Is Rafa Benitez better than...

[g force]

Mourinho is doing OK? For all the millions spent, he hasn't got a reserve central defender? As last night showed, the team is fucked without either Terry, Carvalho or both.

When Gerrard is missing LFC look a very ordinary team.

 

[steveo87]

can't 'pass the pringles roberto 'play out left?

Yeah but where would you rather have him? Right, centre or Left?

 

[rekil]

wHo have we got to replace him whilst Garcia is out?

What's wrong with Gerrard on the left and Mascherano and Alonso in the middle?

 

[steveo87]

Because of all the places he can play in, wouldn't you rather have in the centre or on the right because he's stronger on his right?

I understand that all things with King Stevie are relative.

 

[revol68]

Yeah but where would you rather have him? Right, centre or Left?

to be honest I'd play him as goalkeeper if it meant not having to put up with Zenden, he really is awful, over those two legs he played worse than Richardson all season!

 

[Bazza]

His signings have been shite for the most part, Ferreira, Diarra, Bouhalrouz.

Diarra is a brilliant player and a good prospect. Can't disagree with the others though.

The money spent was obscene but Essien is proving to be a brilliant signing.

 

[steveo87]

25 million for Drogba, was that really worth it?

 

[Bazza]

I'd have said no before this season. He really is an asset these days though. Not just for his goals but for his teamwork.

Then again, the ridiculous money we are spending makes our fees over inflated and not really reflective of what kind of money should be spent. It's a sad state of affairs for sure.

 

[steveo87]

So if Chelsea had a 'better' manager, do you reckon it would be different?

Say a Mancini or someone like that.

 

[Bazza]

Of course it would be different. We'd play very differently for a start. After yesterday, I've been very frustrated at quite how negative our play was.

However, what I really respect and like about Mourinho is the way he has the team playing as a unit. I don't recall there being such a strong team spirit and that is certainly down to the manager. Many of the players in the squad say this themselves.

I would be concerned that a new manager wouldn't be able to preserve that spirit.

 

[steveo87]

Both Benitez and Mourinho are the masters at Team Spirit.
But I do think Chelsea's image isn't helped by him, what was funny and charming three years ago now looks foolish and resentful.

 

[Bazza]

The jury's out on that one. I do think that a lot of it is the media getting overexcited. I also think that there's a lot about Mourinho that is overlooked.

Wenger (what's new) aside (OK, Benitez too) he seems to have a fairly good relationship with many managers. He isn't the awful sore loser he's always portrayed as either. He's often on the pitch at the end shaking hands with both sets of players.

At the end of the day, he's true to his feelings and that is something I do respect.

 

[revol68]

Both Benitez and Mourinho are the masters at Team Spirit.

What are you on about?

I don't think many Chelsea or Liverpool fans would agree with you about that, especially not Mourinho!

I'd say Benitez is tactically more astute than Fergie but Fergie wins it overall with his strength of personality and ability to inspire a team, that and his swashbuckling style. I think Man Utd really fucked up when Fergie started impersonating an Italian in Europe and locked the team into a more cautious tactical approach (remember 5 in the middle and one forward??), a type of game not at all suited to us.

 

[Bazza]

I for one was agreeing with him. I can tell you that Mourinho has created more of a team spirit than we've had before and, with so many primadonnas competing for places, that cannot be easy.

Revol, can we not have to talk about United in every single thread.

 

[steveo87]

What are you on about?

I don't think many Chelsea or Liverpool fans would agree with you about that, especially not Mourinho!

I'd say Benitez is tactically more astute than Fergie but Fergie wins it overall with his strength of personality and ability to inspire a team, that and his swashbuckling style. I think Man Utd really fucked up when Fergie started impersonating an Italian in Europe and locked the team into a more cautious tactical approach (remember 5 in the middle and one forward??), a type of game not at all suited to us.

Rafa Benitez won the Champions League with exactly the same team that Gerard "bum ticker" Houlier had the season before.
The only difference is rafa benitez but a swagger in our play. a spirit that no other team has in the world.
No team can walk into the Nu Camp say 'we're having this' and walk out the victors.
No team can go away from Stamford Bridge and go 'we're still gonna win this' and arrive at Anfield as if we were six nil up.
And no, not anyone, can ever say at half time, "we're gonna win this" and come and bascally shit in Kaka's mouth.
No team other than Liverpool.

When was United's 'Instanbul' perfomance?

 

[Bazza]

When was United's 'Instanbul' perfomance?

1999 I suspect.

 

[steveo87]

1?
Thats it?

 

[revol68]

1999 I suspect.

i'm glad i didn't have to say that, or mention Turin in the leg before that, or beating the gooners 4-2 with ten men at Highbury.

or how about hanging on with 10 men against the dippers and getting a late goal from John O'Shea at the Kop end?

 

[steveo87]

Hardly the same though is it.
Unties would have loved to have an 'Istanbul'.

 

[revol68]

Hardly the same though is it.
Unties would have loved to have an 'Istanbul'.

yes we'd truely love to win on penalties.

Oh wait I'd imagine we'd rather have our treble!

 

[steveo87]

Living in the past,
I thought we did that.

 

[nino_savatte]

Too right, he even has magic powers. Did you see him sitting crosslegged on the touchline during the penalty shootout? That was magic, I tell ya!

 

[revol68]

Hardly the same though is it.
Unties would have loved to have an 'Istanbul'.

anyway any muppet could keep a team spirit in a knock out competition, infact you'd sack the whole team if they couldn't raise themselves for one cup run a season!

Look at how Man United have been playing all year, just look at the how much they are enjoying their football, look at how young players have stepped into the team and not been overwhelmed or made to feel inadequate.

That's team spirit!

 

[steveo87]

Too right, he even has magic powers. Did you see him sitting crosslegged on the touchline during the penalty shootout? That was magic, I tell ya!

Iconic image of the night:
Anfield going barmy, the bar I was in awash with drunk scousers shouting and screaming at the big screen, whilst Rafa "Buddha" Benitez sits cross leggged in the technical area, contomplateing higher forms of reality.

 

[steveo87]

anyway any muppet could keep a team spirit in a knock out competition, infact you'd sack the whole team if they couldn't raise themselves for one cup run a season!

Look at how Man United have been playing all year, just look at the how much they are enjoying their football, look at how young players have stepped into the team and not been overwhelmed or made to feel inadequate.

That's team spirit!

Nowt without Ronaldo.
Anyway they play the same way they have for years, dick on the small teams and get dicked on by the big boys.

 

[revol68]

Nowt without Ronaldo.
Anyway they play the same way they have for years, dick on the small teams and get dicked on by the big boys.

I salute your modesty but I wouldn't call Liverpool a small team.

 

[denniseagle]

I salute your modesty but I wouldn't call Liverpool a small team.

LOL Neither would I, how about AC MILAN then we gave them a 3 goal lead and got them back in 6 minutes.

You had a 1 goal lead and fucked it up over 90 minutes.