Post-mortem Northampton

[dww]

Why has the Burnley cup defeat been trotted out by Rafa-hatez?

The defeat last night was on entirely different level to the comedic Traore own goal.

Because while they may have been indicative of some problems at the club they were both blown wildly out of proportion by some?

Last night was a **** result which has come on top of some at best indifferent ones and it is hard to take. In the long run though it could well mean nothing.

I'm not sure where Roy is headed with the club/squad but I don't think a rapid change is likely to bring about a swift turn around either. We have to hope that Roy has a plan that will forge a team. His record while not spectacular but doesn't indicate that the poor start is going to be indicative of his overall performance either.

[Kenneth]

It's the same everywhere. The 'Rafa haters' made their bed...now they've gotta lie in it.

While the 'Roy haters' are vindicated and smug, etc. It's all a series of rather pathetic charicatures of peoples positions. Only leads to arguments.

[Shaggy]

It was a **** result but the performance was even worse, and that's what is so worrying.

[Rich]

Because while they may have been indicative of some problems at the club they were both blown wildly out of proportion by some?

Last night was a **** result which has come on top of some at best indifferent ones and it is hard to take. In the long run though it could well mean nothing.

I'm not sure where Roy is headed with the club/squad but I don't think a rapid change is likely to bring about a swift turn around either. We have to hope that Roy has a plan that will forge a team. His record while not spectacular but doesn't indicate that the poor start is going to be indicative of his overall performance either.

Let's hope he develops this plan soon then, because on the evidence so far I'm not liking the tactics he's deployed.

Northampton Town proud winners of the old Division Three title '62-'63

[danperkins]

While the 'Roy haters' are vindicated and smug, etc. It's all a series of rather pathetic charicatures of peoples positions. Only leads to arguments.

[Redspin]

Am I right in thinking that is the first time we've been knocked out by 4th division opposition?

I know for sure we lost to 4th division opposition in either the 70s or 80s in the League Cup because I was at the game. We were beaten 1-0 by then 4th division Sheffield United at Bramhall Lane. But I'm not sure if they were two-legged ties then and we may have gone through over two legs - can't be arsed to check - otherwise that would have been the first time we were knocked out by 4th division opposition.

Not quite as traumatic though as when we lost 2-1 to non-league (Southern League in fact) Worcester City in the FA Cup 4th round in 1959 - my earliest recollection of a football result as a kid

[red g]

It was a **** result but the performance was even worse, and that's what is so worrying.

every game that passes ROy seems to be compounding my worries

[Shaggy]

While the 'Roy haters' are vindicated and smug, etc. It's all a series of rather pathetic charicatures of peoples positions. Only leads to arguments.

Not really. There'd be arguments anyway, there always is.

You can hardly blame those who didn't want Benitez out for complaining. Many of us expected a massive downgrade and downturn in results and performances. And we've got one. Why should we sit back and take it? The anti-Rafa people were so ****ing mouthy, loud and obnoxious for the last 12 months....I'd expect them to be able to cope with getting a little bit back. Seems they can't though. Swings and roundabouts eh.

[Lecter]

Not really. There'd be arguments anyway, there always is.

You can hardly blame those who didn't want Benitez out for complaining. Many of us expected a massive downgrade and downturn in results and performances. And we've got one. Why should we sit back and take it? The anti-Rafa people were so ****ing mouthy, loud and obnoxious for the last 12 months....I'd expect them to be able to cope with getting a little bit back. Seems they can't though. Swings and roundabouts eh.

[SimonNo7]

I dont get it really, there's no way that lineup isnt good enough to thump Northampton. But we just play without direction, without desire, without any real feeling of wanting to be there or having any passion for the game, or any hunger to win.

Whatever anyone thinks of those players, several of them are internationals and the others, if they werent with us, would certainly make a career for themselves at a higher level than League ****ing Two.

Yet, there's just nothing. But the same was true last season, under Rafa - no motivation, no cohesion, no desire or drive. Just complete uninterested performances which made it look like playing for Liverpool was a chore.

I dont put it down to both Rafa and Roy being poor managers who cant motivate - Rafa motivated THAT team to becoming European Champions and beating far better sides along the way. And Roy took Fulham far further in Europe last year than their ability should allow - again beating far better sides along the way.

I can only put it down to the impact of the cuntery ownership, every man and his dog knows how much the club is at its knees and there's plenty to indicate to me that this has dissolved and sapped all the morale out of everyone at the club, from staff to players, and fans. There's no positivity whatsoever and it shows in the play.

It can only be that dark cloud hanging over the club that is doing it.

I pray to God it ends soon and that once it's gone, the positivity will then filter down to the field of play.

I think I said something similar in the match thread last night but rather than blame the owners and what is going on in the background I just put it down to the players being spineless, having no pride etc etc. I think I may have also repeated it in this thread somewhere as well. I suppose my version was down to me just being mad with the players because for quite some time now, and for both managers, the players have not played with a great deal of cohesion, creativity, attacking nous or played as a team full stop.

I have to agree with you that what is going on in the background must affect the players even if they come on TV and tell us otherwise.

[red g]

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Premier+League/Liverpool

I often use that site to keep upto date with the news and I cant see one really bad headline aprart from dominic king in the echo.

It was pathetic last night, but how ou can go into any match with a bench like that is beyond comprehension. In Football anything can happen and to have a bench full of under 20's was ridiculous!!!

[Chrono]

It's the same everywhere. The 'Rafa haters' made their bed...now they've gotta lie in it.

Uh, what?

[Arn]

Not really. There'd be arguments anyway, there always is.

You can hardly blame those who didn't want Benitez out for complaining. Many of us expected a massive downgrade and downturn in results and performances. And we've got one. Why should we sit back and take it? The anti-Rafa people were so ****ing mouthy, loud and obnoxious for the last 12 months....I'd expect them to be able to cope with getting a little bit back. Seems they can't though. Swings and roundabouts eh.

Gerrard was more to blame for our bad last season than Rafa but as you expected, the local boy can't be blamed for that, he is a local boy and played excellent before for many seasons so he is for that reason allowed to sulk almost a whole season.

Rafa gave 100% for the club last season. Can anyone say that Gerrard did that? We played **** many times but Rafa still gave 100% every week.

Gerrard was the problem last season, not Rafa.

[SimonNo7]

Sticking with the players that played last night 6 were internationals Jones, Lucas, Agger, Kyriakos, Jovanovic and Babel, the latter four were at the world cup in the summer!! Babel and Jovanovic are supposed to be attacking and fairly creative players, they should be creating chances for a decent and in-form striker in Ngog and have the support of a very promising youngster who took the U19s by storm there should be enough attacking quality there to beat a league two side. The midfield is backed up by Lucas (an international) and Spearing (who had a decent spell in the Championship last season) andare backed up again by two international defenders. There should certainly be enough quality there to beat a team from the lower half of league 2. Even if you accept that many of these players are overrated

I agree with that, but then you must also agree that there has to be something fundamentally wrong with these players that two very well respected managers can't get them to play, in fact can't seem to get our squad to play as a team and moving and creating space for each other.

So that begs the question, are the managers bad managers or is that the players (take those glasses off now) are just not as good as we like to tell ourselves they are?

[DannyMan2006]

Not really. There'd be arguments anyway, there always is.

You can hardly blame those who didn't want Benitez out for complaining. Many of us expected a massive downgrade and downturn in results and performances. And we've got one. Why should we sit back and take it? The anti-Rafa people were so ****ing mouthy, loud and obnoxious for the last 12 months....I'd expect them to be able to cope with getting a little bit back. Seems they can't though. Swings and roundabouts eh.

Thing is Shaggy, most the Roy hatred are the ones who also hated Rafa and wanted him out. The fact some have since changed their minds doesn't, however, suprise me in the slightest.