Liverpool FC Forum

stmichael wrote:When it rains it pours.

Given a choice of playing Kelly or Ayala as a replacement I'd go for Kelly. I'm still baffled as to why Ayala got the nod ahead of him at the weekend, considering Kelly's good pre-season.

Owzat wrote:

stmichael wrote:When it rains it pours.

Given a choice of playing Kelly or Ayala as a replacement I'd go for Kelly. I'm still baffled as to why Ayala got the nod ahead of him at the weekend, considering Kelly's good pre-season.

I think a lot of Rafa's decisions ask more questions than they answer questions. Why hasn't he replaced Sami? Why did he wait until over 2/3 of the way through the game on Sunday to change things? Why does he pay over the odds for players? Why did he replace our "deep lying playmaker" with a £20m crock? (ironic given some dismissed re-signing Owen) Why when he had £20.3m to spend on a striker did he not sign Defoe? Has he improved the squad? I don't think so. Our best XI at the end of last season included none of his summer signings, we've since lost Arbeloa and Alonso and replaced them with a RB that might be better, but cost way too much, and a CM that might prove a good acquisition if we can get him on the pitch, but I would rather still have our playmaker.

It will be so good to have Skrtel back, we wouldn't be able to give away lots of needless fouls and corners if he weren't in the side. And he can resume his fantastic partnership with Carra, maybe he can crack Carra's jaw this time going for the same ball.

I sense the antiness growing in you. 

Dundalk wrote:

 

They will wheel him onto the pitch in a trolley wearing that

Martin Lecter!

Owzat wrote:

stmichael wrote:When it rains it pours.

Given a choice of playing Kelly or Ayala as a replacement I'd go for Kelly. I'm still baffled as to why Ayala got the nod ahead of him at the weekend, considering Kelly's good pre-season.

I think a lot of Rafa's decisions ask more questions than they answer questions. Why hasn't he replaced Sami? Why did he wait until over 2/3 of the way through the game on Sunday to change things? Why does he pay over the odds for players? Why did he replace our "deep lying playmaker" with a £20m crock? (ironic given some dismissed re-signing Owen) Why when he had £20.3m to spend on a striker did he not sign Defoe? Has he improved the squad? I don't think so. Our best XI at the end of last season included none of his summer signings, we've since lost Arbeloa and Alonso and replaced them with a RB that might be better, but cost way too much, and a CM that might prove a good acquisition if we can get him on the pitch, but I would rather still have our playmaker.

It will be so good to have Skrtel back, we wouldn't be able to give away lots of needless fouls and corners if he weren't in the side. And he can resume his fantastic partnership with Carra, maybe he can crack Carra's jaw this time going for the same ball.

Owzat wrote:I just think that an improved tactical Rafa who makes better use of what money he has could have won the title before now. For his strengths, not forgetting his good signings, he has too many weaknesses. And I also fear suspicions he thinks he can win the Premiership the way he won La Liga which really does worry me. Setting out the stall for a draw, unable to influence the game either at the touchline, at half-time or through substitutions - when those do work it is either an obvious move or coincidence. We even had the advantage of playing 10 men in TEN Premiership games last season, most we were already winning but it helps. And could we beat 10 man Arsenal? Did we even TRY? They looked better after the man was sent off, maybe Rafa thinks if we pick up 25 wins each season then eventually everyone else will fall short....................... We won 25 in 05/06, then had two relatively poor seasons instead of progressing. I can see the same thing happening this season, based on ins and outs, Rafa's tic-tacs and not on the spudz result but performance. When we lost there last season we should have won, when we lost there this season we should have lost by more

aCe' wrote:

Owzat wrote:I just think that an improved tactical Rafa who makes better use of what money he has could have won the title before now. For his strengths, not forgetting his good signings, he has too many weaknesses. And I also fear suspicions he thinks he can win the Premiership the way he won La Liga which really does worry me. Setting out the stall for a draw, unable to influence the game either at the touchline, at half-time or through substitutions - when those do work it is either an obvious move or coincidence. We even had the advantage of playing 10 men in TEN Premiership games last season, most we were already winning but it helps. And could we beat 10 man Arsenal? Did we even TRY? They looked better after the man was sent off, maybe Rafa thinks if we pick up 25 wins each season then eventually everyone else will fall short....................... We won 25 in 05/06, then had two relatively poor seasons instead of progressing. I can see the same thing happening this season, based on ins and outs, Rafa's tic-tacs and not on the spudz result but performance. When we lost there last season we should have won, when we lost there this season we should have lost by more

yep... gotta agree with most of that....

I third it, I think I was one of the few who wasn't totally over the moon with Rafa getting a new contract but at the time we were playing good football so it was ok but now we seem to be slipping into familiar Rafa drudgery again.

Anyway lets see what wacky things the manager does against Stoke first, I can't wait, it's better than any whodunnit thriller, so many twists and turns.