A Critical Evaluation of Rafa

[El Jefecito]

I'd say we're not far off the best back line in the league. You're being too player specific here - the key to a good defence is how they play as a unit.

Nah, we are the BEST back line in the league. We screwed up early in the season, but beyond that we kicked ass.

[REDSCOUSER]

Nah, we are the BEST back line in the league. We screwed up early in the season, but beyond that we kicked ass.

We can be even better if we sort out the left back position.

[El Jefecito]

We can be even better if we sort out the left back position.

The LB position has two goals asissts and defending. Agger is covering for Riise now and so his weakness in that regard is not such of an issue. If Fabio can offer more going forward then lets use him.

[REDSCOUSER]

The LB position has two goals asissts and defending. Agger is covering for Riise now and so his weakness in that regard is not such of an issue. If Fabio can offer more going forward then lets use him.

I think Aurelio is a dud tbh. We'll see how hes gonna do next season, I'm not hopeful.

[El Jefecito]

I think Aurelio is a dud tbh. We'll see how hes gonna do next season, I'm not hopeful.

Oh yeh of little faith. He had more assists than Riise. If he can stay fit, he is the perfect left sided wing back.

[akjs123]

We clash quite regularly don't we Morph. I must re-iterrate, I have absolutlely no respect for your opinion.

Reina, Finnan, Agger, Carra, JAR
Van Der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
Cech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Cole

We do not have the best back 5 in the league, only Reina would get in the scums and only Finnan would get in Chelskis. Go on, try and look at it from an unbiased perspective and be realistic for once.

At home we have scored more and conceeded less goals than Chelsea this season. Overall, we have conceeded as many as ManU have. And when you start to add the CL stats for goals conceeded it makes an even better reading.

Come back when you actually have a point.

[rushscored4]

Rafa plays with 6 defenders and four attackers (two DMs in a 442) and that system worked well for him in Spain but you need more points (on average over the last five years 8 more points) to win the league in England and that means he needs to play 5 defenders and 5 attackers (either 352/343 or one DM in a 442) - a system that is alien to him. Until he demonstrates a more adventurous strategy - 'must win' rather than 'do not lose' - I will have my doubts about his ability to win the league in this country.

We will continue to be good in cup competitions with Rafa's style - because the emphasis is on 'not losing' rather than 'must win'.

Rafa needs another couple of years of being well supported in the transfer market before it is possible to know 'for sure' if he can deliver No.19.

That's an excellent analysis. In Spain you can win the league by not losing matches away from home whereas over here in the last four seasons the bar has been raised much higher and to win the Premiership you also need to attack and win games away from home.

If a team gets 80 points in La Liga they will probably win the league - Real Madrid won with just 76 points this season and Rafa's two titles with Valencia were won with 75 and 77 points respectively. However, that will only get you a Champions League place in England and since 2003/04 the winning team has amassed 90 (Arsenal), 95, 91 (both Chelsea) and 89 points (Man U last season).

Personally I'm not convinced that Rafa is brave enough to pick a team and tactics to go out and win league matches away from Anfield and I honestly think we will struggle to win the title with his overly cautious tactics...

[dww]

That's an excellent analysis. In Spain you can win the league by not losing matches away from home whereas over here in the last four seasons the bar has been raised much higher and to win the Premiership you also need to attack and win games away from home.

If a team gets 80 points in La Liga they will probably win the league - Real Madrid won with just 76 points this season and Rafa's two titles with Valencia were won with 75 and 77 points respectively. However, that will only get you a Champions League place in England and since 2003/04 the winning team has amassed 90 (Arsenal), 95, 91 (both Chelsea) and 89 points (Man U last season).

Personally I'm not convinced that Rafa is brave enough to pick a team and tactics to go out and win league matches away from Anfield and I honestly think we will struggle to win the title with his overly cautious tactics...

I remain unconvinced that Chelsea are any moe tactically adventurous than us. The difference, in my opinion, between us and them when they won the league was largely that they had three or four players who had the quality to chip in with goals - usually Lampard, Drogba and the two attacking midfielders in each team.

Last season we only really had the front two. Gerrard is capable but he didn't show it last season regularly enough and none of our wide players offered a threat at all. Hopefully Garcia, Kewell and new signings we make this close season will help us to improve in the coming season.

[El Jefecito]

I remain unconvinced that Chelsea are any moe tactically adventurous than us. The difference, in my opinion, between us and them when they won the league was largely that they had three or four players who had the quality to chip in with goals - usually Lampard, Drogba and the two attacking midfielders in each team.

Last season we only really had the front two. Gerrard is capable but he didn't show it last season regularly enough and none of our wide players offered a threat at all. Hopefully Garcia, Kewell and new signings we make this close season will help us to improve in the coming season.

If the 3 in the 4231 score goals we will win the league. Mark my words.

[zinedine cheyrou]

We clash quite regularly don't we Morph. I must re-iterrate, I have absolutlely no respect for your opinion.

Reina, Finnan, Agger, Carra, JAR
Van Der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
Cech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Cole

We do not have the best back 5 in the league, only Reina would get in the scums and only Finnan would get in Chelskis. Go on, try and look at it from an unbiased perspective and be realistic for once.

As pointless an argument as this is, as a defence is based on how they act as a unit not individuals...however...carra would easily get into the mancs side ahead of rio (prems most overrated player) and I also rate him higher than Carvalho.

[Reds08]

At home we have scored more and conceeded less goals than Chelsea this season. Overall, we have conceeded as many as ManU have. And when you start to add the CL stats for goals conceeded it makes an even better reading.

Come back when you actually have a point.

Good. You see, I think this is one of our fundamental problems. Defensively we are as good as anyone in the league, but i just feel in the modern game they have to give you more, and as a back 4 ours give a lot less than chelsea but more specifically united do. Players like Evra and Cole give a pacy attacking threat, terry, Carvalho and vidic chip in with goals in a way that Carragher, Agger, Finnan dont. Over the course of a season, they can make a crucial difference. United and Chelsea are way ahead in that aspect. So i think you will agree i do have a ****ing point.

[akjs123]

Good. You see, I think this is one of our fundamental problems. Defensively we are as good as anyone in the league, but i just feel in the modern game they have to give you more, and as a back 4 ours give a lot less than chelsea but more specifically united do. Players like Evra and Cole give a pacy attacking threat, terry, Carvalho and vidic chip in with goals in a way that Carragher, Agger, Finnan dont. Over the course of a season, they can make a crucial difference. United and Chelsea are way ahead in that aspect. So i think you will agree i do have a ****ing point.

I remember Agger scoring the winning goal against West Ham at home.How many cbs from other teams have scored that kind of a goal? And the goal against Chelsea in CL. Riise is a goal threat and Aurelio has provided some fantastic crosses for goals. Our centrebacks dont score as many goals from setpieces but that is because our setpieces are generally poor. Finnan is not a goal threat but he provides so many good crosses. He has the 4th highest number of assists in CL this season with 1 assist less than Ronaldo and Juninho.

[redblood]

Good. You see, I think this is one of our fundamental problems. Defensively we are as good as anyone in the league, but i just feel in the modern game they have to give you more, and as a back 4 ours give a lot less than chelsea but more specifically united do. Players like Evra and Cole give a pacy attacking threat, terry, Carvalho and vidic chip in with goals in a way that Carragher, Agger, Finnan dont. Over the course of a season, they can make a crucial difference. United and Chelsea are way ahead in that aspect. So i think you will agree i do have a ****ing point.

I remember Agger scoring the winning goal against West Ham at home.How many cbs from other teams have scored that kind of a goal? And the goal against Chelsea in CL. Riise is a goal threat and Aurelio has provided some fantastic crosses for goals. Our centrebacks dont score as many goals from setpieces but that is because our setpieces are generally poor. Finnan is not a goal threat but he provides so many good crosses. He has the 4th highest number of assists in CL this season with 1 assist less than Ronaldo and Juninho.

Again your wasting your time mate, he won't listen and he'll just throw abusive remarks your way to make a point.
Anyway defenders are there to defend ours do that extremely well, if they can score a few goals brilliant but it's not absolutely neccessary as long as they can help to provide them.
Our back 5 has shown itself to be one of the best in the league in the last 3 seasons. I wouldn't take Ferdinand as he's the most overrated defender there
is, don't get me wrong he's a good defender but Agger is better let alone Carra.
Our defence is brilliant and possibily the best in the league.

[Morph]

We clash quite regularly don't we Morph. I must re-iterrate, I have absolutlely no respect for your opinion.

not that i'm bothered but out of curiosity why?

And as for back 5, I think we have the best back 5, our home record shows that, the away record was bit skewed, last season. Combined we conceded the same amount of goals as the mancs, and 3 more than the chavs.

1 Man Utd ----- Home Against 12---- Away Against 15
2 Chelsea ----- Home Against 11----- Away Against 13
3 Liverpool ---- Home Against 7 ------ Away Against 20

[tomasjj]

If the 3 in the 4231 score goals we will win the league. Mark my words.

I really hope we start using that formation again soon.
We played some great stuff then.