The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[corn02]

Stoke actually beat Villa at home earlier this season so will be no push-overs, but I do feel Rafa has made a big c**k up with this.  The press will love this, I said they would love this.

Disagree, but see where you are coming from. One thing is for sure, it was pre-planned and he would have weighed up the implications and felt it was to the club's advantage. Game on.

[GalwayBayBoy]

In fairness though away to Stoke is hardly the type of game that he would need to remove the pressure from the players.  I can't help but think he would have been better to not respond at all as it will only give fuel to the sensationalists.

That would be my thinking as well db
Fergie loves getting a rise out of other managers aims get them to respond if nothing else
Rafa seems to have taken the bait

Thing is if anyone replies to Fergie he is always judged to have won the mind games but when Fergie responds to someone else (as he has done to Mourinho and Wenger in the past) nobody says he's lost the mind games. So basically he can't lose.

The media and pundits are up his hole so you're better off ignoring him.

[The Real Laoislad]

In fairness though away to Stoke is hardly the type of game that he would need to remove the pressure from the players.  I can't help but think he would have been better to not respond at all as it will only give fuel to the sensationalists.

Every game from now on is a big game it doesn't matter if it's Stoke or Everton or Arsenal..
I said earlier I believe this game to be our biggest of the season so far because of Chelsea playing Man U on sunday its a must win game for Liverpool against Stoke so that in itself brings huge pressure

Perhaps not the biggest, but right up there. We could implode or send out a warning.

I believe it to be the biggest and most important so far corn..Win against Stoke and no matter what the result on sunday we will be gaining ground on at least one of our nearest rivials if not both if the game ends in a draw between them,its not every weekend you can say that.

[corn02]

In fairness though away to Stoke is hardly the type of game that he would need to remove the pressure from the players.  I can't help but think he would have been better to not respond at all as it will only give fuel to the sensationalists.

Every game from now on is a big game it doesn't matter if it's Stoke or Everton or Arsenal..
I said earlier I believe this game to be our biggest of the season so far because of Chelsea playing Man U on sunday its a must win game for Liverpool against Stoke so that in itself brings huge pressure

Perhaps not the biggest, but right up there. We could implode or send out a warning.

I believe it to be the biggest and most important so far corn..Win against Stoke and no matter what the result on sunday we will be gaining ground on at least one of our nearest rivials if not both if the game ends in a draw between them,its not every weekend you can say that.

Yeah, don't worry I am not disagreeing , I have right up there in the top bracket. I just think United at home was the one that kicked us on (despite Stoke home the following Saturday)

[corn02]

"Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple."

Early contender for quote of the year?

[Doogie Browser]

In fairness though away to Stoke is hardly the type of game that he would need to remove the pressure from the players.  I can't help but think he would have been better to not respond at all as it will only give fuel to the sensationalists.

That would be my thinking as well db
Fergie loves getting a rise out of other managers aims get them to respond if nothing else
Rafa seems to have taken the bait

Thing is if anyone replies to Fergie he is always judged to have won the mind games but when Fergie responds to someone else (as he has done to Mourinho and Wenger in the past) nobody says he's lost the mind games. So basically he can't lose.

The media and pundits are up his hole so you're better off ignoring him.

Exactly why Benitez should have said eff all.

[full back]

Fergie's response to Rafa (taken from dif site)

[The Real Laoislad]

Have to be honest here and say I think Rafa made a bit of a fool of himself today.
If Wenger or Slur Alex had a similar outburst us Liverpool fans would be saying the same things that the fans of the other clubs on this board are now saying.
I can't see any reason for Rafa to do this as he is usually the one who always says he prefers to worry about his own club than anyone else's.

[Carmen Stateside]

All eyes will be on Fergie come Sunday. Including the refs! Maybe the media will follow it a little closer aswell. Anything less than a win tomorrow by the team will leave it all worthless!

[corn02]

All eyes will be on Fergie come Sunday. Including the refs! Maybe the media will follow it a little closer aswell. Anything less than a win tomorrow by the team will leave it all worthless!

Yes, he is taking a big gamble on the Stoke match.

[North Longford]

Just seen it now. Thought it was great. Anyone calling it a rant must lead a very subdued life!
Obvious he knew the question was coming and decided he'd have an answer ready.
Loved his advice to other teams to have their management zonal mark the united staff on the line and when he reckons fergie should do up the fixtures ...."simple" as he says himself

[Minder]

I know this being his first year in management perhaps the nerves are getting to him in his attempt to win his first trophy as a manager. All this talk of "mind games" is the biggest load of horse shit, if Liverpool do not win the league it will be, as i suspect, be because the players are simply not good enough. It will because of what Benitez does in the dressing room and on the training pitch & ultimately what the players do/dont do on the pitch. Anyone that thinks what Benitez said in a media interview today will have any bearing needs their head looked and have been watching too much Sky Sports News & reading too much of the Sun/Mirror. I found it a refreshing change from Benitez talking about "possibilities" and "having the quality".........

[GalwayBayBoy]

Just seen it now. Thought it was great. Anyone calling it a rant must lead a very subdued life!

Well yes it was hardly a rant a la Keegan. He rather calmly went through a few points he wanted to get off his chest.

Of course all the Sky Sports crew and the tabloids will inevitably portray it as "Fergie proves master of mind games once again".

[FermGael]

Just watched it there now.  Was expecting a Keegan esk sort of outburst.
Was nothing of the sort and was very much preplanned 'Mr Ferguson'.

All the talk in the press tommorrow will be about Rafa, Fergie and the mindgames.
Takes the focus of the players for the Stoke game.

[laceer]

He sounded like he was wrote at one point.Definitely a rant