Liverpool FC Forum

by **azriahmad** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 am

The manager has done a fantastic job, more so considering our budget compared to Chelski, manure and Arsenal. He proved that with the CL win last season. Although we had some luck, I would only say that in avoiding Barca but I'd wager Rafa would have cooked up something to enable Liverppol to sneak past them if we had met them.

Rafa has proven his mettle in taking Valencia to 2 La Liga honours ahead of the much bigger spending clubs.

But I was really worried in the early part of the season when he persisted with his preferred formations and we were really struggling. I hope we don't pick up any unnecessary injuries in that frivilous tournament in Japan.

by **Leonmc0708** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 8:46 am

Whilst Lakes is a bit trigger happy, at least he posts his own opinion.

by **Ciggy** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 9:04 am

To be fair like things where not working at the time, the 4-5-1 formation had to go, and the ever annoying squad rotation that done the team no favours.
Glad to see Rafa asked for advice from ex reds, Rush, Aldo and Dalglish and has used the advice given to him.

by **bigmick** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 9:11 am

I don't know if I agree with posting up an eight page thread which has every member frantically scrolling through to see if they criticised Rafa that week

. After the Palace debacle I came on here and criticised the team. I said the body language as we drowned our way through the last ten minutes of that game was absolutely appalling. I said that I wasn't confident about the West Ham game on the Saturday and that Rafa had that haunted look in interviews as the media were barking at the door. I also said that given a couple more bad results and no improvement in performance then there was a possibility he would walk. That wasn't three months ago and TBH I think it was a fair snapshot at the time.
I also think that Rafa himself would now agree that we started the season too negatively. The Brum away game springs to mind as one we should have won in a canter but lack of attacking intent lead to us dropping two points. I think he would now concede that given our current personel, it was a mistake to persist so long with the 4-5-1 rather than 4-4-2. I also think that he would conclude that the frequent and wholesale squad rotation he was employing in the early part of our campaign was detrimental to our standing as a team.
Rafa has always been the right man but he has had to learn about English football. He hasn't totally gotit yet but he is getting there. Along the way he has made some mistakes, some of them quite big mistakes (Burnley away), and fans have every right to point them out. FWIW I actually quite admire Lakes's stance. He called it early and stuck to his guns. Fortunately though, he called it wrong.

by **primodua** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 9:45 am

We are not chelsh.it...we are not the galaf.uckticos either. We don't have deep pockets like they do. In reality those galaf.uckticos are nothing. Well they used to be great but certainly useless now. Money just can't buy everything.
Chelsh.it on the other hand are spending like there's no tommorrow. But look at their performances. I do not see them as the powerhouse of Europe despite their wealth and absurd spendings. Their dismal performances over past games proved their game are not as liquid as Arsenal or even Liverpool. Something is definitely wrong at that club.
As for liverpool, we have a great manager here. I never doubted Rafa from the first day I saw him wearing his liverpool kit because I knew back then that this club would be bettered under his management. But the thing that put me to significant disbelief is definitely the time taken. I'd say only Guus Hiddink by far could transform any hopeless team like South Korea into WC strong contender as they displayed in the last WC and bring Australia into their first time WC.
Rafa is similar to Hiddink. Rafa is by far the only manager that can match the golden era of this club. Not souness or houllier despite some silverware collections. We are talking about QUALITY and for the past 12 years, this is by far the strongest quality liverpool side I've ever seen after the dalglish era.

by **azriahmad** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:23 am

Win 1 championship can be dismissed as lucky, like Howard Wilkinson and Leeds in 1991/92, the year when Manure could have wrapped it but gave it away. Leeds then were an average side in an average league but had Cantona who came in at the 1/3rd stage of the season and often had a galvanising effect on Leeds. Rafa won 2 La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup, which says a lot of his pedigree, given that he faced clubs who had the largest transfer funds in Real Madrid and Barca.

We still need some quality reinforcements and we are not there yet but the manager is certainly doing his job.

by **wrighty (not mark!)** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:52 am

In looking at the squad now, I don't think that any of the starting line-up should leave the club anytime soon as they have gelled so well and are looking like a mean outfit.

For me,if we aspire to win the prem this season (it's great i can mention that

) We need to offload the usual suspects of Josemi, Traore etc. and sell cisse and Dudek to add to the funds and buy some good quality players to add to the depth of the team, eg. simao, Larsson, A.Ferdinand. In doing this, are team will always be strong no matter who we put out.

Can you imagine our bench!?

Carson,Ferdinand,Sissoko,Larsson, Simao

Depth.Now that's what I'm talking about.

by **banana** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:38 pm

primodua wrote:We are not chelsh.it...we are not the galaf.uckticos either. We don't have deep pockets like they do. In reality those galaf.uckticos are nothing. Well they used to be great but certainly useless now. Money just can't buy everything.
Chelsh.it on the other hand are spending like there's no tommorrow. But look at their performances. I do not see them as the powerhouse of Europe despite their wealth and absurd spendings. Their dismal performances over past games proved their game are not as liquid as Arsenal or even Liverpool. Something is definitely wrong at that club.
As for liverpool, we have a great manager here. I never doubted Rafa from the first day I saw him wearing his liverpool kit because I knew back then that this club would be bettered under his management. But the thing that put me to significant disbelief is definitely the time taken. I'd say only Guus Hiddink by far could transform any hopeless team like South Korea into WC strong contender as they displayed in the last WC and bring Australia into their first time WC.
Rafa is similar to Hiddink. Rafa is by far the only manager that can match the golden era of this club. Not souness or houllier despite some silverware collections. We are talking about QUALITY and for the past 12 years, this is by far the strongest quality liverpool side I've ever seen after the dalglish era.

That is true. We now have a strong team. Much better than any GH team or RE team. Not to mention GS! And his job is only half done. We all know that we are going to improve with some quality wingers, a replacement for Cisse/Baros, a new centre half and maybe a fullback or two. It's going to be a frightening team when Benitez has sorted out these issues. The central spine is at least in place (Gerrard, Alonso, Carra, Reina, Crouch) and damn strong.

One of the real big differences with our team with Rafa is our movement. Rafa's first priority was to completely change our midfield structure. Our midfield was a joke, and our midfielder was weak and slow. Our players couldn't cope with the big teams speed and movement so Rafa needed just a few days before he knew that Murphy, Diao and Cheyrou had to walk. In came Garcia, Alonso, and later, Sissoko. That is a big improvement. They all move around well and complement each other.

I do look forward to january, and I think the signings will propell us to a new level. I'm hoping for Milito (still the best option available i think), Kujt, Gonzalez (should be sealed already), Daniel alves(right back and right midfield) and Walcott. And a one more right winger, I don't know who. Walcott for the future, the rest should be able to challenge for a place in the starting lineup.

We will sell Josemi (replacement:Alves) and Cisse (Kujt) and maybe Dudek.

by **tubby** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:48 pm

I really am happy at the way the team is progresing. Weve got a few points lead over Arsenal and even ahead of Utd. (until they play wigan that is on wed). Things couldnt be rosier. I can oinly wonder where we could be in the table had we played like that from day 1. Better late than never!!!!!!

by **darwisigila** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:34 am

rafa is clever and genius coach...he can compete with chelshite bigger squad coz he know his player and he rotate well. how many players you get is useless coz football played by 11 man against 11 man plus 5 subtitutes.
rafa had plan and we will see the result soon...im sure.

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