Jürgen Klopp

[baitman]

I know this isn't important, and ranking them like this is stupid, but Klopp has gone above Rafa for me now. I used to be prepared to fight to the death for Rafa and argued with a lot of his critics (on here and irl) til I was blue in the face. I cried when he left, and loved him very much. But Jurgen, man. Jurgen. Jurgen is an incredibly special manager and an incredible special bloke.

Did Rafa ever give out a hug

[EwarWoo]

No comparison for me. Have a lot of respect for Rafa both as a manager and a bloke, but Klopps on another planet.

Rafa's CL win was part luck, part Gerrard going mental, and part Rafa.

Klopp's has been painstakingly built and earnt. Genuinely feels like we are the best team in Europe.

[Exiled_red]

No comparison for me. Have a lot of respect for Rafa both as a manager and a bloke, but Klopps on another planet.

Rafa's CL win was part luck, part Gerrard going mental, and part Rafa.

Klopp's has been painstakingly built and earnt. Genuinely feels like we are the best team in Europe.

I think it is unfair on Rafa to use the 2005 CL winning side as his marker, it wasn't really his side as Houllier will remind you If we hadn't won in 2005 but had won in 2007 which was probably more deserved it might have been considered different, Rafa deserved to win a European Cup if you look at how good we were in Europe under him, just with all due respect probably with a better set of players than we had in 2005.

Not that it matters both Rafa and Klopp have won the European Cup

I just think that it kind of goes to show that football is a strange world were you don't always get what you deserve

[Bender]

I know this isn't important, and ranking them like this is stupid, but Klopp has gone above Rafa for me now. I used to be prepared to fight to the death for Rafa and argued with a lot of his critics (on here and irl) til I was blue in the face. I cried when he left, and loved him very much. But Jurgen, man. Jurgen. Jurgen is an incredibly special manager and an incredible special bloke.

[Mark79]

2 very different characters, but they've both been incredible for Liverpool.

Rafa's contribution goes beyond football though. The way he battled the 2 snakes for the club behind the scenes and played a massive part in exposing what they were doing.

He could have ****ed off to any other club he wanted and just got on with being a coach at that point, and no one could have blamed him for it. He went above and beyond for us, to the detriment of his own career when he could have been racking up trophies elsewhere.

Absolute legend.

[Baracus]

Rafa's era was different

More competitive teams in in both PL and Europe and arguably a better tactical manager against some heavyweight teams back then

and that 2008 team was better than the current team overall imo

Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel/ Hyppia/ Agger, Aurelio, Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard, Alonso, Torres,

(meh >) Benayoun. Kuyt,

Lost 2 games in PL and lost 7-5 in Champions league final agg against Chavs.

I think that 2008 was more intelligent as a team and would have beaten this current team.

That midfield would have crushed this team and the back 4 would nullify our current attack even with the high press

Both great managers thou

[Leyton388]

The difference between Rafas CL win and this one is that in 2005 it felt like a once in a lifetime never to be repeated where as this one feels more sustainable and it's something we can do again and again plus compete for the league at the same time.

[Fivex]

The difference between Rafas CL win and this one is that in 2005 it felt like a once in a lifetime never to be repeated where as this one feels more sustainable and it's something we can do again and again plus compete for the league at the same time.

And I’m sorry but I think this team would be able to beat a best of Rafa XI, and probably trounce that 2005 line-up.

[dom9]

Rafa's era was different

More competitive teams in in both PL and Europe and arguably a better tactical manager against some heavyweight teams back then

and that 2008 team was better than the current team overall imo

Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel/ Hyppia/ Agger, Aurelio, Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard, Alonso, Torres,

(meh >) Benayoun. Kuyt,

Lost 2 games in PL and lost 7-5 in Champions league final agg against Chavs.

I think that 2008 was more intelligent as a team and would have beaten this current team.

That midfield would have crushed this team and the back 4 would nullify our current attack even with the high press

Both great managers thou

You forgot Traore

[Buzzo]

Rafa's era was different

More competitive teams in in both PL and Europe and arguably a better tactical manager against some heavyweight teams back then

and that 2008 team was better than the current team overall imo

Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel/ Hyppia/ Agger, Aurelio, Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard, Alonso, Torres,

(meh >) Benayoun. Kuyt,

Lost 2 games in PL and lost 7-5 in Champions league final agg against Chavs.

I think that 2008 was more intelligent as a team and would have beaten this current team.

That midfield would have crushed this team and the back 4 would nullify our current attack even with the high press

Both great managers thou

Mane and Salah, with Robbo and Trent would have decimated that 2008 team. Virgil would have Torres in his back pocket. A player such as Carra is honest enough to admit this team is better than any he ever played in. The midfield would be a war.

But I’m not writing off a team that delivered a CL, the third highest points total in top flight history losing only one game, came back from 3-0 down to beat Barca 4-0. This team has more goals on it than any of Rafas. If that 2008 team was so good why don’t I remember it delivering any trophies?

A lot of good players for sure but lacked consistency.

[Exiled_red]

I think that the first 11 from 2008-09 would give our current side a good game, I'd back the current side though. Ultimately the reason that 2008-09 side didn't win anything was lack of squad strength, Torres missed 14 league games that season, his replacement would have been N'gog, or moving Kuyt up front, who while a decent player meant that the side lost it's edge, Kuyt's place would then be taken by Jermaine Pennant or a Ryan Babel with no end product. When Aurelio was out he would be replaced by Dossena, who looked upon favourably for his goals against Man Utd and Madrid, but was a terrible defender. The dynamic of that side changed completely if one of Alonso, Gerrard or Torres was out, this current side has a better depth of quality and a style of play that works regardless of which players are available.

[Lecter]

Rafa's era was different

More competitive teams in in both PL and Europe and arguably a better tactical manager against some heavyweight teams back then

and that 2008 team was better than the current team overall imo

Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel/ Hyppia/ Agger, Aurelio, Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard, Alonso, Torres,

(meh >) Benayoun. Kuyt,

Lost 2 games in PL and lost 7-5 in Champions league final agg against Chavs.

I think that 2008 was more intelligent as a team and would have beaten this current team.

That midfield would have crushed this team and the back 4 would nullify our current attack even with the high press

Both great managers thou

The midfield 3 of that 2008 side weas brilliant and although Torres was a great fit for that side I am not sure how he would fit into the current side

If you were taking players from both of these sides I would reckon more would come from this side than the 2008 one

[Exiled_red]

The midfield 3 of that 2008 side weas brilliant and although Torres was a great fit for that side I am not sure how he would fit into the current side

If you were taking players from both of these sides I would reckon more would come from this side than the 2008 one

I think if you compare starting 11's you'd be looking at
2008-09: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Kuyt, Riera, Torres

2018-19: Alisson, TAA, VVD, Matip, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Firmino

I think if you were playing fantasy football you might be tempted to take the 2008-09 midfield of Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard over the current midfield because they great players and are bigger names, but I don't know if they would work in the current system, and it would be a very different dynamic. Personally I would go with Fabinho ahead of Mascherano as he's IMO a more complete player also with the tightening of the rules Mascherano's discipline could be an issue. You'd probably take Torres but for me that would be it 3 or at most 4 of that 2008-09 side would make it into a joint side in my opinion.

[Chris]

[Yozza]

Will never get old!