Jase

Same thing happened with Rmpr earlier!!

It was just a thought at the back of the mind FFS! Did I say I outrightly do not bother about it??!!!

There will be Bayern v Dortmund tomorrow in the German Cup QF.

Yes but just saying that with Benitez's negative approach, our chance of winning there is extremely low and sometimes, you just can't help but to wonder, why even bother with it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yngQvZjm3IM

No but it's just that two different approaches bring out two possible different results.

Two stats... 1. The last time Benitez went to the Riverside Stadium, his Liverpool side suffered a 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in 08/09 PL season. 2. Rafa Benitez has never beaten Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium in 5 visits - D3 L2.

TEAM NEWS from Benitez's PC: No Cahill (virus) and Azpilicueta (leg discomfort) for this game. Everyone else is available barring Romeu who is injured of course.

Just being a sensitive bastard. That's all.

Nope. But you made it sound like it was.

Seems that John Carew will be joining Inter very soon!

Barral thanked Drogba for the concern and visit after this incident at the weekend. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mstiLT0AEu8

Well, that wasn't exactly the point I was trying to make. Just don't go generalize everyone into one category here.

Like I said, it's just a case of being realistic. If we are playing well and getting the results under Benitez now, we wouldn't even be pessimistic one bit. Some are just reacting based on the circumstance that we're in right now. Can you really blame them? Man United are doing so much better than us right now. Lethal in attack, good in defence (lately) and playing much more cohesively as a team. And we are lacking in those aspects right now.

What happened to that news or rumour about him getting a new 5-year contract back in December?!!

Think everyone would want to be optimistic for games like this but there is always a need to be realistic in situations like this. More than happy to be proven wrong here but better to lower expectations and be surprised. Has worked well in the past. And it's not like you haven't been negative before certain games too. Moreover, getting KOed by Boro could well be blessing in disguise in terms of allowing the team more rest and time to prepare for other games especially the league ones.

It's probably more of being realistic than being pessimistic with the way things are going Benitez and as previously highlighted, his poor record away against the big teams. He just doesn't instill confidence whatsoever when it comes to matches like this.

You forgot to mention that those 2 games were at home and we were then under RDM, who played attacking football. Now under Benitez, he's more concern of not losing first than trying to go out and win games from the start.

Worth remembering that there is the Confederation Cup this summer which Mata is likely to participate in.

Probably Boro. At least they're a Championship side, not a League 1 or 2 team. Barnsley were a Championship IIRC when they KOed us out in 2008. That would certainly be better than going to OT and getting smashed by 3-4 goals. Negative thinking I know but with Benitez around, he just doesn't instill confidence one bit and his tactics away from home against big teams is always negative. His past stats at Liverpool have proven that.

Indeed. Benitez flogged Mata to death in those matches but yet seem to needlessly rest and rotate Hazard when he has looked to be our freshest attacker due to the rest gained from the ban. How is he being a winger related to your point about him being groomed as a striker in the 1st place? Also, a second striker is different from a striker. The former role sees one play in the hole behind the striker and that is his main and best role, which is the No.10. Striker is someone who plays up top and since when he has played as the striker for Spain?!

Probably not but it was the manner in which we lost that has annoyed many. There was hardly any fight, desire and determination. We were just going through the motions and hoped for the best.

4 years ago...

This is healthy...