Injuries? Bollocks

[BobTheCharmer]

I can't believe anyOne would actually think that Rafa is deliberately getting bad results to prove a point.

Is it beyond the realms of possibility? I'm not sure on this one. I think and hope he'd have too much professional pride and respect for us to do such a thing. But he does like to play games. He does it all the time. He openly gave up on the reading game a couple of seasons back to save Torres for the CL.

He does strike me as the sort of guy who knows how safe a position he's in with regard to the clubs finances. It'd be hard & expensive to ditch him. If we had a cracking season with little money, what bargaining tool would he have to try and get the owners to give him more? Us doing just enough to get top four while painfully struggling to make it against all the odds would give rafa the ammunition he needs to publicy demand more.

[BFG]

Is it beyond the realms of possibility? I'm not sure on this one. I think and hope he'd have too much professional pride and respect for us to do such a thing. But he does like to play games. He does it all the time. He openly gave up on the reading game a couple of seasons back to save Torres for the CL.

He does strike me as the sort of guy who knows how safe a position he's in with regard to the clubs finances. It'd be hard & expensive to ditch him. If we had a cracking season with little money, what bargaining tool would he have to try and get the owners to give him more? Us doing just enough to get top four while painfully struggling to make it against all the odds would give rafa the ammunition he needs to publicy demand more.

It never ceases to amaze how people who are able enough to type use this skill to voice such absurdities.

[el matador]

Is it beyond the realms of possibility? I'm not sure on this one. I think and hope he'd have too much professional pride and respect for us to do such a thing. But he does like to play games. He does it all the time. He openly gave up on the reading game a couple of seasons back to save Torres for the CL.

He does strike me as the sort of guy who knows how safe a position he's in with regard to the clubs finances. It'd be hard & expensive to ditch him. If we had a cracking season with little money, what bargaining tool would he have to try and get the owners to give him more? Us doing just enough to get top four while painfully struggling to make it against all the odds would give rafa the ammunition he needs to publicy demand more.

rafa is a political beast and he knows how the play the game. Yes, if was to finish second this season with no incremental investment into the squad then what kind of message would that be to the skint owners.

We dont really need to spend another £30m next season because we've done just fine this season. Another £10m or so would probably do it.

There is no way that we wont qualify for the CL, in fact im certain of it because that would further harm his potential budget (or worse he would have to sell someone). He will make sure we qualify but only just.

We will sneak in but he'll make sure we have plenty of horror moments among the way.

How many genuinely world class players have spurs or man city got (spurs - defoe, king, lennon at a push) - man city (adebayor, bellamy, barry)

we've got gerrard, torres, masherano, reina, johnson and carragher who are all genuinely world class players.

We should be doing better and yes unfortunately my opinion of rafa isnt the highest.

[Vermilion]

Is it beyond the realms of possibility? I'm not sure on this one. I think and hope he'd have too much professional pride and respect for us to do such a thing. But he does like to play games. He does it all the time. He openly gave up on the reading game a couple of seasons back to save Torres for the CL.

He does strike me as the sort of guy who knows how safe a position he's in with regard to the clubs finances. It'd be hard & expensive to ditch him. If we had a cracking season with little money, what bargaining tool would he have to try and get the owners to give him more? Us doing just enough to get top four while painfully struggling to make it against all the odds would give rafa the ammunition he needs to publicy demand more.

Bob!! Shame on you, that's the sort of thing i'd expect journalists of a certain type of rag to come up with.

Come up with arguments on Rafa's tactics yes, his buys too, but to even consider he'd be doing such a thing is too far out for me.

[BobTheCharmer]

It never ceases to amaze how people who are able enough to type use this skill to voice such absurdities.

I'm just saying its not impossible for this to be the case. None of us know the inner workings of Rafa's mind. 80% of me says its rubbish but there's a nagging 20% thats thinks you never know, stranger things have happened. End of.

[BobTheCharmer]

Bob!! Shame on you, that's the sort of thing i'd expect journalists of a certain type of rag to come up with.

I was merely making a case for it to be true. Shame nothing. I didn't state it as my personal view. I said I hope/think he's too professional. Read first, judge later.

[BFG]

I'm just saying its not impossible for this to be the case. None of us know the inner workings of Rafa's mind. 80% of me says its rubbish but there's a nagging 20% thats thinks you never know, stranger things have happened. End of.

If you look closely at pictures of the moon landings there's a reflection in the space shuttle of a little Spanish chap with a goatee laughing away.

[Vermilion]

I was merely making a case for it to be true. Shame nothing. I didn't state it as my personal view. I said I hope/think he's too professional. Read first, judge later.

I read and judged what you said, you hoped/thought Rafa is too proffesional to do this, i say to even think it's possible, to think an idea like this up is crazy imo.

[Chrono]

Not very well but they cost a combined £6million. Carrick alone cost £17million. Our 4 centre backs cost a combined £14million. What's that, Ferdinand's arms?

But The Turtle and Agger are great CBs so the price is irrelevant in this example. I don't think Mascha would do any better in CB and he wasn't cheap.

[BobTheCharmer]

I read i judged, you hoped/thought Rafa is too proffesional to this, i say to even think it's possible, to think an idea like this up is crazy imo.

Well I'll live with that. You'll be telling me next he treated Peter Crouch & Robbie Keane with great respect & dignity.

[BFG]

But The Turtle and Agger are great CBs so the price is irrelevant in this example. I don't think Mascha would do any better in CB and he wasn't cheap.

Well no but he's a better DM than Fletcher or Carrick and that's the position they all play. If your point is that they have more players who can play comfortably in a number of positions then I agree but your comparison was of our 2 weakest and their strongest 2 CM's playing in defence. Actually, what is your point?

[Darkon]

I can't believe anyOne would actually think that Rafa is deliberately getting bad results to prove a point.

It's absolutly ridiculous!! completly absurd claims.

He has nothing to gain from bad results, he will loose the crowd, players will loose confidence in him and he will get less money out of it from prize money, tv money etc. etc.

Also I can't in the world imagine that the players would be in on it - and wonder why it's only the bright people outside anfield that can see it? The players would revolt if they where asked to loose on purpose or thrown in the midst of it - they are not that stupid or unpro.

[Chrono]

Well no but he's a better DM than Fletcher or Carrick and that's the position they all play. If your point is that they have more players who can play comfortably in a number of positions then I agree but your comparison was of our 2 weakest and their strongest 2 CM's playing in defence. Actually, what is your point?

Getting more out of your players

I just think that we have a large squad and although parts are weak they still compare favourably to other squads who get far more out of their players. I would say Rafa does not get enough out of average players, that's all.

[red g]

Well I'll live with that. You'll be telling me next he treated Peter Crouch & Robbie Keane with great respect & dignity.

what did he do wrong to crouchy???

[Reece]

what did he do wrong to crouchy???

He dared to not start him ahead of Torres, and then to rub salt in the wounds he offered him a new contract!