He’s going totally barmy over Barry…
Nip into a central London casino at midnight, and prepare to be shocked. Men are literally losing their minds. Bad poker hands are desperately clung on to, stakes piling through the roof. It’s like a world of careless investments that no one can control because they’re all buzzing off vodka and Redbull. Or, in most cases, strong South American cocaine and a little dab of speed.
Unfortunately, Rafa Benitez can’t blame his mania on energy drinks or class A drugs, because his hideously mis-informed decisions are taking place during the morning, when most people are still sober, and even executives haven’t started on the narcotics yet.
By flogging Peter Crouch to Portsmouth for £11 million, he made Voronin - a man who hates Liverpool - the only back-up should Torres need a rest from dragging the front line through the season. And there is talk of him further pushing the boat out to land Gareth Barry, a player so surplus to requirements that the Liverpool dugout is in serious need of a conservatory. They already have Mascherano, Lucas, and, should Benitez see sense, Alonso.
Would Barry go to Anfield as a wide player?
A hunch suggests that Stevie G might be using his boardroom muscle to snare his old pal, but surely the boss can put his his foot down and concentrate on the flanks and the front line?
Use the window wisely, Rafa - Pennant, Kuyt and Voronin are not the answer.
Loading ...
18 responses so far
1 Craig // Jul 11, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Problem here is that nobody wants Pennant or Voronin, and Kuyt is not for sale.
2 Dex // Jul 11, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Clearly the clueless one is the guy who wrote this article not Rafa. Rafa is trying to do what he can to improve the team within the restraints of a very tight budget. He has not as yet been able to afford quality wingers but has signed two atacking full backs to give us more service from wide positions and is in the process of signing Barry, who starts more england games than Hargreaves and Carrick for a lot less than Man U payed. He is 27 in peak condition, he gets forward more effectively than Alonso and already has some link up play with Stevie from the England team and you think it is a bad signing. You really are clueless.
Barry is going to be a great player for Liverpool and Rafa is still looking to add strength to the wings and support to Torres up front but that will wait until we find out what is happening with Alonso. In the short term Kuyt filled the right side position in Rafas 4-2-3-1 formation effectively for the last 2 months of the season, Nemeth is going to show his worth in friendlies starting Saturday, Babel is capable of playing wide left or up front and we may yet sign a new playmaker if Alonso does go to Juve.
3 corballyred // Jul 11, 2008 at 2:59 pm
who has the least caps between barry carrick and hargreaves you might be suprised to know it is barry, the other 2 are also younger
4 Bob // Jul 11, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I think it’s fair to say that Rafa is after a new striker. For anyone to have missed that they must have been on a desert island for the past couple of weeks.
5 Dave // Jul 11, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Sorry… where exactly are these “hideously mis-informed” decisions of Rafa’s then? Although as things stand, Babel will be Torres’ first back-up (as lets face it - Voronin is useless!), Rafa will be back in the market far at least one more striker/forward. Would he have sold Crouchie given a choice? Not a chance. But a combination of the fact that we’re skint and need to sell before we can buy players that will allow us to put up a decent title challenge and the fact that Crouchie understandably wants to play every week have left him with with no option. We’ve now got a bit of cash to spend to improve an already strong squad, with some genuinely talented young lads in the reserves to be blooded as the season progresses. Barry may or may not happen, but either way, our midfield is among the best in Europe. Agree with Dex - the only person who’s horribly misguided here is the author! Shockingly naff article….
6 Paul // Jul 11, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Martin O’Neil ist taking Liverpool and Rafel Benitez for a ride IMO
7 lucky // Jul 11, 2008 at 4:14 pm
nemeth is out with national squad…:(
8 Eastwood // Jul 11, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Dex or Dave or whoever, the author is saying that you don’t need Barry, you need someone other than Torres and Gerrard that can score. And guess what, he’s right.
9 Jonathan Price // Jul 11, 2008 at 7:25 pm
“Rafa is trying to do what he can to improve the team within the restraints of a very tight budget. ” What?! Benitez has spent £88 million in the few years he’s been at Liverpool, only out spent by Chelsea and now he’s already laid out £7m for Dossena; will do £18m on Barry; wants a forward like Keane for £20m - so that’s er £45m already… you scousers are deluded. All Benitiez does is spend …
10 Jonathan Price // Jul 11, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Oh and I forgot about Mascherano. Add another £18m to that number…
11 adamthered // Jul 11, 2008 at 11:30 pm
DONT SPEAK FOR LIVERPOOL FANS craig, i no a lot of fans that want kuyt at the club…im one of them, if u watch games properly and not just on motd, u would see his VITAL contribution to the team!!!
12 adamthered // Jul 11, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Jonathan Price your a f cking tool
13 adamthered // Jul 11, 2008 at 11:33 pm
and what do u mean WE don’t need Barry…u take as many CLASS players as you can my friend
don’t tell us what we need, let us worry about OUR club, stick to YOUR own problems
14 Kuyt // Jul 12, 2008 at 6:32 am
Kuyt’s job: run up and down the field 50 times before he’s subbed. Because rafa forgot to buy an actual winger.
15 Kuyt // Jul 12, 2008 at 6:33 am
“u would see his VITAL contribution to the team” increase their overall dinstance covered =D
16 Red's Fury™ // Jul 14, 2008 at 5:02 am
This “Barry saga” wouldn’t be dragged around all summer if MON agreed to a reasonable fee, and by mean of reasonable, its the £15M on the table. It would be fair to everybody, and Rafa won’t deal for overpriced player. Surely, MON can’t compare to Manure priced of Carrick and Hargreaves as both are younger. But if we can’t off-load Alonso, we might just move on and concentrate on other area.
17 Upminster Iron // Jul 14, 2008 at 8:14 am
Red’s Fury, Martin O’Neill’s club have Barry under contract so he’s entitled to ask for whatever fee he wants. Why can’t your fans accept that you’ve come up against a manager who won’t be bullied for once. I only wish we’d been as firm when you tapped up Yossi last summer.
18 RedbyDawn // Jul 14, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Tapped up yossi? Fuck off you gobshite!
If it was playing for us or alongside a bunch of crippled ex-Newcastle players at upton Park, I know which opportunity I’d be jumping at.
Love all the jealous dickheads here going on about Rafa and his spending. They never talk about all the dough he’s recouped over the years. Probably because the Tabloids never mention it either.
Try making your own minds up, you jealous fucking wools!