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Originally Posted by Nuje
Yep, the team with more goals in the league than any other team bores me to death. Chelsea is the best team defensively at the moment though, having conceded only 20 goals. Liverpool have pulled off so many wins against all odds this year, I think it's certainly possible. I won't count on it, but wouldn't be totally shocked if Liverpool could pull it off. If we don't make it past Chelsea, but put up 6 wins in 6 games in the league, EVEN IF United don't falter, that is a testament to the resillience of a team under Rafa.
Benitez good buys go beyond Torres. You have to include Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger (he hasn't been using him to be fair, but the defenders he's been playing have been great). The owners wouldn't give him Barry, so he picks up Riera, who has done admirably, and been downright awesome some games. Let's not forget Martin Skrtel, who's been part of a pretty solid defense. Another signing seemingly set to sit on the bench a lot, and he's been playing great. Also, have you watched Yossi Benayoun lately? Another Rafa signing, and he's probably playing the best he's ever played in his life.
Alex Ferguson does let his personal feelings get in the way. He publicly criticizes officials, schedule makers, everything he possibly can. He simply doesn't get disciplined for it. Rafa didn't get discplined for talking of the FA giving Ferguson a free pass, because he broke no rules, and said nothing that wasn't true. You know what happened when Liverpool went into Old Trafford? Fans of United had huge banners with Benitez, with messages claiming he's gone off the deep end. I'm not sure about you, but I think that got into some people's heads. No thanks to Roy Keane, or Moyes.
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I mean no disrespect with what I am about to say. I'm not trying to insult you, I mean the following quite sincerely.
Your point about Liverpool having scored the most goals is exactly what pisses me off about North American sports fans. Goals scored has very little to do with the quality of play a team has. Arsenal are, and have been for the past decade, the absolute most entertaining team to watch. Their link-up play and the way they move the ball around every blade of grass is extremely rewarding to watch. Take Spain, for example. Barcelona are playing a completely different sport to Real Madrid right now, but Real Madrid keep picking up points while playing terrible football. Having your centre backs hoof the ball up the pitch for Torres to chase is hardly exciting football. We lack a midfield general - someone in the middle of the park who can tackle, pass, and will the team to victory. We have a great tackler in Mascherano, a great passer in Alonso, a great leader in Gerrard - but he plays him as a striker because he doesn't have a quality finisher other than Torres, thanks to the whole Keane fiasco. If you don't believe Keane is capable, look at what he's done since he got back to Spurs.
Liverpool play boring, boring football these days. I've been watching them since the early nineties and I can't remember a more dull team. Torres and Gerrard are the only world class players we truly have, and that's simply not good enough. None of the players your mentioned as "quality Benitez buys" would make the starting XI for Chelsea or Manchester United. Yossi Benayoun has been playing great lately, I'll agree, I watch all the games every weekend so I'd say I know my football pretty well. But Benayoun is very inconsistent - he would never get an extended run in the Man United team. Just look at Carlos Tevez! Same problem, and Tevez is a much better player.
Benitez needs to go. He's spent more money than Ferguson since he took over Liverpool. In the same time frame, Ferguson has bought players like Vidic, Ronaldo, Rooney, Evra, and Van der Saar, all of whom would start over their Liverpool counterparts - Skrtel/Agger, Kuyt, Benayoun, Arbeloa/Insua, Reina, etc, I think you get my point. Torres and Gerrard are the only two players that would get a look into the Manchester United starting XI. There is no excuse for this, the funds have been made available and he's piddled them away. He needs to go - we're going to end this year without any trophies.
Sorry for the long rant, but one more thing. GET RID OF THIS ROTATION POLICY!!! What good did it do us last week against Chelsea? No good at all. Our players weren't better rested and more energetic at all. Leaving Torres on the bench for a midweek Premiership game against Fulham in October is no different than leaving him on the bench this time of year against Aston Villa or Everton.