Liverpool thread

[davidmphill]

Shocking result and even more shocking were his tactics. No idea what he's thinking about half the time, its as if he wants the sack and for me it seems likely.

[western skies]

Can't really understand what he's doing.

Makes the march in support of the manager a few weeks back look a little bit silly now, eh?

[Matt]

to be fair Liverpool fans (in my lifetime) have always been a bit slow to spot a shit manager.

They gave Souness 2 years when everyone else saw he was fcuking em up in 6 months......a lot of them still think Foullier did a decent job despite blowing more money on shit than any other manager in history.

Benitez well......hes fine if you want cup competitions winning on penalties....but a league title is never coming under his reign.

I still cant fathom how he won the spanish league to be hones...

[Darren]

Originally Posted by peteg40

Well that's another 2 pts lost at home....to the mighty Wigan

I think thats now 6 games for Rafa against Stve Bruce in the league - 0 wins for Rafa. Shocking record and his tactics wrong yet again.

[AJ]

So what is the main focus of the season now, the CL or the battle with Everton and Man City for the 4th CL spot ?

I assume everyone accepts the league challange is 100% over for a another season ?

[Darren]

Originally Posted by western skies

Can't really understand what he's doing.

Makes the march in support of the manager a few weeks back look a little bit silly now, eh?

No, not really. That was because then Rafa was gonna be sacked because of a fall out.

Now Rafa has a bigger problem, he could be sacked due to performance. He's had nearly 4 years, in no season have we threatened to make the top 2 and that looks unlikely again.

Simply not good enough. And he's had the financial backing. This is his squad, full of his choices of players. And we're out of the title race first game in Jan. Not good enough for me, Rick Parry and the yanks should be looking elsewhere as we aren't looking anything like title material in the distant future.

[Darren]

Originally Posted by AJ

So what is the main focus of the season now, the CL or the battle with Everton and Man City for the 4th CL spot ?

I assume everyone accepts the league challange is 100% over for a another season ?

There is always a tiny glimmer of hope. But thats all it is - we need a miracle.

I tink Citeh looked scared, tired and poor the other day. Everton lose big players to the ANC while we lose just Sissoko. Should be ok for 4th, would like to see us get group stage entry though.

TBH I'm just fed up with Rafa pissing about in the league. 0 wins against Bruce in 6. 1 goal against Man Utd in 7 - John O'Shea - and we still lost. 0 points away to the other 3 in 9. Fcuking pathetic, simply nowhere near good enough.

He's had his chance now for me. We have a much better squad than the one Houllier left us, but Rafa isn't the one to take us on anymore. Priority for me - not CL win or top 4 place, a new gaffer. And one who cares about winning the league more than anything else would be a damn good start. A new Chief Exec would be a help as well.

[mileni4uk]

Houllier made me not watch Liverpool and now Rafa made me not watching them again. Just don't bother anymore. I am fed up with everything. I have a mate here in Bulgaria, who says "Rafa is not for England, doesn't have the determination of Mourinho and Sir Alex". And he's probably right. He can't transfer to players what the other top managers can. I am pretty sure he talks just tactics during the half time team talks and that's all. We should be fine for another european final though YNWA!

[aliando]

in rafa, i'm starting to seriously distrust - he is starting to remind me of claudio ranieri's end to his chelsea reign whereby he insists he is right doing exactly what everyone else sees as wrong. WTF is he doing playing 1 up front against wigan at home?

without wanting to just get on the band wagon and slate him, I'd rather back it up with some stats against the top 3

chelsea w1 d1 l5
man utd w0 d1 l6
arsenal w4 d1 l2
total w5 d3 l13

coupled with the inept performances against relegation sides on what has been a consistent level, i have to say any moves to replace rafa in the summer would not hit any objection from myself. I fully support managers being given time but after 4 years and reasonable investment, I dont see Liverpool being any better on the pitch and I dont see the current rotation policy or tactical attempts fully utilising the squads ability.

Sorry Rafa, but you're not cutting it.

[doublecee]

I'd love to know who knocked back Luton's Gate-money request.
Talk about greed.
I've never felt so angry in my 60+ years as a Koppite.

[Darren]

Originally Posted by doublecee

I'd love to know who knocked back Luton's Gate-money request.
Talk about greed.
I've never felt so angry in my 60+ years as a Koppite.

Yes its fcuking pathetic.

Supposed to be around 200k or so, apart from anything else it would have been a good publicity move for the club, instead its very bad.

Very disappointed that we did that.

[Darren]

LUTON TOWN 1-1 LIVERPOOL Sunday 06 January 2008 16:00 , FA Cup 3rd Round

LUTON 1-1 LIVERPOOL: THE REPORT For the minnows of English football the third round of the FA Cup is always a time to dream that they could draw one of the giants of our game. It can pit a side struggling in the lower echelons of the football league against one of the cosmopolitan glamour clubs that strut their stuff week in week out on the Premier League stage. So when Luton were drawn at home to Liverpool for the second time in three years the romantics in the game's community were given a tie that would see two sides from very different ends of the football spectrum go head-to-head. Back in 2006 it was an FA Cup classic. The lower division outfit powered into a 3-1 lead, and were on the verge of a what would have been a huge giant-killing act, before finally succumbing to the superior qualities of Rafael Benitez's side by a 5-3 scoreline. This time around it was different. For all their financial troubles, Luton gave as good as they got and when the full-time whistle blew they had achieved an unlikely draw - and the chance to replay in front of a packed crowd at Anfield. In a barnstorming first-half Liverpool were first to show and Ryan Babel could have given Rafael Benitez the perfect start in the first minute but his fierce strike was well saved by Dean Brill after the Dutch winger had slalomed past two defenders. But they didn't have it all their own way in the opening exchanges and Dave Edwards should have given the home side a dream start on five minutes but he fired his effort straight at Charles Itandje after he beat the Reds' offside trap to race clear. Dirk Kuyt then fired over following a neat interchange with Peter Crouch before Hyypia flashed a header wide from a corner. An end-to-end half saw Luton go close after some great play from Drew Talbot, when the forward outfoxed Hyypia and surged into the box, but thankfully, Itandje was well placed to block his cut-back. Peter Crouch then had two great chances to give Liverpool the lead but after his first effort was well saved by Dean Brill, he was unlucky to see his curled effort from 18 yards just wide. Kevin Blackwell's side ended the first period strongly and could easily have gone ahead but despite good approach play from Drew Talbot and Calvin Andrew they did not find that elusive opening goal. At half-time an upset looked a very real possibility, but Liverpool upped their game following the break and should have led on 48 minutes. Kuyt found space on the right hand side of the penalty area but when his drilled cross-shot found Yossi Benayoun on the stretch at the far post, the Israeli somehow contrived to stab his effort wide of a relieved Dean Brill's goal. There was more urgency about Liverpool's play and three minutes later the Reds had another chance, but Brill pulled off an astonishing one handed save to keep out John Arne Riise's deflected strike from 25 yards. Luton responded with two golden opportunities to pull off an upset but after Darren Currie crossed from the left Drew Talbot headed over from six yards with the goal gaping. And on 71 minutes boyhood red Currie nearly fired the goal he had probably dreamed about last night, but his perfectly executed volley flew within a whisker of the far post. With over an hour gone, the home side had more than held their own against the Reds, but just when the Hatters' support began to believe they could defy the odds and cause an upset, Liverpool took the lead. It came as following a mix-up in the home side's defence that allowed substitute Andriy Voronin to race clean through, and although the Ukrainian forward's effort was well saved by Brill, Peter Crouch was on hand to fire into an empty net. It looked like a case of job done, but within three minutes the hosts rekindled their hopes with an opportunist goal from Dave Edwards. The midfielder beat Riise at the near post to steer home Talbot's cross from the left to send the home crowd into raptures. Both sides then had chances to win it with Riise firing agonisingly wide of the far post and Edwards looping a stunning volley just over, but in the end a draw was a fair result and the sides will have to do it all again in a replay at Anfield. Teams Luton Town: Brill, Goodall, Coyne (c), Perry, Keane, Currie, Edwards, Spring, Bell, Andrew, Talbot. Subs - Furlong, Hutchison, Jackson, O'Leary, Robinson Liverpool: Itandje, Riise, Carragher (c), Hyypia, Finnan, Babel, Alonso, Leiva, Benayoun, Crouch, Kuyt. Subs - El Zhar, Hobbs, Martin, Mascherano, Voronin Referee: Howard Webb Conditions: Attendance: Unavailable Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Jamie Carragher

[Darren]

4th round draw:
Liverpool/Luton vs Havant & Waterloooooooville

Think if we put out a decent side each time we could just sneak into round 5 with a bit of luck

Would love it to be Liverpool vs Havant & Waterlooville though. Thats what the FA Cup is about for me.

We are far from through as recent history would suggest from Liverpool (went out at Anfield on replays to Crystal Palace when a division ahead of and if the memory serves me correctly Bristol City in a replay with Wayne Allison scoring).

We can't play as poorly as yesterday though, a shocking performance all round.

[chala]

Originally Posted by Darren

and if the memory serves me correctly Bristol City in a replay with Wayne Allison scoring).

Yeah we beat you 1-0 at Anfield after drawing 1-1 at Ashton Gate, but it was Brian Tinnion (legend as a player, shite as a manager) who scored the goal that night.

[chala]

Getting back to the subject of Liverpool, what is Rafa doing? It seems like he's determined to cock up the premier league bid every year!

At the start of the season me and 6 of my mates, all bet one of our other mates £50 that Liverpool would finish above Arsenal at the end of the season. Now pre-season this looked like a great bet, as I think Liverpool were 4/5 to finish above Arsenal at the bookies. But here we are halfway through the season and the bet's already down, and my Gunner friend will probably take his winnings and jet off on holiday somewhere!

From an outside point of view, can anyone explain to me why Crouch doesn't start alongside Torres? Surely they would complement each other perfectly? As for Kuyt, his confidence is shot to bits and surely he needs a rest?

Secondly why does Babel only ever get the last 20mins. He looks to have a real bit of quality about him and surely he should be being used more. I can understand slowly bedding him in, but for gods sake we are now over halfway through the season and I bet you can count on one hand the number of games he has started!

[aliando]

CD i've not heard of possibly on his way to us...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ol/7176502.stm

[WorkingForTheEnemy]

I'd love to know who knocked back Luton's Gate-money request.
Talk about greed.
I've never felt so angry in my 60+ years as a Koppite.

I first thought this but then I took up issue with the word request. From what I heard Luton made it sound like we SHOULD be giving them the money.


Maybe the club were planning on giving them the money but changed their minds after the "request " was made. I now Id be tempted to say no if they came round making out we should give them the money as if they were entitled to it.

[kevshat]

Originally Posted by WorkingForTheEnemy

I first thought this but then I took up issue with the word request. From what I heard Luton made it sound like we SHOULD be giving them the money.

Not sure where you heard that but it wasn't like that at all. We simply asked if Liverpool would be generous enough to donate their share of the receipts to us and Liverpool said they wasn't prepared to. Luton made no more of it. The papers took it on from there. Nobody from Luton came out and criticised Liverpool for it other than what I think was meant to be a joke from Blackwell who compared the clubs to champagne and mineral water.

[WorkingForTheEnemy]

As I said (or meant to) , thats just from the impression I was given. Things like this always get blown out of proportion and stories end up going from one extreme to the other.

[kevshat]

Originally Posted by WorkingForTheEnemy

As I said (or meant to) , thats just from the impression I was given. Things like this always get blown out of proportion and stories end up going from one extreme to the other.

As I said, we made no more of it mate. But we appreciate you letting us have the replay