FA Cup Final Post Match

[el matador]

i'm certain that either way it would have been with very different players.

with same players would rafa have made a difference ?

[RichC]

pointless question as it's impossible to know.

[little dave hedgehog]

pointless question as it's impossible to know.

there's no way rafa would have brought in charlie adam or stewart downing. especially for what we paid for him. given those sums i think we would have gotten some genuine class.

[el matador]

pointless question as it's impossible to know.

hypothetically speaking, do you think that rafa would have gotten better results than kenny has this year with our squad / injuries etc...

[rodo]

hypothetically speaking, do you think that rafa would have gotten better results than kenny has this year with our squad / injuries etc...

yes and by a long way

[RichC]

probably yes but I also think he'd have struggled with the Lucas loss as well, left a gaping hole in what was up until that point a pretty tough defence to break down.

[Phoenix07]

Under Hodgson, we were saying the same about whether Kenny could get better results. Now look where we are.

Personally, I think we would've drawn more games with the current crop of players under Rafa, but it's all speculation and as my first sentence proves, speculation doesn't necessarily mean fact. He could've lost them too as 2009-2010 shows.

[Muddled]

Well Rafa got 58 points in his first season, losing 14, scoring 52 and conceded 41 (+11), so not that different.

[RichC]

Well Rafa got 58 points in his first season, losing 14, scoring 52 and conceded 41 (+11), so not that different.

indeed.

I think we need to see what happens next season although I wouldn't be overly shocked to see Kenny step down

[little dave hedgehog]

fwiw i don't think he should be sacked unless we're in dire straits come january. reckon he might step down though.

[RichC]

I agree, this summer is going to be huge though. If we don't get it right in terms of identfying the positions we need to strengthen and get the right players in to do so it could be another long painful season.

We really aren't a million miles off in terms of having the players we need but it's still not close enough to where we need to be.

[el matador]

lucas' loss was massive and we have just not recovered from it but i also agree with phoenix that some of those losses would have been draws instead. You have to take 2009-10 in context of what was going on in the background.

basically, the owners, purslow and some of the players wanted him to fail and unfortunately he did. we sold key players and replaced with other who just werent up to the job. But that was something that had been happening for approx 4 transfer windows.

There was a substantial talent drain from the squad and eventually the whole pack of cards just fell. Rafa got too involved with internal disputes and I can tell you from experience of managing 10 year olds that the off pitch stuff does your head in.

****ing parents, life would be so much easier without them and some players are right little sh***. Thats managing 10 year olds, imagine what its like to fight with owners who hate you, players who dont like your obsessiveness and a CEO who really is a complete **** up of an appointment by the bank.

Sorry mate but Jesus would have failed during that season let alone rafa.

[Icon]

Jan might be too late...?

[el matador]

Well Rafa got 58 points in his first season, losing 14, scoring 52 and conceded 41 (+11), so not that different.

he bought luis garcia and xabi alonso for approx £17m

kenny has bought suarez, carroll, adam, downing, henderson, coates, enrique for well over £100m.

on the scale of **** ups its incomparable.

[little dave hedgehog]

Jan might be too late...?

believe me, i understand wanting to see him off. i'm struggling with it myself, but he may be able to turn it around with a new ceo/dof.