Has something changed, between Rafa and the players?

[alias75]

Lots of comments this week from Rafa that he may change his approach slightly, he specifically talked about less rotation, and the rumours have been that hes been talking more with the players and listening to what they have to say.

 

The players certainly put in a great performance tonight and looked like they were playing for each other again.

 

I wonder if the past few weeks have changed Rafa a little?

 

Great performance, great win, great support.

[Guest Ant]

Desire, hunger, motivation

 

I.E The Champions League.

[CaptainXabi]

It's hard to say because Rafa is so good in Europe and everyone (including the players) knows it and it drives confidence high. Which in turn makes everyone play for each other. But there did seem to be something a little different today.

[Swipe]

Not sure how relevant it is, but he was asked before game if he was happy with his squad and he said "i'm happy with their commitment".

 

Maybe he realises some of the squad he's assembled just isn't good enough.

 

Who knows if he'll get a change to fix it though

[surf]

Desire, hunger, motivation

 

I.E The Champions League.

 

As i said on the match thread, i feel cheated that we're able to play this well, yet we've been seeing dross in the cups and league all season. Something's not right.

[Raj]

Maybe he realises some of the squad he's assembled just isn't good enough.

 

I think he realised this in October, hence his comments about trying to improve the squad back then.

[Falconhoof]

They took responsibility for themselves tonight. Nobody hid, nobody gave a half arsed performance.

Why can't we do that in the majority of games against poorer opposition ?

Its got to be motivation and they all have to recognise that, have a look at themselves and demand more when they approach a game in the league.

 

The way we went at Inter from the first whistle should be a benchmark. Why should the fans expect less than that in each league game ?

[Swipe]

I think he realised this in October, hence his comments about trying to improve the squad back then.

 

He hasn't suggested this until tonight, though.

[diaspora]

Did I see right at the end?? At final whistle, few handshakes with officials and Inter people then straight down tunnel...no acknowledgements to players for the performance, hope he did all that in the changing rooms

[Red2Core]

Noticed a few black eyes in the team Rafa's takin no sh*te from them now.

Edited February 19, 2008 by Redzion

[Barnesy_10]

Desire, hunger, motivation

 

I.E The Champions League.

 

Love Sex Intelligence...

 

Ooh comin through in the things you do to me

[Falconhoof]

Did I see right at the end?? At final whistle, few handshakes with officials and Inter people then straight down tunnel...no acknowledgements to players for the performance, hope he did all that in the changing rooms

 

I'd be annoyed if our manager was on the pitch patting people on the back. There's still a job to do and its Rafa's job to keep them focussed.

[alias75]

Id like to think hes identified the players that aren't putting in the effort or are arent playing for the cause. The fact is we play the 2nd leg in 3 weeks time so there really is no need to rotate for the sake of keeping players for other games anymore. We have players to come back from injury but i think in the coming weeks we'll start to see the players he thinks have a future here and those that don't.

 

As a fan it is very frustrating to see us play like we did today after some shocking performances in the league and FA Cup, most of the players say its the PL they want, yet they seem to get much more motivated for the CL, maybe the crowd plays a part in that too.

 

But todays performance was much more like it, and even at 2-0 Rafa was telling the players to keep pressing and they did everyone proud.

[McBain]

He looked at his watch after about 75 minutes. I'm taking this to mean that the club is about to be bought and Rafa will be staying

[Rimbeux]

It's hard to say because Rafa is so good in Europe and everyone (including the players) knows it and it drives confidence high. Which in turn makes everyone play for each other. But there did seem to be something a little different today.

 

Exactly right. We seem to be a squad that gets monkeys on our backs, positive and negative, whole seasons where the streak is away defeats or cant win away or draw at home, or beating top 3 sides. Europe and the CL is one that goes for us, helps that the pace of the game and lack of physical contact suits many of our players.

[Rimbeux]

As i said on the match thread, i feel cheated that we're able to play this well, yet we've been seeing dross in the cups and league all season. Something's not right.

 

 

Why feel cheated. They are different competitions played against different opposition under different conditions with different refereeing.

 

You have the extremely fast and physical league where you have to be able to out run and out play your opposition, the Cups which are blood and thunder and the biggest game most of the oppo will play in unless you get a PL side when it can become just like a PL game, and the CL which is about technique, tactics and coolness under pressure. Different types of football, like International football is different to club football, suits some players, not others.

[Rimbeux]

I'd be annoyed if our manager was on the pitch patting people on the back. There's still a job to do and its Rafa's job to keep them focussed.

 

Quite right, it would have been the kind of look at me grandstanding he's well above.

[Guest Kaizer]

He hasn't suggested this until tonight, though.

 

Oh yes he has.

[Swipe]

Oh yes he has.

 

The Oracle has spoken!

Edited February 19, 2008 by Swipe

[Lanus]

This might be the start of a wonderful turn around for us. The team have clearly not recovered from the contraversy that went on before, however they destroyed inter tonight. A big performance now against boro and we may see the team settling down and maybe going on a run.

 

I know everyone is disapointed but i would be so so happy to see us win the CL this year. For one I think it would give Rafa at least another year in the job to progress further and also, it's a bloody brilliant competition.

 

Im not at all bothered about the FA cup.

 

can't be happier with the result and performance tonight i guess.

[Raj]

The Oracle has spoken!

 

He has mentioned it before.

[Swipe]

He has mentioned it before.

 

When?

 

He's actively suggested he did not believe his squad was good enough?

 

Fair enough, i'm sure i haven't seen every interview but i can't remember that

[Chili Palmer]

This might be the start of a wonderful turn around for us. The team have clearly not recovered from the contraversy that went on before, however they destroyed inter tonight. A big performance now against boro and we may see the team settling down and maybe going on a run.

 

I know everyone is disapointed but i would be so so happy to see us win the CL this year. For one I think it would give Rafa at least another year in the job to progress further and also, it's a bloody brilliant competition.

 

Im not at all bothered about the FA cup.

 

can't be happier with the result and performance tonight i guess.

 

It would be brilliant to win it again, and with this group of players we never know what they can do on a good day.

 

it sounds silly as I am a massive supporter of Rafa, but it does make you question what he does different in the domestic game even more when we get results like this.

[alias75]

It would be brilliant to win it again, and with this group of players we never know what they can do on a good day.

 

it sounds silly as I am a massive supporter of Rafa, but it does make you question what he does different in the domestic game even more when we get results like this.

 

Theres probably a few reasons why we do better in the CL

 

1. We will play our strongest team all the time (unless its an unimportant group game)

2. The pace of the game is slower more technical which helps with the players we have

3. The games are more tactical meaning Rafa's influence on these games is much greater than a regular PL game where tactics aren't as important.

4. European nights at Anfield are very special.

[Chili Palmer]

Theres probably a few reasons why we do better in the CL

 

1. We will play our strongest team all the time (unless its an unimportant group game)

2. The pace of the game is slower more technical which helps with the players we have

3. The games are more tactical meaning Rafa's influence on these games is much greater than a regular PL game where tactics aren't as important.

4. European nights at Anfield are very special.

 

yeah, I agree, but he is a smart man, and his favorite saying is looking to the next match, so does he do enough prep on middlesbrough as he did against inter? there must be something more than the cL games are more tactical to highlight our massive jumps in form from saturday to tuesday.