Liverpool FC Forum

[GRAHAM01]

Nice article. I always had belief in Rafa.

wait a sec each year we say how sh.it chav fans are then one of them writes that and you all rdy to pull down ya pants and take one for the team ?

You call the antis fickle ?

i don't think anyone means that they are going start thinking chav fans are great!! just that this one makes a little sense in what he is saying.

not fickle

[GYBS]

Nice article. I always had belief in Rafa.

wait a sec each year we say how sh.it chav fans are then one of them writes that and you all rdy to pull down ya pants and take one for the team ?

You call the antis fickle ?

i don't think anyone means that they are going start thinking chav fans are great!! just that this one makes a little sense in what he is saying.

not fickle

Spot on Graham - nothing fickle about agreeing with a fan from another club - especially when he makes sense and the article is well thought out with a lot of truths in it .

[Bad Bob]

Rafa never used to be able to do it against the big boys in the prem - we were constantly getting beaten by both chelsea and man utd , this season he has improved that area so its another big step and hopefully soon he can take the next step and turn draws into wins against teams that park the bus and then maybe we can talk about winning the prem - even thou i still believe we have a chance this season .

I agree.  Well, not about still having a chance this season--I think that ship has sailed.  But I agree that doing the double over both Chelsea and the Mancs represents a huge step forward.  We're not talking flukey wins here, we're talking asserting our dominance for longs spells and taking our chances against two top sides on four different occasions.  We've been looking for these kinds of performances for years and I think we all would have been chuffed with one or two wins against those clubs.  To win all four signals that we've made important strides.  As you say, though, the next hurdle is finding ways to turn draws into wins against the league's lesser lights.  We've stuttered on that front for too long and we need that sorted to really consider ourselves proper title contenders.  It starts with buying quality this summer to compliment the attacking prowess of Gerrard and Torres and it carries on with a 'go for the jugular' mentality that worked so well against Real Madrid and Newcastle (there's a juxtaposition ).  I think Rafa has the nous to get us over that final hurdle and I'm prepared to give him another year to find out.

[LegBarnes]

Nice article. I always had belief in Rafa.

wait a sec each year we say how sh.it chav fans are then one of them writes that and you all rdy to pull down ya pants and take one for the team ?

You call the antis fickle ?

i don't think anyone means that they are going start thinking chav fans are great!! just that this one makes a little sense in what he is saying.

not fickle

Spot on Graham - nothing fickle about agreeing with a fan from another club - especially when he makes sense and the article is well thought out with a lot of truths in it .

Yeah but its more a fergie slaging off then a wow rafa you are great I think and its easy for us to agree on that cos fegie is a tw.at. 

But ok I take ya point on it I do agree with most of it and really was just playing devils advocate really .

Think I just woke up on wrong side of bed today I gave up fags on sunday into my 4th day now. 

[GYBS]

Yep spot on Bob - think we just need to find that missing creative link to go with the players we already have got - no need for major surgery or major players leaving or going - get rid of some deadwood ie pennant and it seems voronin and buy just that one little creative gem who can unlock tight defences when teams park the bus and we can hopefully see the next big step taken towards prem winning challenges . I know people dont think we have improved well beating both chelsea and man utd home and away is a massive improvement for me while also only being 4 points off the top coming to the end of march is another improvement . Rome wasnt built in a day as they say .

[LegBarnes]

Rafa never used to be able to do it against the big boys in the prem - we were constantly getting beaten by both chelsea and man utd , this season he has improved that area so its another big step and hopefully soon he can take the next step and turn draws into wins against teams that park the bus and then maybe we can talk about winning the prem - even thou i still believe we have a chance this season .

I agree.  Well, not about still having a chance this season--I think that ship has sailed.  But I agree that doing the double over both Chelsea and the Mancs represents a huge step forward.  We're not talking flukey wins here, we're talking asserting our dominance for longs spells and taking our chances against two top sides on four different occasions.  We've been looking for these kinds of performances for years and I think we all would have been chuffed with one or two wins against those clubs.  To win all four signals that we've made important strides.  As you say, though, the next hurdle is finding ways to turn draws into wins against the league's lesser lights.  We've stuttered on that front for too long and we need that sorted to really consider ourselves proper title contenders.  It starts with buying quality this summer to compliment the attacking prowess of Gerrard and Torres and it carries on with a 'go for the jugular' mentality that worked so well against Real Madrid and Newcastle (there's a juxtaposition ).  I think Rafa has the nous to get us over that final hurdle and I'm prepared to give him another year to find out.

what cracks me up bob is how that fergie has a nerve to say his team was better then ours when they lost 4-1.

Its shocking to say the least they been chanting rafas cracking up but tbh I think its fergie thats cracking up. 

[GYBS]

Are you suppporting Rafa now ?

[meissler]

Good article.  As for Rafa telling people how to beat ManU, I'm pretty sure a lot of managers can see what ManU's weaknesses are.  It's not easy going from knowing to weaknesses to actually exploiting them.

[LegBarnes]

Are you suppporting Rafa now ?

Lets say who am I to agrue that he shouldn't at least get another year to see if he can put his own deamons to rest.

But my choice will depend alot on last 1/4 of season can he get those wins vrs the lesser teams !!

CL isn't a big factor for me As if he wins fantastic but tbh if he loses it won't meen for me he should be sacked as we know its his + comp and will do good in it each year.

the league form is what needs to improve more.

[GRAHAM01]

Nice article. I always had belief in Rafa.

wait a sec each year we say how sh.it chav fans are then one of them writes that and you all rdy to pull down ya pants and take one for the team ?

You call the antis fickle ?

i don't think anyone means that they are going start thinking chav fans are great!! just that this one makes a little sense in what he is saying.

not fickle

Spot on Graham - nothing fickle about agreeing with a fan from another club - especially when he makes sense and the article is well thought out with a lot of truths in it .

Yeah but its more a fergie slaging off then a wow rafa you are great I think and its easy for us to agree on that cos fegie is a tw.at. 

But ok I take ya point on it I do agree with most of it and really was just playing devils advocate really .

Think I just woke up on wrong side of bed today I gave up fags on sunday into my 4th day now. 

is there a wall on the side you got out of 

get some patches mate 

[LegBarnes]

Nice article. I always had belief in Rafa.

wait a sec each year we say how sh.it chav fans are then one of them writes that and you all rdy to pull down ya pants and take one for the team ?

You call the antis fickle ?

i don't think anyone means that they are going start thinking chav fans are great!! just that this one makes a little sense in what he is saying.

not fickle

Spot on Graham - nothing fickle about agreeing with a fan from another club - especially when he makes sense and the article is well thought out with a lot of truths in it .

Yeah but its more a fergie slaging off then a wow rafa you are great I think and its easy for us to agree on that cos fegie is a tw.at. 

But ok I take ya point on it I do agree with most of it and really was just playing devils advocate really .

Think I just woke up on wrong side of bed today I gave up fags on sunday into my 4th day now. 

is there a wall on the side you got out of 

get some patches mate 

Yeah tryed patches they suck on this drug called champix atm its awesome man it helps tons.

[akumaface]

Very good article. Couldn't have said it better myself. True that we slipped ourselves but undeniably our record against the big 3 this year is the best ever. Rafa is so good at surprising the opposition manager time and time again. To make this a perfect ending, hope Man U will slip up big time and we win the EPL.

[heimdall]

Yep spot on Bob - think we just need to find that missing creative link to go with the players we already have got - no need for major surgery or major players leaving or going - get rid of some deadwood ie pennant and it seems voronin and buy just that one little creative gem who can unlock tight defences when teams park the bus and we can hopefully see the next big step taken towards prem winning challenges . I know people dont think we have improved well beating both chelsea and man utd home and away is a massive improvement for me while also only being 4 points off the top coming to the end of march is another improvement . Rome wasnt built in a day as they say .

So we need more creativity than Gerrard and Torres, where exactly would you put this creative player then? Are you thinking about replacing Kuyt perhaps, or Aurelio, or Arbelola or Riera, surely not Mascha?

In my opinion we are a damned good team WHEN  Rafa lets them play but for soem fecking bizare reasons he either can't or won't get them properly set up mentally and tactically for games against the like of Stoke. He's had 5 years to figure out how to beat these crappy teams and he's still clueless.

I love the wins aginst the big boys as much as the next fan but untill Rafa or another manager can get usconsistently beating the likes of Stoke then we'll never winthe league.

[GYBS]

change the record - some people were having a nice decent debate until you came steaming in with the same old slag rafa cr ap.

Just so you know a creative player to play where kuyt plays or where reira plays or where gerrard plays and he can drop back a bit , its not rocket science we need more than just those two.

[Bad Bob]

Yep spot on Bob - think we just need to find that missing creative link to go with the players we already have got - no need for major surgery or major players leaving or going - get rid of some deadwood ie pennant and it seems voronin and buy just that one little creative gem who can unlock tight defences when teams park the bus and we can hopefully see the next big step taken towards prem winning challenges . I know people dont think we have improved well beating both chelsea and man utd home and away is a massive improvement for me while also only being 4 points off the top coming to the end of march is another improvement . Rome wasnt built in a day as they say .

So we need more creativity than Gerrard and Torres, where exactly would you put this creative player then? Are you thinking about replacing Kuyt perhaps, or Aurelio, or Arbelola or Riera, surely not Mascha?

In my opinion we are a damned good team WHEN  Rafa lets them play but for soem fecking bizare reasons he either can't or won't get them properly set up mentally and tactically for games against the like of Stoke. He's had 5 years to figure out how to beat these crappy teams and he's still clueless.

I love the wins aginst the big boys as much as the next fan but untill Rafa or another manager can get usconsistently beating the likes of Stoke then we'll never winthe league.

Bizarre post, this, Heimdall.  It's almost as though you're suggesting we not look to bring in another creative player to complement Gerrard and Torres and/or to stand in for one when they are injured etc.

Sure, I think Rafa could stand to revise the formula when it comes to facing the park-the-bussers but I also know that we need more quality attacking players in the squad to ensure that we progress.  After all, as I've said elsewhere, we can't just hope and pray that Torres and Gerrard stay fit and in fine form all season.

As for who to get in and in place of whom, I would like to see us leave the Torres-Gerrard tandem alone and concentrate on the wings.  That either means improving on Riera, Kuyt or both.  Both are quality players that bring a lot to the team but I do think both can be improved upon.  Kuyt, in particular, is a bit surplus to requirements against the park-the-bussers, where guile is preferred to indefatigability.  Bringing in some quality wide players who can operate in tight spaces, play deft 1 touch football and chip in with some goals is a must.  Some will say that we need to find some magical striker/winger who is quality, can play wide with Torres and Gerrard and who can also replace Torres when he's injured while preserving the system.  If this player exists I'd love to know who it is!  I think a more realistic goal is to find the winger or wingers I spoke of and call upon Kuyt to do a job up top in the event that Torres goes down with (what we hope will be only minor) injuries.  Don't ask me to name names, though--I'm cr.ap at the fantasy football stuff!