Rafa

[Big-Red-Ed]

I don't agree with all of Rafa's decisions but he is working under tremendous restraints. in an ideal world he would have back up strikers and more flair throughout but he doesn't have the cash. It doesn't help that some big buys have let him down such as Babel.

In any case we can't afford to get rid of him anyway. And if we could afford it who would be get that would operate under similar restraints?

Put Johnston, Torres, Stevie, Agger and a fit Aquilani into that team and I would fancy us against anyone.

[The Birdman]

Thanks **** for a positive thread.

Rafa has made some mistakes but he isn't the only one to do that, when he signed Dossena and Babel (for example) I didn't see pourings of outrage from the fans, ok so they haven't worked out but at the time there was logic in their signings.

Last night we were without Torres, Johnson, Aquilani, Reira and lost Gerrard 20 mins in which is psychologically worse than him not starting the game.
We had 4 players starting the game who are young - Lucas 22, Insua 20, Ngog 20 and Kelly 19.

Our problem is the remaining experienced players didn't do enough last night or in previous games, Benayoun (current flavour of the month so fans think he can do no wrong) Aurellio, Kuyt, Carragher have all been nothing more than ok. Agger looked better last night and will only continue to improve with more games.
Only Mascherano and Reina really did themselves justice, hard to win a game with 4 kids, quite a few below par performances and only 2 senior players on top form.

[DannyMan2006]

I don't agree with all of Rafa's decisions but he is working under tremendous restraints. in an ideal world he would have back up strikers and more flair throughout but he doesn't have the cash. It doesn't help that some big buys have let him down such as Babel.

In any case we can't afford to get rid of him anyway. And if we could afford it who would be get that would operate under similar restraints?

Put Johnston, Torres, Stevie, Agger and a fit Aquilani into that team and I would fancy us against anyone.

I agree, especially the bit in bold. He's made some glaring errors, but I'll judge him at the end of the season, not before. We are playing ****e but we are more than capable of turning it all round if we can somehow beat the Mancs on Sunday - hardly the impossible task it one was anyways. It's not exactly the best team they've had in years. Rio is getting asked as many questions as our own Jamie Carragher and they lack the magic of Ronaldo.

[Kenneth]

Oh good, another Rafa thread, the same as all of the others except for the first post.

[FatTony]

well said mate.

Can anybody name a manager who would come in and

a) win us the league first go with little or no budget
b) be acceptable to the fans (i.e. not Maureen)
c) Is available

I like the way you added the bit after Maureen to prevent people coming straight in with his name. I think most would welcome him to be honest (if Rafa was sacked).

[Reece]

I like the way you added the bit after Maureen to prevent people coming straight in with his name. I think most would welcome him to be honest (if Rafa was sacked).

No way would I "welcome" Mourinho

I'd begrudgingly accept him if he was all that was available.

[SimonNo7]

Nothing lasts forever smart guy. And that includes our horrendous losing streak currently.
What I was alluding to was that in today's "instant" society, where everyone wants everything now, we can't afford to take a punt on promise and risk failure. Madrid and the Chavs are perfect examples. Sure there is no guarantee that you can buy instant success either. But the odds are definitely better.

Wenger is a freak at scoping/nurturing young talent. I wonder if he has the same knack with the ladies?....

I wasn't trying to be smart I was just stating the current situation of both teams and whilst the Arse haven't been setting the world on fire they are quietly progressing.

However even with Wengers ability to nurture young talent he hasn't won anything of significance for quite sometime.

[SERVO2]

Yes...Another thread.

But this one is in support of our gaffer. **** me there is some knee-jerk tripe being written about him at the present. He is a world class manager. And we're lucky to have him

The guy has to work under the expectation that we win everything each season. He had that **** up Parry to deal with. He has to work with owners who don't back him financially (comparing us to our peers), and who slag him off in public. How do you expect perfection when dealing with these barriers?

I feel like people want him to fail!

Tell me another manager currently in a similar position to Rafa who is doing better? I can't think of one.

I agree

Cheers

Rach

He has built the squad gradually over the last 5 years to the best of his ability with the resources made available. He is human, and will make mistakes in judgment. As we all do. Whether its purchasing a player who's not up to scratch, or an error tactically. Bottom line is that each season we have marginally improved, and have won way more than we have lost. Rafa is the glue that is charged with the responsibility of holding together the shattered pieces of our club. And all he gets is people trying to pull it apart.

Why the **** do you think Madrid wanted him for ****s sake? They are used to buying the "best" of everything.....

Bottom line is, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. A million squid ain't what it used to be. And we are not shelling out what our peers are. Not in this ****ing climate.

In addition, the **** luck we seem to have come internationals is a ****ing joke! Once you are depleted of fitness, confidence follows.

Support your team, and support your manager for ****s sake. We need positive energy come this weekend. Moaning about it is getting us nowhere!

[little dave hedgehog]

put yourself in his shoes:

you wash real for 30 million in the transfer market and the money disappears.

how likely is it that you then push through a few more transfers for squad players in an attempt to afford another signing when you already made a bundle in the market and were subsequently told you couldn't afford another player?

it's stupid, but we are stuck with this squad for now and i think this is why.

[Shaggy]

In fact whilst on this subject, we should have signed Michael Owen on a free. I can't give a toss if he's a little cunt. Look at our bench in games gone by and can anyone honestly tell me we would be better of not signing him.

Have you seen him play recently?

[little dave hedgehog]

is he better or worse at finishing chances than n'gog or voronin, shags?

little ******* that we all understand he is.

[Shaggy]

is he better or worse at finishing chances than n'gog or voronin, shags?

little ******* that we all understand he is.

Well he missed about four sitters last week against Bolton, and then woefully miskicked from 10 yards last night when he should've scored.

It's not so much finishing chances (which Owen isn't very good at anyway) - it's about fitting into our system and Ngog does that. He can hold the ball, got a bit of strength about him and is pretty quick. Owen was an absolute no go and, IMO, only very short-sighted people would've wanted us to have signed him. There's a Red at work who bleats on and on about Rafa "failing to sign Owen" as though we'd be ****ing top of the table if he had.

[little dave hedgehog]

for free though. in my eyes a free transfer is a no-brainer unless you are certain he will **** up the rest of your side....

actually never mind

[Shaggy]

He's on about £50,000 a week - and I'm sure Ngog isn't on anywhere near that. Not exactly free.

[little dave hedgehog]

i admit total defeat, but at least i caught on quickly and didn't dig my heels in