WH Post Match

[Lecter]

All managers inherit things yet some improve on what they have inherited

Anyone who thinks Rafa inherited a supreme side when he arrived here is deluded

He had some good players yes but crucially he changed the position of two of them so that they stepped up a level (Carragher & Gerrard) and he also bought extremely well - Alonso who was a brilliant acquisition and Garcia who weighed in with a decent amount of goals

I cant see any organisation developing, even with Lucas returning we looked a shambles at times yesterday

I thought Diame bossed our midfield yesterday

[Chris]

All managers inherit things yet some improve on what they have inherited

Anyone who thinks Rafa inherited a supreme side when he arrived here is deluded

He had some good players yes but crucially he changed the position of two of them so that they stepped up a level (Carragher & Gerrard) and he also bought extremely well - Alonso who was a brilliant acquisition and Garcia who weighed in with a decent amount of goals

I cant see any organisation developing, even with Lucas returning we looked a shambles at times yesterday

Rafa's great organisation couldn't handle West Ham last week though, maybe it's just a tough away game and at times you'll come under pressure? For all the pressure it was still only a dodgy penalty and a lucky OG they got, Reina barely had a save to make.

[Tee]

And I think BR would do well to take a note out of Rafa's book and put a proper ball playing midfielder alongside Lucas. Maybe he thinks Allen is that player, but he is a million miles off what we need in that area of the pitch IMO.

[BigChief]

All managers inherit things yet some improve on what they have inherited

Anyone who thinks Rafa inherited a supreme side when he arrived here is deluded

He had some good players yes but crucially he changed the position of two of them so that they stepped up a level (Carragher & Gerrard) and he also bought extremely well - Alonso who was a brilliant acquisition and Garcia who weighed in with a decent amount of goals

I cant see any organisation developing, even with Lucas returning we looked a shambles at times yesterday

So you're judging Rafa's acquisitions over an 18 month period, to Brendan over 3 months? You realise that's a little unfair right?

Rafa inherited a dreadful side, but he inherited possibly the best player we ever had, Gerrard, who was on top of his form. Brendan has inherited a Gerrard who is sadly way below standards.

[Lecter]

So you're judging Rafa's acquisitions over an 18 month period, to Brendan over 3 months? You realise that's a little unfair right?

Rafa inherited a dreadful side, but he inherited possibly the best player we ever had, Gerrard, who was on top of his form. Brendan has inherited a Gerrard who is sadly way below standards.

I'm not judging any of the signings yet

There is no mistaking though that Alonso & Garcia hit the ground running

None of Brendans signings have done that yet, now maybe they will develop into decent players, maybe they wont

Yes Gerrard was a great player but its tough to argue that Rafa didnt improve him further by switching him into a more advanced position. Rafa got the best out of Gerrard absolutely no doubt about that

Equally Rafa didnt exactly inherit a decent forward (Cisse & Baros) whereas Brendan has inherited Suarez who is far superior to either of them

Going back to Gerrard one thing I'd vehemently argue that Brendan has got wrong is his deployment of him. There is no doubt that Gerrards best position is an attacking role but hes been playing him in a more withdrawn role

Now people can argue all they like about needs must but when you are playing Henderson in a more advanced position than Gerrard then that doesnt sit right with me

[BigChief]

All the above is fair enough. But the main argument is you're not seeing any organisation in Brendan's team that you did with Rafa's. You can only base this off the first three months of each manager at this point in time.

So Gerrard's move up front, Alonso's impact (wasn't that great when he first came actually), Garcia's involvement, etc, can only be taken in the context of the first three months. In 18 months we can re-evaluate like you have been doing.

[Rich]

Don't you get the feeling that because Gerrard wants to play in the middle that Roy, Kenny and Brendan have all accommodated his wish - to the detriment of the team usually.

[DannyMan2006]

So you're judging Rafa's acquisitions over an 18 month period, to Brendan over 3 months? You realise that's a little unfair right?

Rafa inherited a dreadful side, but he inherited possibly the best player we ever had, Gerrard, who was on top of his form. Brendan has inherited a Gerrard who is sadly way below standards.

Rafa did miracles to win us the CL. He could have played that season another 100 times and not won it. Partly that is down to why he is such a genius.

It's hard to compare the two seasons tbh. Whilst Rafa didn't inherit a great side, he did inherit the fourth best team in the country. There was far less competition for fourth then, but the side wasn't too bad.

Rafas team were poor in the league and did worse that the previous year. But of course, we were concentrating on the CL by the end and allowed Everton to steam past us.

But whilst we showed glimpses of tactical genius in the CL, we showed little to none in the league or other competitions. We struggled to beat Luton in the FA Cup and ended up getting knocked out by Burnley I think, with a spectacular own goal from Trapre.....

[Tee]

Don't you get the feeling that because Gerrard wants to play in the middle that Roy, Kenny and Brendan have all accommodated his wish - to the detriment of the team usually.

Not at all. Gerrard has shown over his career at the club that he will play anywhere he is asked. And I honestly find it astonishing (cannot think of a stronger word) that his inclusion in the team over the last few seasons in this central position is being questioned and suggested that it is actually detrimental to the team?

He is going through a difficult moment for sure, but is still by an absolute country mile the most technically gifted player and only game changing midfieler we have at our disposal right now.

[Lecter]

All the above is fair enough. But the main argument is you're not seeing any organisation in Brendan's team that you did with Rafa's. You can only base this off the first three months of each manager at this point in time.

So Gerrard's move up front, Alonso's impact (wasn't that great when he first came actually), Garcia's involvement, etc, can only be taken in the context of the first three months. In 18 months we can re-evaluate like you have been doing.

I disagree again

Alonso's impact was ****ing enormous on our side even in the first few months

Also why are you arguing that it took 18 months to see an impact from Alonso & Garcia

I think you have to remember that we were beating some of the best teams in Europe that first season and we were beating them by being supremely organised

[Lecter]

Rafa did miracles to win us the CL. He could have played that season another 100 times and not won it. Partly that is down to why he is such a genius.

It's hard to compare the two seasons tbh. Whilst Rafa didn't inherit a great side, he did inherit the fourth best team in the country. There was far less competition for fourth then, but the side wasn't too bad.

Rafas team were poor in the league and did worse that the previous year. But of course, we were concentrating on the CL by the end and allowed Everton to steam past us.

But whilst we showed glimpses of tactical genius in the CL, we showed little to none in the league or other competitions. We struggled to beat Luton in the FA Cup and ended up getting knocked out by Burnley I think, with a spectacular own goal from Trapre.....

Didnt we also get to the Carling Cup final as well that year???

And yes we were beaten in the FA Cup 3rd round by Burnley and I think Rafa will be the first to admit that he played a weakened side in that game, I think he even apologised the next day for not realising the importance of the competition

[Rowan]

The difference between Rafa teams and the current one is that Rafas were supremely organised in terms of shape and the defensive side of things

I dont see anything near that in our current set up

I think we're ok as a general rule but are pretty suceptable to big buccaneering drives by big buccaneering cunts.

****e at spotting runners too.

[Bender]

regardless how we played kudos to the team for getting the win

[Lecter]

I think we're ok as a general rule but are pretty suceptable to big buccaneering drives by big buccaneering cunts.

****e at spotting runners too.

To quote Rafa "we leave too much space between our lines"

Thats the problem, big buccaneering cunts can be more readily stopped if you tighten that

[Lecter]

regardless how we played kudos to the team for getting the win

And kudos to Brendan for bringing on Henderson

Whether the game changing moment was Diame going off or Henderson coming on could be an epic argument but I thought Henderson did alright when he came on with and without the ball