Liverpool FC Forum

[Rockthekop]

Kuyt and Torres saved Rafa's bacon, the place was up in arms when we went 2-1 down. 

He left it late to put Torres on but fortunately it resulted in the winning goal.

Bringing on Torres was the only thing any manager could have done at that stage.  Tactical genius my ar@e!

We got away with it last night because it was a poor Portsmouth side, had it been a better team we would have lost.

[bigmick]

Anyone thinks we can just sack Rafa and bring in someone who will snap his fingers and win the EPL should really think again.

Couldn't agree more. Anybody who thinks that winning the Premiership is easy is a mug. Only very few managers have what it takes.

My feeling is that the current manager we have doesn't have what it takes. That's not to say though that you bring a new manager in and he "snaps his fingers". No, there's more to it than that.

We are though in the final year of our five year plan, having spent upwards of 150 million quid during that period. It appears our second choice striker is David N'gog. I don't think someone could come in and win the Premiership at the snap of his fingers, but I don't think that that situation is indicative of a manager who is going to win it for us either. Yesterdays win didn't change my mind any either to be honest.

[Number 9]

Kuyt and Torres saved Rafa's bacon, the place was up in arms when we went 2-1 down. 

He left it late to put Torres on but fortunately it resulted in the winning goal.

Bringing on Torres was the only thing any manager could have done at that stage.  Tactical genius my ar@e!

We got away with it last night because it was a poor Portsmouth side, had it been a better team we would have lost.

Well look at it this way.
Did you watch the game on wed night?
Did you notice that Nando was absolutely shattered and for the last 15-20 mins on the pitch his head was down?

I have to laugh at all this we should have started with him or him.Say we played Torres from the off and again he was wrecked at half time and had to come off.What then?
The manager took a gamble and yes it paid off.But at the same time if we can crucify Rafa for starting players that we dont agree with we can say well done when he brings on 3 players that change a game.
Had Rafa not have brought Xabi,Kuyt and Torres on it would have been his fault we never won..yeah?
So when he does bring them on...is it not his fault that it worked,or is giving the manager some credit not what ya do anymore,if its positive does the praise automatically go to the players and Rafa become lucky??

[Number 9]

Anyone thinks we can just sack Rafa and bring in someone who will snap his fingers and win the EPL should really think again.

Couldn't agree more. Anybody who thinks that winning the Premiership is easy is a mug. Only very few managers have what it takes.

My feeling is that the current manager we have doesn't have what it takes. That's not to say though that you bring a new manager in and he "snaps his fingers". No, there's more to it than that.

We are though in the final year of our five year plan, having spent upwards of 150 million quid during that period. It appears our second choice striker is David N'gog. I don't think someone could come in and win the Premiership at the snap of his fingers, but I don't think that that situation is indicative of a manager who is going to win it for us either. Yesterdays win didn't change my mind any either to be honest.

When W Ham beat UTD you will feel a bit better!

[kazza]

Since Keane left we look happier, maybe he was causing disunity in the dressing room.

[kazza]

I love it when the team is rotated (styled) and we win (it gives the complainers no case). Last year we would not have won that match. It is beginning to happen.

[bigmick]

Anyone thinks we can just sack Rafa and bring in someone who will snap his fingers and win the EPL should really think again.

Couldn't agree more. Anybody who thinks that winning the Premiership is easy is a mug. Only very few managers have what it takes.

My feeling is that the current manager we have doesn't have what it takes. That's not to say though that you bring a new manager in and he "snaps his fingers". No, there's more to it than that.

We are though in the final year of our five year plan, having spent upwards of 150 million quid during that period. It appears our second choice striker is David N'gog. I don't think someone could come in and win the Premiership at the snap of his fingers, but I don't think that that situation is indicative of a manager who is going to win it for us either. Yesterdays win didn't change my mind any either to be honest.

When W Ham beat UTD you will feel a bit better!

No doubt Baz, and I wouldn't be totally surprised if the "ammers" did us a favour either.

I'm happy enough though, best season for years what with being involved and all the talking points. Can't wack it tbh.

[Number 9]

Anyone thinks we can just sack Rafa and bring in someone who will snap his fingers and win the EPL should really think again.

Couldn't agree more. Anybody who thinks that winning the Premiership is easy is a mug. Only very few managers have what it takes.

My feeling is that the current manager we have doesn't have what it takes. That's not to say though that you bring a new manager in and he "snaps his fingers". No, there's more to it than that.

We are though in the final year of our five year plan, having spent upwards of 150 million quid during that period. It appears our second choice striker is David N'gog. I don't think someone could come in and win the Premiership at the snap of his fingers, but I don't think that that situation is indicative of a manager who is going to win it for us either. Yesterdays win didn't change my mind any either to be honest.

When W Ham beat UTD you will feel a bit better!

No doubt Baz, and I wouldn't be totally surprised if the "ammers" did us a favour either.

I'm happy enough though, best season for years what with being involved and all the talking points. Can't wack it tbh.

Well mate i wont be putting any money on it like!
But I will be watching with everything crossed!

[Rockthekop]

Kuyt and Torres saved Rafa's bacon, the place was up in arms when we went 2-1 down. 

He left it late to put Torres on but fortunately it resulted in the winning goal.

Bringing on Torres was the only thing any manager could have done at that stage.  Tactical genius my ar@e!

We got away with it last night because it was a poor Portsmouth side, had it been a better team we would have lost.

Well look at it this way.
Did you watch the game on wed night?
Did you notice that Nando was absolutely shattered and for the last 15-20 mins on the pitch his head was down?

I have to laugh at all this we should have started with him or him.Say we played Torres from the off and again he was wrecked at half time and had to come off.What then?
The manager took a gamble and yes it paid off.But at the same time if we can crucify Rafa for starting players that we dont agree with we can say well done when he brings on 3 players that change a game.
Had Rafa not have brought Xabi,Kuyt and Torres on it would have been his fault we never won..yeah?
So when he does bring them on...is it not his fault that it worked,or is giving the manager some credit not what ya do anymore,if its positive does the praise automatically go to the players and Rafa become lucky??

I wouldn't have started Torres but giving him 15mins is hardly enough time to have an impact in the game.  It was a big gamble leaving it so late but Rafa had no choice but to get him on. 

We were so close to drawing or losing that game which would have surely all but ended our title challenge.  Throwing Torres on was an act of desperation, not tactical genius.  We needed to win, get your best striker on.

Anyhow we got the 3pts regardless of how we got them or who was or wasn't a genius, cmon West Ham!

[crazyhorse]

We won. I dont give a toss how at the moment.

This needs to be forgotton and the next game concentrated on... lets win that, and see where we are.

To win the title is still a massive job, well the only way to eat an elephant is in bite sized chunks.

I think that is what Rafa is doing. One game at a time. I expect more selection and tactical surprises, and for once I agree with him.

[Number 9]

I wouldn't have started Torres but giving him 15mins is hardly enough time to have an impact in the game.  It was a big gamble leaving it so late but Rafa had no choice but to get him on. 

But it was because he scored the winning goal that turned one point into three!
I dont think anyone is trying to say it was "tactical genius" but when managers do things that pay off its OK to say..well done it worked today.The "they saved his bacon" bit can also be looked at from two ways.
Were you prepared to say yesterday IF Rafa had not made subs that it was the players fault that we never won?You dont really need to answer that.
So when he puts players on and they have the effect he wants...he has in fact"saved his own bacon"
Or do we give players the praise when we win and blame the manager when we loose?

[GOAT_2.0]

We are awesome aren't we.

Wouldn't swap us for anybody

[Number 9]

Have to laugh yesterday!
Peewee was lurking in the thread when we were 2-1 down near the end,you just know that he was waiting to jump in balls deep and hammer Rafa big style!
Then when we won he seemingly had nothing to say.Im sure maybe he had to go,his taxi was waiting or something aye!
Quite the dissapearing act!
Peewee Copperfield!

[lakes10]

delighted with the win, but am a little concerned about our level of urgency up until the last 15 minutes or so of games.
i think babbel started well today, aurelio looked comfortable and i think ngogg can turn out to be a good player but as a collective we need to raise our game like we did today just more earlier in the game

Ngog can turn out to be a good player?.Mate theres nothing more I'd like than to agree with you.but I just cant see it!What do you see that I dont?
He always looks like he's out of his League when he starts..championship material,maybe even league 1..sadly!

but sometimes is it not better to work with a young player and make him better than just give up on him?

this just by better thing has got to stop and soon it will, there will be caps on how much you can buy players for and how much you can pay them (its still going to be very high but not very silly money).

for the last 4 years we as a club have given up on all our young Englishs players and the word has spread ,if you are young and English dont go to Liverpool, its not goodand must stop.

[pacman06]

It really does beggar belief on here sometimes. The team wins with a goal 90 seconds from the end, you're all up and happy and we're top of the league and you get every second poster rounding on anyone who is able to express anything other than "GET IN THERE FFS!!!!!!!!!". Yes, we all like to "get in there", some of us so badly that when we do, FFS is entirely appropriate. It is possible though to happy we won the game and perhaps wonder if there's a reason we did kind of make hard work of it.

Now for those who simply want to say "GET IN THERE!!!!!!!!", more power to their elbow. That is your right, your privialge etc etc. I have never ever had a go at a "GET IN THERE" post, and why should I? It's lovely and we're all happy. If you simply want to be happy and not even think about anything else, then peachy. Why doesn't somebody start a "GET IN THERE!!!" thread, and we can all go "GET IN THERE!!!". No doubt somebody will get really carried away and say "GET THE FECK IN THERE!!!!!" but it's all good. If you don't want to start such a thread but would like to do it in here, that's good too. I'll start it off, "GET IN THERE!!!!!!!".

If on the other hand, given it's the match thread and all that stuff and given it's a football forum, if people want to actually talk about the match, is it not OK? If it's not, I'll toddle off and start a new thread. It really is very strange on here sometimes.

Can you not just enjoy the match for what it was?

Does everything need dissecting into a 30 paragraph case study?