Too cautious - and it cost us

[Craig_H]

Get the blinkers off man.

You dont think we've made some shockingly bad signings over the years, at huge expense?

[Johnny]

You dont think we've made some shockingly bad signings over the years, at huge expense?

So have the others.

[Craig_H]

So have the others.

Others are also happy with never having a title challenge and content with finishing 6th...

[El Jefecito]

You dont think we've made some shockingly bad signings over the years, at huge expense?

That would appear to have nothing to do with the point we were discussing. But then if I were in your position I'd be changing the subject as well.

[Pacman]

So have the others.

Yep

Arsenal, Man U and Chelsea have all spunked away cash on players.

[wiw]

You dont think we've made some shockingly bad signings over the years, at huge expense?

Of course we have, everyone has. Veron, Forlan, Reyes, Kezman etc etc. Fact is we're now recouping decent sums for our players like man u and arsenal do. We're heading in the right direction under Rafa no doubt

[Johnny]

Of course we have, everyone has. Veron, Forlan, Reyes, Kezman etc etc. Fact is we're now recouping decent sums for our players like man u and arsenal do. We're heading in the right direction under Rafa no doubt

[Norbs]

At 1-1, Chelsea were rocking, there were the for the taking and the momentum was with us, but for some reason, we took our foot off the gas and let them back into it. Invited them forward to win it, even. That's the difference, do you have a winning mentality or a 'hang in there' mentality ? We have a 'hang in there' mentality.

Just like they say, when you're at the top, you strengthen...it's the same in a match, when you're on top and have the momentum, you go for it and kill the game off. Well, that's what the best teams do anyway.

At 1-1, they were on the ropes, one goal and we've won it. ONE goal, that's all. I would've brought on Crouch AND Babel and gone for it. Sure you can leave yourselve vulnerable, but that one goal leaves them needing two more.

Sorry rafa, i'm not calling for your head or anything of the like, but sometimes you have to recognise the situation and go for it. And you need to have balls. He got it wrong, didnt have the balls to go and win it and that's what happens.

We'll be there again in the next 2 years though, i'm sure of that...and Rome or Madrid will be far easier, cheaper and sweeter. You cant get to the final every year and 2 in 3 years is the kinda stuff that spoils fans. I think there'll be more to come from the boys in red.

We'll move on, the priority now is to get the yanks out, get DIC in, regroup and launch an assualt on next season.

True, but getting the yanks out will be far more difficult than people seem to think. They don't want out for starters and so the bid has to be very attractive to them. If DIC have to pay 30% over the odds then this will have to come from savings elsewhere.

[Maxiedge]

i guess it is rafa to blame but i think a lot of people would say that we have no one to grab hold of the ball and dictate the way we play from midfield. in theory xabi is the man who should dictate our play but despite the fact that he ran at least 15k last night he saw very little of the ball.

there's something wrong there somewhere alright but whether it's rafa not letting the players do the natural thing players should or whether we don't have good enough players to do what he wants us to do is tough for me to figure out.

Good points. The enigma that is Xabi Alonso...

[Nic83]

I thought this myself. We went at them for 5 mins after our goal and then seemed to settle for extra time.

[Snigger]

Man Utd havent spent £350m in three years...so how come they're winning league titles?

Abramovich money indeed...

It's simple really, unlike any of the other clubs they had a core squad of exceptional talent that cost them nothing next to nothing and that has been the basis of their success ever since - Scholes, Giggs, Beckham, Neville, Butt etc...

When they have added players they have spent their budget on big named players becasue they never had the need to change 5 or 6.

[Shaggy]

Good points. The enigma that is Xabi Alonso...

I once started a thread with, if memory serves me correctly, that exact title!

[Taffy]

Not sure as to what angle the thread is moving at present but my view on last night's game was that the game was there for the taking in the last quarter of normal time.

Once we equalized we should have pushed on for a winner, no doubt about it! We should have taken it to them as they were rattled and the game was there to be won, if only we'd have gone for it - we were in possession of the football and the team looking more likely to clinch it at that point, in my opinion, and one more goal from us would have meant them needing two.

We needed to put Crouch up top alongside Torres as both Terry and Carvalho were marking him tight whenever they could (apart form FT's goal obviously). This would have given the likes of Torres more space, as having PC up there would have caused them all sorts of trouble in the final third of normal time.

Rafa chose Pennant though, which wasn't a bad one, but could have been more effective had he chosen Crouch instead at that point. I suppose losing Skrtel early maybe affected Rafa's substitution options, but Crouchie was the one we needed at that time, in my opinion. After full time the moment had gone, and Chelsea began to get the upper had after riding the storm and us equalizing.

[Maxiedge]

I once started a thread with, if memory serves me correctly, that exact title!

Come to think of it I think that's where it came from . Cheque is in the post.

[Shaggy]

Come to think of it I think that's where it came from . Cheque is in the post.