I'm sorry but im fed up listening to the rubbish about us winning the title. Its not gunna happen this season. Obviously if you had been told we'd be 2 points off the leaders (albeit with a game extra played) at this stage of the season, in August, then that would seem like a great season thus far. However, this season is probably one of the poorest seasons quality wise.
Manchester United have not hit anywhere near top gear, Chelsea have been shockingly inconsistent and Arsenal have been worse. We have been distinctly average in our performances and ground out some fortuitous wins in the first half of the season. There has been precious little difference in some of the performances in games we have won and games we have drawn. For instance, the home game against Boro and the opening game at the stadium of light against Sunderland were 2 average performances to say the least. The only difference between these games and games against the likes of stoke and west ham was that we got lucky and nicked a goal. The warning signs have been there all season. We have controlled some games yet failed to find the net. This is the major flaw with Rafa's tactics. He believes that hard work alone will win games. This is unsustainable for a whole league season. We have some players of excellent quality. However I would doubt that Rafa's system allows us to see the best of them.
I'll refer to man utd as with credit to them, they are the benchmark to judge a good league team by. Would you prefer Carrick, Fletcher, Park, Giggs, Nani or O'Shea instead of Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Babel, Riera or Arbeloa??
The United players mentioned above do not seem like matchwinners or glamour players on paper. However these will be the squad players of a title winning squad.
Our lot seem to have that extra but of quality, albeit on paper. Thats where our system comes in, its far too rigid, its as if Rafa doesnt trust our players to express themselves. Our forwards are encouraged to defend from the front to an excessive extent which has blunted some of our signings attacking abilities.
I would love to see what some of our players could do in a different kind of system. I'd love to see what Ryan Babel could do when he is not being coached day in day out to defend from the front. I'd love to see what Xabi Alonso can do when he is playing in an alternating 2 man centre midfield with Steven Gerrard where its taken in turn to get forward. The reliance on Gerrard to be the focal point of our attack to provide chances for Torres pays off 7 times out of 10. However, we are one dimensional in attack and this reliance is unhealthy both on the pressure on the player and the ego of the player.
When Ruud Van Nistelrooy was a Man Utd player he was a scoring machine, sometimes relentless with finding the net. However United became a better team when they diluted the goalscoring duties. Now i'm not saying sell Gerrard or Torres but we desperately need to changeour attacking philosophy.
One other point is our method of attacking play. We defend as a team, as a unit. However we attack as individuals. Such a philosophy should result in an impenetrable defence. However our defence has been average this season if you ask me. Fair enough, we havent conceded bucket loads of goals. But if most teams played with 2 midfielders babysitting in front of our centre backs then there would be alot less goals in the premiership. these 2 players are the most important in Rafa's footalling philosophy. Again i'll refer to Man Utd, Vidic and Ferdinand/Evans do not need as much protection. And this is what makes the scum a greater side.
Basically it all boils down to Rafa's philosophy. In his eyes a player like Kuyt is a dream. An attacking work horse who'll score the occasional goal and defend from the front. I think he is the prototype Benitez player. And this saddens me. Because this philosophy will never change. We will be efficient and mechanical, and to be successful in the league.... i.e winning it, we will need to be robotic playing Rafa's system. Theres little room for creativity and freedom of expression (Gerrard aside).
Finally, i'd like people who read this to name me some attacking players that Rafa has significantly developed since he came here. You may say Torres but I would disagree, its not that difficult to see Torres was a superb player when he first came. And he is an excellent player now. But will Rafa make him a more dangerous player? Sure he'll make him tactically aware and hard working theres no doubt about that.
Pennant, Nunez, Gonzalez, Kuyt, Crouch, Riera, Babel, N'Gog, Bellamy, Keane. (These are a sprinkling of Rafa's attacking signings). Its been said a million times that these are not players of the highest quality, that is obvious. But have we even got the best out of them?
anyway rant over. Basically what I'm trying to say is that our managers philosophy depresses me. And hes so stubborn with it that he wont change.
