Post match v Reading

[The Glove]

Only just drawn up the nerve to log on after yesterday's debacle. Haven't read this thread but it's probably full of frustration anyway.....

Spose its already been said but Rafa picked the wrong formation and wrong players. Crouch & Voronin were ineffective and Masherano - well, I'm beginning to get a bee in my bonnet about him. £17m for him at the moment is pure laughable; I've said it before and I'll say it again - he is not worth anywhere near £17m. Yesterday he provided little protection for the centre halves and offered less than **** all as an attacking force. At the moment our middle 2 must consist of Stevi, Lucas and Xabi (any 2 of those 3).

So you dont rate Mascherano but you rate Riise?

[ronan]

Really hoping Boro can win because if Arsenal turn it around and take 3 points, i think that'll be us out of the title race.

you really really need some positivity
let me guess we lose next week and were out as well too
and then if we dont beat portsmouth were out
and then derby
and then man city
and then...you get the picture

So you dont rate Mascherano but you rate Riise?

surely you gotta be kidding?

[The Glove]

surely you gotta be kidding?

No Im sure its him who is the sole Riise flame carrier and yet he cant see what Mascherano does. I may be wrong.

[Helios Creed]

The critics on tv kept saying that Rafa was putting the CL above the Prem. He wasn't - he was putting the money that he will get from winning one CL game (and that will pay for Masher) above a game that we'd lost.

[tomasjj]

So you dont rate Mascherano but you rate Riise?

Mascherano missed a couple of passes that could have put us in real trouble. Apart from that he was very good.

As for Howard.. I have stopped reading his posts on football. He knows boxing better it seems.

[desertscouser]

Don't fool yourself. Dirk Kuyt will play.

He will and that's gutting because we need players on the pitch who can offer something going forward. ie. NOT KUYT.

[tomasjj]

He will and that's gutting because we need players on the pitch who can offer something going forward. ie. NOT KUYT.

Well, I think Kuyt did quite well against Newcastle. Him and Torres did well together.

As for Crouch, he hasn't done himself a lot of favours the last games when given the chance either.

But I reckon Crouch would **** on Marseille, so I want him in there.

[Kaip]

gutted but we created enough chances to keep our high scoring run going




roll on tuesday

[Craig_H]

Didnt we hit the post in the dying minutes? Yeah stopped trying clearly.

When rafa says he felt he couldnt change it and wanted to save the players (eg Gerrard), it kinda tells its own story, regardless of any head in sand tactics...

[The Glove]

Well he brough Babel and Kewell on. Theyve helped from the bench before so if he has sent them on and then theyve had no effect there isnt much he can do is there? He didnt have anyone else on the bench to make any changes and as the game got more stretched Carra is always liable to hack someone down so that prevented his booking by bringing Sami on. Things didnt work, we didnt give up and roll over and die.

[Craig_H]

I think the manager gave it up and his thoughts moved onto Marseille, hence the removal of Gerrard to protect him, despite gerrard being so obviously pissed off about it.

The players didnt give it up themselves, but rafa threw the towel in, that much is obvious.

[The Glove]

Was he pissed off? It looked to me like the plan was always to bring him off but the plan may well have been for us to be winning by then. Gerrards frustartion may have been the fact we were behind and he felt he shouldve stayed on despite the game plan.

[Alpha]

Masherano - well, I'm beginning to get a bee in my bonnet about him. £17m for him at the moment is pure laughable; I've said it before and I'll say it again - he is not worth anywhere near £17m.

It comes down to whether you want to base your decision on a few below-par performances or the class he has displayed during his career so far for both club and country.

[Craig_H]

Was he pissed off? It looked to me like the plan was always to bring him off but the plan may well have been for us to be winning by then. Gerrards frustartion may have been the fact we were behind and he felt he shouldve stayed on despite the game plan.

Yeah, the scoreline would've played it's part.

He clearly had a stunned look on his face though, which suggests to me that if it WAS part of the plan, he certainly hadnt been told.

[AFII]

Everything comes down to how important the Marseille game is.

Most things points to that Rafa's transfer kitty in January depends on us winning the game.

The game will probably also decide if Rafa will get the money to sign Mascherano.

The game may decide if he will get the sack or not.

Just three things that show how important the game is.

If we win it then all of our problems the last month or so will be over. If we don't win then Rafa will be hunted down by the media week in week out and asked the usual question, will you be sacked or not?

IMO of course.