Liverpool fans and ex-players turn on Rafa

[Dunny]

RAFA BENITEZ faced a ferocious backlash last night from Liverpool's supporters, players and club legends.

Thousands of fans called for the Kop boss to quit in the wake of Wednesday's FA Cup humiliation by Reading.
Anfield great Ronnie Whelan said: "He should have gone a long time ago. They've got to do it now."
And as the pressure mounted, Alex McLeish and Guus Hiddink emerged as contenders for Rafa's job.
Even Fernando Torres warned the Kop's Yank owners to sign quality players - or face meltdown.
The Spanish striker - out for six weeks after tearing a knee ligament on Wednesday - said: "We finished second last season and this one should have been the chance for us to do something great.
"But it hasn't been the case and it's now the owners' turn. They have to sign players so that this does not happen again.
"We need a much more complete squad. We need more genuinely first-class players and we cannot let our best players leave."
Calls for Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish to step in as an emergency caretaker intensified yesterday.
Owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett must re- finance the debt they accrued buying Liverpool so cannot promise a huge transfer kitty for any new boss.
They believe Birmingham manager McLeish would be the ideal manager to get the best out of the current squad and operate within a limited budget.


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The Scot has 18 months left on his Brum deal, worth around £800,000 a year.
Liverpool believe they would have to pay around £1million compensation to get their man now but a lot less if they wait until the summer.
Hiddink, who is also a Juventus target, is free to find another job after Roman Abramovich stopped funding his £6m-a-year role as Russia's national coach.
Defeat by Reading means Liverpool now have only the Europa League to aim for - plus an outside chance of making the Premier League's top four.
Torres added: "We didn't want to win the Europa League at the start of the season. Now we have to win it."

[Peter R]

Rafa is one person...right now he IS under stress...but the players themselves need to find testicular fortitude. THEY panicked on Wednesday... and of all people Benayoun! anyway, if they (fans and club legends) are looking for a "Mancini" good luck to them...Mancini came into Man City with a fabulous squad to mould... Liverpool is sadly lacking in quality players.

[Me]

Lack of quality is due to Rafa's poor purchases. Man spend good money on average talent.

[Peter R]

We've gone over this already, and those who chose NOT to see the growth under Rafa can remain blind-folded.

The armchair critics always have the benefit of hindsight and can run dem mout'. ahhh bwoyyy.

[Gamma]

poor man management on his part...i think he has the talent.

[Me]

Does he have them in a better position than those before him and where the alternatives can have them? Yes

Has he made many poor purchases that many knew and said were poor? Yes

Current predicament is his bad spending.

[Dunny]

We've gone over this already, and those who chose NOT to see the growth under Rafa can remain blind-folded.

The armchair critics always have the benefit of hindsight and can run dem mout'. ahhh bwoyyy.

Peter,Liverpool almost won the title last season with those same players,so what all of a sudden the become bad players?

[Lazie]

Peter,Liverpool almost won the title last season with those same players,so what all of a sudden the become bad players?

Almost? Yuh recall the 200m semis with Bolt and Crawford where Bolt was just jogging while looking at Crawford? At least Crawford can say him almost win. I think yuh may have a point.

[Dunny]

In my opinion Benetez is overrated,me and X have had a few arguments on the forum but i stand by my opinion.Benetez is far too dependent on the cheque book and he's bought too many players that haven't made a difference to his team.

[Jangle]

Yuh better mind Xcuse come box yuh with him Book of Xcuses. Rafa a the greatest thing since slice bread fe him.

[Peter R]

Trading in players is dynamic and it is an ebb and flow...are you are suggesting that he is bad judge of talent? If you asked me when he bought Babel for example I thought that was a good buy...looks like it is good-bye now for he hasn't risen to the occasions. But as they say hindsight is 20 20 and many of us are gifted with it.

I suspect as Gamma says it has more to do with the mental attitude of the players rather than their ability. While I am contradicting what I said earlier, I would have to believe that a team that had more confidence in itself would not have caved in to Reading... mentally they need direction and maybe this is where Rafa isn't performing.

[Karl]

Trading in players is dynamic and it is an ebb and flow...are you are suggesting that he is bad judge of talent? If you asked me when he bought Babel for example I thought that was a good buy...looks like it is good-bye now for he hasn't risen to the occasions. But as they say hindsight is 20 20 and many of us are gifted with it.

I suspect as Gamma says it has more to do with the mental attitude of the players rather than their ability. While I am contradicting what I said earlier, I would have to believe that a team that had more confidence in itself would not have caved in to Reading... mentally they need direction and maybe this is where Rafa isn't performing.

What is the difference in player personnel...last year's squad that he managed so well to this years stumbling lot?

[Peter R]

Does the absence of one player make such a difference? i'm referring to X. Alonso... maybe? Injury to Torres hasn't helped and Mascherano out in the Reading game left Liverpool thin in the back. I would like to see us buy a guy like McAnuff...did you see that run he made from his side of the centre circle to the shot that just missed the post? Would have made the goal of the season for sure.

I think however that other clubs have stepped up to the plate. Last year ManU, Chelsea and Arsenal lost 4, 5 and 6 games respectively over the entire season...so far this year those teams in the same order have lost 5, 3 and 4 just half way through. Liverpool has fallen from just 2 last year to 7 so far (and I'm only talking EPL here) ....it seems that somehow we've lost a step in the defence. The Greek has been a disappointment (is what happen to him anyway?) and the club simply has spent no money to bolster the defence nor to help Torres.

The jury is still out on Aquilani but what I've seen is encouraging, though I'm not sure he is worth what we paid. Hopefully, he will rise to the challenges we are facing.

[Karl]

Does the absence of one player make such a difference? i'm referring to X. Alonso... maybe? Injury to Torres hasn't helped and Mascherano out in the Reading game left Liverpool thin in the back. I would like to see us buy a guy like McAnuff...did you see that run he made from his side of the centre circle to the shot that just missed the post? Would have made the goal of the season for sure.

I think however that other clubs have stepped up to the plate. Last year ManU, Chelsea and Arsenal lost 4, 5 and 6 games respectively over the entire season...so far this year those teams in the same order have lost 5, 3 and 4 just half way through. Liverpool has fallen from just 2 last year to 7 so far (and I'm only talking EPL here) ....it seems that somehow we've lost a step in the defence. The Greek has been a disappointment (is what happen to him anyway?) and the club simply has spent no money to bolster the defence nor to help Torres.

The jury is still out on Aquilani but what I've seen is encouraging, though I'm not sure he is worth what we paid. Hopefully, he will rise to the challenges we are facing.

I for some reason Gerrard has lost his motivation...and is merely going through the motions. I think that is where your team switched off. Perhaps Gerrard just got worn out and there is no replacement at your club.

For me he loses the ball much more often and has been out at vital times. If you still with Rafa and bring in support for Gerrard in the midfield...play Babel regularly you can be back in the mix.

How far was the Arsenal off the pace not too long ago? As I said, this is a season where no match is easy. get back your fight and shore up the team as I suggest...you could be back in it. You, X and Mankind 'pool is not so far off the pace as the naysayers are making it out to be.

[Dunny]

GRAEME SOUNESS is begging Rafa Benitez to quit Anfield.

Former Liverpool hero Souness wants Kop legend Kenny Dalglish to take over at the helm in an attempt to stabilise the club.
The Merseysiders are in disarray and Souness - who collected five league titles and three European Cups during his time at Liverpool - wants Spaniard Benitez to show some dignity by walking away.
Souness said: "He has had almost six seasons at Anfield now and I think it's been long enough.
"He needs to look closely at where he has taken the club in that time and if he's honest with himself must surely realise now that it's not happening for him.
"It's not an easy decision to come to - as I know all too well myself.
"It has been suggested that it would make a bad situation worse if Rafa were to walk away now, midseason, but I don't think so.
"Kenny Dalglish is there and I think the sensible thing to do would be to ask him to take over the reins until the end of the season, were Benitez to go now. Rafa simply hasn't provided value for money for the considerable amount of money that's been spent during his watch.
"He has managed to win two competitions but both of them were really won by Steven Gerrard, who has carried that team on his back alone at times."
Souness also fears star players Fernando Torres and Gerrard - who are both crocked - are losing belief in the Reds.
He added: "They have looked dispirited.
"Whether that's because of niggling injuries they've had to deal with or whether they are cheesed off with the team management and direction of the club, only they know.
"Without Torres and Gerrard, they'll always struggle."