Can't position garden tap correctly

The garden tap previously installed when we moved in began leaking - most likely due to age. I installed a new compression elbow onto the copper pipe running off the mains, and attached the tap to this. That seemed to work for about a month... After which, the compression elbow cracked, and the water started slowly dripping from it. I have now replaced the compression elbow, but cannot get the garden tap to face upwards - the tap is currently pointing upwards. I suspect that I may have caused the previous compression elbow to crack by forcing the tap to the point down. But, how am I supposed to get the tap into the right position? I have tried using plumbers tap and various washers (both varying size and number), and neither was any use. No matter what, the tap always points up. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a trick I'm missing? Or is this just a facet of a garden tap that is unavoidable?