City are a much better bet than Spurs. I wouldnāt discount Villa either.
I would discount Villa.
Only saw last half hour but I thought both teams were shite. Arsenal hardly put together four passes and Liverpool didnt create a single decent chance in that time. Gerrard was an utter disgrace - diving and just giving up at other times.
That Liverpool side has big problems particularly at centre defence. Thought Aquilani looked ok when introduced but with Torres and Gerrard so out of form/tired they never looked likely. Still think that if Benitez was good enough to be given a long term contract at the end of last season that in the space of 3 months he surely hasnt lost it that much.
This is the weakest EPL in years, the big 5 have all gone backwards. Villa have improved from last season. Could be enough to make the Champions League this year and barring bad injuries should be. Still think City are dangerous and could go on a serious run. Have no faith in Spurs though, Redknapp is a spineless spiv and his team is thankfully reflective of his character.
[quote=āKIB manā]Only saw last half hour but I thought both teams were shite. Arsenal hardly put together four passes and Liverpool didnt create a single decent chance in that time. Gerrard was an utter disgrace - diving and just giving up at other times.
That Liverpool side has big problems particularly at centre defence. Thought Aquilani looked ok when introduced but with Torres and Gerrard so out of form/tired they never looked likely. Still think that if Benitez was good enough to be given a long term contract at the end of last season that in the space of 3 months he surely hasnt lost it that much.
This is the weakest EPL in years, the big 5 have all gone backwards.
Villa have improved from last season. Could be enough to make the Champions League this year and barring bad injuries should be. Still think City are dangerous and could go on a serious run. Have no faith in Spurs though, Redknapp is a spineless spiv and his team is thankfully reflective of his character.[/quote]
He has though. That is the point. The season has been an absolute disaster and the team are playing awful stuff.
Going nowhere under Rafa. Rafa out.
If Rafa was to go who would take over???
Rijkaard, Harry Redknapp, Klinsmannā¦
Would rate Benitez a lot higher than either of them three
[quote=āThe Pukeā]If Rafa was to go who would take over???
Rijkaard, Harry Redknapp, Klinsmannā¦
Would rate Benitez a lot higher than either of them three[/quote]
Hiddink would be the answer.
Capello would be my preference.
[quote=āThe Pukeā]If Rafa was to go who would take over???
Rijkaard, Harry Redknapp, Klinsmannā¦
Would rate Benitez a lot higher than either of them three[/quote]
Either of them three?
Wouldnāt bet against Klinsmann or Mourinho. Would take either over Rafa tbh. Heās just gone stale at the club imo.
How though. End of last season Liverpool were flying. Hammered Real Madrid home and away and battered Man Utd away. Serious title charge for first time in donkeys years with a fraction of the budget of Man Utd or Chelsea. It was a fair achievement by Benitez particularly as it came within boardroom chaos. He deserved the new contract at the time so how has he lost it in three months?
Massive blow was Alonso leaving. That was of Benitezās making but a year previously. He was Liverpoolās best player last season but Benitez couldnt stop him this summer. Who for 20m could Liverpool have got better than Aquilani last summer to replace him. Very few Europeans wanted to move to the UK with the new tax laws so Benitez was forced to gamble on an injury prone player. Was he a mistake?
As an informed poster on here suggested during the summer Jamie Carragher was past it. Benitez erred in not replacing him. Bedding a new centre defense partnership will have to wait till next summer. Insua has turned out not to be as good as he promised last year while Aurelio has been injured a lot. Johnson was a good signing at right back but injured a lot too. Dirk Kuyt imo over performed last season. His more natural level is his current plodding state. Mascherano who wants out is not as comfortable further forward but with Aquilaniās injuries has been forced to play there. Gerrard suffering from fitness worries has been diabolical whenever I have seen him this season. Torres continues to struggle for fitness too.
What more can Benitez do under his current financial restraints?
[quote=āThe Pukeā]If Rafa was to go who would take over???
Rijkaard, Harry Redknapp, Klinsmannā¦
Would rate Benitez a lot higher than either of them three[/quote]
Liverpool are in reality a small town club in huge debt with zero money to rebuild the squad. A nutter would only touch that job. Redknapp would leave Liverpool in adminstration for sure.
[quote=āThe Pukeā]If Rafa was to go who would take over???
Rijkaard, Harry Redknapp, Klinsmannā¦
Would rate Benitez a lot higher than either of them three[/quote]
Either Staunton or Venables
:rolleyes:
not a fan of van der vaartā¦arsenal have too many players like him already I thinkā¦
i know I said it before but i really think arsenal should break the bank and make an audacious bid for Obe Mikelā¦he is the missing link for Arsenalā¦he hasnāt nailed down a place at chelsea but would bring serious balance to Arsenalā¦
[quote=āscumpotā]not a fan of van der vaartā¦arsenal have too many players like him already I thinkā¦
i know I said it before but i really think arsenal should break the bank and make an audacious bid for Obe Mikelā¦he is the missing link for Arsenalā¦he hasnāt nailed down a place at chelsea but would bring serious balance to Arsenalā¦[/quote]
Mikel is a decent player but Song is as good as him imo.
If I was Wenger I would sign Hugo Rodallega. He would score shitloads at a decent team.
[quote=ābriantinnionā]Everything, just another illustration of their acceptance of second best (itāll be fifth best this year). And itās just idiotic behavior, like buying your missus take-aways and pizza when sheās piled on a load of weight.
Arsenal were terrible in the first half, Liverpool just didnāt let them play. Ptoblem with Liverpool was that they were so focussed on closing Arsenal down quickly and kicking them that they had no ideas of their own.[/quote]
i find this comment very disturbingā¦especially after watching the programme on Joe Oā Reillyā¦serious hint of control freak attached to thisā¦think admin might need to alert the relevant authoritiesā¦if for no ther reason but to cover themselvesā¦
Liverpool Loyalist Football Club really is gone to shite!!
Rafa out???
So long Rafa
Yes.
Awful stuff. Losing 2-0 to Portsmouth deservedly so as well.
That is just gone too far.