Comments on: My Day With “Crisis”-Hit Benítez http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/ Paul Tomkins' blog about Liverpool Football Club (LFC) Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:13:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: menyarky http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-2180 menyarky Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:07:24 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-2180 Great article Paul, read the edited version on LFC and now finally found the time to read the extended version. Being Australian (and having played futsal against him when we were about 15) I was wondering if Dean Bouzanis got a mention from the gaffer? I remember recently he got a write up after performing well for the reserves. With our Aussie 'keeping stocks really short at the moment it'd be a relief to hear he is coming along well. I'd love to know who that player from 2007 was as well haha, if it was Ribery I can only imagine what could have been last season! Great article Paul, read the edited version on LFC and now finally found the time to read the extended version. Being Australian (and having played futsal against him when we were about 15) I was wondering if Dean Bouzanis got a mention from the gaffer? I remember recently he got a write up after performing well for the reserves. With our Aussie ‘keeping stocks really short at the moment it’d be a relief to hear he is coming along well. I’d love to know who that player from 2007 was as well haha, if it was Ribery I can only imagine what could have been last season!

]]> By: Paul Tomkins http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1898 Paul Tomkins Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:42:26 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1898 Oh, Ross, I couldn't possibly say. But they were a team that Andy Gray pointed out as successful man-markers, even though they go partial-zonal, like Liverpool. Oh, Ross, I couldn’t possibly say.

But they were a team that Andy Gray pointed out as successful man-markers, even though they go partial-zonal, like Liverpool.

]]> By: ross http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1896 ross Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:40:34 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1896 Paul, great article. Really enjoyed it. Great to see it out there being covered all over the press. I'm not sure if you have already said you cant reveal the team that are "are very successful at defending set-pieces" as showed to you by Benitez. Is it Aston Villa? I watched them yesterday and they used zonal marking. Very similar to Liverpool except with two men on the posts (which saved them at one stage and I think Liverpool should do). The other difference being that they have a huge team with Dunne, Collins, Cuellar and Carew. As you have pointed out before, this extra height will contribute to the sucess of the system. Funny too that despite defending in zones to face 6 corners and one free kick in the first half, the co commentater (a Mr Andy Gray, not sure you have heard of him!) never once mentioned nor critisized Villa for doing so.....I wonder why...!!! A good article here. Someone who thinks before writing. http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/rafael-benitez-conflict-facing-a-balance-sheet-manager-1924087.html Paul, great article. Really enjoyed it. Great to see it out there being covered all over the press.

I’m not sure if you have already said you cant reveal the team that are
“are very successful at defending set-pieces” as showed to you by Benitez.

Is it Aston Villa? I watched them yesterday and they used zonal marking. Very similar to Liverpool except with two men on the posts (which saved them at one stage and I think Liverpool should do). The other difference being that they have a huge team with Dunne, Collins, Cuellar and Carew. As you have pointed out before, this extra height will contribute to the sucess of the system.

Funny too that despite defending in zones to face 6 corners and one free kick in the first half, the co commentater (a Mr Andy Gray, not sure you have heard of him!) never once mentioned nor critisized Villa for doing so…..I wonder why…!!!

A good article here. Someone who thinks before writing.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/rafael-benitez-conflict-facing-a-balance-sheet-manager-1924087.html

]]> By: Paul Tomkins http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1885 Paul Tomkins Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:19:17 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1885 This piece voted no.1 favourite thing this week by the Guardian Sport: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport This piece voted no.1 favourite thing this week by the Guardian Sport:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport

]]> By: lfcsouth http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1869 lfcsouth Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:58:51 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1869 Paul, What can I say? You must feel completely overjoyed that most of what you've written over the past few years has been proven right. Anyone else that reads your articles & agrees (mainly) with your viewpoints must also feel happy. I knew that what you were saying in your pieces just made common sense really, but it took somebody else to point these things out. I hope you had a fantastic time (I know you did) & I hope you carry on writing about the club we all love for many years to come. Well done mate. Paul,

What can I say? You must feel completely overjoyed that most of what you’ve written over the past few years has been proven right. Anyone else that reads your articles & agrees (mainly) with your viewpoints must also feel happy. I knew that what you were saying in your pieces just made common sense really, but it took somebody else to point these things out.

I hope you had a fantastic time (I know you did) & I hope you carry on writing about the club we all love for many years to come.

Well done mate.

]]> By: dawershonu http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1867 dawershonu Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:34:26 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1867 Hi all. Thanks for this Paul. I have always enjoyed your writing. This piece convinced me to subscribe. As for the game tomorrow... I've been a red for a long time. If this season isn't the one... so be it... I'll still be a red. I'll still support Rafa and I'll just have to wait for when it does happen. And it will. And of course there will be more periods like this too. YNWA Hi all.
Thanks for this Paul. I have always enjoyed your writing. This piece convinced me to subscribe.
As for the game tomorrow… I’ve been a red for a long time. If this season isn’t the one… so be it… I’ll still be a red. I’ll still support Rafa and I’ll just have to wait for when it does happen.
And it will.

And of course there will be more periods like this too.

YNWA

]]> By: Paul Tomkins http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1804 Paul Tomkins Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:53:50 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1804 Anticipating the relief and euphoria of a win. Dreading the cataclysm of defeat. Anticipating the relief and euphoria of a win.

Dreading the cataclysm of defeat.

]]> By: SupplyNCommand http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1803 SupplyNCommand Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:44:54 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1803 I'm pretty sure Rafa will have Cascarino, Merson and Andy Gray lined up to write his bio. Sorry Paul. Seriously though, when he does leave (in 15 yrs time having eclipsed Bill, Bob, Kenny and Roy Race), I would love to see him get you to write about it. If the Rafa articles so far are anything to go by, it will be an outstanding read. You looking forward to Sunday's game? Im dreading it but also can't wait! I’m pretty sure Rafa will have Cascarino, Merson and Andy Gray lined up to write his bio. Sorry Paul.

Seriously though, when he does leave (in 15 yrs time having eclipsed Bill, Bob, Kenny and Roy Race), I would love to see him get you to write about it. If the Rafa articles so far are anything to go by, it will be an outstanding read.

You looking forward to Sunday’s game? Im dreading it but also can’t wait!

]]> By: Paul Tomkins http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1802 Paul Tomkins Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:23:06 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1802 It was an amazing experience, and still seems a little surreal. And it has left me feeling odd on a couple of levels; things you can't un-learn that you now have to live with knowing, and the need to keep secrets when you have such great things to tell. And also the responsibility it brings with it. One day - hopefully in the distant future, when he's retired with more trophies on display - Rafa will allow me to share it all with the world, and perhaps even write a biography of his time in charge. It was an amazing experience, and still seems a little surreal.

And it has left me feeling odd on a couple of levels; things you can’t un-learn that you now have to live with knowing, and the need to keep secrets when you have such great things to tell.

And also the responsibility it brings with it.

One day – hopefully in the distant future, when he’s retired with more trophies on display – Rafa will allow me to share it all with the world, and perhaps even write a biography of his time in charge.

]]> By: warswics http://tomkinstimes.com/2009/10/my-day-with-crisis-hit-benitez/comment-page-2/#comment-1801 warswics Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:06:58 +0000 http://tomkinstimes.com/?p=1010#comment-1801 Loved the article Paul. I have to say, as an American who played the game growing up and love the game, your books and articles have taught me a lot. I can only imagine how much of a thrill it must have been to spend 4 hours with Rafa. Loved the article Paul. I have to say, as an American who played the game growing up and love the game, your books and articles have taught me a lot. I can only imagine how much of a thrill it must have been to spend 4 hours with Rafa.

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