Football Focus

[Atila Reincarnate]

Ladygooner Wrote:

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> Can I just say what a lovely time I had at the

> Emirates on Saturday? I thought I was in

> dreamland at half time! Long may our success

> continue..................

To qoute the ungracious Mr. Redknapp and a certain Mr Keane, you can't win anything with kids, and our squad is as good as yours. Fair enough, do they also still believe in Father Christmas?

[Sandperson]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Firstly, I notice that united fans are still as

> obsessed as ever. First post back after 2 weeks

> away and they can't even mention their own team.

>

> MM - Rafa has one hand tied behind his back. Stop

> believing what SSN and the papers tell you.

>

> We have had a ridiculous amount of bad luck with

> injuries this season. Gerrard, Torres probably

> needs a hernia op, Carra and Skrtel smashed their

> heads together on the first day of the season,

> Kelly, Agger, Riera, El Zhar, Aurelio,Dossena,

> Cavalieri, N'Gog, Johnson, Aquilani comes back and

> gets a virus.

>

> So yeah, we should sack our manager......

> Not to mention the fact he's hardly competing on a

> level playing field. Rafa's net spend over the

> past 2 seasons is ?2.5 million. ?2.5 million?! He

> has spent on average ?20 million a season since

> he has been here and has totally reshaped the

> team. Not bad considering our squad now contains

> Torres, Mascherano, Benayoun, Reina, Skrtel,

> Johnson to name just a few.

>

> Our owners spent more in expenses than what they

> did on a single player last season. If they

> continue to place debt on our club, losing games

> at the start of the season will become the least

> of our worries.

Boo hoo Anna. I see you are as obsessed as ever with making excuses for a man who hasn't got a clue. Riding one lucky win from 2005 can't cover for taking off your best chance of a goal at 1-1 and your second best chance of a goal when you are 2-1 down and your 5th loss in a season which has barely even begun. Keep Rafa, as I said, we love him at OT and long may it continue! ;)

I'm quite happy with the way United are playing at the moment. Nothing brilliant but enough to get results and keep us up there and with a Worlkd Cup next summer I am guessing most of our players are going to peak in the new year.

[????]

Don't forget the lucky win in 2006 too :(

[Annasfield]

Remind me of what Ferguson won in his first 6 years? Dead lucky winning our 5th European cup, an FA cup, getting to another European cup final and reaching at least the semis and quarters in all but one of his seasons. Pushing United all the way last season. Yeah, fuck me, Rafa's been lucky.

[Atila Reincarnate]

My my it's as if the Forum has never been away. For what it's worth I don't think Man Ure will win the Prem or Champs league, Chavski look like the Prem will go back to them and I fancy Barca again for Champs league. Can't see the mancs winning either of these as they don't look to be the real deal this season.

[Sandperson]

I think there's a difference Anna. The only pressure for us to win anything in those six years was from the fans. The owners were happy to let him have the time and the financial rewards and the ability to attract/retain players was totally different. We were used to crap managers. And he joined in 86 and we won the FA cup in 89-90 so that's only four years in my book.

The premier league and the reformatted European cup have put a lot more pressure on managers and players and time is of the essence. Apart from the European cup win (lucky ;)) I would say that rafa hasn't delivered enough, soon enough for a club of your status. Just an opinion of course, not a fact.

[kpc]

We now have a board of directors full of enthusiasm. So much so that Vico Hui, our vice-chairman, was seen at a fans forum standing on a chair downing pints of Stella and singing Keep Right On. Beat that.

[Sandperson]

And you are about to buy Shevchenko!

[kpc]

Yeah, saw that dodgy rumour. Agents hear that you've got a bit of spare cash and they're round you like flies on whatever. Have also been linked with Kris Boyd for fifteenth time since January and that won't happen either.

[SimonM]

On the subject of defeats and long injury lists I can really empathise Anna!:(

[Mick Mac]

Annasfield Wrote:

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>

> MM - Rafa has one hand tied behind his back. Stop

> believing what SSN and the papers tell you.

>

I make my own judgements Anna. I am just amazed that Liverpool fans accept second/third/fourth best in the Premiership while Rafa obviously prioritises the Champions League.

My view is that Rafa's Premier League challenge peaked last season and when a managers improvement peaks, its very rare to see him pick up and improve again.

I think its downhill from here for Rafa. I think the players are now losing faith. I think Liverpool fans will see, as soon as he has gone, that he was not good for the club's Premierhip ambitions.

I wish Liverpool well but they play dull stuff too often and need new impetus.

[Atila Reincarnate]

It's all very well saying or suggesting Rafa should go, but be honest, who is there, of any value or repute that is currently available to replace him. Mourhino? And that's only if he gets the push or decides to leave Inter.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Any thoughts on last nights CMPL games people?

['bout now]

Fernando Torres

Robbie Keane

Ryan Babel

Xabi Alonso

Dirk Kuyt

Albert Riera

Andrea Dossena

Peter Crouch

Lucas Leiva

Jermaine Pennant

Martin Skrtel

Craig Bellamy

Luis Garcia

Jose Reina

Dan Agger

Mohammed Sissoko

Fernando Morientes

Yossi Benayoun

Diego Cavalieri

Alvaro Arbeloa

Sebastian Leto

Jose Miguel Gonzalez

Gabriel Paletta

Mark Gonzalez

David Ngog

Scott Carson

Mikel San Jose

David Martin

Antonio Barragan

Besian Idrizaj

Jack Hobbs

Alex Cooper

Alexander Kacaniklic

Krisztian Nemeth

Andras Simon

Victor Palsson

Gary Mackay Steven

Vitor Flora

Andriy Voronin

Nikolay Mihaylov

Emmanuel Mendy

Marvin Pourie

Dani Pacheco

Nikola Saric

Lauri Dalla Valle

Gerardo Bruna

Hakan Duyan

Damien Plessis

Peter Gulacsi

Charles Itandje

Philipp Degen

Vincent Lucas

Ryan Crowther

Mihail Alexandrov

Robbie Fowler

Ryan Wilkie

Javier Mascherano

Miki Roque

Nabir El Zhar

Mark Smyth

Jay Smith

Stephen Darby

Craig Lindfield

Adam Hammill

Danny Guthrie

Paul Anderson

Lee Peltier

Fabio Aurelio

Jan Kromkamp

Boudewijn Zenden

Mauricio Pellegrino

Godwin Antwi

Robbie Threlfall

Ryan Flynn

Calum Woods

Paul Willis

Danny O'Donnell

Ramon Calliste

Steve Irwin

Martin Kelly

Ronald Huth

Jordy Brouwer

Francisco Manuel Duran

Emiliano Insua

Ray Putterill

Martin Hansen

Jay Spearing

Dave Roberts

David Mannix

Antonio Nunez

Rafa's signings since he's been in charge at Liverpool, not including this summer. Makes Harry Redknapp look cautious.

[Ladygooner]

Goodness 'bout now - where did you find the time and the energy to compile that list?!

['bout now]

Internet burglary LG, much more time efficient!

[Ladygooner]

and how much do they all amount to in ?s spent?

[Atila Reincarnate]

Far too much for the return!!!

[Ted Max]

For all your Rafa needs see the link below. If this bloke has his facts correct then things don't look so bad.

He calculates a total net spend of just over ?83m in 5 years at the club. An average of ?16.6m a year.

Here are the league positions and points totals in that time:

2004/05: Finished 5th ? 58 pts

2005/06: Finished 3rd ? 82 pts

2006/07: Finished 3rd ? 68 pts

2007/08: Finished 4th ? 76 pts

2008/09: Finished 2nd ? 86 pts

http://www.empireofthekop.com/anfield/?p=5851

[Mick Mac]

5 seasons and no premiership - that is enough attempts for any manager to prove himself. I don't think his spending is relevant to the debate as to whether he is a good manager or not.

Hope he wins tonight and has a decent season, but then he should move on.

[Mick Mac]

WTF!! Rafa takes off Torres again with the job only half done. Lyon score. I feel for Liverpool fans.

[Sandperson]

If I say he's a fool I'll get told it's not his fault.

[woofmarkthedog]

Arsene we love you

Nuff said...

[Mick Mac]

I don't mind if Aresenal win the Champions League (provided they win the Premiership first). Bread and butter at home, show off in Europe.

[????]

Bollox to Europe - Hines last minute and a saved penalty from Green on one of my now occasional visits to the Academy - IRONS