Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

Just thinking about all his detractors earlier in the season makes me laugh at the moment.

Can you believe that this was just three months ago? Unbelievable.

http://www.liverpoolfc-newkit.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=13144&hilit=long

Rafa stuck to his guns and made the adjustments that were necessary to create a team that could challenge both Manure and Arsenal and certainly get closer to Chelsea who are still streets ahead of everybody without even playing that well. We all knew from his time at Valencia that the first priority would be the defence and he's now created the best defensive unit in the league bar none. Hell going forward even the strikers have started scoring and the midfield is possibly the strongest in the Premiership at the moment.


I have always maintained that the manager would get it right but even I am surprised how quickly he has done this. Personally I didn't think we would be at this level of consistency in all competitions until at least next season.

After the Palace game, some numpties on here wanted Benitez out. Well where are they now? In modern football people are far too quick to lump all the blame on the manager. It's human nature I suppose. However the player's had to take the lion's share of the blame because at that stage they quite simply weren't doing it, and we didn't know what kind of performance we were going to see from one week to the next. Two months later and where are we?

We've already surpassed Arsenal in the League and two seasons ago we finished 30 points behind them. We're at least on a level with Manure who are in a stage of rebuilding and look like they're going to get rid of Fergie at the end of the season. Quite simply, it's amazing how Rafa has transformed the club on the pitch, not just in the first team but at the lower levels as well.

Like Arsene Wenger before him his management skill will allow us to compete when we are financially disadvantaged compared to chelsea and manu. I Just hope he wants to live in and around Liverpool for a very long time and I'm sure he does. Yes that's right Lakes, Rafa will not be heading anywhere soon until he has achieved what he and all the fans want. Another European Cup and hopefully the first League title in 15 years. 

YNWA

[zarababe]

I have alwasy maintained that this is the right man, given time he would get it right, but some of the reactions on here were unbelievable and I have to say at times I thought I was loggin on to a another forum.

Perspective and bigger picture thinking does help Mourinhio is worried about us now,and all the pundits are eaten humble pie. It's great.

I'm not advocating we should all sing from the same hymn sheets but come on, Benitez's pedigree is for all to see.

[RedWolf35]

Lakes is a total muppet for posting that thread  ffs the guy had just won the CL in his first season

[skipper]

Great run we've had.  From the slow start we had all the way to second place!  Rafa's a patient man and now it's all working out.  Let's win the WCC!  More trophies the better.

[mighty mo]

IN RAFA WE TRUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stmichael]

I have alwasy maintained that this is the right man, given time he would get it right, but some of the reactions on here were unbelievable and I have to say at times I thought I was loggin on to a another forum.

Perspective and bigger picture thinking does help Mourinhio is worried about us now,and all the pundits are eaten humble pie. It's great.

I'm not advocating we should all sing from the same hymn sheets but come on, Benitez's pedigree is for all to see.

too right zarababe

i do wonder about this site sometimes. yes, we're all feelin 10 feet tall right now and rightly so with our unbeaten run and the world club championships coming up, but i can't bear the thought of coming onto the site when we lose our next game, say around april time.

hopefully the mood won't sour say if we don't win a game once, or if we start falling down the table due to not playin till the 26th, or if rafa doesn't buy the 1 player everyone wants which varies from joaquin to... lee trundle 

all i'm sayin is lets not get stuck into our team the moment they slip, it's good to see the passion but lets keep the old chins up and not stick out the bottom lip. it's been a breath of fresh air on the site since we started on our run, and long may it continue. 

[Sabre]

Good point St Michael.

A quick note, I have to comment a mistake about all the Spaniards.

I'm viewing the second half again (have stopped the video now min 62) and I must say. Guys, it's about time you start making your commands in english, not in Spanish.

A ball in which Gerrard goes to the middle, it can be heard from Rafa "Xabi a la derecha!, Xabi a la derecha!" who was Rafa asking Xabi to cover that right wing while Gerrard was off.

When Yakubo tacklest like a bull to Xabi, this says "Hijo de puta!" which is "Son of a bitc*h"

Then Rafa asked "estás bien?" are you ok, to xabi. Sigue! Sigue! (keep on keep on pressing) have been another shouts.

IMHO, that's a mistake of Spaniards, all Spaniards. We like other countries but language wise we are too stick to the mother language. I think it's best for the team that we all switch to English ASAP, and for their english too, which is all right at the moment, for what I don't see why they don't use it more.

It's really nice to see twice that second half, I like Morientes, after and before the goals. The commentators of the FOX1 are a bit opprtunists, I'm looking forward what they have to say after our two goals. Now back to the game.

[zarababe]

.. this is not an issue as far as I am concerned, I mean learning scouse is hard it's working in all languages , the team spirit, confidence, happiness and joy amongst the players is there for all to see, whatever works goes.

[zarababe]

Quote Benitez:

"To see your team playing well, scoring goals and keeping clean sheets is good for a manager, but we are not looking any further than going to Japan and looking to win another trophy."   Oh is that all Mr Benitez

Innocent, but how sweet the tinge of arrogance

[babu]

Posted: Aug. 30 2005,19:33  stmichael

Can't argue with CL win, but lets face it, we are still not a great team and the signings made this summer will not turn us into one. The top three are still a distance away from us and the fact that we are already two games behind them due to other commitments won't help our bid to keep up with them.

I like Rafa a lot and he's definitely the man for the job, but then I liked GH at this stage too. Everyone keeps saying "trust rafa" and I do trust the guy, despite having watched too many lifeless and unappealing games that I am still not convinced that we are anywhere near challenging for the title.

--------------------

nice post stmike. 

[Garymac]

Ive got to hold my hands up because i came on here and slated us after the Fulham and Palace game, but i was well p!ssed off and we did look dreadful, some how though we have won the next 7 games and gained 21 points, who would have thought that after we only collected 10 from are 1st 8, long may this form continue and lets hope the boys reutrn from Japan as the world champs.

That will only give the boys more confidence, Well done Rafa and the boys for giving us belief and proving to us that last season will not go down as a flash in the pan, we could well be on are way to something special.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Bit of a silly question really.

Yes I have been disapointed with our league perfromances since Rafa has arrived, but to be honest it has been 3 seasons of poor perfromaces in the league. I am more than willing to forget last season as it was his first and he was still coming to terms with everything.

But this season we expect much better in the league and the Boss has my full support.

And yes I am disapointed that we havent signed a RM and a CB, but I'm sure it wasnt due to a lack of trying, at least we didnt get held to ransom as we have in the past.

The season starts on 10 September for me. If we look at the facts: We have qualified for the groups stages of the  Champions League, the distraction of the Super Cup is over and we won it, we beat Sunderland at home and drew to Middlesbrough away and kept 2 clean sheets. The tranfer deadline has gone, so no more of the out of control rumour stuff, the players we have are the ones that will be worked with for the next 4 months.

All the silly business is out of the way, only the World Club Championship remains, and we wont have to worry about that until december.

So onwards and upwards.

Well that was my response and I stand by it.

[Santa]

Lakes is a total muppet for posting that thread  ffs the guy had just won the CL in his first season

btw. where's Lakes now??? oh right, he won't be back until we lose our next game and shout his mouth off asking for Rafa to be replaced

Also a finger to all you boo boys who showed so little faith in the manager (and his tactics) only a few weeks back. No need to come here now and join in the praise for Rafa

[bonesy]

Cool Hand Luke your chatting nonsense. G

[bring_back_biscan]

made the adjustments that were necessary

The key point. Going with 2 strikers, Gerrard on the right, has helped going forward; ditching Traore and Josemi has helped our defensive stability.

All credit to Rafa for finally realising the error of his ways.