Roy Hodgeson

[Purdy]

I don't want Rafa back but I think your summary is a little unfair.

For 2-3 season he done a very good job a Liverpool. He took a team that wasn't performing much better than we are at the moment and made them a very tough team to play against. He also done somethign that been extreamly rare for a Liverpool manager over the last couple of decades, he made some top class signings and put a buzz back at the club. Initially Reina, Alonso and Garcia all put the team in the right direction and was extremely promising. It was the first time in years that I expected Liverpool to beat teams (even very good team) with ease.

It was towards the end of the 2009 season that he began to lose the plot. He started playing very attacking risky football, selling proven players, making bizarre team selection and substitutions, wired press conferences etc etc. I don't think you can blame all of that on what was happening at the club behind the scenes but the timing is a coincidence to say the least.

The job at Inter was always going to be difficult if not impossible. He couldn’t better Mourinho achievement and that was always going to spell trouble for his successor.

Infact I take it back. Unless another world class manager can be found I would take Rafa over Hodgson any day of the week.

End of 2009 he made weird decisions?

We battered the **** out of United, Real and Villa inside 8-9 days scoring 13 goals.
His 'weird' rafa rant was basically the thing no other manager was willing to say, although we drew several games after this and i don't think it was right by Rafa it was the truth.
Although Stevie was having his court case fiasco at this time also.

Although im not sure if you're referring to 08/09 when we played attacking football and won 10 of our last 11 games. Or 10/11, but the infamous Torres substitution that Gerrards appauling reaction to caused a fuss just read this.

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=261425.3120

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OHC7lIfvk4&feature=recentf


Video says a lot about a '****' manager.

 

[[J.D.C]]

This thread is literally laugh out loud funny at this stage.

You'd think Liverpool were world-beaters under Benitez.

 

[BaZ87]

You'd think Liverpool were world-beaters under Benitez.

Where's anybody said anything remotely like that?

 

[Purdy]

This thread is literally laugh out loud funny at this stage.

You'd think Liverpool were world-beaters under Benitez.

i forgot, we aren't big according to our countries ex manager who managed that famous win in a friendly against england.

In 2008/09 we weren't good enough to beat any team in the world?
Define world beater.

 

[[J.D.C]]

Well, for example, why do you keep talking about when Liverpool beat United at Old Trafford?

It didn't matter in the slightest and in fact, should have made Liverpool fans all the more frustrated that their side was capable of that and yet still finished 2nd.

I thought Benitez was a solid tactician personally but this love-in that's beginning to occur with him, simply because of the present circumstances is a bit laughable in my eyes.

 

[BaZ87]

I thought Benitez was a solid tactician personally but this love-in that's beginning to occur with him, simply because of the present circumstances is a bit laughable in my eyes.

It's not Liverpool fans that keep bringing him up though

 

[Stretch]

End of 2009 he made weird decisions?

We battered the **** out of United, Real and Villa inside 8-9 days scoring 13 goals.
His 'weird' rafa rant was basically the thing no other manager was willing to say, although we drew several games after this and i don't think it was right by Rafa it was the truth.
Although Stevie was having his court case fiasco at this time also.

Although im not sure if you're referring to 08/09 when we played attacking football and won 10 of our last 11 games. Or 10/11, but the infamous Torres substitution that Gerrards appauling reaction to caused a fuss just read this.

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=261425.3120

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OHC7lIfvk4&feature=recentf


Video says a lot about a '****' manager.

The day that sticks out in my mind as seeing something had changed in Rafa was the 7-5 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League towards the end of 2009. That wasn't the team of the manager that bought us so much success in season before, especially in Europe. The lead up to that games had also seen some much more gung-ho football rather that the more philosophical approached we’d been used to. He tacktics were good, he didn't need to change.

 

[Purdy]

Well, for example, why do you keep talking about when Liverpool beat United at Old Trafford?

It didn't matter in the slightest and in fact, should have made Liverpool fans all the more frustrated that their side was capable of that and yet still finished 2nd.

I thought Benitez was a solid tactician personally but this love-in that's beginning to occur with him, simply because of the present circumstances is a bit laughable in my eyes.

Well our final points total was that which would have won the league 8 times in the past 10 years that year?

Man united were very good at beating the small teams that year, we were unable to kill off small teams at times and united had that huuuge run of not conceding, they were a good team at beating the smaller ones, not so good against the big ones.

Remember United vs Spuds that season where carrick dived as the ball went the direction it was coming from when Gomes hit it and the disgrace of Howard Webb gave the penalty?
Nail in coffin in terms of league titles.

We also scored the most goals in the prem that year, and we had i think it was about 15 games with both gerrard and torres playing together.

But okay, lets talk about when we beat them at home, or when we broke chelseas 4 year unbeaten record at home, or beating them at anfield, or battering villa, or coming back from 2-0 down against city to win 3-2.

Take your pick, we could beat any team that year, most with ease. Struck with injuries and unwilling to take the shackles of the players when we needed it sometimes and some horrendous luck (gerrard disallowed goal against stoke for some reason only the ref knows).

 

[Purdy]

The day that sticks out in my mind as seeing something had changed in Rafa was the 7-5 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League towards the end of 2009. That wasn't the team of the manager that bought us so much success in season before, especially in Europe. The lead up to that games had also seen some much more gung-ho football rather that the more philosophical approached we’d been used to. He tacktics were good, he didn't need to change.

We lost at home 3-1, we had to let the shackles of and batter them, we did for 50 minutes. (We lost at home due to no mascherano, and the fact Essien was holding Gerrards pocket even into our changing rooms).

The tie was 3-3, and then came the howler from Reina, can forgive him for saving us last season but jesus that was awful and we most likely would have won that tie. never the less when your pushing for 3 goals youre bound to be caught out eventually?

Also as i said after that match we won about 8 games on the trot, perhaps less as it was a while after the united game, but won every game from then till end of season i believe. And that Chelsea team were on a high with a new manager.

But yes Rafa wanted to be more attacking minded, only have to look at his valencia team which were perhaps the best footballing team since cruyffs dream team, was obvious he was attempting to build this.

 

[[J.D.C]]

Well our final points total was that which would have won the league 8 times in the past 10 years that year?

Man united were very good at beating the small teams that year, we were unable to kill off small teams at times and united had that huuuge run of not conceding, they were a good team at beating the smaller ones, not so good against the big ones.

Remember United vs Spuds that season where carrick dived as the ball went the direction it was coming from when Gomes hit it and the disgrace of Howard Webb gave the penalty?
Nail in coffin in terms of league titles.

We also scored the most goals in the prem that year, and we had i think it was about 15 games with both gerrard and torres playing together.

But okay, lets talk about when we beat them at home, or when we broke chelseas 4 year unbeaten record at home, or beating them at anfield, or battering villa, or coming back from 2-0 down against city to win 3-2.

Take your pick, we could beat any team that year, most with ease. Struck with injuries and unwilling to take the shackles of the players when we needed it sometimes and some horrendous luck (gerrard disallowed goal against stoke for some reason only the ref knows).

I think you're deluded my friend. I really do.

United deserved to be champions that year. Liverpool did not. Too inconsistent.

You brush it off like that shouldn't stop you from winning the title..doesn't work like that. It's why you were more successful in knock-out competitions than in the league under Benitez.

[sarcasm] ..My heart goes out to Liverpool FC, it really does. Everything clearly is against them. [/sarcasm]

 

[Tummy]

Remember United vs Spuds that season where carrick dived as the ball went the direction it was coming from when Gomes hit it and the disgrace of Howard Webb gave the penalty?

You mean that game where Manchester United score FIVE goals in the second half, including that one pen?

 

[[J.D.C]]

It's actually getting ridiculous some of the comments in this thread. I can understand more and more why some Liverpool fans put the blame purely on the current manager instead of maybe thinking, the players might have some significant blame to take.

 

[Purdy]

simply because of the present circumstances is a bit laughable in my eyes.

Go visit RAWK mate, see how many fans actually wanted Rafa out at all, Woy has been wanted out for a long time by pool fans due to the brand of football we play, i.e. no heart and desire just sit back and don't attempt to play football.

He told Pepe Reina he needs to be more of an 'English' goalkeeper, does his 35 years of experience give him the right to tell the best inform keeper in the world at the time to change his style?

Sorry mate he was always clueless, and the majority of the fanbase didn't want Rafa to go, he was forced out due to Purslow, not the fans will.
Ever notice in our last games of him as manager we were still chanting his name?
We might be chanting hodgsons name too, just not for the same reason.

 

[Purdy]

You mean that game where Manchester United score FIVE goals in the second half, including that one pen?

The one that completely changed the game mate being 2-0 down?

Sorry if that wasn't given goodluck proving united would score 4 more, spuds looked more likely to score again

 

[Tummy]

Go visit RAWK mate, see how many fans actually wanted Rafa out at all, Woy has been wanted out for a long time by pool fans due to the brand of football we play, i.e. no heart and desire just sit back and don't attempt to play football.

He told Pepe Reina he needs to be more of an 'English' goalkeeper, does his 35 years of experience give him the right to tell the best inform keeper in the world at the time to change his style?

Sorry mate he was always clueless, and the majority of the fanbase didn't want Rafa to go, he was forced out due to Purslow, not the fans will.
Ever notice in our last games of him as manager we were still chanting his name?
We might be chanting hodgsons name too, just not for the same reason.

Wouldn't go that far. He's dropped a few clangers this season.

 

[[J.D.C]]

I remember it being split more than anything - in regard to wanting Benitez to continue or not.

The Kop wanted him I seem to remember - not all Liverpool fans though.

 

[BaZ87]

It's actually getting ridiculous some of the comments in this thread.

You've not posted that much to be fair.

Might be worth keeping this thread on topic though before Tummy and Shami start whining about this being a club thread again.

 

[[J.D.C]]

You've not posted that much to be fair.

Might be worth keeping this thread on topic though before Tummy and Shami start whining about this being a club thread again.

..And?

 

[Purdy]

It's actually getting ridiculous some of the comments in this thread. I can understand more and more why some Liverpool fans put the blame purely on the current manager instead of maybe thinking, the players might have some significant blame to take.

The players do have to take the blame.

Only have to see us playing Spuds were Maxi and Torres decided they didn't want to score.
Or when Paul Konchesky decides that he doesn't know how to make a tackle in the last minute of a match.

But Woy makes us play back to the wall, he decides the tactics, he decides to play hoofball to torres and not play our best CB in his position, considering he can actually string passes together.

Its a mix of both, but largely Roy and im sure he affects the players confidence and desire to play such woeful tactics.

 

[Tummy]

The one that completely changed the game mate being 2-0 down?

Sorry if that wasn't given goodluck proving united would score 4 more, spuds looked more likely to score again

hahaha sorry yeah, losing a single penalty caused Spurs's defence to give up the go and let 4 more in

Sorry, disagree

You sound like it was that penalty that won the game, I remember United playing very well and scoring four other goals.

Anyway, I'll stick to reading this thread it's getting off topic and a bit ****y