mattylfc wrote:I think there has been some really good points made in this thread after getting through some of the nonsense. Personally, if there is little change by the end of the season then unfortunately Rafa must go.
One thing i want to make clear is that i really rate Rafa as a manager and he has proved himself as one of the best mangers in the world in my eyes. Whilst he is still in charge, he has my full support as manager and if i was to wake up tomorrow and read that Rafa had gone i would be truly gutted.
Quite a lot of the earlier posters were suggesting that anyone that queries rafas future doesnt care about the club and Rafa as a person. This is completely untrue in my case, i am just realistic and will always put the club before anyone else and if that means Rafa making way then unfortunately thats the way it will have to be.
Like everyone else on here we have reached the highest standards and seen some of the best football played at the highest level. For a long time now i have been very disapointed with our style of play and the way in which we approach games. We as a club have been notorious for an exciting style of play and a never say die attitude and that seems to have disappeared lately.
Too many times i have seen us turn up against weaker opposition under Rafa and planned our team around them. Obviously we always need to take certain things into consideration but we should be at a level by now where we need not worry too much about what the opposition do. We should go out to win every single game.
With regards to signings, Rafa has bought in some unbelievable players who will hopefully be here for years to come but i also feel that too often he has bridged gaps with signings and hasnt nailed those key players that we still require. I know that we have had problems with money at times and there is obviously tension in the background at the moment but i still believe that we can free up a lot of money in the sales of average existing players coupled with money from other areas.
Im not someone who believes that you have to go out and spend top amounts for the sake of it but i am someone that can see that if we were to sell two or three players in which we could get substantial cash for and then go and buy three top class players ( in the calibre of Torres), we would be so much closer to the top three than we are now. I want Rafa to sign players that he feels he cannot drop because they are simply that good and are important to the team.
Rafa has shown already that in a one off games we can beat anyone on our day but over the season we just dont have the same consistancy or the quality of players to cope with the demands of the premier league.
I really do hope that Rafa is the man to turn things around for us but if i am completely honest, i just cant see it happening.
Sensible post mate....
