At least this season

[Gunga Din]

we lasted til December in the title race.

 

no ideas again in the final 3rd, too slow getting the ball from midfield to the forwards and the midfield is too slow in getting forward. too many attacking players receiving the ball with their back to goal and with no movement off the ball, too often the wide men have the ball and we have no one in the box.

 

its not so much todays game in isolation, the games aginst Birmingham, Blackburn, Reading and Spurs are the ones that have really cost us. we'll hit christmas 10 points off the pace.

 

we havent strung 4 league wins together in 12 months, and thats the reason why we wont make up the points difference.

 

i'm f***ing depressed

[psl]

I'm thoroughly depressed also. Wondering when we're ever going to seriously contest the league.

[Marvin]

That team went to Marseille and did what no other English team has ever done - win there. Not only did they do that but they played one of the greatest European games ever - totally outclassing their opponents. They did that with sheer effort guts and style. It was always going to be difficult after doing that to overcome Man U just 4 days later and the breaks just didn't go our way yet again and its gutting. But we are not out of the title race.

[Flanders]

we havent strung 4 league wins together in 12 months, and thats the reason why we wont make up the points difference.

No, the reason is because we haven't got as good a team as 3 of the four teams ahead of us and we have to visit them all between now and May.

We are 10 points behind now and will be 20 points behind the eventual winner, probably MU. On paper they have the best 11 and AF get's even more out of his team than the sum of it's parts.

[Flanders]

That team went to Marseille and did what no other English team has ever done - win there. Not only did they do that but they played one of the greatest European games ever - totally outclassing their opponents. They did that with sheer effort guts and style. It was always going to be difficult after doing that to overcome Man U just 4 days later and the breaks just didn't go our way yet again and its gutting. But we are not out of the title race.

It was a great display, but Marseille are not a good side and no yard stick to see how good we are.

[Guest RedLegend]

That team went to Marseille and did what no other English team has ever done - win there. Not only did they do that but they played one of the greatest European games ever - totally outclassing their opponents. They did that with sheer effort guts and style. It was always going to be difficult after doing that to overcome Man U just 4 days later and the breaks just didn't go our way yet again and its gutting. But we are not out of the title race.

 

5 days later.

 

Don't think we can use that as an excuse really. 5 days is a long enough break to prepare for a game.

[RafaShanks]

f*** me. Is the title over yet?

 

We've come back from bigger feckin deficits than this.

 

Who says we can't go to Old Toilet, Emirates or Stamford Bridge and not win? They're other teams that can scupper them as well.

 

A win against Pompey and we're back on track.

 

Let me clarify for anyone who doesn't understand the above:

 

OUR TITLE RACE IS NOT OVER YET!!!

[dorgie]

and the breaks just didn't go our way yet again and its gutting.

 

It's arguable that we did get breaks today. Their goalkeeper had a nightmare first half, but we were incapable of capitalising, despite the ball falling to our players on at least 2 occassions.

 

Their goal, while it could be classed as a 'break' because Rooney mis-kicked it, it was down to rank bad defending to leave Rooney that much space. It was totally inexcusable to leave him unmakred.

[Mondavi]

5 days later.

 

Don't think we can use that as an excuse really. 5 days is a long enough break to prepare for a game.

 

if it's long enough for rafa to not rotate, then it's long enough for the players to be more than capable.

 

we're talking inches between a loss, draw or victory. i see no reason to feel the title chase is over, this was not a must win game.

[Guest RedLegend]

Who says we can't go to Old Toilet, Emirates or Stamford Bridge and not win? They're other teams that can scupper them as well.

 

Our recent away record against the other three in the league.

 

 

04/05:

 

Mancs (a) : 1-2

Chelsea (a) : 0-1

a*** (a): 1-3

 

05/06:

Mancs (a) 0-1

Chelsea (a) 0-2

a*** (a) : 1-2

 

06/07:

Chelsea (a): 0-1

Mancs (a): 0-2

a*** (a): 0-3

 

Points : 0 from a possible 27

[CaptainXabi]

if it's long enough for rafa to not rotate, then it's long enough for the players to be more than capable.

 

we're talking inches between a loss, draw or victory. i see no reason to feel the title chase is over, this was not a must win game.

Well, I agree with that, but it's going to be an almighty uphill battle. I would feel extremely happy if we got 2 or 3 points in the away legs against the other big teams, so that means we more or less have to go undefeated against the other 16 teams.

[Guz]

if it's long enough for rafa to not rotate, then it's long enough for the players to be more than capable.

 

we're talking inches between a loss, draw or victory.

 

Or we're talking about 90 minutes where basic pass and move football seemed to go out the window today and we once again failed to really be a constant threat to the goalkeeper of a top side. At least last year Bellamy tore Vidic a new one even if nothing came of his constant harassment. It's not just that we lost today. We were pretty s***.

 

Of course it's not totally over but 10 (lets say 7) points off with away trips to the four teams above us is hardly the best position to be in.

[Kite]

It's arguable that we did get breaks today. Their goalkeeper had a nightmare first half, but we were incapable of capitalising, despite the ball falling to our players on at least 2 occassions.

 

Their goal, while it could be classed as a 'break' because Rooney mis-kicked it, it was down to rank bad defending to leave Rooney that much space. It was totally inexcusable to leave him unmakred.

Have to watch a replay to see why exactly he had so much time and space - of all their players to leave like that, especially in that part of the pitch, he would be one of the worst. One thing it does remind me of, when the f*** are we going to be dangerous at set pieces. If it isn't Gerrard banging it straight in (which is pretty hard for him to do from corners especially), it seems to be nothing. Constantly surprises me about Rafa that he totally changed how we play set pieces defensively but seems to leave it to the players how to set up offensive set plays. Gerrard, for a start, should be in the box for corners, not taking them. Some variation should be available on direct free kicks, etc etc ...

[Guest GrandpaSimpson]

f*** me. Is the title over yet?

 

We've come back from bigger feckin deficits than this.

 

Who says we can't go to Old Toilet, Emirates or Stamford Bridge and not win? They're other teams that can scupper them as well.

 

A win against Pompey and we're back on track.

 

Let me clarify for anyone who doesn't understand the above:

 

OUR TITLE RACE IS NOT OVER YET!!!

 

We need to accept that we dont have enough QUALITY players to win a 38 game PL. We need more creativity. We have too many players who are "decent" or "ok" or "good" - we need another few quality players who can change a game the way a Fabregas, Rooney, or a Messi can. We have too many Kuyts, Benny's etc who on their day are fine, but we need more than that.

[dorgie]

Have to watch a replay to see why exactly he had so much time and space - of all their players to leave like that, especially in that part of the pitch, he would be one of the worst. One thing it does remind me of, when the f*** are we going to be dangerous at set pieces. If it isn't Gerrard banging it straight in (which is pretty hard for him to do from corners especially), it seems to be nothing. Constantly surprises me about Rafa that he totally changed how we play set pieces defensively but seems to leave it to the players how to set up offensive set plays. Gerrard, for a start, should be in the box for corners, not taking them. Some variation should be available on direct free kicks, etc etc ...

 

It is now nigh on certainty that these games are settled by set-pieces or goalkeeper error, either directly or indirectly. Sadly for us, we are generally on the wrong side of both. Their keeper made the errors today, we didn't capitalise. We got more set-pieces than them, we didn't capitalise.

[Marvin]

My point was not that the players would be physically tired after the Marseille game but that psychologically it was always going to be difficult after that game to raise their game to the level needed to win against the Mancs.

[Mondavi]

My point was not that the players would be physically tired after the Marseille game but that psychologically it was always going to be difficult after that game to raise their game to the level needed to win against the Mancs.

 

no no no no no no no. difficult to raise your game for the mancs ?????????????? the marseille game was bigger ????????????? dear oh dear...............

[Gunga Din]

My point was not that the players would be physically tired after the Marseille game but that psychologically it was always going to be difficult after that game to raise their game to the level needed to win against the Mancs.

 

 

sorry, but thats s****. if our players cant raise themselves for 2 games in a week then they're in the wrong job.

[RafaShanks]

We need to accept that we dont have enough QUALITY players to win a 38 game PL. We need more creativity. We have too many players who are "decent" or "ok" or "good" - we need another few quality players who can change a game the way a Fabregas, Rooney, or a Messi can. We have too many Kuyts, Benny's etc who on their day are fine, but we need more than that.

 

Agree about the quality issue, but doesn't mean we just throw the towel in half way through December just because we lost to the Mancs at home with a 9 point deficit and still a game in hand on them.

 

We're the Mancs superior than us today? We just needed to be a lot smarter in the way we attacked them. To much huffing and puffing.

 

We played s****, but a point would have been a fairer result today.

[Gunga Din]

Agree about the quality issue, but doesn't mean we just throw the towel in half way through December just because we lost to the Mancs at home with a 9 point deficit and still a game in hand on them.

 

We're the Mancs superior than us today? We just needed to be a lot smarter in the way we attacked them. To much huffing and puffing.

 

We played s****, but a point would have been a fairer result today.

 

 

how long have these excuses been trotted out. its not coincidence that we cant beat the mancs, chelsea or arsenal. its no coincidence that we cant string winning runs together in the league when Arsenal, Chelsea and Mancs can

[Marvin]

There was more at stake in the Marseille game. Sorry but there was.

[Coyler]

He should have told them it was a cup final.

[Mondavi]

There was more at stake in the Marseille game. Sorry but there was.

 

in that defeat meant the end of a challenge in that competition, whereas today did not ? I'd agree with that, whereas some might not, but still today's game was "bigger".

[Guest RedIsMyColour]

He should have told them it was a cup final.

 

You can't win league games on penalties

[Coyler]

You can't win league games on penalties

Tell that, the day that's in it, to Danny Murphy.