Liverpool 2010/11 Season Thread

[SharkSkin-Man]

Rafa been there for going on 6 years , 6 to 7 years is when Ferguson won the title.

With the richest team in the league, which is a pretty significant difference.

And perhaps even more crucially, the United board stuck with him after he took a team that finished 2nd in 1988, to finish 11th in 1989 and then 13th in 1990 when lots of people were calling for his head.

sorry to quote so selectively, but what do you (presumably a Liverpool fan) think Rafa should have done, with a player who wanted to leave?

I am not a Liverpool fan, so I won't be getting into an argument about it, but I am interested to see the views of Liverpool fans about this.

I think Alonso felt he was being pushed out of the club to generate funds to sign Gareth Barry. Prior to that he didn't want to leave, or at least there were no signs of his desire to leave.

By the time it all eventually happened, Alonso had a massive upturn in form and was looking absolutely brilliant. The debt on the club had grown and grown to the point where we couldn't afford Barry or his monster wages anyway and we were stuck in a situation where we were minus one excellent midfield player and only had a relatively small amount of money to replace him. So we took a pretty huge gamble on Aquilani, who looks a pretty slick player, but appears to be made out of balsa wood.

[Team Andromeda]

With the richest team in the league, which is a pretty significant difference.

Its fair point , But Liverpool in the 70 and early 80's were seen as one of the richest clubs and the ones that could spend big fee's (at the time) making sure the likes of Dalglish could join the Club . What goes around , comes around .

How long do you want to Give Rafa ? , before you'll say change is needed .

[SharkSkin-Man]

Its fair point , But Liverpool in the 70 and early 80's were seen as one of the richest clubs and the ones that could spend big fee's (at the time) making sure the likes of Dalglish could join the Club . What goes around , comes around .

How long do you want to Give Rafa ? , before you'll say change is needed .

One of the richer teams, but always behind United and never the richest. (Dalglish was signed using the record fee Hamburg payed for Keegan, and the club was actually left with a small profit after signing Dalglish).

The Rafa thing is simple for me.
He made significant progress in successive seasons, followed by one season of regression. Because of that I think he has earnt the right for a season to put it back on track. If he takes further steps backwards then I think he should step down.

[hudson]

Ze official home kit 10/11

Looks good on Stevie and da boys.

[Team Andromeda]

One of the richer teams, but always behind United and never the richest. (Dalglish was signed using the record fee Hamburg payed for Keegan, and the club was actually left with a small profit after signing Dalglish).

The Rafa thing is simple for me.
He made significant progress in successive seasons, followed by one season of regression. Because of that I think he has earnt the right for a season to put it back on track. If he takes further steps backwards then I think he should step down.

, To take you at what you say , Liverpool have always been a smaller and poorer side than Man Utd , yet we still able to dominate the league and Europe for much of the 70' and 80's. So why do Liverpool fans always highlight being a less richer Club for the lack of winning the Prem , I don't know

Tbh your 2nd point is laid out so fairly its really hard to disagree with it . I just think he's had enough time and plenty of money , and its time to look elsewhere

[hudson]

Money certainly plays a part, but I look at the team, tactics and management decisions rather than say it's cos we're skint. That's a cop out. I think the decisons of the manager in wanting Barry in, then getting rid of Sami and Arbeloa hasn't helped.

We do need money now. We need to strengthen LB, CF and possibly more of the wings.

[abigsmurf]

Gotta kind of laugh at Benetez saying "give me money for signings or I'll leave". I'd imagine a lot of fans reply to that at this stage would be 'do you promise?'

[SharkSkin-Man]

, To take you at what you say , Liverpool have always been a smaller and poorer side than Man Utd , yet we still able to dominate the league and Europe for much of the 70' and 80's. So why do Liverpool fans always highlight being a less richer Club for the lack of winning the Prem , I don't know

Tbh your 2nd point is laid out so fairly its really hard to disagree with it . I just think he's had enough time and plenty of money , and its time to look elsewhere

Well it certainly highlights just how good a foundation Shankly and then Paisley set up, but also that the gap between the top sides was probably a little closer off the pitch - I think the club is further behind now for various boring reasons (size of ground, lack of corporate boxes, shirt and merchandise sales etc.).

It's always been part of the Liverpool ethic to give the manager time, and it is one thing I hope never changes about the club. If the board didn't stick by Shankly when he had 7 years of winning absolutely nothing between '66-'73 where would the club be today.

[Adrock]

Oh jesus christ, why the hell do people always highlight Arbeloa and Hyypia? They both WANTED to leave.

Arbeloa wouldn't sign a new deal and Hyypia wanted a longer term and a big final pay day. Alonso is the only player out of all of the players who have moved on that you could blame Benitez for.

[hudson]

Maybe the Alonso/Barry fiasco had a knock on effect which led to Arbeloa wanting to go too?

[nakamura]

It's always been part of the Liverpool ethic to give the manager time, and it is one thing I hope never changes about the club. If the board didn't stick by Shankly when he had 7 years of winning absolutely nothing between '66-'73 where would the club be today.

I must admit as much as I have slagged Benetiz and rightly so IMO, I agree with this. Liverpool have done well in standing by managers.

[Team Andromeda]

Well it certainly highlights just how good a foundation Shankly and then Paisley set up, but also that the gap between the top sides was probably a little closer off the pitch - I think the club is further behind now for various boring reasons (size of ground, lack of corporate boxes, shirt and merchandise sales etc.).

It's always been part of the Liverpool ethic to give the manager time, and it is one thing I hope never changes about the club. If the board didn't stick by Shankly when he had 7 years of winning absolutely nothing between '66-'73 where would the club be today.

Again those are good points and they're laid out so fairly and reasonable , that it's hard to argue with them . The Stadium is an issue , but it has been for years . I think both the Liverpool and Everton sets of fans need to put aside differences , and build a ground together , because you both really can't afford to do it alone .

Its admirable to give a Manager time , but I look at Liverpool squad and its getting weaker , not stronger , and a hell of a lot of money has been spent on bit part players .
You can laugh all you want , but I look at Spurs and they seem to be a Club going places, building a nice Squad, and pretty soon will have a far Bigger Stadium , how many more Clubs, will start to have better squads and Bigger/Newer Stadiums than Liverpool, even ones not in the Top 4

Rafa doesn't seem to come across as a Guy that gets what winning the Premiership means , or one that can put his arm around players and get the very best of them . I'm getting sick of his silly and badly timed subs , or his defensive tactics. This isn't made up , but quite a lot of my best mates , that I like to out with down the Pub, are Liverpool fans .
Now they can't bare to watch the Team on the TV , it just makes them nasty and upset , with last Thursday being a perfect example .

[Adrock]

Maybe the Alonso/Barry fiasco had a knock on effect which led to Arbeloa wanting to go too?

Seriously? As a Liverpool fan? I'm quite sure nearly every single player decides their own careers based on their families and circumstances. Not on the fact one of their mates might not be playing for the club anymore.

And if ever a player chose to leave a club playing as well as Liverpool were because his friend leaves then they need their head examining.

Regardless, I'm quite sure Arbeloa was being coy about contract talks before the Alonso mistake.

[hudson]

To be honest, I think it was a case of their heads being turned by the fact Real were sniffing around them.

The way Torres has been quoted saying how we shouldn't of sold them, he made it sound like we had an option to hold on to them.

[teenagewasteland]

Looks good at half time. I was only just telling my Dad that Lucas should be playing higher up the field...... Won't go counting my chickens just yet though.