Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Morzadec wrote: »

Anyone find Feguson's speech/facial expressions/body language very David Brentesque when he's talking about Rafa's 'contempt' of Fat Sam and Blackburn?

Benitez had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. Ferguson's verbal jabs had knocked him off guard and shifted his focus, just as the real priority, the Chelsea game, zoomed into view.

But it is funny how positions can change within a week. With Liverpool inactive this weekend and Ferguson plotting a route past Everton in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, it is the United manager who is now re-engaging with his Anfield rival by unleashing a withering condemnation of his behaviour towards his managerial colleagues.

Sir Alex Ferguson delighted to get under Rafael Benitez's skinAmong his peers, particularly those managers who have laboriously climbed the ladder to reach the top, Ferguson is viewed as the 'Godfather'. He commands, and receives, staunch loyalty and it is often repaid with the odd player loan here and morale-lifting phone call there.

So his latest attack on Benitez, sparked by perceived slights by the Spaniard against Sam Allardyce and David Moyes – two of Ferguson's closest managerial allies – is no surprise. The Godfather is looking after the 'family,' but there is no lack of self-interest on Ferguson's part.

United have a quintuple to win and Benitez's Liverpool are threatening to take one of the trophies away.

By accusing Benitez of showing "absolute contempt" towards Allardyce during last Saturday's Premier League clash between Liverpool and Blackburn, Ferguson barely disguised his own contempt of the Anfield manager for his apparently dismissive gesture in Allardyce's direction.

Ferguson said: "I saw it and I'm surprised nobody else picked it up. I've never had any issues like that with Rafa, though. He's never done that - never had a chance.

"I think you should respect a manager. I don't think you'd ever get me doing something like that . You won't. You have to have humility."

Allardyce arguably stirred the hornets' nest by accusing Benitez of "whingeing and moaning" ahead of last week's trip to Anfield, a point acknowledged by Ferguson, but just as the Liverpool manager's series of "facts" about his United rival in January betrayed an unhealthy obsession with matters beyond his control, Ferguson's high praise of Everton manager Moyes on Friday came with the subtext of another dig at Benitez.

Ferguson said: "Irrespective of what Rafa Benitez says, Everton are a big club. He called them a small club, which just points to his arrogance.

"David Moyes is building a big club with a young squad that will get better. He has a good variety there, so I think he has done a great job.

"Rafa has played himself into a powerful position (at Liverpool). He wants control of all the transfers - for whatever reasons I don't know, but that's the last thing I'd want. Crikey.

"I don't know what he does in his spare time, but he's certainly not using it in the right way."

With Ferguson and Benitez both due to address the media again on Monday prior to Premier League fixtures against Portsmouth and Arsenal respectively, the hostility between the two could yet escalate further if either chooses to add to Ferguson's latest contribution.

But while the Premier League and Football Association intervened four years ago to call a halt to a similarly ugly spat between Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, neither organisation is keen to become involved in the current talking shop between Old Trafford and Anfield.

Ferguson's immediate objective is to guide United the FA Cup final, however, at the expense of Moyes's Everton.

Injury doubts over Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney are expected to clear up before the game, but Ferguson is ready to rotate his squad at Wembley to have a fresh squad for Wednesday's Old Trafford clash with Portsmouth.

With Everton eyeing their first trophy this season since beating United in the 1995 Cup final, however, knows he will be risking the quintuple against Moyes's team.

Ferguson said: "We are facing a very hungry team on Sunday because David has to win a trophy and I know he is feeling that way. This is a big opportunity for him, so we know what we are up against. It means a lot to Everton and that is not lost on me.

"When I pick my team on Sunday, no matter what the team is, there will be critics voicing their concern about not playing my strongest team, but that's the difficult position I'm in.

"Because we've got so many big games coming up, somewhere along the line I've got to make changes. Not everyone agrees with changes. There are some supporters who would like me to play my best team every game. That's impossible. I can't do that.

"If you look at [the Porto game] on Wednesday night, you're off your head to think I can play the same team again."

Dub13 wrote: »

I don't agree,he does not have the class to be at out club and should be moved out in the summer.

MonkeyTennis wrote: »

he should be out of the club cos hes a very average goalie.

mike65 wrote: »

jesus_thats_gre - keep up!