Graeme Souness has his say

[Bender]

Graeme Souness launched a scathing attack on Rafa Benitez and his "plod, plod, plod" side last night.

The former Liverpool captain and manager accused the current boss of failing to build a team during his five years in charge.

He said: "It's no good saying there wasn't enough money last summer. What about the previous years? "If you have been there for five years you have had the chance to build your own club. It's no good pointing to being without your best two players."

And Souness told Sky Sports: "Out of the big clubs Liverpool is the best at home at a time like this. They are a footballing crowd, but without their top two men the team looked a very ordinary side.

"There was no spark without Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. It was plod, plod, plod.

"The criticism aimed at Rafa would be he has signed 67 players but if he is missing two or three it doesn't look anything like a team that can win big games."

[Le Chef]

We've lost four on the bounce, the knives are going to come out and in fairness teh guy is only saying what we've all said before now that we have needed a second decent striker and someone inventive.

[Darth Marty]

Hes not really wrong is he.

[SimonNo7]

Hes not really wrong is he.

Unfortunately, at the moment, he is not

[MrMichael]

Although of all the people to talk, has he ever watched any of his own teams play football?

[el matador]

Although of all the people to talk, has he ever watched any of his own teams play football?

he has a valid point. 200m and five years down the line we still look like a 2 man team

[barnes10]

bull****.

100 mill net spent over 5 years to build a squad at a time when the best players cost what, 30 mill a piece? That means looking for bargains im afraid.

we can have the same old discussion about money. what WAS lacking last night was passion. That is down to the management team. Where was the energy and spark? put the Man Utd kids out and there'd be a load of that.

so plod plod plod is right but talking about spending is sh1te. the team selected last night, if it was properly up for it and focussed, would have won the match.

[SimonNo7]

what WAS lacking last night was passion.

That and a cohesive team. Sometimes I watch us and I wonder if they have even trained together as some seem to be playing to a different game plan to the rest.

[Bender]

if there's no passion then there is no respect for the manager .......

[Exiled_red]

he has a valid point. 200m and five years down the line we still look like a 2 man team

By my calculations the squad we have at the moment cost about £130m to put together, I've not done the maths for the other top clubs but Chelsea and Man Utd certainly cost more than that, Man City possibly too.

Over 6 years (summer transfer windows) that's ~£22m a year which is possibly enough to buy one good player a year on average. Judging by what we started when he came in that's not enough.

[Kenneth]

bull****.

100 mill net spent over 5 years to build a squad at a time when the best players cost what, 30 mill a piece? That means looking for bargains im afraid.

we can have the same old discussion about money. what WAS lacking last night was passion. That is down to the management team. Where was the energy and spark? put the Man Utd kids out and there'd be a load of that.

so plod plod plod is right but talking about spending is sh1te. the team selected last night, if it was properly up for it and focussed, would have won the match.

But Souness isn't talking about money.

[MrsB]

Although of all the people to talk, has he ever watched any of his own teams play football?

[the rev leeroy brown]

the money arguement will no doubt rumble on for ages but the bottom line is rafa spunked a combined 26 mill on babel, dossena and lucas. 2 of those players he never plays and lucas is not lfc standard. bottom line - he ****ed up. with that 26 mill he could ahve bought a world class player.

[carheex]

Hes not really wrong is he.

No, but that isn't the point. If you read between the lines, he's throwing his hat into the ring to be the next manager!!

[Bender]

No, but that isn't the point. If you read between the lines, he's throwing his hat into the ring to be the next manager!!

don't be silly ....he has already said he won't manage again as he thinks footballers are overpaid