Benitez: Liverpool expectations were too high

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=39861.msg1089994#msg1089994 date=1271674422]
[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=39861.msg1089987#msg1089987 date=1271673166]

The benefit of hindsight has shown that we over achieved last season. But given the way that we played after Xmas, it wasn't unreasonable to expect much, much better than what we have been given this season.

[/quote]

AS Vlad has mentioned any high confidence should have been wiped out after game 1.

Our fans are over optimistic to the last. Even some on here bleating on about if Spurs lose against Chelsea we are back in with a shoot.

FFS.
[/quote]

if the mancs beat spurs and arse beat man city we are in with a shot 😉

 

[Le Chacal]

Is a top 4 finish in the league and qualifying for the knock-out stage in CL a too high expectation?

Are you Everton manager Rafa?

Bye bye

 

[Farkmaster]

[quote author=Le Chacal link=topic=39861.msg1090001#msg1090001 date=1271676285]
Is a top 4 finish in the league and qualifying for the knock-out stage in CL a too high expectation?
[/quote]

Rafa expected both, that's why he's a defeated man. Gloating about it is unseemly.

I've translated that from bannable language btw, but feel free to guess what I was really thinking using that sophisticated brain of yours.

 

[amber cabs]

From Mediwach onf365


Mediawatch raised a quizzical, Roger Moore-style eyebrow this morning, not at the rather alluring young lady reading a Philip Larkin collection on the train (if you're reading this, we have all our own teeth and can stay out as late as we want), but at Rafa Benitez's insistence that some people needlessly talked up Liverpool's chances of winning the league too much last summer.

"At the beginning of the season expectations were too high," said Senor Benitez in The Daily Mirror.

Really? Which irresponsible types were saying such things?

Perhaps it was the chap who said on July 16: "You need a good atmosphere, and we have a good squad now. The understanding is really good now between the players. The main thing for me is to be contenders...We are strong enough to beat anyone and we need to be consistent. We got 86 points - a record for the club in the Premier League - but we still need to improve. But we have a lot of confidence."

Or even the charlatan who said on July 21: "We have to be strong next season. We have improved with Glen and hopefully we can do a little bit better and that will be enough...I would like to be there at the top of the table."

Or maybe it was the guy who said on August 25: "This squad is virtually the same as last season so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge."

 

[manwithnoname]

[quote author=amber cabs link=topic=39861.msg1090024#msg1090024 date=1271679620]
From Mediwach onf365


Mediawatch raised a quizzical, Roger Moore-style eyebrow this morning, not at the rather alluring young lady reading a Philip Larkin collection on the train (if you're reading this, we have all our own teeth and can stay out as late as we want), but at Rafa Benitez's insistence that some people needlessly talked up Liverpool's chances of winning the league too much last summer.

"At the beginning of the season expectations were too high," said Senor Benitez in The Daily Mirror.

Really? Which irresponsible types were saying such things?

Perhaps it was the chap who said on July 16: "You need a good atmosphere, and we have a good squad now. The understanding is really good now between the players. The main thing for me is to be contenders...We are strong enough to beat anyone and we need to be consistent. We got 86 points - a record for the club in the Premier League - but we still need to improve. But we have a lot of confidence."

Or even the charlatan who said on July 21: "We have to be strong next season. We have improved with Glen and hopefully we can do a little bit better and that will be enough...I would like to be there at the top of the table."

Or maybe it was the guy who said on August 25: "This squad is virtually the same as last season so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge."

[/quote]

Hahahaha! Oh dear.

Personally, I gave up about one hour before kick off against Spurs on the first day of the season.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=amber cabs link=topic=39861.msg1090024#msg1090024 date=1271679620]
From Mediwach onf365


Mediawatch raised a quizzical, Roger Moore-style eyebrow this morning, not at the rather alluring young lady reading a Philip Larkin collection on the train (if you're reading this, we have all our own teeth and can stay out as late as we want), but at Rafa Benitez's insistence that some people needlessly talked up Liverpool's chances of winning the league too much last summer.

"At the beginning of the season expectations were too high," said Senor Benitez in The Daily Mirror.

Really? Which irresponsible types were saying such things?

Perhaps it was the chap who said on July 16: "You need a good atmosphere, and we have a good squad now. The understanding is really good now between the players. The main thing for me is to be contenders...We are strong enough to beat anyone and we need to be consistent. We got 86 points - a record for the club in the Premier League - but we still need to improve. But we have a lot of confidence."

Or even the charlatan who said on July 21: "We have to be strong next season. We have improved with Glen and hopefully we can do a little bit better and that will be enough...I would like to be there at the top of the table."

Or maybe it was the guy who said on August 25: "This squad is virtually the same as last season so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge."

[/quote]

Well yes, what can one say? I am sure given another quarter of an hour research the author could have found some even more amusing/ironic quotes

regards

 

[Judge Jules]

It is a strange one from Rafa all right, but funnily enough the rumour in Italy today is apparently that Juve have turned their attention to Didier Deschamps. Somebody somewhere is laying down a smokescreen.

 

[the count]

Also heard on the sportsnews here that rumours are circulating the Mourinho is being lined up to succeed Fergie, after this season I think.

There could be quite the managerial merry-go-round this summer.

 

[Judge Jules]

I'll be truly amazed if Mourinho agrees to be Ginsoak's immediate successor.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39861.msg1090025#msg1090025 date=1271679735]
[quote author=amber cabs link=topic=39861.msg1090024#msg1090024 date=1271679620]
From Mediwach onf365


Mediawatch raised a quizzical, Roger Moore-style eyebrow this morning, not at the rather alluring young lady reading a Philip Larkin collection on the train (if you're reading this, we have all our own teeth and can stay out as late as we want), but at Rafa Benitez's insistence that some people needlessly talked up Liverpool's chances of winning the league too much last summer.

"At the beginning of the season expectations were too high," said Senor Benitez in The Daily Mirror.

Really? Which irresponsible types were saying such things?

Perhaps it was the chap who said on July 16: "You need a good atmosphere, and we have a good squad now. The understanding is really good now between the players. The main thing for me is to be contenders...We are strong enough to beat anyone and we need to be consistent. We got 86 points - a record for the club in the Premier League - but we still need to improve. But we have a lot of confidence."

Or even the charlatan who said on July 21: "We have to be strong next season. We have improved with Glen and hopefully we can do a little bit better and that will be enough...I would like to be there at the top of the table."

Or maybe it was the guy who said on August 25: "This squad is virtually the same as last season so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge."

[/quote]

Hahahaha! Oh dear.

Personally, I gave up about one hour before kick off against Spurs on the first day of the season.
[/quote]

you called it first day of the season, bren with your 'if we contiune with lucas/mash we wont the league' you would have got bonus points however if you'd said 'if we contiune with lucas/mash we wont finish top 7'

 

[Sunny]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39861.msg1089996#msg1089996 date=1271675063]
if the mancs beat spurs and arse beat man city we are in with a shot 😉
[/quote]

Oh come on spidey. Spurs are 8 points ahead of us with only 12 to play for. City are 6 clear. Do you seriously expect us to win every game with Torres out ? I don't. The games up. 4th place is well gone. It was 6 weeks ago.

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=39861.msg1090048#msg1090048 date=1271682126]
It is a strange one from Rafa all right, but funnily enough the rumour in Italy today is apparently that Juve have turned their attention to Didier Deschamps. Somebody somewhere is laying down a smokescreen.
[/quote]

Didn't Deschamps fall out with the Juve hierarchy when he was manager there before? Has that hierarchy changed? If not, it would seem an unlikely move.

 

[Judge Jules]

Not really sure, Bunny, just passing on the scuttlebutt as it was reported to me. I believe the hierarchy has actually changed, but I'd need to check that.

 

[kingjulian]

Why is he continually moaning about not being able to afford a mistake?

He should just get on with it and stop making stupid mistakes again and again and again......i'm sure he gets paid top money.

 

[etchy]

Just keep quiet if there's nothing good to say. Excuses can be sprouted and debated at the season's end. The we are a 2-team team is self-perpetuating. Rafa should be asking the other players to step up. Last year when Gerrard and Torres were injured or playing badly, we had others to contribute, what happened this season? The rest of the squad in particular the more experienced ones like Kuyt and Benny ought to take a good look at their personal performances.

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=39861.msg1090084#msg1090084 date=1271686321]
Not really sure, Bunny, just passing on the scuttlebutt as it was reported to me. I believe the hierarchy has actually changed, but I'd need to check that.
[/quote]

Further info.from my Juve-supporting sources now received.

Seems Deschamps didn't really fall out with the hierarchy. After he took Juve back into Serie A, someone close to him (no-one's sure whether it was family or not) advised him to leave and he took that advice. The board were naffed off about it at the time, but Deschamps has since made it clear that he thinks he made a mistake and regrets the decision, so it's thought that the current board may be prepared to let bygones be bygones if the two parties decide to take things further. How likely or otherwise that is, nobody currently knows.

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=39861.msg1090148#msg1090148 date=1271694162]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=39861.msg1090084#msg1090084 date=1271686321]
Not really sure, Bunny, just passing on the scuttlebutt as it was reported to me. I believe the hierarchy has actually changed, but I'd need to check that.
[/quote]

Further info.from my Juve-supporting sources now received.

Seems Deschamps didn't really fall out with the hierarchy. After he took Juve back into Serie A, someone close to him (no-one's sure whether it was family or not) advised him to leave and he took that advice. The board were naffed off about it at the time, but Deschamps has since made it clear that he thinks he made a mistake and regrets the decision, so it's thought that the current board may be prepared to let bygones be bygones if the two parties decide to take things further. How likely or otherwise that is, nobody currently knows.


[/quote]

Fair enough. He'd be a good fit for them in that case. Former player, former manager - and a success at both. And he's just about to win the league with Marseille. I wouldn't mind him as our manager actually.

 

[monsieurdantes]

hahaha is finishing 4th now too much to expect of this moron and his squad? if it is then why did captain stupid "guarantee" it?

 

[kingjulian]

[quote author=monsieurdantes link=topic=39861.msg1090200#msg1090200 date=1271702712]
hahaha is finishing 4th now too much to expect of this moron and his squad? if it is then why did captain stupid "guarantee" it?
[/quote]


Isn't it just galling? He has taken a squad that was capable of finishing in the top 4, broke our transfer record a few times, spent loads of cash to keep us a top 4 capable team. Now that he is not even managing that, he is wheeling out the "expectations too high" excuse. It makes me feel sick.

The excuses are abundant - we could not replace Alonso, Torres/Aqua/Stevie were injured, global warming, and not least of all beach ball.....but we are where we are on the league table not because of who we didn't play, it is because of who played for us. It simply was not good enough and Benitez takes a huuuuge blame for that.

His excuse making is just pathetic.....just stop fucking moaning and get on with it.

 

[Fallon]

Right on KingJ.

 

[Y1]

Given our history and the money spent, should we not be reasonably be expecting more?

It comes with the job Rafa!

 

[ILD]

[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=39861.msg1090153#msg1090153 date=1271694575]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=39861.msg1090148#msg1090148 date=1271694162]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=39861.msg1090084#msg1090084 date=1271686321]
Not really sure, Bunny, just passing on the scuttlebutt as it was reported to me. I believe the hierarchy has actually changed, but I'd need to check that.
[/quote]

Further info.from my Juve-supporting sources now received.

Seems Deschamps didn't really fall out with the hierarchy. After he took Juve back into Serie A, someone close to him (no-one's sure whether it was family or not) advised him to leave and he took that advice. The board were naffed off about it at the time, but Deschamps has since made it clear that he thinks he made a mistake and regrets the decision, so it's thought that the current board may be prepared to let bygones be bygones if the two parties decide to take things further. How likely or otherwise that is, nobody currently knows.


[/quote]

Fair enough. He'd be a good fit for them in that case. Former player, former manager - and a success at both. And he's just about to win the league with Marseille. I wouldn't mind him as our manager actually.

[/quote]

Perhaps he could pop down to Bordeaux and collect Gourcuff on the way.

 

[doctor_mac]

I hate to say it, but it is this kind of statement that rightly drives people up the wall with Rafa. He can say we don't have as much money as Manu and Chelsea, and that we've suffered injuries, but Everton are only a few points behind us without a pot to piss in, and with injury problems that dwarf our own.

 

[Le Chacal]

Deschamps said he will defo stay at Marseille next season.

 

[Richey]

Same old excuses. Maybe challenging for the title is a lot to ask (personally I think he's been more than backed enough but am feeling charitable today) but we haven't even properly challenged for 4th place. That's not because United, Chelsea, Arsenal and City have more money, its down to Benitez.