How does yours read?
For me Rafa has pretty much delivered what I would have been very happy with before the season started - a serious title challenge that ended only a few games before the end of the season. Admittedly, he's made some (of the same) mistakes, and early on after seeing a pathetic 0-0 against Villa with Lucas playing left wing, I was as convinced then that he didn't have a clue what he was doing as I was at the end of last season when I thought that he'd figured it all out.
So I'm somewhat tentative in believing that this brand of beautiful attacking (WINNING!) football we've been treated to is here to stay. That said, after the fiasco last summer this was the first season in ages I didn't think "This is our year" and it was the closest we've come for beards.
Our highest points tally, scored more goals than anyone else, only 2 losses all season and wins against our major rivals. That right there reads like progress.
0-0 Stoke (H)
0-0 Fulham (H)
0-0 West Ham (H)
2-2 Hull (H)
1-1 Everton (H)
1-1 Citeh (H)
0-2 Boro (A)
That, does not.
Undoubtedly ending the season the way we did - especially after it looked like we were dead and buried - has helped the old morale, but after finishing strongly only to see the same mistakes repeated again the next season I worry that we may be lulled into a false sense of security.
Last year my position on Rafa was thus - I wanted to see the stoopid teamsheets a thing of the past, no ridiculous playing out of position for no reason, no unnecessary rotation for no reason, no treating the league like it was a secondary affair and a bloody good attempt on the league or his time might be up.
Well, I think on the last two he certainly delivered, and they've got to be the most important. The rest - weeeeeeeeell, I think there were still some WTF? moments, but he does seem to be learning.
We need a good transfer period, and we need progress. I expect both.
Next year, I expect the league
For me Rafa has pretty much delivered what I would have been very happy with before the season started - a serious title challenge that ended only a few games before the end of the season. Admittedly, he's made some (of the same) mistakes, and early on after seeing a pathetic 0-0 against Villa with Lucas playing left wing, I was as convinced then that he didn't have a clue what he was doing as I was at the end of last season when I thought that he'd figured it all out.
So I'm somewhat tentative in believing that this brand of beautiful attacking (WINNING!) football we've been treated to is here to stay. That said, after the fiasco last summer this was the first season in ages I didn't think "This is our year" and it was the closest we've come for beards.
Our highest points tally, scored more goals than anyone else, only 2 losses all season and wins against our major rivals. That right there reads like progress.
0-0 Stoke (H)
0-0 Fulham (H)
0-0 West Ham (H)
2-2 Hull (H)
1-1 Everton (H)
1-1 Citeh (H)
0-2 Boro (A)
That, does not.
Undoubtedly ending the season the way we did - especially after it looked like we were dead and buried - has helped the old morale, but after finishing strongly only to see the same mistakes repeated again the next season I worry that we may be lulled into a false sense of security.
Last year my position on Rafa was thus - I wanted to see the stoopid teamsheets a thing of the past, no ridiculous playing out of position for no reason, no unnecessary rotation for no reason, no treating the league like it was a secondary affair and a bloody good attempt on the league or his time might be up.
Well, I think on the last two he certainly delivered, and they've got to be the most important. The rest - weeeeeeeeell, I think there were still some WTF? moments, but he does seem to be learning.
We need a good transfer period, and we need progress. I expect both.
Next year, I expect the league
