Liverpool Star Set for Suprise £7m Exit and Rafa Wants £32m Trio

Leon - January 27th, 2010 at 2:49 pm

Hehehehe what a story..man am stooping myself from drooling….i would love benayoun to leave Liverpool and go somewhere else..i think Benitez is giving him high blood pressure the same as me..Benayoun has to think about his future he is clocking 30..and he cant be warming the bench for people like kuyt or lucas…

Rumors going round is that Benitez would leave Liverpool for juventus if kuyt follows that would be a story..anyway if benayoun doesn’t feel appreciated let him leave…we will get a profit of 2 million so we can go buy other lucases…and keep on complaining about the boring Liverpool and the coach…the back room staff at Liverpool is crap….

Leon - January 27th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

Hehehehe what a story..man am stoping myself from drooling….i would love benayoun to leave Liverpool and go somewhere else..i think Benitez is giving him high blood pressure the same as me..Benayoun has to think about his future he is clocking 30..and he cant be warming the bench for people like kuyt or lucas…

Rumors going round is that Benitez would leave Liverpool for juventus if kuyt follows that would be a story..anyway if benayoun doesn’t feel appreciated let him leave…we will get a profit of 2 million so we can go buy other lucases…and keep on complaining about the boring Liverpool and the coach…the back room staff at Liverpool is crap….

Retryboy - January 27th, 2010 at 2:59 pm

Good write up by Ynwa think there are big faults with the original article it is based on though. The piece from goal.com gives the impression that rafa fully appreciates yossi’s worth calls him one of his most trusted players. At the start of the season the midfield trio i wanted to see was Mascherano, Gerrard, Benayoun actually it still is. undoubtedly the israeli’s best position is off the striker as proved by his 3 outings there we have won 6-1, 4-0(yossi hat trick) and beat united 2-0 in a season of total failure how can these 3 massive successes with yossi in the beardsley role not led to more outings? Because rafa uses him as a utility player with no respect for his match winning ability. Happy that Benayoun will do a job for the team on whatever wing he is playing a forward looking player that week because lets face it its never both wings if any. Also Rafa’s love of 2 defensive midfielders and mr average lucas means there isn’t space for someone that can actually win a game in their best position. Don’t think he will go but if he does will be a total waste and another victim of Rafa’s system, favouritism and blindness

RaNE - January 27th, 2010 at 3:52 pm

NEWS: Huntelaar Wants a loan deal out of AC MILAN to play first team football because of the World cup coming up.

spota - January 27th, 2010 at 4:10 pm

exellent write up ynwa . but lads i fear the worste on this one . at wolves last night it was on everybodys lips . everybody was on about it so i fear its more than just idol speculation . as many ov us have said this season when he plays hes oneov our more consistent players . and to lose another attacking option without a ready replacement would be a nightmare . but with maxi coming in who nows whats going threw the isrealys head . i hope he stays . come on benni keep the faith . YNWA

Retryboy - January 27th, 2010 at 5:13 pm

Not even bothering responding to anyone who puts lucas and Benayoun in the same league. Sky sports have said now that we have put a not for sale sign on yossi, glad to hear it. Adding to Rane’s post milan would be willing to loan him out till the end of season and english clubs have been enquiring.

Retryboy - January 27th, 2010 at 5:14 pm

Sorry Kuyt and Benayoun

heimdall - January 27th, 2010 at 5:17 pm

oopsy, someone left the caps lock on, mind you judging by the drivel in the post working a keyboard must be hard work. If anyone should go it should be Lucas, very very damaging to our team and another of rafa’s favourites. The owners have to get rid of Rafa, I have said it before and i will say it again Rafa will bring about the destruction of LFC if he stays becuase he will not get us 4th spot, he will force Stevie to leave, stevie leaving will lead to nando leaving etc etc etc and then no footballer with half a brain will want to join us which will lead to mid table mediocrity or even relegation battles. on the other hand if we get a new manager in now, remotivate Stevie and the rest of the team and 4th place is very acheivable.

Retryboy - January 27th, 2010 at 5:23 pm

Whats it matter how ugly a player is anyway same anon’s been prattling on about our ugly players for ages Benayoun can play the game beautifully and thats good enough for me

RaNE - January 27th, 2010 at 5:50 pm

Exactly with Huntelaar out of AC milan till the summer anyway, Retryboy. It would be good if we could sign him but dont forget its Huntelaar we are on about. About 6 Prem clubs are after him and maybe even over 8 worldwide.

RyanO - January 27th, 2010 at 6:12 pm

This story is crap. Benny Onion goes nowhere. I think someone should start keeping a tally of the stories that come to fruition vs the stories that are complete shit. I am willing to bet we are working on a 25 to 1 ratio, in favor of the shit, at this point. We’ve been rumored to sell every one of our players at some point during the past season, whilst signing every player in the world in return.

redrum - January 27th, 2010 at 6:13 pm

Have to agree with many posters here. The problem is now and has been Lucas as a second defensive midfielder. The formation is a problem — maybe not in continental play, but certainly in the EPL — and they player is even worse. I’m tired of hearing how he’s improving. Yes, I think we all agree he’s improving. No shit, really? He was wretched to begin with, so of course he’s improving. But he still shows absolutely no — I repeat NO — signs of greatness. There’s no spark there, no inkling that some day stunning footballer will emerge. We can all see that plain as day, but apparently Rafa cannot, and for me it’s risen to an unpardonable sin.

If we fail to reach 4th place it will be obvious that choices like Lucas over Aquilani against Wolves — nil-nil — were what cost us the place. Not injuries, not lack of funds. I think you can concede that those issues cost us a shot at the title, but it’s what rafa has done with the money he’s had, the team selection, the strategy and the tactics that have failed this campaign. I don’t know how much more of a clear cut example you could possibly ask for.

Anyone who still believes in Lucas or Benitez… I’m still waiting for a decent argument… just not holding my breath.

Retryboy - January 27th, 2010 at 6:18 pm

Rane-am quite hopeful on that one because with Torres injury problems he would pretty much be guaranteed games at a high profile club. Only thing is arsenal might look to strengthen their options with r.v.p out for the season he would be the perfect foil for arshavin or united with owen and Berbatov not setting the world alight and their own money worries or even city with robinho leaving so we may have big competition from our league alone lets hope he doesn’t compare teams based on number of chances created for a striker eh! My other worry is that with wingers still not being used whether it will lead to more long ball game wimbledon style football

Aquaman - January 27th, 2010 at 6:19 pm

anonymous – January 27th, 2010 at 5:52 pm:
We haven’t really been fashioning any chances even when Torres has been fit. Torres is just good enough to latch onto one half chance per game and turn it into a goal. What we’ve really needed is a play maker, and while Gerrard usually filled this role with Xabi supporting, now Gerrard has developed a seemingly terminal mope, and Xabi became rich.

What we’ve needed (and still do) is a fully functioning Aquilani to supply the balls for the striker to shoot. My big concern is that by the time Rafa is satisfied with Aquilani (whatever that may involve) then it will already be too late. I still have hope for this season, but it relies on the players rediscovering their fire, and on Rafa playing Aquilani every game with no exceptions.

Aquaman - January 27th, 2010 at 6:23 pm

redrum: The only valid arguments for Benitez are based on either past events, or his transfer record (which I still maintain is excellent). Some of us just believe that things will work again next season and just hope that the damage will be minimal in this one. Who knows, maybe we’ll even get a trophy out of it (though I’m not holding my breath). There’s no logic to believing in Rafa, but when has faith ever been logical? And there’s really no other way to put it.

Scouse Magic - January 27th, 2010 at 6:24 pm

redrum – January 27th, 2010 at 6:13 pm

“Anyone who still believes in Lucas or Benitez… I’m still waiting for a decent argument… just not holding my breath.”

Can’t give you an argument, because it’s true or should i say FACT.

As i said on another post, i believe in Beni’s ability, but i think he should leave. 1) It will do him the world of good. 2) It will show how poor of a manager Rafa has become. 3) It will bring in good money through the door for a 29 yr old.

On another point however, it’s no good having a lot of money if you waste it on shit like Lucas, Degen, Voronin, Babel etc etc.

Retryboy - January 27th, 2010 at 6:43 pm

Aquaman you won’t lay any blame at Rafa’s feet for his 30 or so bad performances yet you constantly single out Gerrard who has all season been rushed back from injury, played with pain killing injections for the cause! no matter how good the player it takes time to find form when you are constantly in and out of the side because your manager won’t send you for the operation you need and when you look around and you are the one player capable of providing any spark or a defence splitting pass then you try and force the issue all of that leads to misplaced passes. You’ve been slating Gerrard for months now and unlike rafa its totally undeserved. You seem to be turning into rafa slowly champion of the average. If Gerrard is fed up and disillusioned under rafa he isn’t the only one or the problem. What are you basing your new Aquilani is amazing stance on too? seen a couple of good passes out of him so far did he even play in the 2nd half at spurs? You miss the point that spurs play as all Redknapp teams do open expansive and they didn’t close us down at all so Aquilani had all the time and space in the world. Wolves nowhere near the quality but totally different prospect no time or space so where was the pace and movement from other players for Gerrard to link with? What can Gerrard do with nobody finding space and if he is making the runs who exactly is going to hit him with a killer pass? Gerrard has done more for liverpool than rafa don’t think thats in question so where is the consistency in your views?

spota - January 27th, 2010 at 6:58 pm

retry i have to agree there m8 gerrard and torres have both prob needed ops all season . and are constantly playing at 50% or less. but also aquaman has got it right on the aquillani issue . if gerrard is not fit dont kill him . play are 20million pound so called xavi alonso like midfielder. or why was he baught . as i said earlier my lad fell asleep last night watching rafaz defensive shit . sick ov wasting my money every week . but i will still prob do it any way . rafaz lost the dressing room . maybe not publicly but its there 4 all to see.

...samlfc.... - January 27th, 2010 at 7:11 pm

keep Yossi and get Huntelaar on loan till the summer. i wish it was that sple but we all know it won’t be.
Retryboy: Rafa is to blame for most of the matches yes but the some of the players looked like they weren’t motivated enough or just couldn’t be bothered playing.
Aquilani will come good eventually

Aquaman - January 27th, 2010 at 7:13 pm

Retry. I’m calling it as I see it. I saw a decidedly average team playing against Wolves, when I saw the old LFC against Tottenham. I remember a distinct improvement after Gerrard was taken off against Reading. If you read my match review on the highlights article you will see that Gerrard is the only major change from our Tottenham domination (which we also played defensively, it must be said). All I am doing is calling the problem where I see it. You will also note that I did criticise Rafa for not making changes in the game when they were obviously needed.

What am I basing my Aquilani is amazing stance on? Well, we dominated Tottenham with him in the team and failed against Wolves. We were average with Gerrard in a forward role against Reading but actually looked like Liverpool again when Aquilani took up that responsibility.

I became aware of it in the derby, a game which Gerrard hadn’t been injured for at least a month before, and I was stunned by how disinterested he looked. And as I have said time and time again, I am not questioning his brilliance. He is and always will be a legend. It’s his disinterested attitude that is bugging me.

Now, Retry, I know that you are not going to like me saying this but you are being a bit hypocritical. Yous talk about all that Gerrard has done for liverpool in the past but discount Rafa’s CL success and his FA cup as being of the past and not relevant now. Also you may be getting annoyed with my constantly picking on Gerrard (even though it hasn’t been as frequent as you think), yet you always attack anyone who tells you to stop moaning about Rafa.

My stance remains the same as it always has. If the players are willing to show the effort that their salaries dictate (hence why I’ve always liked Degen), then they will receive my support and praise. The Babels and now (horrifyingly) the Gerrards will not be receiving it until they put in some shifts.

spota - January 27th, 2010 at 7:23 pm

well writen aquaman food for thought there . but steve g defenatly needs an operation . i mean it could even ruin his world cup if he doesent have it soon . lets hope he gets what is needed and we get the old gerrard back . i have to admit he looks lost at the moment . dont think rafaz helping him much or torres for that matter either . we need to get these players right so they can forefill there obvious brilliance . while he was out though i would defo play aquillani . we might aswell get are moneys worth . plus he can only get better with games . and we might attack more YNWA

Retryboy - January 27th, 2010 at 7:41 pm

Aquaman-you do appreciate that wolves are a different team to Tottenham? Totally different styles. There is a lot more than just the team sheet being the same. Aquilani wasn’t the reason we beat Tottenham sure if Tottenham had sat back and defended, closed down like wolves the score would have been 0-0. Unless your team full of degen’s, Kuyt’s and lucas’s were going to do what they haven’t managed all season and broken down a team that play like that. Has rafa been managing with an injury this season then? Ah explains it all brain damage! You have singled out Gerrard in virtually every game played for a long while now whilst avoiding all the obvious issues look at the season as a whole the spurs and united games are the blips the dross is the norm. Like the way you say Rafa’s euro cup and fa cup sure it is known as the Gerrard cup final. What i am saying is you judge people happily off one performance like degen who didn’t do anything special at all against spurs became our best right midfielder to you. Yet we can’t judge rafa off the obvious bad decisions we constantly see and 30 bad performances not counting his shocking pre-season decisions. Now Gerrard is the cause of all liverpools woes like with Babel you confuse people trying too hard to create something with not caring

Liverpool FC Danny - January 27th, 2010 at 7:44 pm

Please God don’t go Yossi!!! You are one of the best players at the club!!! Probably won’t happen tough, just signed a new contract.

Aquaman - January 27th, 2010 at 8:09 pm

Retryboy – You do appreciated that Tottenham are a hell of a lot better than Wolves right? Petty, yes, but the point is valid.

Retry you have missed my point, yet again. You really do exasperate me sometimes. My point was that when Aquilani was in the team we looked threatening. With Gerrard in the team we look disillusioned and ordinary. I am not talking about results. I am talking about the performance. If we’d lost against Tottenham and beaten wolves my point would still be the same. Gerrard’s head is my problem, not his hamstring.

Aquilani has the right attitude. He’s looking to prove himself and is clearly working damn hard in training to do so. Degen as well has the right attitude. Granted I did say that he’s our best right midfielder and I stand by that. Kuyt is not, Yossi is more of an inside forward, Babel is bleh, Maxi is unproven, Johnson has never been tried, Gerrard would be wasted, should I go on?

I will grant you that it is called the Gerrard FA cup final, but again you missed my point.

Also I have not deliberately ignored Rafa’s faults. I just feel that with you, Donavan, etc etc etc finding every single tiny little fault there is to find, that any contribution I make would be spitting in the ocean. Plus I still say that the manager does not kick the ball, and no matter the tactics we should be beating Wolves. And if we can’t then, whatever the tactics, the players are as much to blame.

Aquaman - January 27th, 2010 at 10:05 pm

anonymous – January 27th, 2010 at 9:46 pm:
I hate to burst your bubble, but have you looked at a calendar recently? We have to do the best with what we’ve got, and Yossi is one of the best we’ve got. If all you want to do is buy the best players in the world, then we’ll be able to afford maybe half a team, that’s all. WAKE UP!

Aquaman - January 28th, 2010 at 9:04 am

Wow. Two anons talking to themselves. Getting self-righteous aren’t we?

Scouse Magic - January 28th, 2010 at 11:41 am

Can’t understand why all you anons are slating Gerrard & Carragher, yes they aren’t having the greatest season, but who in the squad is????????????????
I didn’t hear all of you slating them last year when they carrying the majority of the squad on their backs.
Carra is not playing well this year, because he is NOT i repeat NOT a right back, neither does he play well with Skrtel who is having a shocking year.
Also remind me again what is Gerrard’s natural position, oh yeah he’s CENTRE MIDFIELDER not a second striker.
To quote a phrase “Square pegs in round holes”
Rafa play the the players in the rightful position in a 4-4-2 formation and you will see an instant change in character.
GK: Reina/Cavalieiri, LB Insua/Aurelio, RB Johnson/Darby, CB Kyriagkos/Carra/Skrtel/Agger CM Gerrard/Masch/Aqualani/Speaing RW Babel/Pacheco LW Reira/Pacheco ST Torres/Ngog/Kuyt

Retryboy - January 28th, 2010 at 2:09 pm

Aquaman-you aren’t alone in thinking i am missing the point you are making constantly feel you are with me guess we are just totally different ends of the spectrum in where we see the problems and where we see the solutions. Anon’s slating Gerrard and Carragher are you for real? Agree totally with scouse magic and what exactly is Carragher to blame for the fact we can’t score in a brothel? Defenders make mistakes, teams let in goals its not a big issue at clubs where the team creates chances and scores goals themselves. The amount of covering tackles and goal scoring chances Carragher snuffs out is still probably more than any other defender but i take it positioning and tackling doesn’t come into the equation? Did someone compare Gerrard to lucas Lmao 100 games for lucas to improve to an average player with no outstanding features to his game, he would struggle to get into a team fighting relegation yet he takes the place of a whole host of talent at Rafa’s disposal. Why a different rule for Stevie g? Because he is the best in his position in the world!! Has single handedly won more games for Lfc than any other player in our history, he is used to being surrounded by inferior players but the special needs manager from hell is probably a bridge too far. Anon 10.26 your post seems very familiar lol why don’t you just sign in you plum if you are going to just write the same thing you always do?? I support my club best thing for liverpool is get the poison that is rafa out of here and watch the quality players and quality youth flourish instead of playing with a deadweight on their backs.

redrum - January 28th, 2010 at 3:01 pm

Retryboy – January 28th, 2010 at 2:09 pm

Solid post Retry. You’re improving, maybe — unlike Lucas — you’ve got some real upside.

Anon logic 101:

If you are vocal about expecting more from the team, you are not supporting LFC
If you criticize Rafa, you are not a fan of LFC
If you criticize Lucas, you cannot see that Gerrard or Carra have declined
If you think we should sack Rafa, you aren’t grateful for his success with the club
If you think Rafa’s tactics are too defensive, you forget our 08-09 goal tally
If you think Babel is an unintelligent footballer, you don’t know his “true position”

These are all shite reasoning to avoid the obvious. The team is thin due to generally poor player development, promotion, and acquisition (all Rafa’s responsibilites); it’s rendered even thinner by poor team selection (uh, also Rafa) and the side that is put out looks even worse than it is because of poor strategy (Rafa), tactics (Rafa), and attitude (partly Rafa). True, the injury situation has added even another diluting element, but isn’t that partly Rafa’s responsibility too? Would Torres have taken the same beating if paired with another striker?

We ALL stand behind Rafa on match day, but to not hold him accountable for the present situation because we aren’t “professionals”… that’s just nonsense.

spota - January 28th, 2010 at 5:39 pm

redrum QUALITY POST M8 ! when all is said and done managers get paid to get results . and the size ov a club determins there aims . we ARE a big club regardless ov our situation and current form . but as a big club not only in great britian or europe but the WORLD ! . and a club ov our size and stature . should not be happy with the 4th place spot ! rafa has proved time and time again the champs league is more important to him than the premiership title . and know hes even messed that up . a club ov liverpools size should never fail to get to the first round ov the knock out stages . i mean we where hardly in the group ov death where we ! rafaiel benitez has to be blamed for our current situation . no one else! he is probrably the worst man manager in the league . they all talk about istanbul . he inherited most ov that team . and flogged em soon as ! the fa cup final as retry says is named the gerrard final . and dont forget reina saved 3 pens as did dudek in istanbul . and people forget the starting eleven he put out in the cl final 2005 . he even started kewell who hadent played all season . half time score 3 0 or are we to beleve it was rafaz brilliant man management that got the lads going in the second half . hahaha . NO it was a gerrard header witch if he tryed a 100 times over he could not do again . a dida fumble from smicer and a penalty rebound . even though it was a brilliant night in istanbul . {i know i was there} you have to say we where very lucky . the year later the same team made us look very average .{to say the very least} when have we ever consistently hammerd teams and won something under benitez . houllier should get some credit for the champs league win if managers are judged on buys. its time for a new manager to steer us back to glory one hopefully that loves the club and can exept critism . unlike the arrogant prick in charge know . the longer we wait to sack this div the longer it takes for liverpool to become a major force once again not only in europe , britian , but the WORLD . COME ON LADS PLAY 4 US NOT THE ARROGANT FAT WAITER ! YNWA

redrum - January 29th, 2010 at 12:32 am

anonymous – January 28th, 2010 at 9:35 pm

Listen, Rafa, we’d be happy to see you join the forum in a non-anonymous fashion and instruct us on the various FACTS about the Science of Football that we are clearly ignorant of and desperately in need of your enlightenment.

Really, don’t worry about coming out of the anonymous shadows to post your name behind the “snakes” comment… clearly there’s nothing on earth you can do to get yourself sacked.

On the other hand, you may want to stop consulting with the Voyeur before posting. Our team drew Wolves because of hard tackling and the refs inability to bail us out? Sure you got that right? You sat Aquilani because he’s too fragile to play the likes of those treacherous Wolves? That’s your final answer then?