Liverpool 2010/11 Season Thread

[abigsmurf]

Now or at the end of the season? The former would be counter productive, no?

But then, look at the turn around Hiddink did at Chelsea. Under Scolari we played perhaps the worst football I can remember for Chelsea but Hiddink gave us an incredible run of results, enabling us to finish the season on a high with an FA Cup win.

[saif]

Close season sackings are not the "Liverpool Way" and I would be exceptionally disappointed if we were to do so.

[mr_sockochris]

But then, look at the turn around Hiddink did at Chelsea. Under Scolari we played perhaps the worst football I can remember for Chelsea but Hiddink gave us an incredible run of results, enabling us to finish the season on a high with an FA Cup win.

Ironically, Hiddink is the only manager I'd swap Rafa for....

[Adrock]

Hiddink failed to get Russia into the World Cup. Definitely not a manager I'd want. Right now there are no managers of reputed quality that I can think of, who are available.

As for Rafa being sacked right now. I'm not going to agree. Today a team was put out that was capable of beating Portsmouth, it was shown in the first 20 minutes. I think players like Gerrard, Carragher and Mascherano have been poor all season. They are all supposed to be leaders on the field, but all you ever get from Gerrard is an incredulous looks towards his own team. Thats not how a captain should act.

Liverpool went 1-0 down today and I didn't see Gerrard once try to gee up the team and get them back into the right mindset to do what they were in that first period of the game. If players have been trying to influence the manager's signings and tactics then they need to be put in their place.

My personal feeling is that Insua has been found wanting, massively, this season. That is probably the biggest issue I have with Benitez's selection policy. When Aurelio is fit I think he has proven he should be first choice left back. At the same time, however, Lucas has been the most reliable ever present in the team so far. He may not be superstar quality but he is doing the job asked of him and most of the time outperforming Mascherano.

Its increasingly looking like there are problems within the playing section of the club. There doesnt seem to be any real desire from a few players and thats disheartening. Especially when they're supposed to be integral to the club.

[Supergoal]

Yeah I agree mostly with what you say.

I've just been reading other forums and sites. I think most fans have their blinkers on. Saying things like, "We were playing well until they scored" or "It shouldn't have been a red card". What a load of tosh, they must have been watching a different game than me. As I said earlier we played well for the first 20 minutes, quite well actually then we capitulated for an unknown reason.

True we should have beaten Portsmouth regardless whether Insua was played or if Benyoun or Aquliani stayed on the bench. As much as Benitez frustrates me with his comments and you can clearly see he's lost it sometimes, I think the players today lost spirit, for what looked like for me, because they couldn't score and breakdown the opposition. I've never quite seen anything like it, a team kind of giving up and taking their foot off the gas even before the game has been won.

In this respect, you can't blame the manager, since it's the same bunch of players that played well in the first 20 minutes, and the same bunch that played not so well in the next 20. You could clearly see before Portsmouth scored we were losing it.

A point against Benitez for me is, after the red card just before half time, the players were clearly frustrated and losing it, stupid petulant tackles and giving the ref an ear full at every opportunity. Fair enough, I could understand that. But in the second half right from the go, the players continued to be frustrated. Surely didn't the manager try to calm them down? Try a different tact? Something? I'm sure he did, but we came out for the second half exactly as we ended the first headless and petulant.

[Adrock]

With that kind of petulance the captain needs to step in. Either him or the other senior members of the team. Torres was clearly frustrated with the rough treatment he was getting from the beginning of the match. Somebody on the field needs to have a word in his ear as soon as he begins getting annoyed.

Nobody seems to grab the team by the bollocks and tells them what to do when it goes bad. Gerrard is definitely a player who tries to lead by example rather than through his influence. At the moment he is suffering some of his worst form I can remember. Its exactly why somebody like Terry was chosen for England. Right now Liverpool need somebody to grab them all by the bollocks and pull them up, but I cant see where thats coming from at the moment.

[abigsmurf]

Unfortunately, Benitez has zero control over stroppy players now.

Usually, a player who refuses to give it his all or undermines your authority gets dropped to the bench. Imagine if he didn't start Gerrard and Torres when they're known to be fit and they lose again now? Imagine how it'd look if he then had to explain why he dropped them.

[Super Grover]

I mentioned it quite a few posts ago.

What happens if Rafa 'losses' the support of the squad?

I seriously believe that some thing is'nt right behind the scenes, and I think there maybe some disquite in the dressing room.

How we can go from the end of last season to our current predicament is bewildering.

I can't agree with the mantra that 'its not Liverpool's way' to get rid of the manager only a few months into the new season. We are getting closer to the bottom 4 rather than the top 4!!

The fact that we don't know where our next win is coming from speaks volumes.

I also mentioned Roy Hodgson as a potential candidate. How much as he had to spend to put his squad together?, and his team has just put 3 past the dirty mancs.


I think its time to stop the rot. Benitez out please.

[Supergoal]

With that kind of petulance the captain needs to step in. Either him or the other senior members of the team. Torres was clearly frustrated with the rough treatment he was getting from the beginning of the match. Somebody on the field needs to have a word in his ear as soon as he begins getting annoyed.

Nobody seems to grab the team by the bollocks and tells them what to do when it goes bad. Gerrard is definitely a player who tries to lead by example rather than through his influence. At the moment he is suffering some of his worst form I can remember. Its exactly why somebody like Terry was chosen for England. Right now Liverpool need somebody to grab them all by the bollocks and pull them up, but I cant see where thats coming from at the moment.

This goes back to the point I made about some of the rumours going round about some of the senior players not fully behind the manager. Point proved perhaps? But either way if you're right we will find ourselves many more times this season in the same position as we were today.

[VR46]

Sh*t result and sh*t performance. I too think Rafa has to go, sure of it now, really think the tide is turning that way among lost of Liverpool fans now. Sure the players are a lot to blame also, just can't see a good outcome coming from him remaining in charge.

Who would take over? haven't a clue.

Another question is, did we play worse than Man U on the day? they were woeful also.

[Flabio]

I hear Sparky is available

[Supergoal]

Sh*t result and sh*t performance. I too think Rafa has to go, sure of it now, really think the tide is turning that way among lost of Liverpool fans now. Sure the players are a lot to blame also, just can't see a good outcome coming from him remaining in charge.

Who would take over? haven't a clue.

Another question is, did we play worse than Man U on the day? they were woeful also.

Yep, And worse still, Man Utd look so bad this season, that we can't even take advantage of it..

[Adrock]

Wolves game has become a must win today.

Pretty sad really that already this early in the season Liverpool really need to get on a winning streak to get their position improved.

The next 2 games after this one are the most important though. With Villa and Spurs coming up Liverpool need to beat both really. Gonna be very tough though, especially with no Mascherano.

[VR46]

Know what you mean, I was looking at the table earlier (no not the four legged kind), grim reading above and below us really, even a couple of wins on the bounce won't help our position greatly. And the field below are slowly catching us up.

[abigsmurf]

You're continuing today's trend of incredibly dull matches so far. Shaping up for a third high profile 0-0 based on the first half.