Houllier

[Chris]

While I have no idea about whether the above statement is true he has started only 6 games this season, played in 7 and scored 1 goal this season before today. In comparison Wiltord has played 10, started 6 and scored 2. Fred has played in 9 started 5 and scored 5. So Carew has hardly been on fire this season.

bUT E PLayyD a gAME N SCOrreD a gol, EEEE AMAZZZZING!!!!!

[anfieldanfield]

I think you'll find the first time Rafa won it Carew played 14 League games scoring 1 time, the 2nd time they wont it he spent the season on loan at Roma. Why do you actually type lies to suit your arguments? Ridiculous but keep going.

Christ, you're a snoozefest.

Can you please try and proffer something witty, controversial or entertaining, just once. Please.

[Craig_H]

Houllier inherited a very good team already, the French league is piss to win, he hasn't had enough time or the need to fill his team with utter ****e yet, lets see how they're gettin on in 2 years time.

How about the CL, is that piss easy to do well in, too?

[Chris]

Christ, you're a snoozefest.

Can you please try and proffer something witty, controversial or entertaining, just once. Please.

So tell us again about how Carew was the leading striker in Rafa's title winning teams despite being on loan at Roma one season and only playing 14 the other season. Let me guess you were lieing just to reel us in right? Of course you were.

Maybe you shouldnt bull****e to suit your argument when a quick search can rip it apart straight away?

[Iceman]

I saw an Interview with Houllier a few years back, the final question was:

" Gerrard what would you consider you single biggest mistake while at Liverpool?"

GH: "Maybe I came back a bit too soon from my illness""

fair point IMO

[Chris]

I saw an Interview with Houllier a few years back, the final question was:

" Gerrard what would you consider you single biggest mistake while at Liverpool?"

GH: "Maybe I came back a bit too soon from my illness""

fair point IMO

Yep, he's a very good manager but did definitely come back to soon, although that night of his return was amazing. Emile Heskey was brilliant

[dww]

Christ, you're a snoozefest.

Can you please try and proffer something witty, controversial or entertaining, just once. Please.

What is your problem with purely factual posts? Or is it just factual posts that contradict your opinion?

[Harv]

Is Houllier far better a manager than many of us, and plenty of rival fans/neutral observers gave him credit for, when he left Anfield?

His Lyon side are virtually unbeatable in Ligue 1, and whilst it's easier when you inherit a side that's just won their 3rd or 4th title on the trot, he's delivering in the CL too.

2-0 in Madrid tonight and sure to top their group, they're also rated by many to be a serious contender in this season's competition.

Not only this, but they also play some very attractive and attacking football, some may argue the compete opposite of what we played during his time on Merseyside.

All this despite generally being what you might call a 'selling club'.

So, being as objective as possible, is Houllier actually a lot better than the last 6-12 months of his LFC reign suggests?

And if so, what went wrong for him at LFC, and why hasnt it gone similarly wrong at Lyon?

i dont think its necesseraly Houllier that is the reason Lyon look so good. They still play the type of football Le Guen had them playing, and basically have the same players, barr Essien and Diarra. For all we know he could just be saying 'do what you did before i came', it worked well, so why not keep doing it.

Houllier lost the players in that last season, it was obvious from christmas onwards. He wasn't a bad manager, and i feel he is wrongly judged on his last season, where he made a lot of mistakes on the pitch and off.

[Harv]

Christ, you're a snoozefest.

Can you please try and proffer something witty, controversial or entertaining, just once. Please.

you really are a **** arn't you.

Sad sad man.

[dww]

i dont think its necesseraly Houllier that is the reason Lyon look so good. They still play the type of football Le Guen had them playing, and basically have the same players, barr Essien and Diarra. For all we know he could just be saying 'do what you did before i came', it worked well, so why not keep doing it.

Houllier lost the players in that last season, it was obvious from christmas onwards. He wasn't a bad manager, and i feel he is wrongly judged on his last season, where he made a lot of mistakes on the pitch and off.

Loosing Diarra and Essien is a pretty important part of the team gone. I know they raised good money but it is unfair to claim he just rolled on doing the same old when a key part of the team (central midfield) has totally changed in personnel.

He also gets praise from Wiltord (who said he would not play for him) for taking the team to the next level. I think he deserves praise for the job he has done with them.

[Harv]

Loosing Diarra and Essien is a pretty important part of the team gone. I know they raised good money but it is unfair to claim he just rolled on doing the same old when a key part of the team (central midfield) has totally changed in personnel.

He also gets praise from Wiltord (who said he would not play for him) for taking the team to the next level. I think he deserves praise for the job he has done with them.

he has replaced Essien with Tiago, and Diarra with Toulalan. Not bad replacements TBH.

I havn't watched many Lyon games mate, im just throwing the idea out there. But from the games i have watched, the one man who deserves praise for Lyon being so good is Juninho. The majority of their goals are scored from his free kicks or his through-balls.

[Chris]

Juninho is brilliant, shame he's the age he is and will never get the chance to do it in Spain or somewhere at his peak.

They also must of been pissing themselves at the Essien deal, as they spent £6m of that on Tiago who's been absolutely immense for them.

[dww]

he has replaced Essien with Tiago, and Diarra with Toulalan. Not bad replacements TBH.

Thats fair but as others on the thread have questioned his choice of players it remains a point in his favour.

[Harv]

No.

You obviously haven't seen much of the lad play.

Carew was Rafa's main striker for his three seasons at Valencia, helping them to win the league twice, since leaving and moving to Lyon he's raised his game to another level, and is astonishingly underated.

He has been superb tonight, lovely goal too.

he played for one year under Rafas command, and didnt play well. He was most definately NOT Rafas main striker, i can assure you of that. He is leaving Lyon in January, because he rarely gets a game. The only reason he is playing is due to Fred and Benzema being injured.

He got lucky with that goal, the ball bobbled of Cannavaro's knee. It could of gone anywhere, but fell in his path. Decent finish however.

[Morph]

How about the CL, is that piss easy to do well in, too?

hmm so far in the last two sasons they've beaten Dynamo Kiev, Steaua Bucharest, Olympiacos, Rosenborg, Real Madrid and PSV

Hardly a who's who of Europe

The only real tough game they came up against was AC Milan and got beat.

So given those ties, yer it was pretty piss easy, the Madrid performances were decent but they have been **** in Europe in recent years.