Liverpool FC Forum

[Madmax]

I think as it has been for a long time now,we are the biggest threat to our title chances!!!

spot on!

[roberto green]

should rename the thread who is our biggest threat for top 4

[Ciggy]

Who is the biggest threat to our title chances?

Ourselves.

[stmichael]

The players.

Let's all stop making excuses. Are these not the same players that beat Utd 4-1 in their own back yard? These players are letting themselves and the club down by continuing to doze and make silly mistakes and not taking chances when they are being created (and there were a few missed last night).

[FuzzyBear]

Rafa

I think yes, what about you?

[Owzat]

If our manager made most of money available, was tactically as proficient as you can be in terms of initial tactics, substitutions, changing the direction of the game (more than playing towards the opposite end in the second half) then perhaps we could assume the best was being got out of what was available. It isn't. We're playing a defensive system nobody likes, subs before the 60th minute are rare indeed and he spends lots of money on individual players without much regard for the bigger picture. He spent near £40m in 08/09 and to be frank which of those signings is a first team regular/first choice? Keane? (sold back), Dossena (want rid), Cavlieri (bench), Riera (out of favour), N'Gog (bench) or Degen (yet to play in the Premiership, but cost nothing anyway) This season we've spent nearly the same again on two players, one who isn't due to be fit for weeks and the other people are raving about but has so far played in two defeats ie whatever the problem was, is or was going to be, he hasn't made much difference to the outcome(s).

Look at the Arsenal squad, the manager gets slated for not spending but considering how little he spends compared to Rafa I'd say he's many times the manager. I said a while back that maybe we should spend our money on a new manager (maybe Arsene), as with Houllier he has taken us in the right direction but can he make the final step? 2nd in 01/02 with 80 points, 12 games unbeaten and top in 02/03 before the season went pear shaped and we lost 10 of the last 26 games. He got one more season before he was gone, fans on here would go beserk if Rafa went in similar circumstances. Funny how Rafa "has no money", "it's the owners' fault" yet little excuse was made for Houllier, perhaps because most recognised his signings as cr ap but now the culture is blame the owners even though a lot of signings by Rafa are cr ap. People merrily criticise Lucas, Voronin, Dossena and Babel without so much as a mention Rafa signed them and they cost a mere £23.5m between them including one on a free. Add to that Keane at £19m/£20.3m (as would have cost eventually) and you have £43.7m on five players much criticised and clear evidence of Rafa's wasteful spending. So much for "no money to spend", I do question whether our owners are the best thing for the club, but to say Rafa has no money is plain daft and untrue. How he spends it is a bigger concern than how much. He's got or had a handful of £15m+ players in the squad - Keane, Mascherano, Johnson, Aquilani and Torres - Houllier's only £14m signing arrived after he had departed (Cisse) We got close to the title with only two of those playing much part, now we have four and look a pale shadow of the side of last season, especially without Alonso. Fair enough Rafa signed Alonso, but he hasn't shown the capability of resolving the problem seemingly caused by Xabi's departure.

I am feeling more strongly each day that those saying we'll never win the league with Rafa are correct.

[Ola Mr Benitez]

I to have reservations about Rafa. I always have, but I decided last year after we ran Man U so close to lay off him (Not that I was ever that vocal) and see what happens..  The squad is really not that different than last year, we can still go on a run and turn arounf this bad start. 

The one thing I keep at the front of my mind is that Man U lost 4 games last year but didnt draw anywhere near what we did.  Most important for this season is to start and keep winning, turn last seasons draws into wins and don't lose too many more.

As supporters we support, and that should include everthing and everyone.. yes that includes Rafa, Lucas and even Babel (I will draw a line at H & G).  It is still the start of the season, lets not push the panic button just yet

YNWA
SOS
SWALK (oops sorry didnt mean that one)

[LFC2007]

He spent near £40m in 08/09 and to be frank which of those signings is a first team regular/first choice? Keane? (sold back), Dossena (want rid), Cavlieri (bench), Riera (out of favour), N'Gog (bench) or Degen (yet to play in the Premiership, but cost nothing anyway) This season we've spent nearly the same again on two players, one who isn't due to be fit for weeks and the other people are raving about but has so far played in two defeats ie whatever the problem was, is or was going to be, he hasn't made much difference to the outcome(s).

The first sentence, fair enough with the exception of Riera who is definitely one of Rafa's better signings. After that, though, I don't see the point of your argument. Johnson's been our best performer so far this season and although he can't yet be categorised either way so to speak, it looks quite obvious to me that he won't turn out to be a 'waste of money'. Aquilani we've yet to have a look at so we cannot know if he'll fall into the Masch, Torres, Alonso category, or the Keane, Dossena, Babel one.

[heimdall]

He spent near £40m in 08/09 and to be frank which of those signings is a first team regular/first choice? Keane? (sold back), Dossena (want rid), Cavlieri (bench), Riera (out of favour), N'Gog (bench) or Degen (yet to play in the Premiership, but cost nothing anyway) This season we've spent nearly the same again on two players, one who isn't due to be fit for weeks and the other people are raving about but has so far played in two defeats ie whatever the problem was, is or was going to be, he hasn't made much difference to the outcome(s).

The first sentence, fair enough with the exception of Riera who is definitely one of Rafa's better signings. After that, though, I don't see the point of your argument. Johnson's been our best performer so far this season and although he can't yet be categorised either way so to speak, it looks quite obvious to me that he won't turn out to be a 'waste of money'. Aquilani we've yet to have a look at so we cannot know if he'll fall into the Masch, Torres, Alonso category, or the Keane, Dossena, Babel one.

If Riera is one of Rafa's better signings, which I think is stretching things a bit considering the signings of Torres, Mascha, Reina, Alonso, Kuyt, johnson even Bennayoun then you surely have to ask the question, why is he not getting a game?

[LFC2007]

He's definitely one of Rafa's better signings and no I don't think that's 'stretching it' at all. He's better than Benayoun and was very important player for us at various stages last season. See comments in 'Riera or Benayoun?' thread for justification. Why he hasn't played this season I haven't he foggiest, I wish he had though.

[heimdall]

He's definitely one of Rafa's better signings and no I don't think that's 'stretching it' at all. He's better than Benayoun and was very important player for us at various stages last season. See comments in 'Riera or Benayoun?' thread for justification. Why he hasn't played this season I haven't he foggiest, I wish he had though.

Is that a criticism of the manager, perhaps 

[Judge]

3 games in and our biggest threat appears to be most teams at present, stoke apart we are very much a disjointed lacklustre squad at the moment.

[bigmick]

I'm sticking with my original choice of "others". It caused a bit of controversy at the time, but I think the last couple of weeks has proven it to be a shrewd pick.

Currently the biggest threat to our title challenge is the fact that we have a midfield which is completely inept, mostly through the centre, but also in the wide positions as well. Unless we sort that out pretty quickly, someone had better start a "who's the biggest threat to us getting in the top four" thread. My only request is that when they do, they include an "others" option, because I strongly suspect it'll get my vote again.

[roberto green]

I'm sticking with my original choice of "others". It caused a bit of controversy at the time, but I think the last couple of weeks has proven it to be a shrewd pick.

Currently the biggest threat to our title challenge is the fact that we have a midfield which is completely inept, mostly through the centre, but also in the wide positions as well. Unless we sort that out pretty quickly, someone had better start a "who's the biggest threat to us getting in the top four" thread. My only request is that when they do, they include an "others" option, because I strongly suspect it'll get my vote again.

and if we don't sort the midfield out before Xmas there will be a thread who is our biggest threat against relegation

[heimdall]

I'm sticking with my original choice of "others". It caused a bit of controversy at the time, but I think the last couple of weeks has proven it to be a shrewd pick.

Currently the biggest threat to our title challenge is the fact that we have a midfield which is completely inept, mostly through the centre, but also in the wide positions as well. Unless we sort that out pretty quickly, someone had better start a "who's the biggest threat to us getting in the top four" thread. My only request is that when they do, they include an "others" option, because I strongly suspect it'll get my vote again.

and if we don't sort the midfield out before Xmas there will be a thread who is our biggest threat against relegation

Dude don't even tempt fate!