Portsmouth Away

[vonk]

The plot thickens with Scotty T saying Fabio & me , Mascher

 

1 ) Definitely watching MOTD

2 ) New floodlights for Pompey

 

definitely Benny . The benefit of having watched the last 10 minutes 7 times already. He was excellent today Benayoun :thumbsup:

[Captain]

This thread makes for some sad reading.

[Unrighteous]

Benayuon deserves to keep starting with his form, lately.

 

He was very good today, IMO.

[rebel23]

Bang on. Xabi, Dirk and Nando. The big players got Rafa out of jail tonight. Nothing to do with tactics whatsoever. The tactics had blatantly failed when we were 2-1 down with 5 to go. As with the other amazing rescues this season the big players stepped up for us and showed incredible belief. The manager can take no credit for that. It was all about those players. Well in lads.

 

he signed them all you fool.

[sir roger]

You are right, luck is a bad choice of works. Look, I just wish he would take the gloves off against the poorer teams. We've had too many close games against the likes of these when we have the players to twat them. I stick by my point, his tactics work against the better teams. The players have rescued him against lesser teams this year.

 

This a forum where people express opinions and I appreciate your critique, but some on here are not interested in opinions and just come on to open their fuckin machine guns when we win and others when we lose. :no[/quote]

 

That's true enough Vonk.

 

My thoughts generally are that we are a very good functional , honest , hardworking team who grind teams down in the main for our results with superior attitude , fitness & tactics with only Torres & Gerrard adding that extra class.

 

I therefore accept that generally we will not cane teams & usually the later stages of games will be 'LFC-time'

 

I think unfortunately we will come up short in the long-run this season due to the above meaning that too many of our games will be close and hinge on very small margins of error , but think Rafa is one of the positives that will take us close rather than a negative overall.

 

Hopefully we can add a sprinkling of magic dust via transfers in the close season which mean we can win it next season.

[Faustus]

Fuck me- we've had too many of them this season!

 

Not the best performance in the world; I actually thought we were really poor for spells, but we should a hell of a lot of bottle and character. If the Mancs had won in those circumstances, people would be saying "that's why they're champions", "that's how you win titles" blah, blah, blah and other such stuff, so in one respect, it's really pleasing to win this way. Hopefully we can win a few games 3-0 without breaking sweat, because I don't think I can take many more games like this.

 

The Mancs will more than likely be back top tomorrow night, but we did what was asked of us and we've put them under a little bit of pressure for their match tomorrow. All we can do from now on is win games and hopefully we're in the process of stringing a few together now.

 

Special word for Yossi Benayoun- outstanding. I voted in Paul's thread that he was Liverpool class and performances like this kind of explain why I voted this way. I know not everybody likes him, but he's a really technically gifted footballer and is probably one of the few players in our squad who had the ability to turn nothing into something in an instant. I thought this was probably his best performance in a red shirt since he joined.

[ToxtethTerror]

That was a great result for us, Pompey is not an easy place to go even if they have sold all of their best players. I think they are probably the worst team in the PL at the moment but it was still a good result with our best two players out.

 

That said, it may have been a good result but we were awful in that game. Maybe people are happy because they expected us to be shit with that line up but we were woeful in possession, no cutting edge, and we looked like Pompey did, a mid table team. We really need to start playing well or we will come unstuck.

[ScottyT]

That said, it may have been a good result but we were awful in that game. Maybe people are happy because they expected us to be shit with that line up but we were woeful in possession, no cutting edge, and we looked like Pompey did, a mid table team. We really need to start playing well or we will come unstuck.

 

We played some of our best football of the season in patches, especially the first 30 minutes.

 

The move for the winner was as good as it gets.

[aladdinsane]

Some disappointing comments about Benitez being called a retard and taking the piss out of how he speaks, but I must admit I can understand people being angry enough to call him a cunt (even if i dont condone it). It's just pure frustration at seeing seemingly slip away and the manager is always a prime target, it's unfortunate but it happens. I've certainly called some of our players all the names under the sun during a match when I've been frustrated.

 

A really dismal match except the last 20 minutes, but I'm made up about winning, our points tally is all we'll remember in a few weeks. It's papered over some pretty big fucking cracks, but if we can still pick up the points until we get a good run of form together of points and playing well, I'd be happy. I'm majorly concerned though that we've been waiting for this good run of form since August, and it's been looking further away than ever in recent weeks. Worrying times.

 

I've been pleased with Yossi's form recently, I'm not his biggest fan by any stretch, but he looks up for it and showing some fight. If we can get a few more doing that (I'm looking at you Babel), then our chances would much improve.

[rebel23]

Torres kept us (and benitez) in the title race today.

 

did Torres just appear at Liverpool or did Benitez fight tooth and nail to bring him here?

[snez1]

Fact 1: When Alex Ferguson's teams are level or behind with 10 minutes to go and he throws on a bunch of attacking players and gets a result it's because he's a genius who just magically makes his team break down the opposition with constant attacks.

 

Fact 2: When Rafael "Cunt/Shithouse" Benitez does the same and gets a result it is down to his players who save him. That and pure luck.

[pr1tpal]

Though Aurelio was bloody awesome today...was he a holding midfielder? Really thought he worked his socks off for the team.

 

Felt bad for N'gog though, the service to him was awful. Babel really does not link up well with anyone. There were so many times when he could've threaded a pass through to feet but ended up holding onto it too long and losing it. His decision making at times is shocking.

 

Also....realised today how badly we could do with Crouchy still playing for us. He is unbelievable at holding the ball up. Torres doesn't even hold the ball up like Crouchy does, a joy to watch.

[ScottyT]

Fabio was ace. I was cursing him for giving away that free kick though.

[robslappa]

Fact 1: When Alex Ferguson's teams are level or behind with 10 minutes to go and he throws on a bunch of attacking players and gets a result it's because he's a genius who just magically makes his team break down the opposition with constant attacks.

 

Fact 2: When Rafael "Cunt/Shithouse" Benitez does the same and gets a result it is down to his players who save him. That and pure luck.

 

I'm sorry if it seems I'm singling you out, but it was only the Wigan game a couple of weeks ago were you were saying how much you've lost faith in the Manager. And now you've changed your tune.

 

It's funny how Benitez had lost it a couple of weeks ago in your eyes but now the same fans who shared your concerns are now cunts. What ever way you dress tonight up we played a very weak team to begin with.

 

The fact remains, we should have started with a better team than we did tonight. Pompey are proabably one of the worst teams in the league yet we showed them more respect than we showed Everton last week.

 

I'm sorry but leaving Torres, Alonso and Riera on the bench when we need a win is ridiculous.

[robslappa]

This thread makes for some sad reading.

 

The fact that you don't know where this is makes for sad reading.

 

Anfield Stadium - Liverpool - Reviews of Anfield Stadium - TripAdvisor

[snez1]

I'm sorry if it seems I'm singling you out, but it was only the Wigan game a couple of weeks ago were you were saying how much you've lost faith in the Manager. And now you've changed your tune.

 

It's funny how Benitez had lost it a couple of weeks ago in your eyes but now the same fans who shared your concerns are now cunts. What ever way you dress tonight up we played a very weak team to begin with.

 

The fact remains, we should have started with a better team than we did tonight. Pompey are proabably one of the worst teams in the league yet we showed them more respect than we showed Everton last week.

 

I'm sorry but leaving Torres, Alonso and Riera on the bench when we need a win is ridiculous.

 

What Rafa did at Wigan pissed me off no end, i still don't understand it. Before that night i barely even questioned him. That's gone now. I lost some faith in him.

 

However, just because i'm not totally sure he can win us the league doesn't mean i'm going to stop supporting the team, calling him a cunt or writing things off when he does well.

 

He left Alonso out because he wouldn't have been able to play a full 90 as he was injured.

 

He left Torres out because he was utterly fucked on Wednesday and was probably likely to pick up an injury if he played for an hour today.

 

He left Riera on the bench because, frankly he's been shite the last few weeks, also looks knackered and didn't fit into the formation today.

 

Of course it was a gamble, but he and his medical staff know who is fit and who isn't. It worked. Xabi and Nando came on for the last 25 minutes and we dominated. We were the better team all game for my money too, despite having 2 dogshit strikers up front.

[Brownie]

I agree with Rob, Snez you've changed like the wind in the last couple of weeks, although that's totally your prerogative.

[snez1]

I agree with Rob, Snez you've changed like the wind in the last couple of weeks, although that's totally your prerogative.

 

My opinion of Rafa changed at Wigan. I don't trust him the way i used too and find myself questioning him far more. However, just because i dont have the belief in him i did previously doesn't mean i'm going to abandon logic like some on here and call him a cunt or ignore actual reasons for his tactical decisions. It's fucking ridiculous on here today.

 

I take issue with Rafa today because he had N'Gog and Babel up front. Both are shocking and after selling Keane he never brought anyone in. To me that was fucking stupid. I wouldn't have a problem saying that i think he's got that very wrong (i proabbly have). However, today seemed pretty simple to me. He couldn't start with some of his top players as they were fucked so he changed the system and looked to use them late on. It worked. Pretty simple, and just because of what he did at Wigan and because i think his decision not to replace Keane was ridiculous doesn't mean i'm just going to ignore when he gets it right or start typing "FUCK OFF RAFA YOU CUNT" every time we conceed a goal.

[The Acolyte]

Anybody watch match of the day?

Not much praise for Rafa there.

Yeah Reina was not at his best but do you really think we'd defend like that against the Mancs?

We struggle to be creative or at least keep the back door closed when playing lower opposition in contrast to top teams but I can't see us being that slack.

I think Rafa saw that reliance on Gerrard resulted in the injury and he didn't want that happening to Torres who he only just got back so he gave a chance to players who some of you have screamed at Rafa to give an extended run to. Some shone (Aurellio, Yossi) others didn't (Babel).

Kuyt should be given a chance to form a partnership with Torres. You can see Rafa wants to do this but we are so short on the right its not funny anymore.

Finally, whats the chance Insua goes straight back in the side once he gets back. Bet he wanted rid of Dossena but knew he wouldn't see a penny of whatever he got for him. Was arguing with a Manc fan who says we could've said no to Insua going to this tournament, same for Babel and Mascherano in the Olympics. Is this true.

[ratcatcher]

did Torres just appear at Liverpool or did Benitez fight tooth and nail to bring him here?

 

 

What's your point!?

[The Acolyte]

My opinion of Rafa changed at Wigan. I don't trust him the way i used too and find myself questioning him far more. However, just because i dont have the belief in him i did previously doesn't mean i'm going to abandon logic like some on here and call him a cunt or ignore actual reasons for his tactical decisions. It's fucking ridiculous on here today.

 

I take issue with Rafa today because he had N'Gog and Babel up front. Both are shocking and after selling Keane he never brought anyone in. To me that was fucking stupid. I wouldn't have a problem saying that i think he's got that very wrong (i proabbly have). However, today seemed pretty simple to me. He couldn't start with some of his top players as they were fucked so he changed the system and looked to use them late on. It worked. Pretty simple, and just because of what he did at Wigan and because i think his decision not to replace Keane was ridiculous doesn't mean i'm just going to ignore when he gets it right or start typing "FUCK OFF RAFA YOU CUNT" every time we conceed a goal.

 

With the lack of money at the club what makes you think Rafa was gonna see even half of the Keane cash? If you want to believe in the rumours the writting was on the wall for Keane but they delayed selling him early in the Transfer window as that would force the board to give the cash to Rafa for a replacement. They don't want to do that as they want the books to look good for the banks/potential investors.

[JohnnyH]

Anybody watch match of the day?

Not much praise for Rafa there.

.

 

Huh? Shearer said that Rafa initially got the team wrong, but realised it, changed it and won the game because of it. He said it was good management.

 

Hansen was a bit more negative but said that we were right in the title race.

 

Doesn't take much to piss people off.

[robslappa]

The last thing I'll say about's tonights game is that noone will ever explain why Torres, Alonso, Kuyt and Riera never started. If they were fit enough for the bench then they should have started and judging by how they performed when they came on they were no less sharper than anyone else on the pitch.

 

You have to ask yourself why were they rested? Why? If fatigue was such an issue then they should stay at home this week. If it's not an issue then why didn't they start?

 

There's no way on God's green earth that Ngog should ever start a league game for Liverpool Football Club yet he was afforded almost 55 minutes. Why?

[snez1]

The last thing I'll say about's tonights game is that noone will ever explain why Torres, Alonso, Kuyt and Riera never started. If they were fit enough for the bench then they should have started and judging by how they performed when they came on they were no less sharper than anyone else on the pitch.

 

You have to ask yourself why were they rested? Why? If fatigue was such an issue then they should stay at home this week. If it's not an issue then why didn't they start?

 

There's no way on God's green earth that Ngog should ever start a league game for Liverpool Football Club yet he was afforded almost 55 minutes. Why?

 

If they're fit enough to play 25 minutes they're fit enough to start? Sorry thats bollocks. Just complete bollocks.

 

Did you see the state of Torres at Everton? The last 20 minutes he was on the pitch was like watching a sumo chasing a flea as he ran round (or tried to) after defenders. He was fucked.

 

By bringing him on with 15 minutes left it meant he was up against 2 tired centre backs and could just go out full pelt. It worked a treat. Distin and Campbell wouldn't have switched off like they did for our last 2 goals in the first half.

 

You're very right about N'Gog he's fucking woeful. Can't believe we signed him.

[Baresi]

The last thing I'll say about's tonights game is that noone will ever explain why Torres, Alonso, Kuyt and Riera never started. If they were fit enough for the bench then they should have started and judging by how they performed when they came on they were no less sharper than anyone else on the pitch.

 

You have to ask yourself why were they rested? Why? If fatigue was such an issue then they should stay at home this week. If it's not an issue then why didn't they start?

 

There's no way on God's green earth that Ngog should ever start a league game for Liverpool Football Club yet he was afforded almost 55 minutes. Why?

 

Not true, Rob. You have to understand, whether you agree with the decision or not, there are people better placed to assess these decisions, better than the fans.