i agree that rafa has generally done well in europe save for this season(sorry but the europa league does not count in my book)...although i think he sld hv brought on Crouch much earlier in the 07' CL final as Milan appeared to be there for the taking on the day...however when it comes to the EPL i think rafa still does not get it...on the contrary i think rafa's teams generally also play on the counter attack...also this season apart fm the injuries i think most teams r quite familiar wif the gerrard/torres combo...and it looks like if these 2 do not fire than the reds r really short on goal supply...
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Originally Posted by shyboy252001
if i remembered correctly, under GH, we are just another Premier League team, no real threat to other teams. U dont see teams packing 11 men behind the line to defend. Of course, that is also because GH liked to play counter attack like some bro pointed out. Look at Liverpool now under RB, fucking hell, we are a top team challenging CL every year!!! see how much other teams fear to be drawn against Liverpool, especially in Europe. Even in Premier League itself, many teams are adopting "let's aim a draw against Liverpool than to try win the game" attitude.
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it is what it is...rafa eventually failed to get barry and had burnt his bridges wif alonso...but to be fair to rafa i don't think the loss of alonso on its own is the cause of the reds' problems this season particularly taking into account alonso's inconsistent form wif madrid this season...as for maxi...well to me the jury is still out....same goes for aquilani...give them the whole of next season and then we can judge...
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Originally Posted by shyboy252001
True, this season had been a disappointment to many of us, with the selling of Alonso, playing of Lucas, buying of Aquilani. But if RB's plan were to work out last year, we would have gotten Barry to cover Alonso and not forced to sell him without proper replacement like earlier this season. Anyhow, why no one is talking on how he managed to get Maxi Rodriguez at such cheap deal?? True, he hasnt shone yet, but so far Maxi has been quite a steal, i'd say. We have been missing someone like him, willing to dribble pass opponents and deliver good passes.
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chances r one thing...but u gotta to convert some of them...the problem is that save for torres the rest of the attack force r inconsistent when it comes to actually scoring goals...that is why the reds need another proven goal scorer striker to take some pressure off torres...and a good right winger to provide some creative magic to open up defending teams...
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Originally Posted by shyboy252001
Anyway, people complained when RB withdraw Torres against Birmingham, but those who watched can see how the match turned after the substitution, we had lots more chances than before that. And we trashed Benfica (a strong European Team) after that! Fulham match was going to be challenging because they put 11 men behind.. it is always going to be difficult to fight teams defending like that..
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pls lah the fact that reds will not be playing CL footie next season is a painful reminder enuff that the reds failed to get 4th place...not forgetting the loss of $$$ which is much needed...reds no longer being in the big 4 is yet another painful reminder...and let's face facts...who cares abt the europa league?...does it provide entry into the CL?...is there much $$$ to be made fm playing in this competition?...as for yr 05' analogy...it is incorrect because CL is totally different fm the europa league...moreover the reds were provided entry into the CL notwithstanding finishing 5th because they won the CL...big big differences...
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Originally Posted by shyboy252001
Lastly, no one remember the 4th placing in the League, but everyone will remember that you won the Europa League (if we do)! so dont blame him for focusing on Europa League when he probably think its going to be difficult to secure the 4th position.. not that he totally give up on 4th also.. remember Liverpool won the CL in 2005, but was 5th on the League?? no one really remembered we were 5th, but everyone knows we won the CL!
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i don't...i think rafa has had his chance...6 seasons is more than enuff...he has had his chance... think he has taken the reds as far as he can...better to get a new chap in wif fresh ideas...however the big management problem needs to be addressed first before things can start to get better...
anyways whatever happens between now and the end of the season i think rafa shall probably be heading to madrid(pelligrini is a dead man walking) next season...which wld suit the reds as instead of paying rafa compensation(which it can ill afford) it wld get compensation fm madrid instead...
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Originally Posted by shyboy252001
Really hope RB will stay managing Liverpool long enough to create his legacy.. sometimes, i think todays' fans expect instant result, no less to courtesy of Chelsea.. but look at how long Ferguson needed to bolster Man Utd to become a strong team? 7 years? and he almost got fired, too in his early days, but somehow he was helped by the breakdown of Liverpool team in the 1990 with the sudden resignation of our Kenny Dalgish, and the rest is like they say, history.. and if u compared that to RB who is fighting against teams going stronger each year and still managed to bring a also-ran team to become a serious title challenger, that is an achievement!!
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