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  #1 (permalink)  
Old 6th February 2005, 10:28 PM
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Match report
Having just read Dave's match report, there are a couple of points he makes that I wanted to pick up on here:

The first is that Morientes is absolute class. Dave's description of a combination of Jari and Shearer is nail on the head. He oozes self-confidence and his touch and vision have left me stunned already. The bloke has only had two good games and is half fit, but I'm convinced we've got an absolute bargain for the £6.3m we'll eventually have to pay for him. It's very noticeable that Gerrard and Garcia seem to look for him first every time either of them pick up the ball. He battles hard, takes up tricky positions and has taken the piss out his opponents with his first two goals. Surely a legend in the making?

The other point is the one about the outrageous media bias with regard to our club. I completely agree; not one match report mentions our ridiculous injuries or the paucity of the squad Rafa inherited. However, it is the embarrassingly transparent Gerrard agenda, upon which most of them hang their reports, that is most irritating.

I'm glad Dave confirmed that it wasn't one of Gerrard's busier days, as I thought the same but, having only seen the half-a-match highlights, didn't feel able to comment. I've read several newspaper write-ups today, and at least four of them mentioned us being reliant on him for this victory. It's not the first time either. What the fuck is that all about? Are these twats given a story they need to build into their reports, regardless of what happens before their eyes?

Much as I've turned my back on Gerrard and been hoping for his swift exit for the way he's treated the fans and the cloud I believe he's put the club under, I'm now desperate for him to stay just to fuck these wankers off. Even when he does go, however, it feels good to know that they'll all have to do end-of-season pieces re-appraising Rafa's first season in the light of the outrageous shite they've written thus far.

Rafa's plan is quite clearly unfolding before our eyes: ditch the piss-takers; see which youngsters can cut it; bring in some class; and get the spine right first. I'm now more than confident that we'll take fourth spot, despite the occasional wobbles. We will be a very different proposition next season when Rafa has a squad nearer to the one he eventually wants, playing football the way he wants it played.

The good times are soon going to roll and I'm looking forward to seeing some of these small-time, arsehole "journalists" printing revisionist arse-licking stories of The Rafalution.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:33 PM
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Re: Match report
Eric J Hobsbawm laments. :)
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:35 PM
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Re: Match report
"the paucity of the squad Rafa inherited".

When are people going to stop peddling this myth. The squad he inherited finished 4th with a terrible injury list. We are now 5th.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:39 PM
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Re: Match report
Hermes, even the club doctor said he hasn't known anything like this season, in all his time there. I assume by him saying that that he was here pre-Rafa.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:40 PM
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Re: Match report
If Gerrard is average for 89 minutes but scores a goal the 'one man team' plaudits will flow - but he's presently not hitting the stratospheric heights he was a couple of months back.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:42 PM
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Re: Match report
He was shit yesterday, overawed by Papa Bouba-Diop and Mark Pembridge. Nuff said.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:48 PM
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Re: Match report
Quote:
Originally Posted by cochcaer
If Gerrard is average for 89 minutes but scores a goal the 'one man team' plaudits will flow - but he's presently not hitting the stratospheric heights he was a couple of months back.
The 'one man team' bit is only a lame attempt to spice up the chelsea story - the lazy cunts can only hold a couple of ideas in their heads at the same time.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:48 PM
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Re: Match report
The Litmanen reference regarding Morientes is spot on, and not just because of the mullet. I thought exactly the same thing after the Fulham game. He links up play brilliantly because he has both that uncanny ability to see things other players might not, and the technical ability to pull off the right pass or flick. Add to that the goalscoring and you have one hell of a player.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:54 PM
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Re: Match report
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hermes
"the paucity of the squad Rafa inherited".

When are people going to stop peddling this myth. The squad he inherited finished 4th with a terrible injury list. We are now 5th.
It's not a myth Hermes it's reality. Houllier's legacy will take a minimum of 3 years to shake off. This and other poor examples of judgement are why David Moores is an incompetent buffoon who must leave as soon as possible.
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Old 6th February 2005, 10:55 PM
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Re: Match report
"paucity" = 4th place? get real FFS.
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Old 6th February 2005, 11:08 PM
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Re: Match report
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hermes
"paucity" = 4th place? get real FFS.
So, you'd rather Houllier was still here????

I dread to think where we'd be now if he were still here.

I'm sure you've heard the term "Rome wasn't built in a day" Hermes, so I really don't see where you're coming from the with your current attitude to our new manager. It would have taken major investment to see dramatic improvement this year, and despite the £25m (£16m net) spent by Rafa, it was always going to take much more to dramatically turn us around, especially in this era of unlimited sums for Chelsea and the Mancs being able to spend £30m on one player.

Anyway off to drink multitudes of Michelob, consume hodogs and popcorn and chear on the Eagles.
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Old 6th February 2005, 11:12 PM
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Re: Match report
The club doctor says this is the worst injury crisis he's seen in his 23 years at the club.
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Old 6th February 2005, 11:12 PM
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Re: Match report
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hermes
"the paucity of the squad Rafa inherited".

When are people going to stop peddling this myth. The squad he inherited finished 4th with a terrible injury list. We are now 5th.
I think you'll find that the club's top scorer for six seasons running ditched us at the last moment. So no, a very key figure of the Houllier-squad has not been available to Benitez. Neither has his £14M successor, courtesy of a season-ending broken leg.

I'm sure we can agree that our season would have looked a little different had Michael still been around? Do not underestimate the impact it had when he left.
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Old 6th February 2005, 11:13 PM
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Re: Match report
IMO its now the lack of investment thats holding us back and only the board can sort that out. Yet again were back in the position of to be able to attract top tallent to the club we need to be playing CL yet were strugglin to do that. if we dont then holding onto our current top players becomes a concern.
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Old 6th February 2005, 11:15 PM
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Re: Match report
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vincent Vega
it was always going to take much more to dramatically turn us around, especially in this era of unlimited sums for Chelsea and the Mancs being able to spend £30m on one player.
Nobody expected us to catch them, but we haven't even got closer to them.

Anyway, my original post was to question the "paucity" of the squad he inherited. That description is ridiculous, they finished 4th not 14th.
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Old 6th February 2005, 11:17 PM
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Re: Match report
Quote:
Originally Posted by joeyb
IMO its now the lack of investment thats holding us back and only the board can sort that out.
£40m spent on players in one year, how much investment do you want?
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Old 6th February 2005, 11:23 PM
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