Liverpool FC Forum

[bunglemark2]

Folks, is it not the case that Rafa is almost 95% sure to feck off to Juve ? In which case, what's the point in speculating who would be worth £568M to sign and £34.5M per week in wages, when we don't even know who the next manager is going to be; who he likes and dislikes; what transfer budget we'll have to start with etc...
It's all pie in the sky at the moment...

[zarababe]

Why do we have to spend 50 million on one player to compete ?
I am not saying its easy but we have a good side and are not far off.
The manager has had enough money each season to bring in some players - nothing like city or chelsea but still enough to transform the whole squad from what he inherited.
If he cant compete for trophies in that situation then bring someone in who can.
Its not good enough to just say well we cant compete so we will make do.
Aston Villa made the semi's of the FA cup and the final of the league cup and to me we have a far better team.
So something is not right.

But if we accept that there isn't a lot to do, to win trophies - we need class not quantity is what Gerrard recenlty said too, ppl would say Villa, Benzema etc and that's what they cost !

We have improved in the league under Rafa more-or-less year on year - this season has been a disaster.. but, what you get rid of a manager sustaining internal battles, whilst managing so much else, now ?

It's short sitedness and shows little respect for the man who has burdened much in the darkest days internally for this club.

[tubby]

"He always dedicates plenty on free-kicks and corners. In England it's always good to take advantage of situations where the ball is inactive."

He does? If this is true then we really are in trouble as this is one of the worst aspects of our game. Very rarely do we take advantage of a set piece.

Maybe it's bad becasue we have so many poor players.

[account deleted by request]

"He always dedicates plenty on free-kicks and corners. In England it's always good to take advantage of situations where the ball is inactive."

He does? If this is true then we really are in trouble as this is one of the worst aspects of our game. Very rarely do we take advantage of a set piece.

Maybe it's bad becasue we have so many poor players.

All bought by a poor manager ?

[lakes10]

Folks, is it not the case that Rafa is almost 95% sure to feck off to Juve ? In which case, what's the point in speculating who would be worth £568M to sign and £34.5M per week in wages, when we don't even know who the next manager is going to be; who he likes and dislikes; what transfer budget we'll have to start with etc...
It's all pie in the sky at the moment...

It seem more talk are going on with Real Madrid than Juve.
Juve set their stoll out and now i would take it that Rafas agent is talking to Real to see if they can better the offer or to see if Liverpool can do something to make him stay.

[zarababe]

"He always dedicates plenty on free-kicks and corners. In England it's always good to take advantage of situations where the ball is inactive."

He does? If this is true then we really are in trouble as this is one of the worst aspects of our game. Very rarely do we take advantage of a set piece.

Maybe it's bad becasue we have so many poor players.

All bought by a poor manager ?

in a poory run football club...

[account deleted by request]

So maybe none of our players are poor and its really the owners and a badly run club that make them look poor. Perhaps we shouldn't bother buying any new players as no doubt once we get new owners all the players who are being held back by poor owners will start to shine. No doubt once Hicks and Gillett have gone N'gog will become world class, Babel will outshine Ronaldo and Insua will be the best Argentinian player since Maradona (possibly better!  )

[zarababe]

oh saint leave me alone - I'm depressed and hormonal lar .. but if all that happened I bet ya won't credit Rafa with it ay

[bigmick]

Houllier won lots of trophies, and it was 9 out of 11 of his team which won the Champions League.

So does that mean if Porto prince Jose came here next season and won the title with 9 out of 11 Rafa players it would be Rafa's title?

you won't get an answer for that. If the team loses, it's the manager's fault, if the team wins it's because of the squad he inherited...

No it wouldn't mean it was Rafa's title, but then again I'm not saying it was Houlliers Champions League either. Rafa getting a team which included the likes of Igor Biscan and Djimi Traore to win a Champions League was a truly astonishing achievement, and even though we had the rub of the green I think it's fair to say, it would be silly to deny the fact.

No, the point about the 9 out of 11 wasn't about that. It was reference to the claim that is often made on here that Rafa inherited a heap of rubbish, he didn't. As Ben and S@int have pointed out, there were some good players too.

In many ways infact the new manager if Rafa did leave (which he won't IMHO) would inherit a similar situation. He would be taking on a bunch of players who amongst their number have lots of talent. Unlike the wrist slashers and blubberers, I actually think we've got a pretty good team which was plenty good enough to challenge for the title this season so it's quite possible that next season we could go very close with 9 out of eleven of the current team.

In that circumstance, it wouldn't be Rafa's title but it would demonstrate that we were actually a better team all along than many on here would have you believe. If people subsequently claimed that Rafa left a new manager a heap of rubbish, I'd be the first to point out that it really isn't the case.

I hope that answer suffices, but would be more than happy Magus to clarify any points if necessary.

[laza]

Hyypia, Henchoz : Gerrard , Hamann :  Owen, Heskey.

Also the difference in the striking options is massive.

Owen, Heskey Fowler and Litmanen

Torres, Ngog, Kuyt & babel

Thats look massive on paper Ben however IIRC

Houlliers reign saw poor Robbie rotated out even when he was scoring and Jari despite his obvious talents spent most of his career on bench

I certainly agree with you though about our current striking options

[Ben Patrick]

Laza the point i am making is the difference in quality with the options.
I am not necessarily saying i agree with who played and when etc.

[maguskwt]

Houllier won lots of trophies, and it was 9 out of 11 of his team which won the Champions League.

So does that mean if Porto prince Jose came here next season and won the title with 9 out of 11 Rafa players it would be Rafa's title?

you won't get an answer for that. If the team loses, it's the manager's fault, if the team wins it's because of the squad he inherited...

No it wouldn't mean it was Rafa's title, but then again I'm not saying it was Houlliers Champions League either. Rafa getting a team which included the likes of Igor Biscan and Djimi Traore to win a Champions League was a truly astonishing achievement, and even though we had the rub of the green I think it's fair to say, it would be silly to deny the fact.

No, the point about the 9 out of 11 wasn't about that. It was reference to the claim that is often made on here that Rafa inherited a heap of rubbish, he didn't. As Ben and S@int have pointed out, there were some good players too.

In many ways infact the new manager if Rafa did leave (which he won't IMHO) would inherit a similar situation. He would be taking on a bunch of players who amongst their number have lots of talent. Unlike the wrist slashers and blubberers, I actually think we've got a pretty good team which was plenty good enough to challenge for the title this season so it's quite possible that next season we could go very close with 9 out of eleven of the current team.

In that circumstance, it wouldn't be Rafa's title but it would demonstrate that we were actually a better team all along than many on here would have you believe. If people subsequently claimed that Rafa left a new manager a heap of rubbish, I'd be the first to point out that it really isn't the case.

I hope that answer suffices, but would be more than happy Magus to clarify any points if necessary.

Fair enough Mick...  it's just that sometimes it sounds often on here like Houllier won the CL... I agree Rafa inherited some good players... but the value of the squad itself was down in the gutters... only players that were worth keeping were Gerrard, Carragher, Sami, Riise, Finnan and maybe Hamann. The first 5 Rafa did keep for a while. In there though only 2 players were key players, Gerrard and Carra. Sami was a key player but he was getting on and being found out for pace. Riise and Finnan were good squad players. Hamann was too specialised and also getting on abit. So basically the only two players of value were Gerrard and Carra. Rafa kept Sami, Riise and Finnan as long as he could...

[tubby]

Have we been sold yet?

[laza]

Laza the point i am making is the difference in quality with the options.
I am not necessarily saying i agree with who played and when etc.

Point im making that it may look good on paper Ben but I dont remember panning out that way at time .

Im not going into Ged bashing because Im truly grateful for treble year after 90s decade.

However like St Mick I was thoroughly depressed by football we were playing by end of Houllier's reign with Heskey/Owen option.

[parchpea]

Benitez won the Champs leaue with most of Houlliers team and has picked up an FA Cup.After that theres nothing. Houllier won far more silverware over his time at the club so edges it for me. Rafa went to the core of our hearts with that astonishing night in Istanbul.In many ways its given people a misty eyed view of him and holding that memory has made people misjudge his true ability and unfortunately thats contributed to where we are in the league today.