Quotes from the season so far

[Taxi]

Just been sent these, no point really but its fecking quiet on here today

August

"With this squad we won a lot of games last year and we have to do the same this year," said Rafa Benítez. "Our target is to win next week. That's it. Clearly when you are losing, the only way to change things is to win."
This month's results: P4 W2 D0 L2
Longest run of victories: 1
League position: 7th

September

"Everyone knows we had a bad start, so we had to try to get the confidence back," said Dirk Kuyt. "That's what we've done. At this stage we just have to look at ourselves, win our games and then in a couple of months see where we are."
This month's results: P3 W3 D0 L0
Run of victories: 4!
League position: 3rd

October

"When a team is losing games in a row then it is fair to criticise," said Daniel Agger. "It is a lot of small things we need to change. I don't think it will take us that long to get there; a few good results and confidence will go up."
This month's results: P5 W1 D0 L4
Run of victories: 1
League position: 5th

November

"I think we won six games in a row not so long ago and we have to think positive," said Rafa Benítez. "When we have all our players coming back I am confident we will start winning games in a row. If we can improve and play at our level, we will finish in the top four."
This month's results: P3 W1 D2 L0
Run of victories: 1
League position: 5th

December

"I haven't looked at the table for a while, so I'm not sure how close we are," said Jamie Carragher, "but if we can win the next game as well, that can put us right in the mix. We've had a lot of ups and downs this season and hopefully we can go on a good run now."
This month's results: P6 W3 D1 L2
Run of victories: 2
League position: 7th

January

"I firmly believe that better times are ahead of us," said Martin Skrtel. "We would like to start a long winning run. I believe we will reach our objective of finishing within the top four."
This month's results: P4 W2 D2 Lo
Run of victories: 1
League position: 5th

February

"We know the race will go to the end between us, Man City, Tottenham and Villa," said Yossi Benayoun. "We have got the best defence in the league. Now we need to create more and then the goals will come."
This month's results: P4 W2 D1 L1
Run of victories: 2
League position: 6th

March

"We have just got to recover from this as quickly as possible and get on a run of victories," said Jamie Carragher. "Of course we believe we can close the gap."
This month's results: P3 W1 D0 L2
Run of victories: 1
League position: 6th

[Craig_H]

August-May every year.

"Always we are thinking of winning" - Rafael Benitez.

Cracking stuff Rafa, has me in stitches every time.

[kingfunk]

That makes for depressing reading.

[red g]

i fear that would be the quotes from 2010-2011 with Rafa in charge to

[RichC]

That is quite a sobering monthly breakdown.

This season has been ****ing ****e!

[SimonNo7]

That is quite a sobering monthly breakdown.

This season has been ****ing ****e!

That is one hell of an understatment

[red g]

November 25th

""think 8/1 is a massive massive price with Ladbrokes ........when we have our full team back think we will piss this. going to have £500 on it and have something to celebrate in may "" said Red G


Hmmmmm glad i only put £200 on that i am going to lose

[Paul12]

This season has been ****ing ****e!

Agreed. Indeed, I think our lerague position flatters us. I don't think there is a team in the league we could play away and be sure of winning. And not a team in the top half of the table we would be certain to beat at home. That is depressing.

The question therefore is whether next season will be better. And I think the key to that is whether the people in charge (Rafa and the board) truly understand what has gone wrong this season and are willing and able to address the things so that there is no repeat. I think several things have gone wrong.

(a) We fooled ourselves into believing we weren't a two man team, when we are. We need to be at least a five man team.
(b) Our squad is unbalanced/too small. To have no real alternatives to Insua and Torres is a nonsense.
(c) Too many of the squad players (and in a couple of places the first team aas well) are not good enough. There should be no player in our squad who would not walk into say Birmingham's team.
(d) Too many players have underperformed and the management has not been able to prevent that or change things round.
(e) There have been too many injuries of the kind that good conditioning ought to be able to minimise.

Clearly Torres and others are right when they say we need to buy well (and probably big as well) to address (a). That would also largely address with (b), as long as we can keep most of those who end up being replaced .

(c) means there needs to be a bit of a clearout. But if that is not to make (b) worse we need replace most of those who leave with players at least as good.

All that means money, which we do not seem to have. Though when you see how well Villa and spurs are doing, it is as much about spending well and then managing those players well. That brings me onneatly to (d) and (e), which are in my view down to Rafa and his staff (and maybe a bit to Stevie G who seems so down-in-the-dumps at the moment). I really really wish Rafa had a warmer relationship with his players, because I think they need an arm around them at the moment. However, I believe Riera, who has only been repeating what others on the edge of the squad have said before. I thought bringing in Sammy Lee would help here, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

I will stop down because I have depressed myself so much.

[red g]

Agreed. Indeed, I think our lerague position flatters us. I don't think there is a team in the league we could play away and be sure of winning. And not a team in the top half of the table we would be certain to beat at home. That is depressing.

The question therefore is whether next season will be better. And I think the key to that is whether the people in charge (Rafa and the board) truly understand what has gone wrong this season and are willing and able to address the things so that there is no repeat. I think several things have gone wrong.

(a) We fooled ourselves into believing we weren't a two man team, when we are. We need to be at least a five man team.
(b) Our squad is unbalanced/too small. To have no real alternatives to Insua and Torres is a nonsense.
(c) Too many of the squad players (and in a couple of places the first team aas well) are not good enough. There should be no player in our squad who would not walk into say Birmingham's team.
(d) Too many players have underperformed and the management has not been able to prevent that or change things round.
(e) There have been too many injuries of the kind that good conditioning ought to be able to minimise.

Clearly Torres and others are right when they say we need to buy well (and probably big as well) to address (a). That would also largely address with (b), as long as we can keep most of those who end up being replaced .

(c) means there needs to be a bit of a clearout. But if that is not to make (b) worse we need replace most of those who leave with players at least as good.

All that means money, which we do not seem to have. Though when you see how well Villa and spurs are doing, it is as much about spending well and then managing those players well. That brings me onneatly to (d) and (e), which are in my view down to Rafa and his staff (and maybe a bit to Stevie G who seems so down-in-the-dumps at the moment). I really really wish Rafa had a warmer relationship with his players, because I think they need an arm around them at the moment. However, I believe Riera, who has only been repeating what others on the edge of the squad have said before. I thought bringing in Sammy Lee would help here, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

I will stop down because I have depressed myself so much.

You forgot to mention the biggest thing in my eyes......Mentality and i dont see that changing under the current regime.

[Paul12]

You forgot to mention the biggest thing in my eyes......Mentality and i dont see that changing under the current regime.

Of the players or of the manager?

[Craig_H]

The manager's mentality is what shapes that of the team. And Rafa's isnt a winning one, unfortunately.