2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Harryflashman]

…..which is fair, except you and a couple of others eulogise over the manager when the players perform.

i thought he definitely tinkered with both the set piece marking system and the midfield set up . Not dramatic mind but set piece wise falling back to more of a hybrid and perhaps with the use personnel as much as system allowing the middle to often have more of a three in there , when possible than the two with the more forward player dropping back .

 

[toffeeblue9]

We would have more points if we stuck with that method all season. It worked well, there was no need to change.

You won't find me disagreeing there. For all the debating about his ability as a manager, whether we should be doing better than we are etc, the one thing I really lay at his door (well, two if you include Rondon) is the set pieces. Think it would have been more prudent for him to look at how we set up last season and understand why that worked so well, rather than change it to his preferred method. It's cost us points.

Still, he changed it yesterday, so maybe there's hope yet

 

[Ghost Rider]

Back to last seasons method then.

Wasn't you advocating last week with me that holgate should be used in midfield as a sub?

Yeah, see how that works? That's why he doesnt play in midfield.

 

[Eggs]

You won't find me disagreeing there. For all the debating about his ability as a manager, whether we should be doing better than we are etc, the one thing I really lay at his door (well, two if you include Rondon) is the set pieces. Think it would have been more prudent for him to look at how we set up last season and understand why that worked so well, rather than change it to his preferred method. It's cost us points.

Still, he changed it yesterday, so maybe there's hope yet

…DCL at the near post (and Richarlison to a lesser degree) is a massive bonus.

 

[Marius57]

Wasn't you advocating last week with me that holgate should be used in midfield as a sub?

Yeah, see how that works? That's why he doesnt play in midfield.

I think the arguememt about Holgate in midfield was more about needing an extra man in the middle and he is an option having played there previously (and previously doing OK there).

Both he, and gbamin, may not have looked so awful in a 3 in the middle as they have in a 2. However there is no defence for Holgate and his complete inability to play football yesterday. He is such an enigma. Can look outstanding, or look abysmal, no in-between.

 

[Harryflashman]

Wasn't you advocating last week with me that holgate should be used in midfield as a sub?

Yeah, see how that works? That's why he doesnt play in midfield.

I know that question isn’t to me , although not advocating it I said last week I could see the sense in it . No point in past posting stuff and pretending in hindsight things are different , I thought we missed an extra body in there and in the games he’s played there he’s been ‘ok’.

Yesterday it’s not a sub I’d have made , personally I think we desperately needed presence in The box .

 

[Nymzee]

Wasn't you advocating last week with me that holgate should be used in midfield as a sub?

Yeah, see how that works? That's why he doesnt play in midfield.

I'm sorry, did we lose the game yesterday or concede a goal with him in midfield?

 

[Harryflashman]

I think the arguememt about Holgate in midfield was more about needing an extra man in the middle and he is an option having played there previously (and previously doing OK there).

Both he, and gbamin, may not have looked so awful in a 3 in the middle as they have in a 2. However there is no defence for Holgate and his complete inability to play football yesterday. He is such an enigma. Can look outstanding, or look abysmal, no in-between.

Exactly . Every game is different , sometimes advocating or understanding one sub doesn’t mean you want in it in every game .

Taking gordon off the other week burnt my head out yesterday but I’d have probably done it myself yesterday.

 

[toffeeblue9]

…DCL at the near post (and Richarlison to a lesser degree) is a massive bonus.

Fair point - Missing Mina, DCL, Doucoure and Richarlison (until lately) probably hasn't helped on the set piece side of things

 

[toffeeblue9]

I'm sorry, did we lose the game yesterday or concede a goal with him in midfield?

Ah come on mate, his little cameo yesterday was one of the worst I've ever seen in a blue shirt. I don't necessarily entirely blame the lad as, despite calls from some fans to see him given a chance there, he isn't a midfielder, but us not conceding a goal with him in midfield there yesterday had v little to do with him

 

[Nymzee]

Ah come on mate, his little cameo yesterday was one of the worst I've ever seen in a blue shirt. I don't necessarily entirely blame the lad as, despite calls from some fans to see him given a chance there, he isn't a midfielder, but us not conceding a goal with him in midfield there yesterday had v little to do with him

I didn't watch the game myself but if we didn't concede with him on the pitch I have no idea what point the other poster is trying to make.

If we'd have brought him on then lost 3-0 I'd understand but we didn't.

 

[Toff33Blues99]

Funny how the manager played exactly the same formation yesterday, 2 in midfield, same zonal marking yet the players actually did their part.

Maybe its not the manager but the same suspects who pick and choose when they want to give 100% or not.

Why wasn't Keane letting Kane bum him like he let Josh King?

Or Godfrey gift wrapping goals for Wolves players?

There is only so much a manager can do once those 11 step onto the pitch and frankly im fed up of blaming the manager after this same squad of players continue to take the mick.

Spurs were awful, worst spurs team I have seen in years and they still came closest to signing (2 chances for their full backs and hit the post). Embarrassing we are reduced to praising such a dog turd negative performance

 

[Billy Dean]

Holgate sub was a head scratcher, but aside from that I think he got it right yesterday

Giving Gordon his chance was a big tick in the plus column for me, and the players all put the effort in

If he can keep those sort of performance levels then we should hopefully start getting points on the board when we're back to full strength and have shored up the squad depth with a couple of cheeky January loans

Re the bold part I think he simply has to be mindful of the fact that the fitness of Delph and Allan has to be managed. They both tend to get crocked and if that happens now it would be a disaster.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Spurs were awful, worst spurs team I have seen in years and they still came closest to signing (2 chances for their full backs and hit the post). Embarrassing we are reduced to praising such a dog turd negative performance

I dont get these types of comments - Norwich just beat Brentford, Crystal Palace beat Man City away from home. West Ham have beaten Everton, Utd, Liverpool & Man City yet lost at home to Brentford.

No game is a banker 3 points in this league regardless of how "poor" or "well" a team plays.

DCL & Doucoure in that team and we win yesterday - Richarlison isn't a CF he's a wide player.

We've played most of the season without a capable CF which unlike Man City who actually have a CF in Jesus but play him out wide we dont have the quality of players to still win games without one consistently.

 

[Chrismac]

It wasn't me comparing Everton and Spurs, that was your boy @4737carlin
Just for the record, how many trophies do you think Benitez will win over the length of his Everton contract?

Apologies, should know better than respond to a single post without checking back!
Benitez trophies at Everton?
Big Fat Zero