Liverpool Fc @ Anfield - Reds Supporters Gatherings

[ANDYSIAO14]

Benitez planning clear-the-air talks with owners

Rafael Benitez hopes to have clear-the-air talks with Liverpool's American owners before the Premier League showdown with Manchester United next month.


The Anfield boss, with his position strengthened by the Champions League victory over Porto, experienced a week of acrimony with owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett that threatened his job.

Benitez had been told by the US sports moguls that they would not discuss transfers until they made their next trip to Merseyside for the clash with Sir Alex Ferguson's men on December 16.

That is after Liverpool's last group match in Marseille and would leave Benitez precious little time to plan ahead for the January transfer window.

But Benitez, while being careful not to upset the Americans with his transfer kitty demands, revealed today: 'I would hope to speak to the owners before the Manchester United game.

'I don't know if that is possible but we will try. But I don't know for sure.'

His answer to a question regarding whether he still had a January shopping list was met with the now familiar line: 'I am enjoying this result and concentrating on coaching and training my players.'

But Benitez, who has stopped short of apologising in public for his outbursts, was prepared to underline his own stance.

He added: 'My relationship with them was good before. Now we need to talk about what the problem was and move on.

'Maybe my English is not that good, maybe that was the problem. But it is clear we have to understand the situation and talk to each other.

'We must decide what is best for the future of the club, we can manage that. We will, I am sure, try to do that.

'I prefer only to say that as a manager you can only think about your squad. So January is nearly here and next summer is close also.

'So you must do your job, and I was trying to do this. Maybe we should talk now and analyse the situation. But I only want to talk, it is easier to talk face to face rather than to send e-mails or talk by phone.'

Benitez had received astonishing backing from the Liverpool fans before, during and after the 4-1 mauling of Porto, and they chanted 'Rafa's going nowhere' as they celebrated a victory that keeps alive the club's Champions League dreams.

But the row with the Americans, and how Benitez continues to handle the volatile situation, has become key to the club's immediate future.

Benitez added: 'We knew the fans were preparing something, I was being told about the petition on the internet. But all I wanted was for everyone to calm down, in particular the players.

'They had to prepare for the game properly. But you hear and see the support, but then I have always known that our fans are the best in the world.

'We have talked (with the owners) bout different issues, but we did not have the same opinion at this moment.

'But I am sure we will talk again, they will understand and I will also understand their ideas.

'But I was hearing it was all about my ego. That is not true, the team is my responsibility. I can stay around and at the end of the month just go to collect my wages.

'But I cannot be like that, I want to improve my team and my squad. That is what I was trying to do. But I can only repeat that I do not have any personal problems with the owners.'

Benitez has also received support from Fernando Torres, the Spanish international who produced two fine goals against Porto that went a long way towards lifting the pressure on his manager.

He said: 'The atmosphere was amazing. For many reasons, because all that was going on this week with Rafa, the people here really got behind the team when we needed their backing most.

'They really support you as much as they can and that is a gift for all of us.

'It was great for those that had never enjoyed a night like this before, and especially for Rafa because we have seen that the supporters are really behind him.

'I think Benitez is more than a manager. He is one of the greats in their history and people feel that way about him and they show it.

'We all had an idea that he is special here but, honestly, what I saw at Anfield was really impressive.

'I am really impressed at how much he is loved by the people, above anything else, even the players.

'I feel their affection, the support for my team-mates, and with each passing day I am feeling more a part of this and happier with everything. In the end those things are reflected on the pitch.' -soccernet

[Luckytime]

Now Liverpool will go on to win more games until mid Jan. where they will starts to cool down again which i've notice it during Rafa's previous 2 season with the club. This period Liverpool most of the time can perform very well.

[hawksbay]

another thumping win,guess all the focus on training is paying off,well its abt time the rest took notice.

[ProfessorOokami]

Originally Posted by hawksbay

another thumping win,guess all the focus on training is paying off,well its abt time the rest took notice.

IMHO, Babel played better than Kewel, should Babel had been deployed earlier, the scoreline could have been better.

[hawksbay]

Originally Posted by ProfessorOokami

IMHO, Babel played better than Kewel, should Babel had been deployed earlier, the scoreline could have been better.

i tot kewell had a fair game,he s coming back frm a long layoff n it showed when he started to tire but wat a player to bring on,babel gave us something different.bring on the scums

[Cummon]

Originally Posted by ProfessorOokami

IMHO, Babel played better than Kewel, should Babel had been deployed earlier, the scoreline could have been better.

Babel is not a natural winger,I really hope to see him play as a striker in the future. Rafa is building up a real good team, Babel,Torres,Mascherano,
Lucas....imagine what they will bring to the team when they approach their prime years,frightening !

[sex crusader]

Yes...babel has the same killer instinct as torres.Both were magnificent in that game.

[KLKOOL]

Originally Posted by Cummon

Babel is not a natural winger,I really hope to see him play as a striker in the future. Rafa is building up a real good team, Babel,Torres,Mascherano,
Lucas....imagine what they will bring to the team when they approach their prime years,frightening !

Babel reminds me of Robben when he burst onto the scene. The dutch and Portuguese make some great wingers. This team will only continue to improve.

[rahl]

I haven't seen us play Bolton off the park in recent years as we did yesterday. Even last season, when we won 3-0, we didn't have that complete domination and crisp attacking football.

And we know (if we didn't already) who is the manager we really want at Anfield:
"It wasn't a fantastic performance from us but we scored four goals, could have had a lot more and we must be pleased," enthused Benitez.

What a bloke.

[KingEros]

Originally Posted by sex crusader

Yes...babel has the same killer instinct as torres

You sure you know what you are saying?
Did you not see Babel miss that other sitter from 6 yards?
To me, his only instinct is to whack the ball as hard as he can, not unlike a certain Mr Cisse ... on the other hand, Torres would have the instinct to place the ball to where the lobang is, so much like a certain Mr Fowler.

Right now, it is not exactly the number of goals from Torres that turns me on ... but the type of goals he can score - left foot, right foot, headers, venomous shots, deft touches ... totally unpredictable, how to defend??

One more thing from the commentators last night that turned me on ... finally they mentioned something truly in honour of God: "LFC need a 20-league-goals-a-season striker for the longest time ... the last time they had one was Folwer, not even Owen has manged to achieve that!!!"
Precisely so, for all the hype about Owen being better than Fowler blah blah blah, that shortie has never managed to score more than 20 league goals in any single season.

[Exciter101]

Originally Posted by KingEros

One more thing from the commentators last night that turned me on ... finally they mentioned something truly in honour of God: "LFC need a 20-league-goals-a-season striker for the longest time ... the last time they had one was Folwer, not even Owen has manged to achieve that!!!"
Precisely so, for all the hype about Owen being better than Fowler blah blah blah, that shortie has never managed to score more than 20 league goals in any single season.

Bro, it is not nice to say about someone who at certain point of time serve Liverpool well.
Even though they did not score as much as God, we should give them credit when credit is due.
Torres is not exactly a fox-in-the-box like Fowler and Owen.
At least, "shortie" score more goals than Cisse.

[KingEros]

Originally Posted by hawksbay

i tot kewell had a fair game, he's coming back frm a long layoff n it showed when he started to tire but wat a player to bring on, babel gave us something different. bring on the scums

IMHO, it goes without saying that Gerrard was the man-of-the-match.
But, both Kewell & Benayoun were splendidly making the flanks their own ... with the good old overlapping support from both Riise & Aberloa of course.

As for Babel being the inspirational substitution, I'm not so sure ... I just dun think it can be seen in the same light like those made against Porto a few nights ago.
Afterall, the Reds were already leading 3-0 & comfortably running circles round Megson's foot soldiers by then ... if anything, it was actually Kuyt's powerful shot that led to the simple tap-in presented to Babel - remember, this was not anoter Robinson howler but a fully-stretched Jaaskelainen tipping the ball from heading into the goal.

[KingEros]

Originally Posted by Exciter101

Bro, it is not nice to say about someone who at certain point of time serve Liverpool well.
Even though they did not score as much as God, we should give them credit when credit is due.
At least, "shortie" score more goals than Cisse.

It is exactly this spirit I have, that's why I could never forgive & foget ... on how Houllier conspired with Thompson to get Fowler out of the club, all becoz they think Owen was doing a better job!!!

[Exciter101]

Originally Posted by KingEros

It is exactly this spirit I have, that's why I could never forgive & foget ... on how Houllier conspired with Thompson to get Fowler out of the club, all becoz they think Owen was doing a better job!!!

All i can say is, it was great having Fowler back.
He shown us the legend he is.
We never know if Owen will do likewise.
At least we know, Fowler is a Red thru and thru who give us beautiful memories.

[KingEros]

Originally Posted by Cummon

Rafa is building up a real good team, Babel, Torres, Mascherano, Lucas.... imagine what they will bring to the team when they approach their prime years, frightening!

2 other things I noticed from last night ...

1) That Lucas gets the nod over Mascherano ... I think Rafa is really fearing the possibility of losing Mascherano this summer - no doing of Mascherano but his own agents/owners of course.

2) The blooding of Hobbs (no idea still, if it was just precautionary or mandatory, where Carra's injury is concerned) ... I also think Rafa is prepared for the Yank's ego problems - that he'll not be sacked but he'll not be getting any more funds to strengthen this squad any further.