2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Marius57]

But he changed system after the Southampton mauling away when they beat us 2-0 and could have had 5-6. Digne also saw Red that game.

Not saying he didn't have injuries but he changed from a 433 to a 343, 442 etc on the back off our attacking style getting quickly found out as our defence isn't good enough and neither is the midfield.

Throw Gana alongside Doucoure and a proper CB pairing like prime Jags + Lescott/Distin with a Coleman/Baines at their peak and you can be more expansive.

I wouldn't actually mind Potter here as whilst I think he's over rated he's the best of an average bunch but he would probably turn us down which means we go to plan B, Plan C etc which is likely your Nuno's, Howe's, Lampard's of the world - none of them would do anything with this squad if Ancelotti couldn't.

Calm and sensible heads need to prevail - no point paying off Benitez to bring in someone who isn't going to do much better. Unless the squad is good enough for top 6/7 im not arsed if we finish 8th or 11th means little to me.

I mean he literally had to change the team from that saints game and for following games as we literally had all our full backs getting injured or banned etc. Not really sure what else he was supposed to do. Some games we had no recognised fullbacks in the squad.

At least he tried to change and find a solution to the issues. We can all see its clearly not working now but the current manager isnt changing the plan. Stiicking with 2 in mid and zonal marking. We can't just keep losing and expect things to just turn out allright by sticking with it.

I would much rather have Potter than benitez. Or one of several other young managers which there are around Europe. It doesn't have to be someone unemployed. Benitez is yet again, a short term fix. If we are going to accept any bad runs, we need to do that for a manager that is actually trying to build something and is part of the project than someone who is going to leave regardless.

 

[Lapeno77]

Im yet to receive the answer to a question i keep asking...

...if Benitez had watched our games last season and knew the players then why didnt he try and sell some of them in the summer?

The fact is that he could have moved some of them on and used the funds for new players.

He didnt.

For me, its not so much the selling (or lack thereof) of players, its the way he's using the players.
Last year, we did that weird set up on set pieces were we lined up further out. At the time, it looked weird, everyone questioned it, but it was effective. The stats bear that out. We've reverted to a more traditional approach now, and as Carragher mentioned last night, its a hark back to the Silva days.
Ancelloti managed the team effectively. It wasn't pretty most of the time but it did what it needed to, probably up til the point he was informed of the financial situation and he lost interest.
Benitez isnt managing this team and he needs to figure that out quickly rather than waiting for transfer windows. As a not so wise man once said 'you go to war, not with the army you want, but the one that you've got.'

 

[windymiller]

Much like taking a horse to water but not being able to make it drink it; you can set up a defence but they dont necessarily (if they're passive clowns) defend very well.

Well, we've conceded more set piece goals in our first ten games this season than in the entirety of last season with the exact same defenders and goalkeeper, so somebody could help them defend better than this. Maybe the system Benitez has chosen doesn't work with these players, if so, shouldn't he change the system?

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

Im yet to receive the answer to a question i keep asking...

...if Benitez had watched our games last season and knew the players then why didnt he try and sell some of them in the summer?

The fact is that he could have moved some of them on and used the funds for new players.

He didnt.

You saw how ruthless he was with Rodrigues. What about Gomes, Gbammin, Tosun, Delph, Iwobi, Davies, Keane, Siggi, Kenny, Holgate

Made a big deal about how much he watched us, why didn’t he go to the ends of the earth to get these guys out.

 

[LocalNative]

Anyone else really envious at seeing Conte at Spurs.

Who are we?

"Long suffering Evertoinans"

Made we had Carlo Ancelotti and were still an absolute mess. Our problems go beyond the manager... the board and Moshiri.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

Vital Mina gets one, even if just to protect his value

I keep reading give Mina a new contract - very unlikely down to the club he’s going into the last 18 months of his contract with no hint of a new deal. As you say, even if it was just to protect his value, a new contract from the clubs point of view is imperative.

What keeps being missed is that to sign a new contract Mina would have to agree and from his point of view, why would he sign a contract now? In 6 months time he’ll have 12 months to run on his contract. Come the summer he’ll have agents getting in touch offering him a big signing on fee and wages to let his contract run down and sign on a free. That will give him the best bargaining position to either negotiate a new deal with us or leave on a free the following year - taking the signing on fee and wages that come with being a free transfer.

His agent would be negligent to allow him to sign a new deal now, it’s not going to happen. Why would he not wait to the summer to see what all of his options are. Most likely outcomes are he leaves in the summer for cut price or leaves on a free the following year - personally don’t see him signing a new contract.

 

[Efcjake]

Ancelotti was here 18 months and was taking us backwards (and it wasn't solely his fault in fairness) but we had no style of play or any attacking intent other than to nick a goal and defend 90 minutes for a 1-0.

Even those who worshipped Carlo said last season was some of the most boring football they had watched in years and all of a sudden fans want to go back to that just because we might concede less from set pieces?

Surely it makes more sense to just bring in better defenders & players?

Because with this current squad you have two options:

1. Play like Ancelotti did 2nd half of the season which has a glass ceiling of around 9th/10th

2. Play more expansive football which leads to anywhere from top half to bottom 3.

Anyone without an agenda against the manager can see the crux comes down to the players / recruitment and the board/Chairman share the blame for that.

When the answer is "throw Delph or Davies on" then I honestly dont want to know what the question is as neither would get in another PL sides starting 11.

Yes but you called for him to go after he was here 6 months.

Now you're berating blues blues not having blind faith in an ex kopite who has shown us nothing worthwhile.

 

[Visbaluz]

But he changed system after the Southampton mauling away when they beat us 2-0 and could have had 5-6. Digne also saw Red that game.

Not saying he didn't have injuries but he changed from a 433 to a 343, 442 etc on the back off our attacking style getting quickly found out as our defence isn't good enough and neither is the midfield.

Throw Gana alongside Doucoure and a proper CB pairing like prime Jags + Lescott/Distin with a Coleman/Baines at their peak and you can be more expansive.

I wouldn't actually mind Potter here as whilst I think he's over rated he's the best of an average bunch but he would probably turn us down which means we go to plan B, Plan C etc which is likely your Nuno's, Howe's, Lampard's of the world - none of them would do anything with this squad if Ancelotti couldn't.

Calm and sensible heads need to prevail - no point paying off Benitez to bring in someone who isn't going to do much better. Unless the squad is good enough for top 6/7 im not arsed if we finish 8th or 11th means little to me.

ahhh but you wont be getting 8th or 11th... raphatel will get you 13th at best.. 15th most likely.


"no point paying off Benitez to bring in someone who isn't going to do much better", you are looking at it backwards.. why would YOU pay benitez the kind of money he is getting when you can get any of those "average" coaches and STILL achieve similar results?? , oh and none of those would suffer the amount of flak raphatel takes (rightfully so) .

you are the biggest RB defender here (alongside some dave and more recently this mutant spawn named darlin) but face the numbers... RB is a disaster ALREADY happening, your "pace" football is a lie, more like we buckle up and not even properly defend AND pray for a counter attack while oposition, no matter how horrible it may be, gets 60%+ time on the ball , benitez is doing a far worse job than the previous coach and if things keep it going the same way , everton could be very , very close to the relegation fight than to mid table.

 

[Efcjake]

@davek and @ForeverBlue92 and all you other Benitez fans

Let's hear your predictions for this run of fixtures under our Super Manager.

Spurs
Brentford
City
RS
Arsenal
Palace
Chelsea
Leicester

I am saying 2 points. Obviously that should see him sacked if it happens.

 

[Tipp blue]

The latest in a long line of managers who seem intent on not using our youth talent, surly our youth players would put in at least performances on par with the likes of Rondon and Iwobi. Gordon getting hooked for Iwobi when Gordon was putting in a MOTM preformance is baffling.

 

[MACCA75]

For me, its not so much the selling (or lack thereof) of players, its the way he's using the players.
Last year, we did that weird set up on set pieces were we lined up further out. At the time, it looked weird, everyone questioned it, but it was effective. The stats bear that out. We've reverted to a more traditional approach now, and as Carragher mentioned last night, its a hark back to the Silva days.
Ancelloti managed the team effectively. It wasn't pretty most of the time but it did what it needed to, probably up til the point he was informed of the financial situation and he lost interest.
Benitez isnt managing this team and he needs to figure that out quickly rather than waiting for transfer windows. As a not so wise man once said 'you go to war, not with the army you want, but the one that you've got.'

Really weird that the players didn’t insist they kept the same set up for defending free kicks and set pieces BUT they did insist they keep that horrendous kick off where it’s passed back to one centre half, he controls it and the other one hoofs it aimlessly down the left flank.

(Minor variation last night when Holgate managed it all on his own)

 

[LocalNative]

@davek and @ForeverBlue92 and all you other Benitez fans

Let's hear your predictions for this run of fixtures under our Super Manager.

Spurs
Brentford
City
RS
Arsenal
Palace
Chelsea
Leicester

I am saying 2 points. Obviously that should see him sacked if it happens.

With Spurs getting Conte in I fully expect a battering next weekend now. Dunno how many points, if we lose the next 4 finishing with the RS that could spell the end.

 

[jazzy]

@davek and @ForeverBlue92 and all you other Benitez fans

Let's hear your predictions for this run of fixtures under our Super Manager.

Spurs
Brentford
City
RS
Arsenal
Palace
Chelsea
Leicester

I am saying 2 points. Obviously that should see him sacked if it happens.

If we get 5 points out of that run I'd be surprised.
I just don't know what Benitez is doing.
Looks like he's a dead man walking to me.

 

[jazzy]

With Spurs getting Conte in I fully expect a battering next weekend now. Dunno how many points, if we lose the next 4 finishing with the RS that could spell the end.

I think you are spot on amigo. I honestly can't see us winning a game prior to the Derby ( maybe we get draw v Brentford with 2 defeats ) and if we get humiliated against the RS he must be gone.

 

[Efcjake]

I had him winning these Watford and wolves games to buy himself breathing room before that run. Without that credit in the bank it is a matter of time before the board are going to be forced to sack him.