Rafa poll re-run.

[The Chief]

Same as last time, I'd genuinelynow how much opinions have been swayed by the latest results, and I'm sticking with the same shit I wrote last time:**

 

This is not a thread to slag off Rafa, I'm not interested in a slanging match between people cos they have a different opinion, and I don't want a thread just slagging off Rafa either so........

 

This is a straightforward question, and I'm genuinely interested in the outcome. After hearing quite a few people in the crowd last night saying he should be sacked, and then in the pub after where it was 50-50 for and against him, what do the luminaries of the TLW think?

 

I'm making it a private poll cos I want a straightforward, honest answer from everyone.

 

I decided to add a 3rd option, give him till the end of the season, and also I've left it open till next Saturday.

 

I've also added in extra questions, I'd like to know if you've changed your opinion.

 

 

**I KNOW we ALL want the owners out first and foremost, (before Nick gives me a load of shite about the poll).

Edited January 16, 2010 by The Chief

[bobhorse]

He played his strongest side against Reading bar the keeper and we lost with three injuries it wasnt Rafa who gave away a last min Pen it wasnt Rafa who didnt put it all in on the pitch like Babel (yes i will name names)

We all know that without Gerrard and Torres in the side we are not a top 4 team The owners need to back the manager now to bring in the players he needs

 

We have a young lad learning his trade at Left back a right back who had played about 20mins football for us a young lad up front who is crying out for help up there and we were forced into replacing our best 2 players and another had a broken rib? a lad in Midfield trying to get to grips with the pace of the game that is the negatives

 

The positives are that we have a new player in Maxi joined Javi will be back Reire should be back and with Kuyt playing as a striker we should look a lot more ballanced

 

I expect to beat Stoke tomorrow and things wont look a bleak as they did on Wednesday to be honest the FA Cup would be a distraction from the battle for 4th place anyway this season yes would have been nice to win it but CL football is what is most important to this club for next season and securing it comes above everything else and Rafa is the best man for the Job end off

[rubberduckstyle]

100% behind the manager. A very big - I want him to stay..

[Paul]

I'm genuinely a bit conflicted about my views on Rafa's position. Firstly, I can't ignore the run in last season which was wonderful, in my view. Anyone who can get a team playing like that is seriously talented. Secondly, we've seen improvements in the second half of almost every season he's been here.

 

That said, we seem to be disintegrating this season, playing steadily poorer and poorer football and losing matches left, right and centre in all competitions. It really looks like he's losing the dressing room as the players are utterly bereft of confidence and if he can't lift them then that speaks of a lack of belief in him, in my view. Furthermore, as I said at the time, much of the damage is of his own making with what I regard as his poor handling of players leading to their departures.

 

However, it's looked like he's lost them to me before (admittedly not this badly) and yet he's turned it round. Just before he switched to the 4231 we looked abject and yet afterwards we looked really good. No such solution appears possible this time though - everyone's injured and we can't sign anyone.

 

My view is the same as it was after we went out of the CL: I'd replace Rafa now in the unlikely event of us being able to get (in order of preference) Hiddink, Capello or Mourinho as an immediate replacement. However, that isn't going to happen and so I don't think we have any choice other than to hope that he can dig deep and turn it around. Were he to do so to the required extent of getting fourth place it would rank alongside anything he's done in his career, things are that bad right now.

[Vincent Vega]

Rafa at least deserves to the end of the season to see if he can turn it around, his record over the last five years dictates that. Whether he can turn things around is another matter and it looks extremely unlikely based on recent performances and the horrendous injury blow he has just been dealt.

 

If we finish outside the top four this year, I couldn't argue if a decision was made to part with him as I believe that should have been achievable as a target pre-season, with City's spending yet to really kick in and the number of points we finished ahead of Arsenal last year.

 

I still have huge worries over who the two idiots would line up a as a replacement, but this isn't a reason for Rafa to stay beyond this season if we fall behind massively in the league. I do have sympathy for Rafa, as this was the season to kick on after last season's excellent performance, but he wasn't backed at all in the transfer market and we have paid a very heavy price for that this year.

[Guest davelfc]

I want him to stay, but something has to give and real soon if we continue like this.

[Red Hot]

I want him to be given to at least the end of the season.

[Paulie Dangerously]

I don't want him to be our manager anymore but I don't think that removing him from power now would make any odds. If we sack him now and someone else takes over and we finish 7th or 8th then people will say "we shouldn't have sacked Rafa" but if we finish there under his helm then the fans will hopefully unite and get behind the new manager

[Walton Park]

OUT NOW PLEASE !

I will even pay for the Taxi.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

OUT NOW PLEASE !

I will even pay for the Taxi.

 

What he said.

 

I can't see us beating Stoke or Spurs, nevermind any one else.

 

How many corners are we gonna turn? We've been dreadful since the defeat at Spurs on the first day and things have just continued 5 months on with no improvement whatsoever.

 

He's still going to play Lucas. He's still going to play Dirk.

 

Why keep him on?

[Tom R]

I have genuine and well founded doubts about us even finishing in the top 7 or 8 is season if he remains manager.

 

There is absolutely fuck all to suggest that we can finish higher than that, for me.

 

To put that in to some scary context, Liverpool have only ever finished lower than 6th place twice since 1965!!

 

If a change isn't made today then I can easily see this being the joint worst finish (8th) in the last 45 years, and we could seriously even go on set a new record for the same period.

Those who are adamant that he should stay should seriously have a good think on those stats for a moment or two and think how it would impact us.

 

This is just how serious a situation we are in right now and to just sit back and allow it to go unchecked is nothing short of utter fucking madness.

 

We have rich history of sticking with managers too long. This is just the latest example.

 

He's had six years. Nobody could ever say he's not had a fair crack of the whip, and there isn't another club of our standing in the whole world who would allow this to go on. Not a one.

[Malarkey]

I think we should clamp his nipples with crocodile clips. Then rig them up to a car battery.

[Spy Bee]

I want him to stay, but something has to give and real soon if we continue like this.

 

I would agree with that. I'd probably drop the 'real' due to the fact it's very Americanised and also because I don't want to put a time scale on things. I think we are just performaing really badly and are really low on confidence.

 

The season before Rafa won his last title in Spain, Valencia finished 5th.

[The Dude Abides]

I want him out now, but i think it's unfair for him to take all the blame. Some of those lads playing for us this season, even the "born and bred" ones have been nothing short of a disgrace to the jersey.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Want him out now. It's painful to watch the clueless football we have been playing. Don't think he has been backed enough to put up a title challenge each season, but we have spent enough to have a better squad and to be playing better football. Think he has taken us as far as he can. It's getting to the stage that he is undoing all the good stuff that went before.

[Captain]

I have genuine and well founded doubts about us even finishing in the top 7 or 8 is season if he remains manager.

I don't. Do you feel like having a bet on it?

[kalasoma]

If Rafa goes, I think we may lose Torres and Gerrard. Just a gut feeling.

[Tom R]

I want him out now, but i think it's unfair for him to take all the blame. Some of those lads playing for us this season, even the "born and bred" ones have been nothing short of a disgrace to the jersey.

 

That's a fair comment. The players have been woeful.

 

But, without turning this in to another mass debate on a done to death topic, the motivation of players comes down to one man.

 

Let's not forget as well that most of the players are just plain old shit and they're just not really even capable of anything more than they're giving!

[Joe Le Taxi]

I love Rafa.

[Tom R]

I don't. Do you feel like having a bet on it?

 

I've had this offer many times.

 

I don't bet on Liverpool. Ever. Certainly not on them to fail!! What possible satisfaction would I gain from that???

It would be the shittest and hollowest victory of all time.

 

But if we finish even in sixth then it will be a minor miracle. If you've seen something in this team that I haven't then good luck to you.

 

Feel free to find this thread in May, but I'm not betting against Liverpool, ever.

 

I really, really hope I'm wrong. But realism tells me I won't be.

[Tom R]

If Rafa goes, I think we may lose Torres and Gerrard. Just a gut feeling.

 

fuck them then.

 

If any player is thick enough to follow him anywhere then we just don't need players that stupid.

[DJLJ]

If Rafa goes, I think we may lose Torres and Gerrard. Just a gut feeling.

 

If they want to leave because the manager leaves, then let them. They play for Liverpool FC, not Benitez FC.

[chrisbonnie]

i said until the end of the season by accident, i meant to say OUT NOW

 

its so bad, for my first time EVER, i refused to watch us play today, as i knew it was going to be shite

[Brownie]

There is absolutely no way that either of those players would leave purely because Rafa left. They might leave because we're shite, but certainly not because of Benitez.

[The 5th Benitel]

I want him gone now. I think it's the only way we'll get top 4. I also think the likes of Torres and Gerrard would be more likely to stay if a big enough name came in. Gerrard in particular looks like he's given up on Rafa.

 

On a personal note i'm struggling to justify paying to watch Sunday league standard football. It'd horrible to watch and i dont even enjoy watching us play. If i wasn't a red i'd never watch a Liverpool match cos the standard of football is dire.