Rafa is over cautious

[Havors]

Im sick of his tampering with the starting 11. Its not coincidence that when we stuck with the same 11 at the start of the season we were kicking ass. As soon as he starts messing with it and playing Lucas and Bennyanjoon we stumble.

I would rather he start his strongest team then bring players off for the rest once we are winning.

[Redspin]

I think it's very simplistic to call Rafa overcautious. It doesn't sit easily alongside the fact that we're 3rd highest goalscorers in the league - scoring more than Man U for what it's worth

Would the writer praise Man U's 4 1-0's and 2 0-0s before playing Chelsea, or would he think Ferguson overcautious in those games?

[Redspin]

I do feel that we wont win it, yes. I'm not sure how defeatist that is, considering virtually every pundit, every bookmaker and the majority of LFC fans (from what i've seen) seem to think we wont win it, either.

I dont think my view is overly radical, nor am i in the minority.

We have to take account that you rarely seem satisfied, are very quick to slag the club off and even quicker to praise other clubs. Let's see the odd positive thing when we do well and maybe your views will have a little more weight. Right now your on auto-rant

[Woobus]

We have to take account that you rarely seem satisfied, are very quick to slag the club off and even quicker to praise other clubs. Let's see the odd positive thing when we do well and maybe your views will have a little more weight. Right now your on auto-rant

In fairness to Craig when we are doing well he does hand out a lot of praise, but he can go overboard when we have a bad result.

[kingfunk]

Im sick of his tampering with the starting 11. Its not coincidence that when we stuck with the same 11 at the start of the season we were kicking ass. As soon as he starts messing with it and playing Lucas and Bennyanjoon we stumble.

I would rather he start his strongest team then bring players off for the rest once we are winning.

[barnes10]

In truth mate, it's a combination of seeing us regularly fail to collect maximum points from relegation fodder - and also seeing the mancs win game after game after game. I genuinely thought Chelsea would take something from Old Trafford, but the mancs simply battered them.

The reason we remained top despite dropping silly points, was that Chelsea and Man Utd were looking shaky too. Unfortunately, the mancs are looking less shaky by the week and that's the main reason i no long fancy us to win the league.

As i said, i dont think it's defeatist, when the majority of people, professionals, neutral observers and LFC fans (this site only accounts for a small amount of LFC fans, as is notoriously positive with regards to fans outlooks) are tipping United.

You're speaking as if we're cast iron favourites to win it, and i'm tipping us not to. That would be defeatist, but i dont think my outlook is, it's merely based on the scenario as it stands - United have games in hand to take them top AND they have a far easier run-in.

i largely agree with your criticisms and think we're going to be either outstanding or very lucky to win the title this season. however what you say above isnt true i dont think. of the teams we had frustrating draws against, all bar stoke are top 10 sides. we should have beaten them i agree but at the point in time that they played us, they were on a roll and in good form. cant blame rafa for that. they were tough games and most of them we dominated but against very good defences.

[Kenneth]

Im sick of his tampering with the starting 11. Its not coincidence that when we stuck with the same 11 at the start of the season we were kicking ass. As soon as he starts messing with it and playing Lucas and Bennyanjoon we stumble.

I would rather he start his strongest team then bring players off for the rest once we are winning.

Were we really though?

[Craig_H]

We have to take account that you rarely seem satisfied, are very quick to slag the club off and even quicker to praise other clubs. Let's see the odd positive thing when we do well and maybe your views will have a little more weight. Right now your on auto-rant

Where have i 'slagged the club off' exactly?

I've been positive for a good while as i genuinely felt we were going to win the league. If you choose not to see it, that's your perogative.

As for my views having 'a little more weight', you say that as if i'm trying to impress you or others. Which is incredibly off the mark because i'm not remotely fussed if my view carries any weight with you.

[Craig_H]

In fairness to Craig when we are doing well he does hand out a lot of praise, but he can go overboard when we have a bad result.

Thanks, i thought so too

The catalyst for me going 'overboard' this weekend was Man Utd's crushing victory, which i didnt see coming and which, i fear, spells trouble.

[Craig_H]

i largely agree with your criticisms and think we're going to be either outstanding or very lucky to win the title this season. however what you say above isnt true i dont think. of the teams we had frustrating draws against, all bar stoke are top 10 sides. we should have beaten them i agree but at the point in time that they played us, they were on a roll and in good form. cant blame rafa for that. they were tough games and most of them we dominated but against very good defences.

Perhaps relegation fodder was harsh, but i put it this way. Hull were a Championship club last season and may yet still struggle to stay up. Same with Stoke. West Ham were only an illegal transfer away from going down and Fulham were saved by Roy 'Houdini' Hodgson, against all the odds.

Either way, they're all **** (relatively speaking) and any side who wins the title will need to win the vast majority of these type of matches.

[red g]

Thanks, i thought so too

The catalyst for me going 'overboard' this weekend was Man Utd's crushing victory, which i didnt see coming and which, i fear, spells trouble.

I am sure the rest of the premierhship thought that after our 2 victories. Chelsea beat themselves to be honest......I dont think it was an incredible Scum performance.

I am very grateful for Rafa to getting us in this position and yes i am sure many on here could do better and maybe make the odd better team selection.....but i would back Rafa's judgement over a season any day of the week

[Craig_H]

I am sure the rest of the premierhship thought that after our 2 victories. Chelsea beat themselves to be honest......I dont think it was an incredible Scum performance.

I am very grateful for Rafa to getting us in this position and yes i am sure many on here could do better and maybe make the odd better team selection.....but i would back Rafa's judgement over a season any day of the week

The difference is that Man Utd have been in this position and gone on to win the title several times in the last decade, whereas we have no history of doing that in the same era.

You know, Wigan could possibly produce a performance tomorrow night and get something from OT, which would cheer me up no end.

I'm concerned because the mancs have all the momentum now and look like going on a winning run (when you look at their fixtures), whilst we're staggering a little and i fear more dropped points in the next few games, which will allow the mancs to open up a gap. If a fair-sized gap is opened up, i think the adrenalin will take them to the title and i dont think we'll catch them.

[dww]

I am sure the rest of the premierhship thought that after our 2 victories. Chelsea beat themselves to be honest......I dont think it was an incredible Scum performance.

I'd agree with that - although it is little comfort as United have been grinding out results while playing badly all season and there is likely to come a time when they do get together a run of playing well as well. Their next few fixtures look likely to give them a chance to play themselves into form too.

[barnes10]

Perhaps relegation fodder was harsh, but i put it this way. Hull were a Championship club last season and may yet still struggle to stay up. Same with Stoke. West Ham were only an illegal transfer away from going down and Fulham were saved by Roy 'Houdini' Hodgson, against all the odds.

Either way, they're all **** (relatively speaking) and any side who wins the title will need to win the vast majority of these type of matches.

as far as club stature is concerned i agree. we should be wiping the floor with them. but my point is that they werent as **** as we'd expect - at the time we played them - i mean hull had a few games earlier scored 3 away at old trafford. ok they lost 4-3 but no team thats **** does that.

[Joe King]

I agree with the initial post. I think what Rafa said on Saturday about us not losing epitomised what his beliefs are. He would rather 'gain' a point rather than risk all for three points which is what Fergie happened to do. He made Giggs a roaming wing back and put Berbatov up front and it worked, they got the points. We have at times this season seen Benitez go for the jugular example, when we went behind to both Wigan and Man City and he threw up some wingers which worked an absolute treat as it stretched the play and it got us the goals.

I fully expect United to go top at the end of this weekend and us struggle against our friendly neighbours - I wouldn't be surprised if it was another point 'in the bag' If we lose the title from the position we have been in, the buck stops with Benitez and this part of the season (five draws in eight) will come under close inspection and Benitez should come under scrutiny for the lack of understanding of how to win matches especially at home.