Liverpool FC Forum

[Sir Roger]

Umm isnt training the players a bloody big part in the whole picture , im pretty glad we have a manager that is fixated on the training sessions -

But well done on bringing in another dig at lucas .

"Fixated"?
Is that what he is?

[NANNY RED]

Umm isnt training the players a bloody big part in the whole picture , im pretty glad we have a manager that is fixated on the training sessions -

But well done on bringing in another dig at lucas .

"Fixated"?
Is that what he is?

No hes just Norwiegan

[GYBS]

Thats the words someone else used i would prefer to use other ones but will let the rafa bashers take the lead on this one .

[GYBS]

Umm isnt training the players a bloody big part in the whole picture , im pretty glad we have a manager that is fixated on the training sessions -

But well done on bringing in another dig at lucas .

"Fixated"?
Is that what he is?

No hes just Norwiegan

[heimdall]

Umm isnt training the players a bloody big part in the whole picture , im pretty glad we have a manager that is fixated on the training sessions -

But well done on bringing in another dig at lucas .

"Fixated"?
Is that what he is?

No hes just Norwiegan

Rafa's Norwegian    That explains quite a bit. 

[stmichael]

is he likely to start against scotland tonight?

[Owzat]

is he likely to start against scotland tonight?

I thought they were playing NEVERLAND XI not No'way. No'way are playing Mac-e-D in Onslow and hoping to pip the jocks to the post

[heimdall]

is he likely to start against scotland tonight?

I thought they were playing NEVERLAND XI not No'way. No'way are playing Mac-e-D in Onslow and hoping to pip the jocks to the post

It doesn't really matter, we needed to beat Iceland to have any chance. We need so many matches to go in our favour to be one of the best 2nd placed teams that it's virtually impossible.

In any case we have no right to be in the world cup, we really suck. 

[bunglemark2]

So, you think continuing the process of airing our issues and washing dirty linen in public is productive ?
To the guy who mentioned Gerrard, the difference is, at least Gerrard is (for the most part, anyway) committed to driving the team forward. And there's no harm giving him a kick up the hole to remind him that as Captain, and as a player who has set the bar at a level others should be aiming to achieve, it's incumbent upon him to show a bit more gusto than he did vs. Villa for example.
If the intention is to sell Babel, then a bit of one-to-one man management is needed, on the side, out of the newspapers...Otherwise it just looks like Rafa is pouting once again...

The quotes are from an interview with Rafa, conducted by the offal, not the papers. In it, he tries to encourage the two to knuckle down and work hard to get back into the side - you say 'dirty linen' and 'out of order', I say a fairly standard response to a few sensationalised mumblings in the media, intended to elicit a positive response from the two players in question and the squad as a whole. Here's the article again:

"Albert and Ryan both want to play," said Benitez.  "They play in the same position and so have to compete with each other, which is good for us.
 
"The message is very simple. On the pitch all of the players have to prove something.
 
"Ryan knows he cannot go now, so he has to impress. He is a good player and we know he has talent. It's important for us to talk with him and see how he progresses over these months.
 
"With the World Cup at the end of the year the majority of our players will want to impress and if they do well in each training session they will have more chances."

You decide.

Mate, highlighting the odd word or three in bold is great, well done. Set in the context of the rest of the piece though, focusing on specific words can be interpreted in a couple of different ways...

To paraphrase....
"He is a good player and we know he has talent"
could be interpreted as a) encouraging the poor fella Babel, or b) condescending.

or,

"the majority of our players" will want to do well...
could be interpreted as a) some don't, b) Babel is one of those who don't, or c) a complete red herring because of the language barrier.

I stand by my original point. Rafa should not even entertain a comment on this in the media. It's an in-house issue to resolve...

[LFC2007]

To paraphrase....
"He is a good player and we know he has talent"
could be interpreted as a) encouraging the poor fella Babel, or b) condescending.

or,

"the majority of our players" will want to do well...
could be interpreted as a) some don't, b) Babel is one of those who don't, or c) a complete red herring because of the language barrier.

Good one   

[loopyliverpool]

Babel has played as a left sided attacking midfielder/winger sort of player as has Riera. The thing is Babel doesn't see this as his 'best' position. He sees himself as a central striker and maybe this is where there is a little bit of disgruntlement on his part. I feel we would see a better player if he plays more games, which he definitely will do this season as the squad is so thin. For me, if he is still not performing grant him his loan move.

[red_guy]

Babel has played as a left sided attacking midfielder/winger sort of player as has Riera. The thing is Babel doesn't see this as his 'best' position. He sees himself as a central striker and maybe this is where there is a little bit of disgruntlement on his part. I feel we would see a better player if he plays more games, which he definitely will do this season as the squad is so thin. For me, if he is still not performing grant him his loan move.

He (Babel) refers himself as a 'Henry' type of player, which is wide left forward and that was his position at Ajax and also his current  position in Liverpool. Disgruntled because the manager played him out of his 'original' position? don't think so. The problem is his attitude... just look at Dirk Kuyt. He came here as a striker and ended up as a right winger and he's still doing his job very well ..
Babel doesnt have a footballing brain. He's always out of position every time he play, awful touches and his whining attitude's definitely not helping.. oo btw, i've heard he's a rapper. Reminds me of Cisse..

[bunglemark2]

Looks like Rafa isn't keen on letting the muppet go to Ajax in the new year either. Interview on LFC.tv

"Journalist: So will you maybe let Ryan go back to Holland on loan in January?
 
No. He has to perform well for us and be ready for this game for us and the next one, because we have a lot of games to play before January so I am not thinking about this"

[Owzat]

I'm more worried about Rafa talking about titles being won in April and May again, we need to be there or thereabouts to win titles in May so NOW is pretty darn fucking important Rafa.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N165722090910-1429.htm

"You cannot win titles in September, so you have to go to January and see where you are, and then April and May is when you will fight"

I'm not so keen on this "see where you are" and "April and May is when you will fight", a title is won by the side (usually) that wins the most games and you sure as hell can't win 27 games in "April and May". We lost the title in January and February last year Rafa, care to mention that or those months?!?


I doubt Babel will play a significant part, but can understand why Rafa wants him here as the team is pretty thin anyway and he must be in the top 20 players at the club surely?

[stmichael]

Dunno what was wrong with Babel tonight. He actually looked like he gave a sh#t when he came on.