Expect another bollocking.
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[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38015.msg1018487#msg1018487 date=1261318601]
Excellent post, Wizardry. I'm sure that Johnson is indeed part of the re-engineering process and Aquilani clearly is too, in that his style is distinct from from Alonso's. My spies who follow Serie A tell me Aquilani plays that bit further forward, relying somewhat less on passing and correspondingly more on making his own runs at and through the opposition. To that extent, I suspect (charitably, you and others may say, but IMO the signs are there) that Rafa hadn't always intended to stick to last season's pattern.
My reading of this season so far is that Rafa's innate conservatism has unfortunately reacted to the perfect storm of bad luck we've suffered by sticking to the tried and trusted after all. My mind goes back to Houllier reverting to type the season after we so nearly won the league under him, when we shipped a couple of goals here and there despite playing some great stuff and leading the league at the time, and he drew our horns right back in again, at which the players were (I thought) visibly disenchanted. Could the players' lack of fight and confidence this season have a similar cause?
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It's the last part of your post that has me concerned JJ. The lack of fight against Portsmouth left me feeling sick in the stomach. I contrasted that with the way the mancs responded to Fulham going up 1-0 and even 2-0. I said it in the thread on other matches and copped the stick later when they were beaten 3-0. But I would have been much happier as a manc fan getting beat 3-0 but responding with gusto and constantly looking like we still believed we could win than getting beat 2-0 by Portsmouth and totally lacking in passion.
There was an element of it against Arsenal too though I thought in that one we looked bereft of ideas as to how to change it around. At least against Wenger and co we looked like we wanted to - with Portsmouth we just looked like we wanted to get off the pitch and go home to mummy. As I say, that match left me with a very sick feeling in the stomach.
Excellent post, Wizardry. I'm sure that Johnson is indeed part of the re-engineering process and Aquilani clearly is too, in that his style is distinct from from Alonso's. My spies who follow Serie A tell me Aquilani plays that bit further forward, relying somewhat less on passing and correspondingly more on making his own runs at and through the opposition. To that extent, I suspect (charitably, you and others may say, but IMO the signs are there) that Rafa hadn't always intended to stick to last season's pattern.
My reading of this season so far is that Rafa's innate conservatism has unfortunately reacted to the perfect storm of bad luck we've suffered by sticking to the tried and trusted after all. My mind goes back to Houllier reverting to type the season after we so nearly won the league under him, when we shipped a couple of goals here and there despite playing some great stuff and leading the league at the time, and he drew our horns right back in again, at which the players were (I thought) visibly disenchanted. Could the players' lack of fight and confidence this season have a similar cause?
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It's the last part of your post that has me concerned JJ. The lack of fight against Portsmouth left me feeling sick in the stomach. I contrasted that with the way the mancs responded to Fulham going up 1-0 and even 2-0. I said it in the thread on other matches and copped the stick later when they were beaten 3-0. But I would have been much happier as a manc fan getting beat 3-0 but responding with gusto and constantly looking like we still believed we could win than getting beat 2-0 by Portsmouth and totally lacking in passion.
There was an element of it against Arsenal too though I thought in that one we looked bereft of ideas as to how to change it around. At least against Wenger and co we looked like we wanted to - with Portsmouth we just looked like we wanted to get off the pitch and go home to mummy. As I say, that match left me with a very sick feeling in the stomach.
It was the performance of a team that no longer believe in the manager, contrast it to the game against Utd earlier in the season where we were told the manager might be in serious trouble if we lost, they didnt fight for any 50/50s they werent first to the ball they didnt display any will to win. And this was against the worst team in the league, I hate to say it but not only is time up for Rafa but the longer he stays the more ragged we are becoming, Ive never seen a Liverpool team so devoid of any interest, they seem to just want the season to be over. As soon as an opposing team scores we fold and give up the ghost, sooner or later we are gonna get absolutely battered by somebody the way we are playing, the game away to Villa could be Rafas last in my opinion, if we get turned over there then the season is beyond saving
[quote author=Wizardry link=topic=38015.msg1018879#msg1018879 date=1261363772]
I contrasted that with the way the mancs responded to Fulham going up 1-0 and even 2-0. I said it in the thread on other matches and copped the stick later when they were beaten 3-0.[/quote]
When the first shot on target occured on 51 minutes I wondered if Man United, under Ferguson, had ever gone that long into any game, regardless of the quality of the opponents, without having a shot. Whislt I can't remember if they did or not, the chances are that they have not due to the way they play. They attack and create against everyone.
I contrasted that with the way the mancs responded to Fulham going up 1-0 and even 2-0. I said it in the thread on other matches and copped the stick later when they were beaten 3-0.[/quote]
When the first shot on target occured on 51 minutes I wondered if Man United, under Ferguson, had ever gone that long into any game, regardless of the quality of the opponents, without having a shot. Whislt I can't remember if they did or not, the chances are that they have not due to the way they play. They attack and create against everyone.
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