Benitez .... prick

[Verbal]

Where's blurred now then?

blurred had been watching the game, surprisingly.

What was your take on the game, blurred?

[Worthy4England]

I often end up being shocked - genuinely, scarily worried, by the number of closet-Rags on this site.

I'd defect to WanderersWays, were it not for the fact that I'm scared of them, and they'd sense my fear and kill me before I even manage to post.

Agreed mate - distinctly worrying.

[BWFC_Insane]

I often end up being shocked - genuinely, scarily worried, by the number of closet-Rags on this site.

I'd defect to WanderersWays, were it not for the fact that I'm scared of them, and they'd sense my fear and kill me before I even manage to post.

Agreed mate - distinctly worrying.

My hatred of Man Utd has diluted over the years as Liverpool have become more and more the "darlings of the media" despite doing precisely feck all!

I also have grudging respect for Scholes and especially Giggs for the way they have been professional througout their careers!

[blurred]

What was your take on the game, blurred?

The main thing that struck me was how woeful we were at keeping possession. So so many passes going astray it was unbelievable. Lyon are a good side, but we made them look like the home team for long periods last night, which is unusual for us (even when we're playing poorly). Still, thought we were going to sneak another iffy 1-0 win, but c'est la vie.

So Benitez out! then?

Nope, that would be ridiculous. Although the murmurs are already starting among the support (and by that I mean the actual support, not the press and not the clueless dickheads who ring up talksport and other shite phone-ins).

[Athers]

Irony is that Liverpool probably couldn't afford to sack him anyway.

[H. Pedersen]

There was an interview with Souness where he said Benitez has signed something like 67 players . . . if that's true it means about 3% of the Prick's signings would make it into Ferguson's first team. That's why they are failing.

[Tombwfc]

In all seriousness I think it's time for a change now at Liverpool. Not now, because that'd be mental, but I'd be suprised to see him there at the start of the next season. He's never going to win the league, and he'll never better Istanbul.

[H. Pedersen]

No doubt Tom, but they foolishly just gave him a new 5 year contract and as Athers said they probably can't afford to pay him off. I have no idea how Benitez has managed to fool so many people for so long. He's stolen a living off the back of a Gerrard dive one night in Istanbul.

[H. Pedersen]

Well this appears to settle the sacking question:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... nager.html

Rafa Benitez is fireproof! Liverpool won't pay £20million to axe under-fire manager

Rafa Benitez's future at Liverpool is secure for now - because the troubled club cannot afford to sack him.

Not even the prospect of missing out on Champions League football next season would persuade the owners to dismiss him.

While failure to reach Europe's premier competition would cost Liverpool around £20million, the bill for ditching Benitez and his staff would be even more.

The Spaniard has four-and-a-half years to run on the £4.5m-a-season contract he signed in March. Sacking Benitez alone would cost in the region of £20m, while getting rid of the staff he brought in after sacking 16 members of the back-room team in the summer would add considerably to the overall cost.

Chelsea paid more than £23m in compensation when they dismissed first Jose Mourinho and then Avram Grant - plus members of their back-room teams.

Liverpool's owners last night confirmed their manager was safe despite calls for his head from angry fans after a fourth successive defeat, against Lyon on Tuesday.

Lyon's injury-time winner condemned Liverpool to their worst sequence of results in 22 years and sparked sporadic squabbling in parts of the ground between Benitez's supporters and detractors, as well as demands for a change of manager on radio phone-ins.

George Gillett put a brave face on the crisis as Liverpool prepare to face Manchester United on Sunday and insisted he and co-owner Tom Hicks were solidly behind the manager.

Gillett said: 'The recent run of results has disappointed everybody. It disappoints the fans and it disappoints Rafa. I have seen his television interview and I know he is disappointed. But we are in this together.'

Gillett would not be drawn on further transfer backing for Benitez in January, though it is understood a modest budget will be available.

Explaining a policy on signings that has often looked flawed, and his view on the constant bickering between Hicks and Gillett, Benitez said: 'You have to buy players you know, or there will be a margin for error. You can't take risks. I was looking for a type of player I could incorporate into the system successfully.

'As for the owners, you have a situation you must try to accept and not think of too negatively. Sometimes you manage that, sometimes not. You have to manage with what you have but the relationship between myself and Gillett is good.

'We just have to concentrate on football but a change in owner would be a very big deal for everyone at the club.'

Midfielder Javier Mascherano attempted to deflect blame from Benitez by claiming he and his team-mates had failed to follow instructions against Lyon.

'It's not the manager's fault,' he said. 'It's the players' responsibility. The manager can say how to play but on the pitch it's down to us. We were not intelligent.'

They pay this idiot almost as much as they pay Gerrard and Torres???

[rockthereebok]

So does anyone think they'll beat United?

I actually think they might do, what with home advantage and the fact that it might just be win or bust for Benitez (long contract or not).

There's an interesting interview here with Steve Staunton, he thinks Liverpool will do alright but then he used to play for them so he would wouldn't he?!

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

They pay this idiot almost as much as they pay Gerrard and Torres???

Most managers get what their higher earners get. I know of one or two managers who have clauses in their contracts that state that their weekly salary is £1 above the highest earning player at the club.

[bobo the clown]

.... they foolishly just gave him a new 5 year contract and as Athers said they probably can't afford to pay him off. I have no idea how Benitez has managed to fool so many people for so long. He's stolen a living off the back of a Gerrard dive one night in Istanbul.

That was after the politics he played in the fight with Rick Parry. I always thought Parry had it right. The club could well pay for that.

5 year contract ... for a guy who was clearly flawed. They deserve what they get.

Sammy Lee could get yet another huge pay-off for failing.

[Hoboh]

They pay this idiot almost as much as they pay Gerrard and Torres???

Most managers get what their higher earners get. I know of one or two managers who have clauses in their contracts that state that their weekly salary is £1 above the highest earning player at the club.

Capello's paid more than any player in the Prem ain't he? Recall it was about £6mill pa

[William the White]

I often end up being shocked - genuinely, scarily worried, by the number of closet-Rags on this site.

I'd defect to WanderersWays, were it not for the fact that I'm scared of them, and they'd sense my fear and kill me before I even manage to post.

Agreed mate - distinctly worrying.

My hatred of Man Utd has diluted over the years as Liverpool have become more and more the "darlings of the media" despite doing precisely feck all!

I also have grudging respect for Scholes and especially Giggs for the way they have been professional througout their careers!

Oh FFS!!! Just try harder, you'll manage. Think Ferguson for starters. Then all the nice people from tunbridge wells, and truro and feckin tokyo and places that don't even begin with 't' claiming to love them... cos they are the brand, innit... Get that hatred back, you'll feel better for it...

[H. Pedersen]

Carragher is a cart horse. Unbelievably lucky not to give away a penalty and then get sent off. Sombody must have told the referee to keep Liverpool in the title race. Though United were dreadful.

[Prufrock]

Carragher is a cart horse. Unbelievably lucky not to give away a penalty and then get sent off. Sombody must have told the referee to keep Liverpool in the title race. Though United were dreadful.

Carragher was immense, as he always is in games like that. I agree he was lucky on the red card call, though I wouldn't say it was clear cut, but get away with the 'penalty'. That was a proper tackle, no soft arse fecking about.

[Hoboh]

I often end up being shocked - genuinely, scarily worried, by the number of closet-Rags on this site.

I'd defect to WanderersWays, were it not for the fact that I'm scared of them, and they'd sense my fear and kill me before I even manage to post.

Agreed mate - distinctly worrying.

My hatred of Man Utd has diluted over the years as Liverpool have become more and more the "darlings of the media" despite doing precisely feck all!

I also have grudging respect for Scholes and especially Giggs for the way they have been professional througout their careers!

Oh FFS!!! Just try harder, you'll manage. Think Ferguson for starters. Then all the tw*ts from tunbridge wells, and truro and feckin tokyo and places that don't even begin with 't' claiming to love them... cos they are the brand, innit... Get that hatred back, you'll feel better for it...

Actually and I know I'll get shot for this but seeing how we have no chance of ever wining the Prem I'd rather the Mancs win it than any cockynee team or the bin dippers.

[CAPSLOCK]

Carragher is a cart horse. Unbelievably lucky not to give away a penalty and then get sent off. Sombody must have told the referee to keep Liverpool in the title race. Though United were dreadful.

Carragher was immense, as he always is in games like that. I agree he was lucky on the red card call, though I wouldn't say it was clear cut, but get away with the 'penalty'. That was a proper tackle, no soft arse fecking about.

It copuld easily be argued he had no concern for the welfare of his opponent - so that becomes a penalty

Rightly or wrongly

[H. Pedersen]

He also came over the top of the ball. Any defender outside of the top four makes that tackle, stonewall penalty.

[Prufrock]

He also came over the top of the ball. Any defender outside of the top four makes that tackle, stonewall penalty.

How on god's green earth does he go over the ball? He clearly gets the ball, which then bounces of Carrick and away. If that is a penalty we genuinley might as well give up on tackling and go home. Yes, Carrick gets taken out, but this isn't basketball, it's a contact sport, he gets the ball first and momentum takes him into Carrick. The fact no United players appealed, and if there is one lot of conniving cheating bastards you can guarantee will appeal for everything, it's them, says it all.

I hear what you are saying CAPS, but if that is the case with tackles like that, the game is broken. That was a perfect example of timing and controlled aggression. The decider for me is, if Carragher misses the ball there, he gets booked, not sent off, so the idea it was dangerous play doesn't work for me.

Great tackle.