Post match v Reading

[Craig_H]

Sometimes its better to lose a battle in order to win the war.

Very philosophical, but doesnt really justify throwing in the towel with 20 mins left.

[Craig_H]

Boro 1-0 up on Arsenal after 3 mins

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.

[Craig_H]

I support Rafa 100% but he does make some baffling tactical decisions. Now I don't just mean decisions that the average fan can't work out, I mean decisions that every pundit, ex players etc don't understand. And by ex players, I don't mean some of the half arsed donkeys Sky wheel out like Merson, I mean ex LFC players that generally talk sense.

I listen to most matches I don't go to on Radio City, where Aldo does the match summaries. I've lost count of the times he's lost for words on what Rafa's upto, with team selections and substitutions. Its not just Aldo, ex players like Hansen, Lawro etc are often confused.

Now all this doesn't mean what Rafa's doing is wrong in term of selections, tactics etc but I do wonder if sometimes the players on the pitch are confused by it all. Yesterday was typical. The teams announced, it looks a strange selection and the players play like they don't really understand the selection either.

Every ex player you listen to all say that players like to play in their familiar role, so they understand what they are supposed to do, and how they fit into the team plan. I think sometimes the players don't really buy into what Rafa is trying to do in individual matches and that yesterday was one such occasion. Although unlucky, we were half beat before we started yesterday.

[Kopite_Colin]

I think if Boro can hang on and get a point, and we beat Utd, and Chelsea do Arsenal next week the table will look like this:

Pld Pts
Arsenal 17 38
Chelsea 17 37
Utd 17 36
Lpool 16 33

If we then won our game in hand we'd be right in the thick of it. Even if Chelsea and Artsenal draw and we beat Utd, we'd still be only 3 points of the top going into Christmas.

[Kopite_Colin]

After that result of Boro v Arsenal, now we really do have to take advantage against Utd. We simply have to win.

[Craig_H]

I think if Boro can hang on and get a point, and we beat Utd, and Chelsea do Arsenal next week the table will look like this:

Pld Pts
Arsenal 17 38
Chelsea 17 37
Utd 17 36
Lpool 16 33

If we then won our game in hand we'd be right in the thick of it. Even if Chelsea and Artsenal draw and we beat Utd, we'd still be only 3 points of the top going into Christmas.

A lot of ifs there mate, but Boro have won which is great news.

A win against the mancs next week is imperative.

Just think if we'd won yesterday, we'd be 4 off the top with a game in hand...ffs.

[Kopite_Colin]

I know - that's what makes it so frustrating.

[JohnDoe]

We'll beat the mancs, I'm certain of it, and we'll do it convincingly.

[Nicey]

Kaaaaa Ching !! What a result ... Game on

[Kopite_Colin]

If Torres is fit - we'll win. We are due a bit of luck against them. Kewell & Torres and Gerrard all on form, and they'll have their hands full. if Crouch has one of his "unplayable" days, they'll struggle to stop us. But we do need to some away from Marseille with no key players injured.

[Craig_H]

We'll beat the mancs, I'm certain of it, and we'll do it convincingly.

You'll forgive me for waiting til the game's actually been played though, before chalking up the points...

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

If Torres is fit - we'll win. We are due a bit of luck against them. Kewell & Torres and Gerrard all on form, and they'll have their hands full. if Crouch has one of his "unplayable" days, they'll struggle to stop us. But we do need to some away from Marseille with no key players injured.

Don't fool yourself. Dirk Kuyt will play.

[disco]

I don't see how we 'gave up' with 20 minutes to go - we still had 11 players out there and created more chances, hit the post etc.

Torres had a knock, Carra was a yellow from missing the scum, Gerrard has played almost minute of every game.

If we'd kept them on we were still very unlikely to get a point (the draw would have been 20-1 at that stage), so why risk it?

[Craig_H]

I don't see how we 'gave up' with 20 minutes to go - we still had 11 players out there and created more chances, hit the post etc.

Torres had a knock, Carra was a yellow from missing the scum, Gerrard has played almost minute of every game.

If we'd kept them on we were still very unlikely to get a point (the draw would have been 20-1 at that stage), so why risk it?

Rafa has admitted himself that he took players off because he felt he couldnt change it and wanted to save them for tuesday.

[disco]

Rafa has admitted himself that he took players off because he felt he couldnt change it and wanted to save them for tuesday.

.... which is what I said in the last sentence.

We didn't 'give up' though - we had a team which was just as (un)likely to get a draw with 20 minutes to go out there.