Liverpool FC Forum

Dalglish wrote:We win 4-2 away from home against Premiership opposition and people seem to want to remind Benitez of who he left out on Saturday 

I agree there is a certain irony in tonights Torres inclusion and subsequent hatrick but as fans we can't have it all ways when we firstly slate Benitez for NOT doing something (include Torres from the start) then have a pop when he does.

Has he bowed to pressure from fans after 2 Premiership goaless draws ? If so then that steely single minded determination that we admire in him is no longer there. Maybe he is a touch stubborn even to the point of being pig headed

I suspect that Benitez is neither the Hero or Zero we sometimes make him out to be. He makes mistakes and he's human...........

I'm not berating our passion as fans but Benitez has forgot more about the game than most fans know in total. The mans bordering on OCD when it comes to the beautiful game and maybe he does over indulge his need to rotate and meddle but what can't be denied is his ability to come up with the goods.

Will he ultimately bring us the Premiership title ? Who knows, I certainly hope so but he won't have won or lost the Premiership last Saturday thats for sure. Every fan I know reaches the end of the season and thinks to themselves "What if this had happened or that had gone our way " but overall when all 38 fixtures are complete you tend to find yourselves where you deserve to be in terms of the League Table. Lets hope that despite the furore over Torres's exclusion from the starting line up in the last 2 games we don't need to look back in anger ........

Walk on.............

Scottbot wrote:

Dalglish wrote:We win 4-2 away from home against Premiership opposition and people seem to want to remind Benitez of who he left out on Saturday 

I agree there is a certain irony in tonights Torres inclusion and subsequent hatrick but as fans we can't have it all ways when we firstly slate Benitez for NOT doing something (include Torres from the start) then have a pop when he does.

Has he bowed to pressure from fans after 2 Premiership goaless draws ? If so then that steely single minded determination that we admire in him is no longer there. Maybe he is a touch stubborn even to the point of being pig headed

I suspect that Benitez is neither the Hero or Zero we sometimes make him out to be. He makes mistakes and he's human...........

I'm not berating our passion as fans but Benitez has forgot more about the game than most fans know in total. The mans bordering on OCD when it comes to the beautiful game and maybe he does over indulge his need to rotate and meddle but what can't be denied is his ability to come up with the goods.

Will he ultimately bring us the Premiership title ? Who knows, I certainly hope so but he won't have won or lost the Premiership last Saturday thats for sure. Every fan I know reaches the end of the season and thinks to themselves "What if this had happened or that had gone our way " but overall when all 38 fixtures are complete you tend to find yourselves where you deserve to be in terms of the League Table. Lets hope that despite the furore over Torres's exclusion from the starting line up in the last 2 games we don't need to look back in anger ........

Walk on.............

Best post i've read in bloody ages. Says it all.

Creep 

Dalglish wrote:Hi Lyns,

I agree with the sentiment sis but doesn't EVERY fan do that at the end of the season ? In 1996 I spent all the summer thinking "If only David James had spent more time working on crosses than he did ont eh palY station! "

Up and down the 92 teams of the League almost to a fan we all hold "post mortems" on their teams season and come up with scenario's that make themn believe they should have finished higher up their respectives tables.

If we do lose the Prem by 2 pts or less I'll look back at Rob Styles decision to award Chavski a penalty as the turning point in our season rather than the exclusion of Torres. Against both Bruma dn Pompey I'm not convinced we would have won either game WITH Torres but thats just my opinion.

Walk on

I personaly wouldnt look back to any turning point or where we could of got a better decision in a game.

At the end of the day If were good enough, we will win the league.....simle as

Dalglish wrote:If we do lose the Prem by 2 pts or less I'll look back at Rob Styles decision to award Chavski a penalty as the turning point in our season rather than the exclusion of Torres.

Will you really Ian totally blame Rob Styles Ohhhhhhh noooooo I cant believe it what about Portsmouth away and Birmingham at home (If we miss out) Any way I have missed you  xxxxxxxxxx
I appreciate your input hereeven though its mute its exremly good. 

redtrader74 wrote:Pussyfooting Mods....delete my post, although it had no swearing or abuse, and allow you're little darling to mouth off needlessly. Weak.

red37 wrote:

redtrader74 wrote:Pussyfooting Mods....delete my post, although it had no swearing or abuse, and allow you're little darling to mouth off needlessly. Weak.

The posts that were deleted contained quotes with the abusive language from previous instances. Not through any favouritism - by way of the fact they were being re-posted by those means.

Anyway, as ive explained via PM to you both the situation. There is no need at all to continue the arguing. I would suggest, you both take a step back and reconsider adding any further fuel to any fires that may or may not exist for the rest of the evening and get a nights kip.

ALL WE ARE SAYING IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!!!!!  

Ciggy wrote:

Dalglish wrote:If we do lose the Prem by 2 pts or less I'll look back at Rob Styles decision to award Chavski a penalty as the turning point in our season rather than the exclusion of Torres.

Will you really Ian totally blame Rob Styles Ohhhhhhh noooooo I cant believe it what about Portsmouth away and Birmingham at home (If we miss out) Any way I have missed you  xxxxxxxxxx
I appreciate your input hereeven though its mute its exremly good. 

The reality of the Pompey and Brum games was that we created very little and Torres I don't believe would have changed the result on the day.

Birmingham were extremely well set up against us on Saturday and defended the edge of the penalty box giving no space behind them and the keeper.

Against Pompey we started well and faded fast and they had by far the better chances to win that game.

Anyway I'd rather blame Rob Styles than Benitez !   

LFC2007 wrote:

red37 wrote:Anyway, as ive explained via PM to you both the situation. There is no need at all to continue the arguing. I would suggest, you both take a step back and reconsider adding any further fuel to any fires that may or may not exist for the rest of the evening and get a nights kip.

Father red! 

LFC2007 wrote:'Twas an average game for a large part of the first half, Reading pressed high up, Leiva and Sissoko had little time on the ball and we had no width on the right as Benayoun assumed a more central role.

Anyhow, the game opened up after the goal, partly because it's very difficult to press teams, especially teams with trickery and pace, so persistently for 90 minutes.

Despite the dour build up to the match, the point about maintaining confidence or at least reviving confidence is very important. Had we lost, of course I would be pointing to the Crystal Palace match of two seasons ago in the same cup where we bounced back immeasurably, as a reason for optimism.

The performance is at least as important as the result in these types of games, although we never dominated the game always allowing Reading an opportunity to come back until Torres scored his third. Nothing needs to be added about the quality he showed.

It may be surprising that Torres started the match, but perhaps Rafa wanted to re-ignite his form with a game perfectly suited to his style.

Although the point re Torres and the Birmingham match has been done to death. I will just say this:

1) I was disappointed that Torres didn't start, however, I can understand the reasoning behind it - as explained by AB. In spite of his omission from the starting line up, the team should have been more than capable of defeating Birmingham City. It's very difficult to unlock teams that are set up in that manner, it requires guile more than anything - Benayoun would have been ideal but for Yom Kipper.

2) It may have been a mistake in the view of most people on this forum that he didn't start. I would contend that by playing Torres in no way guaranteed a win. I think he possesses guile and pace, and I too was very surprised he didn't start. However, we are by no means a one man team, a combination of factors led to that result, one of which was IMO the loss of Alonso. Some people say he's not creative, he's about as creative a passer as you'll find.

3) Would I call the Birmingham result a mistake on Rafa's part? Not entirely, but partly. The team must accept its share of the responsibility, it's not a given that we would have won had Torres started and you therefore can't make the accusation that we lost as a result of Rafa's selection. Had we won the Birmingham match with that side, which was more than capable of doing so, the 'f#ck off Rafa' brigade would not have gone off on an embarrassing rant. Blame the tactics on Rafa, blame partly a lack of motivation shown by the players on Rafa, but please don't suggest that we would have won the match but for Rafa's omission of Torres. Also question the players, they implement the plan, Rafa can do no more than prepare the side as best as he can.



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Goodbye Birmingham City, Bruce is a bit of a Wayne Kerr anyway.