Why are we playing so well?

[Charly]

Until a couple of weeks ago, we were playing some pretty poor stuff. We had been scrapping results all season, and were pretty unentertaining. It felt a little uninspiring, although we looked solid. But then we suddenly upped several gears.

But it wont last. No team ever plays football this good for long periods of time. I think our current squad is the 3rd best in the league. Chelski having the best squad, followed bt the Mancsum. I feel Rafa could win us the league every year with our current players, if he can continue to get the kinds of performances we have been seeing. But the question is, why are we playing this well, and is it down to him at all? CAn Raffa keep us going like this?

Personally I dont think that he can. I think our form is down to confidence we gained after beating Madrid by 4, and then the Mancs... not down to Rafa at all. I dont think Rafa is someone who inspires perfomances. His style is all down to microscopic tactical approaches, and winning by the odd goal. He rarely gets our team to hammer an opposition. Once we are in a commanding lead, he takes off our best players

I dont think its in his nature to stand and give inspirational speeches to elicit great performances. He is more likely to give specific instructions to players in a tactical sense. So in a way, I dont think Rafa is directly responsible for our current form. We may be able to keep this up until the end of the season. We may even win the league. But I think that would be hiding the fact that we still have a long way to go to match the quality and depth of The Mancs and Chelski. And while Rafa may be able to be tactically smart, and keep us above either one, we still need to strengthen the team to consistantly challange (and win) the Premier League.

When the current buzz wears off, we will still be left with a squad that struggles to score when Gerrard is not playing to set up Torres, or score himself. Even against Chelsea, Torres struggled, because no one had the guile to play the ball into him, or get the ball wide to test the keeper on his crossing. I think to challange, we still need a decent wide player on each side who can beat their man, and cross the ball, and a target man up front (who can score). I thnik then we will be able to say we have the best team in the League. Unfortuanely, I dont think we have the cash to do it.

[stuartb]

Im really confused with your post. We are playing well in spite of Rafa from what I read.

Holy **** - id like to think he finally let the shackles off everyone and said lets go for it. I know a lot less than most but my perspective is that he rests key players just to get them ready to turn it up in the last third of the season. and turn it up they have!

Turning it up includes a big change in tactics, from counter attack to full on fu attack. Now part of me says why cant u do that all year but part of me also says senior Benitez is still learning about the most competitive league in the world.

What I love is that like him or not, he adapts and changes each year which IMO says hes learning and adapting as necessary to compete on all fronts. Our recent form has been immense - just a shame we couldnt have kicked that in around Xmas but hes here for a good few years so heres to overdrive around xmas - not in Feb/March

I think Rafas finally figured it all out - we are unbeatable on form and are finally looking similar to the Valencia machine he fashioned. Throw him some more $$$ as he deserves and the future is v bright.

Regardless of whether we get it this year im going to put several hundred $$ (pounds but no key) on us for the league next year

[MrMichael]

Oh boy, how confused.

I'll try it in small chunks.....

Until a couple of weeks ago, we were playing some pretty poor stuff. We had been scrapping results all season, and were pretty unentertaining. It felt a little uninspiring, although we looked solid. But then we suddenly upped several gears.

You forget how well we started. You can't argue with our points total after 10-12 games, especially considering we'd had injuries to our two best players and had (unsuccesfully) been trying to fit a player in (Keane) that didn't work.

Our football wasn't always fantastic, but as much as you can say we were scraping some results, you could argue that with a tiny bit more cutting edge in a few games that we should have won at Anfield we could have been winning this league right now.

But it wont last. No team ever plays football this good for long periods of time. I think our current squad is the 3rd best in the league. Chelski having the best squad, followed bt the Mancsum. I feel Rafa could win us the league every year with our current players, if he can continue to get the kinds of performances we have been seeing. But the question is, why are we playing this well, and is it down to him at all? CAn Raffa keep us going like this?

Hmmmmm, you can't say we have the 3rd best squad, and then logically say we can win the league every year with these players, unless de facto Rafa is what makes the difference. And in that case, obviously the good performances must somewhat be down to him. No?



If playing badly is his fault, then playing well is down to him too. Take the much talked about rotation for example that Rafa gets criticised for every November-ish without fail. Perhaps that is why we have played so well in the later parts of this, and last season too. That could be a significant factor.

Personally I dont think that he can. I think our form is down to confidence we gained after beating Madrid by 4, and then the Mancs... not down to Rafa at all. I dont think Rafa is someone who inspires perfomances. His style is all down to microscopic tactical approaches, and winning by the odd goal. He rarely gets our team to hammer an opposition. Once we are in a commanding lead, he takes off our best players

Deary me. Ok, look, no manager "gets" their team to "hammer" an opposition. Football just doesn't work like that. The interaction of manager (tactics, subs, "inspiration") and the players on a pitch in the end result of a football game is just not that simple.

We've scored more goals than any other team in the league. With Torres having been injured half the season. How much more exactly are you expecting us to score?

I would also suggest you check some stats about Benitez substitutions, and the number of goals we score in the last 10 minutes of games. There is a direct correlation. Plus every manager in the game regularly takes off their "best" players when in a "commanding" lead, especially when they usually have another important game within 72 hours.

I dont think its in his nature to stand and give inspirational speeches to elicit great performances. He is more likely to give specific instructions to players in a tactical sense. So in a way, I dont think Rafa is directly responsible for our current form. We may be able to keep this up until the end of the season. We may even win the league. But I think that would be hiding the fact that we still have a long way to go to match the quality and depth of The Mancs and Chelski. And while Rafa may be able to be tactically smart, and keep us above either one, we still need to strengthen the team to consistantly challange (and win) the Premier League.

OK, I refer to a point I made earlier. If our team & squad are not good enough, and we "may even win the league", logically must the manager not be a strong contributing factor? If not, what is?

[When the current buzz wears off, we will still be left with a squad that struggles to score when Gerrard is not playing to set up Torres, or score himself. Even against Chelsea, Torres struggled, because no one had the guile to play the ball into him, or get the ball wide to test the keeper on his crossing. I think to challange, we still need a decent wide player on each side who can beat their man, and cross the ball, and a target man up front (who can score). I thnik then we will be able to say we have the best team in the League. Unfortuanely, I dont think we have the cash to do it.

Right, well you can't say Torres doesn't get service in our current formation. Sometimes quality opposition will just deal with a striker, however good they are, the hope is that this leaves gaps for other players... and in the game you mention those others did score 4 times. And you also can't argue with Torres goal record for us, and therefore the service he has been getting, too. I've never seen any evidence to suggest this isn't the system which suits Torres best as opposed to wingers & a partner.

Essentially it sounds like you'd like us to completely change our whole formation, tactics and approach to the game? That would basically mean getting rid of Rafa which isn't going to happen right now. Don't get me wrong, I think we need to strengthen significantly in certain areas this summer, but its rare a team doesn't want to do that, and I'm not convinced the work we need to do involves reverting to what sounds rather to me like 4-4-2 with modified versions of Crouch and Pennant.

[TheElephantMan]

How much time did you waste typing that in? So Rafa's at fault when we don't play well, but doesn't get any credit when we do?! Total ****e.

[Shaggy]

[Reece]

So Rafa's at fault when we don't play well, but doesn't get any credit when we do?!

Exactly what I was going to say.

[badpiggy]

How much time did you waste typing that in? So Rafa's at fault when we don't play well, but doesn't get any credit when we do?! Total ****e.

[Vermilion]

strokes chin...shakes head... and wonders.

[dww]

Why are we playing so well? Because we have a good first team, a decent squad and an excellent manager and a fitness regime and rotation policy that is designed to allow us to peak towards the tail end of a season.

Are there things that can be improved - yes in all areas but Rafa is all about continued improvement and we have seen him tuning the squad and his methods over the years and now we are stronger than we were in the past.

[Tee]

Why are we playing so well? Because we have a good first team, a decent squad and an excellent manager and a fitness regime and rotation policy that is designed to allow us to peak towards the tail end of a season.

Are there things that can be improved - yes in all areas but Rafa is all about continued improvement and we have seen him tuning the squad and his methods over teh years and now we are stronger than we were in the past.

Absolutely spot on.

[Gingawaria]

Why are we playing so well? Because we have a good first team, a decent squad and an excellent manager and a fitness regime and rotation policy that is designed to allow us to peak towards the tail end of a season.

Are there things that can be improved - yes in all areas but Rafa is all about continued improvement and we have seen him tuning the squad and his methods over the years and now we are stronger than we were in the past.

Was about to say pretty much the exact same thing. Spot on!

[red g]

Why are we playing so well? Because we have a good first team, a decent squad and an excellent manager and a fitness regime and rotation policy that is designed to allow us to peak towards the tail end of a season.

Are there things that can be improved - yes in all areas but Rafa is all about continued improvement and we have seen him tuning the squad and his methods over the years and now we are stronger than we were in the past.

You missed out confidence, but apart from that spot on.

[Guest]

I don't think we were playing that bad during the first part of the season anyway. We lost to a Spurs side when we should have won that game 5-0 and we were playing superb stuff at the time. It's all about injuries/fatigue/confidence etc... which are all variables bound to affect any team during a whole season. No rocket science FFS.

[Fubar]

ha ha dear oh dear charly.

[BFG]

We're playing well because we have good players in all positions and a great manager and backroom staff.

Just because we don't have a manager who molly coddles players doesn't mean he doesn't deserve some of the credit when we do well.

In fact I think Rafa's toughness toward the players is part of our winning formula as he won't tolerate tempremental players who need to be 'loved.' He's put together a squad who only need to be coached as they all have the mental toughness and self belief that Rafa demands of himself and everyone at the club.