Rafa on the differences between CL and PL...

[alias75]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/...p;TEAMHD=soccer

 

This is something i brought up a few days ago namely in the PL an astute coach cannot influence the game as much as he can in the CL when its much more of a tactical battle.

 

Maybe im being over optimistic but reading some of the things Rafa has been saying the last week or so i do get the impression hes been radically re-thinking some of the things he does. Hes talked about rotating less, and here he's acknowledging that you can't approach the PL in the same way as the CL.

 

Player wise i do think we need more pace for the PL and obviously a better quality of player helps, i guess the balance you need to strike is signing players who will improve us in the PL but not weaken us in the CL, maybe when signing players hes looked more at how he can coach them and get them to implement his tactics and less about how suited they are to the PL.

[Rimbeux]

One is Marquis of Queensbury, one is a street brawl.

 

One you can win on points and anticipate the other man's moves, to win the other you have to be stronger, faster, more technical and more streetwise and get a knockout or submission against opponents who maybe happy to avoid a hiding.

Edited February 20, 2008 by Rimbeux

[alias75]

nice analogy

 

i think in the PL its less about organisation and more about individuals producing those quality moments, it sounds simplistic but the more top quality players especially attacking players you have the better you should do. The PL is a league where attacking players do get the time and space to play if their good enough.

 

A manager like Rafa that almost likes to move his players around the pitch like chess pieces probably gets frustrated that his influence once the game has started is limited in the PL, the question is has he learnt from his mistakes and is he going to do anything about it? the recent comments suggest yes.

 

Once again it boils down to having individuals that can think for themselves on the field and 3 or 4 game breakers instead of 2.

[floyd the barber]

so do we think rafa will keep the same line up for this weekend??

 

 

i hope so...but doubt it

[Rimbeux]

so do we think rafa will keep the same line up for this weekend??

i hope so...but doubt it

 

 

One up front at home to a team like Boro? He'd never live it down!!

[Guest Si]

so do we think rafa will keep the same line up for this weekend??

i hope so...but doubt it

 

 

Hope not.

 

Aurelio was f***ing horrid.

[McBain]

Hope not.

 

Aurelio was f***ing horrid.

 

His crossing yes. Much like the captain. But i thought his overall game was good

 

As for the difference between the league and cl. I think part of it is not down to Rafa. I think it's partly that the players just naturally believe in themselves more in Europe as they've had massive success there. The majority of this team have made at least one cl final. With most of those having also won it. And a few more also having won the Uefa. But none of them have won the prem

 

I doubt confidence is ever a problem when we play any team in Europe

[floyd the barber]

One up front at home to a team like Boro? He'd never live it down!!

 

nah, move kuyt up alongside torres and gerrard to the right....

 

4-4-2 with options to change the formation bk to what we saw last night if needed.