The Big Footy Liverpool Army Part 2

[bus24]

More interesting was his careful correction when it was put to him that he had spent £20 million on Robbie Keane, a player he is hardly using to the full: "The club spent £20m on him."

If that didn't back up the rumour that Parry went out and got Keane, then I don't know what does. It did coincide with the opening of that big merchandise place in Dublin after all.

It's all pretty obvious now, given the hoo ha about the terms that he wants on his contract.

Keane has become a useless pawn in the battle between Parry and Benitez. A 20m pound pawn. Only at Anfield.

---------------------

18s lost 3-2 in the mini derby yesterday. They leak goals like a sieve, but gee they're entertaining.

Guess who scored both goals again?

Yup. Got it in one. My boy, LDV!!!

 

[TorresIsGod]

Rumous are that Lauri Dalla Valli is going to start against Chelsea.

 

[bus24]

Dalla Valle is just insanely, freakishly good.

I can't find a fault in his game, except that he'd struggle playing at centre half.

He's just amazing. Swoon.

 

[bus24]

Rafa Benitez turns into Gerard Houllier

By CHRIS BASCOMBE, 31/01/2009

WHEN Rafa Benitez’s name was first put to the Liverpool board in October 2003, one director objected.

“He looks a bit like a Spanish Gerard Houllier to me,” said the cautionary voice.

Once he had arrived at Anfield the following summer, Benitez proceeded to dismantle any such fears, providing a welcome antidote to the erratic, paranoid ramblings which undermined the last two years of Houllier’s reign.

Deep into his fifth season on Merseyside, there are worrying signs of Benitez’s gradual transformation into the Houllier who departed Liverpool.

You could be forgiven for thinking there’s an Anfield script for under-siege bosses. Talk of ‘five-year plans’ carries a déjà vu warning, while the old ditty about how long it took Sir Alex Ferguson to win his first title has become a timeless classic.

Like Houllier, the pragmatic, likeable and brilliant coach who won silverware in his first two seasons, Benitez has now become a perplexing figure, a man struggling with a persecution complex.

It speaks volumes when the most lucrative managerial deal in Anfield history is presented as an act which undermines rather than reassures him.

Naturally, he has found ammunition thanks to the behind-the-scenes shambles, although he’s as much a beneficiary as victim. Four of Liverpool’s six-man board wanted Benitez’s position as manager reviewed last summer, and the same individuals believe there should be serious discussion about his future this May if he doesn’t sustain a title challenge.

A defeat to Chelsea today may even test his alliance with the fickle Tom Hicks, who must agree to his co-owner’s wish to shelve Benitez’s contract offer. That would undoubtedly signal the beginning of the end of his reign.

Boardroom dissenters felt compelled to agree to Hicks’ demand for a contract extension while Liverpool were top of the league last December.

They also felt they were serving the will of The Kop and herein lies one of the reasons Liverpool managers are vulnerable to an ascent into presumed dictatorship. The Anfield dugout is acclaimed unlike any in world football. Once he has won the hearts and minds of the people, a Liverpool manager inspires religious devotion.
Sacrilege

Houllier enjoyed this for a time between 2001-02 and post-Istanbul Benitez was afforded the same status. Both have learnt to milk it during times of stress. Benitez has played ‘the fan card’ so much lately he could enjoy a profitable poker career.

On the back of such affection, the affable, intelligent, quietly-spoken modesty which typified their early years gives way to an erratic, megalomaniac pursuit of self-preservation and self-congratulation — but not enough self-assessment.

Criticism used to be brushed off but is now viewed as an act of sacrilege. Houllier used to go through Press cuttings with a highlighter pen in order to dress down detractors. Benitez has appointed his own media watchdog, Juan Francesco, to report to him on every critical sentence uttered in print, TV, radio or on Liverpool websites.

The disintegration of Houllier’s regime was traced to the departure of his right-hand man, Patrice Bergues, after the 2001 treble.

Again, the parallels are unavoidable. Rafa’s chief scout Paco Herrera and assistant manager Pako Ayesteran were voices of wisdom who have gone, replaced by backroom devotees who react to every Benitez decision with gushing applause rather than analysis.

“There’s no one there to say ‘no’ to him any more,” said one Anfield source.
Expectations

Add to this a cautious tactical approach. Houllier used to order print-outs of the number of shots on goal and corners Liverpool won to distribute to disbelieving journalists. Benitez trotted out a statistic about the number of goals Liverpool scored last season when asked if he was ‘too defensive’.

His press conferences are also becoming an echo. In November 2002, Houllier stated: “We have been a victim of our own success after doing so well last year. But it is good people had greater expectations this season.”

This month, Benitez said: “Everyone thinks this is the year because expectations are so high. We are where we are because we’re doing things right.”

Rafa would be wise to learn from Houllier’s fate. Anything but victory over Chelsea and a vast improvement in body, mind and behaviour will ensure the attention switches away from the boardroom and stays on the dugout.
Analyst

That may assist the players who admit the pressure appears to be focused elsewhere. For Xabi Alonso, Liverpool have been talking the talk but not walking the walk this year.

“Playing well is what gets you respect,” he said. “If anyone talks too much and doesn’t perform, he is danger of losing respect from other professionals.”

After his rants against Ferguson, Everton and contract dissatisfaction, Benitez should listen to such sage advice. It would be a good start for Rafa to ask his media analyst to find cuttings of how he managed the club between 2004-2006. That was when he made a habit of overseeing miracles to win trophies.

If he’s going to end Liverpool’s wait for the title, he needs another one.

If that media spy thing is true, well then he really has lost the plot.

(and for Benitez's sake I hope his spy doesn't visit BigFooty. He wouldn't like it )

 

[TorresIsGod]

Dalla Valle is just insanely, freakishly good.

I can't find a fault in his game, except that he'd struggle playing at centre half.

He's just amazing. Swoon.

Would he really struggle there?

With Liverpool's ridiculous amount of possession, he could pretty much be named at centre half but play as a central midfielder

He could be the most prolific goal scoring central defender in world football history

 

[Pie Legend]

Do you know who the director who objected was?

 

[grimlock]

Rumous are that Lauri Dalla Valli is going to start against Chelsea.

Is he going be the tyke that holds Gerrard's hand when they walk out?

 

[bus24]

Do you know who the director who objected was?

Well Bascombe is a Rick Parry mouthpiece.......

 

[MadMac]

Torrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssss

 

[SouthSwans]

TORRESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Roos4eva]

What a man.

 

[Roos4eva]

Benayoun was huge when he came on, was definitely a super sub.

It's a good feeling to know that we're still in the race, ever so slightly. We need to use this as our springboard, and not fail to capitalise v Pompey.

 

[Korn]

Kuyt OUT
Benayoun IN
That's what I like to see our starting lineup from now on.

Look how good we can be when we have made good attacking substitutes!!

 

[jod23]

Fernando Torres!!!

CMON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[topdon]

I'd turn gay for him!

 

[A Bit High]

I'd turn gay for him!

Seems as if its to late

 

[bus24]

I've had about 2 hours sleep max and about to get ready for work, but I really couldn't care this morning.

Boy's a ****ing magician

 

[Pie Legend]

Nice stuff Bus!

Gees, Chelsea are woeful. In all the big games this season they have been right of the boil. Could not get near the goal. Big changes needed

Still in it..for now..

 

[bus24]

Thought Ste' was great last night. Influential as ever, and created the first goal. He was everywhere.

Should never be moved from that attacking midfield/second striker role. It's almost like having 2 players on the field, because he can bust a gut to get back into midfield, or get forward to create or get on the end of things.

Bin Keane, and get somebody for the RW. Probably a bit late now. Donkey Dirk. He has to go.

 

[grimlock]

Thought Ste' was great last night. Influential as ever, and created the first goal. He was everywhere.

Should never be moved from that attacking midfield/second striker role. It's almost like having 2 players on the field, because he can bust a gut to get back into midfield, or get forward to create or get on the end of things.

Bin Keane, and get somebody for the RW. Probably a bit late now. Donkey Dirk. He has to go.

Needs to work on his diving.

Alonso has been involved in the sendings off of 5 opposition players this season (Vidic, Cahill, Zabaleta, Valencia, Lampard).

 

[moomba]

Alonso has been involved in the sendings off of 5 opposition players this season (Vidic, Cahill, Zabaleta, Valencia, Lampard).

How many justified I wonder?

Cahill I think was, Zabaleta was, can't recall Vidic, Valencia from memory was a bad decision and Lampard was wrong.

 

[bus24]

Cahill, Zabaleta, Vidic got a second yellow, but should've been straight red anyway - all correct.
Valencia was 50/50 but you could justify it. Lampard was wrong.

 

[grimlock]

Cahill - Yes (late challenge)
Zabaleta - Yes (2 footed tackle)
Vidic - 2nd yellow was justified (Arm in face of Xabi)
Valencia - Also a 2nd yellow which I think was justified. It was the first one, for encroaching on Gerrard's FK which was BS.
Lampard - No, but he's fat.

 

[JLC]

Saw most of the second half and will watch the full game in the next few days as i taped it.

Firstly about flipping time Benitez left Torres on the field until the game was sign sealed and delivered i.e one minute before the final whistle. I only think "what if" in relation to the other games where has was taken off early.

Although Benitez really did cut it fine when making an attacking substitution ie taking Masch off. Surely when Chelsea went down to 10 men he should have gone for the kill?

Bennynoon even though it was only a cameo looks in SUPERB touch. He has to be playing most games from now on. Could easily have scored and set up the sealer.

Kuyt looked pretty ordinary and i was surprised in some ways that it was Riera that went off? Did Riera have a poor first half?

How did Bosingwa not get red carded? Since when can you intentionally kick someone in the back? Very cheap shot.

The cynic in me says the real winners of Lampard being red carded were not us but Man United. Lampard will miss a few games suspended and Chelsea might drop a few points as a result. After all Chelsea were the team sitting second on the table going into the game. I am glad though that Torres was able to crash the party late and put us back in contention.

Did anyone notice when Torres came off that everyone on the bench EXCEPT Agger was smiling and congratulating him. Surely that might mean that Agger is on his way out? Or am i reading too much into it?

jlc

 

[folester41]

Did anyone notice when Torres came off that everyone on the bench EXCEPT Agger was smiling and congratulating him. Surely that might mean that Agger is on his way out? Or am i reading too much into it?

i saw this too, was a bit worrying. perhaps just annoyed they havent offered him a new contract, and that he isnt getting a game.