Rafa confirmed as new Chelsea boss
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hahaha
Why are we still talking about Rafa so much?
Look if you have to blame anyone for not winning the league blame Stoke and Andy Marriner who farcically overuled a perfectly good Gerrard goal in a match we drew 0-0. And then Chris Foy who should have sent Ronaldo off but sent Wilkinson off later in a match Stoke should have won as Utd were very poor and jaded coming back from the world club tournament. We were that close but blaming it on Rafa is just plain stupid.Shit happens, move on, am I bitter - yes.
The biggest single factor was that Utd just had a damn good team. Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov as a front four.
Torres also missed a third of the season with injury. People always want someone to blame, but the truth is we did damn well to get so close in the first place.
Torres also missed a third of the season with injury. People always want someone to blame, but the truth is we did damn well to get so close in the first place.
I've wondered that myself.
It's like an addiction. One more hit! I will quit straight away afterwards, I can quit whenever I want to, I just don't want to right now!
I don't think there's anything wrong in talking about how strong Manure were - they were, and that's what pushed them ahead in the end. But we lacked a proper back up to Torres (who's to blame for selling Keane mid-season?) and we had numerous very frustrating results, which people at the time were blaming on our negativity.
Sumo is right though - we should stop talking about this. Bottom line, was a very good manager (the best we've had since Kenny I with Ged), and hopefully what he started will be finished by Rodgers, or someone who succeeds him. He'll always be welcome in Liverpool I'm sure (I hope he gets given the royal treatment from us when Chelsea come to visit).
We had em though. We had em beat. We had the opportunity to push on and after Rafas facts speech we collapsed.
We came back strong and the end of the season we really pushed them.
I will never be able to shake that feeling that we blew it though. I cant see it as a well done, it will always be am if only.
It was a GREAT season though. I long for that kind of season again.
Funnily, we nearly won inspite of the Keane signing. The only player from that Summer transfer window to have any impact was Riera, and that was from us signing:
Keane £19m
Degan Free
N'Gog £1.5m
Dossena £7m
Cavalieri £3m
Riera £8m
aswell as Mendy, Weijl, Flora, Gulacsi, Poloskei, Saric (£500k) and Buchtmann
I didn't know how to rate them as both did so much for our club. I think those are the two best ones obviously since we the 90s. Not really fussed who's 1 or 2 to be fair, both have a place in our history.
I will try to make this my last comment on the man until they sing his song at Anfield when his Chav bastards come for a visit.
Houllier won 6 trophies. Rafa won 4.
Houllier left behind Hamman, Gerrard, Finnan, Hyppia, Henchoz, Riise, Carragher but not much up top.
Rafa left behind Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson, Mascherano, Torres
Pretty much of a muchness.
Overall Rafa signed better players and played a FAR more attractive kind of football.
But Houllier was less of a massive dickhead.
Houllier left behind Hamman, Gerrard, Finnan, Hyppia, Henchoz, Riise, Carragher but not much up top.
Rafa left behind Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson, Mascherano, Torres
Pretty much of a muchness.
Overall Rafa signed better players and played a FAR more attractive kind of football.
But Houllier was less of a massive dickhead.
2 of the players in Houllier's list came through the academy so I don't think he deserves that much of the credit really. A bit, but not much, and it has to be said his performance was boosted by having one of the best players in the club's history emerge for nothing. Most of the other players were past their best.
The squad was a fucking mess in 2004.
The squad was a fucking mess in 2004.
The squad that Rafa left was too, and he had alot more money to spend, tbf.
Much better than Houllier? Rafa built on what Houllier started in Europe and achieved greater things, but in the league it's much of a muchness, they both finished second once and flattered to deceive for the most part. Some great signings, some shite ones and an all too common tendency to shackle their sides, despite showing fleeting glimpses of being a real force when allowed to be more expressive and expansive.
Im only really giving Houllier credit for not selling them and having faith in them.
And our squad was as much of a mess in 2010 when Rafa left.
Personally I think Rafa is a better coach and CERTAINLY a better judge of talent.
No way does Houllier ever win the European cup or sign Alonso, Mascherano, Torres etc.
I also think the work Rafa did within the club acadamies, youth set ups, U21 teams will be paying dividends for years. Houllier didnt really leave a legacy.
All that said I think Houllier had a harder job than Rafa. We were a joke when houllier took over.
True, but imagine if Ged had been obliged to deal with Hicks and Gillett. Ged pretty much went mad in his last season just dealing, completely needlessly, with some old former players in the media. Like Rafa, I think he really would have crashed onto the island of nutcases had he endured the era of H&G. So still much of a muchness!
According to Didi, Ged was a touch a madman and behaved like a schoolmaster a lot of the time.
Different eras needed different men. Houllier built some good foundations and Rafa started to put the windows in etc. We just need a roof now!
Different eras needed different men. Houllier built some good foundations and Rafa started to put the windows in etc. We just need a roof now!
During the same period, this is the spent/sold/net
Liverpool under Rafa - 247m 134m 113m
Man Utd 188m 161m 27m
When Rafa left, all we had really that was the difference between the squad Houllier left, was Torres (also it's worth remembering that Houllier left Owen). Houllier left a better back line (Finnan, Riise, Henchoz, Carra and Hyypia vs Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Carra, Aurelio). Midfield is debatable (Hamann, Gerrard, Spud vs Lucas, Gerrard, Aquilani) Rafa left a better keeper and main striker. Neither knew how to buy a decent winger, ever.
Liverpool under Rafa - 247m 134m 113m
Man Utd 188m 161m 27m
When Rafa left, all we had really that was the difference between the squad Houllier left, was Torres (also it's worth remembering that Houllier left Owen). Houllier left a better back line (Finnan, Riise, Henchoz, Carra and Hyypia vs Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Carra, Aurelio). Midfield is debatable (Hamann, Gerrard, Spud vs Lucas, Gerrard, Aquilani) Rafa left a better keeper and main striker. Neither knew how to buy a decent winger, ever.
He may be good at tarmaccing too...
This could be my mind not remembering correctly but Cisse was a pre agreed transfer from Houllier but then he joined the summer that Rafa came in right?
I remember always thinking that Houllier's plan of having Cisse and Owen up top to suit his counter attacking style would have been immense. Obviously I wouldn't swap the Istanbul season for anything but it still leaves 'what ifs' in my mind.
I remember always thinking that Houllier's plan of having Cisse and Owen up top to suit his counter attacking style would have been immense. Obviously I wouldn't swap the Istanbul season for anything but it still leaves 'what ifs' in my mind.
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