In defence of Rafa.....gulp...

[Craig_H]

It's all relative, since the King, every manager has been classed as a failure by you then, as they haven't won the league.
Therefore, rafa's a failure because he's not won the league, yes?

He's achieved 3, 4 & 5th in the league, when the playing field has changed.
In the days of Souness and Evans, there was no chelsea sugar daddy, so retrospectivally, rafa's done better at punching above his weight.

It's not about having not won the league. I consider that to be a success, the manager has to get the best out of what he has to work with. I think we're better than being out of the title race by Christmas/New Year. If you dont that's fair enough.

The sugar daddy point doesnt stop us CHALLENGING. Man Utd didnt have an Abramovich.

[blacky]

They've also made £40m from selling two players (off the top of my head). They got something like £6m for failures like Alan Smith and £7m for Forlan.

They spend big. They also recoup feck loads, which is why the net spend isnt far apart at all.

And in fairness to Rafa since he has arrived the value of our squad has increased emphatically!!

[Kenneth]

Well I pretty much agree with DJS. Rafa's performance in the league has been characterised by very poor results against relatively poor teams followed by a run of form that digs us out of a hole. This makes it appear as thought we progressing come the end of the season, but the dropped points vs the likes of Birmingham hold us back. We need a consistent run for a whole season where we are playing to our potential and Rafa doesn't seem to be able to make it happen. We cannot compete against Chelsea and Man U, but that's not the big problem. We can mount a challenge without winning at OT, or SB, but by beating teams we should be beatign on a consistent basis.

I like him a lot, but I don't expect him to be able to hold it together for a league title.

[Woobus]

I dont think there is to much difference between the first 11 of the top 4 teams. So far only United has done us over this season and that was due to Mascher getting sent off. Against Chelsea we were the best team in the two matches at Anfield, the three at there grounds could easily have went either way. Arsenal the same, am I right in thinking they didnt have a shot on target in the Anfield premiership match until there goal in the second half? In the champs league and away league game there wasnt to much to pick us apart and we probably ended up the most dangerous in at least 2 of them.
I think the real difference is the squad players, some of ours just arent good enough to help us win the league over 38 games. If Rafa is provided with the cash for some more first teamers then I have no doubt he can go on and win the league.

[Maxiedge]

This could be superficial but I think the fact that we're attracting players of the calibre of Torres and Mascherano (who could arguably be in a world XI) shows how much we've improved under Rafa and also how highly rated he is * as a manager.





*by Spanish speaking folk

[Manofthebog]

It's not about having not won the league. I consider that to be a success, the manager has to get the best out of what he has to work with. I think we're better than being out of the title race by Christmas/New Year. If you dont that's fair enough.

The sugar daddy point doesnt stop us CHALLENGING. Man Utd didnt have an Abramovich.

I think Rafa's done a stupendous job since he's took over.
From the team he inherited, and turning them into the best team in Europe is a testiment to him and his staff.
The subsequent FA cup win was a success, and the last two Champions league campaigns, just emphasis what he's achieved in such a short period of time.

Again, in my eyes, he's dismantled a poor side, and with financial constraints, IS rebuilding it, into a Rafa team. We ain't there yet.

He's spent money, but compaired to two other teams above us in the league, who happen to be playing in Moscow in 3 weeks time, he has been trading on a shoe string - Moores dug into his pocket for Dirk.

For me, Rafa has put our club back on the European map, now the big boys, Barca, real, et al are now scared of us, they don't want to draw us, and to that alone, I'd personally wanna thank the man.

Domestically, over a season, we're 2 or 3 quality players short of putting in a shout for the title - this year we've only lost 4 games - and that is where we're coming up short. Yep, the Mancs can splash out 50 million in one transfer window on 3 players, whereas we can only get one quality player per year.

So, to those whom think, and this is not solely aimed at you DJS, that Rafa hasn't achieved much in the domestic league, then, please look at the big picture.
He's picked us up, by our boot straps, and propelled us to the cream of the crop in Europe, and with the right financial backing that I hope DIC can give to him, we can only go from strength to strength.


In Rafa we trust.

[Maxiedge]

I think Rafa's done a stupendous job since he's took over.
From the team he inherited, and turning them into the best team in Europe is a testiment to him and his staff.
The subsequent FA cup win was a success, and the last two Champions league campaigns, just emphasis what he's achieved in such a short period of time.

Again, in my eyes, he's dismantled a poor side, and with financial constraints, IS rebuilding it, into a Rafa team. We ain't there yet.

He's spent money, but compaired to two other teams above us in the league, who happen to be playing in Moscow in 3 weeks time, he has been trading on a shoe string - Moores dug into his pocket for Dirk.

For me, Rafa has put our club back on the European map, now the big boys, Barca, real, et al are now scared of us, they don't want to draw us, and to that alone, I'd personally wanna thank the man.

Domestically, over a season, we're 2 or 3 quality players short of putting in a shout for the title - this year we've only lost 4 games - and that is where we're coming up short. Yep, the Mancs can splash out 50 million in one transfer window on 3 players, whereas we can only get one quality player per year.

So, to those whom think, and this is not solely aimed at you DJS, that Rafa hasn't achieved much in the domestic league, then, please look at the big picture.
He's picked us up, by our boot straps, and propelled us to the cream of the crop in Europe, and with the right financial backing that I hope DIC can give to him, we can only go from strength to strength.


In Rafa we trust.

Yeah I've really noticed their change in mentality when they talk about us as a footballing side. No more of that 'defensive, boring team' crap. They really are **** scared

[Kenneth]

Domestically, over a season, we're 2 or 3 quality players short of putting in a shout for the title - this year we've only lost 4 games - and that is where we're coming up short.

Draws have killed us.

[Reece]

Yeah I've really noticed their change in mentality when they talk about us as a footballing side. No more of that 'defensive, boring team' crap. They really are **** scared

That defensive boring team who are the top scorers in the CL this season?

[Manofthebog]

Yeah I've really noticed their change in mentality when they talk about us as a footballing side. No more of that 'defensive, boring team' crap. They really are **** scared

Ok, who's the only English team to beat Barca on their own ****e heap?

Who owns the record of most goals scored in a champs league game?

Yep, we're boring to watch, us.

[Manofthebog]

Draws have killed us.

Is correct.

[Snigger]

Mate, i like him as a person (as far as i know his personality). Liking him isnt the main pre-requisite though, i liked GH and Roy Evans before him but it's a results business isnt it?

I'd rather have a manager i like, but ultimately the biggest concern is what they achieve. I dont think it's radical to suggest that Rafa's done exceptionally well in the cup competitions. As far as the league goes, i think he's achieved basically the minimum we should expect to acheive, no more or less than that.

When I say like I don't mean as want to share tea and biscuits with - I mean in terms of what he does.

[Skillz]

DJS, seeing as your up to date with the stats, apparantly anyway , when just counting Rafa's purchases that have been sold since, how is he going?

[Snigger]

And in fairness to Rafa since he has arrived the value of our squad has increased emphatically!!

not only that - look at the academy now, it's an institution working as hard as a big girls bra to stop the talent bursting out too soon compared to the ****e we used to have.

Our academy and youth set up is the strongest it's been in years, our reserves had a great season, our first team squad is the best it has been in years, we have more discipline and confidence now and Rafa will win the league with us if he doesn't walk over this owners debacle.

[Craig_H]

I think Rafa's done a stupendous job since he's took over.
From the team he inherited, and turning them into the best team in Europe is a testiment to him and his staff.
The subsequent FA cup win was a success, and the last two Champions league campaigns, just emphasis what he's achieved in such a short period of time.

Again, in my eyes, he's dismantled a poor side, and with financial constraints, IS rebuilding it, into a Rafa team. We ain't there yet.

He's spent money, but compaired to two other teams above us in the league, who happen to be playing in Moscow in 3 weeks time, he has been trading on a shoe string - Moores dug into his pocket for Dirk.

For me, Rafa has put our club back on the European map, now the big boys, Barca, real, et al are now scared of us, they don't want to draw us, and to that alone, I'd personally wanna thank the man.

Domestically, over a season, we're 2 or 3 quality players short of putting in a shout for the title - this year we've only lost 4 games - and that is where we're coming up short. Yep, the Mancs can splash out 50 million in one transfer window on 3 players, whereas we can only get one quality player per year.

So, to those whom think, and this is not solely aimed at you DJS, that Rafa hasn't achieved much in the domestic league, then, please look at the big picture.
He's picked us up, by our boot straps, and propelled us to the cream of the crop in Europe, and with the right financial backing that I hope DIC can give to him, we can only go from strength to strength.


In Rafa we trust.

I dont think we can claim that we actually were the best team in europe in 2005 with a straight face.