Page 10 of 18
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:14 pmby bigmick
I think there's a big difference between "respecting" the manager and saying he has been "hugely successful". i really don't think he has been hugely successful as he's been at the club four years, we've never at any stage whatsoever challenged for the league title, we haven't beaten Manchester United in the league Home or Away, have we beaten Chelsea in the league? Arsenal once is it? I don't know I don't do stats and my memories gone, but I do remember us getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Burnley and then this year by Barnsley. We've spent well over 100 million quid in the last 14 months and the juries still out on whether we are a better team than we were two years ago , so I wouldn't describe that as being "hugely" successful.
Thats not to say in any way that I don't think he's done a decent enough job, because I think he has. He's bought reasonably well, we've obviously outperformed in Europe particularly in that first season with a substandard Houllier team, and in the main I think he can be pretty proud of what he's done. He has though made many mistakes, repeating many of them season after season (indeed arguably we are in the midst of repeating them already this season what with out lack of quality width) so I couldn't describe him as being "hugely" successful no.
Obviously though, I do respect him and think he's a good manager. He's impressed me most with his defensive coaching, which I think has been top drawer.
Thats where i can't get on with the died in the wool "in Rafa we trust"er, he's done a reasonable enough job but he's no God in my eyes. Funnily enough, those same people are the ones that will jump all over Gerrards back at the first chance, I only wish Rafa was a s good at his job as Gerrard is at his.
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:18 pmby GYBS
yes we have beaten chelsea in the league .
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:25 pmby bigmick
GYBS wrote:yes we have beaten chelsea in the league .
Under Rafa? well I remember we should have beaten them at Home last season and were robbed by a dodge penalty. We drew away 0-0 I think with a decent performance. We didn't beat em away while Mourinho was there cos nobody did, while I remember them beating us 4-1 at Home in the "Jimmy Traore's how to feck it up" compilation video match. I seem to remember another draw when Tiago handballed it on the line from a Carragher header, so presumeably we must have beaten them in the other match.
Must admit I can't remember it though, minds gone sorry.
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:27 pmby stmichael
bigmick wrote:GYBS wrote:yes we have beaten chelsea in the league .
Under Rafa? well I remember we should have beaten them at Home last season and were robbed by a dodge penalty. We drew away 0-0 I think with a decent performance. We didn't beat em away while Mourinho was there cos nobody did, while I remember them beating us 4-1 at Home in the "Jimmy Traore's how to feck it up" compilation video match. I seem to remember another draw when Tiago handballed it on the line from a Carragher header, so presumeably we must have beaten them in the other match.
Must admit I can't remember it though, minds gone sorry.
pennant scored in the game so no wonder you've forgotten it. 
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:32 pmby GYBS
bigmick wrote:GYBS wrote:yes we have beaten chelsea in the league .
Under Rafa? well I remember we should have beaten them at Home last season and were robbed by a dodge penalty. We drew away 0-0 I think with a decent performance. We didn't beat em away while Mourinho was there cos nobody did, while I remember them beating us 4-1 at Home in the "Jimmy Traore's how to feck it up" compilation video match. I seem to remember another draw when Tiago handballed it on the line from a Carragher header, so presumeably we must have beaten them in the other match.
Must admit I can't remember it though, minds gone sorry.
it was the game when kuyt scored first then pennant scored a screamer- was cechs first game back after he got his kick in the head. 06-07 season.
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:33 pmby bigmick
That's right Mick, the screamer of a goal. Fair play course he did. I think we've also beaten Arsenal just the once too, that was the Neil Mellor dying seconds screamer at Anfield. I might be wrong on that one as well as I'm only going from memory, but if I am right that'd make it two wins in twenty four matches against other "big four" teams during Rafa's tenure so far.
I suppose it all depends on what you call "hugely successful", but I'd set the standards for such praise a wee bit higher than that tbh.
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:34 pmby Number 9
bigmick wrote:GYBS wrote:yes we have beaten chelsea in the league .
Under Rafa? well I remember we should have beaten them at Home last season and were robbed by a dodge penalty. We drew away 0-0 I think with a decent performance. We didn't beat em away while Mourinho was there cos nobody did, while I remember them beating us 4-1 at Home in the "Jimmy Traore's how to feck it up" compilation video match. I seem to remember another draw when Tiago handballed it on the line from a Carragher header, so presumeably we must have beaten them in the other match.
Must admit I can't remember it though, minds gone sorry.
I hate thinking back to that game!
Drogba made our players look like schoolboys,what a horrible day that was!
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:34 pmby account deleted by request
bigmick wrote:GYBS wrote:yes we have beaten chelsea in the league .
Under Rafa? well I remember we should have beaten them at Home last season and were robbed by a dodge penalty. We drew away 0-0 I think with a decent performance. We didn't beat em away while Mourinho was there cos nobody did, while I remember them beating us 4-1 at Home in the "Jimmy Traore's how to feck it up" compilation video match. I seem to remember another draw when Tiago handballed it on the line from a Carragher header, so presumeably we must have beaten them in the other match.
Must admit I can't remember it though, minds gone sorry.
Kuyt scored in the game so no wonder you've forgotten it.
We won 2-0 when they had to play a fullback and Essien as CB's
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:37 pmby stmichael
bigmick wrote:That's right Mick, the screamer of a goal. Fair play course he did. I think we've also beaten Arsenal just the once too, that was the Neil Mellor dying seconds screamer at Anfield. I might be wrong on that one as well as I'm only going from memory,
We battered Arsenal 4-1 in the 2006/7 season at home. It was the Crouch hatrick game.
But I take the point, the record against the other top teams has been nowhere near good enough.
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:41 pmby bigmick
Jeez I'm that far off on me stats his record is getting better all the time Despite my senility though, as you've acknowledged Mick it's some way short of where we'd like to be.
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:48 pmby GYBS
i might be wrong here but against chelsea in the league we have lost twice won once and drawn the others - against arsenal we have beaten them three time lost once and drawn the others and against man utd drawn one and lost all the other s?? might be wrong thou . the only one of the big four who has a favourable record against all the other teams in manure .
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:50 pmby GYBS
for me its the record that is more worrying is the ones against the lower teams where we fail to beat teams like fulham,wigan,reading,birmingham etc - those are the results that hurt us just as much .
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:20 pmby Bad Bob
We've deffo beat Arsenal three times in the league. The Mellor winner, the Crouch hattrick and the one were Luis came off the bench to snatch a late winner at Anfield a couple of seasons back...2-1.
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:25 pmby Effes
BigMick goin senile
Posted:
Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:42 pmby aCe'
NO doubt Rafas great at defending i said it before and ill say it again.. Rafas problem is not his defensive tactics and coaching, its everything else. He's far far from being a great manager because it takes more than defending to win a league. Perhaps not a cup but to win the league you have to play to win and Rafa hasnt done enough of that..