Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:33 am

Some of us, a growing band of people (well OK actually only me to be perfectly honest) seem to be of the opinion that Rafa will change the team much less next season. I really and honestly believe his relatively (for him anyway) settled selections towards the end of last season were a prelude to a concerted attempt this season. As I've said on another thread, the type of players we are being linked with backs up my theory (well in my head it does anyway

).

What do you think, has he seen the light or not? We'll totally leave it out of the debate whether or not he needs to because that's been done. The question is not about rotation, it's about Rafa. And rotation

by **Judge** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:45 am

bigmick wrote:Some of us, a growing band of people (well OK actually only me to be perfectly honest) seem to be of the opinion that Rafa will change the team much less next season. I really and honestly believe his relatively (for him anyway) settled selections towards the end of last season were a prelude to a concerted attempt this season. As I've said on another thread, the type of players we are being linked with backs up my theory (well in my head it does anyway ).

What do you think, has he seen the light or not? We'll totally leave it out of the debate whether or not he needs to because that's been done. The question is not about rotation, it's about Rafa. And rotation

rafa will stick with a settled team but rotate himself from the touchline to the stands and back again to see if that works

by **red_guy** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:49 am

Judge wrote:rafa will stick with a settled team but rotate himself from the touchline to the stands and back again to see if that works

by **account deleted by request** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:54 am

I think we will see more or less the same ideas next season. Heavy rotation early on before a more settled team towards the end of the season.

I think we will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, which in all honesty I felt we played for most of last season anyway. Kuyt/ Voronin were just playing the "Gerrard" role early in the season, while although Gerrard is a more attacking player than either Alonso or Masch, he did play a more disiplined midfield role earlier in the season. It was just a change of personalities not a change of formation imo.

Hopefully he will start to give "form players " a run of games and start to take players off a little earlier when they are struggling.

I just think rotation like zonal marking is part of Rafa's deep held beliefs, and I can't see him changing his philosophy. Perhaps we will see slightly less rotation of our "core" players , but after the Euro's and with us having to play qualifying matches in the CL again, I wouldn't hold my breath.

by **ConnO'var** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:57 am

Didn't vote yet Mick..... still too early to tell.
But I will say one thing though..... It's hard for a leopard to change it's spots.

The only reason he didn't rotate as much towards the end of the season came from his own mouth during an interview. Apparently he's rotating less as we were only in 2 competitions left. That in itself, tells me a lot.....

But to be fair to the man, let's wait and see..... things will become abundantly clear after the 1st 5 games.

by **ALONSO_14** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:02 am

Didnt we say the same thing before the start of last season, that he's learnt from before not to rotate, then he was rotating like a lunatic again

I hope to god he's learnt THIS time

by **red37** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:03 am

ConnO'var wrote:But to be fair to the man, let's wait and see..... things will become abundantly clear after the 1st 5 games.

Exactly.

by **Sabre** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:05 am

No I don't think he's seen the light at all. He'll rotate, and he'll keep liking to have options and possibilities. Rafa seems to be as stubborn as Aragones is, he'll see his 4 players come Champions from Vienna and he'll undoubtly think that's due to the Delay Gazelle effect, which gave us the edge against the muscular Germans.

That's my prediction, not that I wouldn't like to give a go to the non-rotation in order to dispel some doubts once and for all!

by **112-1077774096** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:01 pm

same old same old, it will be rotation, it will be players out of position, and it will be persisting with sh*te like kuyt while better options are available

by **muzodziwa** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:01 pm

I think there is an option missing Big Mick, I honestly think rafa has not "seen the light", actually the signings that we are associated with suggest to me that he is going into the finale of his deep belief in two very controvesial footballing issues. I will start with the appointment of two figures who i think reinforce my opinion; Sammy lee as assistant manager and Mauricio Pellegrino as first team coach. Sammy is a respected coach but for me i think Benitez hired someone who has his own mind but is loyal and believes in him; Sammy will definately help with the dressing room situation being fluent in Spanish and such a historic figure who has shared in the recent premiership success of the club. This shows something subtle, maybe rafa feels the dressing room atmosphere was not conducive for sustained success especially after the departure of Pako. This would then leave rafa to concentrate on the tactical side of managing which i think is his excellence.

Pellegrino's appointment shows how much faith Rafa has in his defensive coaching abilities, and again there is something to clutch on to when rafa said that last season we conceaded 16 goals from set piesces compared to 6 the previous season. Rafa does not see styling as a factor to our downfall last season, this in a way is like if we fix our defensive blunders and perfect the zonal marking system, then we will be more competitive.

Without the intricasies of defensive coaching responsibilities and welfare management of the team, this will leave rafa with much time to concentrate on doing what he does best i.e putting the various elements into a team capable or winning. I do not see rafa reinforcing one element of his beliefs ie zonal marking and ditching "styling".

All the above rambling aside

rafa has not changed his "styling" philosophy, rather he is perfecting it.

by **Owzat** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:06 pm

I think Rafa's sense is on rotation, might explain signings etc as well as the team selection

by **bigmick** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:24 pm

It wouldn't let me vote, presumeably because I instigated the whole thing. I suppose it would to some extent have been a bit like Mugabe voting for Zanu PF in the recent elections over there. Shame I couldn't have just blocked it off to everyone other than me, I could have voted for "he's seen the light" and claimed a landslide

by **Number 9** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:35 pm

I think Rafa will still rotate BUT not to the same extent as the first half of last season!
If he does the same again we will be out of it by Xmas again.

The reason I feel he still will make changes is because he is a firm believer that players remain fresh at the end of the season if they have not been worn out!
There is of course such a thing as sensible rotation..Say for example if we are to play 3 games in the space of 8 days,Tuesday,Sunday and Wednesday.....I doubt there are many teams that would field the same 11 for all those games which is understandable.

Its obvious he will always rotate to an extent.I think though he fuc,ked about so much last season because he was unsure of his best lineup after bringing in new players....that combined with a lot of bad results made him play around too much!
Im sure he will stick to the 4-2-3-1 for obvious reasons,resting 1 or 2 players here and there is OK all teams do it but if he starts the 6-7 changes thing again he can forget about a consistant team and also the League!

Ha he seen the light?
NO ONE one here can answer that yet!

As Conn says we will know in the first 5 games,TBH im sh'itting myself waiting to find out!

by **andy_g** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:35 pm

rotation on the scale of previous seasons - no
one or two changes to the team for most matches - i expect so

i don't know whether this will be at the beginning, the middle or the end of the season though - i'm guessing it'l be all the way through it. he's going to want a few early games to see where the (possibly) barrys and the (possibly) keanes and the (possibly) silvas of the world fit into the plan.

my forecast would be - largely settled with the odd twister.

by **muzodziwa** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:36 pm

Nice one Mick, i enjoyed the mugabe comparison, so true, but thank God there is new kit to discuss proper stuff:D

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Rafa, - Has he seen the light if at all?

Rafa, - Has he seen the light if at all?

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