Liverpool FC Forum

by **kazza** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:39 pm

Actually I did think he looked tired, he was irritable and seemed to be complaining to the ref the whole time. When Ngog and Babbel came on they were making a lot of runs that Torres was not. With a bit of luck Ngog would have scored from the extra running he was doing. Doesn't matter whether Gerrard pulled a funny face or not or whether Torres shook his head. Well that is how I saw it anyway!

by **kazza** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:43 pm

s@int wrote:Former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa has branded Rafa Benitez's management style as "a bit robotic" and maintains that the Spaniard is not keen to take risks.

Arbeloa, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid last year, said that Benitez's style as a manager is one of containment and believes that he is unwilling to take risks when the side need it.

"Rafa doesn't want you to take any risks ever. He's happy to score first and sit back.'' he said "What Rafa wants, the team does. Every player knows what he wants. The one-two-three you work on in the week is the one-two-three you produce in matches. At times that can be a bit robotic."

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE

What would you expect a manager to tell a defender. If you ask Torres he may say " Rafa keeps telling me to get forward and attack".

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 3:52 pm

kazza wrote:
s@int wrote:Former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa has branded Rafa Benitez's management style as "a bit robotic" and maintains that the Spaniard is not keen to take risks.

Arbeloa, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid last year, said that Benitez's style as a manager is one of containment and believes that he is unwilling to take risks when the side need it.

"Rafa doesn't want you to take any risks ever. He's happy to score first and sit back.'' he said "What Rafa wants, the team does. Every player knows what he wants. The one-two-three you work on in the week is the one-two-three you produce in matches. At times that can be a bit robotic."

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE

What would you expect a manager to tell a defender. If you ask Torres he may say " Rafa keeps telling me to get forward and attack".

I asked Torres and he just said, "Rafa keeps telling me I am tired"

by **Owzat** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 4:30 pm

Rafa is FOS when it comes to what he says to the media. YEAH we all know Torres gets tired, all players do, we know he gets lumps kicked out of him and runs his socks off, but when you decide one match that he can only play 60 minutes and the next match he can play 85 with two home games coming up then people question if you aren't somewhat selective.

I bet in truth Torres is like myself and a lot of players when playing sports at school, and now. You play through the pain and fatigue, you just want to play and you know you can rest inbetween games and recover. Even now when I'm probably far from my physical peak I don't need too many rests, you can pace yourself in a game and throttle back when you need to. Doesn't need a control freak to try fitting a speed/effort limiter on him

by **Emerald Red** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 7:58 pm

Owzat wrote:Rafa is FOS when it comes to what he says to the media. YEAH we all know Torres gets tired, all players do, we know he gets lumps kicked out of him and runs his socks off, but when you decide one match that he can only play 60 minutes and the next match he can play 85 with two home games coming up then people question if you aren't somewhat selective.

I bet in truth Torres is like myself and a lot of players when playing sports at school, and now. You play through the pain and fatigue, you just want to play and you know you can rest inbetween games and recover. Even now when I'm probably far from my physical peak I don't need too many rests, you can pace yourself in a game and throttle back when you need to. Doesn't need a control freak to try fitting a speed/effort limiter on him

Hmm, I bet he isn't, really. There's a big difference kicking a ball about in a 5-a-side game on an astroturf pitch to that of playing in the top level in the Prem where fatigue would be the difference between winning an losing in a single player on the pitch. At least I think there's a difference. Dunno. Maybe it's the same? What do you think?

by **Reg** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:47 pm

Guys, whats annoying is not taking Torres off but the fact we dont have an able substitute to replace him.

If we'd bought an old pro as we discussed months ago like RVN then it wouldnt be such an issue to pull him off. Ngog is simply not an option in a must-win game.

by **GRAHAM01** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:09 pm

very true reg ngog shouldn't be are second striker, no way we should have a better covering player and we have had a lot over rafas time but they have long gone rvn was someone we could have gone for but i don't think he would have come here

by **tubby** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:14 pm

The problem with this formation is whoever comes in is going to get bored of always warming the bench for Torres, especially if he is fit. We should really be playing with 2 strikers.

by **GRAHAM01** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:17 pm

have to say i always perfer having 2 strikers on the pitch, makes more work for the defence

by **damjan193** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:18 pm

It's a fact that we dont have a proper replacement for Torres, but since you dont, you cant pull out Torres for a player like N'Gog, you just cant do that.Pellegrini did the same with Kaka against Lyon when they were 1 - 0 down.Yes Kaka had a bad game, but you dont pull that kind of players in important matches cos those kind of players can change a whole match with only a move even in bad games.In our case we didnt (and we still dont) even have a good replacement for our striker and thats why that was a big mistake.Benitez says he was tierd.Well if he cant handel it in the most important matches, why is he being payed that much?

by **Dundalk** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:59 pm

Rafas looking for some money..... dont think he will get it the way things are going

"It will depend on the investors," he said. "We want to keep the spine of the team. But sometimes you have to manage and you have to sell two or three players who aren't playing many games.

"I think we can improve but it depends if we can do the right signings and it is always easier to sign more players with more money.

"If you analyse what Fernando Torres and Jamie Carragher have said, they were talking about needing four or five players.

"The cost of a top-class player is about £20m. I think we need three.

"It's not easy for us to compete for players. We have to do almost everything perfectly.

"Look at other teams, they have plenty of players worth £20m who are not playing, but they manage because of the squad.

"Last year we tried to keep players and extend contracts and to add some players. It depends on the money available but the key is if you don't have too much money then don't make mistakes.

"Sometimes you bring someone who needs to settle down or they have a problem - this year we had a problem with Alberto Aquilani and his ankle - so you cannot guarantee anything.

"People can talk about this player and that player but they have to blend in because if you don't have £60m every year you have to sell."

Benitez has been criticised for allowing players such as Xabi Alonso, Sami Hyypia and Crouch to leave the club.

But he insists he was powerless to prevent their departures.

Benitez said: "I was listening to some fans and they said 'why did you sell this player or that'.

"I said we sold one tall striker - I won't tell you his name, you can guess - but his wages at his other team are double what they were here. If they don't play here and they can get double wages elsewhere they will think 'maybe I should go'.

"Hopefully in the future we will have more players coming from the youth system and from the reserves.

"This is the first year we have had control of The Academy. We have not produced a player in the last 13 years so that was a big problem."

by **damjan193** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 12:08 am

Dundalk wrote:It depends on the money available but the key is if you don't have too much money then don't make mistakes.

It is kind of ironical for Rafa to say such things.

by **lakes10** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:54 am

well it seem that NOW is thw owners dont sack Rafa then we might be stuck with him, this is only based on a chat with someone last night, they seem to think that the other teams have turned their back on talks with Rafas team, i was told this is due to Rafa asking for the same control in his contract that he has at liverpool.

the "overseas" clubs think that this might not be the right time to take Rafa, this is due to his good run in the EL.

well i am not happy about that, i am also not happy that this person seems to now think that our owners or any new owners will not sack him as thet think ALL the liverpool fans are very happy with him being there and do not wish to upset the fans during a time of change.

grrrrrrrrr

by **leep33** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:59 am

I agree we should have bought someone like RVN, Ngog is just not ready to take over from Torres, the trouble is against Birmingham Torres had a poor game and Ngog to be fair looked livelier, i personally think Torres is carrying a niggling injury which we are trying to manage. That said in a must win game even if he isn't having the best game you leave him on as he only needs one chance, and i am sure he would have converted at least one of the chances Ngog missed.

by **kazza** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:24 am

Emerald Red wrote:
Owzat wrote:Rafa is FOS when it comes to what he says to the media. YEAH we all know Torres gets tired, all players do, we know he gets lumps kicked out of him and runs his socks off, but when you decide one match that he can only play 60 minutes and the next match he can play 85 with two home games coming up then people question if you aren't somewhat selective.

I bet in truth Torres is like myself and a lot of players when playing sports at school, and now. You play through the pain and fatigue, you just want to play and you know you can rest inbetween games and recover. Even now when I'm probably far from my physical peak I don't need too many rests, you can pace yourself in a game and throttle back when you need to. Doesn't need a control freak to try fitting a speed/effort limiter on him

Hmm, I bet he isn't, really. There's a big difference kicking a ball about in a 5-a-side game on an astroturf pitch to that of playing in the top level in the Prem where fatigue would be the difference between winning an losing in a single player on the pitch. At least I think there's a difference. Dunno. Maybe it's the same? What do you think?

Don't forget training four hours a day in between matches. I also have played injured, but I was never as good as when I was 100 percent fit. I would never have admitted it but all others could see it if I could not.

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