Absolutely mental to even consider that Rafa isn't straining every sinew to get more out of this squad, including questioning every single one of his own decisions. He's a borderline psycho when it comes to tactical details and how things can be improved.
If it was as straightforward as just telling them to attack more (our strikers are shit, the way some go on you'd think they're just starved of a bit of service) then I reckon he'd have done so.
Our problem was the club resting on its laurels in the summer - see Ashley's statement at the end of the season when he essentially made it clear the squad needed no improvement - just as it's done loads of times before including after Pardew finished 5th. Just assuming everything can happen again without spending anything, no matter how blindingly obviously unsustainable something is. Conveniently forgetting that everyone else tries to improve all the time, just as any fucking sporting institution should.