Rafa: "We Can Be Speed Kings"

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

"It was difficult at times last season because, in terms of pace, our only option up front was Djibril Cisse," claims Benitez. "Now we have so many different aspects to our game. We have the intelligence of Peter Crouch and Robbie Fowler and also the pace of Mark Gonzalez and Craig Bellamy.

 

"Pace isn't everything. The most important quality is football ability. But in modern football, it is a fact that it is more difficult to succeed if you don't have that real speed in your team.

"What you need is a balance of good pace and good movement, and also players who can make the most of those qualities. Craig and Mark can't do it on their own, but what we've already got is the great passing ability of players like Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso. It is important for any team with ambitions to have these different options.

 

"Now we should be able to do much better away from home against those teams who play high up the pitch and leave space behind. I think we can win some games that we didn't last season.

 

"Much depends on the confidence your strikers have as well, but what I'm happy with is my options. There will be more rivalry between the strikers and that can only be very good for us. I don't make predictions, but I do believe that we have a better team than last season and a better squad.

 

"We can talk now, we can send the supporters lots of positive messages, but in the end we need to talk on the pitch. We need to win the first game and keep trying to win as many games as possible. I am sure Manchester United and Arsenal will be thinking about the same thing. If that happens, and if clubs like Tottenham and Newcastle improve, it will be good for the game. It is important to have a lot of teams involved when it is a race to win the title. That's what the supporters want."

 

Offal

[G Richards]

Seems interesting that he pairs Crouch and Fowler as 'intelligent' players, and then Bellamy and Gonzales as pacy. With Gonzales being a wide man I wonder if this means there is room for another pacy striker, and Defoe may indeed come back into the equation.

 

Lots of people think it will be Kuyt, and they argue along the lines of 'another target man in addition to Crouch'. I wonder if in Rafa's way of viewing our squad he already sees two similar players in Crouch and Fowler, based on their intelligence; and that we now need another pacy striker in addition to Bellamy?

 

It's another way of looking at it, rather than us all assuming we won't be in for Defoe because we have the pace of Bellamy.

[spider-neil]

It is important to have a lot of teams involved when it is a race to win the title. That's what the supporters want."

 

speak for yourself rafa I want liverpool to romp to the title leaving everyone else in their wake :whistle:

[Spy Bee]

I don't make predictions.

 

 

Tonight Chelsea will lose (or words to that effect) :whistle:

 

(yes when you say "or words to that effect" it kind of takes the smugness out of the whistling guy)

[Sponky]

i think rafa's made some excellent signings again this summer but we still need that 20+ goal scorer.hope we get our man this time around and not have to wait untill january.i think qualification to the champions league propper will decide the extra strikers fate.

[Red Nick]

i think rafa's made some excellent signings again this summer but we still need that 20+ goal scorer.hope we get our man this time around and not have to wait untill january.i think qualification to the champions league propper will decide the extra strikers fate.

 

Its an old saying but some people on here will just never ever get it.

 

We dont need a 20 goal a season man we need our strikers and midfield players to get 80 goals between them which they will do this season, STevie got 20 plus last season and the way we play the midfielders may well get 20 plus again

 

Something like this is totally acceptable

 

Crouch or Kuyt 15

Bellamy or Fowler 15

Gerrard 20

Pennant 10

Gonzalez 10

Alonso 10

Sissoko 000000000000000000

 

 

EDIT

 

Also how many goals have Chelsea's strikers got in the last two premiership seasons?

[Strontium]

Also how many goals have Chelsea's strikers got in the last two premiership seasons?

Drogba got 12 in 29

Crespo got 10 in 30

 

That would seem to put the "20 goal a season striker" myth to bed I think.

[Christianlfc]

Do we need a 20 a season striker? If so lets not write off Bellamy to be that person yet either. To be fair hes always found a decent amount of goals in teams that can give at times, weak service to their strikers and many times did he make the goals he scored himself with his pace. Apart from newcastle which still, is a shakey club, Bellamy didnt have anything worth braggin in the form of a midfeild settin him up with chances. Now he does even if we dont sign anyone i dont think we have much to worry about up front. Especially since its a boyhood dream for him to sign for liverpool. Players that play with their heart are always worth watching, especially if they have a bad reputation like Bellamy and this is his last chance really todo something about it at a top drawer club, I have every faith in the grumpy little welsh man

[Red Nick]

Ideally you want the player in question to be a team player and a goal scorer, an Alan Shearer fits the bill as does a Chris Sutton in his pomp.

 

Kuyt is probably the closest to that brief hence why Rafa wants him.

 

Imo Rafa wants a team player first and Goal Scorer second

[Sangria]

Its an old saying but some people on here will just never ever get it.

 

We dont need a 20 goal a season man we need our strikers and midfield players to get 80 goals between them which they will do this season, STevie got 20 plus last season and the way we play the midfielders may well get 20 plus again

 

Something like this is totally acceptable

 

Crouch or Kuyt 15

Bellamy or Fowler 15

Gerrard 20

Pennant 10

Gonzalez 10

Alonso 10

Sissoko 000000000000000000

 

 

EDIT

 

Also how many goals have Chelsea's strikers got in the last two premiership seasons?

 

Optimistic on a few there Nick epecially Pennant cannot see him gettin 10.

[Red Nick]

Optimistic on a few there Nick epecially Pennant cannot see him gettin 10.

 

Reality bites August 12 but not before ;)

[Mr T]

Optimistic on a few there Nick epecially Pennant cannot see him gettin 10.

Hasn't Pennant only scored something like 10 in his whole career?

[ATXRED]

Optimistic on a few there Nick epecially Pennant cannot see him gettin 10.

 

Let him dream, I like the optimistic Red Nick. That said, I don't think Pennant will score more than 5. But then again, I didn't think we'd ever get rid of Cheyrou, so dreams do come true.