Rafa confirmed as new Chelsea boss

[Sunny]

This could be my mind not remembering correctly but Cisse was a pre agreed transfer from Houllier but then he joined the summer that Rafa came in right?

I remember always thinking that Houllier's plan of having Cisse and Owen up top to suit his counter attacking style would have been immense. Obviously I wouldn't swap the Istanbul season for anything but it still leaves 'what ifs' in my mind.

Your memory is right. Houlliers plan would never work though seeing as Cisse has a physical inability to stay onside.

 

[Spionkop69]

Your memory is right. Houlliers plan would never work though seeing as Cisse has a physical inability to stay onside.

I had high hopes when he scored against Spurs in the first game with an instinctive finish the day after my wedding. Cunt flattered to deceive and I got shitloads for watching it that day.

 

[Judge Jules]

Your memory is right. Houlliers plan would never work though seeing as Cisse has a physical inability to stay onside.

I don't think it would have worked long-term even if that hadn't been the case. It was way too one-dimensional.

Turning down the chance to sign Anelka on a permanent was GH's first major howler, and he compounded it the following season when he junked the more attacking style we had started to play, just because we shipped a few extra goals. Had he kept his nerve and made the opposite decision in those two cases, IMO there's a very good chance his legacy and our whole history since that time would have been different.

 

[refugee]

This could be my mind not remembering correctly but Cisse was a pre agreed transfer from Houllier but then he joined the summer that Rafa came in right?

I remember always thinking that Houllier's plan of having Cisse and Owen up top to suit his counter attacking style would have been immense. Obviously I wouldn't swap the Istanbul season for anything but it still leaves 'what ifs' in my mind.

It might have been immense if Cisse wasn't shit. The man made Baros look clever

 

[Sunny]

Ah, Milan Baros, the Rain Man of strikers.

 

[peterhague]

Rafa actually spent a lot less than Houllier.

 

[Oncy]

Rafa actually spent a lot less than Houllier.

Are you sure about that?

 

[Sunny]

And the circle of Rafa begins again.

 

[peterhague]

Yep. That's after adjusting for inflation and on a per annum basis.

 

[Oncy]

Yep. That's after adjusting for inflation and on a per annum basis.

Hahahahaha
Dear me.

 

[Fabio]

Oh sweet jesus

 

[Wizardry]

I don't think it would have worked long-term even if that hadn't been the case. It was way too one-dimensional.

Turning down the chance to sign Anelka on a permanent was GH's first major howler, and he compounded it the following season when he junked the more attacking style we had started to play, just because we shipped a few extra goals. Had he kept his nerve and made the opposite decision in those two cases, IMO there's a very good chance his legacy and our whole history since that time would have been different.

That's about exactly right on GH though I'm with Spion in that I was desperate to see Cisse and Owen lining up beside each other.

I still wonder a little about that season under GH and what would have been if he hadn't got so cautious. The signing of Diao and Diouf - very few managers could ever survive that and he wasn't one of them.

 

[peterhague]

Hahahahaha
Dear me.

Laugh it up. That's the only meaningful way of comparing the two.

 

[Oncy]

I think we best stop talking now Peter.

 

[mark1975]

Laugh it up. That's the only meaningful way of comparing the two.

Meaningful? You mean another desperate way to back up the "Rafa didn't squander money" point, other than "he got money back though!"

 

[Sunny]

I finally understand what the Rafalution is. A constant circle . He has no beginning or end. He is the snake that eats itself. He is both yin and yang. A footballing Pokemon.

 

[peterhague]

Meaningful? You mean another desperate way to back up the "Rafa didn't squander money" point, other than "he got money back though!"

Do you think it would be correct to say that Kenny spent peanuts in 1987 on Barnes, Beardsley, and Aldridge?

If not, why?

 

[Fabio]

I finally understand what the Rafalution is. A constant circle . He has no beginning or end. He is the snake that eats itself. He is both yin and yang. A footballing Pokemon.

Don't sully the good pokemon name

 

[Oncy]

Pete please mate. Youre looking like a mental. Stop for the love of God.

 

[Sunny]

Don't sully the good pokemon name

Ok. A footballing Bakugan. I ran out of round things. Where is Ross lately anyway ?

 

[mark1975]

Do you think it would be correct to say that Kenny spent peanuts in 1987 on Barnes, Beardsley, and Aldridge?

If not, why?

Because he didn't, I agree re inflation being a factor - to a degree, but it's a desperate argument, Houllier was never given the opportunity to sign top bracket players on a fairly regular basis, which price wise is exactly what Torres, Mascherano, Keane, Aquilani and Johnson were. Who did Houllier sign for relatively high fees? Diouf, Heskey and Cisse?

 

[Fabio]

Pete please mate. Youre looking like a mental. Stop for the love of God.

He's only mental to the anti rafa lot. Other pro rafas would back him up

 

[peterhague]

Because he didn't, I agree re inflation being a factor - to a degree, but it's a desperate argument, Houllier was never given the opportunity to sign top bracket players on a fairly regular basis, which price wise is exactly what Torres, Mascherano, Keane, Aquilani and Johnson were. Who did Houllier sign for relatively high fees? Diouf, Heskey and Cisse?

What do you mean, didn't have the chance? By any reasonable estimate of inflation he spent about double per annum than Benitez. If he didn't choose to spend it on bigger ticket players that's his problem.

 

[Ryan]

Pete - I'm on your side here and you're even doing my head in with this shit.