Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has conceded that sometimes he "gambles too much" with his rotation policy at Anfield. When asked about his rotation policy Rafa said;
"If I need to make gambles then I will make gambles. We have been in 2 Champions League finals and one FA Cup final, that is because we changed the side. Sometimes it is good and works, sometimes not. But nobody really knows whether what I do is right, all I will say is Liverpool and me have won a lot of trophies doing this. (Mention the CL and FA Cup final again as usual, living off former glories, just how Rafa is.)
"Sometimes maybe I take too many gambles but it's necessary. Sometimes when your opponents have so many class players, when they have 5 players costing 20 million and you only have one you need to use that player in the right moment. If you dont win, people blame you and if you win nobody mentions what team you put out and I accept that."
"People say I gamble too much with rotation and changes, but my answer to that is to look at Torres! He has played a lot of games for us recently and then he has another game for Spain and gets injured. We have half a dozen players in this situation and they all need to to be changed and rested."
He admits that it doesnt work "sometimes" and then goes off defending it again, he uses Torres' injury as a lovely excuse then suggesting he only got injured for playing all the time for Liverpool. Amazing how Ronaldo, Adebayor, Robbie Keane, Drogba, Anelka, Tevez etc aren't injured at all.
Torres' injury was unfortunate but not from being overplayed. Torres if anything proves that with time players can come good and fire in lots of goals. I know some think its a team game and we shouldn't rely on any single player, but if that player realistically can single-handedly change our season, i say why not? For instance, i think Man Utd have got a lot of points when they shouldn't, simply because of Cristiano Ronaldo alone!
Fact is, now we're a whooping 19 points behind the leaders!! I'm really afraid to imagine how many points behind the eventual leaders we will be at the end of the campaign. Like Jamie Redknapp said, on our day, under Rafa n his selection and rotation policies and tactics, we can beat any team in the world. Unfortunately, the same holds for nothing when it comes to challenging for the league. McMahon is another ex-player who thinks the same. That makes two now!
Something has to be done. Reports say that the DIC are planning to but out Gillett's shares, who seems to have admitted that his heart isn't at Liverpool. He could sell for a minimal profit. Probably Hicks will stay and hold the club to ransom. But by buying over, I think its half the battle won, as it'll be easier to persuade Hardy to sell once you've got Laurel's portion. And also if we fail to make it to the CL, Rafa could be sacked. That'll be 2 birds with one stone. Maybe they can get a hattrick by getting rid of Prick Parry too!
Here's hoping that the reports are true.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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Pundits, pundits, pundits - A view from a football loving fan.
Why do some fans listen to the pundits so much?
McMahon = managed some lower teams in UK but did not win any promotion. Though he was a good player, as manager, he did not achieve much whether in the UK or Australia (for a few IIRC)
JRedknapp = pure pundit ala Serbie Singh but younger and more daring (maybe even more of a darling to some boys and girls who fancy his good looks!!), hence his recent comments that RAFA will not win the EPL is like Serbie calling for Gerrard to be playing at right back !!! JRedknapp has never managed a team before, so where is his tactical acumen? He's just following the rest of the pundits like Andy Gray....Not forgetting Fat Franks is his cousin, so he'd enjoy polishing his cousin's arse more than saying anything concrete about football!
So, taken into context the background of these pundits, i'd say the value of their comments is somewhat diminished when compared to RAFA's managerial track record (which stretches to his successful stint Valencia). No?
I just wished some of our fans would read well-researched articles written by Paul Tomkins. Check it out at www.paultomkins.com if you haven't already. I'm sure Paul's views also have a large following all over as his views mirror that of a lot of fans. If I maybe so bold as to say that it PROBABLY represents the silent majority - how else can an independent writer be 'successful' in writing on just a football called Liverpool Football Club?
On the other hand, King Kenny has given his full support of RAFA. King Kenny, the MAN has won everything there is to win at club level (with Liverpool FC) plus he managed our beloved club successfully. There are no current ex-player who can compare to his ability as a player nor as a successful manager. So when King Kenny says that the background fiasco called Klinsmann-gate has had an effect - IT HAS AN EFFECT! Just ask King Kenny about Hillsborough which were the cause of his resignation when his team was still at the peak. Even King Kenny could not faced the pressure then albeit a grieving environment rather than Klinsmann-gate. It is still pressure nevertheless that has to be managed.
McMahon, JRedknapp and all the pundits (yes - bluenose Andy Gray too) in the football world are sub-conciously brain-washing the less well-informed fans and creating this monster called .... for the lack of a better word, called a herd. And this herd mentality has been prevailing in recent years - just look at Newcastle, Leeds, Fulham and Derby (this season). How many managers have they changed in the last 18 months? How many clubs have the balls to do what WATFORD did last season with Andy Brothroyd (hope I got the spelling right -if not my apologies) who was retained even though they were relegated to the the championship? We don't really have to look too far - how about our neighbours , Everton? Kenwright has stood behind Moyes and allowed the latter to flourish but credit must be given to them both as Everton has done well since they came aboard.
Just look at our team again and see how many new players in the team adjusting to RAFA's tactics - Benayoun, Babel, Voronin, Torres, Lucas, Skrtel ..... it needs time. Torres and Skrtel are exceptions .... in that they almost have taken the EPL like ducks to swimming. Oh! before, I forget, our reserves and youth teams are progressing in the right direction .... hopefully in a year or two, new blood would be ready to be promoted to the 1st team. Do some of the fans even know of the achievements of these teams?
Rome wasn't built in one day. What our first team needs now is consistency built on the performance in the last match against Chelsea ..... Defensively we are strong again with Skrtel providing additional steel at the back and with Agger coming back, we have able defenders and Hyypia is still good for certain type of game. All we need now is the clinical finishing of the 'young' fearless strikers ala Ian Rush, Fowler and Owen.
Additionally, in case it went unnoticed, former players who now works as full time commentators like Hansen, Lawrenson have come out in support of RAFA since Klinsmann-gate at Anfield. I don't recall that Hansen and Lawrenson having been managers before they became pundits, so ..... please take their comments with a pinch of salt.
But time is something that managers of EPL clubs don't have at the moment even if the manager has won the Champions League and the FA Cup in his first 2 seasons .....
Life is such that everything is now a commodity and can be traded. The soul and pride of Merseyside were sold the moment Moores signed on the dotted lines with the fashionable American Brokeback Mountain Cowboys called Gillett and Hicks. Now, even if DIC comes in and brings in a new manager, it'll set us back for another 3-5 seasons ..... This season is write-off due to Klinsmann-gate - something out of RAFA's control but was shafted into him during the season when the team was doing well. This season is a non-standard season as a result of Klinsmann-gate and should not be viewed on an even basis with the rest of RAFA's first 3 seasons due to Klinsman-gate.
Let's just wait and see - becareful what you wish for, it may come true but even with DIC, we could POSSIBLY end up like the charades at St. James Park where currently, the Messiah called Keegan (right - he is probably our 2nd most successful ex-player who have managed Newcastle, Fulham and the England national team but he has not won a proper trophy todate) is having a hard time due to the unreasonable expectations! Its a circus that I don't enjoy watching as it kills the football on the pitch and we know that Newcastle have got good players and they should be doing better than where they are at the moment.
In the event RAFA is removed due to DIC's purported takeover (which on the horizon apparently according to rumours), I won't be surprised if the Blue half of Merseyside overtake us in the league in the next few seasons as their board has been supporting Moyes over the past 6-7 seasons even though they haven't won anything but have achieved Europe in the past 2 seasons. Is that what many Liverpool fans want?
RAFA, RAFA, RAFA-EL - YNWA
William - that is an absolutely fantastic piece you've written there! Brilliant!
Particularly good point - everybody should read the Paul Tomkins articles. Those are properly researched articles - not random claims as spouted by the common media.
It is also VERY important what William mentions - do people know what King Kenny says? Why do people listen to completely insignificant people like Redknapp and McMahon? Why don't they rather listen to what The King says?
Nah - leave Rafa alone for the time being. I'm sure there'll be another massive support for Rafa at Anfield on Saturday, and I'll make sure to get right in the midst of it!
En Rafa confiamos!!
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