tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post7223553863319787316..comments2023-12-22T01:47:49.178-05:00Comments on oh you beauty: What’s Changed?natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10043601945557998732noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-53266299560390909622009-12-23T15:31:14.499-05:002009-12-23T15:31:14.499-05:00The basic point is we havent been playing good foo...The basic point is we havent been playing good football.Rafa has been trying a lot.I feel sorry for him and even more for the fans.He needs to leave,we cant forget the fact that we are a football team and we need to play good football if we want to be considered a top team,which obv isnt happeningAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-78732357899363634332009-12-22T10:17:59.330-05:002009-12-22T10:17:59.330-05:00Considering there is another post above this I may...Considering there is another post above this I may just be talking to myself, but three years? Seriously? Seriously seriously? <br /><br />I think Rafa is a great manager, I suspect he will eventually become a Real Madrid legend if they have the sense to keep to over a number of years and not sack him 6 months into his reign, but lets not kid ourself as to how dire the situation is. In three years the club may well be a stumbling mid-table team with major stars have jumped ship and others such as Gerrard and Super Jew into the twilight of their careers. Despite his qualities, if Rafa doesn't achieve a fourth placed finish and more importantly stop the rot within the team, their belief and their spirit, his position may well be untenable come May, never mind 2013.Bilalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-87321018098574234182009-12-21T18:25:50.179-05:002009-12-21T18:25:50.179-05:00Benitez should get another three years to pull it ...Benitez should get another three years to pull it around. Anything less would be knee-jerking, suicidal madness...unless you want Klinsman at the helm?! Newcastle? Leeds, anyone?McrRednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-30394928519867738012009-12-21T14:46:37.274-05:002009-12-21T14:46:37.274-05:00Nate, your post sums up a lot of my feelings about...Nate, your post sums up a lot of my feelings about this season - especially the bit about a series of kicks to the crotch.<br /><br />My main worry about Benitez has long been that he is not the kind of manager who tries to instill a sense of bullet-proof, run-through-walls confidence in his players. Instead, he seems to try to treat them like intelligent adults, getting them to analyse their own game and improve on their faults. Right now, this kind of approach may be doing more harm than good. And maybe Benitez has just run out of things to say to this group, or they're no longer listening.<br /><br />Another long-standing concern of mine is Gerrard, who I think is a wonderful player but probably not a great captain. He is too introverted to drive on those players around him when things get tough. Instead he looks within himself to find what's required to turn things around. Very often that works but of late he's been coming up short.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04831368698879583744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-66853330589855613352009-12-21T13:58:39.203-05:002009-12-21T13:58:39.203-05:00"Benitez can hardly be blamed for Alonso want..."Benitez can hardly be blamed for Alonso wanting to leave"<br /><br />Really? He tried to bring Garry Barry in the summer before to replace him! <br /><br />Of course Rafa can be blamed for Xabi wanting to leave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-82756083015630477252009-12-21T11:50:33.385-05:002009-12-21T11:50:33.385-05:00irfaanfr your "This Is Our Passion" vide...irfaanfr your "This Is Our Passion" video gives me goosebumps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-31745433480570242202009-12-21T10:29:27.932-05:002009-12-21T10:29:27.932-05:00This is quality post as usual ...The players as we...This is quality post as usual ...The players as well as the fan must step up or else...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-60912966299053464862009-12-21T01:13:05.825-05:002009-12-21T01:13:05.825-05:00And about the owners.
How can people complain the...And about the owners.<br /><br />How can people complain they haven't invested in the club in this $-climate?! Except for ManCity & Madrid no other club has significantly invested in the market recently. Mancity is petro-Dirhams and Madrid is bank contacts. <br /><br />i think the best thing that can happen LONG TERM for the club would be a devaluation and repaying of debts at the earliest. That would mean selling assets now. A few Arabian Conglomerates have considered Liverpool but have turned away becoz of debts. <br /><br />Its gonna take a miracle to see Liverpool as a top club in the next few years. A lottery maybe? Its difficult always having to defend a manager who doesn't always give you defendable performances...neelannairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677028284339119581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-25233229205488957822009-12-21T01:05:37.094-05:002009-12-21T01:05:37.094-05:00Long term, the best thing that could happen is get...Long term, the best thing that could happen is getting a fresh start. <br /><br />Rafa LEFT Valencia for seemingly nothing earlier in his career. Don't think he got a very pretty severance package. A loss to the bottom club (!) where we didn't even look like playing... <br /><br />The only player who is showing some passion and ability is Torres, and I can't help but feel sorry for him... Gerrard looks forlorn. Mascherano is acting stupid again.<br /><br />Rafa can very well leave the club like he did before.neelannairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677028284339119581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-83808587806812846922009-12-20T22:54:20.430-05:002009-12-20T22:54:20.430-05:00I think it may be a moot point if sacking Rafa is ...I think it may be a moot point if sacking Rafa is a good or bad action in the grand scheme of things, I personally doubt it if you consider his whole record at the club, but come the end of the season his position may be well be untenable. Sometimes good managers get themselves into situations from which they cannot progress, actually, good friendships and good working relationships find themselves in that boat sometimes, you just have to call it quits even though your personal or professional qualities are still there. Sacking Rafa may cost a huge amount but if things do become untenable then not sacking him could cost the club even more, it may wipe out the transfer budget for a season or two but frankly, will the owners care? They would love to see the back of him with the fans and even considered judgement on their side and if it helps retain the value of the club to sell even it hurts financially in the short term.<br /><br />Fuck, who knew things would get this bad? We've been here before, a brilliant 2nd place season followed by a balls up.Bilalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-15413099262233953342009-12-20T19:07:18.670-05:002009-12-20T19:07:18.670-05:00Let's also not forget what hasn't changed ...Let's also not forget what hasn't changed - lack of squad depth and lack of attacking wingers. Only Yossi and occasionally Riera actually attack defenders with the dribble. Johnson did when he and Kuyt clicked but that seems past.<br /><br />For that reason though, I do like Gregor's idea - move Johnson up.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-67677185267115765532009-12-20T16:29:33.747-05:002009-12-20T16:29:33.747-05:00Mike, I could live with that, but I don't know...Mike, I could live with that, but I don't know if Rafa would every bench Kuyt. Unless he's smart enough to go 4-4-2 with Kuyt and Torres uptop which he isn't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-2771443061674912362009-12-20T16:28:18.725-05:002009-12-20T16:28:18.725-05:00Gillett/Hicks cant afford to sack Rafa. There is l...Gillett/Hicks cant afford to sack Rafa. There is little point discussing that Scenario. <br /><br />They are many things, but they are not the Abu Dabi United Group. They can not simply sack the manager and buy a new one. <br /><br />Why they insist on owning the club is beyond me, and why they were allowed to buy the shares in the first place is even more difficult to understand. But that is a different matter.<br /><br />Like any other fan I want new investment coming in. Then we can discuss Rafael Benitez.Andreas Bjørklundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-80725353352027874062009-12-20T15:42:10.573-05:002009-12-20T15:42:10.573-05:00When Kelly gets fit I wouldn't even be remotel...When Kelly gets fit I wouldn't even be remotely shocked if he takes over for Johnson ... and Johnson takes over for Kuyt.BackBergtthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01916269531937171514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-15147170242724682872009-12-20T15:07:49.511-05:002009-12-20T15:07:49.511-05:00Nate, like you I have been a big Rafa supporter, b...Nate, like you I have been a big Rafa supporter, but I just can't anymore. I can live with his strange tactics and lineups and awful buys, but when his team is out there playing with absolutely no heart on a regular basis what else can I do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-41710214227430465452009-12-20T13:14:57.749-05:002009-12-20T13:14:57.749-05:00Just saw the Chelsea-Westham game.How about Zola.H...Just saw the Chelsea-Westham game.How about Zola.His team plays pretty football and most importantly theres passion and 'love' between the players,while in Liverpool u never see players ,u know appreciate each other or give a pat on the back for a nice try and things like that..I guess this is the time when u need a manger who's actually 'played football' to know what the players are going through..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-31063316274132052962009-12-20T11:07:29.087-05:002009-12-20T11:07:29.087-05:00I think I've made it fairly clear I don't ...I think I've made it fairly clear I don't want Benitez sacked, especially not before the season's over. I don't think there's a better manager around willing to take the job even if there was money available, which there isn't.<br /><br />But the club's unavoidably in the worst doldrums since Benitez took over. I hate using phrases like "lost the dressing room" when I've no clue what going on inside the dressing room. But this is not the same team as last year, and the players simply aren't performing. Confidence, morale, and tactics clearly fall under Benitez's brief.<br /><br />Benitez's isn't an 'arm around the shoulder' man-manager. And, sadly, it looks like that's what missing. Confidence is at an all-time low. Players look disinterested and beaten as soon as they concede. I know he's suffered with injuries, but Gerrard looks like he's mailing it in every game, waiting for the World Cup, and that's never happened before.<br /><br />Something clearly needs to change. As much as I adore what Benitez has done for the club and his strengths as a manager, it's only right that his position comes under scrutiny given the state of the club.natehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10043601945557998732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33779660.post-2143294960937979322009-12-20T10:41:51.217-05:002009-12-20T10:41:51.217-05:00My comment got lost in the exclamation marks in yo...My comment got lost in the exclamation marks in your last post I think, in danger of spamming I`ll re-post: <br /><br />I`ve never seen this blog this heated before. <br /><br />I more often than not read your pre- and post game analysis Nate, you`ve got a very good eye on the club. I`ve followed LFC closely since 1987, as a kid. <br /><br />Thank you for your contribution to the LFC-sphere, it`s very appreciated and you obviously have a substantial readership. I`m sure the blog will eventually get you a job in sports journalism. Good work! <br /><br />But do you really want to sack Rafa? To replace him with who? And with what money? If Rafa walks (with a five-year contract) the entire backroom-staff will go as well. If the club were to receive investment I would very much like it to be directed towards the squad and not towards sacking managers. Rafa`s clearly made some poor decisions this season, but he`s working under very difficult circumstances as a top manager. All in all he`s been our best manager since Kenny, who Rafa`s brought back to the club. <br /><br />Let`s stay positive, people!Andreas Bjørklundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com