Page 5 of 12
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:45 pmby AB's Red Army
Right, it must be Rafa's rotating that is causing players to misplace simple passes.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:03 amby Leonmc0708
What too many people seem to be able to grasp is that rotation is inevitable, all the top teams do it, its just a new blame thing for poor results.
Rafa is an inovator, just like the boys on the Kop, and he is not the kind of guy who goes for the Statos Quo.
Having studied football in many guises over the last 30 years, this intelligent man has formulated a system, tactics and the kind of personell he beleives will get him what he wants.
He is (and in my opinion always should be) unwavering in this theory. And just like we no longer hear the moans of "this zonal marking bullsh.it" that we heard all the time in the early days, we will soon consigne the "this rotation policy" forum moan to the virtual dustbin too. So unwavering is our gaffer that he even alienated his right hand man and close personal friend for what he beleived in.
In reality you see, we are strong in the second half of season, (usually after the squad has been kept fresh with rotation for the first half of the season) and as all the armchair pundits rightly pointed out we needed a good start to the season. Well not a single goal from open play, and within 4 points of the current leaders, 2 behind the champions with a game in hand and a point ahead of Chelsea (the team thats won the title twice in the last three seasons) constitutes a good start even if we could/should have been closer.
If wee keep within 6-9 points by the turn of the year and use our extensive (fresh) squad to attain the same kind of results of the last two seasons and maybe, just maybe . . . .
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:41 amby nemesh
however rafa is a great manager
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:30 amby 112-1077774096
Leonmc0708 wrote:What too many people seem to be able to grasp is that rotation is inevitable, all the top teams do it,
If wee keep within 6-9 points by the turn of the year and use our extensive (fresh) squad to attain the same kind of results of the last two seasons and maybe, just maybe . . . .
but we wont be fresher than the other top teams so where is the advantage?
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 2:28 amby maypaxvobiscum
someone once mentioned ''whats the point of keeping the players fresh when they are out of all the competitions come december''
i totally agree with that statement.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:53 amby Emerald Red
maypaxvobiscum wrote:someone once mentioned ''whats the point of keeping the players fresh when they are out of all the competitions come december''
i totally agree with that statement.
Wasn't andy Gray, was it? 
Make no mistakes, if we are in the same possition in the league come December with only 4 points or so in it still, I'll be a very happy punter.
Our next few games are crucial. We MUST win them all. Obviously. 
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:35 amby Ace Ventura
All decent points Leon, Rafa wont change and we do have to accept that. But it doesnt mean we agree.
Can you honestly say that if he had of played our best team against Portsmouth and we had won (which i realise isnt guaranteed by the way) then when we would of gone into the Birmingham game we wouldnt of been in a better position with more confidence ?
Momentum is a key thing that i think Rafa and also alot of our fans are underestimating, if you get on a decent run of results some games are won before you have even started, united proved that last season, as did Chelsea in the previous two.
We might be still in a decent enough position, and i would of taken the position we are in now...if offered that at the start of the season. But not after we have seen United and Chelsea struggling at times.
I think we have wasted a major opportunity to get off to an absolute flier and really make United worry. They will probably be made up now, as they dropped so many points in the first couple of weeks but now they are in a similar position and have Saha back, which will majorly boost there attacking options.
AB the point you made about misplaced passes, while obviously not the managers fault entirley, disrupting a settled side would have an affect in the fluidity of the play, that is obvious to see.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:06 amby Leonmc0708
peewee wrote:Leonmc0708 wrote:What too many people seem to be able to grasp is that rotation is inevitable, all the top teams do it,
If wee keep within 6-9 points by the turn of the year and use our extensive (fresh) squad to attain the same kind of results of the last two seasons and maybe, just maybe . . . .
but we wont be fresher than the other top teams so where is the advantage?
I am preety sure that:
1) We have a better stregth in depth than the rest of the top four
2) We rotate more than the rest of the top four
therfore I would suggest that would make us fresher than the other top teams ?
Ace Ventura wrote:All decent points Leon, Rafa wont change and we do have to accept that. But it doesnt mean we agree.
I am not suggesting that we agree, however I do advocate a little more respect for and loyalty to the man after two below par (and definitely not disasterous) results.
Not you in particular Ace.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:24 amby Ace Ventura
The majority of fans although disgruntled will still be right behind the manager, he has after all brought us the champions league and fa cup and a few other minor pots. We were also champions league runners up last season so he has done a great job. No arguments at all there.
People booing at the match is a disgrace and helps nobody the manager obviously deserves more respect than that.
Yes we do probably have a better squad than the others and we probably will be fresher at the end of the season, but i myself would prefer the points on the board now.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:35 amby Leonmc0708
Ace Ventura wrote:but i myself would prefer the points on the board now.
I dont care when they go on the board meself, just so long as they add up to more then everyone elses i nthe league come the end of May.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:56 amby Ace Ventura
Leonmc0708 wrote:Ace Ventura wrote:but i myself would prefer the points on the board now.
I dont care when they go on the board meself, just so long as they add up to more then everyone elses i nthe league come the end of May.
Obviously neither would anyone, but dont you think momentum helps not only us, but psychologically it would affect our rivals as well ?
It is easy to say we have plenty of games left and not worry about points dropped here and there but thats a bit of a cop out in my opinion.
I know what your saying look at the bigger picture wait until the end of season etc, and i agree we will be there or there abouts, but i really believe we are making it harder for ourselves than it should be.
Lets just wait and see eh.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:20 amby redtrader74
peewee wrote:Leonmc0708 wrote:What too many people seem to be able to grasp is that rotation is inevitable, all the top teams do it,
If wee keep within 6-9 points by the turn of the year and use our extensive (fresh) squad to attain the same kind of results of the last two seasons and maybe, just maybe . . . .
but we wont be fresher than the other top teams so where is the advantage?
The advantage will be over the other sides in the prem, the ones with the smaller squads, with less quality, who could not rest their players over the season, and keep us on par with the teams that get knocked out early from the Cup competitions, and have had less games to play.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:05 amby Leonmc0708
Ace Ventura wrote:People booing at the match is a disgrace and helps nobody
People booing at the match, having less than two hours early sang you will never walk alone to the same players by way of a rally cry is bordering on hypocritical, and somewhat ironic.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:12 amby redtrader74
Leonmc0708 wrote:Ace Ventura wrote:People booing at the match is a disgrace and helps nobody
People booing at the match, having less than two hours early sang you will never walk alone to the same players by way of a rally cry is bordering on hypocritical, and somewhat ironic.
Its actually a very sad situation, we are slowly turning into cynical, highly strung supporters like Tottenham.
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:13 amby 66-1112520797
And fwiw, I think Torres would have drawn a blank on Sat, as he seems to struggle against deep-lying teams.
Well then I think we got stung for 20 0dd million pounds, if he's never to play at Anfield then.
FFS thats bollox !