mattster

I would never chant a "Rafa out" only a fool would do such a thing. I wouldn't disrespect the guy to that degree, I am happy to voice my opinion among our own on here, though.

No

Who's on after every game slagging everyone off? Not me, pal. I slag off Lucas, because he is garbage, I haven't slagged off Rafa at all, just don't fancy him as our manager. Stop making things up you fantasist.

So now we resort to name-calling! Brilliant, still haven't had a reasoned response to the initial point I was trying to make.

This is ridiculous, it's like you're not allowed to say anything negative about the manager. I am perfectly content with the fact I want him to leave the club. I don't actually rate him that highly and think he makes lots of mistakes.

Anny Road, you are quite consistent with your slagging off of people on here who might happen to think our manager is not the man for the job. Well let me tell you this, he won't be here for the longterm, and we will never win the league under his leadership, so please feel free to log this post and remind me of it when he does finally win the premiership. Until then, get back to school and ask your parents to teach you some manners you thick, ignorant ass of a man/woman etc!

That's not an explanation for anything, is it? Tell me why those of us who don't fancy Rafa are lunatics, please? I've tried to say why I don't particularly fancy him at the helm anymore, you feel free to tell me why you do want him to stay on.

Wow! Rafa apologists all over the place, he'll be gone before long chaps, then you can start supporting the next guy, and the one after that and so on........! The amount of idiots on here is laughable. You raise a topic for discussion and all you get back is an onslaught of abuse. Why not make a salient point, wait for a reply, then move on. There is absolutely no need to resort to start abusing people.

Anny Road, you've had a good upbringing, obviously! I'd like to think I've got a bit more class about me than to call people pr1cks on a forum, when I don't even know them. Anyway, you're clearly a Rafa apologist, but let me scrape the hideous loyalty you are showing to a multi-millionaire who has never paid a penny to stand or sit in the glorious stadium, away (I 've spent plenty, by the way, and deserve to vent my frustration). To come out with something like that is ridiculous, with absolutely no foundation. So what if we have lost only one game, the fact remains we have been far too negative and negativity encourages draws like the one we had today, or the numerous 0-0's we've had this season. I have tried to afford you a bit of respect, as a fellow supporter, and I would appreciate it if you'd do the same, thanks.

Negativeland, You're obviously a clever guy and I appreciate the point you are trying to make. Such an eloquent reply, I'm almost staggered by the maturity of it. Well done, thicko!

First up, positives Tactically, I don't think there is a better manager in the game, and his improved record against the big teams has been a major positive this season. His ability to continually take us to the latter stages of the Champions League is amazing, especially when you consider the dross he had to work with in his first year at the club. He commands respect from other managers and you have to give him huge credit for bringing Fernando Torres to the club. He tries to do the right thing by the club and some of us admire the way he has stood up to our wretched owners negatives He is stubborn, and almost throughout the entire time he has been at the club there has been an unsettled feel. Granted, that is almost entirely down to the owners, but he does have history and the more I see of him, in interviews etc. the more I think he is a difficult man to deal with and possibly a little arrogant His substitutions are a disgrace and entirely predictable nowadays. I understand that by saying this, the more pedantic among you will say I'm contradicting myself by praising his tactical side, and that the use of subs comes under the same header. That may be so, but I'm trying to highlight the good and the bad, and sometimes they can go side by side. I don't believe our club has had a worse man-manager and his policy of bringing in young foreigners could turn out to be an unmitigated disaster. Throughout Rafa's tenure, the 'local' lads have never really had the chance to shine. To be fair, they probably aren't good enough, but I still think the manager would rather put a poor foreigner in than an average product of the youth system. Torres is by far Rafa's most impressive signing, but apart from him and one or two others, most notably Agger, Skyrtel, Reina and Xabi, a lot of his dealings have been suspect. Yes, we have got to mid-February pushing for the title, but the foundations were never solid and the cynics knew what was coming. I think the title was there for the taking this season, but Rafa's inept decision-making has cost us heavily. Lucas should not be near the side, so why does he persist with him? I'll tell you why, it's because he is stubborn and wants to be proved right about this player. The Robbie Keane business was a joke. From Robbie's own mouth, he said he got him in his office after the PSV game and asked him how he thought he played. Obviously scoring a couple of good goals, the lad was buzzing and said that he thought he did well. Instead of heaping praise on a player short of confidence he chose to pick his game apart and criticise at every opportunity. Saying his movement was poor etc. He may have been spot on, but to me, that is poor man-management. Ryan Babel was shaping like a potential superstar before we got our hands on him. He was fast, dynamic and didn't mind shooting at the mere sight of goal, or going past players. This lad's confidence has been shot to bits by the manager and for all the stick he gets on here, I can't help thinking he'd be one of the better players in the league if Wenger had got his hands on him. Finally, this business about stalling on his contract stinks. He always brings negativity to the club's door and this is another example. Perhaps he's had enough of the owners and he is putting himself in the shop window. Some on here reckon that to be the case, I think he is more genuine than that, myself, but if he does go, he would be the biggest Judas in the history of our club - let's hope the murmurings have no real truth and that Bascombe is revving the rumour-mill. I know Parry is a clown, but do we really want Rafa to have all the power? He is a terrible sulker and I don't trust him to have the club best interests at heart - I just don't. Let's say he did leave, where would we be then? I'll tell you were, in s*** street. He's brought all these average players in on top wages (there are kids earning 10k a week for crying out loud and they'll never get near the first team) and long contracts, but our squad is not looking as good as the one he inherited after all. Granted, the fully-fit first 11 is different gear, but after that, we're struggling. Bottom line is the negatives outweigh the positives, the atmosphere at our ground is mostly stale - whether we like it or not - and I would happily say goodbye to Rafa this summer. I am prepared to be wrong about the manager and I will doff my cap if he stays on and does the business, but for now, I can't see us ever winning the league with him at the helm. Question is, who we get to replace him?

The man has very little going for him on the pitch, although off it he's a millionaire thanks to LFC's generous treatment of moderate squad players. Thankfully, Rafa has no excuses to keep him around next season, as he has been exposed as average and I can't think of any other Prem teams that he'd get a game for.

He offers nothing going forward, he is awful in the tackle, runs around like a headless chicken, but apart from that he's gtreat!

In parts, yes, he has, but his negativity has got us dearly and tonight's result was all down to the manager. Stevie G is the driving force behind this team.

Rafa has ruined this title challenge singlehandedly, he has been so negative it's untrue. How much more before he realises Benny and Lucas shouldn't be anywhere near this club. Benny gave two dangerous free kicks away, they score a goal, to be fair to Lucas, the guy didn't have any time to make an impact, but he offers nothing and is becoming an annoyance.

Isn't it crazy, though, to keep playing Kuyt in that role? Do you know what, I would half prefer to see Babel doing that job, at least he would frighten opposition defenders with his raw pace.

It's a joke, this is a forum, use it to express your views. Unless a post deeply offends or is so obviously ridiculous it's laughable, why do people need to show some sort of veiled loyalty to Rafa? I think the man is an outstanding manager, but today gives the doubters a right good excuse to highlight his failings, and although a 0-0 draw against Stoke away isn't going to destroy our title aspirations, the result was on the cards with the announcement of the starting eleven. Our manager doesn't need empty praise, leading to criticism - just give him what he deserves, which is a roasting. Rafa was nothing short of an idiot today. Yes, we were all made up with his recent interview, but today's team selection was a disgrace. Kuyt is a dog, always has been. You play him on the right or leave him on the bench, what is going on with Keane? Everyone was raving about Lucas after the Newcastle match, when he did well, but ffs, the guy is not a Liverpool player, why can't some of you see that. I was pulled up the other week for saying he gives stupid free kicks away in dangerous areas all to often! Today was yet another exapmle of that, I would love to see us get rid of him in the summer, he stinks the place out and I don't even see this guy as a squad player. Strange thing is, I reckon someone would pay near £10million for the donkey. Today was a timely reminder of how poor we can be, and when we delve too deep into the squad, the quality just isn't there. Granted, Alonso was badly missed today, having been critical of some of his performances over the last two years, I don't think there is a more important individual in our team than Xabi at the moment - he sets everything up and is back in the sort of form that had us all raving about him in that first season. Learn your lesson Rafa, this is the best chance we have had of winning this league for so many years and, for all the praise you rightly deserve for turning our club around, don't undo the good work with that increasingly annoying stubborn streak. Onwards and upwards, I suppose - rant over.

AC Milan are probably interested in him because he was excellent against them in the first half of the Champions' League Final in Athens, in fact, he was arguably our best player for the opening 45mins. Apart from that, I think we'll be well rid of him, he's been a big disappointment and proved he hasn't got the bottle or desire to make an impact and play to his considerable potential at a big club.

Oh do fook off. Steven gerrard is a responsible individual, and is one of the best role models in the game. We don't even know what happened, yet some people are already looking to put the boot in. The guy is the greatest player to wear the red of LFC, and the things he has done on the pitch for the club defies belief - the list of memorable moments is too long to cover. I'm gutted for him this has happened, and hopefully it won't detract from our season.

If people on here are settling for this average player, then fair enough, I respect their opinion, but please let's not go overboard. All the doubters have won this one, as Lucas' fans are saying he did well, had an ok game etc. It speaks volumes about the low expectations people have of this lad. I'm sorry to sound harsh, but I'm offended by the fact lots of Liverpool fans actually rate this guy.

You know, those ones that are in our half. He's got absolutely nothing to give to the side, and although I hope he proves me wrong, I'm hapy to stick with my opinion, which is he will never be an LFC regular and if he is we win sweetFA. He's bloody awful and I don't know what Rafa sees in him.

Some people have decided he's not enough, because.....................he's not good enough! How many stupid fouls did he give away today? Too many. Three times he attempted to play the forward through, and three times he put too much weight on the ball. His attempt on goal was good, but are we seriously judging a player on one good contribution. Our squad is massive, but it is filled with Lucas-type players.

Why take Keane off? It's a joke decision, yet again, though with the 11 we put on that pitch today, I am happy to take a positive outlook by saying 1 point won rather than 2 dropped. To end, can I just say what a poor player Lucas is and if we can somehow manage to win this league with Torres missing so many games, it will be a minor miracle.

Edinjapan, Another thing, this is a forum, I haven't been overly critical of Benitez, but I have to admit some of his actions make no sense at all. Also, it's not about getting a grip with regard to us winning the title. For the record, I am willing us to do it, but if you're happy with our home form, I can tell you now that you will be disappointed come the end of January if points continue to be dropped at 'fortress' Anfield.

Edinjapan, I am not a d**khead, the point at which Lucas came on is not the issue, it is the treatment of Keane which bothers me. Granted, Keans has an attitude himself, but if you think our strikeforce is good enough without Keane (while Torres is injured), then you are badly mistaken.