Hanshithispantz

Having an actual squad is something our fans are completely alien too tbf.

It wasn't even removed, it was merged into the actual Rafa thread

It's definitely different this year like, I've had a look at a few and most seem adamant the FA and their referees favour us because we're a 'big club'. It's clear bullshit like, we've had some horrific calls against us. We do the same in the Prem with the top sides.

Aye, his shirt was being pulled in the run up and then their defender smothered him to the ground stopping him from going for the ball. It was a stone wall penalty like.

And they are. Don't think anyone would be happy if we're not promoted. And it'd be disappointing if we don't go up as Champions. People being accused of sticking their heads in the sand because they haven't thrown their toys out the pram though. Personally I think our team is a bit overrated and the main reason we're in the top 2, and not fighting out with the rest of the pack, is because of Rafa. Like any manager though you take the good with the bad, and Rafa has his bad points no doubt, but he's by a distance the most distinguished manager we've ever had and it's pretty disheartening to see people jumping on his back every time he falters. In isolation the 6 defeats are bad but that's ignoring the pretty incredible runs of form we've been on around them. To the point Brighton are only 2 points ahead of us having the season of their lives. That's just the thing. I haven't seen anyone jumping on his back/shouting for his head etc. The criticism I've read has been pretty balanced and fair. The home form is a concern as is our response when we go a goal down. People saying he maybe could be a bit braver at home may well have a valid point as well. If fans aren't allowed to voice an opinion they may as well close messageboards like this down. That's fair enough like. I've been in and out the thread the last couple of days and a lot of what I'm referring too was probably soon after the defeat when emotions are running high. Just sense after every dip in form negativity starts to rise to pretty annoying levels, it happened around the Norwich game and it seems like it's happening again now - maybe not - I agree with a lot of what I'm reading tbh. But then you get fans coming out trying to tell us how Rafa needs to do things, as if he's unaware of our downsides or something. Like he's just too numb not to 'play 2 up top and blow everyone out the water'. Something which might work in hindsight, but across the season I think sticking to his plan will net us the most points. Sewelly I think posted something similar a while back and I think it's turned out to be pretty much bang on.

And they are. Don't think anyone would be happy if we're not promoted. And it'd be disappointing if we don't go up as Champions. People being accused of sticking their heads in the sand because they haven't thrown their toys out the pram though. Personally I think our team is a bit overrated and the main reason we're in the top 2, and not fighting out with the rest of the pack, is because of Rafa. Like any manager though you take the good with the bad, and Rafa has his bad points no doubt, but he's by a distance the most distinguished manager we've ever had and it's pretty disheartening to see people jumping on his back every time he falters. In isolation the 6 defeats are bad but that's ignoring the pretty incredible runs of form we've been on around them. To the point Brighton are only 2 points ahead of us having the season of their lives.

people like Yorkie and Ronaldo have been plenty critical of him without going on like lunatics. They've made great points and it hasn't been a chore to read. Our home form is terrible and Rafa has to take the blame for that - we've ballanced that out with a ridiculous away record and an allergy to drawing games. No need for anyone to go over the top.

Boyd's team too. Lush.

And won the other in the most bizarre fashion ever I've really never been confident of us pulling anything back though, it's a problem with had seemingly forever.

Honestly though we've played with a combination of all 3 and have performed pretty much identically.

Thought he'd had a couple of wobbles recently which worried me a bit but he's put in some absolutely terrific displays. No chance I'd be letting Elliott anywhere near a net ahead of him.

He's having a really poor season like, massive shame given the potential he's shown.

What's not to understand? I'm not going to jam my keyboard with rage telling the manager to fuck off with his system because we know he won't. I'd rather play 2 up front like you with these crop of players, but since we know he's not changing his system we better and need to sign better players to remove the reliance of Shelvey. I cannot blame people for being pissed off like. Our home form is canny horrible and it isn't down to bad luck, but I have no worries and don't think it's anywhere near as simple to sort out as gets made out immediately after a defeat. We need a couple of big players in January. That's obviously fair but the reason why it's so frustrating, particularly tonight, is because he's persisting with it until the last knockings of the game. He brought Atsu on, which was a good sub, but still we had absolutely fuck all to aim for up top. I agreed with Atsu but I never thought he did anything tbh, looked sharp a couple of times but even after he wiggled away they recovered well enough and easily dealt with anything he put in or robbed him before he could. I was screaming for Mitrovic too and although he never made a massive difference I thought he brought players into it well a few times, which we just never saw from Diame of Gayle at all tbh. Not even sure what I'm trying to say here like, I just found the whole match frustrating to watch and am still canny annoyed now, I've felt like this a few times at home this season (like when the opposition score I've never seen any way in which we reply - we seem so flat). I know Rafa sees it too, he analyses these games to death with his team. I suppose I just expect him to sort us out by buying players which are a better fit for what he's trying to do, as opposed to changing the way we play. Our squad doesn't fully suit it and he's obviously aware of that. Mitrovic, Lazaar, Perez and even Atsu I don't think he fully trusts.

What's not to understand? I'm not going to jam my keyboard with rage telling the manager to fuck off with his system because we know he won't. I'd rather play 2 up front like you with these crop of players, but since we know he's not changing his system we better and need to sign better players to remove the reliance of Shelvey. I cannot blame people for being pissed off like. Our home form is canny horrible and it isn't down to bad luck, but I have no worries and don't think it's anywhere near as simple to sort out as gets made out immediately after a defeat. We need a couple of big players in January.

True, but the players all over the pitch should still be able to play with some sort of urgency and tempo one would think. They did against Forrest when he went off. I agree with Dave like, he is key and we're far less deadly without him. In all honesty though I think our team is slightly overrated. We have the best and deepest squad but, although people are (rightly) kicking off about his home form, I think people assume Rafa just needs to send a team out with two strikers and we'll win.

Because Anita isn't absolutely shit.

Anyway regarding Mitrovic he won a few balls and gave it well a few times in the time he was on when we were basically still shite on the whole. To call him shite individually is ridiculous, but expected.

Such an obvious agenda.

Fucking hate Boxing Day like.

These shite mobile games must make a fucking fortune like.

Feels like they've just been kicking the fuck out of us for the past 20 minutes

He must be playing a very special brand of shite football to still be averaging 2.7 goals a game like Deila averaged 2.2 last season playing supposed sexy football. EDIT: Not saying he's a better or worse manager than Deila like, or thay his football is better or worse to watch. I just find it very hard to believe that his football is "make the players kick other players." I thought Swansea were boring as fuck under him but they had a fetish for knocking the ball about. Think they won the Fair Play League under him too.

Scored 50 goals in 18 games like, it cannot be THAT bad

Merry Christmas Nicky!

He scored 16 goals that year like not 20 (according to wiki), and won an award for the Segunda's 'best Attacking Midfielder', not sure he even played right up top for Tenerife but I'm just going off the limmited info we have. In any case I think his finishing is one of the best in the squad, hence him being able to do a job up there, but he's never looked like a striker for us.