KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Does Rafa know something we don't?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/1041950/richard-jolly:-the-forward-thinking-rafa-benitez?cc=3436

great he can use a computer , well done mr benitez !!!

Just thinking Faz,you might have to change support to Neverton if Rafa gets the job back

Agreed,I am astounded by the amount of sensible people calling for his return,Kenny came in when Henry needed him,if he goes this summer we need somebody totally new so the players can all start on an even keel.

Ok, let's assume Rafa is at the helm (tenuous at best, but let's go with it). Where would Rafa play Gerrard with our current squad, assuming everyone is fit? For me that's the key to a successful return.

The players won't see what Rafa sees (at least not within the same time frame). Rafa saw that Carragher was past it, but Carragher disagreed. 18 months later it's very clear to all that he is past it, which suggests he's been past it for some time. Which makes Rafa's assessment correct even though there was squad dissent as a result of his (accurate) call. What if Rafa thinks Gerrard will only be of any use as RM in a 4-4-2? Gerrard apparently refuses to play there, believing he's a CM. What if Rafa were (once again) correct, but is forced to work against his captain? Would he give the armband to Lucas (a player Gerrard disliked, though he may have changed his opinion now)?

What about Bellamy, who Rafa has already sold once before?

Because if one takes a look at Rafa's previous spell (ignoring the press and the poor transfers under H&G's sell-to-buy policy) he was a lot more correct about things than not. He made Carragher an excellent CB. He made Reina the keeper he was (prior to Hodgson breaking him). He made Gerrard the player he was by first playing him on the right, and then playing him in the hole (neither of which is where Gerrard wants to play). He made Torres the striker he was, improving his ability to head the ball. He made Mascherano, Alonso, Arbeloa, Lucas... the list goes on. He made us a feared attacking unit by putting the pieces in the right place, and a strong defensive unit by using zonal marking. Questions can be asked about his use of Kuyt and Babel, who were strikers turned wide men that ultimately had not enough impact, but that may have been a problem with the transfer market and being forced to do what he could. He was right about the "facts". He was right about getting Dalglish, Borrel et al for the Academy. He was wrong about not healing the rifts with Pako and Alonso, but nobody's perfect, yeah? (It also takes 2 to tango)

I feel that Rafa can't come back while players he managed are in the squad, with the possible exception of Reina (who would probably welcome a return to "correct" keeper training). If he comes back early it will surely spell the end of their careers, and we all saw what happened at Chelsea as a result of just such change.