Lose to Arsenal and Liverpool's season is over
The start of Liverpool's season was terrific - a 6-0 thumping of Derby, top of the league, the new boy Torres looking like the top class player we all hoping he was, and all smiles that Rafa was finally going to play Gerrard in the middle of the park this season. So what has gone wrong? Is it Rafa's rotation policy? Maybe its the injuries to Agger and Alonso? Perhaps its the timing of the international breaks? Or could it be the departure of assistant manager Paco Ayesteran?
The buck, as its always done, must stop with the manager and Rafa is now under huge pressure to deliver, starting this Sunday at home to Arsenal. The Champions League campaign is all but over and even finishing in third place is scant consolation (who wants to be in the UEFA Cup!)
The fact is that Liverpool must now beat Arsenal. A defeat will almost certainly raise serious questions about Rafa's future. Who would have thought it after the glory of Istanbul in 2005!
posted by SKG at 10/24/2007 09:46:00 pm
EFT match of the season for 2008/2009: Barcelona construct a masterclass footballing performance to defeat the reigning Champions League holders and current English champions, Manchester United, by a scoreline of 2-0 in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome
EFT player of the season for 2008/2009: Chelsea central midfielder, Frank Lampard
EFT player of the month for May 2009: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for April 2009: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for March 2009: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2009: Phil Jagielka (Everton)
EFT player of the month for January 2009: Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd)
EFT player of the month for December 2008: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2008: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2008: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for September 2008: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for August 2008: Amr Zaki (Wigan Athletic)
EFT match of Euro 2008: Turkey's amazing comeback from two goals down to beat Czech Republic 3-2 as captain Nihat Kahveci's two goals in the last three minutes sensationally put his country through to the quarter finals at the expense of their beaten opponents
EFT player of Euro 2008: Spain (anchor) central midfielder, Marcos Senna
EFT match of the season for 2007/2008: Liverpool win titanic Champions League quarter-final second leg 4-2 against Arsenal that also saw two of the best football moments of the season - Fernando Torres' top corner strike and Theo Walcott's thrilling run across the whole of Anfield.
EFT player of the season for 2007/2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for May 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for April 2008: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
EFT player of the month for March 2008: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for February 2008: David James (Portsmouth)
EFT player of the month for January 2008: Ronaldo (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for December 2007: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)
EFT player of the month for November 2007: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for October 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
EFT player of the month for September 2007: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for August 2007: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for May 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for April 2007: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for March 2007: Carlos Tevez (West Ham Utd)
EFT player of the month for February 2007: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for January 2007: Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for December 2006: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd)
EFT player of the month for November 2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for October 2006: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers)
EFT player of the month for September 2006: Andrew Johnson (Everton)
EFT player of the month for August 2006: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth)
EFT match of World Cup 2006: Italy win a thrilling 'end-to-end' World Cup semi-final 2-0 against Germany courtesy of two late extra time goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro del Piero 
EFT player of World Cup 2006: Italy captain and centre-back, Fabio Cannavaro
EFT match of the season for 2005-2006: Liverpool win the FA Cup final 3-1 on penalties against West Ham after a Steven Gerrard-led fighback saw the Anfield side recover from 2-0 and 3-2 down to level the match in normal time
EFT player of the month for May 2006: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for April 2006: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for March 2006: Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur)
EFT player of the month for February 2006: Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough)
EFT player of the month for January 2006: Jason Roberts (Wigan Athletic)
EFT player of the month for December 2005: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
EFT player of the month for November 2005: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
EFT player of the month for October 2005: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
EFT player of the month for September 2005: Danny Murphy (Charlton Athletic)
EFT player of the month for August 2005: Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd)
EFT match of the season for 2004-2005: Liverpool win Champions League final 3-2 on penalties against AC Milan after sensationally recovering from 3-0 down to level the match in normal time
16 Comments:
Your season is already over; you've got so many problems you can't hope to win the league. Gooner
10/24/2007 10:32 pm
Martin Jol is available soon.......
10/24/2007 10:33 pm
After winning the Champions League a couple of years ago, it seems silly to fire Rafa so soon. He's done wonders for Liverpool in a short time. I understand you expect to win the league but good coaches are hard to find.
10/24/2007 10:41 pm
You've got only two players who would get into the Arsenal team, Gerrard and Torres and maybe Kuyt on a good day.
10/24/2007 10:47 pm
It is premature to even contemplate getting rid of Rafa. I don’t think this was the worse Liverpool performance in Europe this season. I still believe that Liverpool can qualify, they just need to focus on the league for now.
I think Rafa should have brought on Crouch a lot sooner. He caused problems when he came on but we left it too late. All will be forgotten if we beat Arsenal.
10/24/2007 10:47 pm
I completely agree with the next email.
10/24/2007 10:54 pm
The worse seems to be happening to us in bits and starts, we have to ride over this storm to the calm. We know what we can do, it's getting back to that mode of play. Crucial game on Sunday with two sides who are the only remaining unbeaten ones in the Premier League. Liverpool can turn around this lull, it's as if we're fighting in the face of a hurricane in reaching our potential. Those players can play, it will take something to get our very best out of them.
RedsMan.
10/24/2007 10:55 pm
Arsenal's pass & move will destroy Liverpool. It could be very embarassing. 0-3 by half time.
10/24/2007 11:03 pm
Oh come on.....winning against us is nuffink, but you gotta win 3 games in europe.....if u fail, rafa and the club are screwed. When we lost t psv we lost 20million.....you've spent a ridicolous sum, but do any of u know what squad you'll ever play? rafa chops and changes, but liverpool are shooting themselves in the foot.....hyppia is past it (2 og, plz get a hat-trick) and pennant? Another false dawn at liverpool
10/24/2007 11:06 pm
I am a Liverpool fan and think Arsenal are far superior than us at the moment. They will show us up at Anfield.
10/24/2007 11:13 pm
Im an Arseal fan but i think Arsenal will run outta luck in Liverpool. Hope im wrong tho.
10/25/2007 12:34 am
How many players did liverpool buy during the summer? how many did they sell? with a big turn over it doesn't matter how much better the team looks on paper its going to take awhile for the team to gel, particularly when they're rotated all the time.
10/25/2007 4:05 am
Hi Gooner .... just leave it - LOL ... Let's hope Rafa and Jol swap teams, and they continue with the same crap of play, rotation whatsoever .... It always makes my day - having hellofalot of fun lmao ... Cheers
10/25/2007 5:44 am
GunnerPete says...whilst I love the football we are playing, and have played now for quite a few years. I still believe that the squad will not reach its peak for another year.
Its possible that if we have an unbiased ref and the Pool play open football, then we should win. But it is very likely that the Pool will revert to the Manure/Blackburn/Bolton tactic of roughhouse to get a result. If so its anyones game.
My hope is for an exhibition from both teams. I also hope that AW gives Theo a run out at half time because Hypia & Carra will be left for dead.
As for Rafa well, he is his own man.He bought who he wanted at big prices and it his job to make it work. If after all that money spent since his arrival the Pool dont win the title, he will be on his bike. He appears to be a very honest man, but as Jol has shown, that means nowt in todays world.
10/26/2007 10:10 am
Liverpool seem to always start off slow under Benitez. I think they'll get better. But I have questions about his philosophy - rotation, strategy based on the opponent. I think this can work in cup competitions, as when Arsenal played 4-5-1 for the first time in the FA Cup and beat Man U despite being thoroughly outclassed. But for the league, you have to have a consistent way of playing. It's hard for a team to suddenly switch on to being an attacking one when you're defensively based, and vice versa. I think you have to have a certain consistent style of play that the players can get used to. Again, I draw an example from Arsenal. They don't play very well when they have to play at a slow tempo to kill off a game. But it's not only Arsenal. Can you name me a dominant team besides possibly Chelsea that play based on the opposition's strengths and weaknesses? Real, Barca, Man U, Bayern all play their own game.
I can understand that you would do this if you have inferior talent, and I think that is where Benitez can be faulted. He spent a lot of money, and no doubt Mascherano, Alonso, and Torres are class, but I also see a lot of mediocrity throughout the squad in his purchases.
10/29/2007 5:19 am
I have written a comment on another piece about this game and came hear to read more but it appears to have been shown what some of you know about football. What is not mentioned is its unpredictability. Some of the comments above appear to come from the same person who exist on here to be a nuisance. For instance:
"Your season is already over; you've got so many problems you can't hope to win the league. Gooner"
"Arsenal's pass & move will destroy Liverpool. It could be very embarassing. 0-3 by half time."
"Oh come on.....winning against us is nuffink, but you gotta win 3 games in europe.....if u fail, rafa and the club are screwed. When we lost t psv we lost 20million.....you've spent a ridicolous sum, but do any of u know what squad you'll ever play? rafa chops and changes, but liverpool are shooting themselves in the foot.....hyppia is past it (2 og, plz get a hat-trick) and pennant? Another false dawn at liverpool"
"I am a Liverpool fan and think Arsenal are far superior than us at the moment. They will show us up at Anfield."
"Im an Arseal fan but i think Arsenal will run outta luck in Liverpool. Hope im wrong tho."
All appear to come from the same person who enjoys stoking fires and leaving someone else to burn or to put them out. Enjoy yourself if you like doing this, whoever you are, as it is very minimal. This is why I do not read further into comments of this nature as they are not informative nor of actual thought but simply jump upon the same bandwagon that rolls through when there is ridicule and controversy showing their heads. Arsenal, for all the superior football so far, did not defeat Liverpool and did not get to play as some people above have said and Liverpool did not 'bully'. It is too early into the season who make rash judgements as things can turn around for any club for the better or the worse.
10/30/2007 11:58 am
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