Rafael Benitez

[Huyton_Red]

Kept quietish on this but having just read another article talking about rafa getting sacked at the end of the season I cant hold it in anymore

 

F'CK OFF YOU GANG OF WORMY WEASLED F'CKIN GOBSH'TES HOW DARE YOU CRITICISE THE MAN WHO GAVE LIVERPOOL FANS THE GREATEST NIGHT OF THEIR LIVES

 

Let me remind these f'ckin snipers just what we have achieved, in TWO f'ckin season, I repeat TWO seasons.

 

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Yes CHAMPIONS LEAGUE the greatest f'ckin trophy on earth won with only two of his signings, TWO. He turned a team that was so f?ckin bad they had got the previous manger the sack into the champions of Europe. A team that was knocked out of the FA cup to Portsmouth and the Uefa cup to Marseille he added Alonso and Garcia and turned them into the Champions of Europe you clowns as well as reaching the final of the carling cup

 

The season after he got the chance to add a few more of his own players and he won the FA cup, sailed through the group stages of the champions league ahead of Chelsea and then were done by Benfica after momo cracked his eye socket and the team went on a bad 6 week run without one of the greatest signings the club has made for 20 years.

 

He also won the Super cup, wehad 34 clean sheets, went on two record breaking winning runs of over 10 straight wins. He moved gerrard out wide and turned him into the footballer of the year with not only some amazing performances but an incredible 23 goals.

 

AND then he won the only f?ckin trophy that has been contested this season against Chelsea in the charity shield.

 

He won the league in spain twice AND the Uefa cup as well. Its f?ckin November, NOVEMBER.

 

HE TURNED DOWN HIS HOME TOWN CLUB AND WHAT MANY CLASS AS THE BIGGEST CLUB ON EARTH TO STAY HERE LAST YEAR

 

Who the f?ckin ell do some of these snipers think they are like, your talking about a living legend here you cheeky b?stards not Ian Dowie, don?t even mention Rafa Benitez in the same sentence as Ian Dowie without washing your mouth out with Listerine Anti-Tartar, the stuff that burns yeh throat to bits.

 

The press are gobsh?tes but I expect better of some of our own fans. F?ckin ell lads, this man has already achieved more than any manager we have had since Dalglish. Sh?t bags you are, Sh?te bags. It has F?CK all to do with the best manager in the world, it is the way the club has been run for ten years, what the f?ckin ell do you want Benitez to do when he has to buy Pennant because he cant afford Alves. Man Utd and Chelsea operate in a different financial league than us, it will take us a lot longer than it would take a manager of Utd or Chelsea, same goes for Arsenal who have dipped in the last couple of years while the manager tried to build a side in the real world, the world where you cant spent £18,6 million on Micheal Carrick, £25 million on Rooney or £35 million on Svechenko.

 

If it takes five years for Rafa to get us up there in the league then that?s what it takes, tough sh?t. If you want to blame someone for the fact we are probably not going to win the league this year blame the people who run the club at the start of the 90?s and sat on their backsides while Utd left us standing. Blame Ambramovich, Blame the people making the financial decisions when Houllier was manager and who left us with countless players on huge contracts who we cant get rid of. We cant buy more than one ready made top player a season Crouch last year, Kuyt this year, Alonso the year before because that?s all we can afford whilst still trying to restructure a poor squad.

 

The great man said himself last week that the nucleus is there now, we will just be able to add one or two a summer from now on which will mean even with our budget one of two top quality players every summer and one or two more steps to where we all want to be

 

What he has achieved so far is bordering on the f?ckin miraculous and he deserves respect and he, more than any manager we have had since Kenny deserves TIME and the backing of us.

[johngibo YPC]

who on earth wrote that piece?

[Huyton_Red]

who on earth wrote that piece?

 

A young good looking lad from Huyton

[johngibo YPC]

A young good looking lad from Huyton

 

i meant the ITV piece. Or did you write that as well so you had something to kick off at

[Huyton_Red]

i meant the ITV piece. Or did you write that as well so you had something to kick off at

 

It was my alter-ego Huyton_Sissoko_Is_Sh'te who wrote the ITV peice

 

Nah, god knows who wrote it, some clown who hasnt even got the balls to put his name to it

[Guest Jude]

Well done me lad,someone needed to say that.

 

Just hadnt the b******s to say it myself.

[Guest Scot]

Benitez = untrained immigrant

 

[sutty]

If I were to question him, I'd pick a choice of words that conveyed my request, and raise the pitch of my voice towards the end of the sentence.

 

Or I'd do it in writing, and finish the sentence with this "?".

[Kopfaithful]

can someone c&p the article? i can't access it in work.

[Nebraska Red]

What's wrong at Anfield?

 

http://www.itv-football.co.uk/Story/0,1427...1683170,00.html

 

A mere three months ago Liverpool fans everywhere were chanting the now familiar mantra: "This is our year". So where did it all go wrong and, more importantly, has it really gone so wrong?

 

 

I will be the first to admit that I was one of the people backing Liverpool's chances to challenge for the title. It seemed as if Rafael Benitez had spent enough time settling in, had established a competitive side and had adapted his style to suit the Premiership.

 

 

After all, last season saw the Anfield side rack up their highest points tally since the Premiership began while being impenetrable at the back. Who can forget their amazing run of clean sheets?

 

 

What undid their challenge last time around was a terrible start to the season. Exactly like this season then. The Reds have had an unenviably difficult schedule of away fixtures to start their campaign. Playing Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Bolton and Everton in quick succession on their travels proved to be too much of an ask for Rafa's boys.

 

 

Losing hasn't really been the problem though. The fact that they've looked like a side who belong in mid-table has.

 

 

They have failed to score away from home since the opening day's 1-1 draw at Sheffield United and even a loyal Reds supporter would admit that they rarely looked like scoring on the weekend against Arsenal.

 

 

There is no shame in losing to a very good young Arsenal side, the shame lies in the manner of Liverpool's capitulation. They looked like they'd accepted the result before a ball had been kicked and once they'd gone down a goal the heads just dropped.

 

 

I think a big, if not overriding part in Liverpool's poor showing has been played by Steven Gerrard's obvious lack of form and confidence. He has yet to give a powerhouse display this season and so much of Liverpool's success rides on their talismanic captain's form that it has most likely been difficult for the rest of the players to motivate themselves.

 

 

It is not all negative for the Merseyside giants though. They will look at the fixture list and know that putting in another long unbeaten run is well within their ability. Rafael Benitez just has to find a way to put that together and this may involve letting go some of his favourite football beliefs.

 

 

Rotation certainly works, but there is not much use having a fresh squad in January if you find yourself twenty points off the pace. Sixth place with well rested players is not a substitute for second with a knackered squad at the end of the season.

 

 

He must find a first-choice eleven, a side that, injuries permitting, he fields against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal. By all means rotate your squad against the league's lesser lights, but when you're playing against your direct opponents for a Champions League spot you have to know your best combination of players.

 

 

Much has been made of Benitez' supposedly poor transfer dealings over the summer and certainly Bellamy and Pennant have turned out to be exactly what they were - panic buys.

 

 

Can you imagine either of these two being signed by Arsenal, Manchester United or Chelsea? Didn't think so. Kuyt is a different story though. He looks a quality player, works exceptionally hard and seems to have settled into the Premiership in record time and I believe the funny-looking Dutchman will be a real success on Merseyside.

 

 

So all in all a mixture of the poor form of key players, injury problems, a horrendous list of fixtures and some strange managerial decisions are to blame for the Reds' current predicament.

 

 

These are not things one can plan for and, should Liverpool put together a run of three consecutive victories to get them going, there could still be a massive turnaround to their season.

 

 

If not, Benitez might have to win the Champions League again if he wants to stay in his job beyond the end of the season.

[Archangel]

What's wrong at Anfield?

 

http://www.itv-football.co.uk/Story/0,1427...1683170,00.html

 

A mere three months ago Liverpool fans everywhere were chanting the now familiar mantra: "This is our year". So where did it all go wrong and, more importantly, has it really gone so wrong?

I will be the first to admit that I was one of the people backing Liverpool's chances to challenge for the title. It seemed as if Rafael Benitez had spent enough time settling in, had established a competitive side and had adapted his style to suit the Premiership.

After all, last season saw the Anfield side rack up their highest points tally since the Premiership began while being impenetrable at the back. Who can forget their amazing run of clean sheets?

What undid their challenge last time around was a terrible start to the season. Exactly like this season then. The Reds have had an unenviably difficult schedule of away fixtures to start their campaign. Playing Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Bolton and Everton in quick succession on their travels proved to be too much of an ask for Rafa's boys.

Losing hasn't really been the problem though. The fact that they've looked like a side who belong in mid-table has.

They have failed to score away from home since the opening day's 1-1 draw at Sheffield United and even a loyal Reds supporter would admit that they rarely looked like scoring on the weekend against Arsenal.

There is no shame in losing to a very good young Arsenal side, the shame lies in the manner of Liverpool's capitulation. They looked like they'd accepted the result before a ball had been kicked and once they'd gone down a goal the heads just dropped.

I think a big, if not overriding part in Liverpool's poor showing has been played by Steven Gerrard's obvious lack of form and confidence. He has yet to give a powerhouse display this season and so much of Liverpool's success rides on their talismanic captain's form that it has most likely been difficult for the rest of the players to motivate themselves.

It is not all negative for the Merseyside giants though. They will look at the fixture list and know that putting in another long unbeaten run is well within their ability. Rafael Benitez just has to find a way to put that together and this may involve letting go some of his favourite football beliefs.

Rotation certainly works, but there is not much use having a fresh squad in January if you find yourself twenty points off the pace. Sixth place with well rested players is not a substitute for second with a knackered squad at the end of the season.

He must find a first-choice eleven, a side that, injuries permitting, he fields against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal. By all means rotate your squad against the league's lesser lights, but when you're playing against your direct opponents for a Champions League spot you have to know your best combination of players.

Much has been made of Benitez' supposedly poor transfer dealings over the summer and certainly Bellamy and Pennant have turned out to be exactly what they were - panic buys.

Can you imagine either of these two being signed by Arsenal, Manchester United or Chelsea? Didn't think so. Kuyt is a different story though. He looks a quality player, works exceptionally hard and seems to have settled into the Premiership in record time and I believe the funny-looking Dutchman will be a real success on Merseyside.

So all in all a mixture of the poor form of key players, injury problems, a horrendous list of fixtures and some strange managerial decisions are to blame for the Reds' current predicament.

These are not things one can plan for and, should Liverpool put together a run of three consecutive victories to get them going, there could still be a massive turnaround to their season.

If not, Benitez might have to win the Champions League again if he wants to stay in his job beyond the end of the season.

 

Absolutely nothing wrong with this article at all, reasonably balanced in fact. I dont agree with the last line but thats about it.

 

The writer doesn't throw out Rafa's rotation policy, he observes that we cant recruit the same level of players that United or Chelsea can, he acknowledges that we've had a tough sequence of games but admits that we could still and are capable of putting in a run which could turn things around yet and he points to Gerrards recent loss of form as being a contributory factor to our performance todate - where is this out of step with what we all accept as being true.

 

The fact is, Rafa's success at Anfield has upped our general level of expectation and our aim is the premiership title yet we currently languish mid table. We won't finish mid table but for the moment we are looking at 3rd or 4th realistically this season. We've hit a plateau and now is the time for Benitez to show his real qualities

 

I'm happy with the squad its stronger than last season and better balanced, I'm comfortable with the fact that we will kick on and the direction is right, but this knee jerk aggression towards anyone who dares to offer constructive criticism about our season and the problems we genuinely have to contend with at the moment wont help at all

 

We all can learn, but we have to be prepared to listen to everyones opinion whether its critical or not.

[Guz]

He was doing ok till the last paragraph