What was Rafa playing at last night?

[Neil Young]

i was in the kop but worst luck I wasn't sitting next to you Redhot

that is unless you'e either a 6 ft 2 inch builder with a beard or a 5ft 2 inch, accountant who's going bald at an astonishing rate

That's her all right.

[Le Chacal]

Right.

Aurelio is an attacking left back ala Roberto Carlos, so expect to see gaps appearing when he ventures forwards, that's not new. The team will have to learn to cope defensively when he ventures forward. He's a favorite of mine and i would select him over JAR if you ask me.

Oh dear

[Sir Bob]

Right.

Aurelio is an attacking left back ala Roberto Carlos, so expect to see gaps appearing when he ventures forwards, that's not new. The team will have to learn to cope defensively when he ventures forward. He's a favorite of mine and i would select him over JAR if you ask me.

This thing about Aurelio being an attcking full back is a crock of ****e.
People say it like its some in built reaction he's got, something he can't help doing.
When you play LB, you primary job is to defend. Its no use saying well I like to get forward so I will. Its like when SG plays LM or RM. He doesn't like it but sticks to the job. He doesn't say, well i like to play in the middle and go out & play there.

If Aurelio plays LB he has to defend first, & get forward only when the game allows him to. Good players alter their natural game if they are playing out of position. Based on last night, this is something Aurelio either can't or won't do.

[Jack D Rips]

This thing about Aurelio being an attcking full back is a crock of ****e.
People say it like its some in built reaction he's got, something he can't help doing.
When you play LB, you primary job is to defend. Its no use saying well I like to get forward so I will. Its like when SG plays LM or RM. He doesn't like it but sticks to the job. He doesn't say, well i like to play in the middle and go out & play there.

If Aurelio plays LB he has to defend first, & get forward only when the game allows him to. Good players alter their natural game if they are playing out of position. Based on last night, this is something Aurelio either can't or won't do.

I am not saying he shouldnt defend but I am saying that the left sided midfielder MUST assist him. At times last night Aurelio was up against a RM and and overlapping RB. And that was because Luis was not doing his job

[cobain]

Sir Bob, I agree with you 100%. When we were 3-nil up, we should have brought Momo on and definitely Aurelio off the pitch. Instead, we were pushing forward for the fourth goal (or what?) and got punished two times. Luckily, we never conceded the third goal! But we almost did quite a few times. So... For the next couple of games (esp. Premiership) I'd like to see more Riise or Warnock at LB. Aurelio is a great player, but he needs to learn how to defend. Galatasaray dominated the right hand side and we did nothing about it. It was as if we were asking for trouble...

However, we won 3 - 2, we have the precious points... Bolton, you're next!

[cobain]

Oh and I see some guy saying that he would pick Aurelio over Riise? Come on, you have to be kidding mate

[Le Chacal]

This thing about Aurelio being an attcking full back is a crock of ****e.
People say it like its some in built reaction he's got, something he can't help doing.
When you play LB, you primary job is to defend. Its no use saying well I like to get forward so I will. Its like when SG plays LM or RM. He doesn't like it but sticks to the job. He doesn't say, well i like to play in the middle and go out & play there.

If Aurelio plays LB he has to defend first, & get forward only when the game allows him to. Good players alter their natural game if they are playing out of position. Based on last night, this is something Aurelio either can't or won't do.

Spot on Sir.

[Red_hot]

That's her all right.

[alunevans]

I thought the very same thing. As soon as the second half got under way, it quickly became apparent that they were going to be a handful. We stopped controlling the game as they won possession and drove right at us.

Then Crouchy scored his goal and I thought, "Right, he (Rafa) should take a forward off and bung Sissoko on to break up their play. They're getting feisty, so let's kill their game, take control again and crush any ideas they might have about a come back."

I was amazed when he put Gonzalez on instead.

Nice use of the word feisty

[alunevans]

i was in the kop but worst luck I wasn't sitting next to you Redhot

that is unless you'e either a 6 ft 2 inch builder with a beard or a 5ft 2 inch, accountant who's going bald at an astonishing rate

I love the way Sir Bob does occupational surveys of the people sat next to him at the game.

[alunevans]

I am not saying he shouldnt defend but I am saying that the left sided midfielder MUST assist him. At times last night Aurelio was up against a RM and and overlapping RB. And that was because Luis was not doing his job

I'm critical of Aurelio on a number of fronts, and thought he was a big weak spot, but I think thats fair comment. He was often alone and getting nil protection. When I saw the team I couldn't quite believe how weak the left side looked. They obviously saw it because they pounded it down their right flank all match.