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Rafa Benitez not to blame for Liverpool FC's awful start


RedMyst
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The current squad to all intents in purposes is made up mostly of Rafa's players. Bar Raul, Konchesky and Cole.

 

I'm not saying he's completely responsible. But look what he left Hodgson, a disgruntled Argentinian, mediocre players across the pitch and a disenchanted squad.

 

He's not had it easy Roy, thats not to say he hasn't helped himself.

 

Hardly disgruntled because of Benitez was he?

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Rafa bought some shite during his time here but to say its his fault for the current situation is laughable.

 

In all fairness i don't blame the past owners for us been nearly bottom of the league as for me that blame falls purely on the guy who is picking the team and tactics.

 

Last season we finished seventh and that was with a team who clearly under-achieved.

 

When i look at the squad and see players like Gerrard, Torres, Reina, Cole and Meireles then there is no way that squad is not good enough to be challenging for a European place and possibly in the Champions League.

 

It wasn't long since we were going to Old Trafford and thumping them 4-1 and 8 out of the 11 players in the Liverpool team are still here.

 

Due to Hodgson been English he is getting an easy ride of it through the media who don't want to go against a manager many see as the replacement for Capello but to blame it on Rafa is a complete joke.

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How long does it take to nuture a youth policy?

 

The players who have been signed at the ages of 14, 15, 16. can't be expected to appear in the first team for at least 4-6 years.

 

Rafa was here 6 years. Anyone he signed in his first year would now be 20 minimum according to the ages you quote.

 

As I said, no young player signed by Rafa has established himself in the first team. His youth policy is unproven at best.

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Rafa was here 6 years. Anyone he signed in his first year would now be 20 minimum according to the ages you quote.

 

As I said, no young player signed by Rafa has established himself in the first team. His youth policy is unproven at best.

 

Kelly, Pacheco, Spearing and N'Gog were all youngsters signed under Rafa. N'Gog is our top scorer whilst Kelly and Pacheco should be in or around the match squads. Suso, Sterling, Silva, Shelvey and Wilson were all either signed by Rafa or targeted during Rafa's reign. Yes we did sign Shelvey and Wilson after he had left but there were media reports we had bidded for Wilson whilst Rafa was here and Shelvey was a Rafa signing.

 

Compare that to the utter shite that we had before Rafa when everyone knew how bad the academy was ran and you will realise it takes time to rebuild. Rafa peaked too soon with the first team I think and it was hard to top his first two seasons as he had built a formidable team and won two trophies. His work on the youth team had already started and I think he has left us much better off, academy wise.

 

As for the utter shite which I won't quote about us being in a 5-a-side league, I almost feel sorry for you. You're a pathetic worm who is so obsessed with Rafa it is unbelievable. But, I'll bite then, how would we become a 5-a-side team if Rafa had stayed? Masch was accused of being unhappy during Rafa's time and that was proved to be shite, Xabi himself said he was not forced out, Reina, Torres and many other first teamers such as Maxi, Lucas, Agger and Skrtel have all thanked Rafa for the work he has done to improve them. The only players I can think of who would have something against Rafa would be Yossi, Carra, Gerrard and Babel. Yossi gave an interview with Chris Bascombe (think it was him or someone else from NOTW) in which he publicly slated Rafa and his methods whilst Babel could feel he was frozen out by Rafa, which is also happening under Roy. As for Carra and Stevie, I think they would be more professional than to lead a witch-hunt against a manager, despite what rumours are put around.

 

So as usual, you seem to be talking out of your arse.

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Yes; those 82pt and 86pt hauls were crippling indeed. We punched above our weight because we had an excptional manager. The mere fact that the expectation to win the title from a lot of those who wanted him out show's how ridiculous their argument is.

 

It's been said before, but Rafa has managed us through the most difficult period in our recent history and competed against the most powerful clubs in any given era and still made us challenge without ever being on an even keel.

 

That, to me, perfectly sums it up.

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Kelly, Pacheco, Spearing and N'Gog were all youngsters signed under Rafa. N'Gog is our top scorer whilst Kelly and Pacheco should be in or around the match squads. Suso, Sterling, Silva, Shelvey and Wilson were all either signed by Rafa or targeted during Rafa's reign. Yes we did sign Shelvey and Wilson after he had left but there were media reports we had bidded for Wilson whilst Rafa was here and Shelvey was a Rafa signing.

Compare that to the utter shite that we had before Rafa when everyone knew how bad the academy was ran and you will realise it takes time to rebuild. Rafa peaked too soon with the first team I think and it was hard to top his first two seasons as he had built a formidable team and won two trophies. His work on the youth team had already started and I think he has left us much better off, academy wise.

 

As for the utter shite which I won't quote about us being in a 5-a-side league, I almost feel sorry for you. You're a pathetic worm who is so obsessed with Rafa it is unbelievable. But, I'll bite then, how would we become a 5-a-side team if Rafa had stayed? Masch was accused of being unhappy during Rafa's time and that was proved to be shite, Xabi himself said he was not forced out, Reina, Torres and many other first teamers such as Maxi, Lucas, Agger and Skrtel have all thanked Rafa for the work he has done to improve them. The only players I can think of who would have something against Rafa would be Yossi, Carra, Gerrard and Babel. Yossi gave an interview with Chris Bascombe (think it was him or someone else from NOTW) in which he publicly slated Rafa and his methods whilst Babel could feel he was frozen out by Rafa, which is also happening under Roy. As for Carra and Stevie, I think they would be more professional than to lead a witch-hunt against a manager, despite what rumours are put around.

 

So as usual, you seem to be talking out of your arse.

 

When one of them becomes a first team regular get back to me.

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Rafa was here 6 years. Anyone he signed in his first year would now be 20 minimum according to the ages you quote.

 

As I said, no young player signed by Rafa has established himself in the first team. His youth policy is unproven at best.

 

When Rafa first took over he was at loggerheads with Parry about getting control of the Academy.

 

It probably wasn't whilst his final two years did he get the sort of control enjoyed by Wenger and Ferguson.

 

The coaches we have in place now at the club then i would expect us to start producing some quality youngsters coming through like Suso, Silva and Sterling to name just a few.

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It's almost like because they were developed under Rafa, you don't want them to do well.

 

Out of those you highlighted, N'Gog is doing pretty well don't you think?

 

Ngog? Is that your best shot for Rafa's youth players? He will never be a regular at Liverpool or any other Premiership club. He is shite and only gets a game due to the fact that Rafa left LFC with him as 2nd choice striker.

 

You are trying to use Ngog as something to give Rafa credit for? Comical.

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I appreciate that. Just interested: Rafa or Hodgson?

 

I don't think it's as clear cut as that, mate. As much as people try to paint things in black and white, I don't think things are ever that simple.

 

If the rumours about player unhappiness under Rafa are true, I don't think we had any other option. After all, once you lose the dressing room, I think there's really only one way a manager can go. I think at times his political battles became ultimately self-defeating in the way the consumed him and how he seemed to cryptically refer to them after every defeat in one way or another.

 

At the same time, I don't think Roy is the right man either. Admittedly, his effective 'fuck off' to Ferguson and the performances against Napoli and Blackburn could mark a turning point in the man's reign, but I doubt he has the influence and the tactical nous to manage Liverpool FC. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong, because that will ultimately mean a successful side, but I'm not particularly hopeful.

 

My first choice in the summer was Pellegrini. A man who worked wonders on a limited budget at Villarreal and appeared to find the right balance between defensive solidity and attacking creativity.

 

I suppose, in short, I will back every LFC manager until I come to the unfortunate realisation that they have to go, and since I am 22 and have been watching the match since '96, I can identify the point when I thought was the time for each manager to go. Evans' was when Houllier was brought in, Houllier's was a 2-1 defeat to Soton when Brett Ormerod sprinted through our defence like a gazelle heading for the watering hole, Rafa's was the home Reading FA Cup game and I think Hodgson's may well be the Blackpool home game when the fans made their feelings clear.

 

Like I said, I sincerely hope I'm proved wrong though.

 

Apologies if there's a lot of waffle there, mate, just that I've had a couple of pints so that's my effort of focusing my head!

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Ngog? Is that your best shot for Rafa's youth players? He will never be a regular at Liverpool or any other Premiership club. He is shite and only gets a game due to the fact that Rafa left LFC with him as 2nd choice striker.

 

You are trying to use Ngog as something to give Rafa credit for? Comical.

 

No he isn't my best shot for Rafa's youth players. I pointed out he isn't doing too badly despite his young age and being thrust in at the deep end. He is our top scorer this season and still quite young.

 

So like I said, because he was signed under Rafa you want him out.

 

It would be a different matter if he was English I reckon. Not just by you but by the media.

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Can you take Maxi, Ngog, Babel and Lucas with you on a one-way ticket.

 

Or how about Reina and Torres?

 

Too much blinkered self-serving lying on this forum by the usual "boo boys". Even when the consequences of your squealing finally come home to roost and are staring you flat in the face ...

 

(deliberately telling half-truths = lying)

 

Hicks and Gillete weren't the only cancers within that needed to be cut out.

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2006 FA youth cup team: Roberts; Darby, Hobbs, Antwi, Threlfall; Anderson, Flynn (Spearing, 88 ), Barnett, Barratt; Hammill (Roque, 77), Lindfield.

 

2007 FA youth cup team: David Roberts, Stephen Darby, Michael Burns, Jay Spearing ©, Robbie Threlfall, Charlie Barnett, Jimmy Ryan (Lee Woodward 95), Astrit Ajdarevic (Steven Irwin 81), Craig Lindfield, Ryan Flynn, Ray Putterill

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FFS Rafa was a failure whichever way you want to paint over the cracks

 

Ever since Pako left he has been on a downward spiral

 

All other of the so called Top 3 achieved more

 

Lets not forget the forced Xabi out of the club his one and only world clsss signing before Torres

 

Pako and Rafa were aswesome

 

Rafa sin Pako no bien

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This argument's been done to death but I just want to ask something...

 

Rafa bought some shite during his time here but to say its his fault for the current situation is laughable.

 

In all fairness i don't blame the past owners for us been nearly bottom of the league as for me that blame falls purely on the guy who is picking the team and tactics.

 

Last season we finished seventh and that was with a team who clearly under-achieved.

 

When i look at the squad and see players like Gerrard, Torres, Reina, Cole and Meireles then there is no way that squad is not good enough to be challenging for a European place and possibly in the Champions League.

 

It wasn't long since we were going to Old Trafford and thumping them 4-1 and 8 out of the 11 players in the Liverpool team are still here.

 

Due to Hodgson been English he is getting an easy ride of it through the media who don't want to go against a manager many see as the replacement for Capello but to blame it on Rafa is a complete joke.

 

Not a dig, man, but seriously what's up with the been/being thing? I always read your posts and have noticed this peculiar usage in most of them. Is it a regional thing? As I say, not a dig - genuine question.

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