If a team does poorly, or as is the case in modern-day football, fails to entertain, the blame falls on the manager. That sounds right until you consider that if those bloody millionaires running aimlessly on the pitch had followed instructions, and if the opposition had turned around and grabbed their ankles as asked, the team would be 50-0 up by half-time.
We got a laugh out of Paul Doyle’s riff on Liverpool’s performance at Villa Park but to be fair to Rafa, it wasn’t a bad result. Villa finished 6th last season and if you remove the hype that surrounds teams at the top of the pile in England, the 4th placed team drawing away from home to the 6th place team is an acceptable result and hardly cause for drawing knives.
And if anyone is to blame, it’s the overpaid stars on the pitch who haven’t been able to follow Rafa’s instructions, or the injuries to Torres and Gerrard, or the fact that new signings take time settle in, or that Rafa doesn’t have his first-choice left-sided player in nor his second-choice player for that matter.
Fire Rafa?
Hang on – you seem to missing an enormous point here. I think what the issue is is not related to Rafa or the players specifically (althouhg people can argue until they are blue in the face over it) but more over the we have played terribly in every competitive game this season. Scraping points in the 90th minute, didnt even have a shot on target on Sunday – personally, I think the formation needs to change back to the successful 4-2-3-1 of last season as you can play 4-4-2 without width. Kujt can run all day but isnt a winger and Benayoun loves to cut back inside clogging up the midfield where Gerrard (oh how we will miss him) and Masch / Alonso thrive on the space.
Time to forget accomodating overpriced players (cough, Keane, cough) and lets play a formation that wins us games, and wins games WELL.
agree with u…..players are to blame for the negative football we played. without gerrard and torres….others are given great chance to shine but seem no 1 take it
where is the winning mentality? i think at least rafa must to his job and warn the players. chances must be taken before eveything is late…
Yeah!! blame the players..they don’t take a benefit while torres and gerrard are injured…they suppose to show their real talent that no one can amagine…so don’t be a cowardy..improve keane..he’s played so poor yerterdar..Ngog too..lazy player..improve them!!..improve forwards!!!!!!!!!!! always use ONE-TWO AND ONE-TOUCH play..be a creative..don’t play too defensive..play attacking…well goodluck liverpool players
I disagree guys. I feel Rafa consistently plays people out of position and has failed miserably in close season to bring in any real quality. We have lacked width and creativity for some time now and look even worse and more lost for creativity than we ever have. We actually set up against Villa looking to contain them and catch them on the break. It’s Villa for god’s sake who have the worst record in the Premier League against the top four teams. And for those of us who watched yesterday will again have seen a great opportunity to take the game to a very mediocre team and go clear at the top.
I hope this is down to early season rustiness! but unfortunately i feel that Rafa’s time is coming to an end. I really don’t believe that he motivates or gets the best from players. He is an administrative manager and in management terms it is wel known this is the poorest form of management against reuslts. Footballers are like high maintenance girlfriends and all need to be loved and shown love by managers. This was key to Chelsea’s success under Mourinho and looks to be the same under Scolari. Chelsea are desparate not to let him down and to show him how good they are.
To leave Babel out on Saturday was insane not to mention his undying love for Kuyt who has been absolutelty shocking (goal against Liege excluded. He is slow, can’t cross or go past any defender but we play him as a winger. Even Penant would be far more effective in this position. Ngog was totally lost and to replace Torres with him instead of Babel to me was again completely bonkers. Rafa is negative and very very stubborn.
We will never win the Premiership under Benitez. I have to agree with Jamie Redknapp’s synopsis on the match yesterday when he said we seem ot have regressed in terms of quality. Unfortunately Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd have better players than us.
The gap has narrowed, Villa are now closer to challenging for a top 4 position, watched it all. We contained them but never had one shot on target! We have not had a decent performance this season, good results though and thats what counts, just ask a chelsea fan??
The gap has not narrowed we have just got worse this season. Villa only managed a draw against us and we playednworse football we have in three years.