All those who want Rafa sacked...

[Pacman]

Only one was needed. Mascherano behind Gerrard was enough.
Rafa lost us that final, playing Kuyt alone up front and then taking Mascher off.

Just like Istanbul hey?

[tomasjj]

Only one was needed. Mascherano behind Gerrard was enough.
Rafa lost us that final, playing Kuyt alone up front and then taking Mascher off.

Wow!

I bow to your genius and your absolute certainty.

[Le Chacal]

Just like Istanbul hey?

Didi was the only holding midfielder. Alonso has never been one.

[Mattshark]

Only one was needed. Mascherano behind Gerrard was enough.
Rafa lost us that final, playing Kuyt alone up front and then taking Mascher off.

So it wasn't the amount of glaring chances we missed then?

[Pacman]

Didi was the only holding midfielder. Alonso has never been one.

Istanbul first half - 3 nil down

-------Gerrard----Alonso-------

Istanbul 2nd half - win the game
-------------Gerrard-----------
---------Didi------Alonso------

Athens - Rafa

-----------Gerrard-------------
-------Alonso-----mascher-----

See the pattern?

If you do why o why would you play 2 in midfield?

[StevieG08]

Only one was needed. Mascherano behind Gerrard was enough.

Sorry but that is complete nonsense, that Milan team had just ripped the Mancs a new arse a few weeks earlier how anyone can go against playing Mascher and Alonso is beyond me. I would concede taking Mascher off with hindsight was a mistake but Rafa was chasing the game at that point and needed to take some risks.

At the end of the day to get to 2 CL finals in 3 years is a huge achievement and should not be overlooked by people, compare the record to other managers who have been in post longer than Rafa and you can see how difficult it is to get to the final,let alone winning. People who spout ****e about "Rafa losing us the final" need to have a big word with themselves

[Manofthebog]

Sorry but that is complete nonsense, that Milan team had just ripped the Mancs a new arse a few weeks earlier how anyone can go against playing Mascher and Alonso is beyond me. I would concede taking Mascher off with hindsight was a mistake but Rafa was chasing the game at that point and needed to take some risks.

At the end of the day to get to 2 CL finals in 3 years is a huge achievement and should not be overlooked by people, compare the record to other managers who have been in post longer than Rafa and you can see how difficult it is to get to the final,let alone winning. People who spout ****e about "Rafa losing us the final" need to have a big word with themselves

Again......................

[Le Chacal]

Istanbul first half - 3 nil down

-------Gerrard----Alonso-------

Istanbul 2nd half - win the game
-------------Gerrard-----------
---------Didi------Alonso------

Athens - Rafa

-----------Gerrard-------------
-------Alonso-----mascher-----

See the pattern?

If you do why o why would you play 2 in midfield?

it was more like this in 2005 2nd half, and the reason that without Didi we were 3 nil down. Alonso is not a holding midfielder, Kaka had all the freedom he wanted behind our midfield and our defence.
-------Didi----
---Alonso-Gerrard
2007:
-------Mascher
----Alonso-Gerrard
Alonso gave them a stupid freekick and they scored. We would have scored 3 before them if we had someone in their box, playing like this
Pennant-mascher-Zenden
--------Gerrard
-----Crouch-Kuyt(Bellamy)
Then he took mascher off and they scored the 2nd. Huge mistake from Rafa(same as Istanbul's 1st half). A full back had to be taken off, not Mascher.
It was a great achievement to reach another final.
Rafa still lost that final.

[Craig_H]

but who blindly supports him?

we all support the club,and we all have a rant in frustration after a bad game but at the same time the majority of us realize that a mans job can not be decided on the basis of a few games.

we also realize that were probably not going to get a better manager than rafa if we do sack him.

Some people do support him blindly.

I agree with the rest of your post and as i keep saying, i've not said he should be sacked.

[Craig_H]

Just like Istanbul hey?

I dunno why you lot are making those comparisons to Istanbul, the team back then was shocking, the likes of Traore and Biscan were 1st teamers.

To suggest that a similar system to Istanbul wouldnt have worked in Athens completely negates the fact that in terms of personnel, our team is light years ahead of the 2005 one.

[thekop]

What Rafa do need to do is to get in a new no2. One that can takeover from Pako as the voice between the players and Rafa.

Whilst i agree with you on this, but didn't Rafa say he had all the Staff he needed! (or have i been dreaming!)

[Nic83]

The only flaws in rafa as a manager are easily fixed and when they are, he'll be one of the best.

[Red_Polo]

Time for the bitching to end. Can we not just talk about football without all the internad arsery*? I realise the whole place has gone off the rails somewhat of late, but we all want it to get back on track and we've got to start somewhere. Am cleaning the thread up a little. Any queries please PM me or start a thread in feedback rather than continue off topic here. Thanks.

*new word

[the rev leeroy brown]

Time for the bitching to end. Can we not just talk about football without all the internad arsery*? I realise the whole place has gone off the rails somewhat of late, but we all want it to get back on track and we've got to start somewhere. Am cleaning the thread up a little. Any queries please PM me or start a thread in feedback rather than continue off topic here. Thanks.

*new word

great new word

oh yeh, RAFA ****ING ROCKS AS MANAGER

[bazza76]

Exact-a-****ing-mundo.

So what?
It what makes Rafa so good at his job or it is part of it alteast.
Rafa is the most tactically astute manager in europe, and rotating playing around a central core of players and playing them depending on who we are up against is a big part of his success as a manager.
Well done Rafa I say, it was that kind of thinking that won us the european Cup and got us to the final last season, fair enough, The Premier League does not quite work tactically in the same way as Europe, but IMO there is nothing wrong with Rafa trying to get the best out of his squad IMHO.