and that's why we'll never win the league under rafa..

[cochcaer]

the selection had too many players that aren't good enough for Liverpool, namely Riise, Sissoko, Voro and Crouch

 

I wouldn't include Crouch but if we're to challenge for the title I agree we can't carry too many stiffs.

[philyhamann]

We need to sell one of Voro/Kuyt/Crouch and buy a decent pacey striker.

[WeAreTheBest]

We need to sell one of Voro/Crouch and buy a decent pacey striker.

 

Defo

[loadsoftrophies]

We need to sell one of Voro/Kuyt/Crouch and buy a decent pacey striker.

 

We have one he's called Babel. Would be nice to get a legend of a winger though.

[Rashid]

We do have a pacey striker in Torres, what we need are pacey wingers and players who are footballers more than they are robots.

[StevieH]

Babel needs to play upfront with Torres. Crouch is too powder puff.

[philyhamann]

I'd like Babel upfront, but it never ever happens. Instead we're stuck with him on the left wing, even if he can't cross at all.

[Barrington Womble]

Who said I didn't think he fucked up? Not me. It's fairly obvious his team selection was off, but the reaction on here is fucking ridiculous.

 

so what you're saying is despite this latest fuck up (imo he's already cost us points at pompey and home to brum this season), you think rafa has what it takes to deliver the league in this country? i don't. i would have told you the same before the game. he's to smart for his own good. our league is just not as technical as rafa tries to make it.

[rebel23]

I wouldn't include Crouch but if we're to challenge for the title I agree we can't carry too many stiffs.

 

he's not that bad, he has a good touch etc and if given all the time in the world can produce a nice finish but im sorry, he's rarely going to get us a goal in a pressure situation and is too slow for my liking

 

Riise really annoyed me for the third goal, no pace, effort or ambition to stop that cunt Harper, he just watched him run away and get one on one with Reina, ugh, if we want to win the league you have to care more than that you daft twat.

[Rashid]

so what you're saying is despite this latest fuck up (imo he's already cost us points at pompey and home to brum this season), you think rafa has what it takes to deliver the league in this country? i don't. i would have told you the same before the game. he's to smart for his own good. our league is just not as technical as rafa tries to make it.

 

Barry - for me he has to have us challenging for it, not win it. Although winning it would be nice. I think we should give him this season to prove he can get us close... if he can't then he should be sacked.

[Ted]

so what you're saying is despite this latest fuck up (imo he's already cost us points at pompey and home to brum this season), you think rafa has what it takes to deliver the league in this country? i don't. i would have told you the same before the game. he's to smart for his own good. our league is just not as technical as rafa tries to make it.

 

Yeah, I do. Some people agree with me, some people agree with you. That's the nature of the beast. In a perfect world we'd all get along happily and drink juice from the oranges we grow in our collective happines garden, but it's not gonna happen is it?

 

One thing though, coming on straight after a defeat and stating how you always knew Rafa wouldn't win us the league smacks of oneupmanship and pettiness. If you want to act like that then go and support Newcastle or someone, but now is the time we should all be sticking together and not fucking acting like complete arsecandles because of our first defeat of the league season.

[HJohal]

Poor team selection & tactics against Marseille in the first home game has put this unneccessary pressure in the Champions League, again poor team selection & tactics today has put us under pressure in the title.

 

Great manager but sometimes too clever for his own good.

[Hooch]

Just don't see why he played Momo and Mascherano together its so negative!! No wingers at all to start with whats all that about.

[Brownie]

what a fucking disgrace. we're conned by the fucking ref and then have to put up with this shit? have a go at rafa all you like, but he wasn't to blame today. no fucking way.

 

What fucking game did you watch Milan?

 

The ref was poor and we were a bit unlucky perhaps, but fucking hell why change the teams shape?

 

You're nothing more than a 'yes' man - blind faith. Rafa's fucked up today and it's not the first time, why can't you just accept it?

[StevieH]

Ok the ref made a mistake giving Reading a pen, but apart from that what did he do wrong?

[chorlton]

Ok the ref made a mistake giving Reading a pen, but apart from that what did he do wrong?

 

How about not giving us 2 possibly 3.

[cochcaer]

How about not giving us 2 possibly 3.

 

The game wasn't at OT and we aren't the Mancs.

[Brownie]

How about not giving us 2 possibly 3.

 

He won the ball!

[RedBrian84]

I think people need to calm down- first defeat of the season. I'm not sure Rafa picked the right formation today, however having said that, the players have to take a share of the blame. Reading simply wanted it more. More of their players were fighting for the ball.

 

The eleven we had on the pitch should have taken care of Reading, regardless of tactics.

 

But as for the knee jerk reactions- Man United took an immensely strong first eleven to the Reebok two weeks ago and were beaten. The Prem this season is going to throw more twists and turns than Monaco and all of the 'big four' will be beaten again. It's how we react to this defeat will define how much of a title challenger we actually are.

[Malarkey]

He won the ball!

 

Sonko on Torres? No mate, Torres got the touch and they clashed knees.

[rebel23]

 

The eleven we had on the pitch should have taken care of Reading, regardless of tactics.

.

 

im sick of hearing this, why should they when Voronin is not a winger, when Riise has a disgusting attitude that allows players like Harper to just run away from him and get on one one with the keeper, when Sissoko and Mascherano are playing the CM role (not exactly the most creative selection), Gerrard and Torres were the only threatening players on the pitch until Babel came on and they were subbed off

 

we deserved to lose with a selection and tactics like that though I had hoped our good form and confidence would see us win but hey, that's football

 

we basically gave it to reading, they sensed Rafa and the players he selected weren't good enough or arsed about this game and they ran and they hassled and they fought for every ball and the "in theory" better team looked poor, disjointed but still always in with a chance before we lost Torres and Gerrard, no chance after though.

 

we need a better shape and tactics otherwise we're going to lose more games like that and we will deserve to lose them because some of the players (nearly half the outfield players) are not good enough

[WeAreTheBest]

Riise - that fucking name makes me want to put my first through the screen. Worra awful awful footballer

[Malarkey]

Well. We HAVE to beat the Mancs now and Marseilles to forget about this defeat in a hurry.

[rebel23]

says a lot though about Riise that fans are annoyed with him more than a rookie like Hobbs

 

I hope Rafa learn't one or two things today like you can't trust certain players (though I thought he would learn that against Marseille)

[Rashid]

Riise - that fucking name makes me want to put my first through the screen. Worra awful awful footballer

 

I have been saying it years, he is a robot and shit. I hate players who aren't good footballers.... we desperately need some composure in the team.