Sunday, March 22, 2009

rafa benitez

Caught up in the euphoria of winning Euro 2008, Spanish international Fernando Torres said that upon his return to Liverpool he would help them win the Premier League.

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Rafa Benitez: The man with the plan
As a European Champion and a Premier League record breaker - Torres scored 24 goals to become the most prolific foreign goalscorer in a debut season, beating Ruud van Nistelrooy's 23 - his opinion is certainly worth consideration. So is it possible for the Reds to end their eighteen-year title drought this season?

Well the same was said about Liverpool's chances last season and despite predictions that a weakened Arsenal would not be able to mount a challenge and Chelsea's dumbfounding managerial problems Rafa Benitez's side still limped home in fourth place, seven points behind third place Arsenal.

In fact, if we take Benitez's debut season of 2004/05 out of the equation, when Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League but won the European Cup, the club have actually gone backwards in terms of a title challenge: two third place finishes has been followed by a fourth place finish.

During the summer Chelsea have been augmented by the arrival of World Cup winning manager Phil Scolari, along with additions to the playing staff, Manchester United have been boosted by the news that World Player of the Year in waiting Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at Old Trafford and Arsene Wenger has bought yet more Arsenal starlets so Liverpool's task appears to have got even harder.

But Benitez has also been busy in the transfer market and the purchase of Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur will add some much needed quality to the Reds' attack, having shipped out Peter Crouch to Portsmouth and shifted Dirk Kuyt out to the wing.

At £20.3million (including add-ons) the 28-year-old Republic of Ireland international is certainly over-priced but the relish with which he plays the role of supporting striker, as seen during his prolific partnership with Dimitar Berbatov at Tottenham, will certainly take some of the burden off Torres. After watching Spain romp to victory at Euro 2008 perhaps Benitez is hopeful his new combination can emulate that of La Roja, with Keane playing the role of David Villa, who was also reported to be a transfer target for Liverpool.

Keane's integration to the Liverpool attack will be key to their success this season as Benitez has very limited options should the former Inter Milan striker struggle. But pressure is nothing new to the Ireland captain, who has netted 20+ goals for the last two seasons and was the top scoring player in the league in 2007, and he will be expected to flourish in his first year.

Benitez has left his midfield relatively untouched. The departure of Harry Kewell for Galatasary is hardly a big blow, he was only ever fit for the Champions League final anyway, but it does leave Liverpool with one less winger when Benitez's options are already limited.

With Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and either Xabi Alonso or Gareth Barry (depending how the transfer saga ends) the centre of the midfield has strength in depth but on the flanks Benitez has struggled to sign the right player and has been left plugging round holes with square pegs.

Dirk Kuyt, purchased as a prolific striker from Feyenoord, has been shunted out to the right-wing where Jermain Pennant has failed to impress and Ryan Babel has been filling in on the left. Babel is a terrific young talent but he secured his move to Liverpool after impressing in the Dutch Under-21 team as a forward.

GettyImages

Robbie Keane: Attacking option
Benitez has often attempted to sign decent wingers - Ricardo Quaresma, David Bentley, Shaun Wright-Phillips, David Silva, Simao - but the Spaniard has never stumped up the full asking price and instead has often purchased a raft of mediocre players: Mark Gonzalez, Boudewijn Zenden, Antonio Nunez, Josemi... the list goes on.

And it is this addiction to signing squad players rather than star performers that will once again thwart Liverpool's ambitions.

If Benitez signed fewer fringe players and splashed the cash on one marquee player each year, as he did for Torres, Liverpool could well be challenging for the tile but as it is, third or fourth place will have to do.

Since taking over at Liverpool in 2004/05 Benitez has spent £178.7million in the transfer market and if we analyse which of his purchases might make it into one of the other top four sides probably only Jose Reina, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres would make the grade.

When the margins of separation are so close at the top of the table competitiveness against your rivals is paramount and Benitez's record against his peers is very poor. In Premier League fixtures Rafa's Reds have never beaten Manchester United, scoring only a single goal against them in four seasons, and have beaten Chelsea only once. No wonder then that those two teams have shared the title between them for the past four seasons.

With the addition of Keane, to compliment Torres, Liverpool looks to have constructed a potent attack but there needs to be a few more quality arrivals before the Reds are to be considered serious title contenders.

Cuti Semester




cuti semester pun dah nak habih. esok dah start balik seklah. hmm.. liat la sikit. tapi cutiu ni memang lawak betoi buat aku. ada ka boleh si;ap tengok tarikh exam PTK. aku ingat hari rabu, alih - alih hari selasa. nasib baik jumain call malam tu.. apa lagi buat rekod jugak la balik ke klang malam tu jugak.. 11 pm kat juru - 2 am sampai depan pintu rumah kat klang.. hehehe 3 jam dari penang.. kaw kaw aku blah satu tujuh satu lapan.

La lepak rumah laa. bini pun malas nak balik kampung balik walaupun aku dah ajak.. so lepak je kat rumah sementara cuti habis.. hehehehe... nasib laa

Friday, March 20, 2009

kemelut politik negara

aku menulis ni pun bukan apa.. saja terpanggil dengan masalah yang sedang melanda sekarang. mungkin masih tak terlewat untuk aku menulis tentang msalah politik yang melanda sekarang ini. apa ceritanya di Perak? hmm senyap sunyi jer.. apa sudah jadi? akibat kerakusan sebauh barisan tela memperkotak katikkan sebuah negeri yang dulunya aman damai.. sekarang ni apa dah jadi.. huru hara.. siapa yang menjadi mangsa? rakyat jugak.
senyap jer di perak, muncul pula cerita Ketua Menteri mengamalkan rasuah. hari ni cerita dia jadi kambing hitam pulakk. rakyat dah muak laa. dah terbukti dan dibuktikan lagi oleh lembaga displin korang sendiri, terbukti. camni ke pemimpin yang nak kita sanjung. maka selamani rasuah dah menjadi amalan mulia korang. camna nak pimpin rakyat niii? kesian orang Melaka. kita tahu dadah musuh no. 1 negara dan rasuah no. 2, so ambilla iktibar.. elakkan lah amalan rasuah kerana ia menidakkan hak yang sepatutnya. Politik di Malaysia sekarang ni dah bermacam2. kesianlah kat rakyat.. dah muak dah dengan cerita kepimpinan yang semakin merepek ni. kembalikanlah keadilan dan carilah pemimpin yang sejati.
selagi masalah politik ni tak selesai, rakyat terus menderita. keadaan ekonomi dah tak stabil ni ditambah pulak dengan kemelut politik yang semakin meruncing, bila nak membela nasib rakyat ni...sedih walaupun masih lagi boleh ke pasaraya untuk membeli belah namun aku terkenangkan pak mat yang menoreh di kampung, nak beli ikan pun tak cukup duit. pak teh yang buka kedai makan pun kena tutup kedai sebab pelanggan tak ramai.. kesian.. yang pemimpin sibuk dok rebut jawatan dan makan suap. apa cerita.
cuba la masuk kampung2 nu tengok masalah orang kita. daripada kasi duit pada sesama korang ada baiknya korang kasi kat mereka yang memerlukan tu. itu lebih bermaruah.
saat ini aku terus berharap segala kemelut yang melanda ini segera tamat.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

A mum of three mohd said....

Siapa yang akan menerajui Malaysia selepas selesai perhimpunan UMNO pada akhir bulan Mac ini?? Mengikut pelan peralihan UMNO.... Pak Lah akan serah takhta kepada Najib! So, maknanya Najiblah PM Malaysia kita yang ke 6... Tak gitu....

Sejak kita merdeka, sampailah ke hari ini... negara kita telah diperintah oleh UMNO/BN. Lama tu weh.... Sebab itu, dalam kepala otak orang-orang UMNO, telah tertanam anggapan yang Malaysia ni deme punya.... UMNO/BN pikir... mereka lah yang layak memerintah negara.... orang lain tak payah susah-susah..... Itu yang main-main serah-serah jer tampuk pemerinthan negara pada sesiapa saja dalam kalangan mereka, ikut suka hati deme jer.... ikut kepentingan deme jer....

Kalau dulu, budaya bertanding secara demokrasi subur dalam UMNO tapi sejak Madey memegang tampuk pemerintahan UMNO, sampai ke hari ini.... amalan demokratik dalam UMNO sudah semakin diketepikan... Dalam 'vocabulary' orang UMNO masih ada perkataan demokrasi tetapi dari segi praktik nyer.... sudah hampir pocikkkkk!!! Sebab tu... sekarang, jawatan PM, seolah-olah diperturunkan melalui wasiat dan bukan lagi... dilakukan melalui pemilihan... Itu sebabnya, amalan bodek membodek... jilat menjilat.... semakin menebal dalam UMNO. UMNO dilihat sudah jauh meninggalkan demokrasi dan menuju ke arah autokrasi dan kuku besi!!! UMNO bukan bergerak menuju cahaya tetapi berpatah balik kembali ke arah kegelapan.... Akibatnya... rakyat terutama orang muda, mula menjauhi dan menghindari UMNO!!

Inilah salah satu elemen negatif yang menyebabkan UMNO kehilangan WOW dan 'umph'nya.... Dari survey yang dibuat oleh Merdeka Centre.... hanya 19% sahaja orang Melayu yang masih menyokong UMNO/BN. Faktor kepimpinan, memburukan lagi masalahUMNO. Para pemimpin UMNO.... terutama top brass nya dilihat kurang aura dan tiada charisma.... tidak kredibiliti.... tidak berwibawa... tidak telus dan tidak bersih.... Lantaran itu......, bakal PM kita tak terkecuali..... Dia dilihat sebagai orang yang tidak sesuai dan tidak layak untuk memimpin Malaysia... Kerana masalah-masalah yang dihadapinya, dia dianggap sebagai bebanan. Satu Malaysia ....malah satu dunia, tahu masalah Najib. Jadi... macam mana rakyat nak terima orang macam ni sebagai PM.... Malu kita oi......!!!

Sekarang.... suara-suara lantang sudah kedengaran....menggesa agar Najib tidak dilantik sebagai PM. Suara-suara datang dari para pemimpin pembangkang.... segelintir yang berotak dalam UMNO, bekas UMNO seperti Zaid Ibrahim.... malah rakyat, melalui srvey-survey yang dibuat... tidak mahu Najib menjadi PM . Mantan PM, Tun Madey pun telah memberi gambaran yang kurang memberangsangkan tentang prestasi Najib.... Semuanya menggesa samada Pak Lah kekal sebagai PM buat beberapa ketika lagi dan ada pula yang memohon agar Agong kita sendiri..... ambil pusing kehendak rakyat dan tidak melantik Najib sebagai PM. Ada ruang dan ada lubang, yang membolehkan Agong bertindak demikian...

Pendek kata.... umum, tidak mahu Najib Razak menjadi PM Malaysia yang ke6. Orang berpendapat, politik dan ekonomi Malaysia akan menjadi lebih tak keruan sekiranya Najib menerajui negara....

Benitez signs new Liverpool deal

Rafael Benitez has signed a new five-year contract at Liverpool, ending a 17-month power struggle with the club's board.

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Rafa Benitez: Celebrated beating Real Madrid and Manchester United with new contract.

The future of the former Valencia boss, who led Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, had been in doubt since he revealed in January that he had rejected the club's first offer of a new contract.

Reports suggested that control over the Reds' transfer activity proved to be the sticking point for Benitez but the Merseyside club announced on Thursday evening that a new deal had been agreed that should keep him at Anfield until June 2014.

"My heart is with Liverpool Football Club, so I'm delighted to sign this new deal," Benitez said. "I love the club, the fans and the city and with a club like this and supporters like this, I could never say no to staying.

"I always made clear I wanted to be here for a long time and when I complete my new contract it will mean I have spent over a decade in Liverpool."

Benitez took over in 2004 and despite failing to end their wait for the top-flight title stretching back to 1990 he has re-established Liverpool as a European powerhouse, adding a final appearance in 2007 to the triumph two years earlier.

The 48-year-old said: "The club is greatly respected around the world due to its incredible history and tremendous heritage. It is my aim to uphold those values and help create a new chapter in our history.

"Throughout this process, I would like to thank the owners for their hard work in finalising the deal. All of us at the club want the same thing, which is to be successful by winning major trophies."

Last week Liverpool reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 5-0 aggregate rout of Real Madrid and on Saturday, Benitez's men thrashed Premier League leaders Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford.

"It is wonderful news Rafa has made a long-term commitment to the club," American co-owner Tom Hicks said. "Since he became manager he has been responsible for the great progress we have made.

"I know he will continue to build on his achievements as he has a tremendous hunger and desire to bring more success to the club, success our fans and everyone connected with the club deserves."

As well as winning the Champions League, Benitez also lifted the FA Cup with Liverpool in 2006.

Co-Chairman George Gillett added: "With Rafa continuing to manage the team, we can look forward to more great football and success on the pitch. He has special abilities and qualities which are admired here at the club and around the world.

"Coming after our excellent wins over Real Madrid and Manchester United, this gives us great momentum going into the final stages of the season."

It is no surprise that Benitez agreed his new contract within a couple of weeks of chief executive Rick Parry's announcement that he would be leaving the club in the summer.

The two have had a sometimes strained relationship, with Benitez angry that many of his transfer negotiations seemed subject to the chief executive's opinion.

He had criticised the slowness of some deals, in which players he wanted were lost, with the key issue being the failure to sign Gareth Barry last summer, when the club refused to match Aston Villa's reported £18million asking price.

At first Hicks and Gillett rejected Benitez's demands to have control over transfers, and it is believed they even asked Villa's American owner Randy Learner for advice and confirmation that the sort of deal Benitez wanted was similar to Martin O'Neill's.

Benitez has continually been linked with Real Madrid, who will probably have a vacancy in the summer when Juande Ramos' short-term contract ends, but those rumours can now be put to bed

Aquaria


hmm.. bawa family jalan - jalan kat aquaria KLCC. ok gak.. si aiman tu punya la happy... dapat tengok fish..