Mr. Biscan

Oh and the Basel game, where we actually came close to staying in the competition

Just because I think he can do better, doesn't mean I think he will. For example, Houllier could have stopped playing Heskey LM didn't mean he did though.

THAT Miiddlesborough game, the League Cup 2003 Final. The 2-2 draws Dudek's mistakes Getting bummed v United away A fair bit In June ish.

Who is everyone? No of course not. Not so much similar to Houllier's last, but more comparable to that of the 2002/2003 season.

Well it's not how I operate to go against the ethos of 'The buck stops with the manager', it's not how I operate to be optimistic when I see no cause to be. I actually staunchly defended Houllier at the beginning I remember having massive arguments with me Dad after he came in from some matches, but with Benitez. I'll be honest, I don't warm to him like others do. But the reason why I'm so active in my criticisms with him is that I know he and the squad can do better.

*Sigh* You've outed me, in a year from now when we are 10th in the league with Benitez I'll go to the KC and do an 'I told you so dance'

So did you think it was the right decision at the time to sack Houllier?

Incidentally, didn't you defend Houllier to the end and I think Andy did as well?

Just how bad though? IMO We will never have a better chance under Benitez to win the league than what we did last season. What is the minimum expectation/requirement? When this season started, I said 'Title challenge and a trophy' Since we aren't challenging for the title, and we are now playing in the UEFA Cup, well it's just un-acceptable. What was your minimum expectation/requirement for this season?

The team doctor. In all seriousness however, there have been no P.R on any injuries to him, and he's been on the bench pretty much every game since he played v Arsenal. If he isn't fit then why doesn't he say so? and more importantly, why is he on the bench?

Really? Aquilani has been fit for about a month now. And that doesn't answer the question about Kuyt

We haven't got that far yet, but for every Murphy and Heskey there is Kuyt and Lucas

But Lucas doesn't have that sort of ability to play it effectively. Surely a better balance would be having Gerrard in Lucas' position pulling the strings, whilst Torres partners someone upfront, or Ngog or whatever. Lucas may be more attacking minded than Alonso, but Alonso's attacks tended to lead to goals. Lucas gets the ball, looks up, can't find it, passes sideways.

Too bad he doesn't have the ability to do it effectively IMO. Maybe this is where Rafa wants Aqui to play, although I have no idea about where he wants to play him tbh! I just hope he has a good run out v Fiorentina and then he can play v Arsenal

We can only play the two defensive midfield role when we actually have Torres and Gerrard on the pitch, otherwise we have essentially no strikers. Ngog can't play upfront on his own and neither can Dirk Kuyt. It's been discussed time and time again here but I agree with a few others when they say we should have bitten the bullet and put Gerrard back into midfield until Aquilani got fit. The only person who can possibly recreate the sort of impact that Gerrard has in the hole is Yossi, but he's more technical he could wriggle around defenders, but the ball in the box for someone to score. i'm not saying he's a replacement but more of a temporary solution. We are in actual fact a dynamic side, we have numerous players who can play in different positions. The past two games we have effectively played with no strikers, v Everton, it was Ngog's job to basically hold the ball up, get kicked to s***, and then hit them on the set piece, and well Kuyt. As much as I love him, he's just been s*** lately, and he could have an affair with Rafa's wife and he'd still play him the next game. I have no problem playing the 2 DM system in big games, with Gerrard and Torres, it's just we can't set up like that without them. We need a Plan B, but Rafa has wrongly implemented it this season, especially when we have been struggling. IMO We should have been looking to play Torres Yossi Riera Masch Gerrard Kuyt or Torres Yossi Riera Masch Gerrard Kuyt Or Torres/Ngog Riera Masch Gerrard Yossi Or Even Gerrard on the right. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we don't have the quality without Gerrard and Torres to implement the 2 DM system, even when we do though it isn't always necessary. This isn't what Andy Gray or Jamie Redknapp is saying, this is actually what many Liverpool fans are saying. But aren't you effectively keeping that player at the club by singing?

Why would I blame Rafa for a freak occurrence? it

It was, you've got to take s*** like that on the chin.

Yes they are, considering the responses on here.

I'm not criticisng you Andy, I'm just saying losing a game affects people different ways. People point out that I'm not here when we win, or not half as much as I am when we lose. Which is correct, because it's just how I deal with a loss or a bad result. I'd like to think coming on a forum and debating it isn't that extreme of a reaction.

Aye yes I see what you are saying, but by the same token if you visit other websites the amount of people that want Rafa out dwarfs the grand total of two on here. I guess what I'm trying to say that there is a middle ground where people really are losing the faith. Like Mike said we only lost Alonso last year, this sort of run of form shouldn't be happening. People can point to Istanbul, but that happened 5 years ago, it was the same under Houllier when people pointed to our success in 2001. I think some people are kidding themselves with the Rafa issue, you can slag off all the fans on phone in's, those at the game showing dissatisfaction, but they are still fans going the game and saying what they feel. Granted some don't want him sacked but are equally pissed off at the situation we are in.

Well Andy this is the thing, football affects different people different ways, for example we could lose a game and you'd want to go to karaoke. I'd want to come on here and tell everyone how s*** we are. I think you have a very blurred view of Liverpool Fans and how you believe they should 'behave', and so do many people on here. I have a bit of news for everyone here, at Anfield....Not everyone agrees with Rafa. Also not everyone supports Rafa and that number is growing. The fact is we had anny road having a go at our fans, it couldn't be that fans are losing patience could it? It's this sort of posting that was a bad sign under Houllier. I think it's incredibly arrogant of people to accuse fellow fans of chatting s***, football is a game of opinions, especially for fans. I don't think there is anything worse than coming home from a defeat and someone telling you that 'You are wrong' despite them not going to the match, or not ever having been to a match. When we played Lyon and Rafa brought Yossi on, some fella started to sing a Rafa song, not one person joined in, not one person. I honestly think that those defending Rafa from afar would get a nasty shock to the system if they want to a game where we lost, because believe me it certainly isn't 'In Rafa we trust'.

To save face

He isn't you know, and you know what, he wouldn't say that to anyone at the game either.

Why is that so funny?

I'm just saying, it affected us that much that we could joke about it the next game.