No this has nothing to do with the ludicrious 'R' word. Instead it's got to do with his choice of substitutions against Fulham.
I can understand a manager wishing to make tactical changes during a game, certainly if it's with a view to improving the team. But surely it would make sense to take off players who are not performing, Leiva coming on for Mascherano (who was playing well) instead of Stevie G who was anonymous throughout, Torres coming on for Voronin (who was also having a decent game) instead of Crouch who one header aside did nothing for the entire game :-(
I just can't see any logical reason for him doing that, it's hardly a motivational aide for the players if how they perform bears no relation on whether they get picked or not !
11 comments:
Rafa changed Mascherano for Leiva is correct. Mascherano is purely a holding midfielder but Leiva is a holding midfielder who also can attack. This gives Rafa another attacking option. With Torres & Crouch together this gives Rafa both attacking options on the ground and in the air. Torres is a good header. Rafa could be thinking that in the last few minutes if it is still goalless a lot of crosses and high balls would be pumped in and this is when both Crouch and Torres are needed.
I certainly appreciate that logic, but for this particular game Gerrard & Crouchie weren't playing well at all.
If anything I found them both to be liabilities, which is why I would have preferred both of them be subbed instead.
You were over for the game Paul? A win is such a relief. Once again, we laboured and looked shockingly short of ideas against a team with no ambition. We're just way too easy to stifle. Fulham will get twatted 4/5-0 at old trafford that's why United are so far ahead of us and Arsenal too. Getting close to a challenge might be all we do this year but it might be enough - unless we sign some superstars in January.
Yeah it was good to go and have a wee distraction after getting back from holidays there last week.
The scoreline doesn't bother me at all, just the lazy way some of the lads played.... still we're in a very healthy position points wise
i think your way of thinking is not good. Gerrard can score goals and not mascherano. Crouch is very good in the air.
I think you will be happy if Lucas comes in for Gerrard and Torres for Crouch and the result is 0 - 0 instead of the 2 - 0 win. Then you will be happy.
Oh really people are never satisfied
To Anonymous,
its pretty obvious that the point hes trying to get across is that Stevie and Crouch were playing crap.
When players play crap they are no good for the team.
Use your brain. We won in spite of Stevie/Crouch NOT because of them.
Don't mess with the Jess.
She does seem quite subtle ;-)
Eh? We are drawing 0-0. Subs are made, we win 2-0. What, pray tell, was wrong with the substitutions?
I thought the substitutions were spot on. With Lucas comming on for Mascherano it opened the midfield up and then with Babel and Torres there was that pace and ability to use different dimensions.
The only point I'm trying to make is that Benitez chose to take off 2 players who were playing well and he left on 2 players who were playing very very badly (although Gerrard did get a little better after the first goal went in (he had nothing to do with that)).
Normally I don't have any problem with Benitez decisions, I like him, think he's a tactical genius even.
But I was there in the stadium with a birds eye view of the game and Gerrard & Crouch were both anonymous for nearly the entire match, players like that are of no value in my eyes.
Which is why I would have preferred Leiva coming on for Gerrard, and Torres coming on for Crouch.
Riise is another player who was having a bad game (he was replaced with Babel - very good call).
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