2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Moshiri is trying his best ultimately.

You'll never want for nothing so long as he is owner. Yes he needs to shake up the board and remove Kenwright but ultimately he's not committed crimes deserving of the boot so far.

Removing Kenwright will not make one bit of difference.

 

[JLW]

Im skeptical tbh mate - our fans dont pack in going the game and Goodison is only angry when we're in the bottom 3 places.

Moshiri won't be giving in certainly not until the end of next season at the earliest when the managers deal expires.

Mate their is no way on this earth Benitez survives this season regardless.
He wont survive January.

 

[Saint Domingo]

He doesn’t have to play Keane, but he does. He can also set them up deep to counter Keanes issues, but he doesn’t

Every manager has come to the same conclusions though.

Digne doesn’t stay deep (which is probably one of the reasons he’s fallen out with Benitez). Coleman struggles with it as well. They’re both essentially attacking fullbacks who can’t perform the Hibbert role. It’s no surprise to me that we looked better under Ancelotti when he was forced into playing Godfrey and Holgate in those positions. The open play football then reverted to being non existent.

I’m with you though on the bemusement as to why any manager picks Michael Keane. I’d wager a back 4 of Godfrey Mina Branthwaite Holgate would make far less mistakes than any combination which includes Keane and Coleman.

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Mate their is now way on this earth Benitez survives this season regardless.
He wont survive January.

If the bottom 3 were any good I would agree with you mate but essentially we are 8 points above the relegation spots with a game in hand on 2 of those sides and a better GD than all 3.

Ultimately he would only be removed this season if our PL status was in danger. As it stands right now he's safe as houses for another few weeks at the minimum.

 

[Saint Domingo]

11 goals conceded against Watford, Crystal Palace and Brighton.

It’s odd how all these coaches with reputations for being defensively minded Koeman, Allardyce, Ancelotti, Benitez, have all presided over Everton teams that eventually became so easy to score against.

Perhaps there’s a common denominator.

 

[nsno-chris]

Every manager has come to the same conclusions though.

Digne doesn’t stay deep (which is probably one of the reasons he’s fallen out with Benitez). Coleman struggles with it as well. They’re both essentially attacking fullbacks who can’t perform the Hibbert role. It’s no surprise to me that we looked better under Ancelotti when he was forced into playing Godfrey and Holgate in those positions. The open play football then reverted to being non existent.

I’m with you though on the bemusement as to why any manager picks Michael Keane. I’d wager a back 4 of Godfrey Mina Branthwaite Holgate would make far less mistakes than any combination which includes Keane and Coleman.

But there’s no flexibility in his approach, instead of making Digne his scapegoat why not move him into a left winger and have Godfrey behind him. 4 deep sitting CBs to stop the rot.

He plays a 4-2-3-1 or 5-4-1 and people need to adapt or they’re out

He sacrificed an attacking outlet because of his ego

 

[BlueStevie35]

Every manager has come to the same conclusions though.

Digne doesn’t stay deep (which is probably one of the reasons he’s fallen out with Benitez). Coleman struggles with it as well. They’re both essentially attacking fullbacks who can’t perform the Hibbert role. It’s no surprise to me that we looked better under Ancelotti when he was forced into playing Godfrey and Holgate in those positions. The open play football then reverted to being non existent.

I’m with you though on the bemusement as to why any manager picks Michael Keane. I’d wager a back 4 of Godfrey Mina Branthwaite Holgate would make far less mistakes than any combination which includes Keane and Coleman.

There’s a reason why Keane plays, several actually, Mina has glass legs, Holgate is a dolt, Godfrey gets more game time as a left back and Branthwaite is raw

 

[roy vernon]

Still very little criticism in the media. They are a joke

Jennas had a pop at him on MOTD 2 as did Shearer.

 

[Brett Angell Delight]

I know I’ll get abused for making any point other than calling for him to be sacked but is it not worth discussing that once again, another Everton manager, the FIFTH in a row, has gone to 5 at the back. Those who want him out should be pleased at this development because it’s the classic final move of the Everton manager death spiral shortly before they are fired.

Why have five managers all come to the same conclusion?

For me the problem has been the same across all managers, and is the root cause of this issue, and it’s that the collective group of defenders are just not individually good enough.

When we play in a 4, our full backs get exposed. Quite simply Coleman (especially) but latterly Digne also are not good enough to be left one on one vs any top winger in the league. They’re getting caught out of position as their pace has gone, and crosses are coming in all the time.

This is leading to the crux of the problem which is Michael Keane. Unless he’s defending in an area that’s 2 metres by 2 metres he can’t play football. When the fullbacks start roaming he starts getting dragged all over the place and it leads to carnage. Perhaps then the answer is to cover the issue with a defensive midfielder, and then you realise there isn’t a competent one in the squad since Gueye left.

So one by one Koeman, Allardyce, Silva, Ancelotti, and now Benitez, have all come to the conclusion that the best way forward for this group of defenders is to cover up the limitations by playing 5 at the back. Unfortunately though each manager has painfully found out that there’s not a single defensive brain between Keane Coleman Digne Godfrey Holgate. Basically unless Mina is in there not one of these clowns has any idea how to lead a defence, or god forbid play with three centrebacks. Throw zonal marking in and it’s a clown show.

I’m not surprised we’re being linked with defenders and bought Mykolenko. The rot needs to be stopped in that back line position by position. Get a few competent full backs in who can defend, hopefully get Mina back playing or at least get two of them to do some basics, then look at overhauling then CBs later.

That for me is the only way out of this mess otherwise why won’t the 6th manager just end up facing the exact same tactical conundrum that the five previous managers have had and failed to solve?

Agreed. This is the point at which I lost patience with Koeman and Silva. Thinking that throwing one extra CB (especially when it’s Holgate) at our defence and thinking it’ll plug the leak is tactically naive to say the least.

If anything we need the extra body in midfield to relieve the pressure on our defence. In slight mitigation, when the only real option there is Gomes, I can understand the temptation for a Hail Mary…

 

[roy vernon]

He is right in fairness.

1. Moshiri is backing him to the hilt

2. Certain fans like Kev The Rat cant wait to moan after every dropped point (and moan even when we win).

Thats not me defending Benitez either.

Yes it is

 

[Saint Domingo]

But there’s no flexibility in his approach, instead of making Digne his scapegoat why not move him into a left winger and have Godfrey behind him. 4 deep sitting CBs to stop the rot.

He plays a 4-2-3-1 or 5-4-1 and people need to adapt or they’re out

He sacrificed an attacking outlet because of his ego

Well he did just change formation last game.

I get what you’re saying, but for me this is just back to the ‘he should be playing Gomes/Davies/Delph (whichever one wasn’t playing last) arguments people had under Ancelotti. So many managers have tried shuffling the deck chairs around and they’ve all arrived at the same place.

I bought into that Koeman was a stupid manager (I actually still think he is). Then it was that Allardyce was a dinosaur and the players could play better than what he had them doing. I was kind of still on board with this. Then it was Silva was inexperienced, couldn’t coach defence, recruitment issues. I was starting to question at this point how we could be in the mire so quickly again. Then watching the decline under Ancelotti just confirmed it for me. Now Benitez has had precisely the same issues only far sooner in his tenure.

Whilst I could buy that Koeman was a clown and maybe Silva was inexperienced. Allardyce and Benitez are pragmatic defensive managers with premier league experience and proven methods. I don’t like either of their methods really but there’s no doubt that’s what they are. Ancelotti is one of the best managers of all time. I just can’t accept that the latter three are also rubbish managers, and that all five were just poor, and that if we get a sixth one he’ll find a line up out of this group of players that gives us balance in defence and attack. I just don’t think it’s there, and even if a manager could find it (which a couple have for periods) then we’re one injury away from losing it, or the players just lose desire and give up on it anyway.

 

[Rudolf Hucker]

Have Brighton got a single player we would want to sign (aside from that Bisouma)?

Anyone who witnessed them zipping the ball about yesterday, while we couldn’t string 2 passes together & still backs the Fat Slug is a koppite. No other explanation.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

If the bottom 3 were any good I would agree with you mate but essentially we are 8 points above the relegation spots with a game in hand on 2 of those sides and a better GD than all 3.

Ultimately he would only be removed this season if our PL status was in danger. As it stands right now he's safe as houses for another few weeks at the minimum.

Personally I don't think you can say he's as safe as houses in any way. Moshiri seems hugely reactive (not a good thing IMHO) and he's already acted to deflect heat by sacking Brands. I don't think he'd hesitate to punt Benitez either, especially as the matchday support have firmly turned and media scrutiny is slowly ratcheting up.

He's on thin ice.

 

[nsno-chris]

Well he did just change formation last game.

I get what you’re saying, but for me this is just back to the ‘he should be playing Gomes/Davies/Delph (whichever one wasn’t playing last) arguments people had under Ancelotti. So many managers have tried shuffling the deck chairs around and they’ve all arrived at the same place.

I bought into that Koeman was a stupid manager (I actually still think he is). Then it was that Allardyce was a dinosaur and the players could play better than what he had them doing. I was kind of still on board with this. Then it was Silva was inexperienced, couldn’t coach defence, recruitment issues. I was starting to question at this point how we could be in the mire so quickly again. Then watching the decline under Ancelotti just confirmed it for me. Now Benitez has had precisely the same issues only far sooner in his tenure.

Whilst I could buy that Koeman was a clown and maybe Silva was inexperienced. Allardyce and Benitez are pragmatic defensive managers with premier league experience and proven methods. I don’t like either of their methods really but there’s no doubt that’s what they are. Ancelotti is one of the best managers of all time. I just can’t accept that the latter three are also rubbish managers, and that all five were just poor, and that if we get a sixth one he’ll find a line up out of this group of players that gives us balance in defence and attack. I just don’t think it’s there, and even if a manager could find it (which a couple have for periods) then we’re one injury away from losing it, or the players just lose desire and give up on it anyway.

Yes he played a 5-4-1 and we got mullered, Gordon and Gray came out in the second half and gave us some life and pushed up

He played Coleman as left wing back, absolutely indefensible.

He’s supposed to be cautious manager yet cannot set up a defensive unit to save his life. He could easily grind out results in these games, but he’s set on his ways from 2003 that won him a league with Valencia