Rafa....well, what can we say about him and his relationship with Chelsea... 1- hated by all 2- abused regularly 3- hated by all 4- "special" substitutions 5- dumping us out of FA and Carling Cups 6- did I mention, he is hated by all? That said (and I very much fall into the 1, 3 & 6 responses - and despise the man), we are on the verge of a Europa Cup win and qualifying for the Champions League through achieving 3rd or 4th place in the League. Right now, it's all in the balance - we could finish 3rd AND win the Europa. With a couple of bad games, we could finish 5th, with no silverware. So, in a few weeks time, how will he be judged? Bearing in mind the venom he has received (even yesterday when we stared hammering Basel in the second half, the chants of Jose rose above all), if he manages 3rd/4th and wins Europa, on what terms will he part with Chelsea? Will it be a case of: a) still hate the man, useless lump of cack, FSW, anyone could have done what you did OR b) you'll never be on my Christmas card list, but cheers for settling the ship, winning a trophy and guaranteeing Champions League football for another season, sticking with the 3 amigos and playing Luiz in midfield. Considering how much crap I've given you, the end result wasn't that bad....... I have to say, if we make Champions League and win Europa, I'll have difficulty in doing anything other than "b)"
i am in the B camp you cant blame him for taking the job on with the money he was offered kind of respect him for not coming out with joining the biggest club in the world bullshit he didnt diss his time with the mickey mousers and we love Jose who has never bad mouthed us if the fans had taken a more neutral tone towards him we may have been better placed in the PL much as i love Robbie i am not sure we would have done better if he was still here
if he wins the europa and gets us in the top 4 he deserves a nice round of applause and a big thank you on his way out
B camp for me. Not for his league or cup results mind, but for the way he has developed Luiz, Torres and Hazard. I hope whoever we get in will continue to develop Luiz's total football abilities, continue to make Torres work hard, continue to develop Hazard's big-game awareness. However, I am still glad that he won't be around to have any input on summer signings - his record on this front is littered with mediocre players that just aren't good enough.
It was letting the two goal leads slip and baffling substitutions that were the final nail in the coffin for me. And then blaming the fans!! Also, he arrived with us in QF of a weak Carling cup and a semi in a poor standard WCC and naused up both. Since Feb he has done well but (bar saints away) but he has almost a full strength squad to work with.
There is no doubt that things turned around after the Boro game when he confirmed he was leaving and the fans got off his back. Proof to me that the atmosphere at SB in particular did cost us points because it did affect the team. If we don't get top 4 then the fans have to accept that too but I'm sure it'll all be blamed back on him when another point might have been the difference.
Me and I guess quite a few others reacted badly because Robbie was given the tin tack after all he had done for us! So whoever took over was not going to have an easy ride. I think if we beat Benfica and get a top 4 spot then I will say fair do's to Rafa!
Fairly consistent message by everyone. If (and it's a big if) he can deliver until the end of the season, then considering our reaction to the appointment, he'll have done a sound job. As Beluga mentioned, one key thing is that Rafa doesn't have an impact or say in Summer signings. I'm also worried, and I'm sure this won't happen, that if he achieves the Europa and CL qualification AND Jose doesn't return, that we don't make Rafa's temporary appointment "permanent"!!
I recognise some of our squad of players have been the boon and bane of Chelsea managers. They kick the ball. Most of them have played under other top managers, played in many different formations, have thousands of hours of experience playing the game physically and tactically. They all know precisely the required effort to win. They, even the youngsters, are soccer experts and know what the opposition can do. For all my own like or dislike of any particular manager, I am unable to understand how some fans let the players off scot free when we struggle, after all they get all the plaudits when we win. Player do need to be benched, disciplined and managed and the board has to back that system and not pander to the players.
And that is the crux of the matter. He hasn't taken us forward at all, especially in the PL where his selections and plain dumb use of subs cost us 3 games for sure, maybe even 4. Thats 9-12 points. Actually more like 8 because of draws. Either way we'd be a whole lot better off and right up the rear of Man U. I think he sacrificed our PL chances for Cup wins for his own benefit.
So, with only a few more days left, Champions League qualification under our belt and a reasonable chance of success tonight, where is everyone on the matter? If we win tonight, on Sunday (Rafa's last game in charge) will he be booed, will there be cries of Jose or will there be a gentle round of applause for Rafa. Back to my original question, will it be a case of: a) still hate the man, useless lump of cack, FSW, anyone could have done what you did OR b) you'll never be on my Christmas card list, but cheers for settling the ship, winning a trophy and guaranteeing Champions League football for another season, sticking with the 3 amigos and playing Luiz in midfield. Considering how much crap I've given you, the end result wasn't that bad.......
fair do's to Rafa if we win the Europa and come 3rd. Mediocre do's if we lose the Europa and come 4th Such is the insanity of football that on such fine margins are reputations built or destroyed!
Perhaps over simplyfying it though BW. Rafa when he came was still within touching distance of United and had the chance of 4 cups as well. So whilst it now comes down to 2 games, if we win nothing and finish 4th; it's not just the Everton and Benfica games that was dependent on but also the poor performances against Swansea, Corrinthians, QPR, Southampton etc etc. However if we finish 3rd and will E.L; the poor performances and results elsewhere will easily be forgotten.
