Rafa Watch

[Arn]

The true miracle was Dudek's point blank save from Shevchenko

Not really a miracle. He trained to make a save like that so he knew what to do in that situation but after that save I was 100% sure that we would win the game.

That save more or less ended Shevchenko's career as a top class striker.

[Norbs]

He knew nothing of the such

It was arms of steel

[Roboklopp]

Yes, there was no magic at all that night. It was all training.

[Tee]

Rafa's miracle was Steven Gerrard. Without him Rafa would not have been Rafa, simple as IMO )

[JudgeRed]

Chelsea did also want him in 2004. Its just that the 2005 bid was a lot more public.

I'm sure I read somewhere ages ago back that Rafas contingency was to buy both Ballack and Essien with the fee to replace him.

[wiw]

I always thought Dudek saved that with his head. Whenever I've seen the highlights there's no mention of his head, but haven't watched it back so many times i'm convinced it hit him full on the forehead

[Norbs]

I always thought Dudek saved that with his head. Whenever I've seen the highlights there's no mention of his head, but haven't watched it back so many times i'm convinced it hit him full on the forehead

He knew nothing about it. How the **** it didn't bend his arm back and fly ricochet in I'll never know. Training to be rigid no doubt

[Norbs]

Perhaps it was his head then

http://scruffylookingnerfherder.tumb...e-v-shevchenko

[Arn]

Page 156 A season on the brink.

We worked really really hard on these concepts with Dudek in training.

[Arn]

'Dudek positioned himself even before Shevchenko made contact with that great header', reveals José Manuel Ochotorena. 'He automatically put his body in the only area of the goal where he could maximase the potential chance of getting to the ball. And he had his arms positioned correctly. He got his judgement right and parried it. It was about technical ability as well as pure instinct. But what you have to do next in that situation is concentrate on the rebound. You have to get back in the game immediately and occupy precisely the right position to block the follow-up. The body instinctively tends to go to ground even more when the save is near the goal line, and if your body position is hunched low when the ball is struck, then the likelihood is that then the ball will continue on its trajectory towards the back of the net. But if the keeper gets up and stands tall then he's like a wall. We worked really, really hard on these concepts with Dudek in training.

'The credit for the save needs to include the technical knowledge which Dudek and the coaches brought to the situation, but also, crucially , our insistence on him practising it over and over over again all season. I like to work a great deal on on one-on-one situations - things like those close-range shots. And we insisted on repeating these a great deal during the season. But, apart from repetition, intuition and reflexes are also important.

'Third, the degree of which the striker rushes his follow-up chance is crucial. On this occasion, Shevchenko suffered because of his anxiety at burrying the opportunity. The chance to score was burning so clearly in his mind that he evidently thought it was best to get his shot off as quickly as possible. So he once again put the ball back in the area where Dudek was. In retrospect, you can see that he had many more options as to where to put it. In that precise moment, psychology was important because Dudek was more calculating than Shevchenko. There was, of course, a degree of luck, but it also became a one-on-one duel between the two players, and the stronger man won because of speed of thought, reaction and training'.

[Alex]

I applaud your obsession to know the page number here Arn.

[Arn]

I applaud your obsession to know the page number here Arn.

It also shows how important it is to have a great goal keeping coach. He was a big reason to why we won the CL.

Every detail is important if you want to win the league/CL.

[RedReet]

Did anyone get the impression that Carra was a wee bit bitter when discussing Rafa last night? Well maybe not bitter, but I sort of got the impression he was trying to understate Rafa’s role in the CL success. I wonder if some of the players feel that he gets too much credit for that victory and although obviously they accept he played a role, they feel they are the real heroes. Which is fair enough I suppose.

[Shaggy]

Did anyone get the impression that Carra was a wee bit bitter when discussing Rafa last night? Well maybe not bitter, but I sort of got the impression he was trying to understate Rafa’s role in the CL success. I wonder if some of the players feel that he gets too much credit for that victory and although obviously they expect he played a role, they feel they are the real heroes. Which is fair enough I suppose.

Maybe I'm wrong but it seems pretty obvious to me they don't get on. Both seem reluctant to praise the other. It's sad really. A shame.

[The_weatherman]

Maybe I'm wrong but it seems pretty obvious to me they don't get on. Both seem reluctant to praise the other. It's sad really. A shame.

I admire Carra as a player, but I have this feeling that if/when he turns to management, he would be in the Hodgson/Moyes mould.