Rafa has to hold his hand up...

[Lecter]

it was wrong only because the one up front in such a formation SHOULD NOT be Dirk Kuyt.

[Lecter]

Good post (above NOT the ****e posted to start this thread).

Rafa got it spot on last night given the personnel he has available to him. Football can be cruel and we didn't get the breaks when we needed it.

If we'd played 442 we would never have been able to contain that team. Zenden wasn't the problem, he did ok, Kewell couldn't play from the start as he wasn't fit enough. You could see that when he came on. He still isn't match fit.

We're a very well-organised team, but that can take you only so far. We need more quality on the flanks (both of them) and an absolutely top rate striker.

Dont really need to say much more than what you have said already

The only "mistake" Rafa imo made was not starting with Crouch

IF we are to play 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 we have to play Crouch as the front man and focal point. Hes the only player we have who allows others to join up with him

Yesterday highlighted EXACTLY were the signing are needed and you have hit the nail on the head

[Tom]

4-4-1-1-1-1-1-1 or whatever was wrong.

Kuyt is no perdator and we had no finisher on the pitch.

Same old same old.

With your 20/20 vision we should make you manager, we'd never lose a game again.

[Guest]

Dont really need to say much more than what you have said already

The only "mistake" Rafa imo made was not starting with Crouch

IF we are to play 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 we have to play Crouch as the front man and focal point. Hes the only player we have who allows others to join up with him

Yesterday highlighted EXACTLY were the signing are needed and you have hit the nail on the head

And some will say that Tevez is the answer to our goalscoring problems.

[Tom]

Dont really need to say much more than what you have said already

The only "mistake" Rafa imo made was not starting with Crouch

IF we are to play 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 we have to play Crouch as the front man and focal point. Hes the only player we have who allows others to join up with him

Yesterday highlighted EXACTLY were the signing are needed and you have hit the nail on the head

Crouch has qualities, but linking-up play isn't one of them. He scares the **** out of defenders but he wouldn't have been as effective in closing down play as Kuyt - which was an essential elemant of the team shape/plan last night.

In this respect Rafa got it right playing Kuyt. In his all round play he was very effective. Would we have scored playing crouch in the first half? We'll never know but he wouldn't have put that work in and "glued" the team together in the way that Kuyt managed to last night, as its not his game.

[Guest]

Crouch has qualities, but linking-up play isn't one of them. He scares the **** out of defenders but he wouldn't have been as effective in closing down play as Kuyt - which was an essential elemant of the team shape/plan last night.

In this respect Rafa got it right playing Kuyt. In his all round play he was very effective. Would we have scored playing crouch in the first half? We'll never know but he wouldn't have put that work in and "glued" the team together in the way that Kuyt managed to last night, as its not his game.

I'd prefer Kuyt upfront ahead of Crouchie anytime, purely because we tend to abuse these long balls when he plays. Crouch is an excellent squad player, needed for a Plan B, where we need to change tactics and offer an alternative when Rafa's plan don't work.

With Gonzales now confirmed as being off, we can expect us to bring quality to the 3 most important attacking positions, LW-RW and CF.

I expect Crouch to be there next season but not Bellamy. I can also see one of Xabi / Momo being off too. I think Rafa will be partnering Mascher and Stevie in CM next season, as Macher's been a revelation during his 5 months with us.

[DeeGame]

And you manage which football team ????? (Not including computer based teams )

Quality first post

[dww]

I think Rafa should have started with Crouch and made the Arbeloa substityution much earlier. Other than that I think most of his decisions were sound and we did control most of the flow of the match.

Our lack of real cutting edge did us. Inzaghi is the sort of instinctive finisher we have lacked for a long time (Fowler was only able to play for short bursts although I will aknowledge his obvious talent), not a great player but he is always a danger. Two silly mistakes we made - two goals they got.

[desertscouser]

4-4-1-1 was completely the wrong formation to use! Crouch should have started from the beginning in a 4-4-2 formation and either Pennant, Xabi or Mascherano should have started on the bench. Stevie is NOT a Kaka type player, although he can play there. I'm actually getting tired of us having to watch Stevie play out of position all the time because he has the ability to do so. Sorry but Rafa is to blame for this defeat and don't get me wrong he's an amazing manager & tactician, but tonight he definitely got it wrong. Oh and the ref was pathetic, I can't understand how he could have been chosen to ref such a big game!
Thoughts...

Just got back from Athens. I'm emotionally destroyed but very proud of the way we played, especially in the first half.

With all due respect, you have no idea what you're talking about. I know this forum is about opinions but your post is factually incorrect.

Rafa's tactics were absolutely spot on. We stopped Seedorf and Kaka from playing as well as looking by far the most dangerous side. If we had a world class striker and a top class left sided player we would have probably finished Milan off in the first half. Unfortunately though we were hit by a sucker punch totally against the run of play but that had feck all to do with Rafa's tactics.

Rafa's tactics made AC Milan look ordinary.

[nbryan1764]

I agree with the first part, Rafa does need to hold his hand up

Hold his hand up and say that this club was in freefall when he got here with little money, and players not good enought to play for Livepool Football Club. Hold his hand up and say that despite this he has been here three seasons and won the European Cup, the Supe Cup, the FA Cup and the Charity Shield, he has also got runners up in the Carling Cup, the World Club Cup, and the European Cup. So go on Rafa hold your hand up so we can hail you

[Pacman]

Just got back from Athens. I'm emotionally destroyed but very proud of the way we played, especially in the first half.

With all due respect, you have no idea what you're talking about. I know this forum is about opinions but your post is factually incorrect.

Rafa's tactics were absolutely spot on. We stopped Seedorf and Kaka from playing as well as looking by far the most dangerous side. If we had a world class striker and a top class left sided player we would have probably finished Milan off in the first half. Unfortunately though we were hit by a sucker punch totally against the run of play but that had feck all to do with Rafa's tactics.

Rafa's tactics made AC Milan look ordinary.

Totally agree

[Guest]

Just got back from Athens. I'm emotionally destroyed but very proud of the way we played, especially in the first half.

With all due respect, you have no idea what you're talking about. I know this forum is about opinions but your post is factually incorrect.

Rafa's tactics were absolutely spot on. We stopped Seedorf and Kaka from playing as well as looking by far the most dangerous side. If we had a world class striker and a top class left sided player we would have probably finished Milan off in the first half. Unfortunately though we were hit by a sucker punch totally against the run of play but that had feck all to do with Rafa's tactics.

Rafa's tactics made AC Milan look ordinary.

[Tom]

Just got back from Athens. I'm emotionally destroyed but very proud of the way we played, especially in the first half.

With all due respect, you have no idea what you're talking about. I know this forum is about opinions but your post is factually incorrect.

Rafa's tactics were absolutely spot on. We stopped Seedorf and Kaka from playing as well as looking by far the most dangerous side. If we had a world class striker and a top class left sided player we would have probably finished Milan off in the first half. Unfortunately though we were hit by a sucker punch totally against the run of play but that had feck all to do with Rafa's tactics.

Rafa's tactics made AC Milan look ordinary.

DS you are a legend. Thanks for getting out there and supporting our team.

I'm very envious even though we lost.

[Tom]

I agree with the first part, Rafa does need to hold his hand up

Hold his hand up and say that this club was in freefall when he got here with little money, and players not good enought to play for Livepool Football Club. Hold his hand up and say that despite this he has been here three seasons and won the European Cup, the Supe Cup, the FA Cup and the Charity Shield, he has also got runners up in the Carling Cup, the World Club Cup, and the European Cup. So go on Rafa hold your hand up so we can hail you

Fab post.

[alunevans]

The only time Rafa has to hold his hand up in Europe this season is to acknowledge the adoration of his countless admirers

The game was a microcosm of our team as a whole, we're a very good side, but lacking those few quality additions we need to make us great.

Often when we outplay a top side I read it is because they played badly, but I think it is more than just coincidence that we have taken on some of the best teams in Europe and made them look ordinary.

We played last night like a team who deserves to play on the greatest stage and I am incredibly proud of the team, Rafa and his staff. Tactically we were spot on and with more creativity on the flanks and a better striker we would have won. That we didn't is down to a collection of bad luck and lack of quality players who should, if our new owners are as good as their word, be with us next season.

In 2003 we never made it past the group stages of the competition, slaughtered by Valencia, and unable to overcome a group that contained Basle and Spartak Moscow.

In 2004 we never even made the competition and were knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Marseille.

In the two seasons before Rafa took over we won a grand total of 34 league games. In our last two season we have won 45 league games and that would probably have been more had we played full strength teams in our last few games.

Since Rafa arrived he has created a team capable of reaching Europe's premier competition twice in 3 years, after taking over a side who were at best mediocre and totally reliant on the goal-scoring of Owen, a player Rafa lost just before the close of the transfer window in his first season.

Be very proud of your team.

And be very proud of Rafa Benitez.