Most accurate response so far. Rafa gets too bogged down by not getting his way. We aren’t great but we’re not a ****ing league two side in a cup tie hoping for the draw that takes us on a money spinning trip to Stamford Bridge. Also one performance doesn’t mean Rafa isn’t great. He performed miracles last year and will probably do it again this season. But if you’re going to ask the crowd to get behind you regardless of boardroom shenanigans, you MUST give them something to cheer for.
Have to say as a defender I used to love the backs to the wall, park the bus mentality, but I guess it gets a bit tedious for the attacking midfielders and forwards. I am all for a cautious defensive approach to games like this but think that the tactics need to evolve based on the stage of the game. As you say it is highly unlikely that you are going to go a full 90mins without making a mistake and likely conceding a goal. Think if you can keep it at 0-0 until half time you should then start to modify the game plan to create more chances in the 2nd half, assuming our defence and midfield can still remember how to get over the half way line. This may be as simple as telling the two wing backs in a 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 formation to start getting forward more.
