Has Rafa lost the plot?

[Wool Woolsson]

That is one thing I hoped to see this season. I didn't want a David Villa, Silva or Quaresma. Just wanted to see us being more brave and adventurous and let the opposition worry about us for a change.

 

With what I have seen so far, I'm afraid I won't get my wish.

 

This is not a criticism of Rafa by any means but if we continue to play with that kind of mindset, we will again finish 4th.

 

How is that not a criticism of Rafa? Whether deserved or not is a different question, but it sure as hell looks like a criticism.

[kopitegaz]

Right then. I didnt make it past the first couple of pages on this thread, but it seems its already been decided that we're going to do fuck all this season (I'm disappointed - last season it was after the 5th league game that everyone gave up). Therefore, I'll put my season ticket up for the ticket exchange scheme for the next 18 home games. Will save a shitload on next years season ticket, when the new man who replaces Rafa will just come in and we'll sweep all before us.

 

(moan.. stop being sarcastic Gaz. Whinge. Stop being pedantic Gaz. moan moan. Dont have an opinion that isnt 100% for or against Rafa, Gaz. whinge)

[Carra_is_legend]

How is that not a criticism of Rafa? Whether deserved or not is a different question, but it sure as hell looks like a criticism.

 

Haha! You are right. I didn't mean to write that though. What I meant to say was that I don't have any agenda against Rafa.

 

The drinks from last night still having its effect I think.

[coop]

Rafa has to take responsibility for the strange subs yesterday, especially bringing on N'Gog for Torres when the lad looked well out of his depth but in fairness to Rafa N'Gog has looked decent in the pre-season.

 

The obvious sub would have been Keane into the centre and Babel playing on the left but in all fairness i would have played that from the start or maybe even had Aurellio from the start and Keane behind Torres.

 

Its easy to sit here and blame Rafa but the team is full of Internationals yet at times yesterday they could not pass the ball 6 yards.

 

Whilst Rafa needs to take some responsibility the players need to as well as too many are playing like they are feeling sorry for themselves and low on confidence.

 

I have seen probably only Carragher showing the fight needed to get us playing into form and whilst we are playing shit we have to remember we are level at the top of the league so the players need to get some momentum going get some kind of form together and take advantage of the situation by beating Man United at Anfield.

[hamstrung]

That's 10 minutes of my life I can't get back.

[AussieRed]

To answer the original question, Rafa has not lost the plot. It's the same plot as last year. I think this is what troubles fans.

 

I know it's early days and the Villa match did look like a 'trap game', however the performance was dire. All in all a draw is not a bad result. I rate Aston Villa highly but, I thought we were Liverpool. Someone posted earlier facetiously about the 'sky generation'. Well, I am not from the sky generation. I remember a time where the opposition considered taking a point from us akin to beating any other team. It troubles me that we seem to think the same of Aston Villa. You win a cup by not losing, but a premiership is won by winning. The fact is, is that the teams we compare ourselves to (the big three) would never put in that sort of a performance. What troubles me, is, if we are this inhibited playing Villa away, how will we do against Chelsea or Man u. Will we put 11 behind the ball. I say again, we are Liverpool, we must fear no one.

 

The confidence of the players appears to be at a very low eb. They seem to play with a great fear of failure. The number of times that a player got the ball in space stopped and then played it back to the backline was horrifying. I think Keane was by far the most creative player. As soon as he received the ball, he looked up and faced goal.

 

I suspect that Rafa is waiting to finalise his squad before letting the team go. God I hope so.

[G Richards]

To answer the question the thread poses: no, Rafa has not lost the plot.

 

Before the game many people were fearful of a defeat, and many commented how they would take a draw. Well, that's just what we got, and for me, it was a point gained rather than two lost.

 

I think it has already been pointed out, but Liege took a lot out of the players in midweek. Stevie was missing and Nando came off early too. Yet despite all that, with a fair wind we might have picked up the three points. Ngog did a lovely shot towards the top corner which was slightly deflected (I think) just over. Kuyt hit the side netting with a decent chance, and Keane looked like he was fouled as he was about to pull the trigger late on.

 

It should be pointed out that our defence played very well too. Last year we conceded too many sloppy goals, and it looks to me as though Rafa has been working on that with them. Dossena also had his best game for us so far, and while I think there is still more to come, he did put in some good crosses. It was noteworthy that Mascherano played very well in tackling everything that looked as though it might come to threaten the defence too. Welcome back to our gold medal marvel.

 

Villa are a very good attacking team and there won't be many teams who do not let them score at home this season.

 

OK, it would have been nice to have won the game, but given the Stevie and Torres situation, that was probably more hope than expectation. Our play will improve, especially the attacking play, as we get going.

 

We're in the CL proper. We are joint top with Chesea. Of course we're not firing on all cylinders yet, but perspective, please!

[philyhamann]

I think our rivals would put in a performance, or even a worse one. Just no five games in a row.

[coop]

I think G makes a very good point regards the Villa team in that they are very difficult to defend against in the pace they have upfront plus the aerial threat posed by Carew.

 

Mascherano made as expected a difference to the midfield and im sure we will soon start hitting form.

[redrosetints]

Right, let me get this straight. Last night you send me a text banging on about what a bad feeling you've got, and how it'll all go badly, but because we set up for solidity you're whining about it?!!!! WTF?!!!!

 

We're playing badly, going to a ground where everyone wants to beat us (I believe everyone is using the world cauldron), against a team people are labelling as superb going forward and Top 4/5 contenders, without our captain who is the driving force of the team, we lose our top striker and have to field a 19 year old who has signed during the summer and who has never experienced the Premiership, and we match them, create good chances, have some piss-poor decisions go their way, and look comfortable until they play percentage football and finally commit themselves fully in the last 10 minutes, and not only could we have won the game but we get a result that people were shitting themselves that we wouldn't - the same people who are now whining - and you still all fucking cry about it.

 

The only shithouses connected with Liverpool FC today are the people posting utter wank on this forum.

 

REPPED

[RedinSweden]

To answer the question the thread poses: no, Rafa has not lost the plot.

 

Before the game many people were fearful of a defeat, and many commented how they would take a draw. Well, that's just what we got, and for me, it was a point gained rather than two lost.

 

I think it has already been pointed out, but Liege took a lot out of the players in midweek. Stevie was missing and Nando came off early too. Yet despite all that, with a fair wind we might have picked up the three points. Ngog did a lovely shot towards the top corner which was slightly deflected (I think) just over. Kuyt hit the side netting with a decent chance, and Keane looked like he was fouled as he was about to pull the trigger late on.

 

It should be pointed out that our defence played very well too. Last year we conceded too many sloppy goals, and it looks to me as though Rafa has been working on that with them. Dossena also had his best game for us so far, and while I think there is still more to come, he did put in some good crosses. It was noteworthy that Mascherano played very well in tackling everything that looked as though it might come to threaten the defence too. Welcome back to our gold medal marvel.

 

Villa are a very good attacking team and there won't be many teams who do not let them score at home this season.

 

OK, it would have been nice to have won the game, but given the Stevie and Torres situation, that was probably more hope than expectation. Our play will improve, especially the attacking play, as we get going.

 

We're in the CL proper. We are joint top with Chesea. Of course we're not firing on all cylinders yet, but perspective, please!

 

I love the G-man!

[Skidfingers McGonical]

To answer the question the thread poses: no, Rafa has not lost the plot.

 

Before the game many people were fearful of a defeat, and many commented how they would take a draw. Well, that's just what we got, and for me, it was a point gained rather than two lost.

 

I think it has already been pointed out, but Liege took a lot out of the players in midweek. Stevie was missing and Nando came off early too. Yet despite all that, with a fair wind we might have picked up the three points. Ngog did a lovely shot towards the top corner which was slightly deflected (I think) just over. Kuyt hit the side netting with a decent chance, and Keane looked like he was fouled as he was about to pull the trigger late on.

 

It should be pointed out that our defence played very well too. Last year we conceded too many sloppy goals, and it looks to me as though Rafa has been working on that with them. Dossena also had his best game for us so far, and while I think there is still more to come, he did put in some good crosses. It was noteworthy that Mascherano played very well in tackling everything that looked as though it might come to threaten the defence too. Welcome back to our gold medal marvel.

 

Villa are a very good attacking team and there won't be many teams who do not let them score at home this season.

 

OK, it would have been nice to have won the game, but given the Stevie and Torres situation, that was probably more hope than expectation. Our play will improve, especially the attacking play, as we get going.

 

We're in the CL proper. We are joint top with Chesea. Of course we're not firing on all cylinders yet, but perspective, please!

 

That is the word I have been loking for since yesterday. Excellent post there Mr Richards, I should have waited till today and chilled out more with my repsonses on this thread.

 

If we could all post like you, this would be the nicest place in the world.

 

Hail the G-Man.

[gaz181]

Robbie Keane hasn't scored a goal in August for something like 7 or 8 seasons.

 

Now sunny September is here you watch him go goal crazy! Its going to be ace, really really ace!

[JohnnyH]

To answer the question the thread poses: no, Rafa has not lost the plot.

 

Before the game many people were fearful of a defeat, and many commented how they would take a draw. Well, that's just what we got, and for me, it was a point gained rather than two lost.

 

I think it has already been pointed out, but Liege took a lot out of the players in midweek. Stevie was missing and Nando came off early too. Yet despite all that, with a fair wind we might have picked up the three points. Ngog did a lovely shot towards the top corner which was slightly deflected (I think) just over. Kuyt hit the side netting with a decent chance, and Keane looked like he was fouled as he was about to pull the trigger late on.

 

It should be pointed out that our defence played very well too. Last year we conceded too many sloppy goals, and it looks to me as though Rafa has been working on that with them. Dossena also had his best game for us so far, and while I think there is still more to come, he did put in some good crosses. It was noteworthy that Mascherano played very well in tackling everything that looked as though it might come to threaten the defence too. Welcome back to our gold medal marvel.

 

Villa are a very good attacking team and there won't be many teams who do not let them score at home this season.

 

OK, it would have been nice to have won the game, but given the Stevie and Torres situation, that was probably more hope than expectation. Our play will improve, especially the attacking play, as we get going.

 

We're in the CL proper. We are joint top with Chesea. Of course we're not firing on all cylinders yet, but perspective, please!

 

Reasoned. Sensible. Articulate. On the money. Correct.

 

What are you doing on this thread?

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Rafa has to take responsibility for the strange subs yesterday, especially bringing on N'Gog for Torres when the lad looked well out of his depth but in fairness to Rafa N'Gog has looked decent in the pre-season.

 

The obvious sub would have been Keane into the centre and Babel playing on the left but in all fairness i would have played that from the start or maybe even had Aurellio from the start and Keane behind Torres.

 

Its easy to sit here and blame Rafa but the team is full of Internationals yet at times yesterday they could not pass the ball 6 yards.

 

Whilst Rafa needs to take some responsibility the players need to as well as too many are playing like they are feeling sorry for themselves and low on confidence.

 

I have seen probably only Carragher showing the fight needed to get us playing into form and whilst we are playing shit we have to remember we are level at the top of the league so the players need to get some momentum going get some kind of form together and take advantage of the situation by beating Man United at Anfield.

 

Yet another good post coop. Can't you rep you unfortunatley.

[RedKnight]

Care to explain?

 

I thought it was funny, therefore I laughed.

[Dirk]

Has Rafa lost the plot? No. No, he hasn't. Some forumites have, though.

[hamstrung]

Its disappointing that there are so many people who seem to be willing his failure.

[stringvest]

I don't think there are - you surely can't suggest that anyone who questions his decisions on occasion wants the man out.

[hamstrung]

I don't think there are - you surely can't suggest that anyone who questions his decisions on occasion wants the man out.

 

I think there are plenty who appear to want him to fail, yes.

[stringvest]

I think there are plenty who appear to want him to fail, yes.

 

I don't. One or two posters on here, that's all. The others just want him to do stuff differently.

[Dublin Red]

I think there are plenty who appear to want him to fail, yes.

 

 

Why do you think they want him to fail ?

[Wool Woolsson]

I see a lot of posters who would love to see him succeed, but have, rightly or wrongly, pretty much given up expecting him to.

[Carra_is_legend]

I don't think there are - you surely can't suggest that anyone who questions his decisions on occasion wants the man out.

 

Exactly.

 

It is as if it is not allowed to question anything about Rafa these days. 1 striker gets injured, one is taken off at 70 mins in favour of a defender, another one taken off at 80 mins in favour of a midfielder.

 

Yet, we had players like Babel and El Zhar (who deserved a starting place in my opinion) as unused substitutes.

 

Away games at Villa, City, Blackburn, Boro, Portsmouth, Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd, Bolton, Everton, Tottenham are all difficult. There is no point in having a cautious approach against these lot when we are supposedly aiming to win the title.

 

Being adventurous and losing a game or two is always better than being cautious and drawing 10 games.

[hamstrung]

Its nothing to do with not being "allowed" to question him.