Liverpool v Wigan Post Match

[badpiggy]

I know he's not doing his job well enough but I feel sorry for Rafa, he is being badly let down by some absolute ****houses, largely the same players who bust a gut to win games last season when we were chasing the title and now play like this. There's no excuse.

i just can't figure it out at all. are the players just getting sick of the meticulous, cautious analysis of the likes of wigan? why is there this insane lack of movement when we're "attacking"? i know aquilani wasn't any good tonight but he just does what everyone else does - waits in his position for the ball to go forward or backwards depending on who has it.

[YNWA_IRE]

I know he's not doing his job well enough but I feel sorry for Rafa, he is being badly let down by some absolute ****houses, largely the same players who bust a gut to win games last season when we were chasing the title and now play like this. There's no excuse.

[Chazza]

How can you have players in your team like Reina, Johnson, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres - along with squad players such as Lucas, Benayoun, Riera, Maxi, Babel etc and still do so poorly.

I'm not being a cunt, but think of a team such as;

Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Maxi Gerrard Riera
Torres

- Obviously that's open to debate about where we're weak and where we're strong, but 80% of managers in the PL would kill for a team like that.

Apparently we had £60m of players on the bench tonight. I remember when we had a strong squad, would field our reserves and still get a result. What the **** is up? How can our team not beat the likes of Bramble, Scotland and Kirkland etc?

Honestly. I'm bemused. How can that team - that squad - those players - not beat a team like Wigan? Wigan ffs?!?!?!?!

Virtually the same team that came so close last season and would have walked through that Wigan side without a problem

Now we have a team which cant string 2 passes together, has no urgency or movement and plays at a pace which is so slow it allows the oposition to get back into position each and every time.

**** knows whats happened but each and everyone of the players and backroom staff need to be accountable for the shower that we have continually served up this season.

[el nino9]

just heard his post match and he was right about the game but what he should have said was........sorry i ****ed up what time is the next flight back to Spain?

knowing the luck we've had this year he'd get on a BA flight and they will strike and he'd have to get off and turn up at the club pleading for more time!!!!....

[spud_gun]

Rafa dropped a bollock by buying Aquilani.

and Keane and Babel etc etc etc

[Chris]

I know he's not doing his job well enough but I feel sorry for Rafa, he is being badly let down by some absolute ****houses, largely the same players who bust a gut to win games last season when we were chasing the title and now play like this. There's no excuse.

Indeed, he deserves ****e but I absolutely hate it that managers get all of the blame. He doesnt tell Gerrard to either hit the ball straight out of play or straight to a Wigan player for example.

The sad thing is theres absolutely zero money to rectify anything, whether its giving Rafa a "warchest" or any new manager.

[Helios Creed]

Just seen Rafa's interview... have to say I feel sorry for the man... he just seemed absolutely devastated looked on the verge of tears to me.

Personally think his time is up but still feel gutted. He gave us some great memories and is such a decent man, such a shame to see it end like this.

we said exactly the same thing about Houllier.


Well, apart from the ones that wanted him incarcerated.

[Rich]

The only movement all night came from Torres going down a channel - and what is the point of it if there's no-one in the middle or willing to bust a got to get into the middle.

[Tatterdemalion]

i just can't figure it out at all. are the players just getting sick of the meticulous, cautious analysis of the likes of wigan? why is there this insane lack of movement when we're "attacking"? i know aquilani wasn't any good tonight but he just does what everyone else does - waits in his position for the ball to go forward or backwards depending on who has it.

It has to be the system we employ mate, we're playing in a strait- jacket.

Rafa no doubt thinks the way out of this is to exercise more control, but surely less is more in this instance. All of these players are good players despite their perplexing inability to pass. They're all good players and they will respond to the new manager, not because they're not playing for this one, but because this one won't let them play.

[Leyton388]

Yeah Stevie Me should ****ing hold his hands up. If he doesn't want to lead he should stand down as captain. If we are offered £40m this summer based on his performances this season i'd bite their hands off!

[javier_monsterano]

Rafa needs to lock that dressing room door and tear into them ****ers.

[Le Chef]

I know he's not doing his job well enough but I feel sorry for Rafa, he is being badly let down by some absolute ****houses, largely the same players who bust a gut to win games last season when we were chasing the title and now play like this. There's no excuse.

Agreed but something is clearly not right with the playing staff. Gerrard's hissy fit in the first half spoke volumes. At that point I'd have hauled him off. He reminded me of the Gerrard that played in CL against the Swiss side, Sion I think when we went 3-0 down and hauled it back to 3-3 and went out. I can't recall any encouragement coming from him lately. Torres needs to stop the feckin tantrums as well.....

[Taxi]

Thats me done with Rafa, even I cant take this any longer.
And for the record I think thats us done for the foreseeable future as a football power, its top ten for us in a good season from here on in, I genuinely believe that.

I agree with that, the worst case scenario for us is that City get 4th and bring in some players that only money and CL football can attract. If they get in the CL they will have the money to move forward.

We don't have the money or CL and so will fall behind. We'll lose a couple of players too.

[Vermilion]

Well i'm more inclined to blame the players just now, there are mitigating circumstances to why they have suffered a loss of form...or why a couple aren't match sharp...but, there can be no excuse for not putting in the effort, that's the very least i expect, if your touch is off, or your out of sorts....then work to make up for it....but they're only doing that intermittantly...when it should be every minute of every game, especially now at the business end of the season.

And i'm not having this...'the manager should motivate them'...ffs they aren't blind, they know where we're at, and what's at stake...they aren't kids, really upset at the lack of effort, we are so hot and cold from game to game it's unreal.

[Exiled_red]

That was awful to watch, the most frustrating thing for me was the fact we were 1-0 in a must win game with 10mins to go and there was no urgency to get back into the game.