Re: The Football Chat Thread : Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:04 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

, we just had an outstanding run and were managed by a world class coach.

.....I appreciate that you are angling for a reaction, but is that the same 'world-class' coach who let an Everton side, which had just sold its best player, to finish above them in the league???

Your 2005 triumph was simply one of those magical footballing upsets which happen occasionally....Greece winning the Euros, Wimbledon winning the Cup, etc.....The coaching was a small part of it, a lot of luck and inspired play (mainly from Gerrard) was the major factor - Benitez clung onto the coatails and enjoyed the ride.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:56 pm  

The Spanish national press and television have all condemned Madrid today. Some of the accusations I've seen or heard are 'butchers', 'violent' and 'dangerous'. I haven't seen or heard from TeleMadrid yet, but I would be amazed if they have joined in the chorus of criticism, as they're about as neutral as Phil Thompson watching a Merseyside derby.
I genuinely think the tide is turning against Mourinho and Madrid fans are starting to lose patience with his tactics in the big games, which are, as Robbie rightly pointed out, when they play Barcelona.
There were only two of the main Madrid players I still had any respect for before last night's game, but after Xabi Alonso's performance that's now been reduced to just Iker Casillas. For me it's clear that Pepe and Alonso were there in centre midfield for one reason only. Stop Barcelona dictating the tempo of the game at all costs. I'd like to think that it was Mourinho's instructions that led Alonso to go hunting. Pepe needs no invitation.

To the game itself and I thought Sanchez was brilliant and had Coentrao in all kinds of trouble. It was comical when Sergio Ramos had to cover as Coentrao had pushed up. Whatever happened to the days of Ramos being one of, if not the best full back in La Liga? The Madrid front three were virtually non-existent whereas when Barcelona attacked they did so with confidence and assured, controlled football. After having a nightmare against Betis, Iniesta was back to something like his best and when Xavi and him are on form they're the best central midfield pairing in the world.
One statistic that I saw last night gives you an idea of just how superior Barcelona were. Pinto completed 25 passes, with only Xabi Alonso (34) completing more for Madrid.

Football fans are notoriously fickle and if Madrid do win the league and/or the Champions League then I'm sure all will be bright and rosy... for a while.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:08 am  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

:lol: .....I appreciate that you are angling for a reaction, but is that the same 'world-class' coach who let an Everton side, which had just sold its best player, to finish above them in the league???

Your 2005 triumph was simply one of those magical footballing upsets which happen occasionally....Greece winning the Euros, Wimbledon winning the Cup, etc.....The coaching was a small part of it, a lot of luck and inspired play (mainly from Gerrard) was the major factor - Benitez clung onto the coatails and enjoyed the ride.

It's a matter of opinion and you're entitled to yours, but I do believe Benitez is a great coach and easily one of the best around. There's no doubting Liverpool struggled at times under Benitez, but there's also no doubting that Benitez put Liverpool up there with Europe's best sides and made Liverpool one of the most feared sides in Europe. I was in favour of Benitez going and I still don't regret it now, but I'll always defend the man and his reign at Liverpool. He changed so much about the club that other supporters will never get.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:45 am  

Roddy B wrote:

Benitez put Liverpool up there with Europe's best sides and made Liverpool one of the most feared sides in Europe.

As you said, everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but surely you don't really believe that statement. In 2004/05 you didn't even win your group, losing to bloody Olympiacos after having to go through the qualifiers. As defending champions you were put out by Benfica in the first knockout round, losing home and away. The big difference between the first and second final against Milan was that in the 2007 final the Italians didn't lose their concentration allowing you to get into the game. If Benítez really is one of the all-time greats, why is it that he's been unemployed since Inter kicked him out in 2010?


Eighteen years ago to the day that the great Sir Matt Busby left us.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:36 pm  

Catalancs wrote:

As you said, everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but surely you don't really believe that statement. In 2004/05 you didn't even win your group, losing to bloody Olympiacos after having to go through the qualifiers. As defending champions you were put out by Benfica in the first knockout round, losing home and away. The big difference between the first and second final against Milan was that in the 2007 final the Italians didn't lose their concentration allowing you to get into the game. If Benítez really is one of the all-time greats, why is it that he's been unemployed since Inter kicked him out in 2010.

Look who we beat over the years with Benitez in K.O stages. Juventus, Chelsea, Barcelona, Chelsea again, Inter, Arsenal during arguably their best season out of all the trophyless seasons, in our last season that we reached the K.O. stages, we thumped Madrid but eventually bowed out to Chelsea. Under Benitez, I was confident we could beat pretty much any side outside of England, when the draws eventually came, I was quite happy for us to get sides like Inter, Madrid and even Barca, simply because we were better. I'm sure if you could go back over the years and go to the draws, I imagine that if you spoke to club execs and asked who they'd like to avoid, the answer would usually have been "The English sides", which definitely included Liverpool.

As for why he's been out of the game for so long, well, I think that's his own choice and I still feel if Kenny left the club, or the owners felt like he wasn't the man to turn us around, Benitez would be the first man to apply for the job.

I've spoken before about why he didn't succeed at Inter, it was never his type of club and he was never going to succeed unless he was allowed to make drastic changes to the first team set up. Benitez is a man devoid of much emotional attachment to his players, but in Italy, particularly at the bigger clubs like Inter and Milan, it's the complete opposite. They will keep players even when they aren't good enough because they are 'friends of the club'. I think if he was given a longer period and more faith was put in his ideas, he would have done really well. Inter just wanted a coach, somebody to win matches, Rafa wanted to change the club and the entire culture there. Mourinho embraced Inter, he embraced the 'family-like' relationship with the players, Benitez was the complete opposite and he was destined to fail from the summer. I'm sure he'll look back and say he regrets going into a club like that, but it happened and I guess he's now waiting for a club to come along that's ambitious but willing to let him transform the club.

Just a little snippet from Didi Hamann's book if you're interested.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:10 pm  

Benitez was a useful coach but in no way can he be described as 'great' ! - respected by his peers maybe but not 'great'.
some of his substitutions were dubious to say the least not to mention the amount of points they must have cost LFC over his period in charge

the word 'GREAT' is reserved for the likes of Clough,Nicholson,Revie,Mercer,Mee,Busby,Shanks & the rest...

it's not a word to be thrown around willy nilly

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:34 pm  

They never mentioned it on the coverage, but I don't think there's been a single foul been given in the first half between Norwich and Chelsea.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:02 pm  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

They never mentioned it on the coverage, but I don't think there's been a single foul been given in the first half between Norwich and Chelsea.

They mentioned it on 5 Live. Not very often that happens in a game.

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:20 pm  

Robbie Keane is only the seventh player to score in the Premier League for six different clubs.

Took Norwich +0.5 this morning and one man in particular helped me out. It's sad to see, but Torres' confidence looks completely shot. At the moment I doubt he could finish his dinner.

Karl Henry. Is there a nastier player in the Premier League?

Re: The Football Chat Thread : Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:57 pm  

Please for the love of god Moyes, just go now. I'd happily swap Blackburn for Steve Kean given how Moyes is doing currently.

Everton are in real danger this season. I can't honestly see them winning any more that one or two games before the end of the season and if the bottom clubs start to pick up points, Everton could well go down.