Torres on this season

[aws]

And you could also argue that losing Ronaldo, as important a player as he was for them, won't have harmed the dressing room morale in the slightest. As 'Nando has said, losing Xabi, Sami and Bob will have had the opposite effect here.

 

Good point. Can't imagine there were too many tears when ronaldo finally flounced off.

[Whelan]

And you could also argue that losing Ronaldo, as important a player as he was for them, won't have harmed the dressing room morale in the slightest. As 'Nando has said, losing Xabi, Sami and Bob will have had the opposite effect here.

 

You could also point out that last year they won the league, the milk cup and reaching their second consecutive champions league final.

 

This year, they could win the milk cup!

[Bogman]

But we've had Yossi say it, Torres say it and (as we're all experts on reading Gerrard's body language these days) Gerrard say it. It also ties in with the evidence of my own eyes - we've looked a dispirited bunch for most of the season.

 

I agree that Benitez should have handled it better but I'm not sure he'd have been lauded too much for dropping Gerrard and bringing in Spearing or Pachecho.

 

correct.

[Kennys_spell]

But surely the plan was to supplement what we have? Not to mismanage the resources he'd brought in? So, let's give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest that he had another financial rug pulled from under him. All he had to do was motivate the players he did have, turn them into an effective unit, get them focussed, develop tactics that would bring results, and bob's your uncle.

 

Sure, we couldn't be expected to improve much on last year, as we weren't allowed to bring in 50 million pound strikers, but at least we should be able to put up a good showing in the league, because after all, compared to last year, United were weaker. It's just an excuse. As I say, it'll have some value in 2 years or so, and until we get new owners in, it looks inevitable that it will happen, particularly if our best players leave.

 

It just shouldn't have happened this year.

 

 

Because it works like that on Championship manager - take all the aspects of the situation into account and you'll get a clearer picture.

 

Johnson has made 22 appearances this season.

Aquilani has made 14 appearances this season.

Agger has made 18 appearances this season.

Gerrard has made 28 appearances this season.

Aurelio has made 14 appearances this season.

Bennayoun has made 26 appearances this season.

Skrtel has made 19 appearances this season.

 

Some key names there - surely even you can admit that their absence has had an effect on the performances - can you?

[stringvest]

With NO MONEY, and NO TIME to do anything about it what did you expect?

 

The plan's were made and agreed - the reason Johnson and Aquilani were brought in was to help implement the plan - things changed during the implementation of the plan and regardless of anything else there was no other means available to "fix the situation".

 

I can't believe I'm having to type this, but here goes - the situation didn't have to be fixed by bringing players in, it might have been worth trying to get the best out of what he had, or organise them in such a way that we could get an effective and productive team performance out of them occasionally.

 

This much-vaunted plan - what was it? Spend loads on really really good players? How many? Another 7? Or was it just 1? What if he'd have brought Villa in? Would we have changed the approach completely?

 

I don't believe in Rafa's plans. I'm not sure he knows what they are.

[Ted]

It's been shit Nando, lad. Proper shit.

[Kennys_spell]

You could also point out that last year they won the league, the milk cup and reaching their second consecutive champions league final.

 

This year, they could win the milk cup!

 

THey could also win the Milk Cup, The Prem and The European cup.

[Whelan]

THey could also win the Milk Cup, The Prem and The European cup.

 

I was trying to ignore that possibility!

[Kennys_spell]

I can't believe I'm having to type this, but here goes - the situation didn't have to be fixed by bringing players in, it might have been worth trying to get the best out of what he had, or organise them in such a way that we could get an effective and productive team performance out of them occasionally.

 

This much-vaunted plan - what was it? Spend loads on really really good players? How many? Another 7? Or was it just 1? What if he'd have brought Villa in? Would we have changed the approach completely?

 

I don't believe in Rafa's plans. I'm not sure he knows what they are.

 

What he had was N'Gog, Kuyt, Insua and Lucas. Are you suggesting they could actually be world beaters?

 

Regardless of what the plan was, if it was agreed and then changed at the last minute even you should be able to admit that it WILL have an effect.

 

No?

[Ted]

What he had was N'Gog, Kuyt, Insua and Lucas. Are you suggesting they could actually be world beaters?

 

Regardless of what the plan was, if it was agreed and then changed at the last minute even you should be able to admit that it WILL have an effect.

 

No?

 

Er, I don't mean to interject on this riveting fucking conversation, but didn't he buy that set of dirge?

[stringvest]

What he had was N'Gog, Kuyt, Insua and Lucas. Are you suggesting they could actually be world beaters?

 

Regardless of what the plan was, if it was agreed and then changed at the last minute even you should be able to admit that it WILL have an effect.

 

No?

 

Any change to plans has an effect. A manager has to manage change. Him not having an extra player does not result in the team looking clueless and playing shite for 90% of the season.

 

Even Benitez has admitted today that mistakes have been made this season. A pity some of his fans are even slower than him to admit it.

[stringvest]

Er, I don't mean to interject on this riveting fucking conversation, but didn't he buy that set of dirge?

 

Yes he did. And I refuse to believe we don't have better alternatives to Lucas and Kuyt in the reserves.

[Royal Family]

Owned by RR

 

You might want to try and get your facts straight next time

 

As you know full well, Alonso told Rafa he wanted to leave in early May 2009 - not July 2009. He told Rafa this before the final game of the season, and Rafa himself admitted that he was working on a solution from may onwards. Purslow was appointed 22 June 2009.

 

I'm simply not having this 'Rafa didn't have any dealings with Madrid' because it's not the full truth and it strikes me that it's a thin line between arguing this and arguing that rafa has NO control over his transfers. I suppose we'll hear next that Aquilani was forced on him too.

 

It's deliberately disingenuous. It seems that you and Rafa's strongest supporters are now determined that Purslow should be the new scapegoat for everything, just as Parry was before him.

[stringvest]

Because it works like that on Championship manager - take all the aspects of the situation into account and you'll get a clearer picture.

 

Johnson has made 22 appearances this season.

Aquilani has made 14 appearances this season.

Agger has made 18 appearances this season.

Gerrard has made 28 appearances this season.

Aurelio has made 14 appearances this season.

Bennayoun has made 26 appearances this season.

Skrtel has made 19 appearances this season.

 

Some key names there - surely even you can admit that their absence has had an effect on the performances - can you?

 

I did promise myself I wouldn't get into another tedious discussion with you. All teams have to manage without players. We are no different.

 

You are deliberately misrepresenting some of the data above as decisions that were forced upon Benitez, when the facts are some of them were entirely of Benitez's volition. This behaviour is precisely why I don't want to continue with this debate.

 

Kthxbye.

[Kennys_spell]

Any change to plans has an effect. A manager has to manage change. Him not having an extra player does not result in the team looking clueless and playing shite for 90% of the season.

 

Even Benitez has admitted today that mistakes have been made this season. A pity some of his fans are even slower than him to admit it.

 

Don't be at it - I for one have never said Benitez is faultless. What I do say is the Yanks are a bigger influence on what happens on the pitch than people like you want to believe. I don't remember too many other people making that claim either - perhaps it's just something you want to believe.

[Kennys_spell]

I did promise myself I wouldn't get into another tedious discussion with you. All teams have to manage without players. We are no different.

 

You are deliberately misrepresenting some of the data above as decisions that were forced upon Benitez, when the facts are some of them were entirely of Benitez's volition. This behaviour is precisely why I don't want to continue with this debate.

 

Kthxbye.

 

What's happening here is you're having a conversation in your own head loosely based on what's being said.

 

The data above is presented in support of my statement that "situations change" and to counter your claim that surely it would have all been fantastic had he not "mismanage the resources he'd brought in?"

 

There's no misrepresentation of data at all.

[Kennys_spell]

Er, I don't mean to interject on this riveting fucking conversation, but didn't he buy that set of dirge?

 

What's your point?

[Kennys_spell]

Yes he did. And I refuse to believe we don't have better alternatives to Lucas and Kuyt in the reserves.

 

Like who?

[stringvest]

What's happening here is you're having a conversation in your own head loosely based on what's being said.

 

The data above is presented in support of my statement that "situations change" and to counter your claim that surely it would have all been fantastic had he not "mismanage the resources he'd brought in?"

 

There's no misrepresentation of data at all.

 

Once again -

 

'Some key names there - surely even you can admit that their absence has had an effect on the performances - can you?'

 

You are implying that Benitez was not in control of some of these absences. He was. So, you are misrepresenting data. If you're not implying that, why bother posting it? Why not just post the games they were not available for due to illness or injury?

 

Dickhead.

[stringvest]

Like who?

 

Why don't you watch the reserves. Then you might not have to ask. It would be nigh on impossible to produce worse performances than some of the lowlights of Lucas and Kuyt's season.

[Ted]

What's your point?

 

Well you seemed to be inferring that those players aren't good enough, Benitez bought them so its his own fault.

[Kennys_spell]

Once again -

 

'Some key names there - surely even you can admit that their absence has had an effect on the performances - can you?'

 

You are implying that Benitez was not in control of some of these absences. He was. So, you are misrepresenting data. If you're not implying that, why bother posting it? Why not just post the games they were not available for due to illness or injury?

 

Dickhead.

 

You've completely misread my post - I was simply stating the facts that these players were missing - the absence of these players is BOUND to have an effect on the players that take to the pitch.

 

Injuries are injutries - how is a manager in control of them?

[Delmar]

Why don't you watch the reserves. Then you might not have to ask. It would be nigh on impossible to produce worse performances than some of the lowlights of Lucas and Kuyt's season.

 

Kuyt has been abysmal. Lucas, on the other hand has been one of our better players. There is no one in the reserves who can compete with Lucas, on the bench just Aquilani. Kuyt could have been replaced by Pacheco at times, by Babel at times, by Ngog at times, by Aquilani at times, and since Maxi came, Kuyt should be the 2nd choice RW.

 

More interesting is the stuff with Rafa's interview today. He "agrees" with Torres. An attempt to hijack Torres's criticism of him, or a joint, well orchestrated attack on the owners? Let the spinning begin...

[stringvest]

Kuyt has been abysmal. Lucas, on the other hand has been one of our better players. There is no one in the reserves who can compete with Lucas, on the bench just Aquilani. Kuyt could have been replaced by Pacheco at times, by Babel at times, by Ngog at times, by Aquilani at times, and since Maxi came, Kuyt should be the 2nd choice RW.

 

More interesting is the stuff with Rafa's interview today. He "agrees" with Torres. An attempt to hijack Torres's criticism of him, or a joint, well orchestrated attack on the owners? Let the spinning begin...

 

I don't think it's anything like that. It's just what it is - responses to questions. It's not the same as a statement to one of his preferred chums in the press.

[aws]

Kuyt has been abysmal. Lucas, on the other hand has been one of our better players. There is no one in the reserves who can compete with Lucas, on the bench just Aquilani. Kuyt could have been replaced by Pacheco at times, by Babel at times, by Ngog at times, by Aquilani at times, and since Maxi came, Kuyt should be the 2nd choice RW.

 

More interesting is the stuff with Rafa's interview today. He "agrees" with Torres. An attempt to hijack Torres's criticism of him, or a joint, well orchestrated attack on the owners? Let the spinning begin...

 

I don't think Torres was criticising Rafa.