Monday, February 23, 2009,
1:22 AM
There's been much talk about the title race in the EPL going on now. Some people are writing off Chelsea, some are tipping Man U to dominate and take it all the way, some even suggest Aston Villa might snatch it.
Being a Liverpool supporter, I've heard a lot of stories from both sides about our title bid. Some say we're not good enough, some say we can do it. Here are my thoughts: We can win it. But. Not this season.
Look at this. We just drew with ManC 1-1. This has made us 7 pts behind MU. Being 7 pts behind a leading team is bad enough, and if it's MU, well, that's it.
The way I see it, we can't win. Even if we beat them at Old Trafford, it's not enough. Plus, I believe we'll drop more and MORE points if Rafa doesn't change something. If we win it, it will NOT be because of our "brilliant" manager.
The guy is disillusioned - he thinks what he's doing is right. Just because he gets some wins here and there, he thinks whatever he's doing is right, but he's blinded by so many things.
1. You don't expect to win a match just by playing with a lone striker up front, and put Kuyt on the right. C'mon la. Get real. 1 target man will give you such limited options. Even with Fernando. And Dirk Kuyt is a striker! A forward!! You know, like, a person who gets the ball and score goals??? He's not some funky crosser and runner. He can't take defenders on, he's slow and he's short!! What does he have to offer (compared to Robbie Keane)???
2. The team lacks creativity. So many times I've seen Liverpool's attack to be 1-dimensional. Get the ball to the flank, swing a cross in and pray for a Liverpool man to head the ball into goal. Seriously, there's so little they can do. They can't even play it down the midfield!! There's no one who can find a clear defense-slicing pass which will allow Fernando to be away on 1-1 and score goals. The chances we create, we waste so many of them. That's why we can dominate a match but yet not score. That's why when teams come to Anfield with a packed up defense, we can't get a goal. Ever so often our goals have come from 2 players - Stevie and Fernando. Where are the rest?!?!
3. Rafa names the horriblest starting line up ever. What's the point of putting Mascherano and/or Lucas when you're out to win the game?!?! What can these defensive midfielders do?!?! Masch just sits and absorbs tackles, and then signals the ref to card him. He has a big mouth, and everytime he tries a shot on goal, it goes well wide. C'mon la. Play Stevie and Xabi!!
4. The way Rafa makes his subs bewilders me. We can be 0-0 down, and he waits till the 68th minute to bring a new player in the game. Then, the next sub comes in on the 80+ min, and the last near stoppage time. Seriously. If I were the manager of a team currently chasing a game, I'd make my 1st sub at 50+ mins... and the subs he brings on, oh no!! Of all the players who can actually score a goal, he brings off Robbie Keane, and who does he bring on? David N'gog. What a joke.
5. His man-management skills are terrible. When Robbie Keane was high on confidence, he leaves him on the bench, and eventually doesn't even put him in the squad. Then, he sells him at a lower price, and straight after that, Stevie gets injured and no one can cover for him. He could just play him alongside Fernando, leave Dirk Kuyt out, and let those 2 form a formidable partnership! Let's face it: Robbie is better than Dirk any day.
To sum it up, I say, sack Rafa. Bring in a manager with common sense please. And when I say common sense, I do mean common sense. Ranieri doesn't qualify as a person with common sense. Same goes for Erikson, McClaren and especially not Wenger.
If they do get rid of Rafa, who's to replace him? To be honest, I can't think of any who's fit enough at the moment. Come to think of it, Sammy Lee seems good. So too Phil Thompson, Martin O'Neill. Anyone else? Jurgen Klinsmann is alright I guess, but I'm not sure if a German manager will suit English football. Hiddink is good as well, but he's not available.
Next we must increase our funds and negotiation skills. We need more quality depth. Currently we have depth, but it's of rubbish quality. Stevie and Xabi is out, who you put in CM? Masch and Lucas. What a joke.
After all that, could we then properly challenge for the title? Who knows la. I'm just frustrated by the whole thing.
-Falcon, OUT~
