Should Rafa Really be saying this?

[King Emlyn]

Even in the likes of the treble season we had that match winning mentality where certain players would win games for us if others were having an off day. The squad we have now is a joke compared to that squad and that was only 8 years ago.

 

There was class and experience throughout it on the whole. Now I see a few outstanding players and a LOT of average ones. Chalk and cheese.

How old are you John? Not a pop in anyway at all mate, just curious.

[Juan Galonso]

How old are you John? Not a pop in anyway at all mate, just curious.

 

Check my profile. Not saying. I look a lot younger than I am though.

[aws]

John looks about as old as the reserve team keeper last night. Oil of Ulay - he swears by it.

[SpeedyG]

Weird, when I read that Mirror article I thought Good on Carra taking on a leadership role letting everyone know standards need to be upped.

[torahboy]

Just going to have a few bevvies. Seeing as the dickheads and the dickless have taken over this thread I don't think I'll be missing anything intelligent while I'm getting ratarsed.

[Plev]

Just read that Mirror article, bit of a nothing article really, not much to get excited about in that.

[2pak]

Its quite sad how generally rational discussions always disintegrate into black and white. An unfortunate outcome of our jeckyll and hyde team and the manager.

 

I noted a few days ago we should not have bought a perennial crock to replace a critical position knowing a Lucas and Masch, try as they may, would not get us far in an important start to an important season. Let's hope Rafa is working on transforming the whole team's mentality and flow to late last season's levels or else the bickering and finger pointing will run full steam into next summer.

[Juan Galonso]

Just going to have a few bevvies. Seeing as the dickheads and the dickless have taken over this thread I don't think I'll be missing anything intelligent while I'm getting ratarsed.

 

Enjoy yourself.

[ratcatcher]

I love how Rafa is blaming Gerrard for our over-reliance on Gerrard.

 

Every player has a bad patch, and it's not Gerrard's fault that Plan A is to hope Gerrard and Torres are fit and playing well, and that we have no Plan B.

 

It is ironic, isnt it? He really should keep such comments 'in house' and stop blabbing to all and sundry in the media.

[slartibartfast]

If he has a go at the senior players, It has more effect on the squad as a whole.

[Brownie]

I think he's got a cheek to be honest. He's always praising the likes of Lucas and Kuyt even when they're playing shite; Gerrard has one poor game and he comments on his poor form.

 

Double standards, IMO, and i'd be a bit pissed off if I was Gerrard.

[King Emlyn]

If he has a go at the senior players, It has more effect on the squad as a whole.

As in positively or negatively?

[Juan Galonso]

Shades of 02-03 when we went out of the CL against Basle and Houllier did the dirty on Gerrard in the press conference after it although Rafa hasn't been anywhere near as venomous as GH was. Rafa has become a buck passer over the past two years or so like his predecessor.

 

He was so refreshing in that respect when he first took over that he didn't make excuses or look to shift blame. He just got on with it.

[slartibartfast]

As in positively or negatively?

 

Don't know, but if he has a go at Lucas for instance, then the impact isn't as great, as he doesn't have the same influence on the dressing room. But if he slags off a senior player, it will be passed down through the squad.

 

Apologies if I'm not clear in what I mean but I'm slightly hammered.

[Juan Galonso]

Don't know, but if he has a go at Lucas for instance, then the impact isn't as great, as he doesn't have the same influence on the dressing room. But if he slags off a senior player, it will be passed down through the squad.

 

Apologies if I'm not clear in what I mean but I'm slightly hammered.

 

I know what you mean and it is a good point although it doesn't make it right on Rafa's part.

[slartibartfast]

I know what you mean and it is a good point although it doesn't make it right on Rafa's part.

 

I'm not saying it is, but I think that he wants what he says to have as much impact as possible.

[JohnnyH]

Amazing thread. Truly amazing.

[slartibartfast]

Amazing thread. Truly amazing.

 

Keep at it. You never know, one day someone might give a shit what you think.

[coop]

Just read the article in the original post as i thought Rafa had called Gerrard a tosser but its hardly sensational stuff is it.

 

To win the league we can have no passengers and the senior players such as Gerrard and Carragher need to set an example regardless of what they have done in the past.

 

Torres has been a superb signing for us but he is another one who is off form and his constant moaning to the ref is doing him no favours at all.

 

Rafa is not beyond the blame and whilst the team he picked should have had enough to beat Villa stupid choices like Babel instead of Yossi against Spurs still leave the doubt in the mind.

 

Against Villa we should have been hammering the door down from the word go but due to us not scoring after 20 minutes you could see Rafa telling the full backs not to bomb forward as he was concerned regards the pace Villa have on the wings.

 

Another thing Rafa needs to take the blame for is the fact that when the 'top' players are not performing then other players such as Babel, Voronin, Degen etc are hardly going to make a difference against the majority of the sides we will play against.

[Anubis]

"Gerrard will know he has played a couple of games that are not up to his best level," said the Spaniard.

 

"Because he so often plays really well, people maybe can see the difference. I know he will be ready now."

 

How terrible of him to mention a dip in Gerrard's acknowledged usual form, and having the temerity to say that he know's he'll be ready now. I applaud the sense of proportion.

 

[Juan Galonso]

Just read the article in the original post as i thought Rafa had called Gerrard a tosser but its hardly sensational stuff is it.

 

To win the league we can have no passengers and the senior players such as Gerrard and Carragher need to set an example regardless of what they have done in the past.

 

Torres has been a superb signing for us but he is another one who is off form and his constant moaning to the ref is doing him no favours at all.

 

Rafa is not beyond the blame and whilst the team he picked should have had enough to beat Villa stupid choices like Babel instead of Yossi against Spurs still leave the doubt in the mind.

 

Against Villa we should have been hammering the door down from the word go but due to us not scoring after 20 minutes you could see Rafa telling the full backs not to bomb forward as he was concerned regards the pace Villa have on the wings.

 

Gerrard and Carragher may be going through a slight dip in form. That happens to any player. Where are the other players who have hid behind Gerrards considerable talents over the years now when we need them when the skipper is proving he is actually human after all? Shouldn't some of Rafa's signings be stepping up to prove themselves now while Gerrard finds his best form? Gerrard has covered their arses more often than not. It is about time some of them did the same for him now.

[slartibartfast]

Let's be fair. The Villa game was much like the Spurs game last season. We gave away an own goal & a penalty, whilst having plenty of chances of our own. That won't happen every week.

[Carra_is_legend]

Is this thread for real? Fuck me! I'm not the biggest Rafa fan on this planet but some people really hate him don't they?

 

All this for what? THIS??

 

"Gerrard will know he has played a couple of games that are not up to his best level," said the Spaniard.

 

"Because he so often plays really well, people maybe can see the difference. I know he will be ready now."

[JMARKH]

I think he is just trying a bit of psychology, nothing much in it as far as I am concerned. My only thing against it is last year he said Kuyt "is always fantastic" but maybe that was a booster for Dirk to ignore the likes of me who were getting his back!!

 

At the end of the day I feel sorry for Rafa this year as he has had his hands tied and I wouldn't blame him if he walked out at the end of the season. He is probably and rightly pissed off that he is not being given the chance to take us forward and a majority of fans will expect that after last season. I don't as we have stood still.

[coop]

Gerrard and Carragher may be going through a slight dip in form. That happens to any player. Where are the other players who have hid behind Gerrards considerable talents over the years now when we need them when the skipper is proving he is actually human after all? Shouldn't some of Rafa's signings be stepping up to prove themselves now while Gerrard finds his best form? Gerrard has covered their arses more often than not. It is about time some of them did the same for him now.

 

You never quoted my last paragraph where i said myself that the other members of the squad such as Voronin etc are just not good enough.