Lawrenson talks some sense at last

[Mark Garrett]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion ... 53389.html

Why Rafa Benitez must go - even if Liverpool finish fourth

Rafa Benitez must be shown the door at ­Liverpool at the end of the season.

It is time for change and the Spaniard should go, even if ­Liverpool somehow manage to finish in the top four.

Benitez has had six years at Anfield and, if anything, the club has gone backwards during his reign.

Winning the European Cup in his first season won the manager some time and credit. And it will always be remembered as a truly remarkable achievement.

But with Liverpool on a ­downward spiral, the most worrying question must be what on earth now is the future for Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres?

Gerrard will be 30 in May, Torres is one of the best strikers in the world, yet their careers are being ­unfulfilled at Anfield under Benitez.

If Rafa goes, what next for Torres? Either way, Gerrard’s talent deserves better. But take those two players out of the Liverpool side and the team is so average.

Benitez’s record in signing players around the £10million mark is appalling.

Look at the likes of Albert Rieira. Decent in his first season, but has flattered to deceive. Dirk Kuyt works hard, looks decent in a good team, but decent isn’t enough for the five-time ­champions of Europe. ­Emiliano Insua looks like little boy lost. Lucas will never be a top player. Frankly, you can go right through Rafa’s team and most of them are found wanting.

Just compare the Liverpool side that lost to Wigan and now Lille to Gerard Houllier’s team in his final game in charge, a 1-1 draw with Newcastle in May 2004.

This was the final line-up: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Kewell, Heskey, Owen.

You cannot tell me that team, that squad of players, would not have beaten the Liverpool team which lost at Wigan. So, in six years in charge, Benitez has gone backwards.

It’s ridiculous to suggest that the Spaniard has not had money to spend, either. He’s had a lot of money. In fact, there’s been a revolving door transfer policy at Anfield.

Benitez spent £18m on a right-back, Glen Johnson, in the summer. Good player, but ­Liverpool needed another striker. That’s bad judgement. Alberto Aquilani is supposed to have cost £20m and replaced Xabi Alonso. Has it worked? No chance.

So please spare us the sob stories about no money. Yes, the feud between the Americans has been a distraction, but it comes down to the manager and the players he has brought in and allowed to go.

The supporters have been fiercely loyal throughout. They have been remarkable, in fact. But I went to Wigan on Monday night as a spectator.

I sat with a group of fans who go home and away and now even they have turned. They won’t go again while Benitez stays in charge. Liverpool needed to really go for it at Wigan. To get that fourth spot, they need to get results away from home.

But at Wigan, they were just too negative, sitting back and just trying not to get beat. Typical Benitez. So negative. He is a manager more suited to ­European football than the cut and thrust of the Premier League.

The defeat in Lille leaves them with a lot to do to if they are to stay in the Europa League. Another disaster.

What is an even more worrying prospect for Liverpool is them being squeezed out of fourth place by Manchester City.

If Roberto Mancini’s men get into the Champions League, just watch them go. City will spend big, buy A-list players and ­Liverpool would be in danger of falling even further behind. That would be it for Benitez anyway.

It’s fourth place or bust for Rafa – and he knows it.

While I’ve always been a Benitez supporter and great defender of his, even for a large part this season, the time has come for change. And it should come even if Liverpool scrape into fourth.

The incredible thing is that even with their stuttering form, they are still in with a chance of that fourth spot.

That’s only because the other contenders – City, Tottenham and Aston Villa – have failed to nail it. Liverpool can still do it but they need to start winning big games away from home.

Trouble is, having been so abject against Wigan on Monday night, there is little to suggest they will do it.

However, even if the Anfield men pull off a ­remarkable end to the season and scrape in, this season has taught us that Benitez has had his time. He’s had six years and now, after going ­backwards, it’s time for change.

Whether that change comes because Liverpool decide he has go, or Benitez gets offered another job at Real Madrid or Juventus, enough is enough.

[zuricity]

I don't know about that . Lawro appears to have several agendas.

Some things he writes are very blinkered. even his comments about City against Chelsea in his predictions for the weekend are worrying.

Sunderland v Man City (kick-off 1600 GMT)
Sunderland v Man City

Sunderland had a good win midweek, beating Bolton 4-0, to get the monkey off their back of not having won in 14 league matches. That was a great result for them and Darren Bent continued what has been an excellent goalscoring return for him this season. Confidence levels will undoubtedly have been raised amongst the Sunderland players as a result and I think this will be reflected in the performance and scoreline on Sunday.

This is a Manchester City team who never fully convince when they play away from home. Saying that, last time out they won 4-2 at Chelsea and have had a few days off to recover. However, they were poor in the first half and Roberto Mancini has yet to fully stamp his authority on the team. I don't think the results they have achieved under the Italian so far are any different from those they would probably have attained had Mark Hughes remained manager.

Prediction: 1-1

If beating Chelsea 4-2 on their ground when in recent seasons they have rarely lost. Where on the the day, they played so badly (Chelsea) that they got several yellow cards and had two players sent off towards the end after City were already winning. If that isn't convincing, then What is ?

Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game that limited Chelsea to a few shot s on goal and only one slip up in the defence allowed Lampard in for his goal.

Lawro is still a numpty.

[john@staustell]

Still a cunt

[Douglas Higginbottom]

"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "

I just love the blinkered blue view :)

[Beefymcfc]

Lawro's full of shit as always. Like he says, he's defended Rafa to the hilt and now that they are out of the CL, half way out of the Europa, nowhere near challenging for the Prem and possibly be out of the running for fourth, he then decides to change his tune. Trying to Jump on the band-wagon after it's already left, leaves him in somewhat of a precarious position, being a professional pundit and all that.

On the other hand, I actually thought Alan Hansen did a good piece.

Sunderland ended their 14-match winless league run in midweek with a resounding 4-0 home victory against Bolton and how they needed it. A terrible sequence of results has seen the Black Cats slip from challenging for a European spot to facing the serious threat of a relegation battle. That win has given Steve Bruce a bit of breathing space but now they’ve finally won a match, I expect another good performance against Man City with that monkey finally off their backs.

The 4-0 win over Bolton was exactly what Sunderland needed; they kept a clean-sheet and scored plenty of goals. Prior to this, the Black Cats have kept two clean-sheets in their previous 14 games and had failed to net in four of their last six. Darren Bent grabbed a hat-trick which will have restored his confidence after scoring one goal in his previous six league games. Darren seems to enjoy playing against City as he has scored five goals in his last seven starts against them.

When you consider the quality Steve has assembled at the Stadium of Light it is hard to fathom why the team has performed so poorly in recent months. He has a decent squad and spent a fair amount of money in the summer but confidence is a massive factor in football and the longer a poor run continues, the more worried he must have been.

Sunderland have beaten the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal at home this season and although the wins have dried up, the Black Cats have not lost many in front of their home fans. However, they have drawn far too many games, including four of their last five at the Stadium of Light. For a team that boasts a quartet of strikers such as Bent, Kenwyne Jones, Benjani and Fraizer Campbell, Sunderland have struggled for goals both home and away. Until they struck 4 past Bolton, the Black Cats had not scored more than a single goal in each of their previous seven home matches and have now failed to score in three of the last six.

Manchester City returned spectacularly to form in their last match when they won 4-2 at Stamford Bridge ending Chelsea’s unbeaten home record. This also ended a 4-match run without a win in all competitions which has seen City relinquish 4th spot and crash out of the FA Cup. However, they’ve had a decent break between games now so should be fit and ready for this one. Roberto Mancini’s team are the only side to boast an unbeaten home league record this season but he has not been able to cure City’s travel sickness. The victory at Chelsea was only the Citizens 2nd away league win in 12 matches on the road and this record needs to improve if City are to finish 4th. Only Stoke have drawn more away games than City’s six, so a draw seems a likely result here. However, with confidence high and Sunderland having already played this week, I am backing City to pick up a massive three points on Premier 10.

The Citizens have a superb record against the Wearsiders. They’ve won each of the last 9 meetings including four successive away wins at Sunderland. City’s Craig Bellamy is likely to be centre of attention too for he is a former Newcastle player and has scored more goals against the Black Cats than any other team in the Premier League (6 goals). Therefore, with confidence high, I’m backing Bellamy and co to take the points at the Stadium of Light. With an estimated £30,000 jackpot to be won this weekend, who will you back?

[zuricity]

"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "

I just love the blinkered blue view :)

Like the humour doug, but I tell you if City were being pummeled in the first half I'd readily admit it and say so, but Chelsea were reduced to very few chances, because of tight marking, great defensive shape and concentration. It worked very well. What's wrong with complementing the team , or any other team on holding out at Chelsea until the game turns in their favour ?

[King Kev]

He contradicts himself more than Andrew Davies.

That he gets paid for his 'opinions' is laughable.

[Ted Hughes]

"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "

I just love the blinkered blue view :)

Like the humour doug, but I tell you if City were being pummeled in the first half I'd readily admit it and say so, but Chelsea were reduced to very few chances, because of tight marking, great defensive shape and concentration. It worked very well. What's wrong with complementing the team , or any other team on holding out at Chelsea until the game turns in their favour ?

We were heading for a 0-4 until Tevez scored. We were very lucky to get the break of Tevez scoring as Lampard rarely misses the kind of chance he did 15 secs earlier. That would have been 2-0 & we'd've been in for a hammering. We were brilliant 2nd half, one of the best I've seen for years but West Ham are playing better now than we did in the 1st.

[zuricity]

"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "

I just love the blinkered blue view :)

Like the humour doug, but I tell you if City were being pummeled in the first half I'd readily admit it and say so, but Chelsea were reduced to very few chances, because of tight marking, great defensive shape and concentration. It worked very well. What's wrong with complementing the team , or any other team on holding out at Chelsea until the game turns in their favour ?

We were heading for a 0-4 until Tevez scored. We were very lucky to get the break of Tevez scoring as Lampard rarely misses the kind of chance he did 15 secs earlier. That would have been 2-0 & we'd've been in for a hammering. We were brilliant 2nd half, one of the best I've seen for years but West Ham are playing better now than we did in the 1st.

And Bellamy ?

Mysteriously flagged for offside when clear on goal at 0-0 in the first twenty minutes !

WHU lost 4-1 today. I haven't seen the WHU Chelsea game. However if the BBC report is correct and what the Radio commentary said , Chelsea seemed to make light work of them...

I'm doing it myself, but it is dangerous to take only slices of information to make a argument.

My point is that City are not getting a fair press. City defended well against Chelsea and they never looked like scoring four goals against City. Sure they had chances, so too did City .

[Ted Hughes]

"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "

I just love the blinkered blue view :)

Like the humour doug, but I tell you if City were being pummeled in the first half I'd readily admit it and say so, but Chelsea were reduced to very few chances, because of tight marking, great defensive shape and concentration. It worked very well. What's wrong with complementing the team , or any other team on holding out at Chelsea until the game turns in their favour ?

We were heading for a 0-4 until Tevez scored. We were very lucky to get the break of Tevez scoring as Lampard rarely misses the kind of chance he did 15 secs earlier. That would have been 2-0 & we'd've been in for a hammering. We were brilliant 2nd half, one of the best I've seen for years but West Ham are playing better now than we did in the 1st.

And Bellamy ?

Mysteriously flagged for offside when clear on goal at 0-0 in the first twenty minutes !

WHU lost 4-1 today. I haven't seen the WHU Chelsea game. However if the BBC report is correct and what the Radio commentary said , Chelsea seemed to make light work of them...

I'm doing it myself, but it is dangerous to take only slices of information to make a argument.

My point is that City are not getting a fair press. City defended well against Chelsea and they never looked like scoring four goals against City. Sure they had chances, so too did City .

I was refering to the 1st half, both of which ended 1-1 & both of which involved good fortune for the away side. Chelsea were making 'light work' of us until Tevez scored & were beating us without getting out of 1st gear. A lucky escape followed instantly by genius from Tevez changed that.

It's true that our brilliant 2nd half performance was deliberately & shamefully ignored by the media but it's also true that our 1st half performance was similar to that of a mid to bottom table team at Stamford bridge or OT; hanging on until the inevitable mistake. It's not the right way to play such games & shouldn't be papered over, we should always have an attacking threat or the home team can do as they please. We had that in sufficient numbers 2nd half supporting the front men quicker but Tevez played Chelsea on his own 1st half. We should recognise our faults & improve on them, not pretend they don't exist.

[john@staustell]

Sorry Ted I'm with Zurich fella. Holding out away at Chelsea at 0-0, or 1-1 (whatever) is deemed an excellent performance by 18 teams, but for City it's 'very poor in the first half', 'terrible', 'totally outplayed' etc. They had 3 or 4 chances but it was hardly the Alamo was it? Considering they are the top team at home.

Anti-City media.

[Esky]

He contradicts himself more than Andrew Davies.

That he gets paid for his 'opinions' is laughable.

Easy now tiger.

Oh wait, wrong thread.