Dogged Rafa calls Torres back to front

[Morph]

I think Rafa got it wrong.Torres is sensational and would have killed Ridgewell too.

There'll always be the debate, and we'll never be able prove or disprove the effectiveness of Torres in that match, but for my mind, if Torres didn't play today we might well have lost, whereas v Bham we never looked like losing

[Neil Young]

Rafa isn't Mr perfect even if he the best manager in the world. He will make some mistakes, every manager do that. We will just have to accept it and move on.

AFII tells it like it is.

Also, it's not like we actually lost that game. *ducks*

[sean_lfc]

The thing is mate, I get fed up of the bile that seems to be constantly spouted at Rafa. Rafa should do this, Rafa should do that, like we know better. Of course we don't.........at times I think we should just let the man get on with his job without constant sniping and such ****e. The way people go on, its like he must be stupid. You really think Rafa is incompetent and bumbling??? Did he really just draw names out a hat to see who played up front against B'ham? Anyone that does think Rafa is a crap manager, really does need to **** off because he's the best manager we'll probably have in many a year. Do you think people on the terraces berate him as much as people do on internet forums? The odd loon may be dissatisfied but I'd bet the majority of the Kop would keel over if he left right now.

Why so much drama over Torres not playing against Birmingham? So we got a 0-0. Big deal. The seasons barley begun. We all know Rafa, we all know he will rotate to keep his team, especially the star players, fresh for the season end. Just coz we spent £20M on Torres doesnt mean he will play in every game. Sometimes Rafa gambles and plays percentages - the side he played against B'ham would probably, 9/10 times, beat them. It's a long season, and the Prem will undoubtedly be a tougher place to be this year. I don't see anyone, us, Arsenal, Utd or Chelsea, romping to a title with 90+ points as per the last few years.

But too many on here can't see what Rafa is doing - I mean, he's a manager, he manages his resources as best he can. Torres played tonight and was exceptional.........maybe Rafa suspected that a further rest at the wknd just gone was just what he needed, and playing against a Reading high back 4 would let him unleash and show exactly what he can do. Great for the team, great for him. Maybe the rest made him ever more hungry. The thing is, on any other day most of us know we'd probably have won on Saturday without him - maybe a header from a corner or some other set piece, given we were struggling to get a rhythm.

Will Torres play on Saturday - I'll bet he does. Then it wouldn't surprise me if he is sub for the next league game. In the majority of games when he is sub, I'd wager we will still win them. I bet Rafa thinks that too. And that way we'll have a world class player who is not suffering from burn out by half way through the season. Look at how Torres plays - he is an immense centre forward, he's got the lot...if you designed a centre forward you'd be picking one with all the attributes of Torres. Given that this is his 1st season in the prem, and that he has an all action style and puts in a **** load of graft and gets booted to high heaven every game, Rafa no doubt is extremely aware of how susceptible he could be to injury and burn out in such a fast, rough and tough league, thus is playing him slightly cautiously and selectively.

Great post mate, I fully agree