The New Manager Thread

[Kenneth]

He ain't going anywhere. He has contracts lined up for Mascherano and he's already planning for next season. There's no effing way he's going to resign. Majority of the support is still with him though and unless that changes, I don't see this changing. The Americans aren't going to sack him either, he's saving them money by balancing the books.

Americans haven't got the balls to sack him because they fear the backlash. And they know they won't get a big international name, which is the only way that would consider/understand. They don't have the funds to sack him either. Don't think Rafa will walk unless he is given a very good excuse, probably concerning ownership/investment, and has an offer from a top club.

[Craig_H]

its about mindset.

If we go out there to defend well, keep things tight and try and nick one then we wont commit players to attack. No one from midfield will try and run forward and we will start to pass the ball instead of trying to take players on.

This is the rafa way and this is the way he likes it. He is too stubborn to admit his 4231 isnt working and wont change it. Kuyt is a waste of a footballer and he doesnt add anything going forward.

Lucas is another passenger who isnt of the standard required to win titles. If this lad plays more than 20 games per season we wont win the league.

Whereas, if you set out to attack and take teams on then you play a higher line, you look to win the ball further up the pitch and commit your full backs forward.

We dont play football, we play anti football.

Absolute nail on the head.

Rafa's style would probably work great in Serie A.

I'd love to swap him with Mourinho. It's not even about the style of play as such, more the mindset and mentality. Mourinho has a winning mentality, Rafa doesnt.

[Craig_H]

He ain't going anywhere. He has contracts lined up for Mascherano and he's already planning for next season. There's no effing way he's going to resign. Majority of the support is still with him though and unless that changes, I don't see this changing. The Americans aren't going to sack him either, he's saving them money by balancing the books.

What support? Not matchgoing support, from what i can see. It's about 50/50.

[Guest]

I saw our lineup last night before the game and said to my mate, that it was an attacking lineup. I then said that the personnel didnt matter to much, because it depends on the mentality that they're sent out with. And so it proved. This is exactly rafa's problem.

It's the two Ms - motivation and mentality. Sadly, rafa falls down on both.

It doesnt matter who you have in your side, if you cant motivate them and if you instill a negative, slow paced loser's mentality.

Rafa laid into them after the match questioning that same mentality. So it's down to him then?

[Craig_H]

Rafa laid into them after the match questioning that same mentality. So it's down to him then?

What use is laying into them, if it happens time and time again?

Who do you think instills the mentality? They have this mentality because Rafa's spent 5 years preaching it.

You or I could 'lay into them'. So what? It's about getting a winning mentality into them, not spending 5 years instilling a negative one, and then 'laying into them'.

Rafa's proven he cant get them playing and winning for him. Last night wasnt the exception to the rule, it was an accurate example of our level. And the buck stops with one man.

[Guest]

What use is laying into them, if it happens time and time again?

Who do you think instills the mentality? They have this mentality because Rafa's spent 5 years preaching it.

You or I could 'lay into them'. So what? It's about getting a winning mentality into them, not spending 5 years instilling a negative one, and then 'laying into them'.

Rafa's proven he cant get them playing and winning for him. Last night wasnt the exception to the rule, it was an accurate example of our level. And the buck stops with one man.

He didn't seem to do too bad before though, especially with Valencia! I don't buy this assumption that he's 'too negative'. I think we've been ****e because the players have sucked at doing the same basics they did so well last season, plus the fact that we've got a world class striker but who's spending too much time on the treatment table.

I don't care anyway, I was wrong going into this conversation anyway as it's sickening. I don't think Rafa will go, unless the fans massively turn against him. As for the owners, they won't sack him and that for a number of reasons.

So instead of having to endure all the doom and gloom around this club, I'm quitting. Football and Liverpool FC sucks big time.

[Skrtelmania]

Absolute nail on the head.

Rafa's style would probably work great in Serie A.

Exactly right Rafa's absolutely made for the Juventus job and he even speaks fluent Italian. Is a very sad situation but best all round and I'd wish him all the best save Champions League matches against them (slightly optimistic on current form I know).

[Craig_H]

He didn't seem to do too bad before though, especially with Valencia! I don't buy this assumption that he's 'too negative'. I think we've been ****e because the players have sucked at doing the same basics they did so well last season, plus the fact that we've got a world class striker but who's spending too much time on the treatment table.

I don't care anyway, I was wrong going into this conversation anyway as it's sickening. I don't think Rafa will go, unless the fans massively turn against him. As for the owners, they won't sack him and that for a number of reasons.

So instead of having to endure all the doom and gloom around this club, I'm quitting. Football and Liverpool FC sucks big time.

Points, one by one...

We're not Valencia and dont play in La Liga. PL is different and requires different attributes to succeed.

Rafa's footballing mentality IS too cautious and negative, for a top club. We play like a team fighting relegation, we try and hold out for a draw, with the hope of maybe pinching one. That's fine when you play away at Barcelona, but we do it away to everybody. We are the prime example of PL charity-givers. Any team on a losing run, come and play us - we'll help you end it. And striker who hasnt scored in eons - come find us, we'll end your drought for you. It's embarrassing and pathetic. We go to ****ing places like WIGAN and WOLVES and try to just STAY IN THE GAME. Jesus Christ. We're ****ing Liverpool.

The players are restricted with seriously non-expressive, cautious tactics, which dont encourage confidence of proactive attacking play. They've had the inspiration sucked out of them.

Farewell. Til you change your mind.

[Kenneth]

Well that was a pretty civilised Craig/Fredo disucssion.

[badpiggy]

What use is laying into them, if it happens time and time again?

Who do you think instills the mentality? They have this mentality because Rafa's spent 5 years preaching it.

You or I could 'lay into them'. So what? It's about getting a winning mentality into them, not spending 5 years instilling a negative one, and then 'laying into them'.

Rafa's proven he cant get them playing and winning for him. Last night wasnt the exception to the rule, it was an accurate example of our level. And the buck stops with one man.

nail on the head for me with that statement mate. all our players did exactly what they have been instilled to do for the last 5 years last night. cautious, controlled, sideways play that relies on one or two individuals to conjure something out of nothing.

the difference bewteen our attacking play and our defensive play has perhaps never been so clear as it was last night - lucas excellent in defence, plenty of support offered for our liabilities i.e. insua defensively like it or ****ing not he was torn apart when on his own last night. masher very good down the right but offers zero going forward and he proved that again when he was moved into midfield to allow johnson on, the new aerial dominace of the greek really good but all the individual flaws defensively still on show i.e. carra's distribution, insua's awful positioning, no link between defence and midfield,

but even what was good disappeared when we had to chase the game - in a very slow sideways fashion of course. the previously very good lucas became anonymous, the support we offer to each other in defense totally absent in attack, torres forced to endlessly sprint after **** passes, SG who has absolutely no idea how to drive a team and has lost the ability this season to shoot and score from distance looking more disillusioned and pissed off with every passing game regardless of the result, torres also looking totally ****in sick of being fouled because of the way he has to run after passes either into corners or straight into central defenders who successfully take him and the ball more often than not.

last night was the lowest point i can remember for a long long time. probably the worst i can ever remember seeing a liverpool team play and **** me there's some competition there from the last 10 years.

i vote mourinho in as first choice, hodgson second and if all else fails, phil thompson in to instill heart and guts to get us the maximum points left through sheer passion which sadly now will not be enough to get us 4th or maybe even europa league.

we are on a precipice now i have no doubt and serious decline is a possibility. but regardless of who ****in owns us i actually can't stand watching us anymore. i thought i'd feel totally different today or as the day went on but the more conversations i have with red mates and work colleagues and the more i read on here the more i'm sure we are close to ebing royally ****ed and sadly at best rafa won't get us out of it now and at worst it is completely his fault.

[Craig_H]

I actually wouldnt mind Thommo coming in to look after things til the end of the season.

We just need the boost and freshness that a new manager always brings.

[Chazza]

I actually wouldnt mind Thommo coming in to look after things til the end of the season.

We just need the boost and freshness that a new manager always brings.

What was the feeling in the crowd last night, majority saying they want a change or more anger at the performance, or lack of it?

[Craig_H]

Sheer bewilderment really, as opposed to vocal opposition/anger to the management.

[Lecter]

Me

I think if he is an honourable man, he would resign if he cant finish 4th.

Sounds like wishful thinking to me

Its the sort of wishful thinking our owners would dream up.. EG a manager would resign on principle and forego a £20 million pay off......we would find an investor willing to stump up £100 million for a minority stake and be happy to let the owners run things as they have done

[Norbs]

I was ****ing disgusted with the team last night, they can **** off if they think its ok to perform the way they did. They play for Liverpool football club, fans turn out in their thousands and spend their hard earned money, and this is what they get in return?
I can understand a player being ****, but purposely playing **** because you don't like the manager is unforgivable. A good few first teamers need ****ing off before the manager.

I'm pretty sure that Gerrard commands the dressing room and last night he was quick to mouth off to anyone but I didn't see him hold his hand up once when he delivered yet another abysmal pass. If there's an issue, the lad needs to grow up and start performing like a leader and not a spoiled brat. If he doesn't want the captain's band then he should offer it to Mascher