2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[ToffeeTim]

I despise iwobi but what was the other choice - rondon and going two up top? - could have ended up 6/7 playing 4-4-2 against city

Richarlison should have moved wide

 

[Boss Silva]

My predicition is that we will finish between 10th and 15th, something like that. He will do more than 40 pts, i reckon....But will be worse than last season

 

[NorthernBlue]

They don't need a plan b. We're right on track with plan A ("try not to get relegated until the stadium is built").

Ancelotti jumped ship as soon as he realised he'd been sold a lie. That's the only thing they weren't expecting, but shows how inept they are as they thought he'd just hang around, treading water for 5 years.

Agree and I have no ill will towards Ancelotti as he was obviously spun a yarn and then had the rug pulled from under him. Then the morons in their infinite wisdom decided it best to hire someone a good section of the fan base hate.

 

[Marius57]

Tbf if he had moved Richarlison wide and brought Rondon on he would have been slated either way.

He has very little options at present - people can hate the bloke and still acknowledge that...

People can love the bloke and acknowledge his mistakes as well. It works both ways.

Lots of things wrong with the club but he does also contribute to them as well.

 

[The Sorting Hat]

The biggest error today - and he made a lot - was the Iwobi sub.

Gray injury is a big blow. But why oh why does he then bring Iwobi on?

It's not, in any way 'like for like', so it completely changes the system yet he keeps the formation and shape. Totally different type of player in there, yet the same shape. Utter madness.

We are chasing the game 2-0 down and are struggling to create anything with only 20% of the possession because can't get a hold of the ball, so he takes off a midfielder and puts Rondon on...

That is sticking two fingers up at the Club and daring us to fire him.

 

[BlueToff]

Tbf if he had moved Richarlison wide and brought Rondon on he would have been slated either way.

He has very little options at present - people can hate the bloke and still acknowledge that...

i do acknowledge it

but you cannot replace Gray with Iwobi and then play the exact same system

 

[Theoneandonly]

He takes zero responsibility for anything that goes wrong and expects 100% of the credit for anything that goes right.

He called out Gordon publicly after we got thumped by Watford and I will not forget that.

The same Gordon who said he was fine with Rafael calling him out.

 

[ToffeeTim]

The same Gordon who said he was fine with Rafael calling him out.

It should have been said in the dressing room or the training ground. It was also an unfair criticism because he had left on Rondon who offered nothing all game.

 

[The Sorting Hat]

The same Gordon who said he was fine with Rafael calling him out.

lollollollol
What choice does he have? Publicly tell the manager to k'ff and never play again?
Yeah.. great one.

 

[Papa Shango]

Or you could say the people calling for the sacking of another manager are missing the point. It’s time now to be fair and reasonable and patient otherwise we are going further down the rabbit hole. Sacking Benitez will get us no where. We have to give someone time to sort this mess out.

No that's not what I am saying at all!

People will not be fair and reasonable. You can not change that aspect of being a fan or indeed being human.

Basically what you (and others) are asking for is for everybody to change their inbuilt predispositions about the situation. That simply will never happen no matter how much you will it or how much it makes sense. I actually agree but it doesn't matter what I or you think.

It's like sitting down and trying to solve how to end wars and coming up with "stop having wars" as a solution.

OK that's a sloppy example but its along the same lines. You can not fight ingrained feelings of people, it doesn't work like that.

 

[BlueToff]

I despise iwobi but what was the other choice - rondon and going two up top? - could have ended up 6/7 playing 4-4-2 against city

He had Townsend playing central.

Change the system. Or play Iwobi central which is pretty much the only place he offers anything at all.

Townsend's best moments came when he got in behind Cancelo down the right.

 

[BlueToff]

Richarlison should have moved wide

There were options.

Personally I'd have played the one decent winger we had on the pitch wide instead of in some weird number 10/SS role

 

[PhilRegan]

i do acknowledge it

but you cannot replace Gray with Iwobi and then play the exact same system

I agree I would have preferred onyango come on and have townsend gordon outwide. It may have helped us ever so slightly to not allow them to jog through us as easily.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

Agree and I have no ill will towards Ancelotti as he was obviously spun a yarn and then had the rug pulled from under him. Then the morons in their infinite wisdom decided it best to hire someone a good section of the fan base hate.

What yarn was Ancelotti spun?

 

[Papa Shango]

What yarn was Ancelotti spun?

Well if he stayed he obviously wouldn't be spending any money this summer either.