Following my mega rant over the latest shafting, I re read it today, and it's not pretty!!! Fortunately ,instead of being universally condemned to hang, several regulars wrote in sympathetic terms, and I would like to thank them all for helping my head to clear as the red mist lifted. BM2, Thor, 100 years of history, Yid Vicious and Kenny Dalgleish. Gentlemen and scholars all.
Welcome back CP! We're all in a state of flux today, but I can get my head down a little easier tonight! I've watched Rafa's press conference tonight on CTV , which I started with gritted teeth and have to say by the time it was over I thought --hang on , this bloke's going to take us places! Dont get me wrong--the Robbie issue stinks and I still feel very ashamed about the treatment he recieved!
Don't get too excited, lads. Every new manager impresses in his first press interview. Roy Rodgers did with 'Pool, and AVB did with us. That doesn't stop either of those two being clowns, and it won't stop Benitez. Remember the dull, defensive football that Benitez had 'Pool playing? Well, welcome to Coco's World.
Zonal market is too heavily and unfairly criticised. It's another system of defending that works just fine when exercised properly. There have been plenty of goals conceded that could have been prevented if teams had used zonal marking instead, but notice how pundits never mention that though. Unfortunately our defence has been a joke lately however and zonal marking will bring out the worst in it.
That's where the time thing comes into it, will Rafa get the time to make his ideas and methods work?
If RA lets him buy players in January you could be talking next spring and summer autumn and winter+.
Herbert, do you think you're amusing by insulting peoples names? No doubt you consider Brendan as a cowboy hence your stupid schoolboy rubbish. Wonder what you think AVB is? Average Bastard? If you have something to say please get out of your stupid habit of calling them schoolboy names. There's a good boy Herbert
Hmm....better to stick to man-to-man marking - zonal marking in our present predicament will open the floodgates.
Top scorers in 08/09 is hardly defensive? Beating Utd 4-1 at OT and Realy Madrid 4-0 is not defensive. Stop believing the media myths and form your own opinions by actually watching football.
Firstly, it is generally recognised by neutrals that 08/09 was a freak season for Benitez - he never repeated it. Secondly, the fact that Benitez managed to odd high-scoring result does not negate the fact that he plays a defensive game. Off course, if the other team is having an off-day, any half-decent side will look to exploit that by getting forward more and scoring as many goals as they can. Thirdly, sorry, but it is a fact that Benitez's natural inclination is to play defensive football. It was the primary reason why he ended up getting the sack. By the time he was washed-up, teams had learned how to beat you. They knew that you were going to close up shop and look to hit on the counter, through mid-field, so they simply closed you down, and either went for the dull draw, of looked to snatch the odd goal. Regarding "media myths," what myths? You mean the one perpetrated by the Mouser-loving so-called professional pundits, that Benitez was a master tactician? I rarely ever heard any negative comments about 'Pool, I still don't, even though you are clearly 5hite, these days.
Listen Herbert do you not think you should be a bit more worried about your own sorry ass team which is in free fall and likely won't make top 6 let alone top 4.
A freak season? We were naturally progressing in each season under Rafa so it was hardly a 'freak' accident. If anything, his final season was the freak season because it was completely different to his previous years. Perhaps you are confusing 'defensive football' with 'tactical' and 'disciplined' football. I admit that at times, Rafa was more concerned about not losing rather than going all out for the win. But having said that, Rafa has one of the best win %'s amongst ALL Liverpool managers in the past. I think beating the likes of Real Madrid, Man Utd, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona would show you that Rafa knows how to set his teams up against arguably better teams, so I would argue that he does know a thing or two about tactics. Of course, I've only seen all the LFC matches that Rafa was in charge for so who am I to comment on his style of play.
Perhaps it isn't too wise to scoff so quickly! Let's wait and see how Coco sets you up. We already know, of course, that he will have you playing with ten men (we can't count Torres, really, since he's usually anonymous in matches). No doubt you will be difficult to score against - 'Pool always were, when Coco was in charge of them - but I'm not so sure that you're going to be scoring many goals.
