Balague speaks...

[Tee]

Agreed.

Yep. Me too.

[SK]

Johnson - out for half the season so far
Mascher - out for half the season so far
Aquilani - out for three quarters of the season so far
Torres - in and out
Gerrard - in and out

I think that's the answer. Not one of our key players has been fit and/or available for most of the season. When they've been asked to step up and replace these players, the fringe players have shown that they are not up to it.

Also - with these key players in and out of the side, they haven't been able to build up a run of form and gain confidence playing with each other.

arsenal have had the same amount if not even more injuries to key players and they're doing just fine, to at least be in the CL next season, not to mention they're still in the title race.

injuries are not, and should not be an excuse for the poor, disjointed performances this season.

Because that is a list of players, a squad of footballers, but the one thing I've seen from them this season that you can't call them is A ****ING TEAM! I'm so ****ing frustrated, how these same players fought till the final whistle last season turning defeats into victories, then this season we are turning victories into defeats! People are questioning if they are still playing for the manager when it's obvious to me that they are not even playing for each other, and I hate to say it but I include Gerrard in that comment and I'll even go as far as saying he's one of the worst culprits this season.

more or less agree with this, they're a bunch of individuals out there, not a team, and we have no style of play, zero understanding between players as to where to make a run, when to pass the ball into space, we don't form triangles, which are the basis of any sort of playing style. we look hopeless out there.

but as i've pointed out before, i'd take winning games ugly right now, to get us out of this slump, then we can think about playing lovely football. but nothing should hide the fact that this team is serioulsly lacking in creative talent.

[Armchairkopite]

Gerrard has played well in spurts, when hes felt like it imo as if hes making a statement.

Anybody else think this is possible.

[fah-q]

Gerrard has played well in spurts, when hes felt like it imo as if hes making a statement.

Anybody else think this is possible.

giggles

[The Birdman]

Arsenal have had the same amount of bad injuries as us?? Really? I don't think that's true at all.
Also the point about Gerrard and Torres is even when they have played they haven't been 100% fit.

[SK]

Arsenal have had the same amount of bad injuries as us?? Really? I don't think that's true at all.
Also the point about Gerrard and Torres is even when they have played they haven't been 100% fit.

they've had almunia, fabregas, clichy, gibbs(their second left back), bendtner and a lot of others i can't think of now out for a good part of the season, i went over the injury list with an arsenal fan a while back, and we counted about the same amount of injuries at both clubs..i think from their strongest lineup, there's only one player who hasn't been injured this season, while in our strongest lineup pepe (until the reading match) kuyt, and lucas if you count him in the first 11 weren't injured this term.

[Taxi]

Gerrard has played well in spurts, when hes felt like it imo as if hes making a statement.

Anybody else think this is possible.

I think he's been on a massive sulk for months now. After last season we all thought we were going to move on, but after a couple of months Chelsea and Man Utd began to pull away and the head went down.

I really do think he'll be moving on at the end of the season.

[SRR]

I think he's been on a massive sulk for months now. After last season we all thought we were going to move on, but after a couple of months Chelsea and Man Utd began to pull away and the head went down.

I really do think he'll be moving on at the end of the season.

You have to ask what sort of effect that is having on the rest of the team though when they look to him for leadership.

[Armchairkopite]

I think he's been on a massive sulk for months now. After last season we all thought we were going to move on, but after a couple of months Chelsea and Man Utd began to pull away and the head went down.

I really do think he'll be moving on at the end of the season.

You have to ask what sort of effect that is having on the rest of the team though when they look to him for leadership.

Gerrard or Rafa so, bloody hell as much as I think Stevie is an amazing player I would have to keep Rafa based simply on the fact that Stevie sunk us.

[BobTheCharmer]

Gerrard or Rafa so, bloody hell as much as I think Stevie is an amazing player I would have to keep Rafa based simply on the fact that Stevie sunk us.

you'd take rafa over gerrard? wow. fair enough. I'd take Gerrard everyday of the year. no choice.

[Guest]

you'd take rafa over gerrard? wow. fair enough. I'd take Gerrard everyday of the year. no choice.

Fair enough. FAIR ENOUGH. FAIR ENOUGH.

[BobTheCharmer]

Fair enough. FAIR ENOUGH. FAIR ENOUGH.

what ups jockey of the knob?

[SRR]

you'd take rafa over gerrard? wow. fair enough. I'd take Gerrard everyday of the year. no choice.

Normally I'd agree but if his attitude is having a negative effect on the team and undermining rafa then he's got to go as no player regardless of past achievements should have that much influence. Who's to say two years into a new managers stint then same thing doesn't happen.

[Guest]

what ups jockey of the knob?

I'm BEHIND YOU.

[BobTheCharmer]

Normally I'd agree but if his attitude is having a negative effect on the team and undermining rafa then he's got to go as no player regardless of past achievements should have that much influence. Who's to say two years into a new managers stint then same thing doesn't happen.

Well when you consider what each of them has given to the club and weigh it up, its Gerrard for me if there's a choice to be made. I stand by the guy thats given us 10 years of quality service. But my opinion is probably being clouded by the that fact I don't like rafa anymore.