Rafa Rafael

[Glen C]

Sissoko was probably our MOM in that FA cup final... Oh yeah a DM...

Sissoko was a monster in that game. Proper bossed the game. We used to have some good midfielder enforcers back in the days, now we just have a bunch of pussys who get handled by shit like Shelvey. Fucking embarrassing. None of our midfielders are good enough IMO.

 

[Judge Jules]

Yeah, another vote for Momo in the Cup Final. When everyone else - including Stevie - was out on their feet, Momo kept motoring around the pitch plugging the gaps. Stevie's goals were always going to make him the centrepiece of many people's memories of the day, but without Momo he'd never have got the chances to score in the first place.

 

[Silver Sean]

It's threads like this that make me realize how great the 70s and 80s must have been.

What? No internet? Yeah, looking back they were heaven.

 

[Silver Sean]

Rafa was a LEG. Can't say anything bad about the man that made us Number 1 in europe and made me feel confident going to Barcelona and Real Madrid and getting a result. Teams FEARED us. I mean fuck me we went to Juventus with Gerrard suspended and Hyypia had Ibra in his pocket. Klopp has a lot to do to even start to be compared to Rafa.

This far into his reign Rafa had won the CL, the FA Cup, and amassed 82 in a season So yeah, long way to go.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

What? No internet? Yeah, looking back they were heaven.

I wasn't alive for one decade of greatness, and wasn't aware at all of our greatness in the 80s though I was a fan ... Rafa's Liverpool, despite Istanbul and despite one incredible team, just doesn't work with the 'greatness' (for me at least) of those decades ... That being said, the internet ... yea

 

[Silver Sean]

I wasn't alive for one decade of greatness, and wasn't aware at all of our greatness in the 80s though I was a fan ... Rafa's Liverpool, despite Istanbul and despite one incredible team, just doesn't work with the 'greatness' (for me at least) of those decades ... That being said, the internet ... yea

No fan forums, no 6-0 fucking 6. No dickheads at work who have never been to a single game declaring themselves massive Arse/Scum/Chav/Citeh fans. No Sky Sports News. No transfer fucking deadline day. Only talking to mates about the game who went the game. Mulling over players and performances in the pub before and after. Only people,e who actually liked and watched football having an opinions on players/managers/formations.
It was bliss in retrospect.

 

[peekay]

The strategy of buying overhyped players from mediocre clubs hasn't worked too well for us.

Would it be different with a manager ?

Yup. Until we change the way we scout and approach transfers and long term first team and squad planning, no point changing managers.

 

[Molbystwin]

I feel to a degree it is beyond debate, Rafa is definitely a legend in my opinion.

Not just for Istanbul either, that was the greatest night of footy I've ever seen mind you, at that time it could also be argued that the top four teams in England were also the strongest in Europe. We were truly boss for a good fucking while, and If it were not for a bit of bad luck could well have won number 6...

Shame we had cunt owners...

To follow him with Hodgson was just sickening...

You can say what you like about FSG but thank God we got rid of them cunts...

 

[gkmacca]

Rafael Benitez’s attempt to convert Robbie Keane into a left winger was the reason his move to Liverpool failed so badly, the striker has explained.

The Irish striker joined the Reds in a £19million package from Tottenham in 2008, with the intention of helping Liverpool to a serious title challenge.

However, the move to Anfield quickly turned sour with Keane only scoring seven times for the Reds, before rejoining Tottenham just six months later.

Keane immediately found form again at White Hart Lane and in an interview with journalist Graham Hunter on his podcast, Keane opened up about why his dream move turned sour.

“He wanted to change me to a left winger,” Keane said of Benitez.

“I am clearly not a left winger, and that is obviously clear for everyone to see.

“The first 20 minutes he wanted me to play left wing, and obviously I had never played it before, so it was new to me.

“When I did play up front I scored goals. But when I did play, I wasn’t going to play the next game, which for a striker is very difficult.”

“He tried to turn me into something I’m not, and that was always going to be a recipe for disaster as someone used to scoring goals.”

 

[Portly]

Rafael Benitez’s attempt to convert Robbie Keane into a left winger was the reason his move to Liverpool failed so badly, the striker has explained.

I feel that Benitez probably ruined Lucas. When we signed him he was a talented box-to-box midfielder, but Benitez put him in a cage. He designated Lucas as a defensive midfielder, which was a role he was never suited for as he was a poor tackler, and instructed him never to cross the half-way line.

 

[manwithnoname]

I feel that Benitez probably ruined Lucas. When we signed him he was a talented box-to-box midfielder, but Benitez put him in a cage. He designated Lucas as a defensive midfielder, which was a role he was never suited for as he was a poor tackler, and instructed him never to cross the half-way line.

NOOOOOOO! Not this fucking shit again!

Benitez didn't "ruin" Lucas. If it wasn't for Benitez, Lucas wouldn't have had a career anything like he the one he has enjoyed.

Lucas himself admitted that he wasn't quick enough, skilful enough or good enough to even try to play as a "box to box" midfielder in the Premiership, and had to change his game entirely in order to "succeed".

 

[Portly]

Lucas himself admitted that he wasn't quick enough, skilful enough or good enough to even try to play as a "box to box" midfielder in the Premiership, and had to change his game entirely in order to "succeed".

But you don't need a flight to Brazil to find a player like that. You could find plenty to do that job in local pub teams.

 

[manwithnoname]

But you don't need a flight to Brazil to find a player like that. You could find plenty to do that job in local pub teams.

Oh don't get me wrong, he was a poor signing and a deeply average player. But Benitez isn't to blame for that. If anything he's to blame for the useless fucker being at the club so long.

 

[LarryHagman]

Birth ruined Lucas.

 

[StevieM]

Wonderful - just what we need to raise spirits - a thread involving Rafa & Lucas.

Hurrah

 

[LarryHagman]

Yeah, another vote for Momo in the Cup Final. When everyone else - including Stevie - was out on their feet, Momo kept motoring around the pitch plugging the gaps. Stevie's goals were always going to make him the centrepiece of many people's memories of the day, but without Momo he'd never have got the chances to score in the first place.

Luckily, Gerrard wasn't so out on his feet to pull a 35 yarder out of his arse in the 90th minute. He was clearly the difference between the teams, as he was in Istanbul.

 

[Glen C]

Luckily, Gerrard wasn't so out on his feet to pull a 35 yarder out of his arse in the 90th minute. He was clearly the difference between the teams, as he was in Istanbul.

Its not that straight forward. You could easily say Hamann was the difference at Istanbul. If he never came on then no way would gerrard have been free to rampage forward. If Dudek didn't make that miraculous double save near the end we would have lost. If Carra didn't make that superb tackle even while he was playing with cramp we would have lost. Gerrard did the glory bit sure, but there were other factors in that game that were JUST as important.

As for the cup final gerrard was walking around the pitch and it was Momo doing the work of the whole midfield keeping us in the game. If he had been like gerrard we would have lost the game.

 

[Oliver Twist]

Its not that straight forward. You could easily say Hamann was the difference at Istanbul. If he never came on then no way would gerrard have been free to rampage forward. If Dudek didn't make that miraculous double save near the end we would have lost. If Carra didn't make that superb tackle even while he was playing with cramp we would have lost. Gerrard did the glory bit sure, but there were other factors in that game that were JUST as important.

As for the cup final gerrard was walking around the pitch and it was Momo doing the work of the whole midfield keeping us in the game. If he had been like gerrard we would have lost the game.

And ditto if Gerrard shoots like Momo.

I do agree with the jist of your post, though.

 

[Judge Jules]

Its not that straight forward. You could easily say Hamann was the difference at Istanbul. If he never came on then no way would gerrard have been free to rampage forward. If Dudek didn't make that miraculous double save near the end we would have lost. If Carra didn't make that superb tackle even while he was playing with cramp we would have lost. Gerrard did the glory bit sure, but there were other factors in that game that were JUST as important.

As for the cup final gerrard was walking around the pitch and it was Momo doing the work of the whole midfield keeping us in the game. If he had been like gerrard we would have lost the game.

Obv.I agree, but just to add so many of our players contributed to Istanbul. Lord Frodsham comes on and puts doubt in their minds with his pace down the right, as well as slotting a peno in the shootout; Djimi "Bambi on ice" Traore stands tall and makes one vital goalline clearance when Milan were throwing everything including the kitchen sink at us; Vlad Smicer knows it's his last game but produces two crucial goals when we needed him most.

Most of all, Milan Baros deserves huge credit for the penalty drama in normal time. First it's a lovely little dink pass from him which puts Stevie through on that run, then when the peno's saved Nesta tries to push past Baros to get to the ball and clear it, but Baros stands his ground so Nesta has to go round him, and those extra few seconds enable Alonso to get to the ball first and smash it in for the equaliser. There's a clip of it from behind the goal somewhere out there on the Net.

Ah, memories. 😎