Tommy Cockles

Jesus. I will refrain from petty abuse as its not really called for. I called it the ECL rather than the EC because its a palpably different competition than the EC. 4th place teams, groups etc. Right now that nonsense is out of the way, I did not dismiss it I merely said that I would take the LC over it. Whilst of course it was a monumental achievement and one I will never forget, I do as a consecutive point feel that the ECL has been devalued by the introduction of non Champions into its format. Call me old fashioned but there it is. And so after all that, you would choose the same as me. How queer. Well I would disagree (cue accusations of madness, name calling etc) At no point under GH or RB have I felt "we can win this" Pre Coventry debacle I really felt we could, even would. That makes it closer IMO.

Genius. Aren't you. How dare I criticise the manager. In Rafa we trust. In Ged we trust. Ho hum. Peace.

Well I would argue that I am doing the same! I can't accept money as an excuse, he has had plenty of money to spend. And is anyone as attractive as us, or am I biased? Rafa has done well, of course he has. I just don't think he will win us the league, largely because he has not bought the right players. That was my point. And yes I believe we should be ATC, not because of our past success, but because of our resource.

I assume thats aimed at me. Winning the ECL was great fun but did it make us the best in Europe? Of course not. The fact is if I was offered the choice between a LC & a ECL win I would choose the league. How about you? It means you truly are the best, and the feeling of winning it surpasses all else for me, including the current bloated ECL circus. If that makes me insane then WIBBLE Well quite. It was the closest we have come to winning it since we last did. Ergo GH was no closer.

Expand.

SG is our best player offensively. SG is being played out of position. Wide we have no quality. QED chief. Oh for goodness sake, I am not saying sack him I am just voicing an opinion laced with concern that we are not moving towards where we want to be. Of course he deserves leeway, but I also believe he deserves criticism and I am not afraid to do so. Its healthy! And I might add that "rafa might not win us the league, but i can't think of anyone else who will either in our current state, and while chelsea are still around." is hardly a ringing endorsement! Maybe we are not so far apart after all

Really? I thought I just happened to have a different opinion to you. I hope you are right and I am wrong. We will see. I never said Sissoko was a bad player. I like him. I said that he offered nothing offensively. I know he is young and I want to see him blossom at Anfield into a truly world class CM. To be considered such he needs to contribute more in the final 3rd. As for Alonso, likewise I like him, he has a sublime talent, I want to see him dominate games with it and it just doesn't happen. Perhaps "missing" was the wrong choice of word. I am not impying he is a "bottler". Those with the most talent you want to see them use it more effectively. IMO Xabi lets us down there. Sorry, its just my opinion. I expect more of XA because I know he is capable of more.

I have seen nothing to indicate that Benitez is capable of assembling a team to challenge for, let alone win, the league. Not even our best points total in the Top Division since we last won the League? No, banging on about points totals is meaningless. Yes it is. When have you thought "we can win the league" (NB Thinking it before the season starts doesn't count) Too much mediocrity has been purchased expensively. Often the way these days, i also think he's bought some real quality too Of course he has bought some quality, I never said he hasn't. I argue that he has also purchased too much mediocrity. That's the problem. That's why we are not good enough. I am not following what he is doing - in terms of tactics or personnel - defensively, in midfield, or up front. that can't be helped Ho ho. Well I will expand. Defensively (the best area) but still not wild about zonal but lets not start on that. Midfield, no quality wide, SG played out of pos. Zenden. Fireproof Alonso. Up front? Is that a quartet that looks remotely capable of winning the league? I would stake my life that it is not. Simply not good enough. The football is of a moderate standard at best, and at worst flat out tedious. very harsh, we've been below par this season but we've also played some great stuff over the previous two years, esp at home. OK go back into the archives. Last season was last season. It give us no points now. THIS season we are playing very sterile football mate. We live or die by the 1st goal. we certainly used to under GH and arguably have done so THIS season under Rafa but if you're unable to recall our 'fightbackability' in the last two seasons under Rafa then i suggest you go see Murph's Doctor. We certainly are now and thats what's relevant. I don't need a doctor to see that. If you can't then maybe you do? His post match utterances are becoming excruciating. Not true at all........yet. He often looks to the positive, doesn't blame individuals, the referee (much). Yeah ok maybe I am knee jerking to him whinging about Portsmouth time wasting. I retract. The best players are the ones that were here already. Alonso, Sissoko, Garcia, Kuyt, Crouch, Reina are all improvements on what we had IMO and would be considered along with Gerrard, Finna, Riise & Carra to be our best players OK well depends how wide you want to cast the net. Our best player offensively is SG & defensively JC. They were here already. The cup successes will fake out the majority, most of the time, that he really can deliver the real prize. I will admit to be faked out by him winning the Champions League with essentially Houllier's team, he's earned the right to far more time and far more respect - from me, at least. I am not saying sack him I am just voicing my opinion that I have very little belief that he can win us the league and banging on about cups is, as many are, and many did in the same scenario with GH, is missing the point. I am just a punter with an opinion, I like Rafa, he has given me some amazing moments and I will always be grateful for them. Hopefully there will be more. Can I see him winning us the league? No. And I felt the same about GH, in the face of many who belittled me for daring to criticise him. All the best. Until its too late... Seems a very fair comparison to me. Tragically. Peace.

Correct. The other half though is somewhat nearer the truth though. Happy with things are you? Yes, I agree. Its hard to let it go though.

Why? Sissoko has not scored, nor looked like scoring. Have you seen him open up a defence or pass incisively in the final 3rd? I agree he is an effective ball winner and hard working midfielder but you need more than that. In my opinion. Alonso, though occasionally sublime, is far from the dominant figure in games that his natural talent suggests he could be. Too often he goes missing. Hence "anonymous". I have an opinion chief, and the rationale to back it up. Perhaps you would like a go?

My point is that Benitez's transfer portfolio is not good enough to challenge for the league. As an overall performance he has spent too much money on players who do not meet that criteria. If you oblect to the owrds "overpriced" and/or "mediocre" then I apologise. I may well be wrong. The table suggests otherwise. The quality of football suggests otherwise. Yes you can point out the better ones, and I have agreed those are they. I could equally point out the ones at the other end of the sprectrum but where does it get us? I may well have a blinkered perspective but I am fortunate to have seen us win several championships and I judge by those standards. If that makes me spoiled so be it.

Thank you for noticing. Reality often is. Peace.

Alonso - At the better end, but still too inconsistent and anonymous to be considered a success. Sorry I have high standards. Kuyt - A promising start but too early to be classed a success. I don't see a 20 goals a season there. I hope I am wrong. Agger - A decent start, need to see more of him under pressure. Sissoko - Effective but one dimensional. I.e nothing offensively. Garcia - Show pony. More likely to give the ball away than contribute. Reina - Capable, occasionally superb, but too many mistakes to be called world class in my book. The point is yes he has bought some "good" players - and you have listed them. Unfortunately to be the best "good" is not good enough.

Latching on to "the season's over" and harping on about the FA Cup somewhat misses the point. A more appropriate title to the thread would be that "by the standards with which we used to measure ourselves, i.e winning the league, the season is over" We are no closer to winning the league now than we were under Houllier, who in turn was no closer than Evans. Cup wins have not & will not make up for that. Well not for me anyway. And yes that is depressing, though we should be getting used to it by now. Shouldn't we?

Booing our own or cheering when they are subbed is crass and classless. Yet sadly our support is getting more generic by the day, especially at home. As for the lad himself, its sad but equally clear to anyone who has been around for a while, that he is not good enough to play for a club which has aspirations of being the best in the country. And he is somewhat iconic of Bentez's transfer acumen. Over-priced mediocrity.

It is.

I have seen nothing to indicate that Benitez is capable of assembling a team to challenge for, let alone win, the league. Too much mediocrity has been purchased expensively. I am not following what he is doing - in terms of tactics or personnel - defensively, in midfield, or up front. The football is of a moderate standard at best, and at worst flat out tedious. We live or die by the 1st goal. His post match utterances are becoming excruciating. The best players are the ones that were here already. The cup successes will fake out the majority, most of the time, that he really can deliver the real prize. Until its too late... Seems a very fair comparison to me. Tragically. Peace.

We are as bad as I think

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That will explain the Belgian accent then.

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Your use of the smilie shames me. Perhaps one day I will learn humour like what you have. Peace.