Too cautious - and it cost us

[Helios Creed]

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.

I agree - we needed Crouch and some pace/width. We ended up battling them like for like with central players - there was no space.

[Skillz]

I cant put it down to experience, it's just the manager's mindset. He IS a cautious coach who always opts to 'play it safe' and sometimes it works, other times you pay for it.

Not always. We had a right royal go at Juve & Barca from the get go, admittedly they were 1st legs but we went for the throat in both those games so he does have it in him.

Last night I was surprised by how dominent we became after we scored and will admit we should of pressed harder at this point. We are normally very good at responding to opportunities to attack in the CL, IMO.

[JermainePennant]

I wouldnt say we invited them back on to us, when we scored we controlled possesion and they just stayed back and looked for the counter attack.Towards the last ten minutes we held on for extra time which I totally agreed with as we would have 30 minutes to get an away goal.
I think we were the more attacking team in the 1st half of extra time before the penalty and then the players just lost concentration.

I dont blame rafa for last night the players mistakes and lack of concentration cost us last night along with poor ball retention.

[Snigger]

Since the PL started. Dont forget, Man Utd usually sell players for good fees. Veron £15m, Beckham £25m...plays a big part.

They paid £28m for Veron, that's a ridiculous P&L hit on the balance sheet.

[barnes10]

no way. we imploded in the first half of extra time. we conceded 3 goals counting essien's harshly denied one.

that wasnt tactics, that was in the players heads.

[Shaggy]

Harshly denied?!?!

[barnes10]

They paid £28m for Veron, that's a ridiculous P&L hit on the balance sheet.

whilst becks was a 25mill profit. DJ has a point but its not relevant to rafa. blaming rafa for not winning us the prem because his predecessors have pissed away millions is a bit daft no?

some you win, some you lose. out problem is with the managers before Rafa and basically with GH. he cost us so much effing money its untrue only to leave us one place behind where he found us.

rafa is the only manager since kenny to be earning his keep. sure we take some losses here and there, but some profits too and he gets his team winning money via the CL.

[Sarb]

no way. we imploded in the first half of extra time. we conceded 3 goals counting essien's harshly denied one.

that wasnt tactics, that was in the players heads.

Drogba in front of the keeper isn't a harsh offside.

[barnes10]

Harshly denied?!?!

not that i wanted it of course. but i thought really its one of those that you wouldn't be surprised if it was given.

my point is that he put it in the net due to our players lapsing. he wasnt marked or closed down and he was on the edge of the area. that was nuts.

[barnes10]

Drogba in front of the keeper isn't a harsh offside.

alright terrible choice of phrase. but as i said above, my point was that he shouldnt have been able to put it in the net.

[Sarb]

Agree though that our defenders back off too much when being attacked

[El Jefecito]

not that i wanted it of course. but i thought really its one of those that you wouldn't be surprised if it was given.

my point is that he put it in the net due to our players lapsing. he wasnt marked or closed down and he was on the edge of the area. that was nuts.

Our players were pushing up to spring the offside trap, which worked. I don't see an intrinsic failure there!

[pezzzer]

Ben, our spending is about £10m less than that of Man Utd during the PL era. That's a fact.

sydeney, look at fergies squad of 1999 mate,awesome (it pains me to say) lots of home grown talent and added quality in all departments. Fergie did not need to revamp that squad JUST ADD TO IT!!!!

**** me syd theve had 8 great years out of some of them and year on year when one needs replacing he replaces with top drawer, money no object signings,/FLAWED ARGUMENT SYD.

[red g]

sydeney, look at fergies squad of 1999 mate,awesome (it pains me to say) lots of home grown talent and added quality in all departments. Fergie did not need to revamp that squad JUST ADD TO IT!!!!

**** me syd theve had 8 great years out of some of them and year on year when one needs replacing he replaces with top drawer, money no object signings,/FLAWED ARGUMENT SYD.

very true and they still have giggs, nevcunt and scholes from that squad. thats a fortune saved in the transfer market

[Craig_H]

sydeney, look at fergies squad of 1999 mate,awesome (it pains me to say) lots of home grown talent and added quality in all departments. Fergie did not need to revamp that squad JUST ADD TO IT!!!!

**** me syd theve had 8 great years out of some of them and year on year when one needs replacing he replaces with top drawer, money no object signings,/FLAWED ARGUMENT SYD.

The reason we'll never be in that position, where we can buy 2 players per year, is that whoever the manager is always sells the mediocre nobodies for peanuts and then replaces them with more mediocre nobodies at vast expense. Vicious circle.