That may sound silly given the turnaround in the team's results since AVB went and RDM took over and especially right now after winning the FA Cup. But here's what I think. RDM has given the senior players their place which AVB didn't do. Not places necessarily on the team but respect for their seniority and they have responded. But his insistence on playin Bos & Kalou would against a more aware manager than Dalgleish have been disastrous. Liverpool should have attacked down that wing at every opportunity. when they did Bosingwa was in trouble. Not content with playin those 2 planks from the start he brings on Mereiles & Malouda! Tactical awareness my a4$e. We were lucky to survive. (Though over 90 mins we were the best team) And at that stage when we were defending and needed a pacy threat in attack he ignored (and quite possibly annoyed) Torres. Now Drogs is fantastic but he was looking tired at the end and Torres is at least the short term future. He should have got on the field. AVB made a mess of it but RDM has only postponed it I don't think he is the man to manage the transition which has to come.
i thought oh no when he brought on malouda and mereiles but it was in the latter stages, they had fresh legs and did not do that bad. i think you are maybe being a tad harsh.
RDM has had the job for 2 MONTHS. He hasn't has a break or a transfer window to make changes. He is 41 years of age, severely lacks managerial experience and has never had a job this big. He got thrown straight into the business end of the season when there was heaps of pressure on Chelsea and critics diving in on us like hawks, saying that we were a club in crisis. Given all that, I think it would be fair to cut him some slack. The problem is that he has no better options player wise. You criticised his choice to start Bosingwa and Kalou and bring on Meireles and Malouda, but who else have we got? Ferreira lacks match fitness to start an FA Cup Final and isn't that much better. We could not play Ivanovic there as Cahill and Luiz were injured. The problem was not getting a proper right back in the first place and shipping Bosingwa out. Blame Ancelotti and AVB for that. Kalou and Malouda are both experienced players who have played in a lot of big matches and cup finals. If Kalou didn't start it would be Sturridge who is too big for his boots, is selfish and would give the ball away instead of seeing the match out. Hence why Kalou started and why Malouda came on instead. Yes Malouda has long lost the form he once had, but he is an experienced player who can see the match out. It wasn't much a case of them being the right choices, but the fact that there was no one else really, like I mentioned before. Meireles came on to provide a pair of fresh legs as Essien seems to be a shadow of his former self. Makes a few mistakes, but he has his good moments too. Not Chelsea quality though and should go in the summer. Whilst I agree that Torres would have troubled Liverpool, I think he still has a psychological barrier when it comes to playing them. We couldn't risk him in a match of this magnitude and this importance, not now when he finally seems to be regaining his form once again. He must play in Munich though, no doubt about that.
It will be Drogs starting in Munich bar injury.You can bet your house on that Yuri. The rest you got spot on. Bos deserves better just for Barca.
Well I 'd ahve started Torres in front of Kalou. And given that he didn't start I'd have brought him on before Malouda. Can't argue that Essien is not the player he was but I'd still put more faith in him than Mereiles. And I would have more faith in Ferreira than Bosingwa 363 days out of 364.
I suspect that the decision will hinge on what happens in Munich; its a difficult one as we're in a period of transition and as we have seen need someone who can rebuild the side while trying to quietly phase out the older players without tripping over one's shoelaces boas style. That being said a great result against the scallies -thats the second wembley jinx we have laid to rest: Spudham & now liverpool.
Yep, pretty certain of that. Torres will be making an appearance though I believe, albeit late on, no matter what the score will be at that time.
This just about sums up my feelings! We have 3 more fixtures--all important--before we wrap up the season! Game by game RDM moves closer to becoming "Mr irreplacable!" I know the players are playing their socks off to get him the job. Doesn't that say it all?
I think your criticism is 2 months out of date. AVB didn't use the old players because he had a mandate to change, and they all got the hump and were very unprofessional. Then the management, not for the first time, backflipped, and shafted him.The old players" responded" because they got their way !!! That's another story. Your criticism of Bos and Kalou is way off. Bos was excellent as Centre back when our bell end captain got himself sent off, and I will criticise RDM only for not switching him and Brana against Liverpool. Kalou has been one of the most improved players under RDM, and deserved his place given what other choices were available. What Liverpool "should" have done is not our problem, what they "did" is, and that wasn't enough !! You criticise his replacement choices, but completely ignore the fact that at the time, we were out on our feet knackered. Then there's the small matter of extra time if , as looked likely, Liverpool equalised, so RDM did the smart thing, and kept his powder dry. We had fresh replacements if required, which they weren't. So who got the tactics wrong ?? RDM, who won the game ?? Or you ?? Criticising and "what iffing " is not difficult. Winning the FA Cup with a knackered, tired out squad IS. I know where my money is.
Sign Roberto NOW!!! He is the right choice and should be given the nod instead of another high priced retread.
