"Sissoko was doing a fantastic job" - Rafa

[Montana]

Rafa from the Echo:

“Sissoko was doing a fantastic job. If he didn’t give the ball away sometimes he would be the best player in every game because he runs more than anyone, he regains more balls than anyone and he covers all his team-mates.

“He needs to improve in front of goal, but I am really pleased with him.



I can't believe he took off Stevie instead of Sissoko. Momo has gone backwards this season and needs to be put in the reserves for a bit to regain his confidence. His last few performances have been absolutely shocking, including Saturday. If he doesn't improve by the summer then get rid.

[tommyg]

Me thinks momo has some voodoo hypnotising methods

[Yozza]

what do you expect him to say - 'he's **** & no f**ker will give us a penny for him'?

IF Momo wants to leave then Rafa will talk him up just to get a few more £££'s for him..

Although a blind man can see how off form he is this season...

[PLY]

Why does anyone take notice of what Rafa says in the media when we all know he thinks they're a bunch of pricks and will say anything to fulfil his media responsibilities

[redlancer]

was it in the classified pages?

[bobbyfallon]

momo was real bad, think i read somewhere ver the weekend he has told friends he wants to leave in january???

[Tom]

People on here are slagging the manager for not taking momo off but he was obviously doing the job he was briefed to do. And doing it better than the job that gerrard was briefed to do. He and gerrard aren't like for like players so to say he should have taken momo off instead of gerrard shows a lack of understanding of respective roles.

His role in the side isn't as explosive as Gerrard's so you can't make direct comparisons - he's a more limited destructive player. In that role he was doing a pretty good job, because the bitters kept resorting to the long ball to bypass the midfield.

[alunevans]

People on here are slagging the manager for not taking momo off but he was obviously doing the job he was briefed to do. And doing it better than the job that gerrard was briefed to do. He and gerrard aren't like for like players so to say he should have taken momo off instead of gerrard shows a lack of understanding of respective roles.

His role in the side isn't as explosive as Gerrard's so you can't make direct comparisons - he's a more limited destructive player. In that role he was doing a pretty good job, because the bitters kept resorting to the long ball to bypass the midfield.

My prob Tom is that the manager was giving a negative brief against a team with ten men. Masher was already protecting the defence. Why also have someone on who is no more than a break-it-up player.

I don't think Momo played well personally, but more to the point I don't think his role was actually needed once we went a man up.

Even if its true that he was doing ok in his role as "a limited destructive player", my question is why we need a limited destructive player when you're drawing in the derby against 10 men, given that Masher is already offering the back 4 plenty of protection.

Rafa might have the bottle to be unpopular, but he doesn't have the bottle to take the game to the opposition if he prefers to keep both Masher and a limited destructive player on the park against a 10 man team. And that is my overriding worry.

[kewellnthegang]

what do you expect him to say - 'he's **** & no f**ker will give us a penny for him'?

IF Momo wants to leave then Rafa will talk him up just to get a few more £££'s for him..

Although a blind man can see how off form he is this season...

defend ya players in public

[Tom]

My prob Tom is that the manager was giving a negative brief against a team with ten men. Masher was already protecting the defence. Why also have someone on who is no more than a break-it-up player.

I don't think Momo played well personally, but more to the point I don't think his role was actually needed once we went a man up.

Even if its true that he was doing ok in his role as "a limited destructive player", my question is why we need a limited destructive player when you're drawing in the derby against 10 men, given that Masher is already offering the back 4 plenty of protection.

Rafa might have the bottle to be unpopular, but he doesn't have the bottle to take the game to the opposition if he prefers to keep both Masher and a limited destructive player on the park against a 10 man team. And that is my overriding worry.

Well rafa's tactics is another thread, this is about momo. Lucas coming on made us much more penetrative, we kept the ball better and made 4 or 5 good chances. We then got the winner as a direct result of his subsitution. Can't say fairer than that. In fact when Lucas came on the game was played almost entirely in everton's half, we pushed them right back. So he did make the right substitution.

[alunevans]

Well rafa's tactics is another thread, this is about momo. Lucas coming on made us much more penetrative, we kept the ball better and made 4 or 5 good chances. We then got the winner as a direct result of his subsitution. Can't say fairer than that. In fact when Lucas came on the game was played almost entirely in everton's half, we pushed them right back. So he did make the right substitution.

I was calling for his introduction quite early on so have no problems that he came on. My problem is with the negativity it seems to show against a ten man side. That's the nub of my worry basically.

[Tom]

I was calling for his introduction quite early on so have no problems that he came on. My problem is with the negativity it seems to show against a ten man side. That's the nub of my worry basically.

This is a good discussion Alun, but rafa is never going to produce a side that bombs forward like utd. do. I think he got it right in the end and resutl bears that out. Take it easy mate, i'm logging off gotta do some work!

[bazza76]

Rafa from the Echo:

“Sissoko was doing a fantastic job. If he didn’t give the ball away sometimes he would be the best player in every game because he runs more than anyone, he regains more balls than anyone and he covers all his team-mates.

“He needs to improve in front of goal, but I am really pleased with him.



I can't believe he took off Stevie instead of Sissoko. Momo has gone backwards this season and needs to be put in the reserves for a bit to regain his confidence. His last few performances have been absolutely shocking, including Saturday. If he doesn't improve by the summer then get rid.

Reserves to regain his confidence?

[mersey86]

People on here are slagging the manager for not taking momo off but he was obviously doing the job he was briefed to do. And doing it better than the job that gerrard was briefed to do. He and gerrard aren't like for like players so to say he should have taken momo off instead of gerrard shows a lack of understanding of respective roles.

His role in the side isn't as explosive as Gerrard's so you can't make direct comparisons - he's a more limited destructive player. In that role he was doing a pretty good job, because the bitters kept resorting to the long ball to bypass the midfield.

Defending Momo! I thought that wasn't allowed!

[Sir Bob]

[QUOTE=Montana;741562]Rafa from the Echo:

“Sissoko was doing a fantastic job. If he didn’t give the ball away sometimes he would be the best player in every game because he runs more than anyone, he regains more balls than anyone and he covers all his team-mates.

“He needs to improve in front of goal, but I am really pleased with him.

More baffing ramblings from Rafa here.
"If he didn't give the ball away sometimes he would be the best player in every game"
Yes but he does give the ball away alot so he isn;t the best player is he. Its like saying if Kuyt scored two goals every game he's be our best player, but he doesn't so he isn't.

Its got to the point with Rafa were I just don't understand what he's doing and why. I've no problem with him bigging Momo up, even if he's talking bollox but he's insulting our intelligence lately with some of the stuff he spouts.

I mean nobody but nobody could say momo played well on Saturday, and Momo is a country mile away from being our best player.