I’d like to refer all Liverpool fans, nay all football fans, to this forum post at RedandWhiteKop:
http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=249365.0
Several of the comments underneath are also illuminating.
It is complete proof, for me, that Liverpool FC’s problems lie not with the manager (nor with Lucas Leiva for that matter); our problems are a direct result of the club being run excruciatingly poorly by the people at the top, people we are meant to trust. Who decided that the Americans were suitable investors for the long-term? Who on earth did the maths? What Gillett and Hicks have thus far done is turn our club into a debt donkey in the hope that, on the back of loans, they could make a quick profit. When the loans ran dry, it was revealed that they really, really don’t like each other, that they’re completely unwilling to put any of their own money into the club in any sustained, committed way, and that they were willing to sack our manager just because they had some kind of personality clash with him. Klinsman, THEY WOULD HAVE EMPLOYED KLINSMAN INSTEAD.
The penny has to drop soon. Without Benitez, we’re done for. He might be Spanish but he seems to be the only one within the club’s hierarchy who takes a reasonable, dedicated approach to its long-term future. He cares about us. He missed his own father’s funeral to oversee a joke tournament on the other side of the world. He’s done a remarkable job on very little money. Yes, at times he’s unorthodox, but it’s been a remarkable journey nonetheless.
At the weekend he took Torres off and it has now been revealed that our main goal threat is close to needing surgery. Taking Benayoun off was hard to understand but, in fairness, Yossi wasn’t up to much on Saturday and, for a lad who perhaps isn’t the image of physical fitness, he’s played a staggering amount of football this season.
Yet Benitez has this week been accused by Ronnie Whelan of prioritising Europe in order to get a big European job! First things first, since coming to Anfield, Rafa has turned down overtures from Madrid, his dream job, at least twice. He’s a man of honour and wants success with this club. The outstanding performance in last season’s premier league shows this - where was Whelan with his accusations back then? Those comments were so stupid, ignorant and reactionary that they made my blood boil.
Also, can I just say that in the long-term, Lyon is a bigger match than Fulham was. I know people who travelled to London don’t want to hear this, but it is true. Without qualification money, the club is in an even worse financial situation than it already is. God knows how close we are to capitulation - stranger things have happened. So maybe losing in the league is a neccessary evil to make sure that we even have games to go to in a few years time - perhaps I’m being over the top, but we have to think of the bigger picture.
The worst thing is that we may well still lose in France, despite resting Torres for half an hour on Saturday. If that happens, remember the forum post at the top of this article. Remember the injury crisis at the club. Remember that Rafa is trying even harder than ever to turn things around.
An excellent post…well done John!
The mad thing about Ronnie Whelan’s comments, that seems to have been ignored completely, is that he based the whole thing on the deluded assumption that Benitez had decided to rest Agger, Skrtel, Aurelio, Ngog etc for the Lyon game. It was just an utterly misinformed rant that deserved nothing more than ridicule.
My head hurts! It hurts since I started really getting involved in LFC forums and chats and tweets.
Why does this have to be any individual or groupings fault? It’s the owners, the directors, the players, Rafa, the old owners, Rick Parry in isolation. Fans blame the owners and think Rafa should take no blame, others blame Rafa and think H&G are doing alright.
I replied to an Anti H&G posting yesterday on another site. Not really sticking up for them (I am H&G neutral) but trying to bring some balance to a debate. It was deleted.
Rafa SHOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES be sacked
Our debts are no where near as high as the other 4 clubs.
The club was (IMO) failing to capitalise on it’s potential from a commercial perspective under Moores/Parry - some headway under Christian Purslow (one of the ‘people at the top’), who appears to have the backing of most people I speak to, is being made
We have a team (Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Agger, Johnson, Kuyt, Mascherano, Aquilani, Riera, Gerrard and Torres) which can beat any other team in the world. Any squad would struggle with our current injury list and lack of form from some players. Take out porr form or injury from above how many are you left with, 3? It is a phase, a painful phase we must get through. I’m not sure how productive the ‘blame game’ is. We need everyone to come together as one and put all the blaming to one side for a prolonged period. Then all as one we can stand unified behind our club.
I wrote a blog weeks ago on this for anyone interested http://bit.ly/2oz9gP if you haven’t deleted my comment or called me an idealistic w***** and decided I’m a bumbling idiot!
Gillett & Hicks do not pick the team. The problem with Liverpool against Fulham is they had no idea what they were doing or how to break Fulham down also very sloppy in defense. That is not the job of the board to fix it is Rafa’s. Liverpool need to get it out of their heads that they have finance to spend on players, they don’t. quicker this is realised the better.
If Rafa continues to to loose he’ll be sacked.There’s no other way else the Rafa supporters will be happy to see us getting relegated.But if he manages to win the next three matches or drawing one and winning and if he survives till january transfer window.He’ll be a changed man.This crisis will make Rafa stronger it’s good thing provided we don’t slump anymore.Else i fear noone will be able to defend rafa.He made some huge mistakes for a manager.He doesn’t forsee the bleak future ahead.But no liverpool fan will be ecstatic if we win anymore cause after the UTD game we were deflated.The only thing which will decide his fate in the next 3 or 2 years is THE LEAGUE!!!!
For once I have doubts about Rafa’s team selection.
I went to the Emirates last week and Voronin was a joke.
No ideas, no skill, no awareness, no shots. Great striker Rafa,
just what we need!
For a top manager he has made poor buys and appears
to have no plan B.
I think the buck stops with him and no-one else.
My heart says Rafa but my head…
Bad time. Its too bad to see Rafa struggle when the players got injured. I have never doubts on Rafa’s managerial skills. All I want to say is…CHASE THE 2 CLOWNS AWAY….then LFC will see the light.
Sorry folks, I too blame Rafa for many blundering results that goes back years now.
Even in Istanbul, without the 12th man in voice from the faithfull, without the heart of a lion in Gerrard, and as life has it without a whole lot of luck we wouldn’t even have qualified for European football the following year (without being champions) from a list of dismal results from his starting decisions game in and out.
The other big three of the big four all seem to have depth, any successful team does, but with the Reds who is there without Gerrard, Torres, Alonso to challenge most other teams in the EPL. It is finally coming to light this season. Lucas is repeatedly weak playing in such an important position, game after game Rafa continues to start him. I guess no depth. Babel has been ruined, just as Dossena which reminds me of the past players that have left disgruntled (Crouch, Keane, Bellamy), sure they all wanted 1st team status, but I dont believe Rafa gave any of them the respect they deserved?
Finally Benayoun is getting 1st team staus he should have since 2007. And sorry to speak the truth, but Pepe Reina is horrible in goal…how many games you can agree soft goals have made the difference (how does Dudek win Europe and never get another start?).
Everyone is hoping Rafa can save the day with his brilliant tactics to win what? At this point we are just hoping to stay in the top 8, top 4 starting to look a stretch….so what happened to this being our year?
We are doomed with American owners who don’t understand, and a manager who thinks too much and has built nothing beyond Gerrard and Torres.I’m sick of barely making the grade when we are supposed to be dominating the other big clubs, who year in and out have DEPTH!
Of course, the played out anti-American theme. I bet if the owners were English or even Spanish and Benitez was American, it would be Rafa’s fault. Am I right?
The fact is, this is basically the same team that finished 2nd last year and is absolutely dismal this year. Liverpool nearly made 40 million in transfer revenue. I think only a retard couldn’t find a good replacement for Alonso for that much money. Instead, Rafa spent about half of it on an injured and injury prone player in Aquilani. Don’t get me wrong, I love Aquilani and when he plays (key words there).
Man U brought in two players that cost as much as Aquilani did total, Michael Owen on a free and Luis Valencia. I have no doubt that Liverpool wouldn’t mind having either of them around right now. It just goes to show who is really at fault here. Gillett and Hicks don’t buy the team or pick the players. Let’s face it, Rafa’s players aren’t performing and unfortunately the manager is to blame for that.
A lot of the players on the pitch look like shadows of themselves compared to last season. Kuyt, Mascherano especially. Aurelio and Carragher. Don’t even get me started on Skrtel. They are all pathetic this season. I really think Rafa has lost the locker room.
You can’t rely on only two players to take you to the top. Why would you sell Robbie Keane back to Spurs for a loss? He must of had faith in Babel and Ngog, right? Well, I guess he’s to blame if they don’t perform. I could go on, but I’m sure that you get my point.
I cant believe Whelan said Rafa only wanted to focus n Europe so he can take his pick of the top European jobs. Madness. He’s already turned down the overtures of Madrd. They’re as big as it gets, apart from Liverpool.
It’s obvious that the reason Rafa has to do well in the Champions League is because we cant take the shortfall in case of not qualifying for the knock out stages. If we hadnt had such bad injury problems ahead if the Fulham game, the changes to the team and the substitutions wouldnt have been a) as drastic or b) as noticeable.
Whelan, you might not like Rafa’s style, but its better than any other manager we’ve had in the last 15 years and he’s completely turned the club around. Sacking him is not the answer. Persevering with him and securing him better funding with which to compete equally is.
I AM an american, i blame them for not selling before the recession for a profit, and now cannot afford to sell them because of a loss…..hence no financed stadium, hence less money than chelsea/manu/arsenal for players….
I agree with all the comments but there are still certain things that Rafa did the game against Fulhman is unexplainable..
Its best not to try to rationalize every decision rafa plays out on the pitch a) beacause he’s a genuis b) he’s been doing this a lot longer than anybody else around here c) mad decisions and unfathomable changes can always lead to mad, unpredictable results. He tries mad changes at times to produce some sort of unpredictability - which may lead to goals. Thats just my take on things, although I do know it can be frustrating when it goes wrong.
Your comments seem pretty redundant in light of tonite shambles once again…enough is enough…time for the spanard to go…
Lets get things straight, the American owners only come in in the area of financing, the organisation & management of the players is the sole responsibility of Rafa and his crew. To be perfectly honest, we need world class players right now however, lack of players is not really our problem right now but the management of the players therefore Rafa is to be blamed.
The squad liverpool has right now can compete with any other team in the world and secure victory for us but Rafa’s misapplication of things keep denying us of such previledges.
when you compare Liverpool squad with that of Arsenal, only very few players in the likes of Fabregas, Van Perse, Walcott & Nasri could be compared to some Liverpool players whereas, Arsenal has been performing.
Last season, chelsea under the management of Felipe Scolari made a mess but Guus Hiddink & Acelotti
came and changed the story with the same players. Chelsea plays an outstanding football right now with the same form of players that were messing up early last season.
so it’sbvious that Rafa is the cause of our losing matches. I am sure we don’t fully understand the depth of what we are into right now, i am afraid because the image of Liverpool has gone so low and that gives every club now the confidence to play Liverpool and hope to win comfortably. it will take real hardwork for Liverpool to redeem its image.
For Rafa, he has to really wake up else finding his replacement won’t be a bad idea at all.
too right mate….i have shuttered at the thought that even BIRMINGHAM can shake it up and get points from us…..
i saw an image of shots on net from each team from Monday….was like twenty something to maybe THREE….tells me the keeper is shite….defense is shite and offense have loads of chances and cant finish…….
novice, oldhat keeping football?
Its time some people deecided who they support: “Liverpool” the mythical beast who win every game and never lose or the real Liverpool - who operate in the real world and are a living breathing team. We’re going through a rough patch, we’ll get out of it. Show some faith. Rafa has worked wonders with the players available to him. Thats thekey point. Out of the very few players we might have been able to compete with the other top 4 teams to sign but who are now at Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal etc - they might never have even considered coming to Liverpool. It might have been a straight “no” to us, because they didnt fancy coming/were offered more money at the other teams or felt they’d have a better lifestyle. Most of them probably felt they’d get success easier without having to work as hard. We dont want those players. We want the elite, thoroughbread players who come to Liverpool over other teams because they want to. E.G. Reina, Torres, Mascherano, Johnson, Aquilani and Gerrard. Remnid me who signed them and who convinced Gerrard to stay again…
We’reapproaching a genuine tipping point now where next season the impact of missing out on one or two squad playes wont be felt as badly, because of the wealth of quality players Rafa has now built up. Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Mascherano, Aquilani, Gerrard & Torres are all the caliber of player Rafa wants to sign and the ones who chose us. Of course Carragher and Gerrard were already here, but Rafa did keep Gerrard from going and has shown big faith in Carragher. I’m sure there were other teams in for most/all of them as well as us. In the case of the other squad players, sometimes you just have to find the odd stop gap player to cover injuries, even though you wouldnt ideally chose them. Once the yanks clear off, you’ll see an improvement. Until then, I’ll be supporting Liverpool and that means Rafa too.
Ive been supporting Liverpool since i was 6 thats 24 yrs.Now icant even watch them i thought it had all changed wen we beat MAN U.Rafa shouldnt be sacked,its the owners whats 114 mil in 5yrs gonna do just take a look at the other top 3 spent alot more man city spent more than that in 1yr.If we sack rafa who else is ther n dont say mourinho cause hes a coach.When we do finally turn it around just listen 2 pundits then.
I’d like to give my opinion from an outsiders point of view.
For too long, Liverpool have seemed too reliant on Gerrard and Carragher and don’t seem to give many of the reserve team a chance to show they can step up anymore. I certainly don’t put the blame for Liverpool’s current misfortunes at the feet of any one person, but feel that the owners, management, staff and players all share the responsibility for this season’s problems.
Last season, Liverpool played very well yet this season are now outside of the EPL top four, out of the League Cup and out of the CL. Are there more injuries to key players this season, are the extra international games because of the World Cup an issue, or do Liverpool miss the quality of Xabi Alonso.
Good luck Liverpool (except when you play us). I hope you can finish the season in better shape than you are right now, and LFC will still be there when the owners and Rafa have gone.
I agree with alot of Guy, JEFF and Mike. Example last season we beat the top four yet couldn’t work out how to beat stoke, hull etc. The buck does stop with Rafa, he is the one who picks the team, they play to his tactics, he is the one who works on breaking down the opposition and passing that to the players. He since the end of last season has had greater control of runnings at the club. There is no one to blame except him if things go wrong.
There are many Liverpool fans for whom Rafa can do no wrong. They even excuse the insanity of buying a player for eighteen million pounds and five months later selling him back to the same club at a six million loss. Quite honestly if I were one of the yanks I wouldn’t give him a penny to spend. Why should they? So he can bring more players to the club of the quality of Leiva or Voronin?
ok peoples…..we are almost a month on down the road and it is obvious things are worse than any better!
we crapped out of the champions league….and forget about the title…..AND i have yet to see the 20 mill man, aquilani start a match, never mind the nothingness he has done when entered the match, however i don’t blame him, bloody benitez doesn’t let him get into a groove….
i heard a stat on the telly after we crapped out the arsenal match….the ALMIGHTY rafa has signed like 48 players since his arrival, in the same time sir alex has signed less than half….EXPLAIN THAT!
so lets hear what the rafa lovers say now…oh it’s just a bad patch, are you kidding me, this is the worst season for liverpool in over 20 yrs….perhaps more…
it’s obvious he has no influence in the dressing room, and his line-ups are ridiculous….how much longer are we to agonize through this….if the players are good enough…then the way they are managed is failing….i hate mourinho, but i would even take him over this bullshit….CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!
Serious people, managers get paid to manage the team and Rafa just aint doing it. Too many dud buys, too many players underperforming, team choice unexplainable…al this is the manager’s responsibility.
He’s had 5 years….it’s enough!
Hi everyone I just finished watching what some people would call a football match and I am so pissed off I believe enough is enough.
Loosing to Portsmouth was it for me, Iwill be honest Benitez for me can not pick players, our midfield is a f……. joke we need to get rid of that joke Lucas, start playing Aquilani, we also if the owners will let us buy someone to start helping Torres, another out & out striker.
Mourinho for me picked class players Rafa has been pretty ordinary
when he selects his players.
Kuyt for me works hard but lacks alot of skill to take on defenders and score goals. All the other big teams have more than one good striker. We are making too many mistakes in our backline. I think
this needs to be addressed now, I also believe that the owners should sell the team to someone that actually cares more about the team than their money. I will always watch this great club play no matter what I LOVE LIVERPOOL and I always will.
Todays performance was pathetic. Gerrard all over the place looking to make something out of nothing…Torres moaning like never before and lucas..i mean cmon enuf is enuf now…get rid of him, he’s pathetic. the team itself have lost that relentless drive and irrespective of been 1man down, the team that we knew last year is one that is slowly becoming a forgotten memory…anyone still reading this and whom watched the game will say that until the final whistle is blown we still have a chance…yet for once, i was gutted to even watch the remaining minutes because i knew we lacked so much….aquilani was meant to be starting games by novembe yet today he wasnt even on the bench? by the time he does start i fear that we will be fighting for a place in europa. we need to come to the reality that rafa is the man for the job, he cares for the club and he has become someone for us over the years whom we can rely on, it would take a good few years to re-estabish that irrespective if someoen comes through and wins a major trophy…liverpool is a family club and the spirit of the kop and the chants of ynwa emphasizes this.we say in rafa we trust? a bad patch doesnt mean we lose trust and sack him as what happened with mark hughes a few hours ago…we keep on working and do the talking on the pitch. i believe that liverpool need a big signing to help torres, someone like villa but as everyones dream on merseyside…..this aint gonna happen. we need the americans out of lfc and the sooner the better…i always look forward to liverpool games and have not missed a match in over 5 years….this team has the ability to do great things but as soon as we can get rid of the yanks…voronin….dossena….LUCAS….babel…..degen… then i think that will be directing the club forward…as for now… the same hurt that i feel as a pool supporter…. all im looking forward to now…as dissapointing as it does sound..is the game against a team called Unirea????
this is not a bad patch….in past years rafa was nothing but lucky…..even in istanbul (i explained this earlier post)….if you are paying attention, even when we play the top clubs, the confidence is a crap shoot….we have been great against man u, but chelsea is always a scare….
rafa has signed more players than most….and the caliber signings (keane, crouch, bellamy) he must treat them like shite and they leave…..sorry, but their is too much spanish in the club….hence benitez….hence mascherano, who is a liability, nice player most of the time, but can’t keep his yap shut, loose cannon for sure….
benitez needs to go….benitez needs to go….benitez needs to go….or you will see, we will loose gerrard, and torres, and carra…
oh yeah….did anyone catch reina napping on those pompey goals….world class keeper me arse….he needs to go too!
Is there any doubters that still don’t believe that RAFA’s failure to win tactical battles and his fixed dogmatic techniques are the real reason behind our recent demise?. We travel to Pompey who have already lost 6 home games and are bottom of the league but then we play a team with only 3 attacking players (with a defender on the wing). Everyone knows that Rafa only plays one up front, he only makes changes between the 60th to 65th minute (never mind if you are 1 man down in the first half and most mangers would use the half time to rearrange the team and make changes). We then make the most bizarre substitution of all for team 2 goal down with 2 possible goal getters on the bench (Babel and Ngog) and replace a central midfielder with a defensive young defensive central midfielder - AN ACT OF GENIUS? Its time to stop taking the battered wife excuse, we will continue to go down the league until Rafa realises he needs to change his tactics and methods. Gerrard back in midfield and two strikers up front with pace on the wings OR he can walk out now while we still have a chance to recover
After another debacle (against Reading @ Anfield), how long can this go on. We weren’t unlucky, Reading were the better team over two legs. Anyone like to remind me what there position in the Championship is?
Had enough excuses from Rafa and also LFC fans who dont believe our problems are his fault. Rafa has to go.
I`m a fustrated Liverpool fan whom is also aware that our season now holds meager prospects of any honours. Our players have to be driven along with passion for the good of Liverpool Football club and it`s supporters ! I hope Raffer is up to the task of motivating our lads enough to convinsingly beat some of the remaining teams left this season without trying to overdo things tactically.
Toni-TLC
spot on mate. its his tactics that are costing us, it also cost us last season.
DONT BLAME RAFA WHO THEY TRYIN 2 KID HE SPENT 200 MILL ON WOT ALOAD OF PANTS THAT WOT NGOG ,LUCAS,BABLE N PLENTY MORE HOPE HE N THEM YANKS R GONE END OF THE SEASON BRING IN THE ARABS OR LOSE GERRARD N TORRES I RECKON AS I WUD GO IF I WAS THEM
Great Blog
Rafa is not to be blamed. LFC lacks team work of late. it seems the team is build around Steve G & Torres. its high team the owners pull enough money into the team to enable us buy experience strikers like Drogba , Rooney along side Torres and rest Ngog