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01-05-08, 05:51 AM
I knew this game was always going to be about Drogba. Liverpool have never been able to deal with him and Benetiz did the worse thing possible yesterday, wound him up to the extent you just knew Drogba would make him see sense. Never felt we were going to win the game either except a few brief moments after we equalised. They were the stronger force and the wanted it that much more you could feel it. Makelele, Ballack, Drogba, Essein and Ashley Cole for them particularly wanted it that much more.
Im not in the "keep Rafa" camp, i want him to leave. There's Jose Murinho out there who would do a better job of challenging for the Premiership and would definitely take the role. Rafa got the tactics wrong last night. Liverpool were way too predictable. The system of Torres up front ONLY works if Gerrard pushes forward and is on song. Avram Grande sussed this and played Makelele, one of the best in the business at this role, in the gap to neutralise Gerrard. It worked a treat and this is a Gerrard whom he rested to keep fresh. When it was clear this was not working he didnt have a good enough contingency. This is high level managing and he didnt cut it here. I felt Pennant should have not been before Babel also and throwing Crouch into the mix to perhaps confuse the issue with Makelele would have made them have to re-think their game.
Last nights defeat didnt really cut deep as i said at the start it was never about the CL. Yes it would have been nice to win it, but the Premiership was always the priority and still is.
Last edited by Le Moor; 01-05-08 at 06:33 AM.
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