Rafa

[Welhung]

Yes...Another thread.

But this one is in support of our gaffer. **** me there is some knee-jerk tripe being written about him at the present. He is a world class manager. And we're lucky to have him

The guy has to work under the expectation that we win everything each season. He had that **** up Parry to deal with. He has to work with owners who don't back him financially (comparing us to our peers), and who slag him off in public. How do you expect perfection when dealing with these barriers?

I feel like people want him to fail!

Tell me another manager currently in a similar position to Rafa who is doing better? I can't think of one.

He has built the squad gradually over the last 5 years to the best of his ability with the resources made available. He is human, and will make mistakes in judgment. As we all do. Whether its purchasing a player who's not up to scratch, or an error tactically. Bottom line is that each season we have marginally improved, and have won way more than we have lost. Rafa is the glue that is charged with the responsibility of holding together the shattered pieces of our club. And all he gets is people trying to pull it apart.

Why the **** do you think Madrid wanted him for ****s sake? They are used to buying the "best" of everything.....

Bottom line is, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. A million squid ain't what it used to be. And we are not shelling out what our peers are. Not in this ****ing climate.

In addition, the **** luck we seem to have come internationals is a ****ing joke! Once you are depleted of fitness, confidence follows.

Support your team, and support your manager for ****s sake. We need positive energy come this weekend. Moaning about it is getting us nowhere!

[FatTony]

We need positive energy come this weekend.

[Clapper]

You are right!
I read an interview with a scout from Denmark working for Liverpool and he also tell, that the player they eventually buy is maybe not the best, but the one that is most sensible economic wise. Tevez, an example he gives, was too expensive for one.
And that is a problem when people say that Rafa is building his own squad. The list is long of players, that he wanted and probably could have got if the funds were there.
Look at United, Ferguson gets what he want, where we have to sell before we can buy the big names.

[cadmium]

well said mate.

Can anybody name a manager who would come in and

a) win us the league first go with little or no budget
b) be acceptable to the fans (i.e. not Maureen)
c) Is available

[DannyMan2006]

Mate I am one of the biggest supporters of Rafa on this forum, but he creates his own problems as well.

Last season it became painfully obvious that we needed decent back up to Torres, in fact we could argue we lost the title due to missing Torres for much of the season. Yet we have started another season in the same situation.

We would liekly have been in a much better position had we stood still, kept all the same players yet signed just one decent striker by letting go of some fringe players - Voronin and Babel to name but two.

However, I can see why we let Alonso go. Big money for a player who wanted out. And I'll not complain about the signing of Aquilani - he'll become a top player for this club in a vital position. But somehow we needed to sign a striker. It should have been number one priority.

The problem is that I could probably think of over a hundred strikers currently better than the ones on the bench at our club. And that simply isn't good enough. Think of Baros, Bellamy, Ciise, Pongolle, Crouch and Keane. All players who have been at the club and all better than our current strikers (Torres apart). None of them were good enough for LFC, I except that, but they should have been replaced by players better than them.

Strikers win you games of football, they are the difference between the levels you reach. Everybody in football knows that scoring goals is the hardest thing in football. So when Rafa Benitez hits an injury crisis and only has N'Gog and Voronin in reserve, there is only one person to blame.

Himself.

[DannyMan2006]

In fact whilst on this subject, we should have signed Michael Owen on a free. I can't give a toss if he's a little cunt. Look at our bench in games gone by and can anyone honestly tell me we would be better of not signing him.

By all accounts he was desperate to return to Anfield.

[Baracus]

Mate I am one of the biggest supporters of Rafa on this forum, but he creates his own problems as well.

Last season it became painfully obvious that we needed decent back up to Torres, in fact we could argue we lost the title due to missing Torres for much of the season. Yet we have started another season in the same situation.

We would liekly have been in a much better position had we stood still, kept all the same players yet signed just one decent striker by letting go of some fringe players - Voronin and Babel to name but two.

However, I can see why we let Alonso go. Big money for a player who wanted out. And I'll not complain about the signing of Aquilani - he'll become a top player for this club in a vital position. But somehow we needed to sign a striker. It should have been number one priority.

The problem is that I could probably think of over a hundred strikers currently better than the ones on the bench at our club. And that simply isn't good enough. Think of Baros, Bellamy, Ciise, Pongolle, Crouch and Keane. All players who have been at the club and all better than our current strikers (Torres apart). None of them were good enough for LFC, I except that, but they should have been replaced by players better than them.

Strikers win you games of football, they are the difference between the levels you reach. Everybody in football knows that scoring goals is the hardest thing in football. So when Rafa Benitez hits an injury crisis and only has N'Gog and Voronin in reserve, there is only one person to blame.

Himself.

Can't disagree with much of that, but we do badly miss players who like to keep the ball and encourage movement and ball retention, yesterday apart from benayoun, the ball was like a bomb waiting to go off and nobody wanted it, not the liverpool way.

Glad to finally see masch come out and say something positive, rather than the possibility of him leaving. We've had Agger and Masch two vital players recently come out in support of the Manager, when we've hardly seen that before from Masch.

IMO the disharmony in the squad is from the top players, who realise there's very poor players on the bench who are coming on to replace them or who will have little impact in any game.

[DannyMan2006]

Can't disagree with much of that, but we do badly also missing players who like to keep the ball and encourage movement and ball retention, yesterday apart from benayoun, the ball was like a bomb waiting to go off and nobody wanted it, not the liverpool way.

Glad to finally see masch come out and say something positive, rather than the possibility of him leaving. We've had Agger and Masch two vital players recently come out in support of the Manager, when we've hardly seen that before from Masch.

IMO the disharmony in the squad is from the top players, who realise there's very poor players on the bench who are coming on to replace them or who will have little impact in any game.

I agree we lack other players. I could reel of a whole list we need. But Rafa has to work with a limited buget so I can't expect miracles. But after 5 years he only has one striker I would trust to put in a top display when it mattered - big problem that.

Agree with your last paragraph too. I can only imagine how Gerrard and the likes are feeling. Team spirit must be at an all time low.

[danwms]

Ill sign this one.

[knockers]

One of the best managers in the world, if we got rid (God forbid) we wouldn't be able to replace him with anyone better. IMO

There are obvious problems with the team mainly injuries and lack of enough depth in the squad. Rafa is in a no win situation at Liverpool. Other teams who we are expected to beat have more financial power than us yet we as fans still expect to win everything (as is the Liverpool way) more than a new manager we need new owners as or decent from the top table with these clowns in charge would be much quicker without someone like Rafa in charge.

[Welhung]

A striker is no good if you cant get the ball to him, or if he cannot work within the specified team dynamic. Keane is a perfect example. A great striker, but a square peg trying to fit in a round hole.

I believe the bottom line is.... If you want balls out performance today then you better be prepared to spend spend spend. Back your manager. Only then can you criticize him if the wheels fall off. Sure you can find a diamond in the rough, but its a gamble. Wenger is a master at doing this, but seriously, Arsenal haven't been setting the world on fire either.

Man Utd = Fergie can buy whoever he wants
Inter = Jose can buy whoever he wants
Madrid = Pellegrini can buy whoever he wants
Chelsea = Carlo can buy whoever he wants
Citeh = Hughes can buy whoever he wants
Barcelona = Guardiola can buy whoever he wants
Tottenham = ****ing 'Arry Redknapp can buy who ever he freakin' wants! (I may be pushing it here)

And there are several other clubs who can/will/do outspend us. Even Atletico aren't short of a quid (Kun, Simao...) ,both who were out of our range.

Ok, so prices still have to be within reason. But at least these fellas can throw their hat in the ring.
We have no hat!!!!

[SimonNo7]

Arsenal haven't been setting the world on fire either.

Maybe they haven't but before last nights draw they had been on a 7-game winning streak. Certainly beats a 4-game losing streak doesn't it?

[DannyMan2006]

A striker is no good if you cant get the ball to him, or if he cannot work within the specified team dynamic. Keane is a perfect example. A great striker, but a square peg trying to fit in a round hole.

Keane has chances to score last year, plenty of them. I think he's infamous around Anfield for his air shots. N'Gog had chances to score last night, two very good ones. If you don't put those chances away you will not win games and will end up losing with a shaky back four.

It is the reason strikers cost millions more in comparison to defenders.

[Welhung]

Maybe they haven't but before last nights draw they had been on a 7-game winning streak. Certainly beats a 4-game losing streak doesn't it?

Nothing lasts forever smart guy. And that includes our horrendous losing streak currently.
What I was alluding to was that in today's "instant" society, where everyone wants everything now, we can't afford to take a punt on promise and risk failure. Madrid and the Chavs are perfect examples. Sure there is no guarantee that you can buy instant success either. But the odds are definitely better.

Wenger is a freak at scoping/nurturing young talent. I wonder if he has the same knack with the ladies?....

[DannyMan2006]

Man Utd = Fergie can buy whoever he wants
Inter = Jose can buy whoever he wants
Madrid = Pellegrini can buy whoever he wants
Chelsea = Carlo can buy whoever he wants
Citeh = Hughes can buy whoever he wants
Barcelona = Guardiola can buy whoever he wants
Tottenham = ****ing 'Arry Redknapp can buy who ever he freakin' wants! (I may be pushing it here)

And there are several other clubs who can/will/do outspend us. Even Atletico aren't short of a quid (Kun, Simao...) ,both who were out of our range.

Ok, so prices still have to be within reason. But at least these fellas can throw their hat in the ring.
We have no hat!!!!

We bough Atleticos best player off them so I'm not sure how you fathom that one out. I think our record signings are far higher than the ones made by Spurs also, £17m Johnson, £19m Aquilani, £20m Torres, plus we took Keane of their hands (their vice captain at the time) for £19m. So Rafa has been backed, just not so well this summer when he should have been.