Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy believes that the team he played in under Rafa Benitez during the 2006-7 is superior to the current team put together by Kenny Dalglish. Do you agree or disagree?
Bellamy, who memorably helped Liverpool beat Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final that year, argued:
"Rafa's team was very good; it was very efficient, but this team is not too far off it. It would be a very close call between the two of them".
If Bellamy thinks that Kenny's current team is 'not too far off' Rafa's team, then that clearly means he believes the 2006-7 team is slightly better. Let's take a look at both teams:
Rafa Benitez: 2006/7 Team
--------------------- Reina
Finnan ------ Carragher ---- Hyppia ---- Riise
Pennant ---- Alonso ----- Gerrard ----- Bellamy
------------- Crouch ----- Kuyt
Subs: Mascherano, Agger, Aurelio, Fowler, Gonzalez, Garcia, Sissoko
Kenny Dalglish: 2011-12 Team
---------------- Reina
Johnson ----- Agger --- Skrtel ------ Enrique
Henderson ----- Lucas -- Adam ------ Downing
-------------- Suarez -- Carroll
Subs: Gerrard, Aurelio, Carra, Bellamy, Kelly, Rodrigues, Spearing, Coates
Which is the better team?
For me, it's no contest; the 2006-7 team is far superior:
- Fully-fit Steven Gerrard in the prime of his career.
- Superb defensive unit, anchored by Carra and Hyypia, two of the club's greatest ever defenders.
- Xabi Alonso pulling the strings in midfield
- Robbie Fowler was still at the club!
- Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt scored/created 47 goals between them.
- The team made it to the CL Final; I doubt the current team would make it out of a Champions League group stage.
If you could select an ideal first XI using the players from both teams, who would make your team? Mine would be:
--------------------------- Reina
Finnan ----------- Carra --------- Hyypia ---------- Riise
-------------------- Alonso --- Adam
Gerrard ----------------------------------- Bellamy
------------------ Suarez
----------------------- Crouch
Jaimie Kanwar
Bellamy, who memorably helped Liverpool beat Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final that year, argued:
"Rafa's team was very good; it was very efficient, but this team is not too far off it. It would be a very close call between the two of them".
If Bellamy thinks that Kenny's current team is 'not too far off' Rafa's team, then that clearly means he believes the 2006-7 team is slightly better. Let's take a look at both teams:
Rafa Benitez: 2006/7 Team
--------------------- Reina
Finnan ------ Carragher ---- Hyppia ---- Riise
Pennant ---- Alonso ----- Gerrard ----- Bellamy
------------- Crouch ----- Kuyt
Subs: Mascherano, Agger, Aurelio, Fowler, Gonzalez, Garcia, Sissoko
Kenny Dalglish: 2011-12 Team
---------------- Reina
Johnson ----- Agger --- Skrtel ------ Enrique
Henderson ----- Lucas -- Adam ------ Downing
-------------- Suarez -- Carroll
Subs: Gerrard, Aurelio, Carra, Bellamy, Kelly, Rodrigues, Spearing, Coates
Which is the better team?
For me, it's no contest; the 2006-7 team is far superior:
- Fully-fit Steven Gerrard in the prime of his career.
- Superb defensive unit, anchored by Carra and Hyypia, two of the club's greatest ever defenders.
- Xabi Alonso pulling the strings in midfield
- Robbie Fowler was still at the club!
- Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt scored/created 47 goals between them.
- The team made it to the CL Final; I doubt the current team would make it out of a Champions League group stage.
If you could select an ideal first XI using the players from both teams, who would make your team? Mine would be:
--------------------------- Reina
Finnan ----------- Carra --------- Hyypia ---------- Riise
-------------------- Alonso --- Adam
Gerrard ----------------------------------- Bellamy
------------------ Suarez
----------------------- Crouch
Jaimie Kanwar
In my opinion Rafa'st teams was vastly superior. The present liverpool could not compete in midfield. Alonso and Mascherano who have both proved at Madrid and barca respectively are and were world class performers. Adam and lucas aren't in the same footballing stratosphere. For all of Suarez's brilliance him alone can't compete with the Gerrard/Torres combination. Carroll hasn't performed yet and i have my doubt he ever will.. This is early in Kenny's tenure so it's probably unfair to judge as Benitez had 3 seasons to build that team.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that made me think twice from those selected lineups is that Suarez is so much better than his counterpart, Kuyt, was.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, Reina then was better than he is now, Finnan was better than Johnson, Hyppia better than Skrtel, Alonso & Gerrard much better than Lucas & Adam and Pennant a better winger than Henderson.
Tbh I can't really remember Bellamy playing much on the left wing, but that is the selected lineup so I'll just say that Downing is better than he was, Enrique is better than Riise and be generous in saying Carroll is equal to Crouch & Carragher equal to Agger.
That would give 6 players from the old lineup vs 3 from the current and two ties. And the old lineup having 4 world class performers (Reina, Hyppia, Gerrard & Alonso) vs the current teams two (Enrique & Suarez). So I have to go with the old school lineup.
442 isn't doing us any favours in getting as many players on the pitch in positions in which they can best perform though...
Agree, the 2006/2007 team is stronger
ReplyDeleteMain reasons
Hyppia was immense, Carra in his prime, Gerrard in his prime, Alonso, and Steve Finnan - pure class
Rafa's team had Alonso, Hyypia, Gerrard in form. Riise and Carragher were better then than now.
ReplyDeleteThe squad we have now on paper should be very good. But the results aren't there just yet. Another striker or an versatile creative attacking midfielder (preferably non-English and not a 'work in progress') with an experience and flair to connect with Suarez should be imminent for January.
Great points, Jay. Agree about Hyypia - it's no coincidence that since he left, Carra's form has declined a little.
ReplyDeleteI love Hyppia - one of my favourite ever players. The defensive unit at that time was just immense. I would even have Riise ahead of Enrique, mainly because of his knack of scoring great goals.
As for Crouch/Carroll - As you say, you're being generous. I would take Crouch every day of the week because he could play fast, flowing pass and move football; he had good touch and technique, whereas Carroll does not.
Hopefully what you've suggested will come to pass in January.
ReplyDeleteThe 2006-7 team was better because it was managed by the tactical genius of Rafa Benitez, probably the best tactician in the game.
ReplyDeleteYes! It was.
ReplyDelete2006 - 07 is better on paper , but think the superiority is only really the central midfield and a better defensive unit.
ReplyDeleteWe finished 3rd but 21 pts behind Utd that Season - yes the scalps of Barca and Chelsea had been taken in the CL but I think a lot of that was done to the tactics employed
Although I don't disagree I would ask all fans to remember we are a team being built for the future, that was a team at it's peak, in reality we need another season at least for the squad to come together and there will be one or two more players added in the transfer Market.
ReplyDeleteYou mean the tactical genius who failed to see the threat of Kaka until Liverpool were 3-0 down in 2005 CL final, and then left played Zenden ahead of Bellamy in the 2007 CL final, and left the player Milan feared most - Crouch - on the the bench?
ReplyDeleteRafa's team was much better, far better balance, although i would have put macha in the middle and Stevie G on the right.
ReplyDeleteThat team had 5 world class players in it plus a younger Carra and a Garcia in his pomp. Todays team has two. So no contest really.
Surely you cannot compare the teams like this?
ReplyDeleteRafa's team at that stage still consist of Houlliers players and Dalglish's team still consists of Rafa's players...
Has it not been 11 EPL games so far? 2006/2007 was Rafa's third year in charge and now you are asking whether Rafa's team of 3 years is better than Kenny's team of not even ONE YEAR?
The best way to do the comparrison will be to look at the day Kenny calls it a day and then take the team which Rafa left after SIX years and compare it to the one Kenny left when that time comes.
I agree with red4life, 06/07 is better, but I think a bit more gelling and better results then I think we'd compliment this team more, it's nice to have hindsight. If Downing and Henderson and Carroll go on to have long successful careers with us etc, when we're comparing Kennys team with another we'll probably be slating our current crop especially if they've drew a few home games on the bounce. Pennant used to get slated, and Crouchy did too by a section of fans although I loved the fella.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's right Jamie. The tactical genius who got us to two Champions League finals. Grow up and stop sulking about the fact that people with far more knowledge (but not as much time on their hands as you) appreciate that Rafa Benitez was a fantastic manager of our football club.
ReplyDeleteRafa's team is miles better and even if kk stayed at lfc for the next 25yrs as long as he keeps on signing the players of Carroll and Adam and Henderson quality ; he will never get any where near Rafa ....just look at Rafa,s subs bench and it says it all.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely agree that Rafa's team was superior, which is quite depressing as Rafa's team wasn't even that great!
ReplyDeleteIt was all Rafas fault wasn't it!
ReplyDeleteSignings such as Henderson 20m, Downing 18m, Carroll 35m have started off disastrous! Enrique and Bellamy are the only two that have shown something!
ReplyDeleteTo loan out Aquilani and replace him with Adam is diabolical!
So on this alone shows a waste of money been spent!
Rafa's team would run rings around KK's...
Subs would also do the job!
:( NESV money down the tube!
There's some real pessimists on here who need to get a grip, we're a work in progress and are only 11 games in to the season and we're doing better then last season and the season before which is surely something that gives us hope for the future. Rome wasn't built in a day and players take a while to settle into teams too. That's a fact. If we judged all Rafa's team after one year or their first 11 games I don't think the report would be as glowing would it? It's a lot easier to judge after 3 years or so of watching a player.
ReplyDeleteThe 2005/06 team was better how did we go from 82 points to 68 points with a team that got us to the Champions League Final?
ReplyDelete07 might look better on paper but this team is matching them in the league.
rafa team was the strongest bet the two without a doubt. . by far!! only suarez can fit in the team.. alongside crouch in front, and kuyt moving on the right in place of pennant. rodrigues in place of gonzalez on the bench
ReplyDeleteCouldn't put it any better...
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the 2006-07 team, but what I do know is that the 2008-09 team was the best LFC team I have seen in my time as Liverpool fan.
ReplyDeleteYour trying to compare a team that has played about 11 games together full of signings that will need another year until they even start to peak, not to mention Stevie g has had 6 months out. Also dalglish will not be able to attract the worlds best until he's in the top 4. Red4life is talking sense! For those slaging the likes of Carroll off, get behind him and be a liverpool fan!
ReplyDeleteChuckyard v well said, it seems a lot of people don't get the big picture!
ReplyDeletethere are people out there saying to get behind carroll donkey and support him as a true liverpool fan, well a message to them, lets see how much of a true liverppol are they themselves when they start complaining next summer when liverpool doesnt qualify for the CL, King Kenny gets fired and Suarez leaves liverpool, lets see how much u support carroll without to rest on suarez's goals and assist. I'm not here to support any player and all, especially those who doesn't even show interest to play for liverpool, so i give a heck about Carroll. The only thing im concerned about is Liverpool FC, my club, our club
ReplyDeleteCarroll is part of Liverpool fc and has scored 15 goals before injury in one season, oh the Newcastle fans were behind him though hhhmmm maybe that made a difference!
ReplyDeleteReina
ReplyDeleteKelly Carra Hyypia Riise
Lucas Mascherano Alonso
Gerrard
Suarez
Agger Garcia Sissoko Fowler Kuyt Kelly Maxi
Finnan on the bench not kelly :')
ReplyDeleteAlthough Rafas team is superior on paper i do believe the current squad has a massive upside there is a lot of young talent at Liverpool that with patience can be as good if not better.
ReplyDeleteI do believe it is a little unfair to compare a side in its prime to one that badly needed rebuilding and is in its infancy.
if he was such a tactical genius, and looking at some of the comments apparently that team was sooo great, then how come we didn't win the league still?? :-/
ReplyDeleteMy composite team would be:
ReplyDeleteReina
DEFENCE
Finnan - One of the most underrated players we've had in years.
Carra - An absolute titan back then.
Hyypia - Great partnership with Carra which sees him picked even though his best days were behind him by this point.
Enrique - I think Riise had started to go off the boil by 2007 and that is why Enrique has been picked (though obviously I've only had a little to base this on)
MIDFIELD
Downing - This is provided he plays to his potential i.e. like last season or the start of this one. He has obviously been pretty woeful lately (that said, he should still be on about an assist a game if not for glaring misses by strikers).
Alonso - Brilliant at starting attacks, can shield defence properly too in a way Adam is yet to master (he may well learn though, he had less responsibility to defend at Blackpool and Rangers).
Mascherano - On the bench for the 2006-7 team, not going to offer much going forward but how I crave the kind of domination he once afforded our midfield. People talk about how important Alonso was to Gerrard in 2008-9, but Xabi wouldn't have found it so easy without Masch.
Bellamy - Him and Downing on the wings as inverted wingers. These two being picked speaks to our long-term deficiency on the wings as much as anything. Bellamy does well in this role though.
FORWARDS
Gerrard - Up behind the striker, were he played his best stuff. Don't really need to justify this one.
Suarez - The only brilliant striker between the two teams. Crouch worked hard and had a touch of class but often failed to deliver either goals or a measurable impact. His wastefulness in front of goal would be tempered by Gerrard who was a 20 goal a season man back then. Bellamy and Downing could get between 5-10 each in this formation too.
carroll would be in there to the only reason he's strugglin is the muppets in midfield like henderson adam and downing and in the last two matches suarez hasw been very wasteful and carroll hasn't after the crossbar hit on sat he kept the ball better than anyone else and lets face it every player has missed from that far out torres against utd this season every player
ReplyDeleteAgreed that the 2008 - 09 starting eleven was a great side... top scorers and had we just won 2 of all the games we drew then things could have been so different...
ReplyDeleteoh yes you idiot cause everything is carrolls fault even when he doesn't play it's his fault get a life if we had a better midfield then henderson waste of money has done nothing scored one goal (carroll has scored more but we'll forget about that one) adam again supposed to be a great set piece taker have we seen any of that no i suppose carroll has made him a bad player to and then downing not one goal not one assist and yes he could have got one on sat had carroll scored but every striker misses those type even torres has the problem is its easy to have a go at the guy that costs 35 mill he was never gonna be a player who would do a messi or aguero but for what he is he is good as long as his team mates get closer to him to pick up the knock downs
ReplyDeleteOur current midfield is weak. Downing doesn't create much. Hendo is not a wide player and Lucas and Adam don't grab the game by the scruff of the neck. When the opposition are on top we don't know what to do.
ReplyDelete----------------------------------reina----------------------------------------kelly----------carragher---------------------hypia------------enrique-------------------------------------masherano--------------------------------------------------------------alonso---------gerrard-------------------------------------kuyt-------------------------------------------------------downing-------------------------------------surez-------------------------------------------
ReplyDeleteLook at the Subs bench? So Rafa did have a Squad strong enough to win and compete for the League and Europe!
ReplyDeleteKewell,Agger,Warnock,Le Tallec and Cisse as well at the club!
I agree.Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel/Agger, Aurelio Mascherano Alonso Gerrard Kuyt Babel/Riera
ReplyDeleteTorres
KD invested hugely on English 'potential', which have so far all been flops (Carrol, Downing, Henderson). You need foreign players if you want imagination, creativity, flair and ... S u c c e s s !!!
Sorry but how naive is it to leave Mascherano on the bench?? He'd be one of my first names to start, Lucas my arse!! The one thing that made the "previous" team so good, was the midfield axel of Masch-Alonso-Gerrard topped with Torres . And who in their right mind would put Adam & Alonso in the same line-up??? They'd cancel each other out! And Alonso would put Adam to shame.. Seriously messed up stuff here lads!
ReplyDeleteI think Kenny's budget was far superior than Rafa's team.
ReplyDeleteThere was Danny Guthire,Adam Hamill,Mellor and Paul Anderson if we had kept them we might not have needed Henderson,Downing,Carroll and Adam!
ReplyDeleteWatch it Lfc trodden - you'll be accused of being a blinkered Dalglish lover who knows nothing about football, not a true supporter and a dim wit.
ReplyDeleteI happen to totally agree with you. I find it pathetic that there are people calling for Dalglish to go when we are only 11 games in with a practically new team. Very sad really. Supposed to be the best supporters in the world - very poor demonstration by some
You need a bit of British Steel to win the League!
ReplyDeleteThe squad Rafa built (that is after getting rid of all of Houlliers players except for Carra and Gerrard who had to carry his team) was so good that it won NOTHING :)
ReplyDeleteRafas team were better however had Rafa been backed in the transfer market like King Kenny then we would of been Champions Hicks and Gillet were the downfall of the Club not Rafa. Anyway This would of been my best 11 for sure between Rafas and the Kings side REINA CARRA AGGER ENRIQUE ARBELOA REIRA ALONSO GERRARD HENDERSON SUAREZ TORRES
ReplyDeleteBench DONI HYYPIA SKRTEL JONSON RIISE MASCHERANO KUYT Downing Adam
Adam? I rather pick Aquilani
ReplyDelete06/07 We lost 3 nil against Everton and lost to Man United lost to Arsenal by this time of the season if we start analysing the season.
ReplyDeleteThis season beaten Everton, beatean Arsenal, Drew against Man United!
guys if only rafa had this sort of money he would have won the league without a doubt. he would have bought world class players and as we all know he's a tactical genius we would have been unstoppable! just look at the players that won our greatest ever champions league final. except for gerrard and alonso the rest were below average. i mean who in their right mind would have thought traore would get a champions league winning medal! I for one would love to have rafa back in charge asap. we don't want kenny to be wasting more money, 100 million is shocking enough!
ReplyDeleteDrew against Sheffield United,Blackburn lost to Chelsea, Boton all by November!
ReplyDeletewon 5 drew 2 lost 5.
5 deafeats how low were our standards thought he was a master tactician?
Did n't Rafa spend £110 million in two seasons?
ReplyDeleteThat is what I have said before, Rafa was not cut out for English game and he never will be.
ReplyDeleteWe lost TEN TIMES in the PREMIER LEAGUE!
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the players that won the CL were below average? There were still many of those below average players that won the 2006 FA Cup. After Rafa got rid of all of the below average players AS YOU SAY what did he win with his own players after the FA Cup which were bought buy him?
ReplyDeleteA BIG FAT ZERO...
That is what is so pathetic about Rafa apologists, they hail him for the CL 2005 then say that the team that won it was below average yet after getting rid off all of Houlliers players bar Carra and Gerrard and as time went by after four years he won bugger all with all the signings he made. That is below average I am afraid...
Blinded by the European Nights, if we look back at league results they were poor , tactical genius don't need huge amounts of cash to win the League.
ReplyDeleteDidn't rafa extended our champions league winning trophies? Didn't rafa gave us exciting champions league matches every year? Didn't rafa gave us belief we could win the league? What was the maximum price rafa paid for a player? Torres 20 million, sold 50, profit 30 million. Xabi 10.7 million, sold 30, 19.3 profit.
ReplyDeleteWhat are we gonna get with kenny in charge possibly no champions league yet again and for the league we shouldn't even think about it! one thing we will get for sure is player resale profit lol! - carrol 35 million ( if sold no more than 10. -25 profit! i should leave it with this as we all know where we will end up! This is an exception (of SUAREZ) as we all know it was a lucky (GUEZ)!
your clueless. you should have gone to speck savers years ago. im no so called big pro raffa man, but i appreciate wat he did in his time.
ReplyDeleteand i get fed up with the likes of you bleeting on like your some kind of pro pundit who knows it all. give it a rest and wind that long neck in.
thank you raffa for the good memorys.................................end of
Top man lowee appreciate your honesty!
ReplyDeleteComolli took players like Modric,Berbatov,Bale,Dos Santos and Lennon to Spurs he has got an eye for a player and has also worked with Wenger and discovered players like Kolo Toure and Clichy.
ReplyDeleteWe are talking about league form forget about Europe.
ReplyDeleteShoot me :) The truth does hurt though...
ReplyDeletePity he did n't pick up Lennon(£1 million) and Milner(£5 Million) from Leeds instead of Scott Carson! or Ashley Young from watford for £9 million instead of Pennant. Then may be we would n't be paying over the top for players now.
ReplyDeleteFor someone that only deals in goals how did you feel when Crouch went 4 months without scoring when he first joined?
ReplyDeleteJamie, at least we were in the final, a feat no Liverpool manager other than Benitez has achieved since Joe Fagan. And Benitez managed it not once but twice, as well as a semi-final loss in 2008-9, which led to Liverpool being ranked the TOP club in Europe. Even you must admit that was no fluke - and considering our results pre- and post-Benitez surely suggest that he had something to do with it!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, no other Liverpool manager has either since the bootroom years came to an end in 1991. On the other hand, Rafa accomplished top-4 finishes in every season bar his last - when our US owners and Christian Purslow decided that Liverpool would be in more competent hands with someone like Hodgson as opposed to a manager who won the Liga twice and the UEFA Cup once with Valencia, as well as the CL and FA Cups with Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are right, because if we don't make the CL this year it will become even more difficult (and expensive) to attract top players to Liverpool
ReplyDeleteI would replace Arbeloa with Kelly or Johnson
ReplyDeleteCommon Red4Life, aren't your forgetting the magnificent thrashings of ManU and Real, as well as Liverpool finishing second close behind ManU?
ReplyDeletei trust dalglish bkz we just lost 2 maches but we makes draws but we didnot lost much point like lost seasson so we should think aboute that so if they lads will andesten how to play good football and then u will see the different but for me they lads will prouve it soon.still have planty of time but trust me we will beat chelsea for sure and man city i hope every weeks we will get team like chelsea man city to play bkz liverpool its kind of team no body will no bkz liverpool can beat team like chelsea man utd arsenal man city but liverpool can get beat with leeds or shefield utd so thats wille i said i hope will get team like a big club for they young faller can progress for the future come butter butter butter n then we challenge for the title not for top 4 bkz we r playing premier league so we must think to win for the title not top 4
ReplyDeleteWhich is the reason he was manager for our highest points tally in the Premier League era, when although we came second, we were the best team in the country, scored the most goals of anyone in the country, not bad for a "defensive" team. Rafa was a tactical genius. Sure he got things wrong, the best managers always do, SAF has gotten things wrong, Man Utd lost to Man City 6-1 this season, Mourinho has gotten things wrong. Kenny is the only manager in British football to win the title with 2 different clubs, but has gotten things wrong. But Rafa also got a hell of a lot more right than he did wrong. Some "fans" like to focus on the wrongs that Rafa did instead of all the rights. We were the first team to beat Man Utd 4-1 at Old Trafford, that was under Rafa, in that same season, we knocked 4 past Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid. Unfortunately these days, fans want instant success and success just isn't instant. Even with all the billions that Man City have, it is only now that they are starting to show their worth. Rafa was putting together something huge, he completely overhauled the youth system, he made us a force in Europe again and he made us a force in the Premier League again. He got SAF and Mourinho hating us and making inflammatory comments to the press, because they were scared of the football we played and they knew we were knocking on the door. Which under Hodgson and under Kenny, we just haven't had that. Maybe we will under Kenny, maybe we won't. But what is undeniable is that under Rafa, we did have that.
ReplyDeleteKewell, Warnock, Le Tallec and Cisse were also not Rafa signings and he shipped them pretty quickly. Agger is a top player, has had some injury issues, but is a top defender who can play the ball out of defence instead of hacking it out.
ReplyDeleteEven 3 years is a work in progress, especially against established teams like Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea and with a bad budget. With the budget Rafa had, he overachieved. Guillem Balague has also made this point
ReplyDeleteAre you blind? Downing doesn't create much? Oh that is hilarious. Downing creates the most chances of anybody, it's not his fault that those chances haven't been converted. Lucas certainly does grab the game by the scruff of the neck, however, his role in the team isn't to create the chances, he wins the ball, but Adam gives the ball away too much. Hendo is still only young.
ReplyDeleteno henderson is very good player like Jan Molby said just put him in the middle its his position,,,and soorry to say lucas not good enough as defensive midfelder too slow, not stronger and cannot score like Hamman,McMohan,xabi alonso,Jan Molby,Ronnie Whelan, and more liverpool ex def midfielder thats the point LFC not so strong and success....i dont like him (lucas) as liverpool players just bench....subs just ok......
ReplyDeleteArbeloa? He wasn't a part of the 2006-07 side, so why are you picking him?
ReplyDeleteWe were lucky to have such great players in Alonso and Hyppia.
ReplyDeleteI think if we added players of that class back in we'd deffo be close.
I just think we're a bit toothless at the moment. Lucas and Adam don't grab the game by the scruff of the neck and when the opposition gets on top, which we've seen against Swansea, Norwich and Wolves at Anfield recently, they don't have the ability to get it back.
And without Suarez, we don't create anything.
Yes and you seem to be forgetting that our league form under Rafa was excellent. For all but two seasons we made the top 4. That was Rafa's first season, when we won the CL and the last season when there was the turmoil from H&G. You mention Lennon for 1 million and Milner for 5, Carson didn't even cost 1 million. Pennant didn't cost the 9 million that Young cost. Had Rafa been backed more, we would have had Dani Alves from Sevilla and C.Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon. The owners wouldn't fork out the extra couple of million needed to prize them away. Rafa's problem was that yes, he spent money, but this wasn't net money, he had to sell to buy and a lot of times, the majority of the money that came in from sales didn't go back into purchases, but went into paying off interest payments.
ReplyDeleteVoland, yes we finished second under Rafa BUT WE DID UNDER HOULLIER TOO...
ReplyDeleteYes we beat Manu but WE HAVE DONE THAT ON MANY OCCASIONS BEFORE RAFA CAME.
We beat Madrid in the 80/81 European Cup Final...
I am tired of hearing all this BS about who Rafa beat, how many points he finished on and and and.
IF YOU FINISH SECOND IT MEANS YOU HAVE FAILED TO WIN. END OF THE STORY.
I posted the other day, compare Houllier to Rafa and there wont be much difference so why is Rafa then being hailed as our saviour when he couldn't improve much on what Houllier did in 5 years? That is what makes me sick.
Surely Houllier should be getting the same recognition if that is the case? Why the special treatment for Rafa?
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteI have the actual squad performing since Kenny took over, i must admit that Rafa had a better squad than Kenny has at present. The midfield players were dynamic, explosive and very creative. The combination if Mascherano and Xabi Alonso was great, in defense Hyppia, Carra, Riise, Agger and Arbeloa was great to see again. Kyut and Crouch was good but needs to be more agreesive at times to create goals but the coming of Torres was again great. Now as far as i can suggest, Kenny has made a good team still, all the players needs to adapt themselves to the tactic and types of football set by Kenny. From my experience i think we lack Quality player in defensives sides, the Midfield is very less creative. we must by player of high creativity and good talent in midfield for them to supply good ball to Suarez, Caroll and Bellamy. I think in striker also Carroll is not good enough, i think we must buy quality striker to partner with Suarez.
Let me conclude, the overall squad need to improve a lot from the defensive side, to midfield and striker, I think we must change Kenny as manager and bring a more talented manager to liverpool for success. I must add that CARRAGHER must be given the change to manage liverpool.
Please send your comments.
Dude
ReplyDeleteSwansea, Norwich and Wolves...
Go look at recent years, how many of those ended up badly against smaller teams?
The thing is .
ReplyDeleteCrouch is taller and cannot score headers .
Caroll is shorter and can score headers.
Crouch cannot score goals.
Caroll at least can .
Rafa's team was better before Lucas came in.
ReplyDeleteDid you get that line from watching some pundit somewhere? The teams that have been successful over the past 20yrs have all had a british quorum - I'm not sure what league you have been watching!
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Alonso credits Gerrard and Carra for teaching him a lot about the game!!!
Hull,Stoke,Birmingham
ReplyDeleteI am talking about players that would stick around!
ReplyDeleteWhen did 4th become 1st?
ReplyDeleteI agree as well 11 games in only, 2 games lost good signs only 1 really poor performance against Spurs, the team can play together but need to play for 90 minutes and start burying those chances.
ReplyDeleteIs that why we never won anything after the 06 season to many of Rafa's poor signings!
ReplyDeleteKenny's squad will be better by the end of the season.
ReplyDeleteKenny has spent ...but people seam to have forgotten he has recopued alot too. But when it comes to Rafa's spending it always came hand in hand with how much he recouped. Kenny's net spend is about 36 million (bet Man City's is no where near this). If Rafa would not have been able to work with Comolli because Rafa always wants full control (a poss reason why he did not get the Villa job). Rafa would not have been able to comply to the new owners ethos too. And the new owners have publicly said that Rafa's transfer dealings left a lot to be desired. Hodgson lasted longer under the new owners than Rafa would have.
If Kenny had been in charge of Rafa's squad that is in question then would have 6 stars on our European shirts and would have been mighty close to being premiership champions.
Also if Kenny had been in charge of this squad of Rafa's Alonso would still be a Liverpool player and possibly Masch too.
The last 11 games we were amazing that season once Rafa decided to go on
ReplyDeletethe attack to late by then because United had found their feet and won 17 games from January we won only 12 games after January, we had a poor January only picked up 3 draws and the poor results against Stoke and Hull at home 11 draws that season.
In the end Rafa has gone and now Kenny is in charge now.
So should you it is SPECSAVERS .LOL
ReplyDeleteDo n't start the Alonso war of words!
ReplyDeleteMost of the players said selling Alonso or undermining Alonso had a poor effect on the squad.
Guys, most of us seem to be agreed - it's a work in progress; and progress is being made!
ReplyDeleteHowever, we all look at News Now, and all click through to Jainie's site - which is set up to get clicks, to make money etc - so he puts contentious, debatable, irritating, or downright infuriating articles up in order for us to read them. The rumour is he's a Man U fan...
Hell, I do it even though I know what his game is!
Let's back KK - and I hasten to add I backed Woy too - because that's what we do as Liverpool fans. We back our own, and show our support. It's OUR club.
YNWA
Jesus. You're still banging that 'Adam' drum, aren't you?
ReplyDeleteperfect comment
ReplyDeletewhat was the final score you.....t
ReplyDeletewe didnt have as many good players as utd ....k
ReplyDeletekenny is past he played well but he is not a guy who brings the glory of lfc again
ReplyDeleteyou're not Gerrard, your English is better.....
ReplyDeleteIf you still dont know how rafa was better then kenny, then i should doubt your footballing brain, kenny's signings alone says everything...hendo and downing for 20 m each? lol..:D I am not going into the tactics thing now...equal or worse then hodgson...
ReplyDeleteYour judging players and teams after 11 games, I doubt YOUR football brain, nobody should do that, if Alex Ferguson was judged after a year or two then united woulda won one European cup and less then ten titles! Clueless you mate, probably never played before.
ReplyDelete