by account deleted by request » Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:05 pm
I think Rafa has learned a lot in the four seasons he has been here. Some things that worked well for him in Spain, haven't worked over here, but he has adapted and changed things where necessary.
He didn't seem to want to praise individual players when he first came........now he seems to be praising a different player every week, which as long as he doesn't over do it can only be good for moral.
Some of his buys were very talented but fell short when it came to the demands of the prem..........he now seems to be looking for character as well as talent.
The biggest surprise for me remains how quickly he has dropped rotation ...... while he still seems to like a tinker we are talking and complaining about one change and a formational change, this time last year we would have seen wholesale changes. Whether he can continue to resist may decide not only our season but possibly Rafa's future.
I can't say that I don't still have my doubts about him, but I have never doubted his character or that he puts the success of the club above his own.