Rafa: "I can guarantee we will finish in the top four."

[Bender]

2005 says differently

that was then look forward not backwards........

[fred_plasticine]

we could still go on a 22 games winning run and finish the campain with 90 points.

[ex_KT_red4ever]

And tomorrow Rafa will turn water into Wine....

[Red11]

Rafa's middle name is Lazarus

[dww]

I like his confidence and his defiance. Obviously it's quite a risky thing to say at this stage but **** 'em, it's two fingers up from Rafa and I like it when he fights our corner.

I can't see how it is risky really - if we finish 5th he will be slaughtered any way. This comment may well even be forgotten.

He can't guardsmen anything but no one ever can. I like his defiance and faith. I'm not sure what anyone wants him to say. If he said anything even vaguely defeatist people would be slating him for that too.

[Slinky Skills]

I can't see how it is risky really - if we finish 5th he will be slaughtered any way. This comment may well even be forgotten.

He can't guardsmen anything but no one ever can. I like his defiance and faith. I'm not sure what anyone wants him to say. If he said anything even vaguely defeatist people would be slating him for that too.

I do admire his confidence but I still think it's a daft thing to say, yes we may finish in the top four and I pray that we do but it is a stupid thing to come out with.

I do love Rafa to bits for his charisma and confidence and want him to succeed at this club but maybe they aren't the wisest things to say. It's not as though we're playing confident free flowing football at the moment, we're playing ****e. If we were on a winning run of say 5-6 matches that would give me some belief but we're not, the teams around us are playing better than us and are playing with more confidence than we are.

I know he has no choice but to try and be positive as that's his job and the feeling I got after initially reading the quote did fill me with pride and a bit of fire in my belly however it is a really mad thing to come out with considering our current form. As others have pointed out he could have re-worded it in some other way whilst still mainting a level of belief.

He would be far better saying nothing at all as it's winding the press up and instead try to get the most out of the team.

[dww]

I just don't buy the importance people attach to this sort of thing. I'm happy to know that Rafa is confident and I hope it rubs off on the squad. If there is ever any positive effect from this sort of comment it would be now - if the players and supporters can feel a bit of pride and get behind Rafa because they believe in him. Saying anything when things are going well is completely irrelevant to performance I would think.

[javier_monsterano]

hopefully he said it knowing that he's about to receive some money to spend in january (prays to god without the devils horns.)
i'm hoping he has already worked out the deals for those coming in,even if they are only on loan.

[Rich]

He's probably seeing it as a gamble, if he doesn't get a top 4 spot I don't think he'll still be on Merseyside come August.

[Kenneth]

He's probably seeing it as a gamble, if he doesn't get a top 4 spot I don't think he'll still be on Merseyside come August.

Yep. We get top four and he will feel vindicated, season to date was a blip. If we don't then he thinks he will be off anyway

[Kenneth]

I just don't buy the importance people attach to this sort of thing. I'm happy to know that Rafa is confident and I hope it rubs off on the squad. If there is ever any positive effect from this sort of comment it would be now - if the players and supporters can feel a bit of pride and get behind Rafa because they believe in him. Saying anything when things are going well is completely irrelevant to performance I would think.

But haven't you just attached some importance to this sort of thing?

[Mike]

I think it was wrong of rafa to say this, he cannot guarantee we will finish in the top four.
If we are to finish there, we need to sort our game out pronto.
I can see why he said it, to get the message to the fans and players of what he and everyone else expects as a minimum. Basically if we do not get a top four finish he is gone.

Being totally honest, right now i cant see us getting into the top four. I hope I am proved wrong, god i hope.

[dww]

But haven't you just attached some importance to this sort of thing?

I was meaning the amount of significance given to it. I think it very unlikely to have any effect but I suppose marginal effects might be important. I guess in general I think that confidence in the face of a storm is more admirable than gloating when all is well.

[Molby]

How can Rafa 'guarantee' we will finish 4th ??

Just checked out the league table...

Aston Villa 17 32
Arsenal 15 31
Tottenham 16 27
Birmingham 17 27
Man City 15 26
Liverpool 16 24


Sweet ****, if we don't get three tomorrow night.........i dread to think.

****ing Birmingham are above us now !!

There are lots of points still to play for - but, if rafa is throwing out guarantees,, willy nilly, how about a guarantee that we will begin to punish a few teams by actually scoring some goals? as opposed to ****ting ourselves if we happen to score one goal and trying to sit on the lead?

That would be a start Rafa.

Don't patronise us by giving us silly guarantees.

Please sort this mess out Rafa.......we can't take much more of this ****e

[Shaggy]

Dreading tomorrow to be honest. We've played Wigan a number of times over the years in a 'playing catch-up' situation and always seem to **** it up. The league table makes for depressing viewing.