2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[MikeH72]

But people are making it out like we should be accepting a battle for 17th and a team that plays in that manner.

Who is making out that? Genuinely who, so I can finger them into oblivion?

 

[BlueToff]

Relegation won't happen.

We may very well end up near the bottom come the new year but there's no way that we won't finish above at least 4-5 other teams.

Great

 

[II McColl II]

Don't see how he makes it to the end of 21 in all honesty.

He's got 3 games till the derby, Tottenham who might have Conte and a rejuvinated system based on keeping the ball which we let everyone do regardless of how good they are.

City who will hammer us based on current form and Brentford who will simply out work us and batter us on set pieces as they actually play for them.

Lose to Liverpool at Goodison with that lot singing his name and chants of keep him.

I don't want to imagine what Goodison will be like if this all happened and he's still in the seat for the Arsenal game 5 days later.

 

[Zeitgeist]

Team needs a mass exodus not benitez.

 

[BlueToff]

Who is making out that? Genuinely who, so I can finger them into oblivion?

The poster I quoted for one

This is my worry.
The squad is so average. It screams relegation battle.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Relegation won't happen.

We may very well end up near the bottom come the new year but there's no way that we won't finish above at least 4-5 other teams come May.

When DCL, Doucoure and Mina are back and we are winning games again the reality will hit some that our problem is the recruitment/squad depth not the manager.

The medical team need firing out of a cannon as well.

 

[stretford blue]

And Ancelotti senior did successfully organise a defence in general.

The issue came when he had to figure out a way to keep that organisation and add some flair up front.

But he could certainly organise a defence.

And I thought benitez would be very similar to ancelotti that way but we have been far from it

 

[MikeH72]

What scares me, is do we trust Moshiri to get the next appointment right?

No

 

[steven]

Relegation won't happen.

We may very well end up near the bottom come the new year but there's no way that we won't finish above at least 4-5 other teams come May.

The worry I have is that if some of these players even find themselves in a relegation battle they just won’t handle it.
Richarlison , Doucoure and DCL stay fit then we will be fine. If they don’t and rumours around DCL aren’t great then it wouldn’t be a surprise if we got dragged right into it.

 

[BlueToff]

When DCL, Doucoure and Mina are back and we are winning games again the reality will hit some that our problem is the recruitment/squad depth not the manager.

The medical team need firing out of a cannon as well.

We know that recruitment and rehab are an issue.

But that doesn't excuse the manager setting up in a system that just saw us lose to Watford 5-2, and then go and concede from another set-piece does it?

He's at fault for those things, and more. He's not at fault for us having £1.7m to spend.

 

[jinkyali]

I'm sorry.

This is the same squad - because as people like to point out James could never stay fit so 'wasn't a big loss anyway' (apparently) and they hated Sigurdssson too - as last season, except we have a back-up striker, and two wingers which we didn't have last year.

This squad was in with a chance of Europe until the last day - and it should have had Europe boxed off if not for daft home results.

This squad is bad but it is not relegation fodder. No way.

Really.
Keane. Iwobi. Kenny. Coleman. Rondon. Davies. Holgate. Jpg. Delph.

They're all bottom half players. Add in youngsters like Gordon, Godfrey, journeymen like Townsend, Gomes.

I really fear for us.

 

[Wat Tyler]

Don't see how he makes it to the end of 21 in all honesty.

He's got 3 games till the derby, Tottenham who might have Conte and a rejuvinated system based on keeping the ball which we let everyone do regardless of how good they are.

City who will hammer us based on current form and Brentford who will simply out work us and batter us on set pieces as they actually play for them.

Lose to Liverpool at Goodison with that lot singing his name and chants of keep him.

I don't want to imagine what Goodison will be like if this all happened and he's still in the seat for the Arsenal game 5 days later.

Can’t disagree

 

[BlueToff]

And I thought benitez would be very similar to ancelotti that way but we have been far from it

Yep, in theory he was,

But if you look at his Newcastle stint, how he actually 'set up a defence' was just play about 7 defenders.

His stats from Newcastle are pretty much bang on the same as Bruce's were.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Going down might actually be a good thing to speed up the process of getting rid of these toxic gremlins we call players.

Another one!

 

[BlueToff]

Really.
Keane. Iwobi. Kenny. Coleman. Rondon. Davies. Holgate. Jpg. Delph.

They're all bottom half players. Add in youngsters like Gordon, Godfrey, journeymen like Townsend, Gomes.

I really fear for us.

Then why were we competing for Europe until the last game of last season and really should have already qualified anyway?