Home > Football > Liverpool's title agenda: Two more players and freedom for Rafa
Liverpool's title agenda: Two more players and freedom for Rafa
Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger were given time and money at Manchester United and Arsenal, and they got it right in the end.
by gerald mclaughlin on 14 April 2008
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Infuriatingly good? Masters of the Champions League? Lucky b******s? Dodgy refs? Brilliant tactics? Spirit and passion?It’s a mixed bunch, and that witty and dry goal-scoring machine said it best to his chortling and cackling Scottish red chum: "It’s a funny old game, Saint." To which Ian St John usually replied: "Ha ha, you kill me Greavsie!"
That’s what this current Liverpool FC side do to teams in Europe anyway, metaphorically speaking of course. They kill the opposition.It’s a very mixed bag of Football tactics that Rafael Benitez uses. Liverpool play to their strengths at certain times of the game. It really makes quite simple sense. The backbone structure and set-up is there but it is all so easily twisted and changed and moulded into something else when required.The defence is solid but just in case there are errors, Rafa has Javier Mascherano guarding and watching and sweeping and mopping. Not only that, Mascherano can pick out a bloody good pass. If he can’t find anyone, then Steven Gerrard is the link in the chain before unleashing Fernando Torres.If that fails, then a bit of a hoof up the park for maybe Peter Crouch to latch on to. Xabi Alonso is there to add a bit of class and panache when needed. Ryan Babel can come on and be just as effective as Theo Walcott can for Arsenal. Just ask Cesc Fabregas about his pace.There really could only be a couple more signings to go before Liverpool become Premier League title material. All of the statements at the beginning of the article can be ticked “yes” for Liverpool - in the Champions League, that is. They’re different in the Premier League and all of the ticks turn into crosses. It’s baffling, isn’t it? Well, I’m not so sure. The rotational system favoured by Benitez (which isn’t as wholesale as people go on about) is unfortunately not Premier League friendly. The same system of football is used by Liverpool but with players (in no way bad) who are fractionally less limited, aware and inferior to those who perform it to a tee.Miniscule things that may not be noticed immediately during a fast-paced match. A mistimed pass here that could have sent Torres through. A cross that went into row Z rather than on to Dirk Kuyt’s head. Inches, millimetres, they all add up. Liverpool’s luck has been fed to them in the Champions League. They have had very little in the Premier League. Where would the fans want all of their luck placed? Who knows? At this moment in time it’s the Champions League because the race for the Premier League was over long ago. It has been for some time now.If Liverpool were where Chelsea are in the league right now, would we see a different and very stretched Liverpool side? Surely Benitez has not been gambling on the Champions League success keeping him his job until he finds the right squad to challenge on all fronts?Has he convinced the money men that he can guarantee fourth place and Champions League glory until he finally works out his master plan for a serious and sustained attack on the one trophy the board, the fans and the players find so elusive that it's becoming more coveted than the Holy Grail? You can’t blame or slate Benitez for sending his team out to play in a certain way. Like everyone in life, he has targets and deadlines to meet. He is doing his job the way that he sees fit. Sometimes it ain’t pretty to watch but at least in Champions League terms it has been effective.Arsenal play lovely, attractive football and I would rather watch them than Liverpool. But look what it’s got them this season. Barring a miracle, absolutely nothing. Sir Alex Ferguson, well what can you say? He rules the Premier League and has done for years. He knows how to win a League title and the Champions League.Contrary to popular belief, Benitez does not chuck all of his eggs in one basket. I’m sure it’s his intention to win the Premier League at the start of every season. To win everything. Like all top managers.I simply think that he has not found HIS full and complete team yet. Liverpool should/will give him the time.
Comments (15)
by e on April 14, 2008
look were we were when rafa took over going backwards 30 points behind two established managers and an open cheque book for a team who had finished fourth how many players did he need i would suggest 9 in the first team 11 in the second team and lots of youth he has changed the first team so we only require 3/4 players the second string needs 1 or 2 the youth is doing well he has achieved this with his right hand man going a ceo he does not trust and a boardroom that malks the young ones look sensible. with support and stability who nows what we will achievef
on April 14, 2008 on April 14, 2008
Arsene got it right first time, a double in his first season.... The players he bought in Vieria, Anelka, Petit, Overmars cost very little (in fact he made a profit on all of them!!!! Why does Sportingo keep ruining the article by getting the facts wrong?
by vimal boss on April 14, 2008
only players he needs are boswinga(LB), rafinha(RB), modric (LM), lennon (RW) and huntelaar. all will cost around 50 mil pounds.it should give him the title without any doubt! He can sell for about 30 mil easily. reina boswinga agger skrtel rafinha modric mascherano lennon gerrard huntelaar torres SUBS : carrager, pennant, carson, crouch, alonso, arbeloa, babel, plessis
by craig on April 14, 2008
for f*ck sake not again, not again NOT AGAIN, you rotton scousers, every year the same thing, next year the title its ours all ours, three of my friends at works are scousers, they write us off before we even start the season, and you lot are starting again, HELLO RAIN CHECK, number1, you have to win the battle in the board before you win the battle on the pitch, 2 rafas rotation policy sees him drop to many points before christmas, so he can get further in the champions league, 3 his buys in the market are questionalbe at best. 4 he has spent 156 million gross in the last three years 96 million net, he has been given the money only toenham hotspur and chelsea have spent more. 5 you just dont get it, you rasie your game for the chamioons league, you are puncihng above your weight most of the time, because youthoria and passion of the fans, steven gerrard and torres drags you though, you just cant do it for 38 games. so please please, if youare going to win the title win it quietly please, and celebrate once youhave won it, NOT BEFORE AND REPEAT AFTER ME, WE UGLY ROTTEN SCOUSERS ARE NOT THIS YEAR GOING TO GET BEYOND OUR SEVES, WE ARE GOING TO REALISE THAT ALL OTHER TOP FOUR TEAMS WILL STRENGHTEN AND WE WILL NOT COUNT ARE CHICKENS BEFORE CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH, WE WILL NOT TAKE THE PISS OUT OF OTHER FANS THEN END UP WITH EGGS ON OUR FACE BE JANUARY, AND FINALLY LAST BUT BY NO MEANS LEAST WE WILL STOP GOING ON ABOUT WINNING LEAGUE THAT WERE TWO DECADES AGO, quite frankly it just makes you look stupid come the end of the year,
by Dog on April 14, 2008
Because other muppets keep spouting as much rubbish as they do. Arsene did not win the double in his first season in charge. Get your own facts right first before criticising others.
by simon on April 14, 2008
i second the united fan, we will probablyspend 100 million bringing in benzama, kaka, alves, and still not sell. united will probably spend 50 million and i cannot see arsenal colapsing again like this year, and they will strengthen, please, letsnot start this again, it belittles anyone with half a brain cell, unfortunatly the half a brain cell bit rules out most scoucers as ones who can see though this veil of deception
by tom on April 14, 2008
come on guys, i am sick of it as well, lets be honest the top four financially are similar, it will come down to who can strengthen more, and who has the best team already and the best manager, man u has the best manager, chelsea has the best team, and chelsea will spend the most, rafa hasdone wonders with us and given us pride again in a tournament which has real meaning for us the champions league, but lets face it couls you imagine if we were fightnig for the leagfue and playing chelsea in the champsleague twice its soemthing we would have to deal with if we were fighting and we just have not got the squad, so lets be thankful for what we have , let man u have the league, we can beat them in moscow
United fans should stop getting upset at Liverpool fans.I am NOT a Liverpool fan yet i find them a bit of a conundrum.Although that doesn,t mean Craig that you should be so abusive.I find the obvious annoyance that Man Utd fans have of Liverpool rather amusing.I,d love it if someone outside the top 4 displayed enough guts to shut the lot of you up and win it.Anyone but the top 4 spoiled,childlike brats that you all are.Laughable
Arsene Wenger joined Arsenal at the end of september 1996 over 6 weeks into the season (therefore no pre season buys).. He won the double in his first full season 1997-98.
hopefully rafa will stay i think we have a chance next season!
Give rafa yet another 80 million you may have a chance. Second biggest spenders = NO premiership.
by T T on April 15, 2008
To the person who wrote the first comment - learn to write with full stops and comma's or go back to school!
by craig on April 15, 2008
firstly, you obviously do not understand the rivalry between the two teams, secondly the same stupid merry go round happens every year, liverpool fans because they have nothing else to do in the league from december onwards, start going on about those two words "NEXT YEAR" and after so long its starting to drag, facts are facts every one will strengthen, for all we know we could get benzama, who will give ronaldo a rund for his money, chelsea may land kaka and huntleear, and arsenals kidsmay finally realise how to hang on to a lead, so the fact is liverpool again are more then just two players off the premier title, thirdly look at toms responce, even as a liverpool fan he isgetting sick of it, forthly i am sick of man united hated scum like your self, obviously you are a fan of a team outside of the top four, but still you have a go at the united fan, look at simons responce he has a ccuesed every one in liverpool of having less then half a brain cell, but look at you not even a muttering to that disrespect, you are all so transparant, and finally why not show your name, if you are going to pick an enemy for all the above reasons why not put your name, i actually will actually quite like it when some one like your self shows up on another article, i can then do the same to you, i.e. forget actually putting anything on with relevence to the article, just have a go at a person, for the sake of it and abbit on about some nonsence about another team winning the league, if you want to have your hour in the spot light for that why not pick up on the fa cup and the fact that there is no one of the big four in that this year muppet there are actually articles on that specifically, P.S. melvin thats Euphoria, i just could not be bothered looking it up
by ben on April 15, 2008
its ok craig, these outsiders dont undertand the rivalry between the fans,i wasreading the article last week regarding rafa and the board, you was quite open and honest with your assesment, but the stick you got was uncalled for, thats just what happens on here, the idiot just does not understand that
on April 15, 2008 on April 15, 2008
Craig.You obviously do.Why are you so paranoid and angry? You should be happy that you,re going to win the league.Dont get so wound up by Liverpool fans.Ignore them.
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