Valencipool

[Nunavut Patrick]

Seems to be coming together, imagine if we'd actually done something in the summer transfer market. Got a good chance to make it a trotting three away from home. I think the players (bar Cisse) have bought was Rafa and Red Nick's mate are selling.

 

Feeling very positive aboot the future- so Hermes, please bring me down.

[kop]

Yeah, the Rafaloution is still on, make no misstake. I'm very impressed by our defensive consistency and we're looking extremly hard to beat this season. It's in only one game we've been beaten soundly and even that game was more even than the scoreline suggest. When Benitez has worked his Rafalotion a while longer this team will be anointed to unbeatable heights.

 

I too am still feeling very positive about the future.

[Rashid]

10 clean sheets is amazing, fucking made up with that.

[Cardie]

Fair few players need to come and go before we see it fully happen.

[Tim]

This may sound silly. Everyone knows that we missed out on a couple of vital transfer targets in the summer. But, and I say the following very carefully as it is extremely overused, could it be that preverbrial "blessing in disguise". There is a reasonable chance that players we go for in january may be cuptied in europe (Simao for example if he is targeted again) like Morientes was last season. This being the case could help us in both the league and in europe. Last season, when fit, Morientes played in the league, as did Pellegrino. This allowed Baros, when suspended mainly, and hyypia to play in europe. In essence it allowed us to have some fresh legs each game.

 

Could we have this sort of situation again (although with a slightly younger defender this time)? True it is a risky situation but it might just help us.

[Vincent Vega]

Rash and Cardie are cheeky fuckers aren't they? Soon forget the shite they were coming out with after the Fulham game.

 

The two of you should be ashamed with the constant streams of shite you regularly post on here. You both give out of towners the worst reputation possible.

[Gav]

Rash and Cardie are cheeky fuckers aren't they? Soon forget the shite they were coming out with after the Fulham game.

 

The two of you should be ashamed with the constant streams of shite you regularly post on here. You both give out of towners the worst reputation possible.

 

 

well fuckin said that man

[Kopite]

Rash and Cardie are cheeky fuckers aren't they? Soon forget the shite they were coming out with after the Fulham game.

 

The two of you should be ashamed with the constant streams of shite you regularly post on here. You both give out of towners the worst reputation possible.

 

Wool ;)

 

Seriously VV, spot on. It was never as bad as they made out, I know things aren't perfect but even Helen Keller could see the progress the team has made. I'm starting to believe that Rafa has now sussed the domestic league. Bet this comes back to bite me in the butt.

[Nunavut Patrick]

Wool ;)

 

Seriously VV, spot on. It was never as bad as they made out, I know things aren't perfect but even Helen Keller could see the progress the team has made. I'm starting to believe that Rafa has now sussed the domestic league. Bet this comes back to bite me in the butt.

 

Or perhaps the players have sussed Rafa and what he is trying to do in the domestic league.

 

Tim's point is excellent and reading that I've already booked my 14th anniversary/CL final in the spring.

[Paul]

What's happening is fucking sweet - and just what I predicted: staying solid and getting used to the system before reinforcements arrive and we push on for 2nd place. However, the players are right not to be ruling out the title. Despite where Chelsea are now, there's a long way to go. Also, there's a very good reason why teams so rarely win back-to-back titles and Chelsea will find many teams far less respectful of them in return fixtures after their mystique was blown in the first ones. They may have got the points, but they scraped their way to a fair few of them. Also, they've had incredible luck with injuries and time out for Terry, Lampard and Makalele would really hurt them.

 

In terms of our form, it's clear that the players are finally (Cisse apart) beginning to understand what Rafa wants. They really do control games - particularly in the first half, as yesterday showed - by retaining possession much better than any Liverpool team has done in years. The defensive solidity is looking the equal of GH's teams at their best - with one proviso: it doesn't compromise our attacking play.

 

I couldn't work out why Sami was given a three deal recently with his lack of pace such an obvious flaw in his game. However, it's now clear that his intelligence and heading ability is of far greater importance to Rafa than missing pace. Gerard Houllier compensated for the fact that Sami and Steph were so slow by playing ever-deeper at the back and using fast strikers as an outlet. Rafa is able to retain a high defensive line for two reasons: 1) Reina sweeps up anything that gets behind Sami and Carra; and 2) the vocal organisation of both Reina and Carra ensures that we are playing the most effective offside system I've seen from us in a long, long time. It's so good that it's not affected by changes in the left back position. Time after time yesterday, the defence pushed out as one and caught City's strikers offside. The compactness of the team still allows the midfield to protect the defence without being too deep to turn defence into attack. In Didi, this sytem is also prolonging the effectiveness of another intelligent player whose legs aren't great.

 

The other thing that looked like it had really clicked yesterday was how to use Crouch. He was at the heart of everything going forward with flicks, lay-offs and headers that were almost always read by his team mates. The only exception was Cisse, who was so gormless at reading Crouchy's knock-ons that he deserved to go off.

 

I still feel we need a poacher as Crouch's partner and Owen looks tailor-made for the role. More specialist wide men would also improve our attacking play. However, even without reinforcements, I'm confident this side will finish with more than 70 points. The new players will allow us to continue to compete in both the league and Europe and challenge seriously for both trophies.

 

Viva la Rafalution.

[Hermes]

Feeling very positive aboot the future- so Hermes, please bring me down.

 

A great month which needs to be continued into the next 5 months.

 

But, seeing as you threw down the challenge- 80 points from Rafa's first 50 league games is 2 points less than the previous manager's last 50 league games. He was sacked, remember???

 

Progress? not yet. ;)

[Paul]

A great month which needs to be continued into the next 5 months.

 

But, seeing as you threw down the challenge- 80 points from Rafa's first 50 league games is 2 points less than the previous manager's last 50 league games. He was sacked, remember???

 

Progress? not yet. ;)

Lies, damn lies and statistics.

[Cardie]

Rash and Cardie are cheeky fuckers aren't they? Soon forget the shite they were coming out with after the Fulham game.

 

The two of you should be ashamed with the constant streams of shite you regularly post on here. You both give out of towners the worst reputation possible.

 

Back the fuck up their tonto.

 

I said a fair few more players need to come and go before we see it clicking fully into place.

 

Haven't said we're amazing and will win the league haven't said everything is rosy again, haven't said we're going to get relegated.

 

We've won four games against Blackburn, West Ham, Portsmouth and Man City who ,in truth, are teams we should fully expect to beat every season.

 

I had the City game down as a draw because they've had a good season but fully expect us to beat Sunderland, 'Boro and Wigan because they are shite.

 

Don't go trying to make out that I've gone full circle and changed my oppinion completely when I haven't. The oppinion has changed a little because we have shown a lot of improvement in the past few games and are getting the results we should be getting that wasn't happening earlier in the year but we still have a very long way to go.

[Hermes]

Lies, damn lies and statistics.

 

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But don't let the facts spoil the debate eh? :tease:

[Cardie]

What's happening is fucking sweet - and just what I predicted: staying solid and getting used to the system before reinforcements arrive and we push on for 2nd place.

 

 

Maybe my memory is going but weren't people saying we should keep ploughing on with 451 (despite not having the players) because when we have the players it will come together quicker?

 

Well, hasn't the run of form coincided with switching back to 442.

[Paul]

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But don't let the facts spoil the debate eh? :tease:

Champions of Europe. Is that factual enough for you?

[Hermes]

Champions of Europe. Is that factual enough for you?

 

So if and when we get knocked out this year that will be the end of the "progress" for you? Or do we have to win it again to maintain the progress?

 

Come on Paul, you really can do better than that. Have a try.

[Paul]

Maybe my memory is going but weren't people saying we should keep ploughing on with 451 (despite not having the players) because when we have the players it will come together quicker?

 

Well, hasn't the run of form coincided with switching back to 442.

I did say that as well, yes. However, it's not really the formation that's the issue, is it? I've now realised that playing as a unit and understanding how to use Crouch is more important than the formation. I fully expect us to use 4-5-1 again (as well as 4-3-3), but the switch will be easier as the players understand the basics of what Rafa wants.

[Paul]

So if and when we get knocked out this year that will be the end of the "progress" for you? Or do we have to win it again to maintain the progress?

 

Come on Paul, you really can do better than that. Have a try.

Do you mean like your spurious use of a meaningless comparison about league starts? Take your own advice, H.

[Paul]

I had the City game down as a draw because they've had a good season but fully expect us to beat Sunderland, 'Boro and Wigan because they are shite.

Do you mean that? I think they've got the makings (and manager) of a quality side, as well as the resources to keep them that way.

[Original202]

We're gonna win the league.

 

9 points from our next 3 games will set us up nicely for when we return from Japan. Arsenal will beat Chelsea at Highbury. We'll then strengthen the squad in January. Beat Arsenal and Charlton and then be within spitting distance of Chelsea.

 

We play Chelsea on the 4th Feb. Two of their key players will be fucked from the African nations (Whislt Sissoko and Traore stay home as Mali didn't qualify) and we'll be bouyed by our new signings and we'll shit 'em.

 

:yes:

 

Optimism people. Optimism.

[Paul]

We're gonna win the league.

 

9 points from our next 3 games will set us up nicely for when we return from Japan. Arsenal will beat Chelsea at Highbury. We'll then strengthen the squad in January. Beat Arsenal and Charlton and then be within spitting distance of Chelsea.

 

We play Chelsea on the 4th Feb. Two of their key players will be fucked from the African nations (Whislt Sissoko and Traore stay home as Mali didn't qualify) and we'll be bouyed by our new signings and we'll shit 'em.

 

:yes:

 

Optimism people. Optimism.

Is right.

[Hermes]

We're gonna win the league.

 

9 points from our next 3 games will set us up nicely for when we return from Japan. Arsenal will beat Chelsea at Highbury. We'll then strengthen the squad in January. Beat Arsenal and Charlton and then be within spitting distance of Chelsea.

 

We play Chelsea on the 4th Feb. Two of their key players will be fucked from the African nations (Whislt Sissoko and Traore stay home as Mali didn't qualify) and we'll be bouyed by our new signings and we'll shit 'em.

 

:yes:

 

Optimism people. Optimism.

 

Assuming all of your predictions are correct we could be top after we play them. One problem though, don't Chelsea have a few games in the mean time?

[Cardie]

Do you mean that? I think they've got the makings (and manager) of a quality side, as well as the resources to keep them that way.

 

It's all relative.

 

Very few of the players they have are good enough but they are playing for each other. We should still have far too much for them and should win especially at home.

[Zippy]

Playing Stevie on the right has been a major factor in this form - good on Rafa for making the change and Stevie for adapting so well.