Rafa thread - decisions & comments etc

[Red Chilli]

There has been a bit of exaggeration in this thread, but I find it rather amusing that some people seemingly feel that Rafa is immune from criticism.

We won today, yes, but that doesn't mean everything is peachy.

No, but if we win every game 2-1 everything will be peachy

[El Jefecito]

Yeah, because Stevie always picked the team anyways didn't he...

Well SG did seem to pick where he played, regardless of where Rafa started him.

[Shanks]

The look on SG's face would appear to suggest otherwise.

If I was subbed in a Merseyside Derby and we won 2-0,
at the end of the game I'd be patting the Manager on the back.

[El Jefecito]

If I was subbed in a Merseyside Derby and we won 2-0,
at the end of the game I'd be patting the Manager on the back.

I only caught some of the post-match stuff, but SG did seem to have forgiven Rafa. Can't remember the last time I saw such a big smile on SG's face.

[cobain]

Insiders report that Rafa hit Gerrard with a football shoe in the dressing room. Deja vu?

[kopdan]

Insiders report that Rafa hit Gerrard with a football shoe in the dressing room. Deja vu?

flmao

[Red Chilli]

What's a football shoe ?

[Milan_Milan]

Is the only way you could interpret Rafa's post match comments.

I've always assumed it and have seen plenty of evidence to support this. But I never thought I'd Rafa would say it in public like.

Is this the beginning of Rafa marginalizing SG?

The look on SG's face would appear to suggest otherwise. The reaction to the substitution throughout the known universe would suggest otherwise as well.

OK, let's have a bash shall we.

You have Steven Gerrards footballing ability and are playing in a merseyside derby, at Goodison, and the score is 1-1. Do you a) Get the ball down and look for opportunities or b) Try and win the game yourself?

Chances are you'd choose b), Stevie certainly would.

Rafa felt a different approach was needed. If Stevie was on top form maybe Rafa would have left him on, but clearly he felt today was not a day when Stevies 'Captain Fantastic' act was going to come off. At the end of the day, Rafa brought Stevie off, the team settled and probed for chances, and got them. One of these chances resulted in a goal (the chance created by the player Rafa brought on). Rafa wins.

Rafa was right in that in that situation (as any reds fan would), Stevie was playing with his heart not his head. Not a criticism, a statement of fact. Rafa couldn't get him into the dressing room to calm him down, so he brought him off and replaced him with a player who would perform as to Rafas instructions at that point.

As for Stevie looking pissed off, he'd just been substituted in a merseyside derby with the game deadlocked. I'd be more worried if he didn't look pissed off. Moreover it suggested that he thought he could win the game, regardless of his poor form. Again a plus in my view, he's not lost confidence in his ability, which is good because you can be certain we'll need it this season and maybe even next week.

[keniget]

If we needed to play with our "head" and keep possession, explain to me this:

What the **** was Momo Sissoko doing on the pitch?

[El Jefecito]

OK, let's have a bash shall we.

You have Steven Gerrards footballing ability and are playing in a merseyside derby, at Goodison, and the score is 1-1. Do you a) Get the ball down and look for opportunities or b) Try and win the game yourself?

Chances are you'd choose b), Stevie certainly would.

Rafa felt a different approach was needed. If Stevie was on top form maybe Rafa would have left him on, but clearly he felt today was not a day when Stevies 'Captain Fantastic' act was going to come off. At the end of the day, Rafa brought Stevie off, the team settled and probed for chances, and got them. One of these chances resulted in a goal (the chance created by the player Rafa brought on). Rafa wins.

Rafa was right in that in that situation (as any reds fan would), Stevie was playing with his heart not his head. Not a criticism, a statement of fact. Rafa couldn't get him into the dressing room to calm him down, so he brought him off and replaced him with a player who would perform as to Rafas instructions at that point.

As for Stevie looking pissed off, he'd just been substituted in a merseyside derby with the game deadlocked. I'd be more worried if he didn't look pissed off. Moreover it suggested that he thought he could win the game, regardless of his poor form. Again a plus in my view, he's not lost confidence in his ability, which is good because you can be certain we'll need it this season and maybe even next week.

Great post mate.

That's the kind of reasoning I was hoping to encourage.

[cobain]

And btw, Rafa did the right thing when he substituted Gerrard today ... He rushed too much with passes, was always gung ho and we lost many balls because of that. Lucas is more of a relaxed passer and that's what we needed. Plus he helped getting us a penalty (and he sent off Neville) so credit to the lad! Like I said in some other thread, I f*cking love this guy!

[andyinswinton]

:whatever:

Whats that supposed to mean?

If Rafa was looking to make a point to Gerrard that he isn't indispensible to the team, drawing 1-1 in a derby game isn't the place to do it.

You know damn well if we had drawn the game the only talk in this place and in the papers tomorrow would have been the substitution. Because we won, the decision can be vindicated but if we hadn't every man and his dog would have been having a pop at Rafa.

[Red_Al_77]

He got lucky

[Iceman]

Great post mate.

That's the kind of reasoning I was hoping to encourage.

well leave it till monday when everyone is sober

OK?

[redblood]

OK, let's have a bash shall we.

You have Steven Gerrards footballing ability and are playing in a merseyside derby, at Goodison, and the score is 1-1. Do you a) Get the ball down and look for opportunities or b) Try and win the game yourself?

Chances are you'd choose b), Stevie certainly would.

Rafa felt a different approach was needed. If Stevie was on top form maybe Rafa would have left him on, but clearly he felt today was not a day when Stevies 'Captain Fantastic' act was going to come off. At the end of the day, Rafa brought Stevie off, the team settled and probed for chances, and got them. One of these chances resulted in a goal (the chance created by the player Rafa brought on). Rafa wins.

Rafa was right in that in that situation (as any reds fan would), Stevie was playing with his heart not his head. Not a criticism, a statement of fact. Rafa couldn't get him into the dressing room to calm him down, so he brought him off and replaced him with a player who would perform as to Rafas instructions at that point.

As for Stevie looking pissed off, he'd just been substituted in a merseyside derby with the game deadlocked. I'd be more worried if he didn't look pissed off. Moreover it suggested that he thought he could win the game, regardless of his poor form. Again a plus in my view, he's not lost confidence in his ability, which is good because you can be certain we'll need it this season and maybe even next week.

Good post mate although it shocked the hell out of me and I questioned Rafa's mentality at the time. It worked and it took serious balls.