I don’t like posting straight after a game as I feel emotions are still high and I wouldn’t say what I really felt so two days after Hull I now feel ready to deliver an honest unbiased opinion. First off although I am a Rafa fan I must admit to being confused and infuriated by some of his decisions and Saturdays starting line up was one of those occasions, we are at home to an admittedly dogged Hull and we line up like we are playing the Mancs at Old Trafford!
Having said that I like the idea of using a five man midfield as you can have really good attacking players in that formation as in Gerrard and Reira with support from a good defensive one as in Mascherano and a fantastic passer of a ball like Alonso who can find anyone when he’s on his game.
But when you have one up front and that player is expected to hold play up and cause the defence problems and also generally make a nuisance of himself why would you play Kuyt in that position? Forget about his good work as a winger and lets concentrate on his forward play, he doesn’t hold play up as his first touch is usually bad his aerial threat is limited and any long ball to him is usually a waste because of these faults, Then you have his distinct lack of pace no long range shooting ability and the scoring threat of Anne Robinson! but I am not on a ‘lets get Dirk’ mission I am honestly totally bemused as to what Rafa thought the team would gain from using him as the lone striker.
He definitely had other options and whilst Keane and Babel do have some of the faults Kuyt has they do have positives that for me should have meant they started ahead of him, Ryan is more direct has pace and isn’t afraid to have a pot shot from distance, Robbie for his poor season so far is clever around the box can lay off passes and also is capable of great through balls as at PSV last week. Would it be wrong of me to suggest Rafa may be playing Dirk ahead of the other two because of some behind the scenes trouble we are not aware of? If not I am open to all arguments as to what he sees in Dirk as a front man never mind a makeshift winger!
As to once the action began I did think we where sleeping to start with and got surprised as to just how lively Hull could be but having a left back who bombs down the wings but then forgets to come back didn’t help and Dossena did get ripped to bits by Mendy until an injury forced his tormenter to play in a right back role.
If I could be controversial now and suggest that as soon as a fit Skirtel returns he and Agger should be played together as often as possible in a centre back pairing that is obviously the future for this club, it has nothing to do with Carra’s own goal I just honestly think he would be better at right back or covering other positions in the later stages of his career. Nostalgia and gratitude should be put to one side and whilst the pairing on Saturday is legendary and still capable of doing a good job I feel the lads waiting in the wings could do a great job and the time has come to start taking a couple of risks with up and coming players and not play it safe with old stalwarts.
A couple of other points I would like to make before I sound too much like a blue nose
firstly after clawing back to 2-2 and pushing on in the first half when we could have gone three or four two up why after halftime did we sit back and say ‘we have a point lets hang on to that and see how it goes’ instead of ‘bloody hell its only a point lets get all three!’ also you are chasing a game the clocks running down so why a) replace Bert with Ryan when surely both should have been on the pitch chasing a win. And B) With time running out why bring Lucas on for Mascherano? What in the name of Holy doughnuts was he going to change?
Right with that all off my chest may I add that I am still a Rafa fan it’s just as a fan I feel we have the right to question decisions he makes without appearing like a sack him now supporter and I still believe the ‘In Rafa we trust’ mantra will prove to be right in the long term because after all he knows a hell of a lot more about managing a football team than I do.
Aren’t you glad it’s Monday and I have calmed down?
