Rafa should be sacked....

[the rev leeroy brown]

stats or not the answer is really simple.......if we fail to get top 4 he must go - if we fail to qualify for last 16 champs league IMO he must go - anything else then we must stick with him.

on a different view, i still dont beleive we'll win the league title under rafa.

[Kenneth]

stats or not the answer is really simple.......if we fail to get top 4 he must go - if we fail to qualify for last 16 champs league IMO he must go - anything else then we must stick with him.

on a different view, i still dont beleive we'll win the league title under rafa.

Not bothered about the CL position, makes no odds in my mind. However, if we miss out on the CL, all hell is doing to break loose, in many ways.

[the rev leeroy brown]

Not bothered about the CL position, makes no odds in my mind. However, if we miss out on the CL, all hell is doing to break loose, in many ways.

CL position is one of the factors regarding rafa's transfer funds for the following season. he must first up qualify for CL or he gets no money and must make the more lucrative last 16 or else he doesn't get as much money....apparently. we could theoretically end up next year with a squad of average players and no money available to improve it without CL progression.

[dww]

Not an observation tied to anything else really but I do feel that people are wedded to the idea of constant progress with no backsliding. I think in general in sports and in life that is the exception rather than the rule.

To my mind we have to look to see what the long term project is and that has to involve all levels of the club. At the minute the first team is going through a slump but it came after a lot of progress and a distinct change in style. I'd suggest that we might have to look at Arsenal last season as a model for what is happening this term. We are asking young players to grow to be leaders and it is taking time and we are losing points because of it. At the end of the season though Arsenal were much stronger and look a good side this year.

[Kenneth]

Not an observation tied to anything else really but I do feel that people are wedded to the idea of constant progress with no backsliding. I think in general in sports and in life that is the exception rather than the rule.

To my mind we have to look to see what the long term project is and that has to involve all levels of the club. At the minute the first team is going through a slump but it came after a lot of progress and a distinct change in style. I'd suggest that we might have to look at Arsenal last season as a model for what is happening this term. We are asking young players to grow to be leaders and it is taking time and we are losing points because of it. At the end of the season though Arsenal were much stronger and look a good side this year.

Yes, if a business only makes a £billion profit when they made £2billion last year, they are seen as failing.

[carheex]

what an absolute load of bollocks

It ain't. His final season with us was of a much higher standard than anything he'd contributed for the previous 4 years. His first season he looked very good but the 3 in between he was of Lucas standard. If he was as good as some people think then why would Rafa want him replaced with gareth barry?

[DannyMan2006]

It ain't. His final season with us was of a much higher standard than anything he'd contributed for the previous 4 years. His first season he looked very good but the 3 in between he was of Lucas standard. If he was as good as some people think then why would Rafa want him replaced with gareth barry?

Fact is that had he left last year and we had started poor, no one would have been pointing to the sale of Alonso as the main reason. He had a very good season just gone and it is fair to say we are missing the Alonso of last year. But whether his form of last year is his correct level or whether he just raised it to prove a point is not known.

Had Alonso been fully motivated in his previous seasons he would likely still be here at the club. Maybe that's harsh, maybe he was below his correct level due to injuries or unknown personal problems - but he was very hit and miss prior to last season.

[barnes10]

its a real shame and frankly, and embarrassment to not support the manager.

our issue this season has been a **** defence. i dont hear anyone saying sell carragher. 2 injured CBs and the mainstay of the defence playing pretty poorly compared to his usual form is whats to blame. then we've had some injuries. internationals have messed us around with injuries/masher and insua being off too much.

can't you see that the above are the causes of our poor start?

sack rafa? laughable.

[The Birdman]

and does it work? Do we make a profit or even break even?

I honestly don't know because I don't have the information about costs etc... what I do know is that having a youth set up gives young players the hope they can be the next McManaman/Fowler/Owen/Gerrard/Carragher if we don't have one then even more of our identity crumbles away, young supporters will start supporting other teams because they can identify with that team easier than us.
Again I don't know the figures but we have recently sold Hammill, Hobbs, Anderson, before that was Mellor, Barragan, before them Owen and Fowler ledt at a combined £20m (ish) and I know they are many more I've missed.

[Exiled_red]

Not an observation tied to anything else really but I do feel that people are wedded to the idea of constant progress with no backsliding. I think in general in sports and in life that is the exception rather than the rule.
To my mind we have to look to see what the long term project is and that has to involve all levels of the club. At the minute the first team is going through a slump but it came after a lot of progress and a distinct change in style. I'd suggest that we might have to look at Arsenal last season as a model for what is happening this term. We are asking young players to grow to be leaders and it is taking time and we are losing points because of it. At the end of the season though Arsenal were much stronger and look a good side this year.

I think this is likely to be the case, I suspect Rafa had realised that we weren't going to win the league playing the way we had been, hence the change of playing style, this may take a while to get used to the new way of playing and will hopefully allow us to take the extra step forward to go on and win the title

[Reece]

and does it work? Do we make a profit or even break even?

Perhaps if it hasn't been, then that is the reason that Rafa fought to get more control over it, so that he can attempt to make it so.

[ex_KT_red4ever]

Exactly Tomas. ****ing mindless some of this ****e.

How right you are PC Plod & Tomas. Some people on here... there logic is flawed in my opinion... Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion. And mine is judge him at the end of the season. I mean, I find it funny how we're judged to be a mediocre team when we lose to a freak goal at Sunderland - when you can easily put the spin on it that Sunderland are a team on the rise - with a good (ish) Manager and who played above themselves to get the win... a week or so ago they should have won at Old Toilet don't forget.

The balance of power is shifting in the Premier League (see Villa vs Chavski at the weekend!) I expect the season to be more of a Rollercoaster ride than before...

The question is whose got the Bottle to stay the course and judge Rafa at the end of the season... and whose going to cut and runaway and not stand up to be counted! One things for sure... since the two Yankie Clowns took over Rafa has stood up to them and they know it!

I'm standing by the Manager. And will be giving him my support tonight and on Sunday!

R4E

[qabiri]

Some people on here have short memories.
I have to say that i find it amusing that when we are winning its down to the players and when we are losing it seems down to Rafa.
Also how many times has Rafa bought his first choice in transfers?
What i'd really like to know is who would be able to hit the ground running in the premiership as our supposed new manager? I have my own thoughts but besides that i can't think of a candidate.Remember the way the premiership is going we cannot wait a couple of seasons for the manager to bed in.

If anything Rafa deserves time.

[BG1973]

Whether you're 14 or 40 the best way to upset certain people is to question the manager. Ignoring whether you are right to voice such thoughts back up with a good argument, its considered 'uncool' because the manager is above any kind of criticism. You're also told to wait till the end of the season before you're allowed to voice any thoughts, and when you do voice them again you get knocked down, repeat the same stuff into the next season, cycle continues.

I also call this specific fan outlook as 'bull****'. You should be allowed to say whatever you want and not be hounded for it with people trying to prove you 'wrong' with the weakest of defenses. Sick of it. But thats how forums go.

And most reasonable fans are utterly sick of muppets who spit their toys out of the pram during a run of poor results yet jump back on the bandwagon as soon as results pick back up again or it looks like we might have some success afterall.

It's happened for the past two seasons and I guess it's going to happen all over again because by the end of the season we WILL be in the running. This team fully fit is easily capable of winning 10 games on the bounce and that's all it takes to get right back in it.

[red g]

Some people on here have short memories.
I have to say that i find it amusing that when we are winning its down to the players and when we are losing it seems down to Rafa.
Also how many times has Rafa bought his first choice in transfers?
What i'd really like to know is who would be able to hit the ground running in the premiership as our supposed new manager? I have my own thoughts but besides that i can't think of a candidate.Remember the way the premiership is going we cannot wait a couple of seasons for the manager to bed in.

If anything Rafa deserves time.

And most reasonable fans are utterly sick of muppets who spit their toys out of the pram during a run of poor results yet jump back on the bandwagon as soon as results pick back up again or it looks like we might have some success afterall.

It's happened for the past two seasons and I guess it's going to happen all over again because by the end of the season we WILL be in the running. This team fully fit is easily capable of winning 10 games on the bounce and that's all it takes to get right back in it.

countless times Rafa has proved the critics and forums wrong and he will again!!!