THE post match reaction thread....

[kurtangle01]

Was ****ing seething after the match today, but thankfully I couldn't make it to a computer straight away to make a tit out of myself. So after a fw hrs reflection, I must say i'm still really disapointed but there's nothing we can do about it now, so it's on to the next game.

However it really is a worrying thing that we've now draw 3 games on the trot, and in all 3 we've lacked the creativity and cutting edge to get anywhere in them. The fact that we've left torres out of 2 starting lineups is a real puzzler to me, and either Rafa is underestimating the oppo, he's overestimating our other strikers, or he's trying to wrap Torres in cotton wool, but something really needs to change.

I think we're ging to be a worse team for the loss of Xabi, I know many have said Agger is the biggest loss, but Sami looked fine today, although to be fair he didn't have a great deal to do, but he did he mostly did well. Xabi on the other hand in this game and the porto one could have given that extra bit of creativity.

I'm sure it's been said already, but i really do wonder if the pako business has affected our performances somehow, defensively we seem fine, but going forward we don't seem to have a clue and the tactics just aren't good, I don't know if Paco handled some of this type of stuff, or maybe it's just a coincidence.

Positives are we're still only 4 points from top, with a game in hand over city in second at the moment. Chavs and mancs have to play each other tomorrow, so someone will drop points, now lets just hope we'll be able to crack on and start getting those points racking up, after what is hopefully just a blip

I agree that defensively Sami was fine but it's his distribution that lets him down at times. Far to many aimless punts up field where Aggrer would bring the ball out and find a pass.

I think that Pako leaving and us playing poorly is more a coincidence than anything.

[Shanks]

RCDNW.

And that stands for???

[Craig_H]

Was ****ing seething after the match today, but thankfully I couldn't make it to a computer straight away to make a tit out of myself. So after a fw hrs reflection, I must say i'm still really disapointed but there's nothing we can do about it now, so it's on to the next game.

This is the kind of comment which worries me. We'll keep saying that in 20 games time, no doubt. We can rectify it NOW, if Rafa's big enough to admit he's been wrong. Not saying YOU'RE doing this, but some people stick their heads in the sand and will probably keep doing so come Easter. Only in June 2008 will they probably come to terms that we got it wrong...when it's all too late.

[alunevans]

Do you not think that Rafa would have a better, more understanding reason why Torres didn't start, rather than hundreds of thousands of watching fans.

He gave the reason. It was bollocks as Torres proved when he came on.

[Craig_H]

And that stands for???

Rafa Can Do No Wrong...something a large portion of people seem to believe...

[alunevans]

It wasn't an assumption it was heard.

i meant anyone here

[bazza76]

It's always painful to lose. Oh hang on a minute we didn't, and we haven't lost yet this season. In fact we're second in the league. Doh! silly me I thought there was a crisis.

What a load of crap in this thread. "Pako won us the games, now he's gone we can't win" "Rafa should go".
jesus what a load of bollocks.

Thats not all that is in the thread though Tom.
People are mostly disillusioned with the obsessiveness with squad rotation. Rotating almost for rotations sake. Torres is the main problem people had today.
Also, Babel is still settling, IMO he is not ready for the first team on a regular basis yet.

[Craig_H]

Thats not all that is in the thread though Tom.
People are mostly disillusioned with the obsessiveness with squad rotation. Rotating almost for rotations sake. Torres is the main problem people had today.
Also, Babel is still settling, IMO he is not ready for the first team on a regular basis yet.

Babel will only fully adjust by playing games. While he still shows signs of spark, i'd keep playing him.

[AFII]

Getting a pasting on MoTD. Pennant's lack of goals (1 in 59 appearances), Torres making a difference when he came on. Rotation causing us to lose momentum.

Can't really argue against that.

Rafa need to play a few players week in week out so the players will start to know each other on the pitch. He can't continue to rotate on every out field position because it takes to long time before the players plays as a team.

Reina, Carra, Agger, Finnan, Arbeloa, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres should start in almost every game when they are fit. He can rotate in the remaining three positions.

The problem is that our squad is to big so he must rotate the players to keep them match fit. Rafa should sell a few players in January so he won't need to rotate the players as much as he do now.

Riise, Sissoko, Crouch, Pennant and Kewell are players that we really don't need and we will cope without them without any problems at all IMO. Maybe Pennant should stay until we have signed a new right winger.

We have a to big squad and that is a problem.

[Shanks]

what an ostrich reply...

So you know why Torres didn't start then.

You know it was because of Rafas Tactics??

We all would say.

"Why not start with Torres, get the two goals and them take him off
if you want to rest him"

Right??

[cobain]

Could Torres not playing as much as he should have anything to do with Pako leaving or am I just clutching at straws?

I think all these ****e performances have something to do with Pako leaving

But I'll let Michael Moore investigate this further

To me, it's not the international break that f***** us over. It's the departure of Pako. I think with him gone, there is a totally different reigime at Melwood and probably in Rafa's cabinet too.

[bazza76]

Does anyone actually believe that Rafa can actually admit when he may be over doing it?.
Are we in a situation here whee staff members are afraid to say something to Rafa in fear of falling out of favour.

[Morph]

This is the kind of comment which worries me. We'll keep saying that in 20 games time, no doubt. We can rectify it NOW, if Rafa's big enough to admit he's been wrong. Not saying YOU'RE doing this, but some people stick their heads in the sand and will probably keep doing so come Easter. Only in June 2008 will they probably come to terms that we got it wrong...when it's all too late.

my use of the word 'we' = all of us on here

Rafa's not going to change his policy, so either it's all going to fit together and start magically working like it did for the first few games of the season, or we'll carry getting ****ty draws when we should be winning games easily, which will ultimately not get us to the top of the table.

[Craig_H]

So you know why Torres didn't start then.

You know it was because of Rafas Tactics??

We all would say.

"Why not start with Torres, get the two goals and them take him off
if you want to rest him"

Right??

You're making about as much sense as King Kenny on the lash...

Rafa gave his reason - it was ****e...and proven to be so.

But this is exactly my point though, you seem to think Rafa's tactics and decision making is infallible. Eg: RCDNW.

[Craig_H]

my use of the word 'we' = all of us on here

Rafa's not going to change his policy, so either it's all going to fit together and start magically working like it did for the first few games of the season, or we'll carry getting ****ty draws when we should be winning games easily, which will ultimately not get us to the top of the table.

I fear it'll be the latter.