Balague on LFC

[Flight]

Liverpool Must Face up to reality

 

Liverpool Must Face Up To Reality

 

Managing players is one thing; but managing expectations is the toughest challenge that any football manager faces in the modern game....

 

Fourteen years ago, Atlético Madrid did the Spanish league and cup double, and they`ve been trying to bridge the gap between reality and expectation ever since. A couple of glorious moments in the past hides the fact that Atletico are not a top four team in Spain – and in order to sustain the illusion, the club has accumulated huge debts while a never ending managerial merry-go-round has been expected to perform miracles.Only now, it has taken a new manager – Quique Sanchez Flores – to come out and tell it exactly how it is: that everyone needs to accept the harsh reality that Atletico Madrid cannot be expected to compete on equal terms with the elite.

 

Perhaps someone at Anfield should come out and state publicly that, given the resources available, it is unrealistic to demand a top four finish? Analysts close to the club insist that unless a new investor sticks at least £100 million in the bank, a top six finish should be the target and anything else is a bonus. How long can a glorious history sustain the illusion that Liverpool football club has a divine right to compete on equal terms with the European elite?

 

The Liverpool board has performed a U-turn and the manager is now allowed to spend money raised from the sale of players in January. Is that a good thing right now? Because unless Rafa Benitez is able to raise in excess of £15 million - and getting rid of Babel doesn’t make sense when a replacement would cost more money - experience suggests that Rafa should steer clear of cheap players. Avoiding a panic buy now means, potentially, there may be more money in the summer for Benitez - or his successor - to spend wisely.

 

Nevertheless, the best case scenario means that the Liverpool manager will still be spending peanuts compared to the budgets of United and Arsenal; a small percentage of the riches at Manchester City and Chelsea – and even less than the £40 million that Birmingham have in their war chest.

 

Perhaps it is time for someone high up at Liverpool to declare what their realistic ambitions are. The manager can only hint at them, by conceding he may be powerless to keep hold of Torres or Gerrard for example. Unfortunately, such a reality check can also backfire and could be perceived as defeatism in the dressing room. But when a strong first XI fails to perform, as they did against Reading, you also have to wonder if there are players who are no longer playing for their coach. And if that is the case, one has to ask why?

 

Many are blaming Benitez’ personality for the team’s demise and I have always had the impression that for his methods to succeed he must constantly recycle new blood through the squad, even replacing key players with new ones eager to respond to him. A key Liverpool midfielder was once told he was not in the line up an hour before the game and also that he needed to beef up in the gym; he reacted with disbelief and despair. Is a cumulative effect at such a lack of diplomacy behind the team’s gradual failure to respond?

 

If so, then the board must decide: either back the manager and allow him to take drastic action, no matter how big the name it impacts upon; or deny Rafa the transfer funds and save them for his successor in the summer. I wonder if we are already witnessing the latter...

 

 

 

 

This is a key point : ' the illusion that Liverpool football club has a divine right to compete on equal terms with the European elite'.

 

History has shown that top teams have to constantly spend and improve, or go backwards fast. You cannot stand still.

Edited January 15, 2010 by Flight

[Kring]

That the worst crap I have ever read from Balague. We ( Benitez) have (has) spend more than everybody else in England over the last 5 years. That's nowhere near the situation in Atletico.

[moptop46]

That the worst crap I have ever read from Balague. We ( Benitez) have (has) spend more than everybody else in England over the last 5 years. That's nowhere near the situation in Atletico.

 

We have spent more than anyone in the last five years?

Interesting point of view, though completely wrong.

[Eskimo]

We have spent more than anyone in the last five years?

Interesting point of view, though completely wrong.

 

Crazy that people still think this true...

[libero]

That the worst crap I have ever read from Balague. We ( Benitez) have (has) spend more than everybody else in England over the last 5 years. That's nowhere near the situation in Atletico.

WUM

[moptop46]

Crazy that people still think this true...

How the hell is it crazy?

Look at the ins and outs over the last 5 years.!

[surf]

i think it's 60m net over the past 5 years. 3 years of about 20m net and then two years of nothing

[Eskimo]

How the hell is it crazy?

Look at the ins and outs over the last 5 years.!

 

I was agreeing with you...Kring, Krung or whatever is the crazy one.

[Davvo]

Liverpool Must Face up to reality

 

 

either back the manager and allow him to take drastic action, no matter how big the name it impacts upon;

 

 

 

 

That was the most interesting bit for me.

[moptop46]

I was agreeing with you...Kring, Krung or whatever is the crazy one.

 

Sorry

[Jim D]

That the worst crap I have ever read from Balague. We ( Benitez) have (has) spend more than everybody else in England over the last 5 years. That's nowhere near the situation in Atletico.

 

We've had no investment in the squad for the past two years, the last significant investment made was in the summer of 2007 where we pumped in £40million for Torres and Mascherano. As a club we've stood still and are paying the price for it literally. The emergence of Man City millions has totally changed the landscape on the traditional big 4. With Spurs and Sunderland also pumping in significant investment into their playing squads it is only going to get tougher for us.

[Benzo-13]

That was the most interesting bit for me.

 

Our captain or our stalwart central defender?

[Kring]

2009: Agree nothing.

2008: Skrtel and Keane!

 

Still we have spend far more than Man U, a*** and Chelsea in the last 5 years!

[Mr. Biscan]

Oh for f***s sake Guillem.

 

Torres said he wouldn't consider his future if Rafa left, and Mashcerano wants to leave anyway. This dumbing down of expectations grates on me beyond belief. We are Liverpool Football Club, money has f*** all to do with anything when it comes to our ambition and what exist to do.

Ever since this period started we've had fans and Rafa's mates in the media trying to dumb down expectations etc. We finished 2nd last season, 86 Points lost players, replaced them like our nearest rivals.

Now we look like mid table mediocrity. Rafa said in the summer he was happy with his squad, and he also now has promised us 4th, so why the f*** should we accept the mediocrity we are told to accept because of money?

f*** off, I support Liverpool Football Club, I don't know what no mark club Ballague supports, but I'm not changing my ambitions or expectations because his best mate has f***ed up.

Why are Man United expected to win the league, despite the fact very little has changed with them, but we are in the position we are?

f***ing money

Edited January 15, 2010 by Mr. Biscan

[anny road]

Oh for f***s sake Guillem.

 

Torres said he wouldn't consider his future if Rafa left, and Mashcerano wants to leave anyway. This dumbing down of expectations grates on me beyond belief. We are Liverpool Football Club, money has f*** all to do with anything when it comes to our ambition and what exist to do.

Ever since this period started we've had fans and Rafa's mates in the media trying to dumb down expectations etc. We finished 2nd last season, 86 Points lost players, replaced them like our nearest rivals.

Now we look like mid table mediocrity. Rafa said in the summer he was happy with his squad, and he also now has promised us 4th, so why the f*** should we accept the mediocrity we are told to accept because of money?

f*** off, I support Liverpool Football Club, I don't know what no mark club Ballague supports, but I'm not changing my ambitions or expectations because his best mate has f***ed up.

Why are Man United expected to win the league, despite the fact very little has changed with them, but we are in the position we are?

f***ing money

 

 

1. He supports Espanyol

2. I live / work with / near to loads of match going Utd fans...I know of NONE that think they will win the league

3. See you are here now, and not after Villa

[Mr. Biscan]

1. He supports Espanyol

2. I live / work with / near to loads of match going Utd fans...I know of NONE that think they will win the league

3. See you are here now, and not after Villa

 

1. So he therefore knows little about the mentality of LFC?

2. I don't care what United do or don't do, the fact is they are closer to the top than we are. We should be in the position they are.

3. Thats because I was celebrating getting drunk

[pipnasty]

2. I live / work with / near to loads of match going Utd fans...I know of NONE that think they will win the league

 

The gradual realisation by United fans this week that they could be really f***ing screwed has slightly brightened up an otherwise dire week. We shouldn't really laugh given our situation, but f*** em to be honest.

[Zoob]

We are Liverpool Football Club, money has f*** all to do with anything when it comes to our ambition and what exist to do

 

But it still has quite a lot to do with to what extent we're able to meet our ambitions.

 

Your flounce was very dramatic - I didn't expect to see you back so soon. In all, a disappointing attempt at a flounce, even though the start was very promising.

[g0atface]

we went the ship and mitre before xmas and ballague was randmonly in there having a pint - hes ace.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

2009: Agree nothing.

2008: Skrtel and Keane!

 

Still we have spend far more than Man U, a*** and Chelsea in the last 5 years!

are we talking gross, net or whatthef***? Because in the last 5 years the Mancs have bought at least 5 players in & around the Masch tfr fee range. We've only ever bought 2 for more

[anny road]

1. So he therefore knows little about the mentality of LFC?

2. I don't care what United do or don't do, the fact is they are closer to the top than we are. We should be in the position they are.

3. Thats because I was celebrating getting drunk

 

 

1. that makes no sense

2. you would still f***ing moan (you wanted the manager out for not winning it last season)

3. right

[Cam]

Our captain or our stalwart central defender?

Or the player that would bring in the most £££?

 

To be fair it could simply be meant as moving Gerrard/Carragher to right midfield/fullback.

 

As for "getting rid of Babel doesn’t make sense when a replacement would cost more money"... er, but wouldn't he also be a better player?

[Paul]

Stopped reading at the end of the 2nd paragraph.

Quite possibly the biggest pile of b****x I've ever read.

[Bromage]

 

Ever since this period started we've had fans and Rafa's mates in the media trying to dumb down expectations etc. We finished 2nd last season, 86 Points lost players, replaced them like our nearest rivals.

 

Now we look like mid table mediocrity. Rafa said in the summer he was happy with his squad, and he also now has promised us 4th, so why the f*** should we accept the mediocrity we are told to accept because of money?

 

I am struggling to come up with any of "Rafa's mates in the media". Ballague apart, there has most definitely been a desire amongst UK journalists to see the back of Rafa; I think most would suggest Big Sam as an ideal replacement and sadly most of that is down to good old Xenophobia. Just cast your minds back to how a series of "foreign" managers have been pilloried in the press over the years in comparison to "english" managers. What a great bloke Harry Redknapp is......... it doesn't count that the Mancs lost to a league 1 side and let's go along with "Big Sam's" assertions of Rafa's lack of respect.

 

There was a time when Liverpool had the most money, which led to the purchase of players like Alun Evans, Kenny Dalglish, Mark Wright & Dean Saunders. These were amongst the star players and most expensive of their day and we were one of very few clubs who had he funds for their purchase. So money clearly does make a difference and it certainly would now - to suggest we've spent more than any of the other top teams in 5 years is laughable and in fact in the last 2 years, have we really spent more than Spurs, Villa & even Sunderland?

 

Rafa had every reason to be confident with his squad in the summer; Alonso replaced by Aquilani & Arbeloa replaced by Johnson, what could possibly go wrong? Sadly injuries and poor form have dogged this 86 point squad and whilst a manager can take responsibility for tactics and selection, its unlikely that Rafa ever thought that things could get this bad. But pretty much from the first three games, the press have rolled out the same old stories;

 

1. Two-man team

2. Should never have sold Alonso

3. Let's drag the old LFC players who don't like Rafa (but failed miserably at management themselves) and present them as experts who only care about what's best for the club.

 

There's something special about Liverpool Football Club and part of that has traditionally been the fans; if the press and incompetent owners succeed in changing this tradition, isn't it more than just this season which will suffer?

[BG]

 

This dumbing down of expectations grates on me beyond belief. We are Liverpool Football Club, money has f*** all to do with anything when it comes to our ambition and what exist to do.

 

 

In the real world money has rather a lot to do with the club's ability to achieve its ambitions but don't let that stop you.