As everyone else I am disappointed that we have failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase. However, I disagree with the view that we are a poor team and have a poor manager. We are simply a good team playing poorly and suffering from a lack of confidence and hampered by the amount of injuries.
My rose tinted glasses are not firmly over my eyes, i am just being realistic. Lose your best players due to injury, get them back, lose them again, merely breaks up the rhythm you need to sustain any level of form.
We are scared to make mistakes now and that has led to any ambition on the field being tempered with a defensive approach. Admittedly, the Aquilani situation baffles me, we need him to spark the creativity.
If he isn't fit, tell us that. Lie if you have to, but don't take him and play him for a minute in injury time. That is just plainly foolish, when the opponents were weak enough for him to get game time at a leisurely pace.
What this approach has led to, is the fan base calling for him to play and when he does, we expect so much more from him than is healthy. I agree with many others that we look poor as a team, so Rafa must take responsibility in pushing the players to take risks and try to be creative, to press harder, to drive the opponents on to the back foot. City at the weekend showed that. Take the lead then become scared to lose it, and nearly did.
This is primarily the same team that should have won the premier league last year, barring some dodgy draws. So in essence if they find their form it should be rectified. It is a shame that Rafa or any replacement manager wouldn't have the money to get the depth in the squad to counteract the situation we are in with injuries and poor individual form.
