Is Slot the now the 6th best manager we’ve ever had?

[Dreambeliever]

We all know the top 5 are Bill, Bob, Joe, Kenny and Jurgen.

Does Slot with the league title surpass Ged and Rafa?

Both won incredible trophies but fell short in the league after a number of seasons to build a team.

Arne inherited a great spine of a team but it’s clear some players have kicked on with him in charge.

No.20 is emphatically in the bag.

So where does he sit for you?

 

[Fabio]

I don't think you can judge managers properly until they're done.

I wouldn't have slot above Rafa or ged yet, solely because those 2 had shite teams which they turned successful. Slot has a great team and won the league. A fantastic achievement, but he's also lost a final.

Slot has every chance to be leaping up the list very quickly. But I can't say where he is yet

 

[mom]

He’s done an incredible job. Having said that, I think it’s only fair that we judge him with what he can achieve with his own signings over a couple of years. He’s on the verge of winning the league in his first season in charge whilst also having to fill the boots of one of our best ever managers and a club legend. But, he’s done it with Klopp’s squad.

I rate him highly, and he clearly is talented, but let’s wait and see.

 

[Judge Jules]

The fact that Slot's done what he's done with a squad assembled by someone else, rather than with his own choice of players, could equally well count in his favour. That aside, of course it's too early to judge his overall standing in the list of LFC managers this soon in his tenure.

For me the whole idea of ranking them is questionable in any case. For example, on trophies won Paisley would have to top the list, but did he actually accomplish more than Shanks did in creating the Red Machine from scratch in the first place?

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Is Joe Fagan above Rafa? I mean, it's at least arguable. Fagan is similar to Slot in a way, brilliant first season, but not enough time to build a team, was really just doing it with the squad that was already there.

 

[Judge Jules]

Definitely - another example of the difficulty inherent in making such comparisons. I find myself thinking about these issues when the Manager of the Season is picked. Slot may well get it this time, but one could argue that it should go to the manager who adds the most value to his club - and you then have the problem of deciding how to measure that.

 

[Squiggles]

Too early to start ranking managers, IMO.

I think the more interesting question is who had the more impressive debut season - Slot or Rafa?

I'd just about give to Rafa because City imploding and Arsenal being consistently shite have made it an easier ride than anyone could have predicted. Not to take anything away from Slot, it's still a phenomenal achievement, but Rafas CL win is once in a life time stuff.

 

[Modo]

Rafa over Slot every day.

He brought in García and Alonso, and against all odds, won us the Champions League. It’s honestly one of the greatest achievements ever. Our squad was in shambles with injuries to key players, so we had to rely on guys like Le Tallec, Sinama, Biscan, Mellor, and Warnock—none of whom were really up to the standard for Liverpool.

Then Cissé broke his leg midway through the season, only making it back right before the final. That team had absolutely no right winning the Champions League.

People also forget that he got us to a League Cup final in his first season too.

Now, compare that to Slot, who had a team that was chasing a quadruple the year before.
It's a fantastic achievement too, but not even close to what Rafa did.
Slot only needs another big title to surpass Rafa, he's got time.

 

[Frogfish]

Rafa over Slot any day.

He brought in García and Alonso, and against all odds, won us the Champions League. It’s honestly one of the greatest achievements ever. Our squad was in shambles with injuries to key players, so we had to rely on guys like Le Tallec, Sinama, Biscan, Mellor, and Warnock—none of whom were really up to the standard for Liverpool.

Then Cissé broke his leg midway through the season, only making it back right before the final. That team had absolutely no right winning the Champions League.

People also forget that he got us to a League Cup final in his first season too.

Now, compare that to Slot, who had a team that was chasing a quadruple the year before.
It's a fantastic achievement too, but not even close to what Rafa did.
Slot only needs another big title to surpass Rafa, he's got time.

And look who we beat on the way to the CL final - it was no fluke.

 

[Dreambeliever]

The fact that Slot's done what he's done with a squad assembled by someone else, rather than with his own choice of players, could equally well count in his favour. That aside, of course it's too early to judge his overall standing in the list of LFC managers this soon in his tenure.

For me the whole idea of ranking them is questionable in any case. For example, on trophies won Paisley would have to top the list, but did he actually accomplish more than Shanks did in creating the Red Machine from scratch in the first place?

I’d have Paisley no1 myself.
And ranking is just a bit of fun.
I don’t care who’s squad it is, winning the league is the benchmark so Slot drops in for me above the two greats who didn’t. Simple as that. The fact we’ve walked it is insane.

 

[Dreambeliever]

And look who we beat on the way to the CL final - it was no fluke.

The final was a fluke, the rest wasn’t.

 

[Judge Jules]

The final was no "fluke" either. It was earned by a group of players who outfought opposition that had shedloads of skill but the balls of a gnat.

 

[MomoWASright]

We’ve had 12 managers since Shanks joined. He’s not in the conversation with Bill, Bob, Kenny, Joe and Jürgen.

He’s above Roy, Souness, Podge and Brodge.

So the question is, where does he compare to Rafa and Ged?

 

[Judge Jules]

"Not in the conversation" my Arsenal. Without Shanks it's at best an open question whether the glory days would have arrived at all, let alone to the extent that they have.

 

[MomoWASright]

Slot isn’t in the conversation with bill and co.

 

[Judge Jules]

Check.

Not yet.

 

[binomial]

Pointless me voting as I'd find it impossible comparing one season's work to others who've had 5+

The guy hasn't even signed a fucking player lol, we have no clue what's to come.

 

[peekay]

Rafa over Slot any day.

He brought in García and Alonso, and against all odds, won us the Champions League. It’s honestly one of the greatest achievements ever. Our squad was in shambles with injuries to key players, so we had to rely on guys like Le Tallec, Sinama, Biscan, Mellor, and Warnock—none of whom were really up to the standard for Liverpool.

Then Cissé broke his leg midway through the season, only making it back right before the final. That team had absolutely no right winning the Champions League.

People also forget that he got us to a League Cup final in his first season too.

Now, compare that to Slot, who had a team that was chasing a quadruple the year before.
It's a fantastic achievement too, but not even close to what Rafa did.
Slot only needs another big title to surpass Rafa, he's got time.

Most people have forgotten how good Rafa was in Europe from 2005 to 2009. It was like every game didn't matter who the opposition was; he had a game plan. That team deserved at least one more CL. Inter Milan, Barcelona, Madrid - we swept all of them away. 2005-2009 Rafa would have strangled this PSG team and destroyed their confidence. Bellamy and Johny Rockets - that golf swing celebration against that great Barcelona team in Barcelona, Arbeloa debuting as a left-back to neutralize a young Messi. Every game was a complicated puzzle, and Rafa Benitez always had the answers.

 

[bluebell]

This thread is some jinxy thread

 

[moron]

Agree, cannot judge a manager until his time is done with us. BUT, Rafa in my view had very good talent ID given the limited funds he was given. However, I felt he also strangled the talent he bought in with an overly control freak approach.