Rafalution is on track

[Sir X]

Defending the Gaffa - The Rafalution is on track Written by Tetteh Otuteye on February 5th, 2009 </B></B>

We’ve slipped from first place with a comfortable lead to now chasing United.
We’ve drawn too many matches.
We’ve sold Keane and haven’t signed a replacement.
We’ve sold Pennant and haven’t signed a replacement.
We’ve now been knocked out of the cup by Everton.
It’s no wonder the forums been so miserable of late!
Many of our fans seem surprised that Rafa is human. “He’s got a chip on his shoulder” apparently. I.E: That he has gotten sensitive to constant criticism and constant inspection of every decision he makes by the media, other managers, and fans, but only when things go wrong.
It could be argued that this is part and parcel of the job, but I don’t see Rafa’s rival manager’s – specifically Wenger’s decisions being analysed with anywhere near as much fervor as Rafa’s (and when was the last time Wenger won anything? Heck, in the last 5 years that Rafa has been around, please tell me what Arsenal have accomplished). And it’s one thing when the criticism is constructive, but the “Rafa has lost the plot”, “Rafa going crazy” etc. headlines, aren’t really conducive to not thinking people are hoping you fail. Most people reading these sorts of headlines would naturally begin to think people are out to get you. Some may call it paranoia, but when I try to put myself in Rafa’s shoes and imagine what I’d think if I read these headlines (sometimes from Liverpool fans and on Liverpool websites), I’d also start to wonder. Although some people questioned the wisdom of Rafa’s comments about Ferguson immediately, most thought it was just mindgames. Nobody thought he was going crazy until after the results turned against us following that “rant”.
To put things back in context, here are some FACTS: Rafa has improved our team every single year. FACT: He has bridged the gap between the top clubs to now being in 2nd place within 2-3-or-5 points of UTD - ‘the Kings of Europe’, who FACT: can boast 4 of the premiership’s (perhaps even the world’s?) best strikers in Tevez, Berbatov, Ronaldo and Rooney. FACT: Prior to this year our season has been over by February. FACT: Our results against the top teams haven’t been this good for a very long time. FACT: the league table doesn’t lie, and it suggests Rafa is leading us to solid improvement, that we’re catching up to our rivals. FACT: We are involved in the title race that we all wished to be in way back in August.
After Athens, Rafa got frustrated and said we needed to move quicker in the transfer market. People called him out for that “outburst” of frustration. Although some of us weren’t pleased with the manner of his “outburst”, there was no doubting the content of his words. He said we needed to move 2 steps forward for every step our rivals took. This year, we sit in second, above Chelsea who we have done the double on for the first time in 20 years, and very close to the leaders.
We may not approve of Rafa’s methods, but the man must deserve some credit for our position in the table - even if it could have been better had we not had so many frustrating draws. I’d go so far as to say that paradoxically, the fact that we are in 2nd place, 2 points behind our leaders, and immensely frustrated is a testament to how well Rafa has done with us since he took over and especially this season.
In the previous four years we’d have bitten off someone’s hand if they’d offered us our current league position, however this year we’re frustrated for having it! How funny is that?
Like everyone else I’m frustrated that we have not capitalised on our brilliant record breaking start to the season. I’m frustrated that Keane didn’t gel into our system. I’m frustrated that Rafa loves Kuyt so damn much. I’m frustrated that there’s so much pressure on the team. I’m frustrated that Gerrard is injured (although I think Yossi can fill that job - if Rafa will let him). I’m frustrated that Lucas and Babel haven’t improved as much as we hoped they would.
But despite all those frustrations, I look at the table and I remember what I asked for at the beginning of the season, and it would be hypocritical of me to say Rafa hasn’t delivered. Sure, by December my expectations may have inflated some, but we have to remember what we expected in August and September.
We are in the middle of a title race. Now is not the time to be saying our Gaffa has lost the plot. Now is not the time to be asking for a replacement. Now is not the time to be looking over his every tactical decision with a microscope. We have never liked every one of his decisions. Even on the way to Istanbul, he made decisions that had some of us pulling out our hair - but we shut up because the results were going right. Now over the last year he has done stuff that has ****************ed us off several times - over-rotating, some signings we didn’t like, trusting Kuyt so much, weird substitutions, late substitutions etc. etc. But if the ends justifies the means (and it certainly did when we were winning rather fortuitously in November and October), then we have to look at the league table and see that Rafa is delivering the exact thing we all asked for in September and August - A title challenge.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t be frustrated. That’s natural when you lose to Everton in the cup, or draw 7 matches in 10 matches. I’m just saying that despite all that, we are still fighting for the league, and now isn’t the time to lose faith.
Now is the time to get behind them. To try not to let our frustrations prevent us from enjoying our first real title challenge in many years. To not let our frustrations impede our progress. The team needs our support now more than ever. And although we can go on and on about where we would be now if we’d beaten Everton or if we’d not drawn so many matches, our energy may be better spent trying to lift our fellow fans’ spirits so that we can get behind the team and push them on to fight for the title between now and May. So lets save some of the analysis and navel-gazing for when the season is over, and try to be happy that we are in a title race, and try to cheer the team on to victory.

[Sir X]

Spot on! One of the great aggravations about supporting this great club is the over-reactions to every perceived mistake or injustice.
It’s not that I don’t care, believe me, but sometimes we all need a dose of perspective. And surely we as a supporting body can positively impact the team by actually supporting them.
Debating the issues is fine, in fact, it’s great, but it needs to be tempered by good reason.

Little Ted on February 5, 2009 @ 11:07 pm</B>

I agree with every word. We have the right to disagree with the boss but in my opinion any “fan” who allows themselves to be brainwashed by the scum and Sunday scum is not needed, when i red the reports about Raffa’s crazy game outburst i wondered what was going on - when you hear him yourself he was just saying it was an open game (something he works all week to prevent)The man loves the club and works tirelessly for the cause + HE HAS WON TROPHYS AND WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. Disagree with some of his decisions (god knows i do) but fans who follow the heard and use the language of the gutter press need to examine what this club strives to stand for and maybe look elsewhere.

GODS LEFT BOOT on February 5, 2009 @ 11:21 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12450>all i have to say is (FACT) rafa 2 trophies houllier 3 in 1 season whilst playing the same defensive garbage sometimes blind faith is not enough, 4 seasons and all he’s done is turn us into a two man team

rich on February 6, 2009 @ 4:26 am</B>

<A name=comment-12451>I well balanced article i most enjoyed. I have been really annoyed with so called fans who have been slating Rafa, as you said this isnt the time to judge when we are in such a strong position. I have a theory on the Keane saga, he was clearly a Parry buy, yes he may have been on Rafas wish list but i’m convinced he was at least 3rd choice after Barry and Riera, and was valued far less than what we paid. Rafa plays 4-2-3-1 and keane doesnt really fit but if we paid £10mil he would have been a good squad addition. Now if we’d got Barry we simply wouldnt be using Lucas, and the talk of alonso leaving was untrue as we’d have spent the £20mil from the Keane transfer on Barry and i think Rafa knew that Xabi and masch would be tired after last summer. With Stevie in an advanced role we look short in Centre midfield if anythin happened to xabi or masch(LUCAS or PLESSIS anyone? lol). Riera was signed so that Babel could play more as a striker.

Dr Jones on February 6, 2009 @ 9:30 am</B>

<A name=comment-12452>I reckon I could manage a team with Pepe, Jamie, Steven and ‘Nando in it and win games. Managers are measured by success on the pitch, but they should also be looked at for the stuff off it.
His transfer dealings, Torres aside, have been hopeless. We have far too many average players in our side and that was obvious by the way we collapsed after Steven’s departure at <A href="http://www.thisisanfield.com/tags/everton" target=_self>Everton. Lucas was never going to get that game going, nor was he going to afford Alonso enough protection to do the same. Dossena / Arbeloa ? very unconvincing.
What about the academy? So much a focus for Houlier, tons of investment went in. And what have we got to show for it in the first team? Nothing.
Rafa’s petulant behaviour at press conferences is frankly embarrasing. Fergie must be laughing his red head off at some of his outbursts.
The problem of course is, if not Rafa then who else? (and the answer is obvious of course and hope he brings Gareth Barry with him).

kilauea on February 6, 2009 @ 9:56 am</B>

@ Rich
It’s took 5 years for Rafa to overhaul the terrible squad he inherited from Houllier with only the home grown lads and Hyypia left. All done with limited funds, you can argue about how much we’ve spent but the fact is we have a budget each transfer window and if Rafa needs four or five cheaper players then surely thats better than blowing our budget on 1 player who could flop (Shevchenko) FACT The expensive players we’ve bought haven’t flopped, Torres, masch, xabi etc compared to Houlliers Next Zidanes from France (Cisse was our record buy til Torres) but in buying squad players on the cheap is always a gamble but we have some gems in Skrtel, agger and personally i think Riera’s doing superb since everyone expected him to flop after he was at city years back. Secondly to say were a two man team is utter rubbish, Carra, agger, skrtel, Masch, Xabi and Reina would walk into any team. Football is more than just scoring goals and if Rafa got the targets he identified without Parry’s interferance you could add to the list Barry, Ronaldo, Vidic etc.
Come back when you have a proper arguement. Back Rafa, YNWA.

Dr Jones on February 6, 2009 @ 10:06 am</B>

<A name=comment-12454>Tetteh, you are a joke , with your senseless article. You have made a fool of yourself , you twit. You must be a rafa sucker. Mark my words, Liverpool would never win the league under Rafa.

glacis on February 6, 2009 @ 11:08 am</B>

<A name=comment-12455>@ kilauea
Quality players Rafas bought = agger, skrtel, Masch, Xabi and Reina.
re The academy - Rafa has invested in young players to add to our brilliant academy. The youth and reserve team ARE succesful FACT. The reserves won their league last seaon and we have also won the FA youth cup as well.
If you are refering to Mourinho, then firstly he doesnt play attractive football, resulting in him losing the <A href="http://www.thisisanfield.com/tags/chelsea/" target=_self>Chelsea job, he inherited a good team ie Lampard and cole were bought by Ranieri and terry is an academy graduate. Mourinho had so much money to spend and bought just as many flops, Kalou and malouda are terrible. Drogba and essien were good buys but were are the young players coming through? I think Fergie made this point about Chelsea being an ageing team and thats why there no were near as good anymore.

Dr Jones on February 6, 2009 @ 11:22 am</B>

Tetteh’s article is the most sane I’ve encountered thus far on the whole recent LFC saga. Soccer’s such an emotive issue that it’s easy to get carried away and lose perspective.
(By the way, greetings to all club fans everywhere from this 71-year-old codger in Cape Town, South Africa who’s been an ardent LFC supporter for most of his life — my Dad was a scouser who came out and settled here around 1900.

LFC4ever on February 6, 2009 @ 11:28 am</B>

<A name=comment-12457>@ glacis
How can you call the writer of the article without having a valid arguement?

Dr Jones on February 6, 2009 @ 11:34 am</B>

<A name=comment-12458>I have been an avid Liverpool supporter since 1966. I’ve seen the glorious Bill Shankly years, and those wonderful seemingly never ending winning seasons with Bob Paisley, Joe ************an and Kenny Dalglish. This was the BOOT ROOM dynasty. Most fans will be aware of its significance in the past successes of the club. Started by Shankly in 1959, its philosophy oversaw the constant string of trophies that proudly adorned the Liverpool trophy cabinets. It was quite simply run; immediately after every match, manager, trainer and other respected members of the back room staff would analyse all the rights and wrongs of the match just played, and if needed players were dropped and replaced by others. BUT only if needed! Rotation was never contemplated. It would serve no purpose other than to disrupt team unity and the tactical understanding between team members.
The Boot Room was destroyed by Graeme Souness in 1991 who wanted to ‘manage the club his way’. He failed miserably partly due to his incapability to man manage. I believe the club has never recovered from the damage inflicted by him.
Roy Evans was appointed manager to restore the old Boot Room ways and hopefully the glory days but failed in his quest. Ever since Liverpool has struggled to constantly find its true place amongst the football giants of the world. We are no longer feared as before.
Gerard Houllier was not good enough and could not deliver ‘The Holy Grail’ of League Champions albeit we welcomed the several trophies that were won.
<A href="http://www.thisisanfield.com/tags/rafa-benitez/" target=_self>Rafa Benitez has now had over 4 years and been given adequate funds to develop a championship team. He has failed. HE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. The present team apart from Reina, Carragher, Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres and possibly Skrtel are just not up to par. Yes Kuyt runs his heart out and his work ethic is outstanding but he is a striker not a winger and if the manager would play him through the centre and partner Torres in the box, I believe he could be a prolific goal scorer for Liverpool.
However team selection is a minefield and it is impossible for everybody to agree on the best eleven.
So who’s best for the manager’s job? I have a few ideas but again it’s a minefield. What I am sure of, is that until we can get as close as possible to the old boot room ways and get somebody who can man manage, be fair and play the best eleven for every match ‘The Holy Grail’ will keep eluding us.
Regarding our position in the league at the moment, whilst most fans would have relished the thought of being 2nd place in February at the beginning of the season, lets be honest, if Man U and Chelsea had played as consistently as last season we would not be as close as we are. And talking of consistency, THAT’S what wins titles. Benitez is only consistent with rotation!!

kopthelot on February 6, 2009 @ 4:46 pm</B>

Thank you Tetteh.
This article should be required reading for all Reds - and I daresay, the London Media Mafia.
Bhupendra Solanki

bhupendraLFC on February 6, 2009 @ 9:28 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12461>kilauea wrote (February 6, 2009 @ 9:56 am):
What about the academy? So much a focus for Houlier, tons of investment went in. And what have we got to show for it in the first team? Nothing.
Just in case you haven’t been paying atention, the Reserves won their League last year.
They have also won their FA Cup competition two years in a row.
Academy players who have come through under Rafa :
<A href="http://www.thisisanfield.com/players/insua/" target=_self>Emiliano Insua - a quality left back
Damien Plessis - promising midfielder
David Ngog - exciting striking prospect
As Tetteh mentoined, when Rafa took over in 2004, he had a major rebuikding job on his hands.
Did you exprect instant success?
How about trning an ordinary team into European Champions & FA Cup winners in the first two seasons - more than Ferguson managed in his first 4 years.
Get behind the team.
Right now, more than ever, we ALL need to pull together.
No tile success is perfect.
Even Bob Paisley’s sides had their blips.
Bhupendra Solanki

bhupendraLFC on February 6, 2009 @ 9:38 pm</B>

well written and well said if it was nt for raffa our expectations would nt be so high i think we should give him his contract with full control over transfers remember its not that long ago we lost out on signing daniel alves because liverpool board would nt 12 million for a right back who two seasons later is valued at over 20 if we dont back raffa now then its back to the wilderness with only memories of the 2008 2009 the year we came so close get behind raffa and this could be the start of a whole new era reddaz

reddaz74 on February 6, 2009 @ 11:21 pm</B>

<A name=comment-12463>Well in Tetteh, nicely made points, as are those of the other posts bar a few from a few idiots (you know who you are!)Kopthelot, you at least make your views with sane reasoning, but this isn’t 1966 or 1986! I too have been a red since the 60’s and Rafa is a great manager. We have great expectations - WE ARE LIVERPOOL FC. But we have no divine right to win anything because of our history. Only one team can win the League, lets hope it is us, but WE ARE going in the right direction. ****************, some of you guys want to sack the manager if we draw 1 game and he makes a team selection that you and the ****************e scum rag disagrees with. Wake up! As for we are only in this position because of Mancs and Chelseas slip ups, what a stupid thing to say! How about they are only still in the race because of our slip ups! Yeah, it’s as stupid as saying that! This is football - the overall standard of the prem has risen. Who can pick the results and who would want to? This is football, the game we love. Stop whinging and get real. Get behind the team that you love, although listening to some of the crap banded around by so called Reds lately (and any time things are not 100%), I seriously doubt you truly know what supporting and loving this great football club is about. C’mon Redmen, get behind the team. Nice one to all you positive guys out there. Lets fill the comments from people like you and keep the haters away from anything to do with LIVERPOOL FC.

Red-Ted on February 7, 2009 @ 8:45 am</B>

<A name=comment-12465>I am proud to say that I am a life long Liverpool supporter and remember so many good things about Liverpool football club but to be honest I’ve never known anything quite like what is happening at the club at the moment.
Rafa splashed all over the media and internet saying he’s lost it. Tabloids gleefully reporting about board room squabbles, ownership issues and tug of war ranglings between the chief executive and manager, but what is really sad, is that it seems some of our once loyal and die hard supporters are actually believing and agreeing with this twaddle.
I remember the 2005/06 season when yet again Rafa was being splashed all over the papers after our FC cup defeat to Burnley, making out he didn’t understand the English game, that the club was in disarray and the fans were beginning to turn on him. However, what these people seem to be forgetting quiet easily is that the very same season in May we won the European Cup! Also, the following season when Rafa decided to show the world that he did understand the English game and take the FC cup seriously we won it! The following season again with Rafa at the helm we reached yet another European Cup final. My point is this. We are in the best position in the league for 19 years. In Rafa we have a manager who in the past has had many of his decisions questioned many times, but who has gone on to prove the doubters wrong and has won these cups with possibly a smaller squad than we have now. Granted some of his signings are not of the quality we would expect as die hard reds, but again I reiterate we have still won cups (and not Mickey Mouse ones either).
I remember watching Sunday Supplement at the beginning of the season and most of the journalists predicted Utd would win the league. However, since the Newcastle 5-1 win in December all we have had is negative press. I wonder why this is. Is it because these so called intelligent men didn’t think that we would be in the position that we were and were worried that we might thwart Fergie’s crown!! The problem is (and this is what I meant by never knowing this happen before at our club) is that our fans are believing it and going along with it. Why?
I have been on many websites <A href="http://forums.thisisanfield.com/" target=_self>forums and watched many sports channels having discussions and debates. I have to say I am getting increasingly fed up reading some of the Liverpool fans saying negative and bad things about Rafa, the team and basically everything connected with our football club. What is getting really apparent is that the rabble from down the motorway are relishing in it. People are forgetting that earlier this season we played Utd without both Gerrard and Torres and got three points and I don’t recall Robbie Keane scoring either!!!
I know that things are not great at our club at the moment and haven’t been since the Americans took over. Maybe by summer 09 the owners , Rick Parry and even Rafa might be gone (who knows). The point is that at the moment is these people are here and we are only two points behind the league leaders yet we are pressing our own self destruct button.
So I call on all red fans all over the world. Please just for the next 15 weeks put all feelings, opinions and emotions on hold, and put our trust in these people that have delivered in the past, and do what we do best, which is support the best football team in the world and knock Utd of their perch.
YNWA

Jo90 on February 7, 2009 @ 10:06 am</B>

FACT: the league table doesn’t lie, and it suggests Rafa is leading us to solid improvement, that we’re catching up to our rivals. Tetteh, we are only in second place now because Man U had a slow start, <A href="http://www.thisisanfield.com/tags/chelsea/" target=_self>Chelsea had been weakened with a mediorce manager, Arsenal fantasy with those kids. Come may we will be lucky to finish 4th now Aston Villa is putting a strong challenge.If Rafa is making such big improvement, why are we struggling to beat teams like Stoke, Fulham,ect. why cant we beat those teams at home ? About those average players Rafa had bought , the likes of Kuyt, Lucas, Dosena, degen, Yossi ect . I am looking forward to read your version of things at the end of the season. My prediction will be three consecutive season without a trophy. All due to that spanish waiter .What is wrong with Liverpool ? ever since Daglish left we have nothing but mediorce managers.I have followed Liverpool for 40 years and have resigned to the facts that Liverpool will not win the league in my lifetime. Hope i am proved wrong.

glacis on February 7, 2009 @ 10:56 am</B>

I Still trust rafa 100% . I mean we are second in the league a win against pompey this evening and we’ll be temporally top .I think we can still win the league but we need all our fans to get behind the manager not taking sides with the press .
nick