Liverpool FC Forum

THEBARON wrote:I am still backing Rafa - how many of us really expected us to win the premiership this season ? I certainly expected a massive improvement compared to last season but didn't expect us to win it. Although we spent some dollars in the summer we were not the only 1's. The mancs spent heavily and even the likes of Man City and others have received financial backing. Plus we did recoup money from Bellamy , Gonnzalez , Cisse  and Paletta so our net spend wasn't actually £40m plus.
Having said that I'm backing Benitez I feel that he is far from perfect and some of his recent actions have weakened his position
* His obsession with rotation
* The infamous substitutions at Reading
* Sticking with Kuyt and ignoring Crouch
* The recent press conference ( I am concentrating on my team )
We must keep the faith with Rafa .... but will he learn from his mistakes ?

Big Niall wrote:"we must keep faith with Rafa" ? why, if we are not progressing.

If I was a betting man I'd say we'll finish the season 20 points behind the winners, which is a million miles away.

Rafa is too stuborn to change his ways and just like Morientes couldn't adapt his game for the English league, Rafa is the same. He might do okay back in Spain (as MOrientes did) but he has never got to grips with the English game.

Some people stuck with GH until the end, and would still be saying keep faith with GH if he was still here. If the wrong man is in charge then he must go.

If we don't qualify for the CL, we are probably fu**ed with the new stadium, credit crunch etc

bigmick wrote:I would say if I was guessing, that on this forum anyway (and I'm sure it wouldn't be representative of the match going crowd as the vast majority on here don't go) that there is around a 50/50 split of those who think Rafa is doing good stuff for the long-term and should stay, and those who think it's time for a change at the end of the season. Just to cloud the waters even further, some of us think he is doing good stuff for the long term but still think it might be right at the end of the season to consider a change.

That said, I reckon if you asked just about any sensible observer to look at our current situation, our manager is being put in a position on a week to week basis which is absolutely impossible to work in.

Lets look at it. We were expected to go a lot closer in the league than we have, and we are out of the title race. For whatever reason, the players and the team have performed below expectations. What would the manager normally do?

1. He'd go out and buy some players in January. It's pretty much as obvious as the nose on your face that we need a striker. Annelka has gone to Chelsea, Berbatov is likely going to go to man Utd, and we aren't in for anybody. This nonsesne about Rafa saying we are happy with the players we've got, or "we've got enough players" is sheer diplomacy on his part IMHO. I don't believe the owners are backing him in the transfer market. It might be because they don't rate him, or it might be because they're skint, but whatever, they aren't backing him as of right now. I know we've bought a centre-half but that will probably be as a result of a long term committment IMHO.

2. He'd turn around and say, "these players are playing for a place in the squad next season. If things don't improve, heads will roll". Why doesn't he do that? well obviously because the players will no doubt think if anyone's head is going to roll, it won't be theirs it'll be the managers. How can he possibly be expected to motivate players if they're of the opinion that they are just marking time until the new bloke comes in?

3. He'd drop half the first team and bring some of the reserve players in. Once again not really an option as he would be accused (by me no doubt) of over-rotation, and I am convinced it is this issue which has galvanised the owners disrespect for him.


So the manager is in a corner, backed in with nowhere to go it seems to me. He has seemingly no kitty to bolster the squad. He is undermined at every turn in the press with story after story about Capello, Klinnsman etc going undenied by anyone at the club. The players, now that any hopes of the title have gone appear to have given up the ghost and lost belief, while his motivational powers are significantly diminished by the uncertainty surrounding his position. He essentially has to get players who were all fired up for a title challenge, to get all fired up for a fourth place challenge which isn't easy.

I have criticised him many times, but think the club ought really to clear up some issues outstanding. At the very least he deserves backing for the remainder of the season, but he certainly doesn't deserve the way it's been handled at the moment.

nobybob wrote:

Big Niall wrote:"we must keep faith with Rafa" ? why, if we are not progressing.

If I was a betting man I'd say we'll finish the season 20 points behind the winners, which is a million miles away.

Rafa is too stuborn to change his ways and just like Morientes couldn't adapt his game for the English league, Rafa is the same. He might do okay back in Spain (as MOrientes did) but he has never got to grips with the English game.

Some people stuck with GH until the end, and would still be saying keep faith with GH if he was still here. If the wrong man is in charge then he must go.

If we don't qualify for the CL, we are probably fu**ed with the new stadium, credit crunch etc

what kind of a fool are you ?? Don't you realise hicks and co took away RAFAS powers of management not allowing him to buy players or even get them on a bosman, or even sell players to get funds for transfers. This was not a matter of g&h not having the cash , but about denying Rafa any power to rectify any probs with the team . I am amazed that RAFA  stayed through that situation many others would have left, but then again he loves this club these people and this city unlike you >> are you some kind of manc in disguise?? 
considering the restraints placed upon RAFA he has achieved amazing results i hope and pray he stays.

Not sure how to answer the "what type of fool are you" question

I just don't see these amazing results you talk about. Level with Everton, Man City, Aston Villa with the league into its second half. Title gone already - again.

Why is that great?

No personal insults from me as you can have your view, but I just don't see these great results.