For once and for all...

[Red Chilli]

Top being the most recent winners to bottom:
Real
Barca
Barca
Valencia
Real
Valencia
Real
Depor
Barca
Barca

Posting that list in such a way also makes interesting reading. Fair play to Rafa, that was a hell of an achievement

[kopdan]

i dont see one upfront as negative. We played to our strengths and that was to feed Torres. Plus it seems playing any of our other strikers actually weakens us at the moment.

[sonsofthedesert]

That doesn't explain 1 up front at home to Wigan though KK

That and the constantly changing formations are my problems with Rafa. I do believe though with a few more world class players he will win the league.

[KK07]

That doesn't explain 1 up front at home to Wigan though KK

Yes is does,well no it doesn't but let me try.

Why not play your second highest scoring player in the hole behind your first?

Thats all Rafa did,when I saw the team that night I didn't think negative,I thought we have these cunts!!

[Red Chilli]

i dont see one upfront as negative. We played to our strengths and that was to feed Torres. Plus it seems playing any of our other strikers actually weakens us at the moment.

OK, then we differ. I see 1 up front at home to a team threatened with relegation after you've just dropped points to Man Citeh as depressingly negative.

[KK07]

i dont see one upfront as negative. We played to our strengths and that was to feed Torres. Plus it seems playing any of our other strikers actually weakens us at the moment.

[bazza76]

Unbelievable.

Feck it, i cant be arsed anymore.

If someone can argue my point, then please do so.

I've backed this up with facts and statistics. If someone can dispute it doing the same thing, then fair play.

Maybe I was readin it wrong DJ, but it was my first impression of your post.

[sonsofthedesert]

i dont see one upfront as negative. We played to our strengths and that was to feed Torres. Plus it seems playing any of our other strikers actually weakens us at the moment.

Mate that game was bad and part of the problem was 1 striker and that the team thought 1 goal was enough. Within 5 mins of us scoring I said to the guy beside me that we would conceed. You could see it coming. Also the service Torres got that game was not great.

[sonsofthedesert]

Yes is does,well no it doesn't but let me try.

Why not play your second highest scoring player in the hole behind your first?

Thats all Rafa did,when I saw the team that night I didn't think negative,I thought we have these cunts!!

In thery yes but Mascher was playing further up the pitch than Gerrard for most of the game, then Mascher was taken off.

[bazza76]

Yes is does,well no it doesn't but let me try.

Why not play your second highest scoring player in the hole behind your first?

Thats all Rafa did,when I saw the team that night I didn't think negative,I thought we have these cunts!!

Rafa said as much afterwards, after all, Kuyt and Voronin are not scoring.

[dww]

That doesn't explain 1 up front at home to Wigan though KK

I don't really see the problem with one up top. For weeks people have said we have two goal threats Gerrard and Torres. The five man midfield should free Gerrard to be more attacking. If anything the problem with the tactics and selection were the choice of unfit players in Alonso and Pennant and the fact that neither Pennant nor Kewell have looked like scoring for a good while.

Playing with width against Wigan was a good ploy but at the minute we aren't playing with confidence enough to make a good tactic work. For me a consistent thing about Rafa is that he has almost too much faith in players he rates during a season. At the end of a season he is ruthless with under achievers but during he doesn't seem to be as much so.

[kopdan]

fair enough but does playing Kuyt or the other 2 make us any more attacking than if we play an extra offensive player in midfield and look to feed our best striker?

had we got a second striker that was class, playing two upfront would be a must.

[bazza76]

Mate that game was bad and part of the problem was 1 striker and that the team thought 1 goal was enough. Within 5 mins of us scoring I said to the guy beside me that we would conceed. You could see it coming. Also the service Torres got that game was not great.

What cost us the game was lack of urgency.
I think sometimes we are so good at controling games, that we ometimes go into auto pilot. It is funny in a way, if what I am saying is true, Rafa is a victim of his own success.

[Craig_H]

Maybe I was readin it wrong DJ, but it was my first impression of your post.

Christ bazza, it was simple enough mate. I meant if someone can present a different point of view or one that shows i'm wrong in my assessment, then by all means...

[blacky]

But if he continues to use the same methods that plainly arent going to work over here, without hint of making any kind of adjustments, what's more time going to achieve?

I really think this is a watershed year for Rafa. Another failure at challenging for the title, paco's departure and the public spat with the owners. At the end of the season if he keeps his job then I believe he will take a long hard look at himself and his methods and adjust accordingly.I really believe in him and it's not blind faith. BTW DJ do you think if he appointed an Enlishman as number 2, even a former player like Gary Mac, Sammy Lee it would help in the way he approaches premiership games?