Post match knee 'jerks' in here please.

[Craig_H]

rafa won the champions league

And we've gone backwards since...

I'd swap our CL win in 2005 for the number of league titles Arsenal have won under Wenger. Plus, they're in far better shape in the CL this season than we are.

Rafa cant live off Istanbul forever.

[Joe King]

Shaggy, just want to say that when Crocuh first came and didnt score for 18 games Rafa backed him to the hilt and stuck with him when others said he should be dropped. Perhaps Rafa is doing the same sort of thing with Kuyt? who knows if he can get one going in off his knee it will spar a purple patch for him?

Kuyt scored two penalties against the Bitters and hasn't scored since. He is absolute dross. This is a patch that will last god knows how long.

[Rashid]

And we've gone backwards since...

I'd swap our CL win in 2005 for the number of league titles Arsenal have won under Wenger. Plus, they're in far better shape in the CL this season than we are.

Rafa cant live off Istanbul forever.

Alright mate, agree with that. We still need to meet up for that drink by the way...

Rafa needs to get us challenging for the title... or he should leave... that much is clear to me now.

[Joe King]

rafa won the champions league

I'm starting to think he didn't know what he was doing in there as well. Starting an unfit Kewell? Gerrard as a holding player? 12 players on the board at half time?

[doogle]

And we've gone backwards since...

I'd swap our CL win in 2005 for the number of league titles Arsenal have won under Wenger. Plus, they're in far better shape in the CL this season than we are.

Rafa cant live off Istanbul forever.

, wouldnt we all, to be fair though the standard as gone up since wenger 1st won the league

[Shaggy]

Shaggy, just want to say that when Crocuh first came and didnt score for 18 games Rafa backed him to the hilt and stuck with him when others said he should be dropped. Perhaps Rafa is doing the same sort of thing with Kuyt? who knows if he can get one going in off his knee it will spar a purple patch for him?

Yeah but Crouch was actually playing well at the time and contributing to a WINNING team.

Kuyt's crap, barely looks like scoring and in the rare event of him getting in the right areas, he ****s it up. He's got very little going for him other than "work rate".

He should've been dropped a long time ago and for too long he's been a passenger. Like playing with 10 men at times.

[kemm1]

Yep and that is what is keeping him in a job. It's why I am happy to give him this season to get it right...

OK Mr Hicks

[Craig_H]

OK Mr Hicks

Ha ha ha

[Dhav]

What's worrying is that Rafa is persisting with this system with Kuyt when we are clearly a much better attacking side when Crouch is playing and gives us a focal point and gives Stevie G someone to play off of.

[Craig_H]

What's worrying is that Rafa is persisting with this system with Kuyt when we are clearly a much better attacking side when Crouch is playing and gives us a focal point and gives Stevie G someone to play off of.

Once again, spot on.

[Fowler_God]

Rafa always talks about mentality. Well our attacking mentality is very poor. Our full backs very rarely break out of defense and get beyond the the winger. Watch the Mancs and Arsenal today, every time the full back would get beyond the wide midfielder which pulls players over from the centre which creates more space in the middle.

Rafa needs to take a back step and actually see whats happening. He is wanting to prove a point by playing Kuyt and Momo instead of looking at the overall picture.
Rafa should not be sacked BTW, anyway who the hell would we get? No-one stands out in world football at the minute. (mourhino is a no no)

[Johnny]

benitez may need to go if we want to win the PL(Holy Grail).
he seems to know the european game but not playing crouch and Kewell from the start drew us that game today.

[Joe King]

Rafa always talks about mentality. Well our attacking mentality is very poor. Our full backs very rarely break out of defense and get beyond the the winger. Watch the Mancs and Arsenal today, every time the full back would get beyond the wide midfielder which pulls players over from the centre which creates more space in the middle.

Rafa needs to take a back step and actually see whats happening. He is wanting to prove a point by playing Kuyt and Momo instead of looking at the overall picture.
Rafa should not be sacked BTW, anyway who the hell would we get? No-one stands out in world football at the minute. (mourhino is a no no)

We don't seem to have an attacking mentality. That is the main problem. We are happy with the draw. Italian mentality, defence first.

[Fowler_God]

not playing crouch and Kewell from the start drew us that game today.

I wouldnt go that far mate. If he had started Kewell and Crouch and we drew the game, people would say we shouldnt have started a half fit kewell and why are we playing crouch against Chris Samba.

Our style of play and system cost us today.

[bigfooty]

Shaggy, just want to say that when Crocuh first came and didnt score for 18 games Rafa backed him to the hilt and stuck with him when others said he should be dropped. Perhaps Rafa is doing the same sort of thing with Kuyt? who knows if he can get one going in off his knee it will spar a purple patch for him?

Crouch improved our play on the dreadful previous season by adding a bit of nouse up front and in particular he played a key role in creating space and chances for Gerrard who had a fabulous start to the 2005-2006 campaign. There was genuine happyness for Crouch when he scored because everyone could see his contribution other than scoring. You simply cannot say the same of Kuyt.