Home > Football > Liverpool fans suspend the Spanish inquisition over Rafa Benitez
Liverpool fans suspend the Spanish inquisition over Rafa Benitez
Five successive Premier League wins and a great Champions League double over Inter Milan have calmed the unrest at Anfield.
by Ed Bottomley on 17 March 2008
Email this Article (9) Comments
Free £10 bet when you register at
Rafa Benitez to stay until 2012 – can Liverpool fans stand the tinkering and title heartbreak for another four years? Liverpool have been in excellent form of late, winning five games in a row with this weekend’s cool and economical 2-1 win over Reading.
The Anfield club seem to be tapping the “up” button in the footballing elevator just as frenetically as Arsenal are smashing the “down” button. The fact is that both sides will see a lot of each other in the next few weeks playing each other three times in a row (twice in the Champions League and once in the League), and the rising Liverpool could face an Arsenal side heading in the other direction.
All this success, five wins on the bounce in the Premier League and a glorious two-legged victory against Inter Milan in Europe, has cut short all the talk about dispensing with Rafa, and has interestingly turned down the volume on the vocal disgust for Gillett and Hicks.
It may have something to do with the possibility that the American presence may recede at Anfield soon, or it may just be that it is hard to grumble when the team are playing well, and if victories are rolling in why upset the applecart and moan about the owners. Just look at Manchester City’s dodgy owner Thaksin “Frank Sinatra” Shinawatra. As long as the team are doing well the fans couldn’t give a monkeys about their owners.
With Liverpool’s brilliant form, the question about whether Liverpool fans can handle the Spaniard at their club merely sails off into the sunset, ignored by everyone. Only when Liverpool hit another rocky patch will questions be raised about the Spaniard’s abilities.
Liverpool again strengthened their claim on fourth place with a 2-1 win at Anfield, while Goodison looked on glumly from across Stanley Park. However, the blue half of Merseyside would have been celebrating after Liverpool went down to a goal early on against a Reading side that started with the vigour and purpose that has been so absent from this season’s campaign.
Marek Matejovsky’s cracker of a goal from 20 yards out met its equal and opposite reaction with Javier Mascherano’s wonderful long range effort, followed by Fernando Torres’ winner in the 48th minute.
Again Liverpool can take advantage over their Mersey rivals and the heat is now on Everton to brush aside the disappointment of defeat in Europe and a single goal defeat at Fulham. Right now, Liverpool fans are very happy with their Spaniard!
Comments (9)
by jose walker on March 17, 2008
it is notable that the three managers Willie(simpsons)t,arse and mr grey are all questioning Rafa its a long season boys and anything can happen
by Matt Shaw on March 17, 2008
I think most match going fans love the bloke and believe he is the man to take us forward. People forget that the team enjoying success under AF was largely in place before Rafa even took over at Liverpool. He proved with Valencia he is a top class coach, all he needs is time and we'll be there. I would urge other Liverpool fans to ignore the medias clueless observations of Rafa.
by jack on March 17, 2008
All those fans who asked for Rafas dismissal seem very quiet. I would like to congratulate those that stood by him through the difficult moments. At a time when football fans in general are pleading for loyalty from their club's players, maybe LFC fans should start by showing some loyalty to a man who has won them the Champions League in his 1st season, the FA Cup in his 2nd and got to the CL final in his 3rd. How many managers can keep the momentum going with blood sucking owners who have refused to spend real money on world class players and undermine him by looking for a replacement? Who knows where we will be in the league right now if we didn't have the problems with the owners. Also in regard to this article, it is very short sighted in saying we do not care who are owners are provided we are winning, This will only paper over the cracks. LFC fans need to keep united and determined to oust these Americans for our futures sake.
by Abdolhossain Hassanvand on March 17, 2008
Again Liverpool can take advantage over their Mersey rivals and the heat is now on Everton to brush aside the disappointment of defeat in Europe and a single goal defeat at Fulham. Right now, Liverpool fans are very happy with their Spaniard! I
by Haytham Nasr on March 17, 2008
The Premiership title is still up for the grabs and at 100 to 1 betting on Liverpool to win their 19th title ...could probably be the best bet in the world.
by Graeme Hornby on March 17, 2008
think your point is a little wide of the mark it was never the fans that were causing unrest at Anfield, nor were we calling for the removal of Rafa. It was - and always is - hype generated by the media.
by kwasi asamoah on March 17, 2008
surely liverpool will place in this league ahead of chelsea and arsenal meanwhile Torres will be the top most goal scorer of this season
by Kiki Musampa on March 20, 2008
Ed Bottomley if you get payed for doing these pieces you must have serious amounts of cash you do about 4 a day.
by tonythetruth mako on March 21, 2008
we will be in exactly the same position next season if this spanish tosser is in charge no chance in the prem cause he is saving players for the champions league piss off back to spain you spanish waiter
Add your comment here
PERSONAL ABUSE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
First Name
Last Name
Email
Heading
Display your favourite sport or football team badge with your comment.
Sport
League
Team
Comment *
Please enter the text you see in the picture into the textbox below. *
Andorra a doddle, Croatia the BIG test - but are England up to it without Newcastle's Owen?
Losing Shaun Pollock has left South Africa a jewel short of a shot at the crown
Bruce, Keane, Ince, Hughes? Finding the RIGHT Manchester United man to succeed Ferguson
Arsenal Aston Villa Barcelona Chelsea Everton Football Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Portsmouth Real Madrid Sunderland Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United
© SportBuzz All rights reserved 2008 Sportingo- Sports News & Sports Articles site. Sportingo delivers fresh sports news and analysis by fans-Football News, Tennis News, Rugby Union News, Rugby League, Cricket News, Cycling News, Basketball News and other Sports TV. XML Sitemap 2008.