I'm really fed up with all the unfounded critisism of the so called crippeling rotations made by Rafa from match to match.. So I tried to take look at what Rafas actually been doing lately in this regard.
The latest in a long line of so called experts jumping on the rotation bandwagon was former hero Steve McMahon who threw all his toys out the pram because he went to anfield and didn't get to see Torres play.. - That's a great basis for making informed judgements btw..
Tomkins wrote a great article earlier trying to kill of the misconceptions about "Rafa the rotator" unfortunately nobody seems to have to have caught on - or maybe it's just that moaning is a lot more fun than facts...?
And then people say it's not rotation it's the way he rotates but at least lately that's bollocks as well. In fact you could argue that the way Rafas using Torres, who hasn't been rested in the league for a long time, shows that he only rotates when he doesn't have a clear first choice option. I mean let's get real - it's not the be all end all weather Finnan or Arbeloa is playing RB in any given match (a position where Wes Brown is first choice for MU)
Although there are several things I don't agree with when it comes to his selections, like the constant use Kuyt and the sparse use of Babel, the allegations that Rafa is chopping and changing the team and that this is the cause of our current slump is just misguided and wrong.
Let's look at the facts:
Over the last 8 league games (from the United game and onwards..), our worst period in a long time, we made an average of 2,37 unforced changes pr game. The changes are as follows; -, 0, 5, 4(+1 forced), 2, 4, 3, 1(+1). The game we made the most changes was actually the last game we won...
We've fielded the same midfield quartet 4 out of 8 times and the spine of our team (Reina, Carra, Gerrard,Torres) has been everpresents. Only one time have we made more than one (unforced) change to the back 5. And in 5 out of 8 Rafa choose the same front two.
9 players have started 6 or more out of 8 games
Basicly we fielded a fixed team with minor adjustments.
Now let's compare this with the league leaders in the same period:
MU made 26 changes compared to our 21 (incl our 2 forced, as I have no idea about MU changes if they are forced or unforced..(and i don't care..))
They NEVER fielded the same midfield 4. Only two players played all the matches.
They used 19 while we used 16 players.
4 out of 8 times they used the same front two.
Only 2 times did they have an unchanged "spine" (... of course they're spineless so that's no real suprise)
Now have any of you seen ANYone, criticising the rednosed one for being a mad tinkerer? a crazy rotator? fans? pundits? Anyone?
Didn't think so no... They can do what ever they want because they've got Ronaldo...
And that's just my point here. Rotation, even if it did actually excist to a significant degree is NOT the problem.
The problem is the quality of our players. And this again has mostly to do with money
Does anyone believe that Benayoun was on Rafas top 3 list or even top 5? Pennant?
Players like Benny, Kuyt, Voronin, Pennant and probably also Kewell in his present state and Riise are simply not good enough to be regulars in a league winning side.
Of course Rafa makes mistakes in his selections and choice of tactics, but so does the others, but they've got many world class players to bail them out when they do, we've only got two.
We are currently underachieving in the league but we are still the best placed team in the race for 4th (provided we win our game in hand) We should be able to make the top four easily.. There is no single cause for our current problems, and it's certainly not rotation.
If Rafa, who's doing a good job under the circumstances, gets the backing he needs we will soon be competing in the league as well as the in the cups.
So stop whining and get your fingers away from the panic button!
(just as a curiosity: Arsenal who don't really rotate (at least lately - according to my arsenal supporting friends this is because they simply don't have enough quality players.. ) in the same period only made serious changes to their preferred line-up in one game of those 8..... away to Everton (4 changes))- they wn it 4-1 - arguably one of the most impressive wins this season in the league...)
The latest in a long line of so called experts jumping on the rotation bandwagon was former hero Steve McMahon who threw all his toys out the pram because he went to anfield and didn't get to see Torres play.. - That's a great basis for making informed judgements btw..
Tomkins wrote a great article earlier trying to kill of the misconceptions about "Rafa the rotator" unfortunately nobody seems to have to have caught on - or maybe it's just that moaning is a lot more fun than facts...?
And then people say it's not rotation it's the way he rotates but at least lately that's bollocks as well. In fact you could argue that the way Rafas using Torres, who hasn't been rested in the league for a long time, shows that he only rotates when he doesn't have a clear first choice option. I mean let's get real - it's not the be all end all weather Finnan or Arbeloa is playing RB in any given match (a position where Wes Brown is first choice for MU)
Although there are several things I don't agree with when it comes to his selections, like the constant use Kuyt and the sparse use of Babel, the allegations that Rafa is chopping and changing the team and that this is the cause of our current slump is just misguided and wrong.
Let's look at the facts:
Over the last 8 league games (from the United game and onwards..), our worst period in a long time, we made an average of 2,37 unforced changes pr game. The changes are as follows; -, 0, 5, 4(+1 forced), 2, 4, 3, 1(+1). The game we made the most changes was actually the last game we won...
We've fielded the same midfield quartet 4 out of 8 times and the spine of our team (Reina, Carra, Gerrard,Torres) has been everpresents. Only one time have we made more than one (unforced) change to the back 5. And in 5 out of 8 Rafa choose the same front two.
9 players have started 6 or more out of 8 games
Basicly we fielded a fixed team with minor adjustments.
Now let's compare this with the league leaders in the same period:
MU made 26 changes compared to our 21 (incl our 2 forced, as I have no idea about MU changes if they are forced or unforced..(and i don't care..))
They NEVER fielded the same midfield 4. Only two players played all the matches.
They used 19 while we used 16 players.
4 out of 8 times they used the same front two.
Only 2 times did they have an unchanged "spine" (... of course they're spineless so that's no real suprise)
Now have any of you seen ANYone, criticising the rednosed one for being a mad tinkerer? a crazy rotator? fans? pundits? Anyone?
Didn't think so no... They can do what ever they want because they've got Ronaldo...
And that's just my point here. Rotation, even if it did actually excist to a significant degree is NOT the problem.
The problem is the quality of our players. And this again has mostly to do with money
Does anyone believe that Benayoun was on Rafas top 3 list or even top 5? Pennant?
Players like Benny, Kuyt, Voronin, Pennant and probably also Kewell in his present state and Riise are simply not good enough to be regulars in a league winning side.
Of course Rafa makes mistakes in his selections and choice of tactics, but so does the others, but they've got many world class players to bail them out when they do, we've only got two.
We are currently underachieving in the league but we are still the best placed team in the race for 4th (provided we win our game in hand) We should be able to make the top four easily.. There is no single cause for our current problems, and it's certainly not rotation.
If Rafa, who's doing a good job under the circumstances, gets the backing he needs we will soon be competing in the league as well as the in the cups.
So stop whining and get your fingers away from the panic button!
(just as a curiosity: Arsenal who don't really rotate (at least lately - according to my arsenal supporting friends this is because they simply don't have enough quality players.. ) in the same period only made serious changes to their preferred line-up in one game of those 8..... away to Everton (4 changes))- they wn it 4-1 - arguably one of the most impressive wins this season in the league...)
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