Pompey Post Match

[Neil Young]

I know this flies in the face of popular thinking but I don't think Rafa has "a type." He's as pragmatic as any manager, and more than some (e.g. Wenger).

Portsmouth at home/Manchester United away - spot the difference. Do you honestly believe the best way to get results against those teams is to set up the same way?

[PTP]

we NEED to beat manure. we NEED to keep winning. we NEED to keep the same team. to change it for the manure game back to type ( boring / defensive / negative / no confidence ) would be a step in the wrong direction.

totally agree - why not go there, nothing to lose, and have ****ing go at them. Get them on the back foot. - If we go, trying to keep it tight and look for 0-0 at best a smash and grab 1-0 we will prob get beat anyway - i'd rather get beat and play like last night then get beat playing like we did against wigan

[red g]

we NEED to beat manure. we NEED to keep winning. we NEED to keep the same team. to change it for the manure game back to type ( boring / defensive / negative / no confidence ) would be a step in the wrong direction.

but you know that is the step we will take

[Neil Young]

totally agree - why not go there, nothing to lose, and have ****ing go at them. Get them on the back foot. - If we go, trying to keep it tight and look for 0-0 at best a smash and grab 1-0 we will prob get beat anyway - i'd rather get beat and play like last night then get beat playing like we did against wigan

I can see the sense in that. I hope though those aren't the only options we have.

Having said all this on this thread, I wouldn't be all that surprised if Rafa did play a relatively attacking team against Man United, if only to gain the element of surprise.

[Scratch]

Or he'll play the type of team that saw us beat United home and away last season, and so far at home this season...sit deep and hit them on the counter??

[dww]

Better though we were, pompey were absolute ****e, no wonder they are bottom. I can't believe we lost to them at their place>

As for Gerrard's elbow, about time someone smacked that ****** Brown, deserves it in my opinion.

I think that's the thing though - since the problems started there they have been either very good or god awful in every game more or less. Away against them we let them get into the game and they played an effective game. Yesterday we went out and played with tempo and no little skill from the off and the crumpled. I think we have been capable of that more this season.

Torres looked a lot fitter and it seemed to bring more out of Gerrard. I only saw the first half so missed the elbow but if it was deliberate then he should be banned.

He also needs to remember the benefits of getting his head over the ball when he strikes it from distance. In recent weeks he has had a number of opportunities on the edge of the box and not once even looked like troubling the keeper.

[dww]

I know this flies in the face of popular thinking but I don't think Rafa has "a type." He's as pragmatic as any manager, and more than some (e.g. Wenger).

Portsmouth at home/Manchester United away - spot the difference. Do you honestly believe the best way to get results against those teams is to set up the same way?

I think the problem has been this season (and perhaps always has been) that Rafa undervalues the psychological element of his team selections sometimes. Last season the fact that everyone was confident and the squad was working well for most of the year minimised the impact of this, however this season it hasn't worked too well.

I thin Rafa's methods would be fine if we had two or three players who embodied his philosophy in the team or at least the squad.

[Vermilion]

I know this flies in the face of popular thinking but I don't think Rafa has "a type." He's as pragmatic as any manager, and more than some (e.g. Wenger).

Portsmouth at home/Manchester United away - spot the difference. Do you honestly believe the best way to get results against those teams is to set up the same way?

[Neil Young]

Or he'll play the type of team that saw us beat United home and away last season, and so far at home this season...sit deep and hit them on the counter??

Could be. I mean, that's what we all expect, perhaps because that's what history tells us can bring success or perhaps because he's "naturally defensive-minded."

[Neil Young]

I think the problem has been this season (and perhaps always has been) that Rafa undervalues the psychological element of his team selections sometimes. Last season the fact that everyone was confident and the squad was working well for most of the year minimised the impact of this, however this season it hasn't worked too well.

I thin Rafa's methods would be fine if we had two or three players who embodied his philosophy in the team or at least the squad.

I don't understand your point.

[dww]

I have no problem with that, but that is not the approach that has been often seen.

Disagree about Lucas though, I don't think his performance has dropped.

I think it was very poor against Wigan. He lacked any confidence in his own ability to move with the ball or pass quickly any direction but backwards. I think the criticism of him only passing sideways is harsh and usually think that his quick movement of the ball could be used better by others but in that game he was one of our major problems.

That said I think he will benefit a lot from having Aquilani and or Maxi fit and ready for the PL around him as on occasion they seem to show the willingness to play the sort of neat give and goes that will make the most of him.

[Taxi]

Fixtures left:

Spurs

Saturday, 20 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Stoke v Tottenham, 15:00

Wednesday, 24 March 2010
The FA Cup
Tottenham v Fulham, R6R, 19:45

Saturday, 27 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Tottenham v Portsmouth, 15:00

Saturday, 3 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Sunderland v Tottenham, 15:00

Saturday, 10 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Tottenham v Arsenal, 12:45

Saturday, 17 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Tottenham v Chelsea, 17:30

Sunday, 25 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v Tottenham, 14:00

Saturday, 1 May 2010
Barclays Premier League
Tottenham v Bolton, 15:00

Sunday, 9 May 2010
Barclays Premier League
Burnley v Tottenham, 15:00

City

Sunday, 21 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Fulham v Man City, 15:00

Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man City v Everton, 19:45

Monday, 29 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man City v Wigan, 20:00

Saturday, 3 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Burnley v Man City, 17:30

Sunday, 11 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man City v Birmingham, 16:00

Saturday, 17 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man City v Man Utd, 12:45

Saturday, 24 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Man City, 17:30

Saturday, 1 May 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man City v Aston Villa, 15:00

Sunday, 9 May 2010
Barclays Premier League
West Ham v Man City, 15:00

LFC

Sunday, 21 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man Utd v Liverpool, 13:30

Sunday, 28 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v Sunderland, 16:00

Saturday, 3 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Birmingham v Liverpool, 15:00

Sunday, 11 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v Fulham, 15:00

Monday, 19 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v West Ham, 20:00

Saturday, 24 April 2010
Barclays Premier League
Burnley v Liverpool, 15:00

Saturday, 1 May 2010
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v Chelsea, 15:00

Sunday, 9 May 2010
Barclays Premier League
Hull v Liverpool, 15:00
__________

We are still in for a though one with us facing both chelsea and scum in the last eight with no real room for dropping points.

Tottenham have the top-3 to face in consecutive matches to hopefully they will drop enough points in those games for us to overtake them.

City playing both arsenal and the scum as well as Villa and Everton that are both tricky games, but they still have a decent run in.

You've written off Villa then who have the easiest run in of all of the 4th spot chasing clubs

[dww]

I don't understand your point.

My point is that sometimes on a bad run the fact that your best team is not dictated by the players ability as much as what selection will be most up for a game and build players confidence. There have been a number of games where whilst I think pairing Mascherano and Lucas say was fair enough tactically that it sent the wrong signals to players who were low on confidence and that they played safety first football. A team selection that looks like you have confidence in the players to go out and win (even if say last season when people were confident it would have been less suitable) can, I think, lead to people going out more positively.

I don't believe that Rafa ever goes out to do any thing other than win games. I do sometimes think though that the players get other impressions as his selections don't look traditionally attacking. I would suggest, obviously I admit this is all conjecture, but I think that Gerrard in particular responds badly to teams that don't look aggressive. A problem I feel is made worse by the fact that most of our players seem to look to him for inspiration.

[red g]

My point is that sometimes on a bad run the fact that your best team is not dictated by the players ability as much as what selection will be most up for a game and build players confidence. There have been a number of games where whilst tactically I think pairing Mascherano and Lucas say was fair enough tactically that it sent the wrong signals to players who were low on confidence and that they played safety first football. A team selection that looks like you have confidence in the players to go out and win (even if say last season when people were confident it would have been less suitable) can, I think, lead to people going out more positively.

I don't believe that Rafa ever goes out to do any thing other than win games. I do sometimes think though that the players get other impressions as his selections don't look traditionally attacking. I would suggest, obviously I admit this is all conjecture, but I think that Gerrard in particular responds badly to teams that don't look aggressive. A problem I feel is made worse by the fact that most of our players seem to look to him for inspiration.

I know your not his biggest fan Dave, but Johnson makes such a difference to our team as well.

[Craig_H]

Dear lord, where have performances like that been hiding all season??

Absolutely amazed that he dropped Kuyt and Lucas, and it showed in the tempo of the game.

Quick passing and movement, desire & drive, closing down opponents, attacking in numbers and getting bodies in the box, continuing to press and push forward after going 1-0 up and then at 2-0 as well. A massive difference to what we've had served up for the majority of this season.

You're not going to play this way every game and nobody expects it, but if Rafa used this kind of attacking mentality for the majority of the time and had the players showing this kind of desire and drive regularly, nobody would have any cause to complain.

Going through the side, Pepe was often able to just watch and relax, but when called upon, made a couple of good saves. The back four generally decent, barring the sloppy concession of the goal. Johnson good going forward and a consistent threat. Getting very worried about how easily wingers seem to get past Insua, who's looking neither quick nor strong.

Was absolutely delighted for Aquilani, and the difference he offered was very noticable. Always looking to get forward and offer an attacking threat, always looking to play a forward pass, not arsing about with 2-yard sideways passes that keep possession but make no real impact. His pass for Torres' 2nd goal was a world class killer ball. And he looked so made up with his goal.

Gerrard much better too, great to see his desire back, the way he closed down the keeper for the first goal was nice to see. Babel always a threat and played well. Maxi's best game for us so far. And Torres was back to his brilliant self, his second goal was superb, blink and you miss it - he got some serious punch behind that shot.

All in all, a very good performance. It was only Pompey but it was also only wigan and only wolves. The only point is that it was obviously a home game and we've generally won plenty at home. I'd like to see more conviction in the away performances before i could say we're back.

No better place to start than Old Trafford.