Rafa Benitez!

Rant Blog: [09/06/2010]

Rafael Benitez:

Well today it’s confirmed he will be the new Inter Milan boss. Just a week after he got his £6m pay off, he has jumped into the hot seat at the San Siro for Inter Milan.

For the past 6 years, as you know, Rafa has been in charge at Anfield and has had his highs [yes he really did] and his lows. We all remember May 25^th 2005, that night in Istanbul. The fight back against AC Milan, 3-0 down after a disastrous first half, and then coming back to the most famous of victories, but although you can give credit to Rafa for this, no doubt, spare a thought for Gerard Houllier who had bought most of that team in his 6 years in charge.

The 2008/09 season, domestically, was to be a success too, beating Man Utd twice (2-1 and 1-4), Chelsea twice (0-1 and 2-0) and eventually finishing 2^nd.

Why were we 3-0 down though in Istanbul? Why did we finish 2^nd? Did Rafa mess up his tactics?... Take away the night in Istanbul and Liverpool, under Rafa, has been a mediocre Liverpool side. We only won one [perhaps 2] cup(s) worth noting apart from the UEFA Champions League, The FA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. 2 or 3 cups in 6 whole seasons isn’t good for Liverpool’s standards and we only really put in a good challenge for the league once. The other seasons we never looked like winning it once October was over. Rafa’s rant in January 2009 about Man Utd was very true, but very unprofessional, why didn’t he leave it until the end of the season? Why mid season when everything was looking so good and happy? Last season we were very, very embarrassing! I’ve never seen such an embarrassing season like that in my life. He had 5 previous years to build and improve his squad and yet he could only manage 7^th after finishing 5^th, 4^th, 3^rd and 2^nd in previous seasons, that’s laughable! Knocked out the FA Cup by Reading at home! Even getting knocked out of the Champions League group stage.

Don’t moan to me about money. He has had plenty of the stuff. £229m later and he hasn’t managed to win us the league. Pitiful, if you remember the players he bought and just sold like that, despite them being our best players.

- Peter Crouch

- Xabi Alonso

- Steve Finnan (better than Alvaro Arbeloa)

- Milan Baros (how much we’d loved to have had him last season)

- Sami Hyypia (either him or Kygriakos. I know who I’d pick)

- John Arne Riise

- Jerzy Dudek (rather him than Charles Itandje and Diego Cavalieri put together!)

- Danny Murphy

- Dietmar Hamann

- Mohamed Sissoko

- Mikel San Jose (Promising Youngster)

- David Martin (much better than Cavalieri and Charles Itandje)

We’ve replaced them with the likes of:

- Diego Cavalieri

- Charles Itandje

- Alvaro Arbeloa

- Sotiris Kygriakos

- Andrea Dosenna

- Philip Degen

- Robbie Fowler (Was never as good as in his first spell)

- Mark Gonzalez

- Albert Riera

- Jermaine Pennant

- Fernando Morientes

- Robbie Keane

- David N’Gog

- Lucas Leiva!

- Daniele Padelli (remember him?)

- Sebastien Leto

- Jan Kromkamp

- Josemi

- Mauricio Pellegrino

Now, I don’t know about you but I’d have kept the first bunch of players rather than bought the second bunch.

We should’ve walked the league with the players we’ve had and the money we’ve had to spend. 70% of the blame for not winning the league has to go with Rafa, 20% with the owners and 10% with some of the players. Blame H&G all you want, but Rafa has had money to spend throughout the years.

The good news about H&G (if you can call it that) is that RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) have given them an ultimatum as they too are pissed off with them. Either sell up, or get rid of the debts. With an £800m price tag put on Liverpool, though, I don’t think that’s happening soon.

Rafa’s tactics have been spot on... If you’re blind. Why play 2 holding midfielders at home? Why not get players further forward and break down teams, if we lose like that then at least we tried, but not play defensively and seem like you want to play for a draw. Why Lucas Leiva is playing played instead of Aquilani, I will never fucking know. I feel sorry for Aquilani, he is being touted as a flop which is very fucking harsh assuming he only ever seems to get 5-10 minute cameos and has played a whole match only once or twice.

Why did Rafa want to sell Xabi Alonso for Gareth Barry as well? Ultimately selling Alonso and failing to get Barry.

How did we not beat teams like Portsmouth, Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Reading, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Sunderland, Stoke City and Wigan Athletic? We only beat 1 of them teams (Aston Villa) away from home that is pathetic. We should be rolling them teams over. Some of them teams even rolled us in our back yard. If N’Gog could hit a barn door then we might’ve been in business for 4^th but no.

Moan all you want about them 2 clowns at the top but Rafa manages the team and should’ve done a much better job than that after 5 previous years to build the team.

They say when you’re at rock bottom, the only way is up, let’s hope to prove that point in the future. If you were to ask me now if we can win the league next season, I’d honestly say no.

Who will the next manager be? I don’t know, Kenny Dalglish pulling out of the selection board could be a big hint. We’ll have to wait and see in the next few weeks.

This blog isn’t as long as I’d want it to be as I have work to do for College. Next week’s will be much bigger and better. The subject? Well, after the “Iron Lady” revealed to the nation [and the world] that she is actually still alive, then the subject will have to be David Cameron. The things he wants to put in place are a joke, but more on that next week.

SHEDULE:

Next Week [16/06]: David Cameron

Week After [23/06]: Economy