Liverpool FC Forum

by **A.B.** » Sun May 22, 2005 11:48 pm

Wow, things are really heating up.

Yes they are, we've done this 15 million times so I'm not surprised that it's "heating up" [/sarcasm].

by **andy_g** » Sun May 22, 2005 11:50 pm

i reckon thats a slightly simplistic view, stu. if we don't win the final we can't just right off the season as being poor - even though we're seeing the CL as an 'antidote' to a massively underachieving premier league season. reaching the final is a massive achievement in itself and proves that the club is going through a hugely positive transformation, despite league form. so not an awfully succesful season but certainly not awfully poor.

by **A.B.** » Sun May 22, 2005 11:55 pm

stu_the_red wrote:

Back to the topic, if we don't win the Champions league final, the season's been awfully poor.

Reaching finals is all well and good, but second is nowhere... This club should live by that rule. Major improvement (which i've no doubt will happen) is a must next season.

I honestly think Benitez could do with sitting down with someone like Phil Thompson and listening to his take on English football. The fact way he complained about the Crystal Palace game shows hasn't yet learnt all he needs to in this country.

It was always going to be a transitional season, I don't know if you were expecting us to have a good season under Benitez in his first year with new players.

Things haven't worked out to plan, by that I mean we've had more injuries than anybody could had expected and that has shifted the whole squad for most parts of the season. For example Milan Baros has three or four different strikers up front alongside him.

In the center of the park Alonso and Gerrard have only played 20 games together so they haven't gelled with one another as much as they could had,etc..

The Champions League has been a double edged sword, whilst we've proved that we can knock out the likes of Juventus and Chelsea, the CL has distracted the players from the Premiership which cost the fourth place at the end said by some of our players.

However for most players this is the highlight of their careers thus far and therefore they took a risk, which was to entirely focus on getting to the final and giving it their all to win the Champions League. If I were in their position, I would had done the same thing.

With that being said, I expect us to have a better season next year. Benitez has made mistakes but that had to happen in order for him to learn anything about the Premiership so we can look forward to a better season as Benitez won't make the same mistakes two seasons in a row. He's learned about the league,club,players and that will help him and us next year.

I don't expect us to have so many injuries and depending on the outcome of the final we probably won't be distracted by other competions other than the Premiership as much as we were this season.

In my mind the future is bright under Rafa.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Sun May 22, 2005 11:58 pm

At the end of the day, the Premier League is the most important thing, it is a true measure of how good a team is, so we should judge our progress mainly on that.

I also get what Stu is saying, I was really angry with Rafa after the Palace game, what he said did shock me, I thought he would have known by then that it is a very physical and passionate league, my guess is that it was just a knee jerk reaction because Palace were not over physical.

I would like us to be a lot more aggressive next year, this is something we have really lacked under Rafa so far, he can’t just come here ad expect the league to change for him, he must change to accommodate the league, if he is smart he will be willing to change.

by **yckatbjywtbiastkamb** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:01 am

stu_the_red wrote:

Back to the topic, if we don't win the Champions league final, the season's been awfully poor.

Reaching finals is all well and good, but second is nowhere... This club should live by that rule. Major improvement (which i've no doubt will happen) is a must next season.

I honestly think Benitez could do with sitting down with someone like Phil Thompson and listening to his take on English football. The fact way he complained about the Crystal Palace game shows hasn't yet learnt all he needs to in this country.

phil thompson had his chance to run the club, now let rafa have his.
i like the way you pick up on rafa`s only moan at palace when houllier constantly moaned about everything from the grass at metz to house prices for five years.

by **A.B.** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:01 am

I would like us to be a lot more aggressive next year, this is something we have really lacked under Rafa so far, he can’t just come here ad expect the league to change for him, he must change to accommodate the league, if he is smart he will be willing to change.

If I remember correctly when Valencia[under Benitez] played against us they kicked us off the park, they were aggressive and played better than us.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:03 am

A.B. wrote:
I would like us to be a lot more aggressive next year, this is something we have really lacked under Rafa so far, he can’t just come here ad expect the league to change for him, he must change to accommodate the league, if he is smart he will be willing to change.

If I remember correctly when Valencia[under Benitez] played against us they kicked us off the park, they were aggressive and played better than us.

I don't remember them 'kicking us off the park', but I do remember us struggling to get the ball of them.

by **andy_g** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:04 am

from the sounds of the stories about the backroom staff it looks like benitez is one who is willing to learn and to change. but, to be honest, i don't know much about Alex Miller - rafas british advisor - but i'm guessing he's nowhere near as knowledgeable about the premiership and especially lfc as phil thompson. it makes a lot of sense really - for all the good that rafa has done bringing some excellent backroom staff with him, he's kinda lost that connection we had with what premiership football is all about. he's either got to learn fast over the summer or bring in someone who knows the score.

by **PrestonLaaa** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:04 am

andy_g wrote:i reckon thats a slightly simplistic view, stu. if we don't win the final we can't just right off the season as being poor - even though we're seeing the CL as an 'antidote' to a massively underachieving premier league season. reaching the final is a massive achievement in itself and proves that the club is going through a hugely positive transformation, despite league form. so not an awfully succesful season but certainly not awfully poor.

Benitez is still finding his feet in English football, which is obviously a way different game from what he's been used to and a different game from the Champions League and the Spanish League!

I know you've probaly had this before with your last manager but the future looks bright under Benitez!

And to repeat myself to those plastic Manc W@nkers,

FIVE TIMES! :buttrock

Do it for all us ManUre haters out there! :rasp

by **JBG** » Mon May 23, 2005 2:11 pm

Benitez doesn't need to sit down with anybody for a talk about the English game.

He has had a tough debut season in which he made some mistakes and the lessons were there to be learned.

I think his Crystal Palace comments were probably the only sign of pressure he showed all season and they were, in my opinion, made out of frustration at his own team's failings. As far as I can remember, the only time he criticised an opposing Premiership side was against Palace, and I bet he'd admit himself that they were bourne out of frustration.

The guy hardly opened his mouth all season so we can forgive him one whinge?

by **woof woof !** » Mon May 23, 2005 3:57 pm

JBG wrote:Benitez doesn't need to sit down with anybody for a talk about the English game.

I guess we'll have to wait for next season to see if he's learnt anything.

Our magnificent progress in the champions league has (for the time being) papered over the fact that in the premiership this season we have at times been a f'king embarassment , losing vital games to teams destined for relegation allied to woeful performances in domestic cup competitions.

Rafa has given us some cake (champions league) I guess because of that few of us are prepared to seriously question what has happend in the premiership this season. Whatever happens on Wednesday night, a teams progress is not measured on their ability to win a knockout competiton .For me personally next season Rafa will still have a lot to prove .

by **zarababe** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:53 pm

Any new manager especially from a foreign country has a lot to learn about styles, tempos and mentality.. The boss will make the team shine next season.. with new additions and the wealth of his knowledge, learning from this season and what he now knows about the Englsih game..

...from what has been written..he is already .. yes like others.. plotting to bridge the gap to challenge the top three (not 4 notice

) and will lead us to a good premiership season next year.. of this i have no-doubt..

.. Respected, committed and tirelessly working to take the Reds to the top again.. that sums Benitez up for me..

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