A master of the tactical game and of winning pressure one-off games, Rafael Benitez has the pedigree to be a great manager. Made his name with Valencia before moving to England to manage Liverpool and has led them to 2 Champions League finals in 3 years. That’s more than Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and SAF, so that’s saying a lot.
Valencia won La Liga under him, but Liverpool have been off the pace in the league so far as Rafa in my opinion still has to get his tactics in line with the demands of the Premiership.
As Rafa himself has said, the owners and the chairman are responsible for the delay in getting Barry over to Anfield, and in this case you have to admit that, like them or not,...
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Written by Ahmed Bilal. 45 comments
Another year, another chance to see whether Liverpool really do have a side capable of prolonging a Premiership challenge beyond the first round of carol singers. And on today’s showing at the Stadium of Light, where Fernando Torres’ 81st...
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Written by Neil Jones. One comment
The Liverpool gaffer didn’t pull one of his ‘I’m only here to talk about football’ moments but he comes pretty close with a ‘don’t talk to me about players, don’t blame me for Barry, talk to Parry and the owners.’...
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Written by Ahmed Bilal. Comments Off
Last season the manager sack race got a bit ridiculous with many managers under severe pressure and some getting fired despite being backed in the transfer window and a few dismissed without being given a full season to show what they could do at the...
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Written by Ahmed Bilal. 24 comments
Managers tend be to stereotyped into a number of categories. Mourinho and Ferguson have been typecast as the ‘motivational’ types (regardless of the tactical acumen of both managers) while the likes of Rafa Benitez (and to an extent, Juande...
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Written by Ahmed Bilal. 11 comments
Is it possible to be too old to win a title?
Sir Alex Ferguson certainly thinks so. According to him, Chelsea are too old to win a title. At least, that’s...
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Written by Victor Li. 53 comments
Update: Ferguson says he never spoke to the press about Berbatov.
Tottenham Hotspur have every right to be mad.
Here’s...
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Written by Ahmed Bilal. 98 comments
This weeks postbag sees a letter from one of the most influential players in English football. Soccerlens is very proud to be chosen as a sounding board by this particular individual.
Dear Soccerlens,
I am a twenty-seven...
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Written by Graham Fisher. 15 comments
An interesting article appeared in the Guardian this morning, featuring soundbites from 9 managers in the Premier League on the chances of Manchester United...
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Written by Ahmed Bilal. Comments Off
Photo Caption: Grant thinks Kenyon was joking when Chelsea picked AG as manager – the ironic bit is, Kenyon might have been.
Both Avram Grant and Rafael Benitez have been locked in various off-pitch wrangles lately. Grant with...
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Written by Graham Fisher. 6 comments
