Time for a Change??

[AFII]

Crouch was available to play tonight. He was sat on the bench and came on with 7 minutes to go once Rafa panicked and realised he'd better try and get the 3 points after all.

The reason he didn't play tonight was NOT because he was serving a ban, but because Rafa CHOSE not to play him.

One up front against bleedin Wigan was Rafa's tactical masterpiece.

The reason that Crouch didn't play was probably that Rafa didn't want to risk him because he is probably off.

We won't get any money if Crouch gets injured and ruled out for a month or two.

[silvershanks]

A man of his proven quality wont be on the market for much longer.

Smart money says he is bidding his time before he goes to Barcelona.

[Red Chilli]

Noone is saying he does no wrong. He has made mistakes yeah but the blame doesn't rest solely with him does it? The players are every bit as much to blame. They are getting paid stupid amount a week to go out there and play and half of them look like they can't be arsed. If anyone is getting slagged it should be them.

Who buys the players?
Who picks the players?
Who decides the formation?
Who decides the subs?
Who motivates the players?
Who coaches the players?

Sorry Red Hot, I'm not having a go at you, but Rafa is responsible for all of the above. Sure the players cross the white line and play on the pitch but Rafa has a massive influence on the way they play due to the above factors. They're his players, well most of them.

[Red_hot]

I'm not that angry tonight. Probably because I half expected it. Besides there is more to life than football, look at poor Kevin Wicks in Eastenders, imagine what Dianne and the kids are going through.

Denise but

[alunevans]

Noone is saying he does no wrong. He has made mistakes yeah but the blame doesn't rest solely with him does it? The players are every bit as much to blame. They are getting paid stupid amount a week to go out there and play and half of them look like they can't be arsed. If anyone is getting slagged it should be them.

I'd agree with that too yes. One of my posts does mention them too. Search for gutless freaks and you'll find it. It's just that you implied that there were loads of chances there tonight and its not Rafa's fault that he wasn't on the pitch to finish them. That describes the Man City match I'll grant you, which is why I vociferously defended him at the weekend. It certainly doesn't describe tonight.

(PS Can't find the book I promised. It's here somewhere and I'll get it to you if you can PM either yours or Chris' address)

[alunevans]

Ta. That had put me in an even worse mood!

I don't think anyone chanting for Maureen at Anfield would have got out without a bruising to be honest, and rightly so!!

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

No its not the first time he's done it. I think at his core he is fundamentally negative. He has many qualities that is for certain. And for all the comments about the supposed "****e" he's bought, the squad (while still having gaping holes down the flanks) is loads better than when he joined. And I mean ****ing loads better.

The problem is that he is deeply negative in my view and I don't believe negative managers are successful.

The fact that he plays Kuyt, an honest but limited workhorse is one example of it.

Playing one up front tonight and only changing it and deciding he'd fancy all 3 points after all with 6 minutes to go.

There are other things about his management that baffle me and run counter to everything that the likes of Shankly, Paisley and the likes taught us about the game too.

But for all his good points, he is negative, his team bores me to tears, and he was well happy hanging on for a 1-0 win tonight. The thing is, Bruce was fairly happy with 1-0 too because, like most managers in his situation, he knew that at 1-0 they were 1 freak moment away from getting the point he came for.

An attack minded manager would have set his team out to destroy that lot tonight. We created very little. Tonight was not the Man City game where I felt we played well and only poor finishing killed us.

Tonight we were just ****, and the manager got exactly what his negative approach deserved.

The biggest problem I have with him is that with these so called better players, and squad, that our football, at times, is still dire to watch.

Our passing and movement is predictable and quite often inaccurate.

Of course it doesn't help that we have second rate technical players like Kuyt and Pennant, but who signed them and keeps picking them?

[alunevans]

The biggest problem I have with him is that with these so called better players, and squad, that our football, at times, is still dire to watch.

Our passing and movement is predictable and quite often inaccurate.

Of course it doesn't help that we have second rate technical players like Kuyt and Pennant, but who signed them and keeps picking them?

can't argue with that mate

[Graybach]

Shame Rafa wasn't out on the pitch to waste all those chances that lineup created....
At least then you could blame him.


And for the lineup whiners.
It looked like a 4231 for me. 2 holding mids because you have 3 attacking ones.
SG had the license to attack from deep against a team that sat back. Was a good plan I think.

And for the Jose chants. **** off!

Was just about to stop reading and then a very good post

I wonder how many people actually saw the match. For me it wasn't a loan striker it was Torres spearheading an attack of Kewell, Gerrard, Torres and Pennant with Aurelio and Finnan giving even extra width. Or at least that's what it should have been.

Any critisism of the manager tonight, and he's not above critisism, is ridiculous.

We struggled first half to break down a deep defending team. Hang pn, we've had trouble before, lets try something different, the manager gets hammered. He doesn't try a different formation-he gets hammered.

Watch the match, see the chances, then tell me how Raffa got it wrong.

The players should have been better in the final third.

After getting the breakthrough and Wigan coming out a bit we had plenty of chances!!

Not Raffa's fault, this time.

[Howard_lfc]

No its not the first time he's done it. I think at his core he is fundamentally negative. He has many qualities that is for certain. And for all the comments about the supposed "****e" he's bought, the squad (while still having gaping holes down the flanks) is loads better than when he joined. And I mean ****ing loads better.

The problem is that he is deeply negative in my view and I don't believe negative managers are successful.

The fact that he plays Kuyt, an honest but limited workhorse is one example of it.

Playing one up front tonight and only changing it and deciding he'd fancy all 3 points after all with 6 minutes to go.

There are other things about his management that baffle me and run counter to everything that the likes of Shankly, Paisley and the likes taught us about the game too.

But for all his good points, he is negative, his team bores me to tears, and he was well happy hanging on for a 1-0 win tonight. The thing is, Bruce was fairly happy with 1-0 too because, like most managers in his situation, he knew that at 1-0 they were 1 freak moment away from getting the point he came for.

An attack minded manager would have set his team out to destroy that lot tonight. We created very little. Tonight was not the Man City game where I felt we played well and only poor finishing killed us.

Tonight we were just ****, and the manager got exactly what his negative approach deserved.

Top post Al mate.

[Colonel Decker]

The manager is responsible for results, he picks the team and formation.

It is the same as any other walk of life, the manager has to take the praise/blame depending on the performance of the side he picks.

[alunevans]

Was just about to stop reading and then a very good post

I wonder how many people actually saw the match. For me it wasn't a loan striker it was Torres spearheading an attack of Kewell, Gerrard, Torres and Pennant with Aurelio and Finnan giving even extra width. Or at least that's what it should have been.

Any critisism of the manager tonight, and he's not above critisism, is ridiculous.

We struggled first half to break down a deep defending team. Hang pn, we've had trouble before, lets try something different, the manager gets hammered. He doesn't try a different formation-he gets hammered.

Watch the match, see the chances, then tell me how Raffa got it wrong.

The players should have been better in the final third.

After getting the breakthrough and Wigan coming out a bit we had plenty of chances!!

Not Raffa's fault, this time.

I actually saw the match yes. One of the worst ****ing nights of my life. Froze my bollocks off too.

[Colonel Decker]

Was just about to stop reading and then a very good post

I wonder how many people actually saw the match. For me it wasn't a loan striker it was Torres spearheading an attack of Kewell, Gerrard, Torres and Pennant with Aurelio and Finnan giving even extra width. Or at least that's what it should have been.

Any critisism of the manager tonight, and he's not above critisism, is ridiculous.

We struggled first half to break down a deep defending team. Hang pn, we've had trouble before, lets try something different, the manager gets hammered. He doesn't try a different formation-he gets hammered.

Watch the match, see the chances, then tell me how Raffa got it wrong.

The players should have been better in the final third.

After getting the breakthrough and Wigan coming out a bit we had plenty of chances!!

Not Raffa's fault, this time.

It is always his fault, he is the manager

[Lee]

I think today my faith in him really really has gone down a lot. Possibly a knee-jerk reaction, or possibly because results & tactics this season have been ****ing dreadful.

But, if, if if, Rafa were to go then think of the aftermath. What 1st teamers would leave? Who would replace him? What would happen to the Academy?

I don't know, Im 50/50... and I never thought I'd say that

[Lee]

where were the goals coming from?

Finnan? how many has he scored? one?
Carra? when rafa first came he said he wanted 5 a season or something and he was attacking corners yet now he never looks likely.
Ardebola? he attacks well when played at full back but he's not ever to blast one in.
Aurelio? no goals, poor freekicks but he did look better against city.

Masher? very little goal threat.
Pennant? no goal threat at all.
Alonso? The odd pearler every season yet still not enough for someone of his ability.
Kewell? Hasn't scored for ages.

Then you have Gerrard & Torres. We now have two get out of jail cards in the team.

So true, and it worries the **** out of me

Take Gerrard & Torres out and we've only got Babel & Benayoun, who are not regulars and they're too inconsistant