What will it take for this fool to go?

[the dude abides]

Liverpool are Punching Above Their Weight
By Guillem Ballague

Even the most pro-Rafa Benitez fans are losing faith and perhaps, on the surface, any other reaction appears illogical.

But what are the real reasons behind Liverpool’s decline? Results are the consequence of a complex set of circumstances behind the scenes, but the majority cannot see beyond the surface and what they wrongly perceive as simple failings at managerial level.

Voices in the media have decided in unison that Benitez is to blame and the Liverpool fans are starting to repeat that mantra – despite spending months accusing the press of an anti-Liverpool bias. Aside from the odd exception, the media is not anti-Rafa, nor are they to blame for the difficulties at Anfield. But they can lead opinion and have Benitez in their sights.

I’m afraid I cannot agree with the majority. Primarily, it’s worth remembering that Liverpool has one of the top managers in the world at the helm.

The figure of £280million that gets repeatedly churned out is deliberately misleading – and the fact is, Rafa has spent an average of £16m net for every year in charge at the club. It is absurd to think that Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho would be able to compete for a Premier League title with that expenditure.

I know for a fact that Mourinho is very well informed about the financial situation at Anfield: he knows that in order for Liverpool to compete at the top in the wealthiest league in the world, new investment is needed but there is nothing on the horizon. Consequently, it is neither an attractive proposition nor an option for Jose.

Liverpool has no money for January transfers, so Rafa’s target is to get key players -  Gerrard, Torres and Aquilani – fit enough to contribute in a run of matches: allowing him to play his first choice team and notch up the four or five consecutive wins that will silence the critics.

If Liverpool were not called Liverpool, they’d be receiving praise for punching above their weight. The burden of history behind that name dictates the emotions of the fans and influences those who lead opinion. I would argue that, given the owners emphasis upon reducing the debt instead of improving the squad, this Liverpool side has been over-achieving rather than under-performing.

The manager has to work with inferior resources to every other club expected to win the title – lower even than some clubs expected to finish in the top six – and must therefore pull everything together to  follow a steady path toward long-term success.

Liverpool football club is at a crossroads and, disappointingly, the allure of instant gratification is persuading too many fans that there must be some magical shortcut preferable to the road of steady progress down which Rafa is trying to lead the club.

[the dude abides]

Why Liverpool are actually punching above their weight, despite what the critics are saying
By: Guillem Balague

Even the most pro-Rafa Benitez fans are losing faith and perhaps, on the surface, any other reaction appears illogical.

But what are the real reasons behind Liverpool’s decline? Results are the consequence of a complex set of circumstances behind the scenes, but the majority cannot see beyond the surface and what they wrongly perceive as simple failings at managerial level.

Voices in the media have decided in unison that Benitez is to blame and the Liverpool fans are starting to repeat that mantra – despite spending months accusing the press of an anti-Liverpool bias. Aside from the odd exception, the media is not anti-Rafa, nor are they to blame for the difficulties at Anfield. But they can lead opinion and have Benitez in their sights.

I’m afraid I cannot agree with the majority. Primarily, it’s worth remembering that Liverpool has one of the top managers in the world at the helm.

The figure of £280million that gets repeatedly churned out is deliberately misleading – and the fact is, Rafa has spent an average of £16m net for every year in charge at the club. It is absurd to think that Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho would be able to compete for a Premier League title with that expenditure.

I know for a fact that Mourinho is very well informed about the financial situation at Anfield: he knows that in order for Liverpool to compete at the top in the wealthiest league in the world, new investment is needed but there is nothing on the horizon. Consequently, it is neither an attractive proposition nor an option for Jose.

Liverpool has no money for January transfers, so Rafa’s target is to get key players -  Gerrard, Torres and Aquilani – fit enough to contribute in a run of matches: allowing him to play his first choice team and notch up the four or five consecutive wins that will silence the critics.

If Liverpool were not called Liverpool, they’d be receiving praise for punching above their weight. The burden of history behind that name dictates the emotions of the fans and influences those who lead opinion. I would argue that, given the owners emphasis upon reducing the debt instead of improving the squad, this Liverpool side has been over-achieving rather than under-performing.

The manager has to work with inferior resources to every other club expected to win the title – lower even than some clubs expected to finish in the top six – and must therefore pull everything together to  follow a steady path toward long-term success.

Liverpool football club is at a crossroads and, disappointingly, the allure of instant gratification is persuading too many fans that there must be some magical shortcut preferable to the road of steady progress down which Rafa is trying to lead the club.

[centenaryjonny]

centenaryjonny I can only assume that you are one of the many creeping threough the gates of Anfield these days that has little regard to the history and honour of our great club.....to point out a few observations.

Oh I didn't read all your post because I could have flown through several time zones and still not have finished!

We don't sack managers because they have had a few bad results go their way!
We support a manager who is clearly better than what we have had for the last 20 years and has his hands tied behind his back with a pair of owners that would serve better working a tMiltons in town than owning our great club!
I hear people like you most weeks now at Anfield a growning army of people (can't use the word fan if it doesn't fit) loyalty counts for a lot at Anfield, support our great team if you have crappy comments and witch hunts then I for one can't be "A*sed"

A loyal fan of 35 years on the KOP!

Ha, What a typical response from a blinded Rafa fan!

You said it all when you said 'I havent read your post...'  How can you respond to something you havent read? 

Oh well, Dude has another friend now!

As for your other points, (used in the losest of terms) 'We dont sack managers after a few bad results...'  You're right, we dont, but we sacked our last manager after not winning a trophy for 1 year and being off the pace in the league.  We havent won anything for almost 4 years now (asuming we dont win the UvEFAiled cup) and are miles away in the league,

So again my question as it was from the start, is how is he still in work?

'Hands tied behind his back..'

Really? So spending more nett than ANY OTHER MANAGER IN THE COUNTRY (sorry for repeating myself, but it seems some are hard of thinking) is having his hands tied is it?  Well, I feel sorry for the other who have spent less then!

'He is the best manager for 20 years..'

Really?  So he is better than GH who won TWICE as much by spending HALF as much?  Highly unlikely my friend, because that doesnt make any sense does it?  Personally I think they were both pretty useless and were out of their depth at Liverpool. 

'I hear fans like you every week at Anfield'

Well doesnt that tell you something?  It tells me that people arent happy, and are sick of seeing horrible negative football and second rate players!

Pope, you're like a record, with the needle stuck in the same groove.

Your claims re transfer investment, have been repeatedly shown up for the nonsense that they are.

Rafa's had, up until this season, some 16 or 17 million pounds NET (each year) to add to the team.

We have never been able to compete with Chelsea or United (or now City) for the top drawer names.  We can't afford to throw out mid to high 20 millions, or 30 million plus, on a player.  United, City and Chelsea can (or could, in United's case).

Why don't you take your plastic support to one of those clubs.  And leave genuine support to the real fans.

Dude, thanks for another quote rather than giving me your opinion, but hey, I know the most thinking you do is to cut and paste someones elses views.  Well done!

As for the words that you actually thought of, why do you keep calling me pope?  It makes no sense, but anyway, we will even use your figures to prove my point, ok you ready.....

£280m over 5 years means he has SPENT £56m EVERY YEAR on transfers.

So USING YOUR FIGURES, it is up to MR BENITEZ if he buys one player for £56m, 56 players for £1m, or somewhere in between.

Now you seem to be confusing NETT with SPENT. 

If you are crying that we cannot afford to spend £30m, then look at SPENT, we have SPENT £56m EVERY YEAR, so if we didnt sign so many players (77 so far) then we could easily afford a £30m player!

If however you are crying that he has to raise his own money, then the fact that he has spent more NETT than anyone else in the country, it kind of dismisses this argument, dont you think?

So using your OWN figures, do you now understand that you are making yourself look stupid?  The quotes that you use back up my argument so thank you!

As for the usual 'Go support someone else...' nonesense, I'm not being told about supporting Liverpool by some Irish bloke in America!  I will be there tonight, (Lower Centenary Row 21, seat 53 as usual) will you?

As you havent answered as to whether you have actually been to Anfield, I take that as a very unsurprising NO!

So please, unless you actually have a point, dont just spout nonesense, make yourself look daft, and cut and paste other peoples views!

[the dude abides]

As for the usual 'Go support someone else...' nonesense, I'm not being told about supporting Liverpool by some Irish bloke in America!  I will be there tonight, (Lower Centenary Row 21, seat 53 as usual) will you?

what are you going to anfield for?  Will you be in the away end?

my first time at anfield was in the late 70s......we beat WBA by three goals to one (Peter Barnes got a late consolation goal, after a master class in dominance from the men in red)

You'd have enjoyed the glory years.

[centenaryjonny]

what are you going to anfield for?  Will you be in the away end?

my first time at anfield was in the late 70s......we beat WBA by three goals to one (Peter Barnes got a late consolation goal, after a master class in dominance from the men in red)

You'd have enjoyed the glory years.

My goodness, did you type all of that yourself?  No quotes, or cut and paste? 

Yes I'm going to cheer spurs on! Idiot

What bit of USA you from?

[centenaryjonny]

The only reason I ask is that, if as you claim, you are from LA,  it is 4 oclock in the morning there, so wondering why you are on here, especially as you will be on again later on, you seem to be nocturnal!

Unless of course you are telling porkies?

Of course, I would never suggest this, as I dont think I have ever seen you mention something that is not true!!!!

[the dude abides]

Yes I'm going to cheer spurs on! Idiot

Hi Idiot,

get behind the team, or else shut your big fat mouth (not easy, I imagine).

[Ageing Stick Insect]

The only reason I ask is that, if as you claim, you are from LA,  it is 4 oclock in the morning there, so wondering why you are on here, especially as you will be on again later on, you seem to be nocturnal!

Unless of course you are telling porkies?

Of course, I would never suggest this, as I dont think I have ever seen you mention something that is not true!!!!

I believe Dude lives in Panama which to my reckoning is GMT-5 so that would time his message at 7am and not 4am as you suggest.

[centenaryjonny]

I believe Dude lives in Panama which to my reckoning is GMT-5 so that would time his message at 7am and not 4am as you suggest.

I was going off his bio, which says he lives in Los Angeles, pretty hard to confuse with Panama, either way though, the fact that he hasnt replied to this means either he cant find an appropriate article to cut and paste or maybe, just maybe he doesnt?

[Ageing Stick Insect]

I was going off his bio, which says he lives in Los Angeles, pretty hard to confuse with Panama ...

I'm sure it was mentioned at some point in the past. I wouldn't make it up. What would be the point? 

[centenaryjonny]

I'm sure it was mentioned at some point in the past. I wouldn't make it up. What would be the point? 

Hey, not having a go at you, just saying that when I checked where he was from it says LA, but to be honest, he probably doesnt know himself unless someone else tells him!

[Ageing Stick Insect]

Hey, not having a go at you, just saying that when I checked where he was from it says LA, but to be honest, he probably doesnt know himself unless someone else tells him!

I know you two don't see eye to eye so please just let it go. It's not nice seeing LFC fans having a pop at one another.

[the dude abides]

I was going off his bio, which says he lives in Los Angeles, pretty hard to confuse with Panama

I got the fuk out of LA.  It was being overrun by German nihilists.

They stole my fuking rug.

[kopite70]

Lads these digs at each other getting s little bit boring now......if you want to have a pop at each other swap addy's and do it on messenger or on e-mail!! Who actually gives a monkey who is from where? Does it actually matter?
I'm from Liverpool but it doesn’t mean I am there every day! I have been in 3 different time zones in the last week alone but does that mean my posts are any less valued or have any less truth to them??

Give us all a break and post something that is at least entertaining or failing that something that generates proper debate!

[Irish_Mark]

I got the fuk out of LA.  It was being overrun by German nihilists.

They stole my fuking rug.

That rug really tied the room together...