Rafa the tinkerman

[kurtangle01]

I just thought I'd start a post match thread regarding the constant changes to the first team. no less than 8 changes were made tonight. add that to the 6 changes that were made between the community shield and last saturday.

it's no mistake that our best run last season came when rafa picked a consistent side.

obviously injuries to 2 players ment that we had to make changes tonight...but eight?! that's to many!

what are your thoughts about the tinkering of the team?

[Five_Times]

Dont mind 1-2 players a game keeping a good spine / shape to the team but 8 changes is far to many..

[red g]

I am very worried!! I started think Ranieri when the line up came out.
I dont understand? CHelsea,Man U or scum dont rotate nearly half as much. It is a concern,specially when the commentater mentioned they dont even know the team up until an hour before kick off!

I believe not having a settled team will cost us,it has already...in Rafa we trust....just dont understand sometimes!

[kurtangle01]

the constant tinkering cost us in his first season. last season when we had a settled side look what happened!

obviously some changes had to be made tonight due to the injuries of carra and riise but to make 8 changes is to much.

how can we expect consitecy if the team is chopped and change like the weather?

[Kopite_Colin]

Hopefully now we're through, once the players get to full match fitness, he'll stop pissing about. You'll never hit any sort of form if you keep rotating the starting 11. It's complete bollocks. Play your best 11 from the start all the time, unless you have injuries, or real loss of form. Use your subs if you want to rest players.

[Mattshark]

I think tonight so many changes were made because it was against weaker opposition, we have a lot of games in short space of time (no thanks to a stupid bloody international friendly at a stupid time) the pre-season was very close to the world cup we had to play competitive games earlier than most sides, Kiev is really far away and we have another game on saturday morning.

[blacky]

I think Rafa is still trying to get everyone match fit so is giving everyone a rub out. I still don't think he knows his best starting 11

[kurtangle01]

I think Rafa is still trying to get everyone match fit so is giving everyone a rub out. I still don't think he knows his best starting 11

this was no game to work on player fitness.

[Mattshark]

I think tonight so many changes were made because it was against weaker opposition, we have a lot of games in short space of time (no thanks to a stupid bloody international friendly at a stupid time) the pre-season was very close to the world cup we had to play competitive games earlier than most sides, Kiev is really far away and we have another game on saturday morning.

I forgot to add, we had a couple of injuries as well and had Steve Finnan fit to return.

[nbryan1764]

Hopefully now we're through, once the players get to full match fitness, he'll stop pissing about. You'll never hit any sort of form if you keep rotating the starting 11. It's complete bollocks. Play your best 11 from the start all the time, unless you have injuries, or real loss of form. Use your subs if you want to rest players.

I totally agree with that but in today's game I guess everyone needs a break. I do think at the moment his problem is who is his best 11? He has spent a lot of money on Pennant but to play him means leaving Xabi, Momo, or Stevie out which ias a tough decision. Unless of course he plays all three with Stevie playing a position he doesnt like off the one man up front. And then of course if he does that then he has to leave at least 2 of his big money strikers out!! Tough tough tough. We should not have bought anyone this summer, it would be easier to pick a side!!!

[Kopite_Colin]

this was no game to work on player fitness.

I agree, but I DO think that was part of Rafa's thinking.

And I don't believe that Rafa doesn't know his best 11:

Reina

Finnan
Hyypia
Carra
Riise

Pennant
Gerrard
Alonso / Momo
Gonzalez

Kuyt
Bellamy

[kurtangle01]

I agree, but I DO think that was part of Rafa's thinking.

And I don't believe that Rafa doesn't know his best 11:

Reina

Finnan
Hyypia
Carra
Riise

Pennant
Gerrard
Alonso / Momo
Gonzalez

Kuyt
Bellamy

i would probably class that as our best 11 aswell. i just bhope that momo' injury is not as serious as it looked.

[nbryan1764]

i would probably class that as our best 11 aswell. i just bhope that momo' injury is not as serious as it looked.

I would rather see Kuyt play before deeming him as a more effective player for us than crouch

[kurtangle01]

I would rather see Kuyt play before deeming him as a more effective player for us than crouch

have you not seen him play at all?

[leftpeg]

I think that he planned on resting a couple of key players on Saturday, so that he could have a stronger team today. We were unlucky enough to get two injuries, and even unluckier to have both of them occur to defenders. On top of that we were dealt an unplanned illness. I couldn't see that there was much more he could do.

If Riise and Carra had been fit, I think we can all agree they would have played, and it would have looked more like a settled lineup.