If you are trying to be sarcastic, you failed. I'm just calling for someone to strip off his captaincy.No one is calling for him to be sold off.

So, who's this unnamed source? I like that the source who names the players turning against Rafa is him (her?) -self unnamed. Perhaps a disgruntled janitor?

1st milestone target still remains : 33 points to remain in PL

The six points are proving to be more challenging to get now. Every team is having a go at Liverpool even at Anfield, and especially during the final minutes of the game! The Wolves are coming next. Liverpool is a badly wounded animal .. whatever it is.

I think more will heave a sigh of relief when we get 33 points now..

I don't think Rafa's being cautious this season, example being the Wigan match. For the first 10 or 20 minutes, we were throwing the everything bar kitchen sink at the opponent's final third. No surprise that we got the opening goal.

I believe it's the falling apart of foundation that's preventing the team from playing the football we have seen last season. We could see what Rafa's trying to do by utilizing Insua and Johnson as fullbacks and earlier this season we have seen glimpse of it. However, it leaves our CBs exposed and they couldn't cope with that. It didn't help that we were having different back 4s each match earlier this season. How many times have we seen Carra was beaten by a man easily? Same goes to Johnson. On the other end we have Insua who is a very inexperience (Brilliant going forward but poor as a defender), who occassionally needs Aurelio and Lucas/Masch to guide him.

But what's worse is that we are very weak when pressed aggresively. Last season we have Alonso who would run back to retrieve ball from CB and then distributing to the final 3rd. You could see that opponents recognize that and tries to target him but end up with numerous red cards. Now that Alonso is gone, the team needs to step up and take responsibility to distribute the ball but unfortunately we don't have the right players to do so. Carra's the biggest suspect in the sense that he hoofs whenever there is no outlet. No surprise that our play was more fluid when Skrtel-Agger pairing was used against Wigan. Mascherano on the other hand should take initiative to retrieve the ball from the defense but he seldom makes himself available. Agger is supposingly our outlet but once the opponenents target him, it's back to the hoofing (Notice Arsenal 2nd half.).

If you watch Barca last season, they had Puyol and Pique who were brilliant at distributing the ball (Especially Pique who in the CL final effectively bypasses the entire midfield). Similarly ManU has Ferdinand and Vidic; Chelsea has Terry and Cavalho. But to get those players, you need a large budget or/and a successful youth development program (Barca has both). Neither we have.

I still believe Rafa can build a brilliant team if given the resources but patience is running thin among fans and even players that I'm afraid he won't be given that luxury. The funny thing is that the people who slate him publicly are actually failed ex-managers whilst the current managers are have backed him (Wenger, Martinez etc).

My 2cent worth.

LOL Can hardly believe Aurelio turning his back against Rafa but if someone tell me Gerrard is leading the group to turn against Rafa.Yes , I do believe it...And if someone tell me Mascherano is one of them.I'm convinced that , that's gonna be the truth.

Aurelio probably turns his back against Rafa because his contract issue because Rafa only grants him pay per play contract?

coup d'etat

If that's the case he should join SOS against the owners.

can we all kindly shut up about a coup in the dressing room from all the rumor mongering?

even the link on the news has been put into "updating the new" process. maybe the site knows its complete bull therefore has taken it down. seriously it makes no benefit whatsoever to assist in the rumor mongering to unsettle fans all around.

the question is simple, either you back your team or you don't?

i've been saying this for days.

sum will say criticizing does not mean lack of faith. i dun get it but every1 hv their right to voice their opinion. i may not agree but i will not take to heart as this is a forum.

at the end of the day, stay true to your heart. what you say will echo in life.

criticising the team is perfectly fair if it is valid. but to decide on believing a rumor and worst yet, endorse in it is ridiculous.

all of us are disheartened to the current state of the club but to actually batter them for the sake of a dumb independent news outlet from an "unnamed source"?

i don't know about you guys but i think thats pretty ass lame.

form now on ..
rafa should start with 2 strikers lar ..
no more 2 DMs ..
owh .. and sell lucas ..

Things wont happen without a reason and news wont spread if it didn't happen.When Gerrard came out saying he would save Liverpool from meltdown, did he even say a word that backs Rafa?

i am all for criticizing. if there is no critic i dont think anyone can ever improve. its like saying Lucas is this, is that... Aurelio is this, is that.... that's fine anywhere.

right now, we should not indulge in head hunting. calling for Rafa head is not gonna make thing better. as i said, imagine all reds fan call for Rafa head in every board in the world. even a non-event will turn head. i am not sure about you all but i believe collective conscious of many can turn reality.

as i said before, we end up 2nd last season and went on a winning and scoring streak. Just before that we have a short spell of draw which cost us our most realistic chance of winning the league in a long time. now that we hit a bad patch everyone call for Rafa head??? its all merry if the new guy come and bring us glory else we are going to call for heads again??? last i check Liverpool FC is a football club and not a gallow.

again, there is a religion behind "You'll Never Walk Alone". time like this we don't call for heads. we band together.

On the flipside you have games like the one against Portsmouth where we only managed a shot on target. Also, when I say "cautious" approach, it isn't only in reference to the way we set up before a game. When we go ahead, we often invite teams on instead of going for the jugular. Posted this yesterday saying we need to be a little more ruthless and kill games off.



This was most evident during the first leg against Fiorentina when our flanks were constantly exposed, and Aurelio was supposed to take over Masch's role of providing cover from central midfield.



There isn't a doubt that Carra is a safety first type defender. It's my opinion that you need a centreback pairing that complements one another. Carra the no-nonsense, umcompromising defender and Agger the more mobile defender with better footwork and passing ability. There isn't a doubt that Carra isn't the most gifted footballer but it's hard to come across one with as much heart.

In terms of having players drop back to receive the ball, I think either Lucas or Masherano have been doing that. The problem is that neither are good distributors of the ball. They often get pressed and end up having to pass the ball back to Reina.

Well it's like I've said before, it's conceivable to believe that most good managers will be able to build a brilliant team given the resources. What then differentiates them however is how well they do with a limited budget. It isn't about holding a good hand, it's about how well you play with the hand you've been dealt. Look at how Alex McLeish is getting on, or even Roy Hodgson at Fulham. Basically we have clubs punching above their weight and I feel, we're punching below ours.

I hear what you're saying about the failed managers bit. I'll go out on a stretch to say that current managers have a political game to play and generally try to remain as diplomatic as possible with their peers. You have your exceptions of course. Neither Wenger nor Martinez have any reason to say anything negative about Rafa.

RedShaun, the rumour is one thing, Gerrard's on field antics is another. You don't need solid facts to know that there is something wrong in the dressing room.

demio121, this season's bad patch is the worst we have seen from Rafa, mind you. I really wish he could turn it around but the chances are getting slim as time goes. I guess by January we should know for sure if that 'turn around' would ever come, but if it doesn't I'm afraid our season is too late to be saved.

About the ruthless part, totally agreed. We tend to sit back after getting a goal wherelse the likes of United would continue to suffocate the opponent for a second, then 3rd.

And there's no doubt Carra is a defender that anybody would love to have in the team, but that aspect of game he should be able to improve on. I'm not sure if it's his lack of confidence or what, even without pressure he tends to hoof the ball. Surely this is something that could be coached and I'm sure Rafa would've spotted it but nothing has changed.

Yes Lucas and Masch have done that and they aren't as brilliant distributors as Alonso but then again, only a few are... which is why the other players need to step up.

Also, you're right about punching above weight, and another manager would have done better in current circumstances. Nevertheless my point was if we're talking about building a complete squad that challenges for all honours every season, the factors I've listed applies.

Let's not forget, this is not the 1st time we heard something bad in the dressing room.

About those spanish players and Gerrard one group, other players another group.It's not healthy.

http://lfcglobe.com/senior-liverpool-playe...urn-on-benitez/?

I'm sorry, but from what i can see, even the website is unsure, seriously thats what my point is, be intelligent, reassess and then decide.

order and chaos is created based on the very foundation of truth or fiction.

we know the dressing room has problems, but how do we know its not being sorted out? are we there to see it? at best we are getting news from almost a 5th to 6th degenerated form of messages.

in the end, why unsettle the fans with contentious articles when clearly its showing itself to be unreliable.

criticising the team is one thing, but really picking up the torch to set someone alight on the fact of a rumor is laughable.

do you guys even get my meaning after 3 of my post?! again read properly what i said. its simple.

astro ch811 is showing FIFA world player gala 2009 now

Gerrard and Torres were chosen as FiFa first 11

from what i saw, both gerrard and aurelio had free roles.
hec, even benny who was technically the right midfield had a free role.
and ngog's goal? i seem to remember it came from a cross from the rightside from aurelio.

and come on, aurelio one footed? lucas is also one footed.
that isnt even a concern unless ur a forward.

gerrard cant protect a lead?
so now lucas can? after all the comments from everyone saying hes not cut out to be a DM?

Lets sign Beckham - he's free, he runs at least as fast as Kuyt, has a superb delivery from deadballs, has a never say die attitude, great work rate... heck he's an upgraded Kuyt. Sells shirts too that boy.

Oh wait, Milan's snapped him up.

This post has been edited by madmoz: Dec 22 2009, 05:03 PM