Excellent Read

[goatboy59]

Since JG obviously got his fingers burned with the last one, here's the latest wave of snide from you know who;

 

 

Henry Winter: Rafael Benítez will blame everyone but himself for Liverpool's plight

 

 

"Virtually no one.'' So argued Jamie Carragher when asked whether Liverpool had anyone to replace Fernando Torres should the talismanic target-man miss Wednesday's Champions League tie at Lyons.

 

"Virtually no one.'' This was a short sentence that sounded like a death sentence.

 

Of all the millions of words screamed and scribbled about Liverpool's present plight, these three from the stand-in captain, a loyal servant of the club, carry the most significance.

 

A keen student of the game and genuine managerial prospect one day, Carragher believes his team are lightweight upfront without Torres.

 

His verdict is partly a compliment to Liverpool's exceptional No 9, but also an implicit indictment of the understudies assembled by Rafael Benítez.

 

Blaming such individuals for being too poor (Andrei Voronin) or too raw (Ryan Babel, David Ngog) is pointless; culpability rests with Benítez for recruiting them while ignoring prodigal sons such as Emile Heskey and Michael Owen.

 

Following defeat to a Fulham side expertly organised and motivated by Roy Hodgson, Liverpool are now besieged by headlines shrieking that their title dream is in tatters, but this is no sudden development.

 

In August, few people outside Anfield considered Liverpool to have a squad comparable to those at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge.

 

Benítez, as usual, will divert attention elsewhere. He will bemoan refereeing decisions, injuries, tardiness in the transfer market and the comic capers of the American co-owners.

 

He will even criticise "senior players'' such as Carragher and Steven Gerrard following the early-season loss to Aston Villa. One constant: Benítez never accepts responsibility himself.

 

That is why some people tire of the self-absorbed Spaniard. We've heard all the excuses before. We've seen the utter reliance on Gerrard, Torres and, for all his recent woes, Carragher.

 

Yet it is quite possible that Benítez, so good at the chess of the Champions League rather than the rollerball of the Premier League, can conjure up a victory over Lyons. But there will be another reverse, another storm. The occasional ray of sunshine piercing the gloom is not enough.

 

Liverpool can afford to sack Benítez. Compensation would be less than £5 million under the "mitigating the loss'' principle if he found employment, but no desire can be detected within the club for a regime change.

 

Besides, the two managers who would fit the Anfield bill, Fabio Capello and Jose Mourinho, are not available.

 

The impressive managing director, Christian Purslow, is not the type for knee-jerk reactions. But it is known around Anfield that Purslow has talked to Benítez about his style of management, notably his cold detachment from the players.

 

Sensible businesses plan for succession and any defenestration of Benítez should take place only in the close-season. Who knows? Benítez might win the FA Cup.

[goatboy59]

ps

 

just in case you've missed the joke, the thread title is sarcastic. It's a very poor job and getting personal now.

 

How much of this is emerging from the dressing room? Cynic that I am, I'm wondering if Gerrard really is that badly injured. Torres seems to be doing all he can to get some minutes in and contribute in Rafa's time of need.

 

The stuff about Purslow is very troubling.

[Code]

Its obvious that there are trouble within the camp and like I said last night its easy to understand where the frustration among the players comes from, especially the "senior" ones.

 

How long people will dismiss these things as shit stirring among the "nasty" journalists who have got it in for Rafa only God knows.

 

Its like a puzzle, when you collect different pieces and put them together sometimes you get a clear picture, while others might struggle to get the pieces together and will use more time before they see the big picture.

 

Nothing wrong with that, but its nothing wrong with being able to put the pieces together fast either.

[Herp McDerp]

Its obvious that there are trouble within the camp and like I said last night its easy to understand where the frustration among the players comes from, especially the "senior" ones.

 

How long people will dismiss these things as shit stirring among the "nasty" journalists who have got it in for Rafa only God knows.

 

Its like a puzzle, when you collect different pieces and put them together sometimes you get a clear picture, while others might struggle to get the pieces together and will use more time before they see the big picture.

Nothing wrong with that, but its nothing wrong with being able to put the pieces together fast either.

Fuck me, you really do think quite highly of yourself don't you?

[Skidfingers McGonical]

ps

 

just in case you've missed the joke, the thread title is sarcastic. It's a very poor job and getting personal now.

 

How much of this is emerging from the dressing room? Cynic that I am, I'm wondering if Gerrard really is that badly injured. Torres seems to be doing all he can to get some minutes in and contribute in Rafa's time of need.

 

The stuff about Purslow is very troubling.

 

You're opening a whole can of holy fuck with this one goatboy. There can be only one place the source came from.

[Herp McDerp]

So Emile Heskey was our prodigal son was he? Dear lord. That article is as bad as the one Tomkins put out today, utter bilge.

[Major Tom]

Rafa gets murdered in the English press.

 

It's actually pissing me off.

[Code]

Fuck me, you really do think quite highly of yourself don't you?

 

Like with every puzzle its easier to put it together if you have he right picture in your head when you start.

 

If your going to put together a picture of a monkey riding a two legged horse and are thinking of a bike you might struggle a bit.

[goatboy59]

Emile Heskey is a prodigal son now?

That was actually quite funny.

 

It's very confused. It's obviously anglophile, the arse kissing for Carra and the (barely) unseen hand of you know who, added to why haven't you got Heskey and Owen there.

 

Then he's blathering about the chess game of Europe compared to the rollerball of England! If a foreigner had said that Winter would be sharpening his catclaws.

 

There are echoes in it of the doubts and criticisms some Liverpool fans have got about Rafa, but like with Ronnie Whelan just this personal layer of spite liberally sprinkled over the top.

 

We're weak and struggling, of course we are, but fucking hell......

[Herp McDerp]

Like with every puzzle its easier to put it together if you have he right picture in your head when you start.

 

If your going to put together a picture of a monkey riding a two legged horse and are thinking of a bike you might struggle a bit.

OK.

That was actually quite funny.

 

It's very confused. It's obviously anglophile, the arse kissing for Carra and the (barely) unseen hand of you know who, added to why haven't you got Heskey and Owen there.

 

Then he's blathering about the chess game of Europe compared to the rollerball of England! If a foreigner had said that Winter would be sharpening his catclaws.

 

There are echoes in it of the doubts and criticisms some Liverpool fans have got about Rafa, but like with Ronnie Whelan just this personal layer of spite liberally sprinkled over the top.

 

We're weak and struggling, of course we are, but fucking hell......

This whole kick him while he's down attitude in the press has been sickening, can't say I'm surprised though, I hope like hell we get out of this rut soon as things are going to get very ugly otherwise. Reading articles like these you can't help but think they've been written ages ago, with the writers waiting to stick the knife in at the earliest opportunity, wonder who they'll round on once the fat spanish waiter with his fancy zonal marking is gone.

 

On a side note, why can't we name the 'you know who', we all know who it is, would Dave get into trouble for it? Anyways, Durango will be on in a bit and I'm pretty sure he's not going to keep his name out of his posts.

[Rex Banner]

I've always thought Henry Winter wrote good pieces and he's never had it out for us, infact he's written a lot of complimentary pieces about us. You can't write off every unflattering article as the writer being out to get us(although some certainly are).

[goatboy59]

I'll be honest, it's the "impressive Christian Purslow" bit that's got me worried. At last Winter seems to have official confirmation of his dressing room warning from a few weeks ago.

 

Just how would Winter know that Purslow is "impressive" and "not the knee-jerk type"? Of course journalists often wax lyrical about things they know nothing about.

 

This ain't that, I'm sure of it.

[goatboy59]

I've always thought Henry Winter wrote good pieces and he's never had it out for us, infact he's written a lot of complimentary pieces about us. You can't write off every unflattering article as the writer being out to get us(although some certainly are).

Us ie Liverpool Football Club.

 

No.

 

An individual obviously loved by many, whose departure is going to cause a major, major riot? That's another matter.

 

I'm in a bind here as I've made my feelings on Rafa known for some time, but there's fairness and things being done the right way if the worse comes to the worst.

 

Maybe after some of the stunts he himself has pulled, he doesn't deserve sympathy. As numerous posters on here have stated, it's all getting a bit too much now.

[lifetime fan]

Winter is normally one of my favourite journos, that peice of shit could have been written by Bascombe.

[Catch22]

Bring back Heskey & Owen.

 

Get rid of that stupid foreigner who doesn't understand that football is best in this country.

 

England for the World Cup!

 

Immigrants out! (It's the Telegraph Henry & bonus time is coming up - you know it'll play well)

[goatboy59]

Bring back Heskey & Owen.

 

Get rid of that stupid foreigner who doesn't understand that football is best in this country.

England for the World Cup!

 

Immigrants out! (It's the Telegraph Henry & bonus time is coming up - you know it'll play well)

But he doesn't think that - he's calling it Rollerball!

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Since JG obviously got his fingers burned with the last one, here's the latest wave of snide from you know who;

 

 

Henry Winter: Rafael Benítez will blame everyone but himself for Liverpool's plight

 

 

"Virtually no one.'' So argued Jamie Carragher when asked whether Liverpool had anyone to replace Fernando Torres should the talismanic target-man miss Wednesday's Champions League tie at Lyons.

 

"Virtually no one.'' This was a short sentence that sounded like a death sentence.

 

Of all the millions of words screamed and scribbled about Liverpool's present plight, these three from the stand-in captain, a loyal servant of the club, carry the most significance.

 

A keen student of the game and genuine managerial prospect one day, Carragher believes his team are lightweight upfront without Torres.

 

His verdict is partly a compliment to Liverpool's exceptional No 9, but also an implicit indictment of the understudies assembled by Rafael Benítez.

 

Blaming such individuals for being too poor (Andrei Voronin) or too raw (Ryan Babel, David Ngog) is pointless; culpability rests with Benítez for recruiting them while ignoring prodigal sons such as Emile Heskey and Michael Owen. .

 

I had to stop there.

[MAC5]

Like with every puzzle its easier to put it together if you have he right picture in your head when you start.

 

If your going to put together a picture of a monkey riding a two legged horse and are thinking of a bike you might struggle a bit.

 

Would'nt you just look at the picture on the front of the puzzle box, it's how i've always put puzzles/jigsaws together. I find this way to be the easier than having a picture in my head.

[coachpotato]

I think many journo's, and especially those who enjoy favouritism from down the east lancs, have really had it in for Benitez since his criticism of Ferguson last year.

Not many teams are setting the world alight (except maybe for Chelsea) but our loss of form and injury situation has proven to be a godsend to them, to paraphrase, Good News is no News, especially where LFC is concerned.

There are too many sounding like callers to 606 at the moment though, the title might well have gone and I can understand the disappointment after last season's performance, but when the rest of the football world is going for our Manager then it's time for us to put our feelings to one side.

I can take criticism of our manager from us, he made wrong decisions on Saturday for instance, but outsiders can do one.

[Vincent Vega]

Since JG obviously got his fingers burned with the last one, here's the latest wave of snide from you know who;

 

 

Henry Winter: Rafael Benítez will blame everyone but himself for Liverpool's plight

 

 

"Virtually no one.'' So argued Jamie Carragher when asked whether Liverpool had anyone to replace Fernando Torres should the talismanic target-man miss Wednesday's Champions League tie at Lyons.

 

"Virtually no one.'' This was a short sentence that sounded like a death sentence.

 

Of all the millions of words screamed and scribbled about Liverpool's present plight, these three from the stand-in captain, a loyal servant of the club, carry the most significance.

 

A keen student of the game and genuine managerial prospect one day, Carragher believes his team are lightweight upfront without Torres.

 

His verdict is partly a compliment to Liverpool's exceptional No 9, but also an implicit indictment of the understudies assembled by Rafael Benítez.

 

Blaming such individuals for being too poor (Andrei Voronin) or too raw (Ryan Babel, David Ngog) is pointless; culpability rests with Benítez for recruiting them while ignoring prodigal sons such as Emile Heskey and Michael Owen.

 

Following defeat to a Fulham side expertly organised and motivated by Roy Hodgson, Liverpool are now besieged by headlines shrieking that their title dream is in tatters, but this is no sudden development.

 

In August, few people outside Anfield considered Liverpool to have a squad comparable to those at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge.

 

Benítez, as usual, will divert attention elsewhere. He will bemoan refereeing decisions, injuries, tardiness in the transfer market and the comic capers of the American co-owners.

 

He will even criticise "senior players'' such as Carragher and Steven Gerrard following the early-season loss to Aston Villa. One constant: Benítez never accepts responsibility himself.

 

That is why some people tire of the self-absorbed Spaniard. We've heard all the excuses before. We've seen the utter reliance on Gerrard, Torres and, for all his recent woes, Carragher.

 

Yet it is quite possible that Benítez, so good at the chess of the Champions League rather than the rollerball of the Premier League, can conjure up a victory over Lyons. But there will be another reverse, another storm. The occasional ray of sunshine piercing the gloom is not enough.

 

Liverpool can afford to sack Benítez. Compensation would be less than £5 million under the "mitigating the loss'' principle if he found employment, but no desire can be detected within the club for a regime change.

 

Besides, the two managers who would fit the Anfield bill, Fabio Capello and Jose Mourinho, are not available.

 

The impressive managing director, Christian Purslow, is not the type for knee-jerk reactions. But it is known around Anfield that Purslow has talked to Benítez about his style of management, notably his cold detachment from the players.

 

Sensible businesses plan for succession and any defenestration of Benítez should take place only in the close-season. Who knows? Benítez might win the FA Cup.

 

Doesn't that apply to pretty much every manager in the country. Moyes, Allardyce, Bruce, Megson etc are always bitching about refereeing decisions and injuries. As for bacon face, we've had the pitch was heavy, problems with the kit they're wearing, referees (his particular favourite), the aligning of the planets etc etc. Rafa could have got far more mileage out of the beach-ball incident than he did. You can also bet that ref from the weekend who sent off Degen and Carragher wouldn't ref the Mancs again for about two years, we'll probably get him again before Christmas.

[Dirk]

Gotta love the implicit meaning that we are losing games because the manager won't gargle the English players' semen. Astounding insight there, Henry. There's no mention of Torres, or even Mascherano who Rafa has been critical of or mention of any other senior players for that matter. Perhaps, when we are performing so badly and Carragher is making mistake after mistake, mistakes that are contributing to losses, he ought to concentrate on sorting his performances, rather than colluding with the captain to spread tittle-tattle. The hypocrisy of that article is staggering, Winter talks of blame and responsibility whilst bringing Carragher and Gerrard into the discussion, Carragher should take a look at himself, instead of blaming the manager for his poor positional play.

Edited November 3, 2009 by Dirk

[lifetime fan]

So who do people think has been talking to Henry?

[goatboy59]

You'd assume Gerrard and Carragher.

 

It's beginning to sound like Purslow.

[Dirk]

You'd assume Gerrard and Carragher.

 

It's beginning to sound like Purslow.

 

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that he's spoken with all three or at least two of them.

[goatboy59]

The third is the real worry.

 

And Dickinson writing about "whispers" re Dalglish.