bigmick wrote:I simply don't accept the prognosis that it was "unrealistic" to expect us to have a really good shot at it. The Mancs lost Ronaldo and Tevez in the Summer, and we had four points to make up on them. That's why people had expectations, because they knew we had a huge chance to at the very least overhaul our keenest rivals. If you'd have told the majority of our fans that during the season we'd have injuries, but they'd have two midfielders playing at centre half for a month along with other injuries, I think most would still have been hopeful.
It's statements like these which IMHO reveal the inner mind of a man who himself isn't a believer. Thoughts when expressed in the way he's expressed them here reveal why he's so defensive, why he so much lacks ambition in so many situations. It's hard to expect the players to be fired up and going for it when the manager is as defeatist as he is.
More worrying going forward is next season. Say we don't get a squillion pound war chest, is it "unrealistic" once again to expect any sort of title challenge? Winning it may be extremely hard, I don't think anyone disputes that, but being involved in it for more than six matches ought to be within our hitting zone surely.
In this new found era odf respecting everyone else's point of view I respect (and always have to be fair) anyones belief that rafa is the man, but I do struggle to understand such faith when he comes out with statements like this.
I agree I think a challenge was not beyond us, although injuries and the lack of depth in the squad, was and has to some extentposed a greater risk to us, then some of those in the positions above us.
I actually feel that our weakness, Ar,se too and even the mancs and chelsea, who have not been at their awesome best - has allowed others to get involved in the battle for the CL places. It is sad that having come so close last season, without being in touch of the holy grail (if ya get what I mean), we have truly missed the opportunity to take advantage of the weaknesses amongst the title challengers.
I know we need strength in-depth and 2/3 'class' players, otherwise we are almost there. It's not such a big re-building job otherwise. So this summer will be very important in the race to play catch-up.
I thinks the ownership saga and 'real politik' Rafa has had to enagage in has not helped matters on the field and he too is sounding de-motivated and 'fed-up' and when that happens, I suppose it's human nature to er on the side of excuses; perhaps real or not.
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