Who would you replace Rafa with?

[Joe King]

Coppell is more miserable than gerrard ffs.

And Rafa is Mr Sunshine now?

[The Glove]

I want Cappello! End of.

Wherever he has been, he won the league. Bring him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASEEEEEEE!!!!!!

What if Capello said, 'Im not going there, draw 3 games and the fans are on your back. It'd be worse than Madrid'? Who then?

[rage]

to be fair rafa's had far more than 3 games.

[The Glove]

to be fair rafa's had far more than 3 games.

Ok swap '3 games' for unbeaten start to the season after 11 games.

[TigaSefi]

I am firmly in the capello/lippi side of the fence.

[bigfooty]

What if Capello said, 'Im not going there, draw 3 games and the fans are on your back. It'd be worse than Madrid'? Who then?

The outbursts here as much to do with our style of football over an extended period of time as they are to do with current performances and results.

You can call me a "fickle ****er" if you like but I took a stand on Rafa in the league around this time last season when I felt that his efforts to try and change our play by going to the Kuyt & Bellamy front line were misguided when you consider we had just enjoyed a great season with Crouch effectively leading the line, despite not being prolific.

The stats speak for themselves Glove, last season when Crouch started we won 3 out of 4 games. When other strikers started we won roughly 1 in 3. 76% vs 36%. It doesn't take a tactical genius to work out that Crouch + someone gave us a far superior chance of winning games but Rafa persisted in playing Kuyt and Bellamy because of the way they play rather than how effective they were. I'm not even going to touch Athens because even the players have since come out and said that Crouch should have come on sooner, if not started, given his superb form in Europe.

Rafa has brought a number of good players to the club and has brought us some respect by winning Istanbul. But let's not forget the guy has spent 125M and turned us into a side that plays pretty dull, destructive football that is only saved by having some individuals who can produce devastating bits of play that get us results.

[AFII]

Well Fergie started with St Mirren then on to Aberdeen, doing more than expected with both of them then on to United were he struggled for the best part of 5 years then it suddenly clicked.

Its no coincedence that the 2 teams eveyone compares us to and wants us to be like have had the same manager for atleast 10 years.

Rafa goes and then we are back to another mug wanting 3/4 years. When is it going to end? Its not. Rafa should get atleast the same amount of time as Houllier and by my reckonong thats the end of next season. If we are floundering then, then thats the time for it. Not before.

Just because some other team of ***** can do something and we dont doesnt make us suddenly ****e. Last week, while Arsenal passed it around like 5 a side, they couldnt match our work ethic. Swings and roundabouts. The sooner everyone realises that you dont have to play like Brazil 70 to win things the better.

[The Glove]

The outbursts here as much to do with our style of football over an extended period of time as they are to do with current performances and results.

You can call me a "fickle ****er" if you like but I took a stand on Rafa in the league around this time last season when I felt that his efforts to try and change our play by going to the Kuyt & Bellamy front line were misguided when you consider we had just enjoyed a great season with Crouch effectively leading the line, despite not being prolific.

The stats speak for themselves Glove, last season when Crouch started we won 3 out of 4 games. When other strikers started we won roughly 1 in 3. 76% vs 36%. It doesn't take a tactical genius to work out that Crouch + someone gave us a far superior chance of winning games but Rafa persisted in playing Kuyt and Bellamy because of the way they play rather than how effective they were. I'm not even going to touch Athens because even the players have since come out and said that Crouch should have come on sooner, if not started, given his superb form in Europe.

Rafa has brought a number of good players to the club and has brought us some respect by winning Istanbul. But let's not forget the guy has spent 125M and turned us into a side that plays pretty dull, destructive football that is only saved by having some individuals who can produce devastating bits of play that get us results.

Stats do speak for themselves mate you are right but as always you can pick and choose for your own arguement. You pick Crouch, I pick best start in years and being unbeaten and having more points from the same games last year. And really, its my stats that win things more than who starts a game.

I'll be honest, I want us to win things and I also dont care in the slightest how it happens. Afterall, the stats will show we won.

Im not saying Rafa is perfect or right every time but what Im saying is that there are just as much positives than negatives and at the minute, the positive stats are so much better than the negative ones, it just depends what you want use.

For the record, Id love us to play the best footy ever and for our ****tier players to not play but thats not happening so you have to put your faith in what we have. If you dont then the team has lost the support before its even kicked a ball so its hardly any wonder we play how we do.

[der_Fuchs]

Wenger. Ruin Arsenal while building up Liverpool.

[The Glove]

Now I know Im in the wrong when you are agreeing with me.

[AFII]

Rafa has had ONE transfer window that he has been able to go for his number ones instead of his number three, four or five.

You really can't compare that to Fergie or Wenger.

Rafa will buy quality but he can't sign five or six high quality players a window because that would cost to much.

I will be happy if he signs maybe two high quality players in January and two next summer. Then we would have a starting XI without any holes in it.

[bigfooty]

Stats do speak for themselves mate you are right but as always you can pick and choose for your own arguement. You pick Crouch, I pick best start in years and being unbeaten and having more points from the same games last year. And really, its my stats that win things more than who starts a game.

In 2005-2006 we had 19 points after 11 games, compared to 21 points after 11 games this season. We then went on to win 8 of 9 in the league and also ended the league season with 9 straight victories. At the moment those sorts of runs look completely beyond us so we're going to have to considerably up our game to get close to 82 points. That 2005-2006 start included the 4-1 loss to Chelsea and a 2-0 loss to Fulham away. Draws kill you in this league and we've had far too many of them already.

[The Glove]

In 2005-2006 we had 19 points after 11 games, compared to 21 points after 11 games this season. We then went on to win 8 of 9 in the league and also ended the league season with 9 straight victories. At the moment those sorts of runs look completely beyond us so we're going to have to considerably up our game to get close to 82 points. That 2005-2006 start included the 4-1 loss to Chelsea and a 2-0 loss to Fulham away. Draws kill you in this league and we've had far too many of them already.

Well looking at the fixtures Id say we could well get 9 straight wins now. Its unlikely but certainly not behond us.

5 homes games, Fulham, Bolton, Utd, Portsmouth and Wigan. 4 fairly straight forward ones and one obviously tricky game but at home we can raise it and there is no reason why we cant beat them.

4 aways, Newcastle, Reading, Derby and City. Only city out of them could cause us any problems but again, their bubble is bursting and we could well be in a bit of form so Ideally, they are 4 very win able games.

[Dhav]

Style of play not an issue then?

In that case we may as well keep Rafa....... Capello and Lippi are probably more defensive than Rafa.
I'd like a change in philosophy if we changed the manager.

Fair shouts. When I suggested Capello or Lippi I was going to go on and say that I wouldn't expect them to get us playing any better or more attacking than what we are at present but I couldn't quite word it.

But there are so few proven managers out there. Mourinho is top quality but he's very cautious also.

Style of play is very important, but sadly we're miles away from replicating the style of the 88 team and I think Capello or Lippi would make for a seamless transition from Rafa's management and that they'd immediately get the best out of the players we have. If we were to bring in an attacking coach surely it would take us at least a couple of years to play that style and do it successfully?

For the record I think Rafa deserves at least this season and probably next as well. He hasn't had a fair chance yet as his hands have been tied in the transfer market until very recently. No doubting that until now he has done a top job IMO.

[red g]

harry redknapp