The way I see it is that if we would swap teams with ManU do you think we would play like they do? Do you think Rafa would allow them to move off the ball like Ferguson allows them to? Do you think Ronaldo would be as prolific? Do you think we would be as fluent going forward? Today I saw Utd counter attack at 0-0 and 6-7 red shirts stormed in Newcastle's penalty box...with us it's usually 2 or 3, usually just 2 though.
Babel's interview hit me though when he talked about Rafa's tactical and defensive approach prior to premierleague games and that Rafa puts 100% emphasis on defensive duties. You'll never win the premierleague with that mentality unless you have the equivalent attacking talent of Joe Cole, Arjen Robben, Damien Duff and Didier Drogba (and Lampard).
Rafa, in his 4th season, has shown me that he just doesn't have a clue about what it takes to win these kind of games consistently. Defensive minded tactics and patient buildup wins you cup competitions but in the league these things go out the window and as Rafa's record suggests against the teams in the bottom half of the table that is the case.
Rafa can complain all he wants about Utd or Chelsea's spending but he's spent an awful lot himself and comfortably outspent the likes of Wigan, Reading, Birmingham and Boro that if he feels his team doesn't have the quality to beat them, apart from Torres and Agger, every player he's bought since 2006 has been a waste of money!
One last thing: Isn't it hypocritical that a lot of people on here say that Mourinho only won the PL because of his expenditure instead of his managerial skills yet the same people complain that Rafa can't win the league because he hasn't had the same financial baking as Mourinho?
