The Woes - With a Spin! To keep certain people happy!!!!

You've given the game away about your age!

My son is two and watches 'Nina and the Neurons' on Cbeebies.  Back tomorrow aren't you? 

Who? What?

BTW - How does it feel to have a son mentally superior to his dad?

If you two want to argue, do it via PM.

The result was positive - the performance wasn't - in my opinion!

In your words, Arsenal are the currently the best team in Europe.  Why aren't Liverpool - ED?  Surely that's negative, and show's something isn't quite right?

So you're happy with Kuyt and Voronin playing on the wings then - silly me, I must be missing something.

It was a positive performance considering the current form of both sides... And no, the fact that Arsenal could be considered the best side in Europe at the moment cannot be classed as a negative for Liverpool.  I understand what you're trying to imply, but Liverpool are yet to hit top form, and in my opinion Arsenal will drop points throughout the season.  They may be the best footballing side to watch at present, but that doesn't guarantee Premiership success.

Also, Voronin and Kuyt were used either side of a three man strike force, and not wingers, in my opinion.  However, I would have thought that Babel and Benayoun would have been better options, as they offer more creativity.

you know what ffs meant!  And you're not funny!

The formation was about yesterday and all our games.  I cannot be negative about injuries - that's no-ones fault.  But I can be critical of changing formations for the sake of the opposition and then playing people in positions they are not accustomed too!

Richobaz, it's common knowledge that Rafa will change formations and players depending on the opposition. This for me is a positive point to his style of management as it shows he goes into detail in his preparations and as a result has given us many positive results in the past especially when the odds seemed stacked against us.

Two European Cup Finals, an FA Cup final, a record Premiership season, European Super Cup win.  Top of the table position for the first time in 5 years. 6 points off the top with a game in hand.

Yeah Benitez - listen to all of us telling you where you're going wrong.

Two European Cup Finals, an FA Cup final, a record Premiership season, European Super Cup win.  Top of the table position for the first time in 5 years. 6 points off the top with a game in hand.

Yeah Benitez - listen to all of us telling you where you're going wrong.

World Club Champions runner-up...One Charity Shield.

All Rafa doubters - roll-it up gently, stuff it in your pipe and smoke.

The guy is a football genius.

Look at the mess Valencia have been in since he left... only yesterday sacked their latest manager!

^^QFT.

And Valencia probably have a better squad than when Rafa was in charge....A very good Morientes/Villa partnership up front...Silva flourishing....Joaquin etc....

I think we played some of the best football since the beginning of the season.  When I saw the 4-3-3 formation in the warm up I was a bit worried but it worked quite well and as the stats show we had as many chances as Arsenal.  Did Arsenal pass the ball around better than us? Yes.  Was their movement better than us? Yes.  What Arsenal lack is a clinical cutting edge as we do at the moment with Torres not fit and Voronin and Kuyt not doing it.

I admit I was seriously worried before the game that we could have been stuffed, particularly with Arsenal coming in on a good run with their confidence high and us on the back of a poor run with our confidence low.  This makes the result and our performance even more creditable. 

One thing I must take up is the performance of Kuyt.  No one can critcise his effort.  He gives 200% in every game.  What bothers me is his control in that the ball bounces off him far too much which allowed Arsenal to easily nullify his threat.  A lot of his running seemed to be trying to recover balls he has lost.  I remember on one occasion the ball was played out to him from defence but he was closed down by their defender and he seemed to have no answer as to how to get past him.

This is a major concern to me as we can't expect a fit Torres to do it all himself.   

What I don't get about Rafa is that he continues to leave our adventurous players on the bench and play the not so adventurous players. Also I don't get the fact that he continues to play off-form players and leave the young hungry players to rot in reserves.

Blackburn tough game or not, I'd actually consider starting Lucas, El Zhar & Insua because neither of them have done any worse than the senior players and they are probably more hungry for competition.

Anyway going back to why Rafa leaves out the adventurous players, I mean look at how well Benayoun plays! He is a fantastic player, very creative, very quick and a very good thinker. He can keep possesion of the ball and has brilliant technique... but I find it bizarre that Benitez continues to start him on the bench for most games. You telling me the clueless Pennant could do a better job than Benayoun? Or Riise? I doubt it very much.

Lucas should be starting far more games, he's got touches of class in him, not tried anything spectacular yet but he's still a new boy and he knows what he's capable off. Play him more often, and he'll be confident to show you what he's got.. but I reckon he's not going to get the chance to improve his career when Sissoko & Alonso are still here.

Another thing I don't get is why Rafa has so much faith in Sissoko.. I mean he's PANTS and he would never make it at any other top team.

What I don't get about Rafa is that he continues to leave our adventurous players on the bench and play the not so adventurous players. Also I don't get the fact that he continues to play off-form players and leave the young hungry players to rot in reserves.

Blackburn tough game or not, I'd actually consider starting Lucas, El Zhar & Insua because neither of them have done any worse than the senior players and they are probably more hungry for competition.

Anyway going back to why Rafa leaves out the adventurous players, I mean look at how well Benayoun plays! He is a fantastic player, very creative, very quick and a very good thinker. He can keep possesion of the ball and has brilliant technique... but I find it bizarre that Benitez continues to start him on the bench for most games. You telling me the clueless Pennant could do a better job than Benayoun? Or Riise? I doubt it very much.

Lucas should be starting far more games, he's got touches of class in him, not tried anything spectacular yet but he's still a new boy and he knows what he's capable off. Play him more often, and he'll be confident to show you what he's got.. but I reckon he's not going to get the chance to improve his career when Sissoko & Alonso are still here.

Another thing I don't get is why Rafa has so much faith in Sissoko.. I mean he's PANTS and he would never make it at any other top team.

I'd start considering Lucas a lot more at the minute! I agree that El Zhar and Insua would be hungry but I don't think they'd fare as well in the league matches!

Agreed too on Benayoun, although he is effective coming off the bench and changing games!

 

Blackburn tough game or not, I'd actually consider starting Lucas, El Zhar & Insua because neither of them have done any worse than the senior players and they are probably more hungry for competition.

Let me get this right you are trying to say lets forget the title this season and try develop some youngsters this season!

Let me get this right you are trying to say lets forget the title this season and try develop some youngsters this season!

Mate I don't want to sound too negative but the way we are playing, we'll never win the Premiership.
It's Rafa's tactics, they are set out so we don't lose.. thats why we don't lose but draw a hell of a lot of the time.
I'm 100% sure we won't win the Premiership this season, looking at Arsenal, United & Chelsea.. we are still a class below which we need to work on before thinking of winning that title.

Mate I don't want to sound too negative but the way we are playing, we'll never win the Premiership.
It's Rafa's tactics, they are set out so we don't lose.. thats why we don't lose but draw a hell of a lot of the time.
I'm 100% sure we won't win the Premiership this season.

Chin up mate!  Just have a little faith

I can see where you are coming from about Arsenal & United being a different class because they are playing football to kill at the minute.

Chelsea aren't a problem at the minute.  As long as we sort it out and in the mean time I don't care if we play sluggish to win!

At the end of the season there will be one team standing.  I don't care how we do it.