No too downhearted about Manc or Chelsea defeats

[HeWonItFromBrock]

Once the initial pain of defeat has gone the one thing that comforts me is this.

 

Rafa is removing the fear factor from our team when we play against the top teams. Going to OT or Chelsea the players used to have a real inferiority complex and were nervous on the ball and hoofed it anywhere to try and releive the pressure. The last two performances against the Mancs and Chelsea show that the team is believing that it can go there, play the better foorball and win.

 

I know the record is poor against manU, Chelsea and Arsenal but that is because Benitex is willing to commit men forward and try and dominate the match. When he gets it right (more incisive attackers in the summer please!) it will be awesome.

 

We had good results at OT under Houliier but that approach was proved to be limited. In order to win the title the players have to believe they are the best and that includes going head to head with these teams, not just tying to nick a win like a lower division side trys to do against a Premier League team in the FA Cup.

 

I feel Benitez is making the players let go of the side of the pool, in doing this it's not easy at first and we lose some games and it's painful, but long term it is the thing that will make us Champions again.

[Pam]

Once the initial pain of defeat has gone the one thing that comforts me is this.

 

Rafa is removing the fear factor from our team when we play against the top teams. Going to OT or Chelsea the players used to have a real inferiority complex and were nervous on the ball and hoofed it anywhere to try and releive the pressure. The last two performances against the Mancs and Chelsea show that the team is believing that it can go there, play the better foorball and win.

 

I know the record is poor against manU, Chelsea and Arsenal but that is because Benitex is willing to commit men forward and try and dominate the match. When he gets it right (more incisive attackers in the summer please!) it will be awesome.

 

We had good results at OT under Houliier but that approach was proved to be limited. In order to win the title the players have to believe they are the best and that includes going head to head with these teams, not just tying to nick a win like a lower division side trys to do against a Premier League team in the FA Cup.

 

I feel Benitez is making the players let go of the side of the pool, in doing this it's not easy at first and we lose some games and it's painful, but long term it is the thing that will make us Champions again.

 

 

suppose it is all a game of opinions but i thought we looked nervous and gave the ball away a lot. We never looked like scoring and for all our possession and half chances early on once they scored it was game over. We desperatley need to be more clinical as good teams will punish us if we don't convert the few chances that come our way. I think Rafa has got it spot on against the "lesser" teams these days but against the big teams we are lacking. If we had a prolific goal scorer and could translate pressure and control into goals we'd be sorted but Rafa has bought Morientes and Crouch ( and Cisse and Fowler) and we don't look any closer to a clinical approach up front. Lot of expectation on Robbie to start scoring - quickly!

 

We've made great strides this season, but think our defensive excellence has papered over our lack of goals and lifted our expectations.