Re: Liverpool Thread
Pfff, what a mess. We started so, so well, and then conceded a goal, and it fell apart. Guess that's the title challenge over. United are going to cruise through, so we better hope to keep the difference in single figures.
If you end the season in third (which you've just gone back into), given what rubbish seasons United, Chelsea and Arsenal have had (by their standards) do you still believe Rafa is the man to get you to the title? I don't think he is.
He'll always be a great cup coach, because his negative, controlling, stifling football means that games usually get decided by a single touch, a single decision (look at every 'big' Pool game in recent memory - it's always the way). He doesn't play expansive football, he doesn't set his team up with a lot of attacking threat. He ensures that teams will struggle to break his team down. It's negative football, but it's also negative football at its very, very best.
I put it another way. If Ferguson coached Liverpool, and they fielded a team consisting of Gerrard, Alonso, Kuyt, Babel and Torres - do you think you'd get more shots off? Play more attacking? I mean Alonso and Macherano are essentially two defensive midfielders. Javier is made for that, but Xabi is so skillful, he really should be up the pitch.
Personally I think your performance int he league this year has been a lot down to closing games well. If you hadn't nicked a series of very, very late results earlier in the season, no one would even be having these discussions.
Anyway, it doesn't matter, because I don't think you have a squad that can compete with Chelsea and United. And the league is the great leveller, and it looks like its now coming true.
Mate, I really, really don't believe the negative, controlling that people come up with. Did you watch yesterday's match. Our attack in the first 30 mins was relentless, we kept attacking. Had 2-3 chances, which someone like Torres had buried. It was our attacking that gave Boro a chance, and eventually the win.
We attack, we attack quiet a lot. Our weakness is lack of cutting edge, which is due to our players. Lack of killer finishing, lack of a killer pass. That's down to quality, not the manager's tactics.
Get it this way, we've scored 2 goals less than you (you have a game in hand), 4 less than Chelsea, and 5 more than Arsenal, which are considered the most attacking team in the league. Our attack is worse than yours, but not by much. But look at this, we've conceded 9 more goals than you. That's huge IMO. And more of contributing factor to our season. Our defense is nowhere near as good as some people think. Imagine if we'd held leads against Wigan, Everton. That would have been some more points.
It's two things, our lack of cutting edge, and poor defense. I agree with this
Guys, remember my words, as long as Carragher keeps in the team, we will never win the Premier.
He's been shite this season. Too many silly goals conceded this season. Our attacks not the best, but defense is worse.
Anybody who thinks Rafa is negative, yada, yada, just watch a game objectively. All games, we go on the attack from the go, and attack relentlessly. The problem is lack of quality in attack, which needs to be fixed. It's not a tactical problem though.
Rafa's teams are not free flowing, they never will be. They're rigid, systematic, but are ruthlessly effective. It's the same with Capello. He's not made England best simply because other nations have better players. It's same with Rafa.
Shocking anyone can compare Rafa with Mourinho. Jose is overrated, and is basically been handed the two most expensively assembled squads in the last decade (Inter and Chelsea). His teams play awful, awful football, far worse than Rafa's teams, he hasn't a clue tactically. And he's never cared for his club. He won't stay at a club to build a dynasty. He simply whores himself out until a club has resources, then goes away.
And don't give me that Porto bullshit. He had world class players like Carvalho, Deco. And players like Carlos Alberto, Costinha, and Maniche who were one of the best during that time.
Talk about replacing Rafa, you talk about replacement, and who do you have? I've said my views on Jose. Who else? Mancini, perhaps, but he's struggled in Europe. Rijkaard, who can't man manage, and again, zero tactical awareness. There are no alternatives.
I'll keep it simple, when Ferguson goes, we'll have the best manager in the league. Rafa has a vision, a project, and he needs to see it through. Nothing, NOTHING will be achieved by sacking him. He'll be given true control from the summer, and then we'll see how he plans his project. He's not perfect, but there's no one else I'd rather have. I've presented my case. I won't listen to the rotation, zonal marking, negative, cup manager, yada, yada, yada of Sky. Don't care, I have an opinion of my own. Rafa's in the top league of managers. Him, Ferguson, Capello, Ancelotti. That's the top league of managers. He's there. He's taking Liverpool there as well.
On the subject of Mourinho, he never has a Plan B, as he showed at Chelsea, where most of the time he would sub Huth on and stick him up front when he was behind. I really do hope that Juventus overtake Inter and show that Inter are not "dominating" Serie A like the English media seem to think so.
