Portsmouth 2-0 Liverpool - POST MATCH

[Slinky Skills]

If we had been on a good run winning 4 in a row, Mason would have been slaughtered on here today. Abysmal performance from the ref, can't believe he gets away with it this easily.

It wasn't an abysmal performance by the ref at all, the sending off was correct it was a ****ing stupid tackle to make and he shouldn't have done it. He's a better player than that and he makes daft tackles like that all too often.

We can't blame this on the ref, it's our own fault. If you're blaming the ref then you're taking the cowards way out and are just like what Rafa's doing.

[pondus]

It wasn't an abysmal performance by the ref at all, the sending off was correct it was a ****ing stupid tackle to make and he shouldn't have done it. He's a better player than that and he makes daft tackles like that all too often.

We can't blame this on the ref, it's our own fault. If you're blaming the ref then you're taking the cowards way out and are just like what Rafa's doing.

Stupid tackle? I have to disagree, nothing wrong with the tackle at all. Maybe a yellow, but less so than Browns tackle on Lucas a few minutes earlier.
What about the treatment of Torres. He was kicked, pushed, tripped and harassed throughout the first half, all he got was freekicks against himself. I guess that's what you get when you appoint a fat halfwit retard as referee. Maybe he is a music man, and really enjoyed those ****ing drums and the cuntish trumpet playing all the time, ****ing annoying.

[dww]

The tackle was crap and needless given the position so I think stupid is a fair description. I agree though that it was no worse really than the one on Lucas and a number of other tackles in other games that got yellow or less. I get the impression that the fact it was Mascher played a part.

[TheElephantMan]

The referee played a major part in this game, I hate referees who do that. He was determined to make an impact and he succeeded. The sending off made a major difference, it wouldn't surprise me if the referee had made a bet on this game. His decision making was equal to the worst I've ever seen. The ref must be an Evertonian or a Manc.

[Kinell]

Will be interesting to see the team without Mascher now he is forced to play with just one holding midfielder - might do us some good actually. One another note I have had enough, Rafa says the wrong things and does the wrong things, this has gone on for too long.

Lucas isn't a holding midfielder, he is a **** midfielder. He came as a box to box midfielder getting forward in and around the box but we haven't seen any of that. The longer we accept this average player as part of our team and future the more harm its gonna have on our future.

[reds123]

Gerrard seems that he's fed up of playing alongside average players, if he leaves this summer i'll not call him a traitor.

[EwarWoo]

Gerrard seems that he's fed up of playing alongside average players, if he leaves this summer i'll not call him a traitor.

He's the best player in the world. If he wants to get some titles before he retires you can hardly begrudge him, nor would I have last season or the season before etc.

Not that I want to see it happen and I'd be totally gutted, but it'd hardly make him a traitor.

As long as it's not to another PL team of course.

[JohnDoe]

He's the best player in the world

No way. Not today.

[RoadEnd]

Rafa COULD be one of the greats. However, his stubborness and obsession with analysis and science of the game is his downfall. He's a chess player and we all know how boring that game is.

Keep it simple (after all most footballers are).

I don't like our style of play. I don't rate half the players we've bought (and Pompey didn't have any money). We have no strikers other than Nando. It's dull, boring and bollocks.

Rafa has lost the dressing room and probably a majority of the fans now. Ignoring the G&H saga, the money etc. the team is going backwards. We are now 13 points from the top and 13 points from the bottom.

I don't enjoy watching our games anymore, even when we win. I feel like a Bitter. Aaaarrggghhhhh!!!!!!!!

[Trippendicular]

We're a laughing stock.

Top 4? We wont finish in the top 6 nevermind top 4.

I've got an idea, how about you go support man u or Chelsea so you get the instant gratification you obviously need, and Liverpool ends up with one less halfwit "supporter". Everyone wins!

[FatTony]

Thats worrying, he's sounding like he's actually cracked. What sort of message is this sending to the players? If he's talking like this in the dressing room, I'm really worried.



Are you worried about your job, Rafael Benítez? With a section of the Liverpool away fans joining in the Fratton chants of, "You're getting sacked in the morning," after their embarrassing defeat, he probably should be.

Immediately after the game the Liverpool manager, who only last week had assured fans of a top-four finish, was tight-lipped. "I'm worried about winning the next game," he said, with a face like an undertaker.

Benitez then gave a bizarre performance in the post-match press conference, appearing to blame the referee, Lee Mason, for the defeat by repeatedly labelling the official's performance "perfect" – the word enunciated with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

Benítez claimed that Javier Mascherano should not have been sent off – a decision that, he felt, turned the game.

Benítez: "I have seen the replay and for me it is not a sending-off, but anyway the referee was perfect. He didn't make any mistakes. Now Javier is injured, and I will say again the referee didn't make any mistake."

Press: "We don't understand? You say the referee didn't make a mistake?"

Benítez: "No he was perfect. Perfect. He was perfect."

Press: "So why was it not a sending-off?"

Benítez: "I have seen the replay, for me it's not a sending-off, but anyway. Perfect."

Press: "Was there any particular reason why players like Gerrard or Torres couldn't get it together and perform?"

Benítez: "No, the referee was perfect so Torres, he didn't have any problems."

Press: "You were a goal down before the sending-off, the average observer wouldn't say you were controlling the game at half-time. Why do you say it turned the game when you were a goal down already?"

Benítez: "If you see we created a couple of chances and we have plenty of possession in the first half I was convinced we could change the game."

Press: "Can you just explain what you said about the referee?"

Benítez: "Perfect. No mistakes."

Press: "But you say he made a mistake with the sending-off."

Benítez: "Perfect."

Press: "Don't you think Torres was fortunate to escape being penalised for that elbow?"

Benítez: "The referee was perfect."

Earlier this season Benitez was found guilty of misconduct but escaped FA punishment when he mimed removing his glasses to criticise another referee's performance.

[Bender]

i'll say it again Rafa has lost the confidence of the players and vice versa .......