Sack Him..... or don't

[Morph]

i think this type of thread should be for end of the season tbh, sacking him now would do no good and change very little imo, however if things don't start to pick up very soon, something certainly needs to change come may.

Whether its sacking Rafa or not is up for debate.

A few things i've noticed this week:

Rafa in his press conference talking about all the prices he was quoted for players, would this happen with the mancs and chelsea? Would it ****, fergusson and abramovich would say i want x player get him now - case closed player signed. In our case the papers were reporting our mamoth 6.5mil signing as a record breaker, ****ing sad really.

If there's four certainties in Rafa's league life it's we won't beat Boro away, we won't beat a team managed by Steve Bruce, we won't beat the mancs hom/away, and if any team above us ****s up then so will we. We'll soon be able to add get ****ed over at stamford bridge and the emirates to that list.

One week we've got a squad full of quality and players who would get into any team in the world, the next we've got players lucky into a team managed by Roy Keane, is there a more up and down side in the league than us?

If we do sack Rafa will it really make any difference, unless we unearth an Arsene Wenger from somewhere, then whoever gets brough in will need cash for transfers, which we won't be able to provide, not in any great quantites anyway.

It's obvious we need a few wingers why can't we just go out and buy them and deal with the debt another time, or why don't the yanks take the debt on themselves, which brings me to...

Don't trust the yanks as far as I could throw them (not very far), imo not too interested in the team side of things, want to build the stadium, which we won't see any cash benefits from for about 4 years, thats a long time to go without winning the league is cash = league titles, i'd wager Rafa will not still be here.

Id we do perform **** this season and Rafa stays, does it show lack of ambition by the owners?

How can so many players all be out of form/eternally **** at the same time (Kuyt, Voronin, Alonso, Finnan, Riise, Sissoko)

Is Carra overrated and is Agger/Skrtel the future, i know he'll always give his all and defend for his life, but his clearances are really not very good and just heap pressure back on us, when what he needs to do is be a bit more intelligent with the ball sometimes.

Does Rafa still need to replace Pako Ayesteran, or at least someone to bounce tactical ideas off?

Are these questions only coming out because we've had another **** result in the league?

[Craig_H]

Yep, personally I don't want that cunt, and I'm not even convinced he would win us the league



1) Anyone else you'd consider aside from Mourinho out of interest, esp if it's true he's going to Milan?
2) I think with £40m, plus money from sales, Rafa would have challenging for the league as well. But I'm certain it's around this figure we need to spend to get right up. the squad is not 100% there yet, but I think with that money to spend Rafa would have as good as chance as anyone to win us the league, especially if this ridiculously intense speculation and pressure was lifted

1) Not sure, depends who else might be available. No one immediately comes straight to mind. Give me an idea of who you'd consider to be realistic options and i'll let you know what i think.

2) Problem with rafa is he HAS good players now, and he doesnt use them. It's not his ability to sign good players that i doubt, it's his decision making when he has them at his disposal.

[redblood]

I'm a ****in beaut, but i'll be honest I've completely lost faith in him.

His players, his tactics. It's not working.

Outpassed by Middlesborough. Hoofing galore.

Some players didn't looked arsed until we scored.

Bottom line, I expected us to be closer in the league than we are. We haven't progressed.

That today was yet another shambolic league display, there's been too many.

When will it turn?

More importantly, will it?

Just absolutely gutted.

You wanna sack Rafa then Sack every player who pulled on a shirt today because today had nothing to do with tactics we couldn't make a simple 5 yard pass these are PROFESSIONAL ****ING FOOTBALLERS who do this day in day out week in week out for a living.
Ultimately the buck will stop with Rafa but there are sometimes when the players have to take the blame and that was today.

[CAD]

Is this it? That's what it's all about, Naill? Eating, drinking, ****ing, sucking? Snorting? Sacking?! Then what?

We all agree it's not good enough but there can be no sacking until ultimo May. Until then we will just have to live with whatever we got.

Rafalution

[Kaip]

we couldn't make a simple 5 yard pass these are PROFESSIONAL ****ING FOOTBALLERS who do this day in day out week in week out for a living.
Ultimately the buck will stop with Rafa but there are sometimes when the players have to take the blame and that was today.

[Red_Al_77]

We played ****e, we were ****e, we are ****e. Yet we actually gained a place today. Madness.

Roll on May.

[vonk]

I'd love Rafa to turn it around but I think it's too late now. The performance today was poor but at least he changed it second half, and we played much better when Alonso and Babel came on and we took the alehouse Riise out of an attacking position. I think it's obvious now that even the players believe he's a dead man walking, just by the individual performances of better players. The dressing room has turned and it'll be hard to get that back. Gerrard played within himself today, he can't rescue us every week and I think he was getting fed up of dross like Riise and Voronin playing with him. It must be frustrating for Stevie, I think he really thought this was the year. Torres worked his socks off and gave it his all in fairness. Shockingly bad performances by Riise, Finnan (surprisingly), Voronin, Benny, Arbeloa. Really poor all of them. Sami was a rock but his passing caused us a lot of problems. Kuyt had no impact as was expected, but I thought Alonso and Babel did well. Reina and Torres won us that point.

At this point in time I'm simply hoping for fourth. The title challenge is dead. We are fighting with Everton and City, and the way they are playing it will be a fight. Desperately trying not to get so wound up about our league games and our poor performances now as I think we are simple seeing out the season and hoping for a cup. Rafa has had four seasons. He hasn't had money to spend to be fair, but even so, he has not instilled a winning mentality, there is no passion, no confidence and our style of play is very poor. Obviously limited players are being picked ahead of ones with potential. One or two major signings will not make any difference to a team with no shape or belief. I believe he will be gone in the summer or before and I thank him for giving us the greatest night of my life.

[Dhav]

i think this type of thread should be for end of the season tbh, sacking him now would do no good and change very little imo, however if things don't start to pick up very soon, something certainly needs to change come may.

Whether its sacking Rafa or not is up for debate.

A few things i've noticed this week:

Rafa in his press conference talking about all the prices he was quoted for players, would this happen with the mancs and chelsea? Would it ****, fergusson and abramovich would say i want x player get him now - case closed player signed. In our case the papers were reporting our mamoth 6.5mil signing as a record breaker, ****ing sad really.

If there's four certainties in Rafa's league life it's we won't beat Boro away, we won't beat a team managed by Steve Bruce, we won't beat the mancs hom/away, and if any team above us ****s up then so will we. We'll soon be able to add get ****ed over at stamford bridge and the emirates to that list.

One week we've got a squad full of quality and players who would get into any team in the world, the next we've got players lucky into a team managed by Roy Keane, is there a more up and down side in the league than us?

If we do sack Rafa will it really make any difference, unless we unearth an Arsene Wenger from somewhere, then whoever gets brough in will need cash for transfers, which we won't be able to provide, not in any great quantites anyway.

It's obvious we need a few wingers why can't we just go out and buy them and deal with the debt another time, or why don't the yanks take the debt on themselves, which brings me to...

Don't trust the yanks as far as I could throw them (not very far), imo not too interested in the team side of things, want to build the stadium, which we won't see any cash benefits from for about 4 years, thats a long time to go without winning the league is cash = league titles, i'd wager Rafa will not still be here.

Id we do perform **** this season and Rafa stays, does it show lack of ambition by the owners?

How can so many players all be out of form/eternally **** at the same time (Kuyt, Voronin, Alonso, Finnan, Riise, Sissoko)

Is Carra overrated and is Agger/Skrtel the future, i know he'll always give his all and defend for his life, but his clearances are really not very good and just heap pressure back on us, when what he needs to do is be a bit more intelligent with the ball sometimes.

Does Rafa still need to replace Pako Ayesteran, or at least someone to bounce tactical ideas off?

Are these questions only coming out because we've had another **** result in the league?

Great post.

[Tom]

Yep.

Looking like a cunt now.

****.

Fair dues, mate we're all disapointed but put the razor blades away FFS!

[disco]

You wanna sack Rafa then Sack every player who pulled on a shirt today because today had nothing to do with tactics we couldn't make a simple 5 yard pass these are PROFESSIONAL ****ING FOOTBALLERS who do this day in day out week in week out for a living.
Ultimately the buck will stop with Rafa but there are sometimes when the players have to take the blame and that was today.

Totally agree - only about 3 decent performances today : Torres, Babel, and Masher.

[redblood]

FROM:



TO:



In 13 minutes.

That's record backtracking Niall.



Seriously though, we all understand your frustration. We're all really pissed after this performance but no need to get carried away.

You'll be on 606 next.



And fair play to admitting you were wrong. It takes a real man to do that.

I'll 2nd that didn't realise you had pulled your head out your arse Niall.

[paulcooper4]

Totally agree - only about 3 decent performances today : Torres, Babel, and Masher.

and even they were ****

[tomasjj]

Fair play Niall for admitting.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Fair dues, mate we're all disapointed but put the razor blades away FFS!

at you telling me to put away the razor blades.

[Tom]

at you telling me to put away the razor blades.

Can I have mine back when you've finished. Cleaned please