Rafa Benitez

[anfieldanfield]

Pennant will be a good player for us,since rafa has said he needs to believe in himself more he seems to be running at players more,today he created our best chance

He's tepid at best and we were robbed blind for seven million pounds.

He isn't good enough for this football club, never has been and never will be.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is utterly, utterly deluded.

[desertscouser]

4th place is a must and I'll think we'll manage that.

But next summer things have to be sorted out properly. No more ****ing around.

I'm pretty sure we'll finish 4th only because apart from Chelsea, United and Arsenal the rest of the teams that make up the premiership are either average or sh!te and we're slightly better than that.

As for next summer, well in my opinion it will be Rafa's last as a LFC manager if he doesn't get it right. He needs to get rid of the ****e and bring in REAL quality, that means no more cheap alternatives.

He's had plenty of money to spend thus far and he's signed some quality players but he's also squandered millions on ****e and that has to be corrected or else we're ****ed.

[Red Chilli]

Whether the new signings are good enough for LFC or not I think most people would agree that "on paper" they would improve the SQUAD.
What is clear to me is that a good manager gets his players to perform at a higher level than their average level.
Whether you like it or not, Pennant, Bellamy, Aurelio and Gonzalez are better players than they are showing at present for LFC.
For some odd reason, almost to a man, the players are under-performing and that is a sign of low morale or confusion. Something is drastically wrong at the club and it needs sorting out sooner rather than later.

[JermainePennant]

Who could we have got that is better then him?Joaquin cost valencia something like 15 million and he has been crap and has only 1 assist I think.

[anfieldanfield]

Who could we have got that is better then him?Joaquin cost valencia something like 15 million and he has been crap and has only 1 assist I think.

I would say in the entire footballing world, there's probably at least 500 better right wingers than Pennant.

[bazza76]

I dont think its tactics Nial.
I think its the players, we played two upfront against Arsenal today, which could be argued was more adventerous than Arsenal. Even though they have some lethal attacking players.
All we have to do is look at last season, we were unbeatable for a while, a bad run this term and rafa doesnt know how to cope in the league, personally i dont buy it.
For me its the quality of players we have playing, Too many occasions this season our players havnt turned up, today it was Gonzalez turn to be wastefull, along with a few others, with not much service to the front men, there was little we could do with two upfront. so the service depended really on quality wingers, some more crosses like Pennants whne he came on the game could have been much different. I really hope the squad starts to settle soon obviously, as we cant keep dropping points like this, thankfull, We are well clear of our worst run of games for the season now. results will start going our way again, but we can forget about the title i think, cant see Man U or Chavs dropping so many points and us being totally flawless.
Investment may help our cause, its something that way way over due much like the new stadium.

[bazza76]

I would say in the entire footballing world, there's probably at least 500 better right wingers than Pennant.

Tripe

[Shaggy]

I would say in the entire footballing world, there's probably at least 500 better right wingers than Pennant.

Theres' one in my living room now.

I kinda feel sorry for Pennant. He's clearly not up to it and doesn't appear to have the right mentality to be playing for a club as big as ours. I always felt the fact Wenger bombed him out of Arsenal was relevant. It's for similar reasons I never want to see us sign the likes of Upson.

Not. ****ing. Good. Enough.

That said, he wasn't in any way to blame for today's debacle.

[Diego]

Whether the new signings are good enough for LFC or not I think most people would agree that "on paper" they would improve the SQUAD.
What is clear to me is that a good manager gets his players to perform at a higher level than their average level.
Whether you like it or not, Pennant, Bellamy, Aurelio and Gonzalez are better players than they are showing at present for LFC.
For some odd reason, almost to a man, the players are under-performing and that is a sign of low morale or confusion. Something is drastically wrong at the club and it needs sorting out sooner rather than later.

that's what bothers me...

there doesn't seem to be a reason for it, were doing the same things we did last year but were so much worse, why is that? and pleas don't say gerrard on the right and rotation, the problem is bigger than that surely...

[Red Chilli]

that's what bothers me...

there doesn't seem to be a reason for it, were doing the same things we did last year but were so much worse, why is that? and pleas don't say gerrard on the right and rotation, the problem is bigger than that surely...

Well I did say I thought it was low morale or confusion.
Maybe having your captain thoroughly pissed off has caused low morale and lack of motivation. Maybe some of the players are confused to what their role is and whether they will play next game.

I don't know, I'm not paid to know, but there's something deeper wrong with the club.

[anfieldanfield]

Theres' one in my living room now.

I kinda feel sorry for Pennant. He's clearly not up to it and doesn't appear to have the right mentality to be playing for a club as big as ours. I always felt the fact Wenger bombed him out of Arsenal was relevant. It's for similar reasons I never want to see us sign the likes of Upson.

Not. ****ing. Good. Enough.

That said, he wasn't in any way to blame for today's debacle.

Yep, ofcourse he wasn't to blame for today, but the point still stands.

Rafa should be buying top quality footballers or not buying at all, we've brought in far too many possibilities and not enough first team regulars.

That 15 spent on JP and Bellamy could have been far better utilizied.

[Slim]

That 15 spent on JP and Bellamy could have been far better utilizied.

On that point I would have to agree.

[JermainePennant]

If there are so many better wingers then pennant why did rafa try to sign him 3 times and not get a different one.Pennant has what it takes to be a great winger he just needs confidence and a run in the team.

People band around names like Joaquin who has been rubbish for over a season and alves who has never played as a right winger and who is not great at beating players.

Wenger got rid of pennant because of his problems off the field and the fact that wenger does not have wingers like pennant in his teams.He knows the quality pennant has and that is why he insisted on brum agreeing to a sell on clause.

[bazza76]

I'm pretty sure we'll finish 4th only because apart from Chelsea, United and Arsenal the rest of the teams that make up the premiership are either average or sh!te and we're slightly better than that.

As for next summer, well in my opinion it will be Rafa's last as a LFC manager if he doesn't get it right. He needs to get rid of the ****e and bring in REAL quality, that means no more cheap alternatives.

He's had plenty of money to spend thus far and he's signed some quality players but he's also squandered millions on ****e and that has to be corrected or else we're ****ed.

I feel sorry for Rafa really, when it comes to his signings, we had every right to think Gonzales would be **** hot, and he still could be, same can be said for Aurelio, but not as a full back IMO. Pennant also can still come good and hasnt been as bad as people claim.
As for the stop gap signings he made, Nunez well he was just a squad helper at best with little time to act Rafa signed him. Josemi seemed like a good singing at first, agressive and impressed initially, Rafa had every right to try him without paying too much.
Without going into ever detail of all out signings, i think we have been unlucky, I sensed Morientes wouldnt be suited to the EPL, but it wasnt stad out obvious. he has some record and was known as a world class player. He has also got rid of some **** out of the squad.
We will be able to judge Rafa better at the end of the season, just a pity IMO that Rafa has been so unlucky, just hope this run doesnt effect things too much. Agger is class and IMO will be one of the best defenders in the world for many a year.
Id like to see Stevie G changing his attitude, he is not a leader. Players can lead by example, yes, but for me thats not a leader. After we went a goal down I thought his confidence went when and he looked uninterested at times.

[anfieldanfield]

If there are so many better wingers then pennant why did rafa try to sign him 3 times and not get a different one.Pennant has what it takes to be a great winger

No mate, he doesn't.

I'll give you everything I own if Pennant ever turns into a 'great winger'.

He's gash.