Time to consider what may happen to Liverpool should Benitez go?

[Manny]

Totally different to when we got rid of Ged. Our ownership situation wasn't great back then; nor was the potential transfer fund situation. But there was scope for improvement with new investment being searched out, and the playing field was more even. We didn't outspend everybody, but we outspent most. We all agreed there were better managers out there than Houllier.

 

Moving forward to now and, despite being mostly sympathetic with the manager this season, I am wavering on the edge of taking the plunge and calling for his resignation (mainly due to some of the gutless, insipid non-events we've witnessed recently) but his saving grace is my total lack of faith in the owners. Now, with regards to the ownership situation, the debt repayments are as bad as they could be and their knowledge of football matters is terrifyingly non-existant. I wouldn't trust them to appoint a new tea-lady. And the playing field is less even. We used to get outspent by Chelsea, the mancs and sometimes Arsenal. Those teams, plus City, Tottenham, Villa (to an extent) and even the likes of Sunderland and Birmingham outspend us regularly. That's not being offered as an excuse for Rafa, but it is the conditions any new guy would have to operate with.

 

In short, whilst I can tentatively see sense in bringing in a new manager to reinvigorate the current squad, I worry whether we'd get the right man, and whether he could build on the team/squad we have currently. It's a moot point anyway, because I don't see him walking (he's too bloody-minded for that) and the owners won't sack him.

 

I can't remember if I've posted this before, but as far as I'm concerned, the fans and the owners have different expectations. We demand a title chase, the owners 4th place. They'll see the table and see us right in the mix for qualification next season. They don't have the understanding or inclination to care about our relative performances compared with our competitors. So I suspect they see our position as healthy. Same as they see our finances.

 

Balls.

[shaunstrudwick]

If Rafa does go, I'd still take Hiddink though cos i reckon the owners would appoint someone a lot worse.

 

by a lot worse you mean they would pay someone a lot less so would not attract a top name?

 

or that their idea of who is a 'good manager' is someone like Klinnsman?

 

to get investment for a new stadium they are going to want someone at the club who is a top manager and who can at the very minimum deliver a top 4 finish in the prem and make the last 16 of the CL

 

these are pretty reasonable targets and you don't have to play all negative and defensive (what i mean by 'shit football') to acheive them

[shaunstrudwick]

Cos he's won plenty in his career, competing against teams who are better than his.

 

what has he won here though?

 

2 trophies in 5 seasons - is that good enough for you?

 

is his style of football satisfying enough for you?

 

this is a man who will not play Aquilani - his star summer signing - cos he considers him a 'risk'

 

do you honestly think Rafa will ever play 2 strikers (Kuyt doesn't count) Gerrard and Aquilani in the same team?

 

Rafa has spent the money and built 'his' team - no one else's - he wants to play in a certain way - it is in his nature and i can't see that changing

[Whelan]

When Rafa took over we had in our first team squad, Traore, Dudek and Kirkland, Biscan, Diao, Diouf, the Gems, Henchoz and Smicer, he also lost Heksey, Murphy and Owen who all chose to go. He also left no reserves or anything approaching a reserve side.

 

Whomever comes in will have a much better squad, with less shite needed to cul and a much better youth system, which has the promise of four or five players coming through in the next few years.

 

Just think about that! When you are venting your anger at Rafa

[shaunstrudwick]

When Rafa took over we had in our first team squad, Traore, Dudek and Kirkland, Biscan, Diao, Diouf, the Gems, Henchoz and Smicer, he also lost Heksey, Murphy and Owen who all chose to go. He also left no reserves or anything approaching a reserve side.

 

Whomever comes in will have a much better squad, with less shite needed to cul and a much better youth system, which has the promise of four or five players coming through in the next few years.

 

Just think about that! When you are venting your anger at Rafa

 

honestly the team really is not that good bar Gerrard, Torres, Masch and Reina - maybe Agger and Johnson - Benayoun is a great little squad player mind

[PaulMcC]

He's won 2 trophies for us in 5 years and 3 trophies in 3 years for Valencia before that.

 

So 2 league titles in one of the top 2 leagues, European Cup, UEFA Cup and FA Cup in 8 yeras.

 

That's 4 big trophies, 5 if you count UEFA in 8 years.

[PaulMcC]

honestly the team really is not that good bar Gerrard, Torres, Masch and Reina - maybe Agger and Johnson - Benayoun is a great little squad player mind

 

They're arguably the 4 best in the world in their roles.

[shaunstrudwick]

He's won 2 trophies for us in 5 years and 3 trophies in 3 years for Valencia before that.

 

So 2 league titles in one of the top 2 leagues, European Cup, UEFA Cup and FA Cup in 8 yeras.

 

That's 4 big trophies, 5 if you count UEFA in 8 years.

 

still only 2 trophies with us tho

 

They're arguably the 4 best in the world in their roles.

 

i agree - but the rest of the team/squad is v.average - and we've seen that we are still far too reliant on Gerrard and Torres - something that still hasn't been addressed

 

and yes i believe that he has had enough money to do it

[PaulMcC]

Ok. You definitely want him gone. I don't definitely want him gone.

 

Who do you want in if we can't get Hiddink or Mourinho?

[Whelan]

honestly the team really is not that good bar Gerrard, Torres, Masch and Reina - maybe Agger and Johnson - Benayoun is a great little squad player mind

 

The point is Ged left a hell of a lot of shite, who, Degen and the greek apart, the current squad do not touch!

 

In my opinion of course, a hell of a lot disagree with me on that score.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

I have it on good authority that Old Swan Ron is available and Carlton Palmer is willing to curtail his acting career for a crack at the title. I say, why not !

[shaunstrudwick]

Ok. You definitely want him gone. I don't definitely want him gone.

 

Who do you want in if we can't get Hiddink or Mourinho?

 

i don't see why we couldn't get either of those people

 

would want Hiddink over Mourinho in terms of style - and he's out of contract

 

but Mourinho did develop that seige mentality at Chelsea which saw them undefeated at home for nearly 2 seasons

 

would really need to think about someone else other than those 2

[redrosetints]

I dont like the 'we are doomed' tone.

 

I heard it all before when it was time for Houllier to go.

 

Granted its a plunge in to the unknown but i'd rather gamble than stick.

 

All this, we'd end up with Hodgson or a O'Neill is rubbish.

 

Its totally different now though. The full effeects of Ambramovich hadn't been felt and thre were no Citeh boys, flashing the cash.

 

You can stick your fingers in your ears and sing la la la la all you like, but with the big 'three', Citeh, Spurs and even Villa having more money than us, I think the article is probably a realistic assesment of a post Rafa LFC, rather than doommongering.

 

You can say its not all about money all you like, but history says thats just a romantic notion of football. The best, most succesfull clulbs have always been amongst the richest. And its the likes of Peter Robinson and Parry who have put us firmly down the pecking order financially.

[PaulMcC]

i don't see why we couldn't get either of those people

 

would want Hiddink over Mourinho in terms of style - and he's out of contract

 

but Mourinho did develop that seige mentality at Chelsea which saw them undefeated at home for nearly 2 seasons

 

would really need to think about someone else other than those 2

 

So just sack Rafa and hope they would come? I don't think Mourinho would come unless he was promised big money to spend.

 

You must rate Rafa as one of the best about if you can only think of 2 managers better than him. Or 4 cos i assume you think Wenger and Ferguson are better.

[shaunstrudwick]

So just sack Rafa and hope they would come? I don't think Mourinho would come unless he was promised big money to spend.

 

You must rate Rafa as one of the best about if you can only think of 2 managers better than him. Or 4 cos i assume you think Wenger and Ferguson are better.

 

and Ancelotti is better

 

as you say it's a question of who would come though isn't it

 

there is no reason (that i can think of) why we couldn't get Hiddink if he is out of contract

[Anny Road]

When Rafa took over we had in our first team squad, Traore, Dudek and Kirkland, Biscan, Diao, Diouf, the Gems, Henchoz and Smicer, he also lost Heksey, Murphy and Owen who all chose to go. He also left no reserves or anything approaching a reserve side.

 

Whomever comes in will have a much better squad, with less shite needed to cul and a much better youth system, which has the promise of four or five players coming through in the next few years.

 

Just think about that! When you are venting your anger at Rafa

 

Your making the point for me.

First 11 is a lot better than when he took over. The football isn't. We are shite. He cannot motivate a team.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

New ideas are required, we're stagnating. Who could we get ? Your guess is as good as mine, but it's coming.

[PaulMcC]

and Ancelotti is better

 

as you say it's a question of who would come though isn't it

 

there is no reason (that i can think of) why we couldn't get Hiddink if he is out of contract

 

So only 5 managers better?

 

If he's that bad you must be able to think of loads of people.

[Lucky Pierre]

We'll win the league when he goes.

[Sarb24]

Rafa won't ever win the Premiership because his ideals and views on the game and the way it should be played are not in line with what is required to win the Premiership. No point giving him another 4 or 5 years, or even a year for that matter. He will continue to make the same mistakes he's been making for the last 4 years

 

He won't ever learn. You should not be playing two defensive midfielders against relegation fodder. His team has no creativity and sees fit to leave two players he referred to as match winners who cost over £30m on the bench

 

And now he sees buying a right-back as a priority. I hope the players which have gone and money not allegedly been given to Rafa to spend is going in a kitty to fire him and his staff who aren't up to the job. I'll take him to Turin myself

[PaulMcC]

Rafa won't ever win the Premiership because his ideals and views on the game and the way it should be played are not in line with what is required to win the Premiership. No point giving him another 4 or 5 years, or even a year for that matter. He will continue to make the same mistakes he's been making for the last 4 years

 

He won't ever learn. You should not be playing two defensive midfielders against relegation fodder. His team has no creativity and sees fit to leave two players he referred to as match winners who cost over £30m on the bench

 

And now he sees buying a right-back as a priority. I hope the players which have gone and money not allegedly been given to Rafa to spend is going in a kitty to fire him and his staff who aren't up to the job. I'll take him to Turin myself

 

I don't think they are that different to Mourinho's but he just had enough money to buy better players.

[Whelan]

Don't recall Blackburn being the most exciting side. Not sure I would describe Chelsea as the most exciting either!

 

 

But there you go. Opinions eh, bit like arseholes!

 

People don't like seeing anyone else's!

[red4life69]

The funny thing is we are all saying we want rafa gone or rafa to stay but everyone has the same feelings we are afraid for LFC and what will happen either way. It's more than a certainty that rafa's defensive tactics have more or less given lower capable teams the chance to run at us and score last minute goals.

 

And we are now to the point of the season where we should be pushing to WIN games 2 three and four nil. But we seem more interested in protecting the 1 Nils and we keep getting caught out. Why cant rafa change in likes 55 minutes if something obviously isnt working.....

 

Now here's the kicker instead of challenging for the title we are at the point in the season where undoubtably some fans will hail rafa "king of kings" if we finish fourth in May and qualify for CL next year. But Is that all we can now expect for the new bread of millionaires football stars that play for our beloved team and really just dont deserve to wear the RED shirt!!

 

It has been such a season that finishing fourth will be the "holy GraIL"

 

Passion and ability to actuallY put several passes together AT ONCE to the front men would be a start but if i see one more back pass from lucas I will put the contract out on him myself.

 

Where did it all go wrong and who is there to fix it.

 

With very little money and the clubs owners taking every penny for their debts (yet making a 500 million sale oN their beloved "rangers" team) will a new manager even have a substantial summer transfer budget to obviously put right what we think rafa has put wrong with our team Can you actually see Mo or Hiddink coming here with no money to spend. Mo is waiting for the OLD toilet job and Hiddink we'll see give him more personal money and he might to a "chance" on us.

 

At the mid end of last season we went for the jugglar and killed off teams in under 60 minutes (madrid onwards) now we seem to score one goal if we are lucky and protect it by almost operating with 6 men at the back. are we waiting for the other team to make mistakes to win game snow !!

 

2 midfielders lucas and masc now also protect our back four... this is not how liverpool are gonna score and win games hoofing balls into midfield is not the way to go here and we have more talent in our kids than our current 1st squad...Reina can actual pass the ball better too !

 

I am on the edge of my seat at 85 minutes waiting for the opposition to once again score .. This isn't the way I wanna spend watching LFC this year. I would rather let the kids have a go in and so be it for the consequences at least they'd get the experience and maybe do a darn sight better than our current 1st squad - Knemeth, Pacheco, Spearing, Amoo, Kelly, nath eccleston actually can play some great passing and attacking football which our 1st squad just cant seem to do at the minute average 3 shots on target per 45 minutes is just poor.

 

Its time for a change but who and what is answer for the ages !!!

[The 5th Benitel]

Ok. You definitely want him gone. I don't definitely want him gone.

 

Who do you want in if we can't get Hiddink or Mourinho?

 

There's a difference between thinking he's a bad manager and thinking he's run out of ideas and has taken us as far as he can.

[shaunstrudwick]

There's a difference between thinking he's a bad manager and thinking he's run out of ideas and has taken us as far as he can.

 

this