Liverpool FC Forum

[heimdall]

Rafa was outwitted
Basically it was a smash and grab with three sucker punches. Two corners and a one two three in the back of the net. Aurellio was awful and mostly to blame for allowing Drogba to race past him and slot the third. But to be honest the whole of the back four were shi.tting themselves of Drogba.
Alonso was poor. Lucas average at best. Gerrard was shackled and Torres was starved. Riera and Kuyt (except for the backheel) were ineffective. The only time we used width and played round the back was for the goal. The rest of the time we were too narrow (again) and pumped high balls which Terry ate up. We had no creativity and played right into their hands with our tactics. A poor show overall and Chelsea did a job on us. Even if we dont win over the two legs I hope to see a better display from the team who smashed madrid, bashed the mancs and mashed villa

Rafa was not 'outwitted', Roger the cabin boy.

Really? So Rafa outwitted Huddink?
I see.
So the scoreline was false?

Hiddink is a good manager, But I dont think he outwitted Rafa unless of course he planned on going a goal down., his team played better, end of.

Is it hard to see with those blinkers on.

Of course Rafa was outwitted, Gus completely nullified Liverpool my man marking Gerrard and thereby also nullifying Nando, it's weird than no other managers have thought of doing this but I bet a few might now. If you take Stevie out of the game then we have nothing in attack, THAT is the problem with our side it is completely reliant on Torres and Gerrard, not many options or possibilities if they get nullified is there Rafa you fecking genius you!

We were absolutely woefull again last night, pathetic display and wilted against an excellent Chelsea team which was set up masterfully by Hiddink. What fecks me off is that yet again Rafa had no plan B, I could see even before we scored that it wasn't really working and it was going to be tough for us yet Rafa makes no alterations, just blunders on and leads us into defeat, and he's here how many more years. 

[Bad Bob]

I could see even before we scored that it wasn't really working and it was going to be tough for us yet Rafa makes no alterations, just blunders on and leads us into defeat, and he's here how many more years. 

A typo there surely?  We scored in the 6th minute, after all.

Look, Chelsea stuck Essien on Gerrard and nullified him and our wing play wasn't strong enough to compensate.  We gave up some poor goals from set pieces and that led to a loss of composure that prompted a third goal.  But, ask yourself, what substitutions could Rafa had made to change things around?  Perhaps Benayoun on earlier but it wasn't really the type of game where Yossi excels, to be fair.  Babel?  Rubbish again when he was brought on and thus not the answer.  Ditto Dossena.  I think people who are venting their usual complaints about Rafa need to actually have a look at the subs bench and consider what game-changing options he truly had.

[Ciggy]

Rafa makes no alterations, just blunders on and leads us into defeat, and he's here how many more years. 

Ohhhhhh here we go again so thats you and Lakes now, just waiting for the rest to come out of the wood work. 

[GYBS]

well the owners gave him a new contract so we can see what they think already .

not true, us having a manger with a contrct is also a good selling point for the club ML told Hicks that our club is worth more with Rafa there. nothing is what it seems at our club right now, and thats why we need G&H gone and on that note i am going to post something in the G&H thread.

so are you saying that rafa only got a new contract to make us look better for prospective buyers ?

[heimdall]

I could see even before we scored that it wasn't really working and it was going to be tough for us yet Rafa makes no alterations, just blunders on and leads us into defeat, and he's here how many more years. 

A typo there surely?  We scored in the 6th minute, after all.

Look, Chelsea stuck Essien on Gerrard and nullified him and our wing play wasn't strong enough to compensate.  We gave up some poor goals from set pieces and that led to a loss of composure that prompted a third goal.  But, ask yourself, what substitutions could Rafa had made to change things around?  Perhaps Benayoun on earlier but it wasn't really the type of game where Yossi excels, to be fair.  Babel?  Rubbish again when he was brought on and thus not the answer.  Ditto Dossena.  I think people who are venting their usual complaints about Rafa need to actually have a look at the subs bench and consider what game-changing options he truly had.

Maybe a slight exageration but in all honesty I did not have a good feeling right from the start as Chelsea seemed to be so much more hungry than us and also set up their team far better, we had a few chances in the first few minutes culminating in the very nice goal but after that it was all Chelsea but yet again Rafa had no plan B. I'm not saying there was any perfect solution last night because Chelsea were playing the best I've seen in years but you have to try and change something but yet again it was the same formula of subs from Rafa, wait til the 70 minute then bring on Babel and Bennayoun, he should have done this much much earlier imo.

Anyway we were beaten by a better team and manager on the night, we now need to regroup for the game against Blackburn,. I can't see us getting past Chelsea now, they look too damned good and I can't see what we can do different to beat them,they will murder us on the counter again at SB.
Sorry to be doom and gloom but you have to be realistic sometimes and accept a trashing but learn from it.

[GYBS]

most people have accepted we got beaten by the better team on the night where as some are lumping the blame on rafa

[heimdall]

Rafa makes no alterations, just blunders on and leads us into defeat, and he's here how many more years. 

Ohhhhhh here we go again so thats you and Lakes now, just waiting for the rest to come out of the wood work. 

OK don't want a big fight about this,my hangover to bad for that  but were yo happy with Rafa last night did he do anything inspired or genius? Now I'm not saying it's all his fault and it could well be that Cheslea would have won anyway but I want a manager who really is a footballing genius (capable of changing tactics mid game etc) and who isn't afraid to take some risks like Whiskey nose bringing on a 17yr old kid into a crucial must win game etc.

[tubby]

Guys we just have to take this on the chin and move on. No use taking swipes at Rafa as he is going nowhere.

[GYBS]

ORN had no choice but to play the kid due to the fact he had no other strikers to play - it was forced on him not some tactical genuis that he played him .

[Ciggy]

were yo happy with Rafa last night did he do anything inspired or genius?

I think you should swap Rafa's name, into a few players names they let us down not the boss.

Blaming Rafa is pathetic.

[heimdall]

most people have accepted we got beaten by the better team on the night where as some are lumping the blame on rafa

But we were playing at Anfield weren't we, why were the Chelsea players more fired up for this game. I am NOT saying this is all Rafa's fault, I also blame your favourite, Lucas, and Aurelio who I believe someone was calling better than Ashely Cole just a few days ago. 
Overall it was sh1t team performance but my point is that Rafa should have used some of his supposed genius to turn things around but he did nada.

[Greavesie]

Can we not just accept the better team won last night and then smash them at their sh!thole on Tuesday?

[heimdall]

were yo happy with Rafa last night did he do anything inspired or genius?

I think you should swap Rafa's name, into a few players names they let us down not the boss.

Blaming Rafa is pathetic.

This is what annoys me on this forum how big letters do I need to use to get through to some of you.

I AM NOT BLAMING RAFA FOR THE FECKING LOSS!

But I am very disappointed with his tactics and subs yet again and btw GYBS the substitution was forced on whiskey nose but I bet you that Rafa would have played someone out of position rather than giving a first game to a 17 year.

[GYBS]

FFS they played better than us - essien marked gerrard out of the game - fabio had his first poor game all season - xabi did nothing all night , skrtel was shocking - reira was bloody awful yet you choose to blame lucas and rafa - how predictable

[dawson99]

...and i never got any