Liverpool FC Forum

[redtrader74]

Chelsea signed  Parker, Chech, Robben,Ferreira, Kezman, Drogba, Tiago,Carvaliho all in July 2004 I didn't hear them making excuses about integration when the were holding the League Title the following May. Infact I think they only lost one game before April!

They were also second in the league and semi finalists in CL and Fa cup the season before under Ranieri, so i don't think that was a club in trouble, in fact it was a team on the up.
You blow your own point out of the water when you compare Mareens 1st choice buys with what Rafa could afford to bring in.

So we were a team in trouble, having just achieved our record points total and been the form team from October to May the preceeding year. I think you have just blown your argument out of the water     I think you could say WE were the team on the up mate.

You must be finding it hard to follow an argument! i was answering your point about the 2004-5 season something you brought up. Also I think Parker was bought the season before. 

[account deleted by request]

I think you must have difficulty following an argument mate, we were discussing the effect and difficulty of integrating new players not the season 2004-5

[redtrader74]

So i guess you're saying that Maureens a better manager than Rafa, because you don't think he can integrate players as well?
Imho it is easier to integrate players into a successful team, at the culmination of a building period, such as where Chelsea were when Maureen arrived, (the time and comparison you brought up). It is also easier when the players you have are better, and your first choice, again what Mareen has over Rafa.
Therefore it is an irrelevant comparison, as both the starting position and key elements were totally different for Rafa.

[account deleted by request]

No what I am and have been saying is that its easy to keep finding excuses every season for our disappointing starts to the season. The hard part is making a decent start and not being out of the race before its properly started.

This intergration one is the best ever though, BUY NEW PLAYERS AND WE FAIL BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW PLAYERS, dont buy new players and we fail because the squad needed strengthening. A lose lose excuse.

[Sabre]

What's the difference in english between "excuses" and "explanations?"

This is not a bad comment about anybody's posts, in fact, I'm reading with interest the thread in this last two pages. But I think what we're doing here is analysing the season, so there must be some explanations to explain why we've been third, and not champions.

We all seem to agree that Rafa must follow in LFC, we all seem to agree that he must do better in the league next season, but I don't know where the frontier between a explanation and an excuse, lies.

Surely, some of the explanations of why we've been third are some Rafa's mistakes! (overrotation, line up selections) but some of them were not Rafa's fault (deadwood 2 years ago, less money to sign up quality players).

[account deleted by request]

I think there are many explanations/excuses not just one, but I also believe that great teams overcome obsticles not surrender as soon as they hit them.

I can make many excuses why I didn't become a pro footballer, and no doubt some of them would even be true. I would expect there where many obsticles placed in Fowlers path as well, he overcame them I didn't.

It is very hard to judge what is an excuse and what is a valid reason for failure, because what is an excuse for one will be overcome by another. Chelsea had injuries this season, is that a valid excuse or should they given their resources have had adequate cover?

[112-1077774096]

the only one who can give explanations about rafa is rafa, wheras anyone can make excuses about the clubs performances based on fiction, we can only give opinions or make excuses, rafa can give an explanation as he is involved

[DazH-]

All we need are 2 quality players(I'd like Tevez and Huntelaar) to add to Voronin and Lucas. 4 players can't be too much of a disruption can it? After all most top clubs sign at least four players every summer so where's the problem?

[account deleted by request]

the only one who can give explanations about rafa is rafa, wheras anyone can make excuses about the clubs performances based on fiction, we can only give opinions or make excuses, rafa can give an explanation as he is involved

The problem then is would Rafa admit that say rotation was a valid reason for our failure (which some believe) or would he say it was down to the new players, injuries, pre-season etc etc that others believe.

In other words Rafa may not believe rotation was a problem at all. That doesn't mean it wasn't or it was a problem, but surely if he did believe it was a problem he wouldn't have continued with it.

So Rafa would only give the excuses HE thinks are valid.

[112-1077774096]

well his excuses can also be seen as an explanation

[account deleted by request]

Well I posted Rafa's explanation/excuses earlier today

[112-1077774096]

exactly s@int   

[account deleted by request]

[redtrader74]

No what I am and have been saying is that its easy to keep finding excuses every season for our disappointing starts to the season. The hard part is making a decent start and not being out of the race before its properly started.

This intergration one is the best ever though, BUY NEW PLAYERS AND WE FAIL BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW PLAYERS, dont buy new players and we fail because the squad needed strengthening. A lose lose excuse.

Way too simplistic mate, buy lots of players whilst you rebuild an entire team, and there will be integration issues, without fail, this is not an excuse but a fact.

Buy a few players(1-3) to enhance an established squad, where i believe we are now, and integration is something you can't use for a lack of competing in the league.

IF there is a valid reason as to why we have had poor starts, then that is the case, whether we choose to accept it or not. Rafa is midway through a project, a project that has realised success so far.

Tbh this is too early a discussion, as our season is over on Wednesday night, but i along with the rest of us can't help but comment.

[Owzat]

The trick is to buy the RIGHT players and then the success will come. If you keep buying ordinary players then you will achieve limited success, there's no way we are going to win the league with strikers who don't manage 70+ goals in a season.