[align=center]افضل مقال قراته يفند اخطاء رافا ويضع حلوله لها
The Solution To Rafa’s Problems… by Andy
Like many Reds fans at the moment I am seething and in a rage … But it’s not actually to do with either Rafa or how the team played on Tuesday night …
It never ceases to amaze me just how fickle some fans are. How can any Reds fan who is not waiting to be admitted to the local funny-farm justify calling for Rafa’s head? In only his first season he delivered Europe’s holy grail to a generation of Reds fans that were still sucking dummies the last time we won it. To those who are calling for Rafa’s head I have one thing to say – YOU ARE PATHETIC … and on behalf of us real lifelong fans you should seriously consider supporting another team like chelksi where nobody will give a shit when you jump ship again when their bubble finally bursts!!! You are probably the same ‘fans’ that deserted your team at half time in Istanbul and headed for the nearest Turkish tapas…
Now that’s my rant over with and hopefully those left reading are ‘serious’ supporters of the Red cause,
I said in one of my recent blogs that Rafa’s teams often have glaringly different halves. At half time, although the number of missed opportunities suggested an all-to-familiar outcome to the game, I wasn’t overly unhappy. The game had been fairly open but Liverpool had played quite well and I felt that we had something to build on for the second half. BUT … as in so many games this season the second half was COMPLETELY different. We were gutless, too many players went missing and you could feel our Carling Cup aspirations spiralling down the plughole as the game rolled on.
20 odd shots on goal and just the skipper’s solo effort to show for it tells you everything you need to know about the game … but who were the REAL culprits on the night?
I thought Raven and Potter did ok and linked up well when pushing forward, but too often Potter’s crossing was off the mark. Whitbread looked shaky in defence and was caught ball-watching in at least one of the goals. Warnock had his worst game in a Red shirt and Traore was equally as bad when he replaced him.
In midfield, Gerrard stood out and did his best and I thought kewell did ok. I know the Aussie is an easy target and sure, he was sometimes caught on a different wavelength to his team mates and he lost possession a few times but other than Gerrard he looked by far the most likely to score. I know he’s being slated right now but I think he deserves a break, as he’s the ONLY ONE WITH A VALID EXCUSE having spent most of the last 2 years injured.
Clearly our main problems are still upfront. I, like many Reds, am rapidly running out of patience with Morientes who looks slow, gives the ball away far too easily and doesn’t seem to have a clue where the net is. What’s more, he’s done NOTHING to earn himself a starting place.
The palace fans should be ashamed of themselves. What did Crouch do to deserve being booed every time he touched the ball? It’s pathetic how the SHEEP that call themselves palace fans are mocking him simply cause of his height. But Crouch, too, is really starting to worry me … He’s on the end of virtually EVERY overhead ball but the ball gets knocked down COMPLETELY at random. What’s the point in having a target man to win the ball if he loses possession of it straight away either because he couldn’t control it or cause none of his team mates were around?
So … on to the title of this blog …
For me, the solution to Rafa’s problems is simple. I’m not suggesting he changes his tactics or the basic way he approaches each game … BUT I am suggesting that he cuts out this ROTATION and TINKERING bullshit.
Let’s get back to basics with team selection. Ok … so we’ve got a long season ahead … but right now that is the least of our problems. It’s time we started playing our strongest eleven EVERY GAME. How are players supposed to (A) be in form, and (B) Adapt to Rafa’s tactics if they aren’t getting a run of games or are being played out of position? Then the players who are not making the first eleven should be working their nuts off in training to convince the boss that when the normal starter loses some form then he should be the first choice replacement.
There are players who should be playing week in, week out who aren’t. Riise is a prime example of this as he is one of our star players and I reckon it’s criminal he has been played so little this year.
So what is our first choice eleven?
For me it’s the following (if we’re using a 4-5-1 formation):
Each starting player plays for 60 minutes every game and then the subs are brought on if needed – with enough time to actually make a difference.
Yep … I’ve missed a few players off my list.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should Traore ever be encouraged to put on a Red shirt again – he’s a liability and a walking free kick/penalty waiting to happen. Bambi-on-ice should be shipped out at the earliest opportunity.
Liverpool, like any team, suffers from players who arrived with big reputations but consequently failed to deliver and Morientes is clearly past his “sell-by date” and should pass on his experience to the Reserves prior to his January plane ticket out of Anfield…
So…Rafa can play his 4-5-1 or he can shuffle the pack a little for a 4-4-2 if he wants but it’s time he cut out this rotation bullshit and time he started playing his best eleven every time we play. Ok … we may get more injuries doing it this way but we’ll get players getting used to playing for each other and HOPEFULLY finding some form (and the back of the net!!!) together …
Although I may criticise Rafa and some of his tactics, unlike my co-blogger, Gerry, I still back Rafa 100% and have no doubts he is the man for the job. He just needs to kop on to what’s needed to compete in the home competitions. Using a merry-go-round rotation policy in Spain is one thing but it will only work in England if you have a squad with the depth of chelski… and even THEY generally play their strongest team every game!!![/align]
I wrote an article not so long ago throwing my full support behind Rafa Benitez. I talked about all the reasons for optimism we have with the Spaniard in charge. I’m not about to change that stance just because of a few poor results.
However, just as I felt the need to point out the positives, I feel just as compelled to highlight what I believe are reasons it's all going wrong at the moment. Rafa’s managerial record speaks for itself, but the man is – like all of us – capable of making mistakes. And there have been enough mistakes of late to raise more than a few alarm bells. While I wouldn’t resort to words like ‘panic’ just yet, I think ‘genuine concern’ is putting it lightly.
Against Fulham on Saturday, even before a ball was kicked the first alarm bells started to ring as I glanced at the team sheet.
For all Rafa’s reputation as a tactician, any line-up consisting of both Josemi and Traore as the full backs is simply asking for trouble. I have made no secret that these two players scare me to death whenever they take the field. ‘Inconsistent,’ ‘error-prone’ and ‘rash’ all come to mind to describe them both – and I think I’m being rather kind here compared to other adjectives I've seen used! So, having the pair of them as 50% of the back four had me sweating before a ball was kicked. Fulham may be a lower table team, but in players like Malbranque, Boa Morte and Collins John, they are no mugs either – especially at home.
My point here isn’t actually to bag on those two players. Mediocrity is mediocrity, which is exactly why Emile Heskey is now at Birmingham and Salif Diao at Portsmouth. My point is that Rafa picks the team, and it was he who decided that they should both make the first eleven at Craven Cottage. Bad call Rafa, I have to say!
When your ‘away’ game plan is to consistently stifle, use caution before creativity, and invariably use a lone striker to try to sneak a win, it’s suicidal to add such weak links to the mix. A game plan relying on caution and stubborn defending means that you’d better have bloody good defenders on the field to achieve it! With Finnan and Warnock, it might have worked. With Josemi and Traore, well…..
But it does seem to be one of Rafa’s weaknesses – rational team selection! For reasons I simply do not understand, he tinkers with the team more than any other manager in the Premiership. Rarely does the same eleven take the pitch two games in succession, even when all are available. In the past, this has been put down to his tactical prowess. His obsessive analysis of the opposition strengths and weaknesses meaning that he (apparently) carefully calculates the best tactical way to play them. He then picks the line-up accordingly.
But if the results are anything to go by, it simply isn’t working. A calamitous start to this season is actually a continuation of the abject form of last. Last year it could be somewhat forgiven as he was busy off-loading the Houllier players and gradually building ‘his’ team. But the signs so far this season have seen no improvement. Results are no better, goalscoring is worse, league position is worse. We’ve also suffered our worst home defeat since the sixties.
We’re still seeing too much of the Houllier-esque habit of playing the same player in 3-4 different positions over 3-4 successive games. Sometimes as first choice, the next time possibly as substitute. Luis Garcia and Cisse seem to be suffering from this more than most. Poor Garcia has been auxiliary striker, wide right, wide left and substitute. Having played and followed the game (as an amateur I hasten to add!) all my life, I maintain that every player has only one position where they thrive and are truly effective. Of course, utility men like the immense Carragher can slot in to several spots, but he is an exception rather than the rule. The on-going tinkering is doing nothing for consistency, confidence or player morale. There is nothing worse as a player to be finding your feet, your confidence and your form, only to be dumped to the bench or an unfamiliar position the following week. Not only that, but with those alongside you are constantly changing too, how can team unity and flowing football ever be achieved?
The 4-5-1 formation is another of Rafa’s preferred ways of playing – a formation I openly and categorically loathe. Before the supporters of this formation get on my case, yes, I know it can work – with the right players! But we do not have the right players to achieve it – not yet anyway. And until we do, we should NOT play it! We have not a single natural winger in the side. No-one who can consistently turn players inside out the way the likes a Robben or Duff can do. Virtually all of our ‘wide’ midfield men are actually central midfielders, or players who prefer to craft their trade just behind the strikers. (Zenden, Garcia, Kewell.)
The striker situation is no better, and again it comes back to the 4-5-1 formation compounded by the on-going tinkering. Crouch, Morientes and Cisse have all been employed as a lone striker. All have failed. None have shown themself capable of playing it. None have really been given a chance. It’s Crouch one week, Cisse the next, Morientes occasionally. Cisse is then benched or played right wing. To try to better prove my point, who will play up front against Crystal Palace, and then West Ham? The answer – none of us have the foggiest idea!! And it’s just as likely to be Harry Kewell or Sinama Pongolle up there as it is the aforementioned players.
Rafa is still learning the English game, but it’s been 16 months now, and a master tactician should be showing signs of having caught on by now – not being beaten by a very ordinary Fulham team going down with barely a whimper. In those 16 months, Liverpool have failed to register a single goal on no fewer than 27 – yes, 27 – occasions in all competitions. That is a very, very worrying statistic, especially when you consider we are currently the second lowest scorers in the Premiership, second only, thankfully, to Everton.
The January window is still over two months away, but there is no guarantee we’re about to unearth 3 or 4 world class players and right all of the current wrongs – in fact, history suggests we’ll be lucky to get 1 or 2 especially given our current plight. If we’re still a bottom half club by then, who would be persuaded to join us?
So Rafa needs to sort it out with the players he has – many of them now ‘his’ signings, so the Houllier excuse is now not valid. Alonso, Sissoko, Morientes, Crouch, Garcia, Josemi, Reina, Zenden are all his. Carra, Gerrard, Hyypia, Riise, Kewell and Traore are all players he has shown great faith in (rightly in some cases, maybe not in others!) Add the likes of Warnock, Dudek and Sinama, and that’s at least seventeen players he has at his disposal to forge a consistent winning unit that should be streets ahead of the Wigans, Charltons and Boltons – not languishing embarrassingly behind them.
So come on Rafa! Show us what you are capable of, and prove the doubters wrong. I’ve purposely not mentioned Istanbul in this article because it’s history now. 2005-2006 is now what matters, rolling up the sleeves and using the likes of Fulham as cannon fodder.
I can only hope that the ‘clear the air’ session at Melwood yesterday did the trick. Any more slip-ups and we’re in danger of sinking into oblivion this season – and in this day and age, even one disastrous season can have severe repercussions on successive ones.
So let’s get it right – the tactics, the attitude AND the team selection. Starting with the destruction of West Ham on Saturday.[/align]
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في مثل هذا اليوم من العام الماضي30-10-2005 خسر ليفربول
مهاجمه جبريل سيسيه عندما تعرض لكسر مضاعف في ساقه
أمام بلاكبيرن وأنتهى اللقاء 2-2 وأحرز الاهداف باروش وريسا[/align]
جيرارد ليفربول: رغبنا في وجود اوين معنا
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اعترف ستيفن جيرارد بانهم كانو يرغبون في عودة مايكل اوين للفريق.
قائد الحمر جيرارد كشف انة هو وجيمي كاراغير حاول مناقشة أوين في عودة للانفيلد عندما أصبح واضحا تركة لريال مدريد.
بدلا من ذلك، إنضمّ أوين إلى نيوكاسل في أغسطس/آب لـ16£ مليون.
جيرارد قال: "نحن نتمنّى له كلّ الخير في نيوكاسل لكن، حتّى الآن، أنا أودّ مايكل في جانبي. بالتأكيد. انا وجيمي كاراغير تكلمنا مع مايكل وحاولنا عودتة إلى النادي.
"مايكل محبوب من قبل المشجّعين واللاعبين في ليفربول وهو كان يمكن أن يكون شي جميل ان عاد للفريق ولكن ذلك لم يحدث
يعترف لاعب خطّ وسط ليفربول دارن بوتربان خروجهم من كأس كارلنج هذا الأسبوع كان خيبة امل كبيرة.
كافح بوتر من أجل ان يكون في الفريق الأولويلعب هذا الموسم وكان يتمنّى ان يكون مستواة في كأس كارلنج طريقة لإثارة إعجاب المدير الفني رافا بنيتيز.
قال لموقع ليفربول :: "بنتيز قال قبل البداية بأنّة إذا ربحنا وبقينا في داخل المنافسة فسوف نحصل على وقت كثير للعب في الفريق الأول. خسارة مباراتنا الأولى ما كانت شيءا جيّدا لنا.
[align=center]جيرارد : بنيتيث غير مسئول عن خسائر ليفربول
رفض ستيفن جيرارد قائد ليفربول تحميل الإسباني رافائيل بنيتيث مدرب الفريق مسئولية الخروج من دور الـ32 لكأس رابطة المحترفين الإنجليزية على يد كريستال بالاس بعد الخسارة بنتيجة 2-1 مساء الثلاثاء.
وقال جيرارد في تصريحات لصحيفة "ليفربول إيكو" يوم الأربعاء : "لا أرى داعيا للهجوم على المدير الفني ، لقد قام بدوره بما يجب ، واللاعبين هم من يتحمل المسئولية .. يجب أن نلوم أنفسنا أولا".
ويعاني ليفربول من تردي نتائجه مؤخرا بعد خسارته يوم السبت على يد فولهام بهدفين دون رد ، ثم سقوطه المفاجيء أمام كريستال بالاس يوم الثلاثاء.
وتقدم جيرارد ، الذي سجل هدفه الخمسين مع ليفربول يوم الثلاثاء ، باعتذار إلى جمهور فريقه قائلا : "مستوى الأداء الذي قدمناه لا يليق بإسم ليفربول ، الجماهير دفعت الكثير من أجل مشاهدة المباراة ، وتستحق أن نتقدم لها بالاعتذار".[/align]
[align=center]رافا : بالتأكيد سنجلب لاعبين في يناير
قال رافائيل بينيتز أنه سينجح بالإنتقالات الشتوية في يناير بعدما فشل في في الصيف الماضي وقال أنه سيجلب جناح أيمن وقلب دفاع. قبل انتهاء فترة الإنتقالات الشتوية كان رافا يريد أن يشتريلاعبين إضافين ولاكن المال لم يكن متوفر زلم يكن لديه الحظ في خطف اللاعبين المطلوبين " في بعض الاماكن ليس لدينا العدد الكافي من اللاعبين لن تستطيع تغير أمور حدثت بالصيف ولكننا سوف نجلب اللاعبين المطلوبين في يناير نحن نعرف اننا علينا التفكير بالمستقبل" " عندما تفشل في جلب اللاعبين الذين كنت تودهم في الصيف يجب عليك التفكير بجدية أكثر في يناير لأنها الفرصة الاخيرة لنا في الإنتقالات مسءولو الإنتقالات لدينا يعملون بجهد لجلب لاعبين على الأقل جناح أيمن وقلب دفاع" " أنا واثق اننا سوف نأخذ اللاعبين الذين نريدهم لأن ليفربول يتمنى أي لاعب اللعب فية" " اذا كانت لنا الفرصة للتعاقد مع أكثر من لاعبين أتمنى جلب مارك جونزاليس للإنضمام بشكل نهائي لنا" " اللاعبةن الأربعة الذين وقعنا معهم بالصيف أعطونا خيارات أكثر لقد عملنا بعض الأشياء الجيدة ولكننا بحاجة لعمل المزيد لقد قمنا بخطأ عندما لم نوقع مع مدافع وجناح أيمن ولكننا أحسنا في التوقيع مع اللاعبين الأربعة الذين جلبناهم" " لدينا الأن فريق أقوى من الموسم الماضي ولكن نتائجنا الحاليو تدل على عدم الإتزان في الفريق " " في بعض المراكز نحن نعرف أن علينا العمل عليها للمستقبل نحن ننتظر الأن فتح سوق الإنتقالات"" لقد حاولنا بجد التوقيع مع لاعبين في مركز الجناح الأيمن وقلب الدفاع لقد حاولنا مع لاعب واحد لجلبة ولكن في الأخير ادارة النادي قالت أنها غير موافقة مثل لويس فيقو ليس لديك الوقت الكافي لجلب اللاعب البديل بعد رفض اللاعب الأول يجب علنينا شراء اللاعبين المطلوبين والمتأكدين منهم""لدينا الأن عدة أسماء في قائمتنا ولكن جلبهم لن يكون الأمر السهل أنا متأكد أن يناير سيكون الأمر مختلف"[/align]
وصف اسطورة ليفربول الويلزي ايان راش لاعبي ليفربول الحاليين بانهم مستهترين ولا يهتمون بالخسارة.
بعد الخروج المخزي من كأس الدوري امام فريق الدرجة الاولى كريستال بالاس , والهزيمة قبلها من فولهام , يرى راش بان بعض اللاعبين يظنون بانهم حققوا الانجاز فقط بمجرد اللعب لليفربول , وليس عليهم اثبات اي شيء اخر.
وقال راش : " يظنون بانهم اثبتوا قوتهم بمجرد انتقالهم الى الانفيلد , والتطور بعد ذلك واحراز البطولات ليس الا ميزة اضافية ", " هذا يفسر كيف ان بعض اللاعبين لا يكترثون لخسارة الفريق , ولا يهمهم اذا جلسوا على مقاعد الاحتياط"
" اللاعب العظيم هو من يعتبر انتقاله الى ليفربول بداية لطموحاته وليس النهاية" , " لتكون فريق قوي , يجب ان يكون لديك لاعبين متعطشين للفوز ويشعرون بالحزن الشديد بعد الخسارة"[/align]
الونسو يتحدث عن الازمة التي يمر بها الفريق
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اعترف ا كسافي ألونسو با الازمة التي يمر بها الفريق بعد الهزيمتين المذلة هذا الأسبوع.
الإسباني ألونسو، قال: "الآن، بعد خسارةالمبارتين المتتاليتين اننا لدينا ازمة.
"هذا الموسم نحن نجد صعوبة حقيقية في تسجيل الاهداف .رغم انة عندنا الكثير من الاشيا المشجعة
"عندنا خيارات أكثر من السنة الماضية من ناحية عدد اللاعبين. لكن لا أحد منّا - بشكل خاص لاعبو خطّ وسط والمهاجمين - يلعب يمينا."
ليفربول سيبحث عن فوز ثالث في مباراة يوم الغدّ مع ويستهام في أنفيلد.
ودافع عن الهجوم الي يتعرض لة بيتر كراوش.
أضاف: "اللاعبون الجدّد الجديد يعمل بجدّ. بيتر يحكم عليه من طولة وأنا متأكّد من انة سيبدأ بإحراز الكثير من الأهداف قريبا.
"أتمنّى بأنّنا نتعافى وان نثبت ان الهزيمة ضدّ فولهام مجرّد كان خطأ.
"الدوري صعب جدا لكن لا شيء مستحيل. تشيلسي عنده 22 لاعب رائعين وهم افضل فريق حاليا.
حارس ليفربول سكوت كارسون خائف من ان الموسم انتهى با النسبة لة
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يخاف حارس مرمى ليفربول سكوت كارسن من ان موسمه إنتهى بعد خروجهم من كأس كارلنج هذا الأسبوع من قبل كريستال بالاس.
كارسون، كان يتمنّى إستعمال كاس كارلينج لإثارة إعجاب المدير الفني رافا بنيتيز.
قال: "هذا شي مخيّب لآمال للاعبين االصغار لأننا سوف لن نحصل على فرص أكثر بعد خروجنا من كأس كارلنج الآن."
لكن كارسن ليفربول واثق من ليفربول سوف يعود لمستواة الكبير.
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الوضع المتطور
