Torres: selling Alonso & Arbeloa ruined our season

[kingfunk]

What are you trying to say TJ?

[Leyton388]

What are you trying to say TJ?

Saw the word Disgrace being mentioned a few times and just though it was the time to bring up the comedy gold that is Drogba. I am sure he would agree it is a discgrace!

[kingfunk]

Saw the word Disgrace being mentioned a few times and just though it was the time to bring up the comedy gold that is Drogba. I am sure he would agree it is a discgrace!

I really hate drogba with a passion, I really do, I think that picture just sums him up perfect.

[Shaggy]

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted making "regrettable mistakes" during his six-year tenure at Anfield.

The Spaniard has come under pressure this season as the Reds struggle to finish in the Premier League's top four and secure a Champions League place.

When asked if he had made mistakes, without specifying he replied: "Every manager makes mistakes," before adding he had "sometimes" made "big mistakes".

The Reds trail Benfica 2-1 going into Thursday's Europa League quarter-final.

At the start of the year Benitez had promised to deliver Champions League football, despite the Merseysiders finding themselves adrift of Manchester City and Tottenham in the race for fourth place in the Premier league.

With the Merseysiders struggling to reach the highs of last year when they lost only two games as they finished runners-up to champions Manchester United in the Premier League, Benitez has found his decisions in games and in the transfer market questioned.

"The manager plays every game," he reflected.

"You lose, you win or you draw every game and some players play, some don't, but the manager is always there."

The former Valencia boss was most recently criticised for his decision to substitute Fernando Torres in the 1-1 draw with Birmingham last Saturday.

The draw left Liverpool four points behind fourth-place Manchester City having played one game more than both Robert Mancini's men and Tottenham, who are three points clear in fifth place.

Meanwhile this season, Liverpool failed to reach the Champions League's lucrative group stages for the first time in Benitez's reign and suffered a shock 2-1 FA Cup third-round replay defeat to Reading at Anfield.

The sale of midfielder Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid for £30m has also been widely criticised as the Reds' difficult campaign has unfolded, with his £20m replacement Alberto Aquilani struggling for fitness all season to the frustration of Benitez.

Spain defender Alvaro Arbeloa also moved to the Bernabeu, while the experienced Sami Hyypia was allowed to join German side Bayer Leverkusen.

"If you can manage as a club with the mistakes you are ok," said Benitez, before admitting: "We signed one player that has had a problem for the whole season and we cannot manage."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/8608003.stm

[Roboklopp]

Certainly agree on that mate. Hideous. Dogbra that is.

Interesting stuff from Rafa.

[marcus50bucks]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ol/8608003.stm

Just gonna post that. Good to hear him being honest. If only the Rafa apologist were the same instead of shifting all blame for our poor form on everybody but him.

[red g]

fair play Rafa.

Although its not just about mistakes its mentality to,

[Shaggy]

Just gonna post that. Good to hear him being honest. If only the Rafa apologist were the same instead of shifting all blame for our poor form on everybody but him.

The audio clip is much more revealing too. Rafa's rarely as frank as that.

[Guest]

Just gonna post that. Good to hear him being honest. If only the Rafa apologist were the same instead of shifting all blame for our poor form on everybody but him.

You lose, you win or you draw every game and some players play, some don't, but the manager is always there.

[marcus50bucks]

What's your point Fredo? The bottom line is Rafa's admitted he's made mistakes. Why is that a minority of Liverpool fans dont' see it like he does? It's the same excuses all the time. It's always the players or the board that are to blame.

[marcus50bucks]

The audio clip is much more revealing too. Rafa's rarely as frank as that.

Definitely was more revealing. He clearly admitted he's made big mistakes and regrets them too. I so want him to do well. Hopefully we give him at least another season.

[Guest]

What's your point Fredo? The bottom line is Rafa's admitted he's made mistakes. Why is that a minority of Liverpool fans dont' see it like he does? It's the same excuses all the time. It's always the players or the board that are to blame.

Admitted? He was cornered by the journalist, what was he going to say? He's got to live by our results because he's the manager but it's a simplistic assumption to say that he's the only one to blame in all this mess. I wouldn't count him as the major player in our downfall, not at all, as he rightly said in this interview, there's something wrong at this club if we can't compete in the transfer market.

[marcus50bucks]

Admitted? He was cornered by the journalist, what was he going to say? He's got to live by our results because he's the manager but it's a simplistic assumption to say that he's the only one to blame in all this mess. I wouldn't count him as the major player in our downfall, not at all, as he rightly said in this interview, there's something wrong at this club if we can't compete in the transfer market.

Fredo, you know as well as I know that Rafa is smart enough to wheel his way out of awkward questions. He's done it so often in the past. I personally think he was being honest when he said he's made mistakes. I'm a fan of his but even I can admit that it's a collective thing. The players, board and Rafa have to take responsibility for out piss poor form this season. Are you suggesting that Rafa's not played a part in our poor form?

[Kenneth]

I want him gone, but it's not going to happen. Come the start of next season I will be hoping for him to be successful and giving him time, but I am just not prepared to look at our squad and accept that Rafa is simply the victim of circumstance or that he is achieving what he should be with the players at his disposal. Him not thinking he is perfect doesn't materially change anything.

[Guest]

Played a part or not it's not about blaming individuals it's about how we react as a team and as a team we have been piss poor on the pitch. As far as I know, Rafa has been upfront in taking all the slack all season. Now that the dust is settling down in he's willing to reveal a bit more but there was no way he was going to throw in the towel earlier and demonstrate that side of his personality.

It's difficult not to make mistakes when the margins for error were as little as what he has faced all season, with Alonso & Arbeloa ****ing off, money being taken off his budget, injuries and the poor form of his most senior players etc ... He's never made excuses for himself though, he's carried on.