as i loved danny, they are a class above. torres i believe is less one dimensional than owen. heskey?? are you for real?? he was alright for one season then became the single most frustrating striker I have ever seen. henchoz and hyppia were great but slow and getting older. etc etc. no contest we have a better squad.

[MrMichael]

sorry, he has brought in mascher, xabi etc for our ce ntral midfield, much as i loved danny, they are a class above. torres i believe is less one dimensional than owen. heskey?? are you for real?? he was alright for one season then became the single most frustrating striker I have ever seen. henchoz and hyppia were great but slow and getting older. etc etc. no contest we have a better squad.

Which is why its so depressing seeing them play such poor football

[FatTony]

sorry, he has brought in mascher, xabi etc for our ce ntral midfield, much as i loved danny, they are a class above. torres i believe is less one dimensional than owen. heskey?? are you for real?? he was alright for one season then became the single most frustrating striker I have ever seen. henchoz and hyppia were great but slow and getting older. etc etc. no contest we have a better squad.

"Etc" is a little vague for my liking. Gerrard and Hamman were better than Alonso and Mascher imo (Mascher has been very average this season).

Torres is a better player than Owen, but not necessarily a better striker. If you want to hand him the accolade after one season then more fool you.

Heskey, well as a matter of fact yes I am for real. Emile Heskey is a better striker then Durk Kuyt, especially when played as a lone striker.

[FatTony]

Under Houllier Carra was playing full-back and Sami and Henchoz were our first choice CBs until Finnan came in.

Our Midfield was completly different as we didnt really use Defensive midfielders as we do now and Owen was mostly injured through the seasons.
Heskey was great in his first season but was a big sack of **** for the next 3 seasons and was played well out of position. The understudys to these players were **** most of the time. (Biscam, Smicer, Baros, Le Tallec, Pongolle etc etc)
Yes you can point to the Subs bench under Rafa and although it doesnt strike that much fear into the opposition is a hell of a lot better in terms of having to change a game than what Houllier had. (Babel against UTD? Beny who has changed a few games this season, El Zhar who has changed a few games this season)


I do think we need some REAL quality on the wings this summer and a top class partner for Nando (Villa?) if we are to seriously challenge to win the league.
For me Lucas, Kuyt (possibly), Dossena and possibly Babel has to go.
I quite like Reira but I reckon we could do with better on the left. Maybe keep Reira on the subs bench imo.

We also maybe need a premiership title winner in the team. I think this could make a difference to our mentality. I have thought about this for the past few months and recknon maybe if we had another Gary Mac in our team, that could give us that extra 10% needed to win the games were we are drawing.
Cant think of anyone in particular but Maybe someone like Henry.

Sorry for the long winded essay.

Regardless of who played where, our back four was better under Houllier. I really don't see it with Skyrtel, in fact I'll commit myself now to say he's an average player at best.

Our midfield was better then also. Forget Kewell's fitness (Houllier couldn't foresee that), he, Hamman, Gerrard and Murphy was a better line up than we have at the moment, IMO.

Heskey is a better striker than Kuyt will ever be. Thats not me saying that Heskey is a great striker BTW.

Our understudies now are as **** as they ever have been (Biscam, Smicer, Baros, Le Tallec, Pongolle, are no worse than El Zhar, Ngog, Benny and Babel).

We definitley need a few title winners in the squad, but who?

[murder_inc]

Regardless of who played where, our back four was better under Houllier. I really don't see it with Skyrtel, in fact I'll commit myself now to say he's an average player at best.

Our midfield was better then also. Forget Kewell's fitness (Houllier couldn't foresee that), he, Hamman, Gerrard and Murphy was a better line up than we have at the moment, IMO.

Heskey is a better striker than Kuyt will ever be. Thats not me saying that Heskey is a great striker BTW.

Our understudies now are as **** as they ever have been (Biscam, Smicer, Baros, Le Tallec, Pongolle, are no worse than El Zhar, Ngog, Benny and Babel).

We definitley need a few title winners in the squad, but who?

I dont agree with the midfield was better under Houllier to be honest mate but I definitly take your point about the back four. I still think there was and still is no better Centre back pairing of Big Sami and Henchoz. Them two at their peak were immense as far as pairings go but I think Skittles is more than an average defender. Dont get me wrong, I prefer Agger over Skittles but that is not to see that I reckon Skits is ****.