9 out of 29

[The Birdman]

Rafa has only been able to pick Torres and Gerrard together for 9 out of the 29 Premier League games this season.
9 out of bloody 29 or our two main players not being available for almost 2 thirds of our league season.
Makes you wonder doesn't it, I think we would be a hell of a lot closer to Man U and maybe ahead of them if they had stayed fit.

Take that into consideration the next time someone starts slagging Rafa off for our league campaign.
There is no way Utd would be top if Rooney and Ronaldo had missed the same amount of matches.

[rudedog]

It makes me think that we rely too much on these 2 players - Our squad isn't quite there yet and we need at least 1 more world class 'match winner' in my opinion.

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

It makes me think that we rely too much on these 2 players - Our squad isn't quite there yet and we need at least 1 more world class 'match winner' in my opinion.

Was thinking the same thing, close but not there yet!

[JohnDoe]

It makes me think that we rely too much on these 2 players - Our squad isn't quite there yet and we need at least 1 more world class 'match winner' in my opinion.

I don't think any team can handle having their two most important players out for such long periods of the season without suffering from loss of form.

United would be mid-table if that happened to Ronaldo and Rooney.

Barca was the same last season with Messi and Eto'o, even when they supposedly have a squad full of talented match winners.

[Exiled_red]

The problem is the gap (in quality) between those two and the rest, especially the "squad players". We have a good first 11 if everyone's fit we just need to make it stronger by making a couple more world class signings.

I'm hoping now we're at the point in our squad development where we will go out and spend big on a couple of players in the summer rather than spreading the cash about and make about 6 signings (like we've had to in the past)

[-V-]

It just shows that we are 2 goalscorers short of the league title. The whole Keane debacle and Babel's failure this season has been our downfall

[red g]

Rafa has only been able to pick Torres and Gerrard together for 9 out of the 29 Premier League games this season.
9 out of bloody 29 or our two main players not being available for almost 2 thirds of our league season.
Makes you wonder doesn't it, I think we would be a hell of a lot closer to Man U and maybe ahead of them if they had stayed fit.

Take that into consideration the next time someone starts slagging Rafa off for our league campaign.
There is no way Utd would be top if Rooney and Ronaldo had missed the same amount of matches.

and its boring how much we rely on those 2 players.....but any team in the world would 2 of the best players in the world FACT

[red g]

It just shows that we are 2 goalscorers short of the league title. The whole Keane debacle and Babel's failure this season has been our downfall

you know what, i reckon 1......if Keane had worked or Babel had done better this season or we had bought a striker that had worked this year reckon we would be top for sure......although as been mentioned of gerrard/torres had played together more, todays win could have been all the more sweeter

[Vermilion]

Well, i believe we are building in the correct direction, slower that some/most would have liked yes, but it takes time, while not being able to buy/sign as many high profile targets, star names, as utd have been, Rafa has kept the squad ticking over with cheaper buys that have enabled us to stay Top 4, and hence to once again become and be regarded by ALL as a TRUE EUROPEAN FORCE once more.

I, for what it's worth, believe Rafa will do the same in the Premiership, and when he believes he has the correct players in place, he will play the appropriate type of football to get the most out of them, for now he's doing a great job imo with the tools at his disposal, he has a plan, of this i am certain.

[The Birdman]

Just watched an interview on line with Gerrard and the interviewer has come out with the stat that we are unbeaten in over a year in the PL when Gerrard and Torres start

[Craig_H]

It's gutting that Nando hasnt really been fit all season, could've made such a major difference.

[DannyMan2006]

It's gutting that Nando hasnt really been fit all season, could've made such a major difference.

Maybe. But we beat Man Utd without Torres and Gerrard and we beat them with them. Let's see how we do against the teams that sit back. Confidence could not be higher after this week so we can have no excuses now.

[Craig_H]

Maybe. But we beat Man Utd without Torres and Gerrard and we beat them with them. Let's see how we do against the teams that sit back. Confidence could not be higher after this week so we can have no excuses now.

It's in those games that Torres would've made the difference, for me.

He has that touch of world class magical ability that wins you games.

[Dhav]

It's in those games that Torres would've made the difference, for me.

He has that touch of world class magical ability that wins you games.

I agree with this. Last season he ripped apart many a weaker side at Anfield that came and put men behind the ball. Fulham and West Ham are two of the teams that held us this season that Torres got winners against last season.

[Craig_H]

I agree with this. Last season he ripped apart many a weaker side at Anfield that came and put men behind the ball. Fulham and West Ham are two of the teams that held us this season that Torres got winners against last season.

Even if he'd done it in just 3 of the 6 home games we'd drawn, we'd currently be 2 points clear at the top.