Pack your bags Roy

[DannyMan2006]

Sammy did well enough when we came second. An assistant is a slave to the ideas of the manager. He has no say on what gets done in some cases, he can only helps implement the ideas.

[Arn]

Based on this:



Picture of Roy.

Caption:
We wanted you to make us proud, not turd.
.......................


Fill in the blanks.

Best suggestion goes on a banner for the Kop.

[dww]

Sammy did well enough when we came second. An assistant is a slave to the ideas of the manager. He has no say on what gets done in some cases, he can only helps implement the ideas.

That's true but look at the difference assistants have made at OT over the years Queiroz in particular but also McLaren had huge impacts on the way United played when they were there. At a lower level Alladyce has stumbled and failed to progress after losing the likes of Brown as an assistant. It is very difficult to assess the impact of an assistant particularly when things are going badly though I grant you.

[Bender]

Think if we get hammered by chelsea at home in 3 weeks time then that could be his last game in charge...even more so if we continue to loose the games up to the chelsea game.

[Havors]

Sammy did well enough when we came second. An assistant is a slave to the ideas of the manager. He has no say on what gets done in some cases, he can only helps implement the ideas.

maybe, but this is roy we are talking about haha! bring back Rafa and Paco! Dalglish and Moran!

[The_weatherman]

That's true but look at the difference assistants have made at OT over the years Queiroz in particular but also McLaren had huge impacts on the way United played when they were there. At a lower level Alladyce has stumbled and failed to progress after losing the likes of Brown as an assistant. It is very difficult to assess the impact of an assistant particularly when things are going badly though I grant you.

I kind of get the feeling though that Sammy is only at Liverpool for his links to the past, I think that's not right as we should always try to get the right people in regardless of where they come from or what their background is (as long as is we are not talking about mancs!).

[dww]

I kind of get the feeling though that Sammy is only at Liverpool for his links to the past, I think that's not right as we should always try to get the right people in regardless of where they come from or what their background is (as long as is we are not talking about mancs!).

I agree we should be looking at ability as the main criteria. not sure that Rafa would have had Sammy back if he hadn't rated his coaching though.

[The_weatherman]

I agree we should be looking at ability as the main criteria. not sure that Rafa would have had Sammy back if he hadn't rated his coaching though.

Probably true, still get the feeling that Sammy has never been influential in the backroom.

[Arn]

Probably true, still get the feeling that Sammy has never been influential in the backroom.

Rafa talked tactics during the games a lot more with Pellegrino than Sammy. I think that Rafa used Sammy a lot more as a motivator than for his coaching ability.

[Rix007]

Is Roy still around!!!!! Damn

[Shaggy]

He left the club under a dark cloud this summer but Javier Mascherano has admitted to feeling pained when he sees Liverpool languishing in the Premier League relegation zone.

The Argentine international moved to Barcelona after months of speculation in which the midfielder publicly stated his desire to leave Merseyside.

And while his new club have maintained their high standards, those he left behind have struggled to adapt to Roy Hodgson's new regime.

Mascherano said: 'I view what's going on there with sadness. Liverpool are a club that gave me a lot. I have friends there and affection for the club. It is unfortunate that there are in this rare and difficult situation.

'With the players they have and the club they are, they will pick themselves up, it’s just strange to see them in the situation there are in today.'

[danperkins]

Dan, I think most people would agree with you that Rafa's transfer record over the past couple of years was poor. I think what most of us feel is that there were mitigating circumstances. For example, it was revealed the other day that Rafa thought he was getting Aquilani AND Jovetic as replacements for Alonso. This was a common scenario...

Regarding your point on signing Evra, Vidic et al. By all account we tried! Unfortunately for us, Utd had a bigger pull than we did at the time. There has been a lot of speculation over the players we've *nearly* signed. Berbatov when he was Leverkusen. Alves. Simao. We were after Villa years before he became the player he is today. This suggests to me that Rafa was good at spotting players but wasn't given the backing to proceed.

Concerning the wisdom of replacing Alonso with Aquilani. Alonso was a playmaker more than a defensive midfielder. Aquilani is also primarily a playmaker. They both approach their duties in different ways but their roles are similar. Alonso could use his incredible range of passing to achieve this. Aquilani would link the defence and attack with movement and intelligent short passing. At least that's the theory. Hindsight is 20:20. Do you really believe that Rafa would still sign him if he knew he would be crocked for most of last season? He has come out and said he was given bad medical advice on Aquilani.

As I said earlier, Rafa did make mistakes in the transfer market. Of course he did. Everyone does! The man has admitted as much himself. I think people on here are being over defensive because you seem to be ignoring:

a) mitigating circumstances
b) that if you break his transfer dealings down, he actually spent very little (net) compared with our rivals

Good post mate and If most people agree with me that Rafa's transfer record was poor over the last few years well then thats me satisfied mate that was my original point

As regards some other points:

I read that too about apparently wanting Jovetic aswell:
===================================
"Rafa revealed in a conversation with someone that he tried to sign both Aquilani and Jovetic with the transfer budget he was supposed to have plus the sale of Alonso. But ultimately, Aquilani was prioritised since Liverpool needed someone to directly replace Alonso, and no extra money was given to top up the money received from Alonso's sale."
===================================
Firstly who was this someone? Secondly, its all well and good for him saying this after the player has bombed? And finally who wouldn't want Jovetic!!! He is class and one of the most sought after talents in club football?

You say mitigating circumstances, so you don't think those transfers need to be justified? At the end of the day every manager wants players, that 99% of the time they cannot and will not get, happens to every manager and every club at some point. Fergie wanted Benzema didn't get him, Barca wanted Torres & Cesc didn't get them, Chelsea wanted Kaka didn't get him, Man City wanted... well everyone in the world. And this happens every transfer window.

At the end of the day Rafa wanted rid of Alonso, he got his wish. The talks were so long and drawn out with Madrid that options dwindled in the transfer market so Rafa bought Aquilani. A currently injured player, trying to make the transition from Serie A to the rough n' tumble and high tempo of the Premier League, in which it is notoriously difficult to adjust to. It was a massive risk buying an injured player when we needed someone right away to step into the midfield. We were hoping that we could keep touch with top 4 until Aqua was fit and then slot him in. But we couldn't, and the Lucas/Masch partnership didn't work and stifled any sort of creativity in the middle of the park, hence one of the main reasons why we couldn't break teams down.

So instead of having the cog that was Alonso to connect the midfield to our front line we had Lucas,Mascherano and an injured Alberto Aquilani. It was a massive risk and it failed miserably. IMO the Aquilani signing was the final nail in Rafa's coffin, one bad signing too many, Rafa needed to get that signing spot on after forcing Alonso out,he didn't and we paid for it. Sure its tough having that much pressure to sign specific players that have to be a success, but hey its the highest level of football.

Its pretty much black and white and simplistic, we needed an "uninjured" player than could slot in straight away and replace Alonso who was vital/crucial to our team, and with the purchase of Aqua we didn't have that in any way, shape of form.

So Aqua gets fit, he isn't played. He starts talking to the media wondering why Rafa isn't playing him. We are all baffled to why Rafa isn't playing him, Rafa talks to the media and says the reason he isn't playing him in certain games likes of Blackburn, as they "are too physical" So why the hell did we buy a player that firstly, is currently injured, secondly is proven to be very injury prone and thirdly won't be played in any of the physical games? Its the premier league most of the games are physical!?

Alonso and Aquilani were completely different players mate, not the same at all, Riise said this about Aqua.
===================================
“He is different to Alonso but he is the sort of player who can break teams down.

“What are his qualities? He is a very good passer of the ball; he runs a lot; finds space everywhere and he likes to get in the box to score goals.

“As well as that he has a good shot, and he is a smart player. When he settles into the English way of playing he will be very good.
===================================

Alonso has "none of these qualities," listed above by Riise who played with both of these players, they literally are entirely different footballers. Rafa worked off a rigid system, Alonso was vital in that rigid system. Take Alonso out of it and replace him with a completely different player and **** hits the fan. We broke down in midfield, looked disjointed and frankly didn't know what to do.

Aquilani is an attacking midfielder, he offered movement and short,sharp passing. Alonso is a deep lying midfielder who offered a wide range of passing, a creative spark and worked like a cog to keep the ball moving at all times, but who could also get a tackle in and defend too. Aqua could not do any of this. There are only a few players like this around who can play ball but also get stuck in and do the nitty gritty stuff e.g Essien,Sweinstiger etc , their about as rare as a footballing CB.

Truly baffling stuff that signing IMO and in many other peoples opinions. And its been truly done to death, but sure if its balanced debate no harm in talking about it, sure we might aswell discuss it as there's hardly anything currently on the pitch worth talking about

P.S. Apologies for the long winded post, don't want anyone to think i'm trying to emulate Paul Tomkins or anything

[banditos]

Good post mate and If most people agree with me that Rafa's transfer record was poor over the last few years well then thats me satisfied mate that was my original point

Good luck with that mate.

[danperkins]

Good luck with that mate.

Haha thats what other poster said so i'm going on his say so

[red g]

Still here then?

ps meant Roy not ldp !