On the subject of 'great technique with questionable attitude' versus 'fantastic attitude but poor technique', I'd pick technique every time.
Reason - I think I have the man-management skills to change that attitude or at least channel it in the right way.
Maybe Rafa doesn't have that skill so he opts for the attitude over technique. Bellamy, Pennant, etc. have left, leaving us with Kuyt, Lucas, etc.
If we had still had Bellamy at the club last year (no matter what a knob he is) and Rafa had been able to get the best out of him like Hughes could, this season could have had a different ending. Instead, when Torres is unavailable we drop back to the guys who will run all day but never score. Maybe we should buy Paula Radcliffe for next year.
