Coincidence

[Guest Ant]

Is it no coincidence that we have played our best football and won so many games on the bounce because we have stayed with the same system and formation?

 

Seriously now, look at us, the players are enjoying there football, they know where eachother is, we aren't giving the ball away as much and confidence is flowing because they have fight in them, fight that lets us know they want to be in the team. The changes that Benitez have made have been forced and thats in my opinion how it should always be when you are in form.

It's a shame that we have hit such rich reign of form, as ever at the end of the season, and as ever rotation paid off way too late.

 

Also I hate to rat on about it BUT as much as I don't buy into the Torres doesn't play enough bulls***.

I can't help but wonder IF Torres played v Brum + Pompey we might have got crucial early season wins under our belt.

I still maintain the view that Benitez's early mistakes have cost us this season in the league, yet those mistakes have hindered upon our success in Europe.

[MFletcher]

[Cooger]

The system might not have changed, however it wasn't really changing when we were playing 4-4-2 earlier in the season with Kuyt supporting Torres.

 

However changes are still occuring - In the full back positions Aurelio, Arbeloa and Riise are all being rotated. Hyypia and Skrtel have been rotating as have Alonso and Leiva.

 

Reina, Carargher, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres and Babel have been fixtures and many would argue that should be the case. Also they have been fixtures all season really.

Edited March 16, 2008 by Cooger

[Rimbeux]

Man City A

Wigan H

Boro A

Villa H

West Ham A

 

 

Five games without a win, that's where it was lost. Same formation, 4-4-2 in four of the five games off the top of my head, Torres started them all and scored once I believe. Go through them and I'm sure you'll find something to blame the manager about, just as you were complaining about one up front until we started winning with it, a system which was so obviously forced on him that he stumbled on in desperation.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Is it no coincidence that we have played our best football and won so many games on the bounce because we have stayed with the same system and formation?

 

Seriously now, look at us, the players are enjoying there football, they know where eachother is, we aren't giving the ball away as much and confidence is flowing because they have fight in them, fight that lets us know they want to be in the team. The changes that Benitez have made have been forced and thats in my opinion how it should always be when you are in form.

It's a shame that we have hit such rich reign of form, as ever at the end of the season, and as ever rotation paid off way too late.

 

Also I hate to rat on about it BUT as much as I don't buy into the Torres doesn't play enough bulls***.

I can't help but wonder IF Torres played v Brum + Pompey we might have got crucial early season wins under our belt.

I still maintain the view that Benitez's early mistakes have cost us this season in the league, yet those mistakes have hindered upon our success in Europe.

 

 

"Also I hate to rat on about it"

 

Ha ha ha

[Cooger]

Man City A

Wigan H

Boro A

Villa H

West Ham A

Five games without a win, that's where it was lost. Same formation, 4-4-2 in four of the five games off the top of my head, Torres started them all and scored once I believe. Go through them and I'm sure you'll find something to blame the manager about, just as you were complaining about one up front until we started winning with it, a system which was so obviously forced on him that he stumbled on in desperation.

 

Agreed.

 

It's funny that people were criticising 4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1 whatever you want to call it, when it was used against Wigan at home and we drew. The reason we drew that game was down to poor defending and a mistake by Gerrard, rather than the system not working.

 

Now everyone praises the system and say Gerrard has learnt how to play the role. Well he learnt how to play it pretty well in Europe in 2005 when we won the European Cup. They say Gerrard is playing slightly deeper therefore he's receiving the ball facing goal, rather than having his back to the opposition's goal.

 

For me the fact is we're getting the right balance now between defense and attack, that's the reason for the upturn in results. Some return to form fors some players, less mistakes, better defending, rather than the manager stumbling on formations or less roatation.

 

Skrtel has improved the defense with his extra pace and ability on the ball, hence we're keeping it better. It's a shame our defense haven't been on the same form as the last couple of season's as our attack have done enough to win the league in Torres, Gerrard and Babel with Yossi, Crouch and Kuyt making contributions.

[Dan]

Its no coincidence your silence has been deafening since we've been winning Ant

[Tones]

In previous seasons under Rafa, we have put together much better runs in the league than this one. All while changing the system and the personnel.

[Guest Sabre]

Our passing was pretty horrid yesterday and I don't think they were enjoying it much out there yesterday. We won though so it supports one perspective that you wish to peddle constantly.

[Cooger]

In previous seasons under Rafa, we have put together much better runs in the league than this one. All while changing the system and the personnel.

 

Our best runs under Rafa have come when we have been keeping clean sheets.

 

This season we have not kept enough clean sheets and have made too many mistakes at the back. I think our attacking game has delivered more often than not.

 

When Torres has played we have rarely had problems scoring - Man U and Man City spring to mind where we really struggled to create something, despite dominating possession. However those are exceptions against two sounds defenses, who were happy with a point.

Edited March 16, 2008 by Cooger

[Guest Sabre]

Man City defended like titans against us though. Richard Dunne had the game of his life and we deserved more.

 

We lost to Reading earlier in the season due to some dodgy refereeing and because of some naive defending (mainly because young Hobbs had to be thrown in due to injuries).

[Guest Prongsy]

Would you still like Rafa to be sacked, Ant?

[muleskinner]

Man City defended like titans against us though. Richard Dunne had the game of his life and we deserved more.

 

We lost to Reading earlier in the season due to some dodgy refereeing and because of some naive defending (mainly because young Hobbs had to be thrown in due to injuries).

 

We lost to Reading because we played like s*** and the formation we set up with was a joke, it was nothing to do with bad refereeing.

[Cooger]

We lost to Reading because we played like s*** and the formation we set up with was a joke, it was nothing to do with bad refereeing.

 

I take it you don't think Crouch is the answer to our wing problems then?

[Guest Sabre]

We lost to Reading because we played like s*** and the formation we set up with was a joke, it was nothing to do with bad refereeing.

 

So the penalty didn't have an effect on the game?

[muleskinner]

So the penalty didn't have an effect on the game?

 

We were s*** and got what we deserved.

[Earl Hafler]

Man City A

Wigan H

Boro A

Villa H

West Ham A

Five games without a win, that's where it was lost. Same formation, 4-4-2 in four of the five games off the top of my head, Torres started them all and scored once I believe.

 

During which time about 4 players were getting consecutive starts. Rafa switching between Beny and Pennant on the right, Kewell and Babel on the left. Alonso and Mascherano being swapped in midfield. Torres' strike partner constantly changing

 

The wins have come at a time when Rafa has stuck to a system, used the same 6 players in midfield and attack for the vast majority of the time.

 

The test is the next 2 weeks.

[Guest Sabre]

We were s*** and got what we deserved.

 

You didn't answer the question though. I thought we were pretty s*** yesterday other than brilliance from Mascherano and a free kick. We hardly created another chance against Reading.

 

The issue in the first game was a poor decision by the ref, a young centre back having his hand held by Carra and also some strange choices for positions.

 

Yesterday had less to do with consistency in my opinion and more to do with our quality.

[Benitez]

uhoh, Kaizer has been in italics for about half an hour

[Cooger]

During which time about 4 players were getting consecutive starts. Rafa switching between Beny and Pennant on the right, Kewell and Babel on the left. Alonso and Mascherano being swapped in midfield. Torres' strike partner constantly changing

 

The wins have come at a time when Rafa has stuck to a system, used the same 6 players in midfield and attack for the vast majority of the time.

 

The test is the next 2 weeks.

 

Recently:

 

Arbeloa, Aurelio and Riise have been rotating for the full back positions.

 

Hyypia and Skrtel rotating for centre back.

 

Leiva and Alonso in midfield.

 

Rotation has still been occuring, people only mention it when we lose though. It works both ways in my opinion.

[Guest Kaizer]

Coincidence?

 

Not really.

 

Premier League stats:

With Xabi Alonso: 13 starts - 8 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss, 28- 8 goal difference.

This gives us a 2,15 points average which would have given us 64,5 points.

 

Without Xabi Alonso: 17 matches - 8 wins - 7 draws - 2 losses, 27- 13 goal difference.

This gives us a 1,82 points average, which would have given us 54,6 points.

 

In other words the difference between being title contenders or in the race for fourth.

[Earl Hafler]

Rotation has still been occuring, people only mention it when we lose though. It works both ways in my opinion.

 

Yes, it has, but nowhere near in the same unsettling manner.

 

Rafa was still swapping fullbacks when he was swapping the other 4 midfield and forward positions apart from Gerrard and Torres.

 

His selection policy now has changed from what it was 4+ weeks ago. You can't dispute that.

 

A settled midfield and attack has brought about our best, most consistently good football of season. That it has occurred at the same time as playing some poor, off form opposition still leaves doubts as to how much we've improved.

 

We'll probably know more at the end of the month.

[Earl Hafler]

Coincidence?

 

Not really.

 

Premier League stats:

With Xabi Alonso: 13 starts - 8 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss, 28- 8 goal difference.

This gives us a 2,15 points average which would have given us 64,5 points.

 

Without Xabi Alonso: 17 matches - 8 wins - 7 draws - 2 losses, 27- 13 goal difference.

This gives us a 1,82 points average, which would have given us 54,6 points.

 

In other words the difference between being title contenders or in the race for fourth.

 

 

Err...no.

[MFletcher]

Kaizer in not considering the quality of the teams, the other players on the pitch and using one set of stats in an incredibly narrow way in order to justify a point he's been peddling all season shocker.

[Guest Kaizer]

Kaizer in not considering the quality of the teams, the other players on the pitch and using one set of stats in an incredibly narrow way in order to justify a point he's been peddling all season shocker.

 

You mean the draws against Chelsea and Arsenal at home and Pompey away which Xabi where involved in?