Crunch Time For Rafa

It’s crunch time for Liverpool and Raphael Benitez today, if they lose at home to Manchester Utd it wont be just the 3 points they will mourn, this result could be the defining moment in Liverpool's season and Rafa’s future at the club.

As I have said many times before Liverpool will never win a title under Benitez, to qualify that further, this current Liverpool squad could not win a title under any Manager, the quality is not there, also to many of their players are lightweights in term of Physique, to easily out muscled when the going gets tough.

A lot of the media especially in the North West are still calling for backing for the hapless manager, but lets look a little closer at Rafa, he has been there around five years when he took over Liverpool were a comfortable top four side, no real threat in terms of the title but they had a chance, roll the clock forward a few years and 250 million pounds spent, and they look to be dropping out of the top 4 and to steal a quote from a TV show, “Have advanced no further than an asthmatic ant carrying some heavy shopping” with that kind of money spent Liverpool are still only a two man team if Gerrard and Torres are out they cant play, and to be brutally honest they are not brilliant with those two in.

The buck has to stop somewhere and it is with Rafa, so lets hope Utd hurt them good today so we can retire Benitez.

DurdensView Tags: Liverpool, Rafa

Raphael Beneath-us

It looks a certainty that Liverpool will be parting company with their useless manager Raphael Benitez, hundreds of millions spent over the last 5 years and they are in the same position as when he got there, actually arguably a worse position as now they are a two  man band, unless the over rated Gerrard or the potentially brilliant Torres play The Scousers cant deliver.

So now the interesting part begins, who replaces him, I have a couple of names that spring to mind. the obvious Mourinho or Hiddink will be bandied about, but what about if Liverpool take a gamble actually  not really all that much of a gamble and appoint David Moyes, he has done brilliantly for the last few years with very limited resources imagine what he could have done with the money the hapless Spaniard has spent (wasted).

I always thought of Moyes as the successor to Ferguson at Utd but as it doesn’t look like the Master tactician is packing it anytime soon maybe Moyes should be given a go at Anfield. They could and have done a lot worse.

DurdensView Tags: Benitez, Liverpool, Moyes

FA Clowns

Liverpool boss rafael Benitez faces a touchline ban  after being charged with improper conduct by the FA,this is because  Rafa  tapped his glasses as he spoke about referee Phil Dowd after losing to Spurs earlier in the season.

Now far be it for me to stick up for anyone remotely concerned with the Scousers let alone their manager but I have to say this is ridiculous, it’s getting so that soon managers or players for that matter wont be able to open their mouths at all.

Last time I bothered to check this was still a free Country (only just) and free speech was still tolerated, The FA are making themselves look ridiculous and petty if they follow through with  this charge.

One of the great things about football is that every game has a talking point an incident or two in a game that friends and work colleagues can argue and debate Monday morning, we all have our own opinions and different takes on how we see incidents in a match, why should managers not be afforded the same right to discuss and argue their points to.

So I hope the FA reconsider and drop this, Liverpool have enough problems this season on the pitch without outside interference, when they drop out of the top four this season I don’t want them to have anything they can blame except their own shortcomings.

Incidentally this will be the only time I ever stick up for the whinging Scousers.

DurdensView Tags: Liverpool, Scousers, Rafa, Benitez, FA

Moyes For Utd

I see that the press are reporting Moyes is being pushed forward by Alex Ferguson to replace him at Old Trafford when he retires, possibly at the end of next season, this does not come as a surprise to me I was of that opinion and reported it last October, http://durdensview.blogspot.com/2009/10/raphael-beneath-us.html

I reiterate what a great job Moyes is doing with very limited resources, how much better could he do with top class players and a cheque book, I am not convinced that Ferguson barring ill health will go next season so Anfield could be Moyes first stop, one thing is for certain Benitez will not be there.

DurdensView Tags: david Moyes, Alex Ferguson, Benitez

Woe is Liverpool

As  a Manchester Utd fan I take great pleasure from Liverpool's misfortunes, I know that all teams have bad patches, but its hard to feel sorry for the scousers when their problems are self inflicted and by that I mean their failure to dump their manager.

How much more humiliation can this once great club take, its only November and their season is already a mess, they are relying tonight on another team to make sure they have a chance to stay in the Champions league.

Should Lyon fail to take any points from their meeting with Fiorentina tonight, Liverpool will be out of Europe’s most prestigious club competition, regardless of how they fare away to Debrecen. They will then be left to try to improve their position in the Barclays Premier League, in which they lie seventh, 13 points behind Chelsea, the leaders, after 13 matches.

This after their hapless manager Benitez yet again claimed “this was their year” he does still appear to have some support from the Liverpool fans I think its about a 50/50 split on whether they want him to stay, it wont be 50/50 tomorrow if they crash out of Europe tonight.

Come on Fiorentina

DurdensView Tags: Benitez, Europa

Fulham FC

What a fantastic result last night for Fulham beating Juventus 4-1, I wouldn’t normally take much interest in this mickey mouse competition, but I am hugely impressed with that score line, though they are not the up to the standard of years gone by Juventus team’s this was still Juventus, so for them to be humbled  at unfashionable Craven Cottage like that earns my respect.

I must admit to being in the “anyone but Liverpool camp” because of that loser Benitez, but now I am firmly in the Fulham camp for the duration of this competition.

Roy Hodgson has done a fantastic job with that squad, and I would admire them further but for their unfortunate nickname “The Cottagers” sadly that brings disturbing images to the mind.

DurdensView Tags: Fulham, Roy Hodgson, Cottagers

It’s not over till its over

I was bombarded with text and email taunts last night after the Man City Man Utd game, it appears a lot of my tormentors think that City are through to the Final of the league cup, when in reality it is only half time after all  its a two leg match. I suppose the excitement of the result has affected the anti Utd brigade more than normal.

It was a entertaining game particularly  the last 10 minutes  which was edge of the seat stuff particularly if you follow Utd, City have a one goal advantage going into the second leg last week courtesy of a ridiculous penalty decision, even the most faithful City fan must admit it should not have been awarded as initial contact was outside the area and Bellamy went down for no reason after he got into the box, but no matter the game is poised nicely and I have full confidence in The Red Devils turning around a one goal deficit.

An interesting game for neutrals tonight Spurs play Liverpool in what could be a job decider for Benitez, as I don’t like either Manager I’m not sure which way to lean, Harry is a thief and Rafa is incompetent, I should hope for a draw but I will  come down on the tax dodgers side for no other reason than to annoy my brother (a Liverpool Fan).

DurdensView Tags: Man Utd, Man City