Rafa on Riera, Width and Transfers

[Dublin Red]

He keeps going on about Riera being good in the air.

 

 

and being a good crosser of the ball.........

 

 

Maybe if he was quick enough, he could get on the end of his own crosses :yes:

[stringvest]

And the players can go home free of criticism if that happens?

 

If he sets us up so that the best result we can realistically achieve is a draw, then it is fair to question his approach. I'm fully expecting us to get stuffed, so I'll be happy if we get beat and its relatively close.

 

There's no point calling for Rafa's head. Who better is available? It's not like Houllier at all - for the last 2 years of his managership, he was probably the worst manager in the prem. Anyone could have come in and done a better job. The club was in a shambles, and he had lost the plot and most of the backroom staff.

 

People posting on here should have the best interests of the club at heart. Replacing Benitez with a weaker manager is not in the best interests of the club.

[Carra_is_legend]

Fair enough mate, not saying you have an agenda just think if it's bottle and effort of the players it's harsh to blame Rafa as there's only so much he can do.

 

May be I didn't put it very well.

 

When we play the big teams - especially Utd (and some tricky teams away from home), instead of getting hold of the ball to try and dictate the pace of the game, we are happy to wait and see what comes our way. It is as if we don't want to go forward due to the fear of leaving gaps at the back. We spend most of our time aiming to keep it tight rather than playing to our strengths and let the opposition worry about us for a change. And when we concede, it comes as a shock, heads drop - because conceding a goal was not in the plan.

 

This is what I want to change when we play Utd. Fuck them. Fuck the respect. Let us get hold of the ball and make them chase us. We have players who can keep the ball, we have players who have pace, we have players strong enough to win the ball. Just like they do. 11 against 11 and all that.

[Brownie]

If he sets us up so that the best result we can realistically achieve is a draw, then it is fair to question his approach. I'm fully expecting us to get stuffed, so I'll be happy if we get beat and its relatively close.

 

There's no point calling for Rafa's head. Who better is available? It's not like Houllier at all - for the last 2 years of his managership, he was probably the worst manager in the prem. Anyone could have come in and done a better job. The club was in a shambles, and he had lost the plot and most of the backroom staff.

 

People posting on here should have the best interests of the club at heart. Replacing Benitez with a weaker manager is not in the best interests of the club.

 

I agree with all of that.

 

If you're critical of Rafa it seems that you want him to replaced as far as some people are concerned. That's not the case for me. I have my doubts and worries about him and if he makes decisions which I disagree with then i'll say so, but overall I don't want us to have a new manager.

[Dirk]

As Stringvest says, it's not like Houllier one bit, that's one of the accusations levelled at Rafa that I can't fathom.

[Guest TK-421]

May be I didn't put it very well.

 

When we play the big teams - especially Utd (and some tricky teams away from home), instead of getting hold of the ball to try and dictate the pace of the game, we are happy to wait and see what comes our way. It is as if we don't want to go forward due to the fear of leaving gaps at the back. We spend most of our time aiming to keep it tight rather than playing to our strengths and let the opposition worry about us for a change. And when we concede, it comes as a shock, heads drop - because conceding a goal was not in the plan.

 

I hear what you're saying but it's a two way street, the Mancs have a tendancy to sit deep against us to counter the threat of Torres and keep it tight in the belief that one of their attacking players will produce something at the other end. I think we've been quite unlucky in a few of the games against them in recent seasons. Maybe they'll open a bit more if Torres is missing.

 

I also agree with stringvest's post.

[Brownie]

As Stringvest says, it's not like Houllier one bit, that's one of the accusations levelled at Rafa that I can't fathom.

 

There's the odd thing which is reminiscent of Houllier but that's just because managers tend to say similar things more than anything. Overall Rafa is ten times the man that Houllier was towards the end, so I agree it's not really comparable at the present time.

[stringvest]

May be I didn't put it very well.

 

When we play the big teams - especially Utd (and some tricky teams away from home), instead of getting hold of the ball to try and dictate the pace of the game, we are happy to wait and see what comes our way. It is as if we don't want to go forward due to the fear of leaving gaps at the back. We spend most of our time aiming to keep it tight rather than playing to our strengths and let the opposition worry about us for a change. And when we concede, it comes as a shock, heads drop - because conceding a goal was not in the plan.

 

This is what I want to change when we play Utd. Fuck them. Fuck the respect. Let us get hold of the ball and make them chase us. We have players who can keep the ball, we have players who have pace, we have players strong enough to win the ball. Just like they do. 11 against 11 and all that.

 

Great post.

[Dublin Red]

I agree with all of that.

 

If you're critical of Rafa it seems that you want him to replaced as far as some people are concerned. That's not the case for me. I have my doubts and worries about him and if he makes decisions which I disagree with then i'll say so, but overall I don't want us to have a new manager.

 

That's fair enough, but there are a few on here who have stated that we definitely won't win the league under Rafa but they still don't want him replaced. I find that strange.

 

This is Rafa's 5th year. He really needs to put in a credible title challenge this season. I believe if he changes his mindset a little bit and lets the players play a bit more freely in some matches, we could win this league.

 

On the other hand, I also believe that if he tries to "control" every game from the sidelines with the usual cautious tactics, we have no chance of a realistic challenge and he should be replaced at the end of the season.

[Chuck Fadanoid]

If he sets us up so that the best result we can realistically achieve is a draw, then it is fair to question his approach. I'm fully expecting us to get stuffed, so I'll be happy if we get beat and its relatively close.

There's no point calling for Rafa's head. Who better is available? It's not like Houllier at all - for the last 2 years of his managership, he was probably the worst manager in the prem. Anyone could have come in and done a better job. The club was in a shambles, and he had lost the plot and most of the backroom staff.

 

People posting on here should have the best interests of the club at heart. Replacing Benitez with a weaker manager is not in the best interests of the club.

 

I won't be. I'll never be happy with a defeat at Anfield when we're one of the top 4 teams in the best football league in the world, regardless of a poor run of form (performance wise) and injuries to 1 or 2 key players.

[stringvest]

That's fair enough, but there are a few on here who have stated that we definitely won't win the league under Rafa but they still don't want him replaced. I find that strange.

 

This is Rafa's 5th year. He really needs to put in a credible title challenge this season. I believe if he changes his mindset a little bit and lets the players play a bit more freely in some matches, we could win this league.

 

On the other hand, I also believe that if he tries to "control" every game from the sidelines with the usual cautious tactics, we have no chance of a realistic challenge and he should be replaced at the end of the season.

 

I'm one of those strange people you talk about. The reason is, he deserves another year to have a go - he's earned the right imo. I'm sure we won't win it though. Secondly, we won't get a better manager than him in our current state.

[Carra_is_legend]

I hear what you're saying but it's a two way street, the Mancs have a tendancy to sit deep against us to counter the threat of Torres and keep it tight in the belief that one of their attacking players will produce something at the other end. I think we've been quite unlucky in a few of the games against them in recent seasons. Maybe they'll open a bit more if Torres is missing.

 

I also agree with stringvest's post.

 

Yes, they do that because the way we play allows them to do that. If we start going forward at every opportunity, push forward as a team rather than hit the ball to Torres at every opportunity, that will spoil their plan and they have to do something different, which might play into our hands nicely.

 

Its hugely psychological now with us when we play Utd. Yes we have been unlucky - Cisse preferring to tie his shoe lace instead of burying that chance, Ferdinand's last minute header, Mascherano getting sent off by a cocksucker etc - but at the same time, we haven't played very well against them in recent times.

[Dirk]

I think he is cautious on occasion, like the Villa susbtitutions but all top teams control the game. We did it the entire time we dominated the footballing world. It's not a cautious approach, it gives teams a platform to impose their game on the opposition.

[Brownie]

That's fair enough, but there are a few on here who have stated that we definitely won't win the league under Rafa but they still don't want him replaced. I find that strange.

 

This is Rafa's 5th year. He really needs to put in a credible title challenge this season. I believe if he changes his mindset a little bit and lets the players play a bit more freely in some matches, we could win this league.

 

On the other hand, I also believe that if he tries to "control" every game from the sidelines with the usual cautious tactics, we have no chance of a realistic challenge and he should be replaced at the end of the season.

 

Judging on past experiences, I don't think we'll win it under him either but I think he deserves this season to put in a challenge. Our form from February until the end of last season was excellent and proved to me that we have what it takes personnel wise.

 

I'm not saying i'd never want to replace Rafa but who is available to do a better job? I don't like the thought of replacing a manager mid-season anyway, I think it's better to address those things in the summer.

[stringvest]

I think he is cautious on occasion, like the Villa susbtitutions but all top teams control the game. We did it the entire time we dominated the footballing world. It's not a cautious approach, it gives teams a platform to impose their game on the opposition.

 

we very rarely control games, Dirk - even against shite opposition. We're often clinging on in the last 20 minutes of games.

[Brownie]

I think he is cautious on occasion, like the Villa susbtitutions but all top teams control the game. We did it the entire time we dominated the footballing world. It's not a cautious approach, it gives teams a platform to impose their game on the opposition.

 

Rafa is far more cautious in his approach than Wenger and Fergie overall though, Dave.

 

Fergie is cautious in about 3/4 games a season (Anfield being one of those) but only because he's learnt that's the best way to win those games. Rafa does it too much, IMO. The Villa game was there for the taking and I don't think Ferguson or Wenger would have accepted a draw like we did - what do you think?

[jackofdk]

But I thought that width was supposed to come from fullbacks nowadays? At least thats what several posters spent the summer banging on about.

 

I hope Riera will do alright, but I'm still very desillusioned by the fact that Rafa hasn't done more to rectify our notorious lack of width and guile.

[Dirk]

we very rarely control games, Dirk - even against shite opposition. We're often clinging on in the last 20 minutes of games.

 

That's not true. At times we don't control the game, on others we do. It's as if people have been hit by a sudden case of amnesia, we played well for large parts of last season, really well. We also played bad for large parts.

 

It also depends how you interpret control, control in a tactical sense, I think, means to limit the opposition, to control their space and use of the ball. I don't think it means to have 60 perecent of possession and endless chances on target. By controlling the game, it can allow you to go on to do those things but it doesn't always. It's not an inherently negative tactic. Man United have an outstanding defence.

[Carra_is_legend]

I think he is cautious on occasion, like the Villa susbtitutions but all top teams control the game. We did it the entire time we dominated the footballing world. It's not a cautious approach, it gives teams a platform to impose their game on the opposition.

 

I think Rafa is cautious by nature Dirk. And we don't control majority of the games.

[Chuck Fadanoid]

we very rarely control games, Dirk - even against shite opposition. We're often clinging on in the last 20 minutes of games.

 

Not to just contradict everything you say Stringvest, but I think the majority of the times we do control games, we just lack creativity. When that lack of creativity results in it being 0-0 with twenty minutes to go, then the opposition think they can come out and have a go at us.

[snez1]

Anything else we can slag Rafa off for?

 

He made an inaccurate throw away comment about Masch's popularity when he signed him. He is GH II. Burn him.

 

He keeps saying Riera is good in the air! Fuck me, I wanted him to be shit in the air and even if he is good why does Rafa have to point it out? He should lie and tell us that he's faster than Usain Bolt.

 

We must sack Rafa if we lose to the Champions next week. Who cares if we have a number of important players out or that we have conceeded one goal in five games this season? Who cares that they are the champions and capable of beating anyone? Who cares that the season has just begun? Less than 3 points and he should go.

 

He comes across as defeatest too now you know.

 

And although when you analyse it or ask people in the know they will tell you he's fuck all like Houllier (his players included), let's remember he IS foreign and he IS managing the same club as Houllier did. Therefor comparisons are valid.

[05 Milan]

No job is safe in Liverpool when the mancs win at Anfield. I will seriously stay away from this place for at least a week if we lose. All the usual anger, frustration, scapegoating and fingerpointing after a defeat is multiplied by a billion.

[PaulMcC]

Anything else we can slag Rafa off for?

 

He made an inaccurate throw away comment about Masch's popularity when he signed him. He is GH II. Burn him.

 

He keeps saying Riera is good in the air! Fuck me, I wanted him to be shit in the air and even if he is good why does Rafa have to point it out? He should lie and tell us that he's faster than Usain Bolt.

 

We must sack Rafa if we lose to the Champions next week. Who cares if we have a number of important players out or that we have conceeded one goal in five games this season? Who cares that they are the champions and capable of beating anyone? Who cares that the season has just begun? Less than 3 points and he should go.

 

He comes across as defeatest too now you know.

 

And although when you analyse it or ask people in the know they will tell you he's fuck all like Houllier (his players included), let's remember he IS foreign and he IS managing the same club as Houllier did. Therefor comparisons are valid.

 

I think that's aimed at me. I wasn't criticising him at all. Just weird hearing a manager keep saying his new winger is good in the air. He must be brilliant in the air to keep mentioning it.

 

I'm sick of the stick Rafa gets.

[Dublin Red]

I'm one of those strange people you talk about. The reason is, he deserves another year to have a go - he's earned the right imo. I'm sure we won't win it though. Secondly, we won't get a better manager than him in our current state.

 

 

If we don't mount a credible challenge again this season, and say Dubai take over in the summer, do you think Dubai would trust Rafa with their millions ?

 

Do you think Rafa will ever change his cautious nature ?

[PaulMcC]

Mourinho is as cautious as Rafa.

 

He won the league twice and plenty of people on here said they'd take him as manager.