Liverpool FC Forum

[taff]

We're only three points ahead of Hull City FFS! You call this progression? 

Everton did us a favour and hopefully Hull take points from Chelsea, that would be magnificent.

[maguskwt]

We're only three points ahead of Hull City FFS! You call this progression? 

Everton did us a favour and hopefully Hull take points from Chelsea, that would be magnificent.

If chelsea gets beaten by hull I'll be laughing my off... 

[taff]

I cant see that happening but a hard fought draw with a bit of luck maybe.  But Hull dont close down the flanks like we do and this could be their undoing but then again after yesterday a message has been sent to the rest of the league on how to hamper Chelsea and Hull if anything have the attitude and desire to do this if not maybe the skill that we have.

I would love to see a draw.

On Rafa,  I hope that now we see total belief in his ability as all the papers are just full of how he out thought Chelsea.  I mean belief from the players, and if this happens we may be on track for the league

[lakes10]

lets look at the truh here,

Our progression under rafa in the CL. outstanding.
Our progression under rafa in the Prem, Slow, we should be where we are now two years ago, and saying that i dont think we have a beter team than we did last year, but this its all about the Prem and thats why we are doing well, last year he would have never taken off SG at 1-1 in the CL.

[Leonmc0708]

lets look at the truh here,

Our progression under rafa in the CL. outstanding.
Our progression under rafa in the Prem, Slow, we should be where we are now two years ago, and saying that i dont think we have a beter team than we did last year, but this its all about the Prem and thats why we are doing well, last year he would have never taken off SG at 1-1 in the CL.

Clueless.

[Jimmy the Weasel]

Admittedly I've not read it all, but I'd echo what a few people on this thread have been saying in the past couple of pages - that Rafa has seemed to see that change for changes sake (as we sometimes saw it I suspect) is not always necessary or appropriate.

However the one area I'm delighted to see a difference this season is his willingness to make changes for the positive, rather than to maintain the current state (which too often in the past was a draw).

Also, he's managed over the years to slowly accumulate a players here and there that he knows he can trust and have faith in - I'm talking the additions of the likes of Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Mascherano, Torres, Riera, Babel (moreso this season), Alonso and Keane - some genuine quality that he believes can be put onto the field and win the match for him, not just players who we're making do with, or who can "do a job" in a given position. Now he's got enough quality to be able to play it that way.

I was frustrated against Villa as I felt that the way it played out, it was a very winnable match and Rafa didn't go for it. I was annoyed to be honest as it settling for a point, which in paper is fine, but having watched the match I think could have been converted into 3 points for us.

Since then, I've been really impressed with how prepared Rafa is to take the game to the opposition when a stalemate looks on the cards - he's making proactive substitutions to influence and win the match, rather than to avoid losing it, and that's a sign of a great manager IMO.

I've been critical of him and had all to many of these head-scratching moments when I've looked at our team sheet and set-up in the past.

However I'm very happy with him so far this season - not just because of where we are in the league, but the small, significant decisions he's made to put us there.

[Sarge]

Keepin' my fingers crossed until the fat lady's sings.

Less rotation = happy

More rotation = we are f.cked.

[stmichael]

Read an excellent piece by Henry Winter in the Telegraph yesterday. He was pointing out that Rafael Benitez deserves immense credit for devising a game plan against Chelsea that will secure him a small place in the history books, and even more so for his uncharacteristic willingness to disclose it afterwards. He also pointed out that Benitez’s record of six wins and six draws from 21 matches against Chelsea is better than that of any other manager during the same period.

[GYBS]

Rafa has always seemed to done well against them in cup matches but has never managed to reproduce it in the prem until sunday when we finally managed a win against them in the league

[Jimmy the Weasel]

Rafa has always seemed to done well against them in cup matches but has never managed to reproduce it in the prem until sunday when we finally managed a win against them in the league

I think we've put in some very strong performances against them in the league in the past season or two.

Where we've struggled is getting the end result - not least because of that dodgy penalty last season for example, where we bossed it for most of the match and still only got a draw.

[GYBS]

maybe its a turning of the tide with the players having a better or more positive attitude towards the game .

[Jimmy the Weasel]

maybe its a turning of the tide with the players having a better or more positive attitude towards the game .

Or more significantly in my opinion, the manager having a more positive attitude towards the game.

[GYBS]

Positive attitude to the game ? in what way has he not had a positive attitude towards the game ?

[Jimmy the Weasel]

Positive attitude to the game ? in what way has he not had a positive attitude towards the game ?

I've explained this at the top of this page in a post I made the other day.

[GYBS]

ummm ok.