Champions League qualifiers - Standard Liege v Liverpool & FC Twente v Arsenal

[The Baron]

Why is Benitez popular with the Liverpool fans ?

Because he's a world class manager doing very well on a restricted budget.

Our team when he took over was:

            Dudek

Finnan Carra Hyypia Riise

Murphy Hamann Gerrard Kewell

         Cisse  Baros

And more shockingly considering what Houllier spent we had Traore Biscan Henchoz Mellor Le Tallec Warnock Smicer and several others too bad to even remember as squad players.

Now we have:

            Reina

Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena

Benayoun Gerrard Mascherano Babel

        Keane  Torres

But more importantly we have Cavalieri Skrtel Finnan Degen Aurelio Alonso Kuyt Pennant as well as very promising youngsters like Plessis Insua Ngog El Zhar Nemeth Lucas Spearing.

I know Kuyt and Benayoun dont exactly cut it a wingers and that this isn't a title winning team. But is it better than the teams we've had? Yes. Can another manager who isn't already at a huge club do a better job on the same budget? No.

Along the way he's won trophies and made us capable of putting together 10 or 11 game winning streaks. Comparitively in terms of improvement vs money spent he's up there with the best. We've gone from struggling to qualify for the Champions League to the ranked number 1 team in Europe. (ie In the last 5 years in Europe our record is the best)

The truth is outside of Liverpool Benitez is underrated in England. (Although not so in Europe at all) People just see him as a rotation monkey with no idea of his best 11. This couldn't be further from the truth and Liverpool fans who watch the team every week and can see the improvement year on year know how good he is. What he's done for the club is work wonders. Financial issues aside, the team is in very good hands to push on to be a brilliant side with a good signing or two, which will probably be next summer now.

This season I'm happy with 3rd but within 6 points of the winners, a CL run that may or may not go to the final, and a domestic trophy.

[sweet potata!]

Why is Benitez popular with the Liverpool fans ?

Because he's a world class manager doing very well on a restricted budget.

Our team when he took over was:

            Dudek

Finnan Carra Hyypia Riise

Murphy Hamann Gerrard Kewell

         Cisse  Baros

And more shockingly considering what Houllier spent we had Traore Biscan Henchoz Mellor Le Tallec Warnock Smicer and several others too bad to even remember as squad players.

Now we have:

            Reina

Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena

Benayoun Gerrard Mascherano Babel

        Keane  Torres

But more importantly we have Cavalieri Skrtel Finnan Degen Aurelio Alonso Kuyt Pennant as well as very promising youngsters like Plessis Insua Ngog El Zhar Nemeth Lucas Spearing.

I know Kuyt and Benayoun dont exactly cut it a wingers and that this isn't a title winning team. But is it better than the teams we've had? Yes. Can another manager who isn't already at a huge club do a better job on the same budget? No.

Along the way he's won trophies and made us capable of putting together 10 or 11 game winning streaks. Comparitively in terms of improvement vs money spent he's up there with the best. We've gone from struggling to qualify for the Champions League to the ranked number 1 team in Europe. (ie In the last 5 years in Europe our record is the best)

The truth is outside of Liverpool Benitez is underrated in England. (Although not so in Europe at all) People just see him as a rotation monkey with no idea of his best 11. This couldn't be further from the truth and Liverpool fans who watch the team every week and can see the improvement year on year know how good he is. What he's done for the club is work wonders. Financial issues aside, the team is in very good hands to push on to be a brilliant side with a good signing or two, which will probably be next summer now.

This season I'm happy with 3rd but within 6 points of the winners, a CL run that may or may not go to the final, and a domestic trophy.

Hey mate , I have to say i agree with 99.9999% of that post , nh wp ..........My only problem is WHY oh WHY did we not sign any wide players, rafa's persistence in playing dirk kuyt on the right is really really annoying.There was talk of david silva and bentley at some stages during the summer , either would have been ideal imo.Don't get me wrong i was excited about the possibility of stevieG and his buddy Barry playing alongside each other , but with bentley on the market i can't see why we didnt make a move for him .Think about it how sweet would a midfield of Babel , Mascherano, Gerrard and Bentley have been , v classy imo

[jizzemm]

Think about it how sweet would a midfield of Barry, Mascherano, Gerrard and Bentley have been , v classy imo

Since you leave Alonso out, I prefer Barry...

[77dave]

Why to people insist we need a right winger.

Ray Houghton was an amazing right midfielder for us his style down the right with Babel on the left makes more sense to me.

[sweet potata!]

Think about it how sweet would a midfield of Barry, Mascherano, Gerrard and Bentley have been , v classy imo

Since you leave Alonso out, I prefer Barry...

Well it would be a case of who we were playing to see if alonso or mascherano was needed

[jizzemm]

Think about it how sweet would a midfield of Barry, Mascherano, Gerrard and Bentley have been , v classy imo

Since you leave Alonso out, I prefer Barry...

Well it would be a case of who we were playing to see if alonso or mascherano was needed

true

[The Baron]

Why is Benitez popular with the Liverpool fans ?

Because he's a world class manager doing very well on a restricted budget.

Our team when he took over was:

            Dudek

Finnan Carra Hyypia Riise

Murphy Hamann Gerrard Kewell

         Cisse  Baros

And more shockingly considering what Houllier spent we had Traore Biscan Henchoz Mellor Le Tallec Warnock Smicer and several others too bad to even remember as squad players.

Now we have:

            Reina

Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena

Benayoun Gerrard Mascherano Babel

        Keane  Torres

But more importantly we have Cavalieri Skrtel Finnan Degen Aurelio Alonso Kuyt Pennant as well as very promising youngsters like Plessis Insua Ngog El Zhar Nemeth Lucas Spearing.

I know Kuyt and Benayoun dont exactly cut it a wingers and that this isn't a title winning team. But is it better than the teams we've had? Yes. Can another manager who isn't already at a huge club do a better job on the same budget? No.

Along the way he's won trophies and made us capable of putting together 10 or 11 game winning streaks. Comparitively in terms of improvement vs money spent he's up there with the best. We've gone from struggling to qualify for the Champions League to the ranked number 1 team in Europe. (ie In the last 5 years in Europe our record is the best)

The truth is outside of Liverpool Benitez is underrated in England. (Although not so in Europe at all) People just see him as a rotation monkey with no idea of his best 11. This couldn't be further from the truth and Liverpool fans who watch the team every week and can see the improvement year on year know how good he is. What he's done for the club is work wonders. Financial issues aside, the team is in very good hands to push on to be a brilliant side with a good signing or two, which will probably be next summer now.

This season I'm happy with 3rd but within 6 points of the winners, a CL run that may or may not go to the final, and a domestic trophy.

Hey mate , I have to say i agree with 99.9999% of that post , nh wp ..........My only problem is WHY oh WHY did we not sign any wide players, rafa's persistence in playing dirk kuyt on the right is really really annoying.There was talk of david silva and bentley at some stages during the summer , either would have been ideal imo.Don't get me wrong i was excited about the possibility of stevieG and his buddy Barry playing alongside each other , but with bentley on the market i can't see why we didnt make a move for him .Think about it how sweet would a midfield of Babel , Mascherano, Gerrard and Bentley have been , v classy imo

Mr Potata!... If that is your real name. I agree 100%.

I would have gone all out for Silva and moved Babel right and used BennyandJoon as an impact player.

If we'd signed Barry I think it'd have been Gerrard on the right though unfortunately. Although he did score 23 goals there when he last played there. Why is it when Gerrard plays right it's a waste but when Ronaldo plays right he's a drifter? lol When effectively they play the same role from the flank...

[sweet potata!]

Why is Benitez popular with the Liverpool fans ?

Because he's a world class manager doing very well on a restricted budget.

Our team when he took over was:

            Dudek

Finnan Carra Hyypia Riise

Murphy Hamann Gerrard Kewell

         Cisse  Baros

And more shockingly considering what Houllier spent we had Traore Biscan Henchoz Mellor Le Tallec Warnock Smicer and several others too bad to even remember as squad players.

Now we have:

            Reina

Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena

Benayoun Gerrard Mascherano Babel

        Keane  Torres

But more importantly we have Cavalieri Skrtel Finnan Degen Aurelio Alonso Kuyt Pennant as well as very promising youngsters like Plessis Insua Ngog El Zhar Nemeth Lucas Spearing.

I know Kuyt and Benayoun dont exactly cut it a wingers and that this isn't a title winning team. But is it better than the teams we've had? Yes. Can another manager who isn't already at a huge club do a better job on the same budget? No.

Along the way he's won trophies and made us capable of putting together 10 or 11 game winning streaks. Comparitively in terms of improvement vs money spent he's up there with the best. We've gone from struggling to qualify for the Champions League to the ranked number 1 team in Europe. (ie In the last 5 years in Europe our record is the best)

The truth is outside of Liverpool Benitez is underrated in England. (Although not so in Europe at all) People just see him as a rotation monkey with no idea of his best 11. This couldn't be further from the truth and Liverpool fans who watch the team every week and can see the improvement year on year know how good he is. What he's done for the club is work wonders. Financial issues aside, the team is in very good hands to push on to be a brilliant side with a good signing or two, which will probably be next summer now.

This season I'm happy with 3rd but within 6 points of the winners, a CL run that may or may not go to the final, and a domestic trophy.

Hey mate , I have to say i agree with 99.9999% of that post , nh wp ..........My only problem is WHY oh WHY did we not sign any wide players, rafa's persistence in playing dirk kuyt on the right is really really annoying.There was talk of david silva and bentley at some stages during the summer , either would have been ideal imo.Don't get me wrong i was excited about the possibility of stevieG and his buddy Barry playing alongside each other , but with bentley on the market i can't see why we didnt make a move for him .Think about it how sweet would a midfield of Babel , Mascherano, Gerrard and Bentley have been , v classy imo

Mr Potata!... If that is your real name. I agree 100%.

I would have gone all out for Silva and moved Babel right and used BennyandJoon as an impact player.

If we'd signed Barry I think it'd have been Gerrard on the right though unfortunately. Although he did score 23 goals there when he last played there. Why is it when Gerrard plays right it's a waste but when Ronaldo plays right he's a drifter? lol When effectively they play the same role from the flank...

Yes! that is my real name! Yes benayoun drifts in and out of games too much , so he would deffo be better off been an impact player

Obviously when gerrard is named in the team and we have 2 other central midfielders also playing , that means gerrard is confined to the right wing where he must at all times have chalk underneath his boots and never ever come inside and get goals or anything like that , just has to make sure to hug the touchline thats why its a waste