Post-mortem Northampton

[DannyMan2006]

So, he never had enough to challenge every season.

Position alone is misleading.

I don't know how us coming 7th can be mis leading. League table at the end of the season never lies. You finish roughly where you deserve too.

[slaine]

The only positive out of tonight is that it is one more cup that we are out of, and hopefully means our worth is less, so either hicks will find it harder to pawn us out, or the buying price for our next owners is lower... There is no excuses, even if 'the kid's are playing they are still LFC kids, so should be a country mile better than the best that northampton can turn out... I don't buy that they were over-awed by their chance to play for the 1st team. they get paid enough, they should perform

[el matador]

babel of all of them is the most frustrating. he had so much hype around him we all thought that we were signing a superstar but he's just super ****.

all he offers is pace and with all due respect even league 2 teams - yes ****ing division 4 teams have at least one quick black fella. he has no plan b he has nothing else to offer.

****ing donkeys like frank sinclair would handle him with no problems. it just goes to show that when you take gerrard and torres out of the team we still have nothing else to offer.

its not good enough.

i think roy is genuinely confused as to how to handle the players and until he finds out the formula we are going to be ****.

[Neil Young]

And the same people supporting Rafa for the same mistakes are now having a go at Roy.

Circle of life, eh?

The people who are less than impressed by losing to Northampton and feel the manager might just be involved in the debacle supported Rafa because he won us the Champions League and the FA Cup and got us to another CL final and second place in the league.

He had a record that meant he could be excused one bad season and the odd - inevitable - bad buy.

[Kenneth]

And that's why Purslow sacked him.

Quite. But I in no way blame Roy for taking the job. It's a no brainer from his perspective.

[Craig_H]

Right, whilst i do think that Rafa's infinitely a better manager than Roy, Rafa too took us to embarrassing early-round cup elimination in his first season, so i'm willing to give Roy a chance (while simultaneously not thinking he's good enough).

[DannyMan2006]

Rafa is clearly a better manager than Roy though, and sacking him to appoint Roy is a move which is rightfully being criticized, whatever the results Rafa has had last season, Roy is going to do worse.

Rafa is a better manager, but Roy will do better than rafa this year. Rafa had just gone stale, probably drained by the owners and all the in fighting and in fairness it was no good for the club in any way.

Last year I backed Rafa all the way whilst the vast majority on here called for his head.

Reap what you sow Liverpool FC fans.

[Neil Young]

Quite. But I in no way blame Roy for taking the job. It's a no brainer from his perspective.

I've said the same myself.

[Galb]

Quite. But I in no way blame Roy for taking the job. It's a no brainer from his perspective.

I agree. I dont blame him in the slightest for taking his chance. We all would. But he's out of his depth.

We signed him as manager because he was the flavour of the month with the media over a UEFA Cup run.

A feckin UEFA Cup run.

We need new owners and then we need to get rid of Purslow because as long as we have him taking his cues from the media in making football decisions, we're on our way to becoming the new old Newcastle.

[JohnDoe]

Rafa is a better manager, but Roy will do better than rafa this year.

No he's not. We're going to finish worse than 7th this year, if he stays on, you can quote me.

[DannyMan2006]

The people who are less than impressed by losing to Northampton and feel the manager might just be involved in the debacle supported Rafa because he won us the Champions League and the FA Cup and got us to another CL final and second place in the league.

He had a record that meant he could be excused one bad season and the odd - inevitable - bad buy.

If the fans had supported Rafa (as I did last season I should add) he would still be here. Maybe you and other posters have a short memory but the majority wanted him gone.

When the fans were behind him it was impossible to sack him, hence the 5 year deal. When people turned their back on him due to a bad season, the door was opened.

[Kenneth]

And that's why Purslow sacked him.

Which I can understand to a degree. Rafa and Hicks/Gillet were never going to patch up their differences or keep disagreements behind closed doors without dragging us through negative press coverage. CP must have known that the sale would be drawn out.

Rafa managing us this season with all the ownership **** going on, could have been quite messy and done the club possibly more harm than good. Not saying Rafa was at fault, but CP couldn't sack Hicks, but he could sack Rafa and put a sop in place to stop a possible ****storm.

[PTP]

****ing gobsmacked... Did so well avoiding score. Just watched the first half 1-0, pretty boring but like a training game. So thinking I'm knackered so I'll check result... Did we really lose at home on penalties to these... ****ing he'll not seen secodn half yet but with the team that's currently on the pitch that's ****ing disgraceful. Embarrasing and heads should roll for it. What happens? Does it just get worse,?

[calvoboy]

So, he never had enough to challenge every season.

Position alone is misleading.

Basically we've seriously challenged for the league twice in ten years. Once under Houllier, whose incredibly record for winning trophies duped us into thinking we should be challenging every season, and once under Rafa, whose amazing tactical ability in Europe bringing us a European cup duped us into thinking we should be challenging every season.

The evidence of the last 10-15 years suggests that we are basically a 4th placed team, who can challenge for the league in a very very good year, and can miss out on CL football altogether in a moderately bad year.

Let's face it. Top four is reasonable to challenge for, and even expect with our squad (Reina, Carra, Gerrard, Cole, Torres) if we're not selling off our best players every season, but to win the league again we either need a new Shankly as manager or a new owner with lots of money. Neither appear to be on the horizon, sadly...

[wiw]

****ing gobsmacked... Did so well avoiding score. Just watched the first half 1-0, pretty boring but like a training game. So thinking I'm knackered so I'll check result... Did we really lose at home on penalties to these... ****ing he'll not seen secodn half yet but with the team that's currently on the pitch that's ****ing disgraceful. Embarrasing and heads should roll for it. What happens? Does it just get worse,?

I haven't seen it, but no subs until after the 90 mins were up. Apparently no shot on target in the 90 mins after our goal. We just sat back. Against Northampton. At home