You agree with Benitez, then?
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We didn't set up as a small team on the day
Moyes out-tactic'd him and he was salty about it, so he had a whinge to get the Kopite's back on board
S.O.P for a manager at pretty much any club
I don't for a second think he actually believed it, he just needed a smoke screen
The proof that is the pudding will be when he takes us their next season and sets us up exactly the same, which is what he's going to do and what most managers would do because they're still a demonstrably better team than we are
We did set up as a small team. 100%. Aim was not to concede and nick a goal if we got lucky.
We did that constantly under Moyes. He even admitted it - knife to a gunfight.
It is what it is. We had that mentality trained into us in the 2000s, and Benitez accurately called it out. It came from a position of frustration, but he was 100% correct.
No I called you 'a piece of work' because you called me both sanctimonious and arrogant in two separate posts because I suggested people can get on with it and not feel alienated from the club just because of a managerial appointment they don't like. People have a choice! I am going to assume that because you called me that you disagree. You yourself I'm talking about. You can stop being the self appointed spokesperson for the masses without stating your own stance. Are you going to stop supporting the team now Benitez is in? If you are then, again, that's your choice. This exchange began with me saying I don't care if those that hang abusive banners feel alienated by the appointment. If however you are going to continue supporting the team and by default give RB a chance then you agree with me and can stop playing Devil's advocate for the sake of it. The fan base doesn't need a hero to defend all sides on forums.
Runub
Player Valuation: £60m
Everton are a big club in a poor period of performance. Football is cyclonic and we will have are place again in the sun
Vic Vinegar
Player Valuation: £750k
I’m willing to give him a chance. Any backlash should be against the board imo.
Also how Ancelotti set us up and we won
Because that's how most managers (including Benitez) will set us up against Liverpool at Anfield, because they have better players
Martinez tried out playing them and we got massacred
Again, when Benitez sets us up exactly the same (which he will) is he in essence admitting that he's a small time manager?
Of course not, he's doing it because it's how we have to do it until we can bring in better players
He said what he said because he was annoyed that we went to his gaff and showed him up by taking away a point, so he needed to say something to get the Kopites back onside. What better way than to call us a small club?
He knew exactly what he was doing and I don't even have much of a problem with it. In a universe where he never manages Everton it doesn't even need to be addressed. However, he is managing Everton now, so it's a simple matter of courtesy to apologise so we can get it out of the way
He should do it. No doubt in my mind
I would, even if it got thrown back in my face. I'd still make the effort
Clough stuck to his guns when he went to Leeds and it lead to him getting bombed out, and he was a better manager than Benitez
Oh ffs mate. Really? What's all this 'better blue' crap? Can't you have a discussion without feeling you've 'won'?
You have context, I have context. It's a bloody forum!
But this just isn't the case. What he said was 'Everton put eight or nine men behind the ball and defended deep but that's what small clubs do'. The 'but' is key here. It's clear that the inference is that we are a small club. He isn't saying we put 8 or 9 men behind the ball which is surprising for a club like us and is something he would expect from a team lower down, he's saying we put 8 or 9 men behind the ball because we're a small club.
Just to hammer the point home, a contemporary report in a national newspaper says:
'If initially it appeared that he was merely referring to Everton's current status lower down the league ladder, this was actually no slip of the tongue.
Benítez first referred to Moyes' club as being smaller in his pre-match briefing last week, then repeated it in television, radio and other interviews in the wake of Saturday's infuriating stalemate. He is canny enough to realise the weight his words carry and, when put in that context, his comments appeared nothing but inflammatory'
So the comment we all remember was actually not the first time he said it.
As I said, by all means say it's all water under the bridge and forget it or whatever, but this attempt to whitewash it and say that it never actually happened/was mistranslated/was said just as a comment on our performance in one game is ridiculous. He deliberately talked the club down, you're welcome to be OK with that of course, but let's all just be honest about the fact he did it.
davids
Player Valuation: £70m
Don't like...master of understatement.
I wonder if Moshiri will be interested in a large bridge I have for sale?
The same style Benitez used week in week out as Newcastle manager...
BainesontoastNEW
Player Valuation: £40m
Romano is saying he turned down Italian clubs to join. Inter have Inzaghi, Roma have Mourinho, Juve have Allegri (all recent appointments) Atalanta have Gasperini (his job is safe as a house) and AC Milan have Pioli. Who have a missed? I want to know who we're competing with? Spezia?!
Gwladysstreetlad
Player Valuation: £50m
I've seen a few lads who are utterly devastated at the idea of Benitez being our manager in the last ever home game at Goodison park. Well all I can say to that is to keep your chin up because he'll never last that long, I'll be utterly gobsmacked if he's still here by this time next year.
What difference might that make if we were party to privileged information
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