Five Short-Term Strategies For Rafa...

[LeTallecWiz]

From footy365.com's Paul Little

Five Short-Term Strategies For Rafa...
Posted 26/11/09 12:20EmailPrintSave

Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has said that Rafael Benitez's job is safe in the long term - well, at least until the end of the season.

However, if the poor form of his charges continues, then a momentum may build that could force the Spaniard out sooner rather than later.

Critical to Rafa's survival is the need to keep the fans - loyal up to now - on his side. So to maintain their support in the short to medium term and thereby avoid an ignominious exit, here are five things Rafa could do to further 'manipulate' the Liverpool fans:

1) Stop making excuses about injuries: Okay, there's been a long list of crockages and lots of disruption. But eventually, the sympathy starts to drain away. Nobody wants to see a helpless manager. Time for Rafa to show that he can still get results from the players he has available. After all, whether they are all first-choicers or not, they are his players. Remember the side that won the Champions League? On paper, they were nowhere near as good as his current mob. Time to stop whining and start producing results. Beating Everton at Goodison would not do him any harm at all.

2) Stop conceding from set-pieces: Much of the criticism of zonal marking is overplayed - Liverpool have employed it right thru' Rafa's tenure, with statistically good results. Again, disruption caused by injuries can't help organisationally. Nevertheless, is it too much to ask that all those who may end up taking to the pitch should actually understand their roles? If as Rafa claims, the players support the method, then it is time to show that they can operate it effectively. Failure to do so does not reflect well on Benitez and his coaches. Liverpool fans are tired of closing their eyes at opposition set-pieces.

3) Stop playing Dirk Kuyt (for a while at least). The Dutchman is all that is good and bad about Rafa's Liverpool. Can't question the effort, but the quality is still in doubt. At this stage, it appears that Dirk has run his legs down to stumps for the cause. He needs a rest - and Liverpool fans could do with a break from the frustration.

4) Stop the Aquilani cameos - unleash the Italian. Liverpool fans need to see some hope. With Gerrard and Torres jumping on and off the physio's table with worrying regularity, the fans need someone else to believe in. Aquilani has been billed as just that hero. Time to unleash the Italian. Otherwise, there will be a growing sense that his succession of cameo appearances displays a lack of trust from the manager. An Italian Robbie Keane? Time for Rafa to prove that this purchase can make a real difference and banish the lingering yearning for Xabi Alonso.

5) Stop the injury crisis for good - immerse the players in a giant bath of horse placenta cream: It seemed to work for Yossi. Fill up the players' bath in Melwood with the stuff and sit the lot 'em into it up to their necks. It can't do any harm to try.

Some interesting points ...

 

[Stulikesdrums]

Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

 

[ILD]

Shhhhhhhhhh Stu.

 

[Squiggles]

Good article.

Shit post from Stu.

 

[Stulikesdrums]

Sorry Dave, will do.

 

[Jack D Rips]

[quote author=Stu link=topic=37458.msg999586#msg999586 date=1259252312]
Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

[/quote]

Stu you are NOT supposed to mention that. Cease immediately!

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Stu link=topic=37458.msg999586#msg999586 date=1259252312]
Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

[/quote]

Yes, Rafa himself should have fixed his leg a lot earlier.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999865#msg999865 date=1259279719]
[quote author=Stu link=topic=37458.msg999586#msg999586 date=1259252312]
Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

[/quote]

Yes, Rafa himself should have fixed his leg a lot earlier.
[/quote]

Maybe he shouldn't have bought a crock in the first place.
Maybe.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Sheik (Loki) Yerbouti link=topic=37458.msg999872#msg999872 date=1259280627]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999865#msg999865 date=1259279719]
[quote author=Stu link=topic=37458.msg999586#msg999586 date=1259252312]
Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

[/quote]

Yes, Rafa himself should have fixed his leg a lot earlier.
[/quote]

Maybe he shouldn't have bought a crock in the first place.
Maybe.
[/quote]

Maybe we just need to see the cunt actually play.

Besides, the longer his spell on the sidelines drags on, the more people will start to side with my theory that he might not even be that fucking good. And we can't have that.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Seing as Rafa now has the total control of the club he yearned for he should be sacking the quack who assessed the Italian's fitness.

 

[Ryan]

I'm not really that arsed that Rafa bought an injured player. It's a bit short-termist to be getting up in arms about it now just because the team's struggling. I don't think many of us expected much from him in his first season anyway, due to bedding in, pace of the game, etc etc... So I had zero expectations from him this year anyway.

If Rafa bought him under the impression that *he* was the best midfielder out there in the market for that price, then fine, I can live with him being injured for a few months. I'd certainly prefer to sit and wait for him to be fit, then demonstrate pure quality for years to come, than for Rafa to sign someone who may have been fit from day one, but wouldn't have got to Aqui's level over, say, the next 4-5 years.

I will though have a problem with him and Rafa if the lad turns out to be fucking shit in the long-term.

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999875#msg999875 date=1259280819]
[quote author=Sheik (Loki) Yerbouti link=topic=37458.msg999872#msg999872 date=1259280627]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999865#msg999865 date=1259279719]
[quote author=Stu link=topic=37458.msg999586#msg999586 date=1259252312]
Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

[/quote]

Yes, Rafa himself should have fixed his leg a lot earlier.
[/quote]

Maybe he shouldn't have bought a crock in the first place.
Maybe.
[/quote]

Maybe we just need to see the cunt actually play.

Besides, the longer his spell on the sidelines drags on, the more people will start to side with my theory that he might not even be that fucking good. And we can't have that.
[/quote]

That's why so many of us are frustrated at his lack of minutes on the pitch. I think Rafa is reluctant to drop Lucas and the longer it goes on the harder it will be.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999879#msg999879 date=1259281220]
I'm not really that arsed that Rafa bought an injured player. It's a bit short-termist to be getting up in arms about it now just because the team's struggling. I don't think many of us expected much from him in his first season anyway, due to bedding in, pace of the game, etc etc...
[/quote]

Sorry mate but I had plenty big expectations of Rafa's ability to mount a title challenge given he only had to tweek a squad that had come so close the season before. I'm mightily pissed off he bought a player who had to fill a key position that he knew would be unavailable for a fair part of the season. Despite all the boo-hooing from some quarters to the contrary, he didn't have to let Alonso go. But he did and was prepared to rely on a Mascherano / Lucas central midfield for at least the 6 weeks he initially thought the Italian would be out for. He said we could cope. That must be the most unproductive central midfield I've seen in a long time.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=ILD link=topic=37458.msg999880#msg999880 date=1259281360]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999875#msg999875 date=1259280819]
[quote author=Sheik (Loki) Yerbouti link=topic=37458.msg999872#msg999872 date=1259280627]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999865#msg999865 date=1259279719]
[quote author=Stu link=topic=37458.msg999586#msg999586 date=1259252312]
Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

[/quote]

Yes, Rafa himself should have fixed his leg a lot earlier.
[/quote]

Maybe he shouldn't have bought a crock in the first place.
Maybe.
[/quote]

Maybe we just need to see the cunt actually play.

Besides, the longer his spell on the sidelines drags on, the more people will start to side with my theory that he might not even be that fucking good. And we can't have that.
[/quote]

That's why so many of us are frustrated at his lack of minutes on the pitch. I think Rafa is reluctant to drop Lucas and the longer it goes on the harder it will be.
[/quote]

Well, there are numerous arguments for and against this Dave, but it's Rafa who see's him in training every day, and thus can make a far better judgement on him than us.

Personally, I think (and I'm basing this on fuck all other than a hunch) Rafa probably views him as being a bit too... attacking maybe, not sure if that's the word. Maybe not disciplined enough, and the thought of throwing him straight into a midfield two when he'll clearly be behind the pace of things is too much of a risk for Rafa. Without going down the route of discussing Lucas' limitations, I guess what Rafa can rely on from the Brazilian is a disciplined central midfielder whom he knows will hold his position well, and keep up with the pace of the game. Maybe he's not entirely convinced he'll get that from Aquilani yet.

But that's just a guess as I say.

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999879#msg999879 date=1259281220]
I'm not really that arsed that Rafa bought an injured player. It's a bit short-termist to be getting up in arms about it now just because the team's struggling. I don't think many of us expected much from him in his first season anyway, due to bedding in, pace of the game, etc etc... So I had zero expectations from him this year anyway.

If Rafa bought him under the impression that *he* was the best midfielder out there in the market for that price, then fine, I can live with him being injured for a few months. I'd certainly prefer to sit and wait for him to be fit, then demonstrate pure quality for years to come, than for Rafa to sign someone who may have been fit from day one, but wouldn't have got to Aqui's level over, say, the next 4-5 years.

I will though have a problem with him and Rafa if the lad turns out to be fucking shit in the long-term.
[/quote]

I agree with that. Rafa bought Aqualani for the future, however he did gamble that we could cope in the short term while he regained fitness. Obviously we haven't had the best start to the season but that can be attributed to injuries, defensive frailties and bad luck and not just due to the fact Alberto hasn't played.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Sheik (Loki) Yerbouti link=topic=37458.msg999881#msg999881 date=1259281562]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999879#msg999879 date=1259281220]
I'm not really that arsed that Rafa bought an injured player. It's a bit short-termist to be getting up in arms about it now just because the team's struggling. I don't think many of us expected much from him in his first season anyway, due to bedding in, pace of the game, etc etc...
[/quote]

Sorry mate but I had plenty big expectations of Rafa's ability to mount a title challenge given he only had to tweek a squad that had come so close the season before. I'm mightily pissed off he bought a player who had to fill a key position that he knew would be unavailable for a fair part of the season. Despite all the boo-hooing from some quarters to the contrary, he didn't have to let Alonso go. But he did and was prepared to rely on a Mascherano / Lucas central midfield for at least the 6 weeks he initially thought the Italian would be out for. He said we could cope. That must be the most unproductive central midfield I've seen in a long time.
[/quote]

Well that's a different argument altogethor really. I think we're in agreement that the loss of Alonso is a monumental one, and combined with a staggering injury list, has completely derailed our season.

That central midfield pairing (Lucas & Mascherano) was good enough on plenty of occassions last season, but probably cos it was surrounded by a fit and firing Gerrard, Torres, Kuyt, etc. The limited attacking thrust from that midfield pairing becomes far more evident and far bigger an issue when it's surrounded by the likes of Aurelio, N'gog, and Voronin.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=ILD link=topic=37458.msg999884#msg999884 date=1259281895]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999879#msg999879 date=1259281220]
I'm not really that arsed that Rafa bought an injured player. It's a bit short-termist to be getting up in arms about it now just because the team's struggling. I don't think many of us expected much from him in his first season anyway, due to bedding in, pace of the game, etc etc... So I had zero expectations from him this year anyway.

If Rafa bought him under the impression that *he* was the best midfielder out there in the market for that price, then fine, I can live with him being injured for a few months. I'd certainly prefer to sit and wait for him to be fit, then demonstrate pure quality for years to come, than for Rafa to sign someone who may have been fit from day one, but wouldn't have got to Aqui's level over, say, the next 4-5 years.

I will though have a problem with him and Rafa if the lad turns out to be fucking shit in the long-term.
[/quote]

I agree with that. Rafa bought Aqualani for the future, however he did gamble that we could cope in the short term while he regained fitness. Obviously we haven't had the best start to the season but that can be attributed to injuries, defensive frailties and bad luck and not just due to the fact Alberto hasn't played.


[/quote]

Yup, pretty much what I just said too.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999887#msg999887 date=1259281949]


That central midfield pairing (Lucas & Mascherano) was good enough on plenty of occassions last season
[/quote]

It was good in enough in the odd match here and there. Wimbledon beat us in an FA Cup Final afterall!

 

[LarryHagman]

20mil+ and 100k a week (prob) to acclimatize and recover from injury for a year?

Groan.

He'll want a new contract at the end of next season as well (if he's still here).

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=37458.msg999893#msg999893 date=1259282067]

20mil+ and 100k a week (prob) to acclimatize and recover from injury for a year?

Groan.

He'll want a new contract at the end of next season as well (if he's still here).

[/quote]

United took a similar risk, for the same price, with Van Nistelrooy Larry.

 

[LarryHagman]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999896#msg999896 date=1259282191]
[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=37458.msg999893#msg999893 date=1259282067]

20mil+ and 100k a week (prob) to acclimatize and recover from injury for a year?

Groan.

He'll want a new contract at the end of next season as well (if he's still here).

[/quote]

United took a similar risk, for the same price, with Van Nistelrooy Larry.
[/quote]

Fair enough, that worked out. Hats off to that retort.

Time will tell I guess.

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999883#msg999883 date=1259281721]
[quote author=ILD link=topic=37458.msg999880#msg999880 date=1259281360]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999875#msg999875 date=1259280819]
[quote author=Sheik (Loki) Yerbouti link=topic=37458.msg999872#msg999872 date=1259280627]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999865#msg999865 date=1259279719]
[quote author=Stu link=topic=37458.msg999586#msg999586 date=1259252312]
Rafa has handled the whole Aquilani situation terribly imo.

[/quote]

Yes, Rafa himself should have fixed his leg a lot earlier.
[/quote]

Maybe he shouldn't have bought a crock in the first place.
Maybe.
[/quote]

Maybe we just need to see the cunt actually play.

Besides, the longer his spell on the sidelines drags on, the more people will start to side with my theory that he might not even be that fucking good. And we can't have that.
[/quote]

That's why so many of us are frustrated at his lack of minutes on the pitch. I think Rafa is reluctant to drop Lucas and the longer it goes on the harder it will be.
[/quote]

Well, there are numerous arguments for and against this Dave, but it's Rafa who see's him in training every day, and thus can make a far better judgement on him than us.

Personally, I think (and I'm basing this on fuck all other than a hunch) Rafa probably views him as being a bit too... attacking maybe, not sure if that's the word. Maybe not disciplined enough, and the thought of throwing him straight into a midfield two when he'll clearly be behind the pace of things is too much of a risk for Rafa. Without going down the route of discussing Lucas' limitations, I guess what Rafa can rely on from the Brazilian is a disciplined central midfielder whom he knows will hold his position well, and keep up with the pace of the game. Maybe he's not entirely convinced he'll get that from Aquilani yet.

But that's just a guess as I say.
[/quote]

It's as fair assessment as any Ryan and I have a hunch of my own. Rafa has put a lot of faith in Lucas, a huge amount of faith. Whether it be praise in the press or simply his name on a teamsheet, Rafa has always wanted Lucas to succeed. Which is fair enough, every manager should be supportive of his players but I'm worried that Rafa is perhaps too stubborn to drop Lucas. Lucas takes a lot of flack from all walks of life, from the fan in the street to the journalist in the high brow newspaper. Rafa also isn't immune from this flack for persisting with Lucas. I hope Rafa isn't too stubborn to realise Lucas needs to step aside and let the 20 million international have a run in the side.

I hope this is just sensationalist bollix and with time Aqualani makes the midfield slot his own. Only time will tell I suppose.

(P.S. before anyone says this is a dig at the manager, it's not, it's just a worry)

 

[peekay]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=37458.msg999896#msg999896 date=1259282191]
[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=37458.msg999893#msg999893 date=1259282067]

20mil+ and 100k a week (prob) to acclimatize and recover from injury for a year?

Groan.

He'll want a new contract at the end of next season as well (if he's still here).

[/quote]

United took a similar risk, for the same price, with Van Nistelrooy Larry.
[/quote]

I am not sure if that example is correct. United waited for a year till Nistelrooy was fit and then completed the deal in April or May.
He then got back into match fitness over the summer and then started the new season as the first team starter. This is from my memory so I maybe wrong.

 

[keniget]

If Aquilani is incapable of playing alongside Masher, what is his purpose?

That theory doesn't really make sense to me.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=37458.msg999908#msg999908 date=1259283203]
If Aquilani is incapable of playing alongside Masher, what is his purpose?

That theory doesn't really make sense to me.
[/quote]

... Right now Ken.

I'm not suggesting he won't be able to play alongside Mascherano over time, but for the various reasons I've guess at above, I think Rafa's been more inclined to stick with what he knows. Besides, he's been fit for what 3/4 games now? It's hardly like Rafa's had the lad sitting on the sidelines for the past 4 months raring to go.

 

[keniget]

I can completely understand resting him if he's not yet fit or if the club is erring on the side of caution with a view of keeping him fit in the long-term, but the idea that he somehow doesn't quite fit into the side right now for reasons other than fitness just does not sit right with me at all. Perhaps Rafa is thinking along those lines, but if he is, I'd be absolutely disgusted with him.

 

[Ryan]

Well, as I say, it was just a hunch. Probably based on recent games too. Despite plenty of poeple suggesting otherwise, I just can't see why he would be brought on in that Debrecen game.

He'll obviously play more now that he's recovered from injury, but I can see why Rafa's been reluctant to throw him in just yet.

 

[Ryan]

Interesting article from Barrett..

November 26, 2009

Success of Aquilani signing will make or break Benitez
Tony Barrett

Alberto Aquilani is too busy undergoing the longest rehabilitation since Amy Winehouse first entered the Priory to realise it but it is starting to look increasingly likely that he is the signing who will determine Rafael Benitez’ s future as Liverpool manager.

If it wasn’t for Andrea Dossena, Aquilani would be a shoo in to take the “least spotted Italian†gong at Liverpool’s end of season awards.

Only when the fourth official signalled there would be just two minutes of stoppages against Debrecen on Tuesday night did his manager think the time was right for the former AS Roma man to enter the fray.

Before then, Aquilani had been an unused substitute against both Manchester City and Birmingham City, his contribution to the Liverpool cause on those occasions restricted to no more than keeping Diego Cavalieri company on the bench and the odd stretching routine in front of the Kop.


Still, what does £17 million buy you these days?

It isn’t Aquilani’s fault that he is injured. Nor is it his responsibility that the void left by the departed and still sorely missed Xabi Alonso is yet to be convincingly filled.

Benitez knew full well when he did the deal to sign the 25-year-old that the ankle injury which had forced him to miss the end of Roma’s season would prevent him from starting Liverpool’s.

He also knew that it could be several weeks before the Italian international would be available but brushed off any accusations that he had taken an unnecessary risk by insisting that “we have signed Aquilani for five years, not five weeksâ€.

The Liverpool manager was right, of course, Aquilani’s worth to his new club will only become clear over the course of his contract. There is also the suggestion that had the midfield player been fully fit then the Anfield outfit would not have been able to afford him and certainly would not have been able to secure a staggered payments deal with just £5 million paid up front.

But it is now approaching four months since Aquilani checked in at Anfield and in that time he has featured in only three matches. Worse still, his grand total of playing time stands at 23 minutes exactly and 14 of those minutes came in a Carling Cup tie which was basically a glorified reserve team game away to Arsenal.

During the weeks and months that Aquilani – or “Bupaman†as he would inevitably be known if the much missed Liverpool fanzine Through The Wind And Rain was still being published and Daniel Agger and Fabio Aurelio were not already the leading contenders for that particular moniker – has spent more time with the club’s physiotherapists than he has with his own team mates, Liverpool’s hopes of landing either or both of the two trophies they most cherish have been all but dashed.

Their Champions League campaign only out-lasted the horrendous Jedward in the equally unbearable X-Factor by two days. While their bid to win the Premier League is already looking as flawed as the Irish duo’s singing.

Only a fool would argue that Aquilani’s prolonged absence is the only reason for Liverpool’s struggles. There are, of course, plenty more contributory factors to be taken into account before the acquisition can be cited as the biggest cause of their ongoing problems.

Had, for example, Fernando Torres not been absent or rendered little more than a passenger by a groin problem for much of the past month then the chances are that Liverpool’s Champions League hopes might still be alive.

Had the entire team’s inability to defend set pieces not become so chronic that the prospect of a ball being tossed into the box causes almost as much dread amongst their fans as the thought of Andriy Voronin getting a game, then maybe they would still be in the title race.

But it is Aquilani whose absence has come to symbolise Liverpool’s travails simply because of the sheer scale of the gamble that Benitez took by bringing him to the club. The usually cautious Spaniard speculated like never before and as yet there is precious little sign of him accumulating.

Had it been known back in July that Aquilani would not see any meaningful action before the Christmas lights had started going up then it would have been surprising in the extreme if (a) Benitez had pursued the deal; and (b) the club had allowed him to do so given the fact that they would be shelling out wages on a particularly highly paid new recruit for around a tenth of his contract without him even being in a position to provide value for money.

The word at the time was that Aquilani had been messed about by Roma’s medical staff and that once he came under the watchful eye of their counterparts at Anfield he would be back in action quicker than you can say “get me a stretcherâ€.

Well, either the injury was worse than first feared or Liverpool do not have medicos with the healing powers of a Serbian with a fondness for equine afterbirth because if the last two minutes of a Champions League clash with a Hungarian side so ordinary even Wigan would give them a game is all he is fit for then it is likely to be some time still before Aquilani is ready to make more than the odd fleeting appearance in games.

Which brings us back to Benitez’s decision to sign him. The Liverpool manager is far from being the first coach in world football to recruit a player while he was injured. Nor is he alone in taking a punt in the belief that any short term pain that results will not prohibit long term gain.

But what he has done by signing Aquilani, having to do without him for such a long time and seeing his team’s form desert them almost totally, is to stake his own future on a player whose initials appear totally befitting given the considerable number of breakdowns he has already suffered in his career.

Should Aquilani return to full fitness soon enough to have the kind of positive impact on Liverpool’s season that could see them hold on to their place in the Premier League’s top four whilst also inspiring a cup run either at home or abroad then the gamble will have paid off – in a small way at least.

Were he subsequently to prove himself a creative midfield player of rare vision and class, one who can fill that Alonso-sized void and help turn Liverpool into regular challengers for the biggest titles at home and abroad, then even his current seemingly endless injury problems will appear a price worth paying.

But – and this is rub as far as Benitez is concerned – should Aquilani’s fitness problems continue to the point where he starts to resemble Darren Anderton with a tan or should he not live up to the lofty reputation that prompted his manager to sign him, then the Spaniard really could have problems – and big ones at that.

Fortunately for Benitez, he is working at a club where patience is still favoured over knee jerk reactions and even Liverpool’s ignominious early exit from the Champions League did not prompt anything but the public backing of Christian Purslow, their media friendly managing director.

Purslow and the rest of the Anfield hierarchy – even Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the only double act more embarrassing than Jedward – appear to believe that five years of progress should not be forgotten on the back of four awful months and quite rightly so. Benitez has more than earned the right to be given the time to solve Liverpool’s current problems, even the ones of his own making.

He needs to get Aquilani out on the pitch, though, because at the moment his signing is looking like a gamble that could put his position as Liverpool manager on the line.

 

[keniget]

I wasn't trying to make any sort of reference to the Debrecen game. I've been disappointed we've not seen more of him recently, but ultimately I take the view that he'll be ready when he's ready and that's that.

I just think our midfield has been pretty awful all season and despite a few recent sparks of improvement as well as Masher noticeably making an effort to up his game and spur the side on, it's still not been anywhere near good enough. The notion that Rafa might be inclined to stick with what he knows or that player x is slightly too attacking for the current system (which is completely dysfunctional) absolutely offends me.

 

[Delinquent]

[quote author=Sheik (Loki) Yerbouti link=topic=37458.msg999877#msg999877 date=1259280961]
Seing as Rafa now has the total control of the club he yearned for he should be sacking the quack who assessed the Italian's fitness.
[/quote]

I'm seriously beginning to wonder whether our decision to appoint two medical staff members from the injury-stricken and relegated Newcastle wasn't a very bad one. At the very least, our current injury situation is an unfortunate coincidence.