themanupstairs Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Where are all the knackers who said he'd be gone by Christmas/Easter/Kwanzaa? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleBingo Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Where are all the knackers who said he'd be gone by Christmas/Easter/Kwanzaa? Indeed......he has made quite a lot of our 'fans' look like the clueless bellends they undoubtedly are. Just imagine what he could achieve if he had some much better players to work with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Venkman Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Never doubted him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 but subs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
huss9 Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 grayson for me, like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
samptime29 Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 grayson for me, like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alijmitchell Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 He's the fucking best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattoon Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 He's the fucking best. Who, Grayson? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raconteur Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Seems to me that he's moving away from the rotational philosophy of his whole career, and instead having a pretty fixed first XI. A big part of that is that he has so few players he completely trusts. You can't argue with the results. It does make me a little nervous as to whether we have the legs to see the season out. I'm sure Rafa would like to give players rests over the next few weeks, but every player in the XI is clearly the best option, and I don't think he'll take the risk. And, of course, it makes the need for recruitment in the summer that much more important. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heron Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 You have to remember though we have had like a 3 week break or something daft, beaten Man U and twatted Southampton. Like why would he change after that... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raconteur Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Over the rest of the season, though? Can Shelvey play the next seven matches in a row? Or Lascelles, Lejeune, Kenedy, Ritchie, Perez and the rest? Yeah, they've had a sound break, but there's a lot of football to be played, and it looks like Rafa's playing it with a small group of players. Besides, "a little nervous" doesn't mean I'm changing from zero on the relegationometer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heron Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Aye but they're virtually playing one a week until the end if the season. At their level of fitness that should be achievable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanj Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Completely forgot we had a 3 week break and came back and got the job done. Incredible man. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixx Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 There's a clip of him doing the rounds on Twitter, right at the moment when the referee blew for full time - Rafa casually takes off his glasses and places them in his breast pocket. I don't know, it seems like a ridiculously trivial moment but it's also kinda telling. It's like he meticulously prepared for today, got the job done down to a tee and then just casually takes off his glasses after an honest day of work where everything precisely went how it was supposed to go No bells and whistles, no fistpumping, nothing left to chance. Just solid fucking professionalism and preparation. We're so lucky to have him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stottie Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 His record with us in the PL, including the relegation season, is now. P41 W12 D12 L17 F47 A52 Pts 48 Pts/Game 1.17 That's about 10th/11th in the league form. Exclude the games this season without Lascelles or last time with Steven Taylor and it'll be more wins than defeats and a positive goal difference, I would guess its at least +10. Over a season, that would get 7/8th in the league. That has been achieved with a demoralized post-McClaren shitshow last time and a minimally upgraded Championship squad this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Think he rotates a lot in the mid season so he can play the strongest side down the backend. Someone like Ayozr Who has been fit pretty much all season has only started 21 or so games. Only handful have started 25 or more games. Lascelles, Yedlin and Ritchie. Shelvey and Diamé have both started less than 20 PL games so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
loki679 Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 That's because Diame was shite until Lascelles smacked him around a bit, though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleBingo Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 There's a clip of him doing the rounds on Twitter, right at the moment when the referee blew for full time - Rafa casually takes off his glasses and places them in his breast pocket. I don't know, it seems like a ridiculously trivial moment but it's also kinda telling. It's like he meticulously prepared for today, got the job done down to a tee and then just casually takes off his glasses after an honest day of work where everything precisely went how it was supposed to go No bells and whistles, no fistpumping, nothing left to chance. Just solid f***ing professionalism and preparation. We're so lucky to have him. I also noticed him in deep conversation with Atsu after the final whistle.....probably bollocking him for giving the ball away near the end, which allowed them to create a chance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakey jake Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 he's such just a good manager man, I'll be devastated if the club never gets a chance to take off whilst he's here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Our goal difference is better than everyone above or below us until you get to Leicester in 8th. It's the best of all the teams on a negative goal difference too. Love this man. He's ground it out, he's made us disciplined and organised and managed a small squad to deliver one thing safety. Imagine what he could do with some actual investment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzaA2 Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Seems to me that he's moving away from the rotational philosophy of his whole career, and instead having a pretty fixed first XI. A big part of that is that he has so few players he completely trusts. You can't argue with the results. It does make me a little nervous as to whether we have the legs to see the season out. I'm sure Rafa would like to give players rests over the next few weeks, but every player in the XI is clearly the best option, and I don't think he'll take the risk. And, of course, it makes the need for recruitment in the summer that much more important. He's usually rotated when he's had two games a week because he's usually been in Europe or the Championship. He prefers a settled side when it's one game a week. He's good at managing a squad.compared to how clueless Pardew was that season we were in Europe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themanupstairs Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Think he rotates a lot in the mid season so he can play the strongest side down the backend. Someone like Ayozr Who has been fit pretty much all season has only started 21 or so games. Only handful have started 25 or more games. Lascelles, Yedlin and Ritchie. Shelvey and Diamé have both started less than 20 PL games so far. Yup Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Green Balls Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Once we are mathematically safe, can we put a dunce avatar on a few of the telling-it-how-it-is posters? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figures 1-0 Football Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 He spoke about his rotations during post-match interview; basically said the way players exert themselves in training helps to shape the team, plus he also likes to keep players competitive and on their toes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
huss9 Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 He spoke about his rotations during post-match interview; basically said the way players exert themselves in training helps to shape the team, plus he also likes to keep players competitive and on their toes. aye. also some quotes about having players who've been training well in front of him are getting in the squad ahead of those away on international duty, eg hayden ahead of moreno. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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