Sack Him..... or don't

[Sir Bob]

here goes....

We have not got enough quality players. The scum went out & spent £35m on 2 prospects from the Portuguese league. They spent £18m on Carrick. They spent £29m on Rio (we've just SMASHED! our record for a CB buy spending £6.5m on Skrtel!). They have consistently outspent us & everyone else over the past 10 years. FFS its well known that we had a deal to take Ronaldo for £5m when Tommo & GH saw on SSN that Utd had just gone out & bought him for £12.6m!!! Do you honestly think that Fergie would win the league with our players?! get real bud.

Yes Rafa has made some mistakes in the market (Kuyt etc) but these only highlighted because we don't have the resources to just go out & replace them. Forlan arrived for £12m at Utd yet nobody qs Fergies logic when he goes out & spends £12.6m on Saha who has been equally as ineffective. If Rafa had the "luxury" of wasting the guts of £70m on Nani,Forlan,Saha,Barthez (£6m), Carrick, Djemba Djemba etc then I'm sure we'd have a league title by now.

I'm really so sick of hearing people go on & on about how we should be doing better... why? We spent £21m on Benayoun & Pennant & Kuyt so that they could improve our 1st eleven. Utd spend just a bit less than that on 1 player for the ressies (Carrick). Our problems lie entirely with Parry & the Yanks. Simple as that. They have failed abysmally in trying to take us to a level where we can compete financially with the top teams. All we spent in the summer was what we made from reaching the CL final.

I believe & back Rafa not because I'm some blinkered idiot who'll just support the manager at all costs... I back him because I believe he's doing a bloody brilliant job in getting us as far as he has done on the limited resources (ie compared to Utd & Chelsea). Which reminds me.... I know i haven't mentioned Arsenal here but thats because I really believe that Wenger might be he greatest manager of his generation & what he's doing there (with a LOT more resouces than the media will try to spin btw!) but none the less he's the only one I swap Rafa for.

So is that enough for you Charlie?

You make some very valid points and as a Rafa supporter the money aspect has to be taken into account.

However, we are still under performing. look at the cash we've spent in say the last 3 years compared to Pompey,EFC,Villa, Man C yet they are all on our tail. I've not got a problem with us trailing Man U & Chelsea and even Arsenal because of Wenger's brilliance but being on a par with the other clubs I've mentioned after 21 games is simply not good enough.

Rafa must improve us with the current squad as the season progresses. Failure to land a top 4 place would be unacceptable, as would even a close fight for 4th. I believe we are clearly the 4th best team but we should be atleast as far ahead of EFC, Villa etc as we are behind Utd, otherwise Rafa's position would in serious doubt and rightly so.

[ARIMAN]

Didnt see the game yesterday but this is my view of recent events
What I see is Rafa and generally our owners are the new media target (after Sam went this week). They smell blood and discontent in a small group of supporters and are really going for it
I would really like Rafa to create a siege-like mentally at the club - everyone hates us etc amongst the player,the club, even the fans - and see how the players respond (and how they play for their futures). Mourinho did this to great affect, but currently we appear a unhappy camp, and ultimately distended to fail that way
Rafa must get another year for me, this summer we must let him have free reign (funds are likely not to be in the Chelsea/ManU scale) but he should be able to get rid of whom he whats and bring whoever we can afford. He has made transfer mistakes - this summer he has to correct them
I have been disappointed with Rafa in recent weeks, that the team seems to have lost direction, maybe its the players, maybe its because of-field distractions. He needs to grab hold of the team again and make big decisions and unpopular one too perhaps
Lots of the first team and squad need replacing and maybe Rafa is the guy that sets the ground for the guy that`ll win us the league again. I dunno, but after Istanbul, I always hoped it would be him

[Joe Le Toff]

Sorry but i just dont agree with that.

Do you think with the squad we have we should only be fighting for fourth then?

[paulcooper4]

I'm not sure he is capable of bringing through the youth, what was the point in Voronin!?! Better to of blooded Nemeth or Lindfield as 4th choice than bring in a journeyman who offers nothing to the team apart from probably pick up 60k a week in wages!!! FFS!

to be fair mate, voronins transfer was agreed before we got invested in. He never had a ****in bean at the time and a seasoned international whoi is not that old on a free transfer was a gamble anyone in his boat would have at least seriously thought about.

we have lost **** all on him and early on it looked like he might turn out to be a decent player for us before the wheels fell off.

[thekop]

it might be that they dont want to give money to Rarfa

But its likely that they are just skint

Can we go back a year in time?

Agreed mate

You ok bud! we'll defo have to have that cuppa this year some time eh

[StevieG08]

Great post mate,unfortuneatly it will get ignored by the doomongers.

I don't think it's a case of 'Doom Mongering', it's called looking at the realistic situation we find ourselves in.

Reina
Finnan
Carra
Hyypia
Arbeloa
Yossi
Mascher
Gerrard
Babel
Crouch
Torres

Should that team be on level points with Everton/Villa etc. Should that team of fought out a 1-1 draw with Luton, a team in administration with players who haven't been payed for two months. We can't just hide behind money spent just because we love Rafa.

Have the teams around us spent 18.5mil on Torres, do they have a player like Mascherano who is valued at 17mil at there disposal, do they have a player like Gerrard who is valued at 25-30mil(priceless!?!) or a hot Dutch striker who cost 11.5mil, not to mention the 10.5 mil on Alonso or 9.5mil on Kuyt etc. The simple fact is we should be doing much better, playing much more 'attractive' football than we are. Bottom line is the team is under performing and if Rafa isn't to blame then who is?

[thekop]

here goes....

We have not got enough quality players. The scum went out & spent £35m on 2 prospects from the Portuguese league. They spent £18m on Carrick. They spent £29m on Rio (we've just SMASHED! our record for a CB buy spending £6.5m on Skrtel!). They have consistently outspent us & everyone else over the past 10 years. FFS its well known that we had a deal to take Ronaldo for £5m when Tommo & GH saw on SSN that Utd had just gone out & bought him for £12.6m!!! Do you honestly think that Fergie would win the league with our players?! get real bud.

Yes Rafa has made some mistakes in the market (Kuyt etc) but these only highlighted because we don't have the resources to just go out & replace them. Forlan arrived for £12m at Utd yet nobody qs Fergies logic when he goes out & spends £12.6m on Saha who has been equally as ineffective. If Rafa had the "luxury" of wasting the guts of £70m on Nani,Forlan,Saha,Barthez (£6m), Carrick, Djemba Djemba etc then I'm sure we'd have a league title by now.

I'm really so sick of hearing people go on & on about how we should be doing better... why? We spent £21m on Benayoun & Pennant & Kuyt so that they could improve our 1st eleven. Utd spend just a bit less than that on 1 player for the ressies (Carrick). Our problems lie entirely with Parry & the Yanks. Simple as that. They have failed abysmally in trying to take us to a level where we can compete financially with the top teams. All we spent in the summer was what we made from reaching the CL final.

I believe & back Rafa not because I'm some blinkered idiot who'll just support the manager at all costs... I back him because I believe he's doing a bloody brilliant job in getting us as far as he has done on the limited resources (ie compared to Utd & Chelsea). Which reminds me.... I know i haven't mentioned Arsenal here but thats because I really believe that Wenger might be he greatest manager of his generation & what he's doing there (with a LOT more resouces than the media will try to spin btw!) but none the less he's the only one I swap Rafa for.

So is that enough for you Charlie?

Top top post mate

It gives those doom and gloom merchants out there something to think about eh

[Kaip]

to be fair mate, voronins transfer was agreed before we got invested in. He never had a ****in bean at the time and a seasoned international whoi is not that old on a free transfer was a gamble anyone in his boat would have at least seriously thought about.

we have lost **** all on him and early on it looked like he might turn out to be a decent player for us before the wheels fell off.

wheels fell off..............to ****ing true but then again you could say that about half the side at the moment

[StevieG08]

to be fair mate, voronins transfer was agreed before we got invested in. He never had a ****in bean at the time and a seasoned international whoi is not that old on a free transfer was a gamble anyone in his boat would have at least seriously thought about.

we have lost **** all on him and early on it looked like he might turn out to be a decent player for us before the wheels fell off.

Fair play i will concede that point, however bearing in mind how long he's been playing poorly and is basicly a passenger in most games, why does Rafa still pick him ahead of Crouch for example? I can't find the logic in it anymore and if i, as a fan can't, is it not possible players in the dressing room can't?

[Owen20]

I disagree. Its comedy gold.

@ Jebus



Brightened my Sunday morning up a treat

[paulcooper4]

I don't think it's a case of 'Doom Mongering', it's called looking at the realistic situation we find ourselves in.

Reina
Finnan
Carra
Hyypia
Arbeloa
Yossi
Mascher
Gerrard
Babel
Crouch
Torres

Should that team be on level points with Everton/Villa etc. Should that team of fought out a 1-1 draw with Luton, a team in administration with players who haven't been payed for two months. We can't just hide behind money spent just because we love Rafa.

Have the teams around us spent 18.5mil on Torres, do they have a player like Mascherano who is valued at 17mil at there disposal, do they have a player like Gerrard who is valued at 25-30mil(priceless!?!) or a hot Dutch striker who cost 11.5mil, not to mention the 10.5 mil on Alonso or 9.5mil on Kuyt etc. The simple fact is we should be doing much better, playing much more 'attractive' football than we are. Bottom line is the team is under performing and if Rafa isn't to blame then who is?

The gob****es on the pitch who havent got the balls to impose themselves on a game?

Our squad has the ability to match anybody in our league. What they havent proved is that they have the mental ability to sustain form week in/week out or win games even when playing ****e.

**** knows whats going on at the top with owners etc but one things for sure, IF rafa is still here in the summer there will be some high profile casualties from our squad. Rafa has proved time and again he is ruthless with players and sentiment doesnt come into it with him.

If they carry on letting him, themselves, us and the club down they WILL get ****ed off in the summer so its up to them to pull their pampered ****in fingers out and start playing like men

[paulcooper4]

wheels fell off..............to ****ing true but then again you could say that about half the side at the moment

at least half mate. Some of them need a good ****in hiding at the moment

[Johnny]

I don't think it's a case of 'Doom Mongering', it's called looking at the realistic situation we find ourselves in.

Reina
Finnan
Carra
Hyypia
Arbeloa
Yossi
Mascher
Gerrard
Babel
Crouch
Torres

Should that team be on level points with Everton/Villa etc. Should that team of fought out a 1-1 draw with Luton, a team in administration with players who haven't been payed for two months. We can't just hide behind money spent just because we love Rafa.

Have the teams around us spent 18.5mil on Torres, do they have a player like Mascherano who is valued at 17mil at there disposal, do they have a player like Gerrard who is valued at 25-30mil(priceless!?!) or a hot Dutch striker who cost 11.5mil, not to mention the 10.5 mil on Alonso or 9.5mil on Kuyt etc. The simple fact is we should be doing much better, playing much more 'attractive' football than we are. Bottom line is the team is under performing and if Rafa isn't to blame then who is?

There`s your problem right there.i`ve watched every game this season and seen these players perform fantastically.Then they come out next game and play worse than Luton.I can`t blame Rafa on player dips in form.
It`s been mentioned that Gerrard is not playing well.So many times yesterday he looked below par.The whole team did.Rafa was doing his nut.The team are to blame when they play like they did yesterday.They need to up their committment and workrate and play their hearts out.

My only critism of Rafa is his persistance with Kuyt(Out of position) and Voronin(Not good enough for LFC) while continually ignoring Crouch.

[paulcooper4]

Fair play i will concede that point, however bearing in mind how long he's been playing poorly and is basicly a passenger in most games, why does Rafa still pick him ahead of Crouch for example? I can't find the logic in it anymore and if i, as a fan can't, is it not possible players in the dressing room can't?

I dont know what happens behind the scenes mate so I dont know what crouchys attitude is like in training.

He should be getting a few more games than he has been imo, i`ll agree with you there. BUT generally, when he has played he has been utter **** so he hasnt done himself no favours mate.

Strolling through pre-season games making it clear with his body language didnt exactly endear himself to the manager, me neither. Nor has his refusal to sign a new contract

[Kaip]

at least half mate. Some of them need a good ****in hiding at the moment

At least he made a sub at HT ( i would have made 2 ) something that has'nt happened before.............so hopefully he let rip after the game as well