2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[ForeverBlue92]

It was for a few games around this time last year, certainly, so Ancelotti went to that flat four (Coleman and Digne both out) and just had us organsied, specifically from set-pieces.

Issue was getting out of that way of playing once we got through the winter and Ancelotti didn't know how, cause he hadn't worked with the level of some of the poorer players we have and have to rely on.

You always do this though - you go to this extreme that everybody thinks we'd be playing like Brazil 1970 or Man City or Liverpool. That's not what we're wanting, we're just wanting some signs and there haven't been, it's been crap since day one, one or two flashes and one performance v Brighton aside.

You say defending like lions and playing attractive football. We literally don't come close to either.

It seems our defence is entirely dependent on Mina. Well Mina missed plenty of games last season and we didn't fall apart every time he played - look at that Anfield derby. Yet now if he doesn't play we can't defend at all. Why? Why is Godfrey looking so God awful? Why is Pickford's kicking dropping off? Why are we so unable to build any moves? Why is our left-back - one of the best in Europe going forward when it comes to numbers and even an eye test really, he is very a good at attacking - being told not to cross the halfway line? Why is he currently playing our best winger in an ill-suited second striker role instead of just actually having nous and realising in 2021 you need three midfielders as a platform to build from, especially when Doucoure - who does the job of two players - is out?

We are 11 games into his first season having had no investment in the summer and a squad we all know is poor - so unless a manager has us playing effective football from the very get go he deserves the sack?

Do you know how Utd started under SAF?

Do you know how Everton started under Kendall?

This is the problem with the modern fan/social media its nothing but instant gratification - I want it now! mentality.

Moyes was on the verge of the sack at WHU then after a few months it clicked for him (added to solid recruitment & few injuries to key players).

Im not saying things are amazing - im saying give the fella a kin chance when he has only 2 of his own players in the starting 11 and has had little time to actually build a system when every week its injury after injury.

 

[Steve EFC]

We are 11 games into his first season having had no investment in the summer and a squad we all know is poor - so unless a manager has us playing effective football from the very get go he deserves the sack?

Do you know how Utd started under SAF?

Do you know how Everton started under Kendall?

This is the problem with the modern fan/social media its nothing but instant gratification - I want it now! mentality.

Moyes was on the verge of the sack at WHU then after a few months it clicked for him (added to solid recruitment & few injuries to key players).

Im not saying things are amazing - im saying give the fella a kin chance when he has only 2 of his own players in the starting 11 and has had little time to actually build a system when every week its injury after injury.

Let em get on with it. They don’t get it.

 

[jinkyali]

Okay, I`ll play.

At what point do the club pull the trigger then ?

One win in 10.
One win in 11.
One win in 12.
One win in 13.
When we`re in the bottom 3.
When we get relegated ( like you seem to be relishing )

Its a good point this.
Sometimes teams can utilise the passion or unity of the crowd in difficult moments. If the crowd can get behind the team and manager then these moments pass.

The unfortunate thing for Benitez is that the crowd will probably never be unified behind him and the chance of a passionate, immersive Goodison getting the team over the line is minimal.

 

[jinkyali]

They don't is my answer UNLESS he gets his best players back and we still are losing games then fair enough the squad have downed tools and seen off yet another manager.

Anyone who seriously believes the owners will sack a manager 11 games in, 11th in the table with 8 injuries/suspensions is inhaling turps imo.

Because the money it would take to sack him, the money it would take to buy out the new blokes contract from his current club is not worth it when 1. We cant then back the new bloke in January and 2. Is that new manager going to do any better with our injury list? Will they get a tune out of a front 3 of Iwobi, Rondon & Gordon? Delph and Allan in CM?

Its easy to slate the manager and dream of sacking him but it becomes a lot more tricky when the reality of the clubs situation is laid bare.

We aint Man Utd who have hundreds of millions and a squad of Ronaldo, Cavani, Greenwood, Rashford all fit and firing just waiting for Poch to walk through the door.

If the club is in danger of relegation and financial meltdown, then the club will see sacking Benitez as a financial decision they simply have to make. Its a calculated decision.

 

[Zatara]

It won't happen like. But the way he treats things is what's needed at the top of the club and I do actually rate that about him.

But he's a crap manager.

Yes, can imagine him going through every detail at every level of the club and demanding improvement. If not, he'd sack people.

Its something we should be thinking of doing rather than letting him loose with the players. He'd have a job for life then as well which id imagine he'd be happy with and find a challenge.

We replaced James Rodriguez with Andros Townsend.

That sums it up.

I know why that had to happen, and I think Townsend has been alright. But that's just it, he's just 'alright'.

Benitez's style of play, all season, has been as drab as Ancelotti's was in the back half of last season (which was brought on by injuries, btw). Unfortunately it hasn't been as effective. Our defence, as a collective and individually, looks far worse/less organised. Our attack just isn't an attack because we can't keep the ball long enough to build attacks, whether we're playing Watford or Man City, and that's not just due to the injuries btw. We were bad at it when we had them all fit, we just had moments of quality to shine through.

We had all the same players out injured at different stages last season and were 4th in March.

While I want RB out ( a lot ) if I had the chance to have either Andros or Rodriguez knowing what I know now I'd pick the ex palace player .
For one , you can count on him wanting to play and with this season's injuries that a big plus with the likes of Delph just waiting for his doctor to write his next sicknote .
Also the professionalism he brings . Another thing lacking .His never say die attitude and his leadership ( instead of the tired pointing and boring uninspiring " we must do better we get from Seamus ) has been a tiny but noticeable plus .
My god , if I wrote this back in July I'd be calling my self a bell . Strange and horrible times .

I said Townsend would be a decent signing. In fact both he and Gray have been decent signings.

In an ideal world we have those two and Gordon along with a superstar right winger.

At best, theyre mid table players and for them to be considered two of our best performers points more to the drooff of others under Benitez.

But ultimately then - and I understand all of your reasons btw, and actually agree with some of them before certain posters jump down my throat – you have to accept where we're at now. That's the standard, that's the drop off in quality.

James to Townsend is such a big gulf in quality.

It was for a few games around this time last year, certainly, so Ancelotti went to that flat four (Coleman and Digne both out) and just had us organsied, specifically from set-pieces.

Issue was getting out of that way of playing once we got through the winter and Ancelotti didn't know how, cause he hadn't worked with the level of some of the poorer players we have and have to rely on.

You always do this though - you go to this extreme that everybody thinks we'd be playing like Brazil 1970 or Man City or Liverpool. That's not what we're wanting, we're just wanting some signs and there haven't been, it's been crap since day one, one or two flashes and one performance v Brighton aside.

You say defending like lions and playing attractive football. We literally don't come close to either.

It seems our defence is entirely dependent on Mina. Well Mina missed plenty of games last season and we didn't fall apart every time he played - look at that Anfield derby. Yet now if he doesn't play we can't defend at all. Why? Why is Godfrey looking so God awful? Why is Pickford's kicking dropping off? Why are we so unable to build any moves? Why is our left-back - one of the best in Europe going forward when it comes to numbers and even an eye test really, he is very a good at attacking - being told not to cross the halfway line? Why is he currently playing our best winger in an ill-suited second striker role instead of just actually having nous and realising in 2021 you need three midfielders as a platform to build from, especially when Doucoure - who does the job of two players - is out?

Its so weird. From having a structure, solid base and organisation last season it seems now were being treated to a confused and disinterested bunch of players.

 

[mikel_88]

Is up to him to get the team ready we need to get a win on sunday is tough but injuries can not keep being the excuse.

 

[marsh]

Ex Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson next or Dalglish after Rafael has gone

 

[Toast]

Ex Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson next or Dalglish after Rafael has gone

Paying off Benitez contract and handing him millions of pounds will probably be the funniest thing I’ve seen in all my years as a Blue.

Utterly predictable as well.

 

[twoblue]

We replaced James Rodriguez with Andros Townsend.

That sums it up.

I know why that had to happen, and I think Townsend has been alright. But that's just it, he's just 'alright'.

Benitez's style of play, all season, has been as drab as Ancelotti's was in the back half of last season (which was brought on by injuries, btw). Unfortunately it hasn't been as effective. Our defence, as a collective and individually, looks far worse/less organised. Our attack just isn't an attack because we can't keep the ball long enough to build attacks, whether we're playing Watford or Man City, and that's not just due to the injuries btw. We were bad at it when we had them all fit, we just had moments of quality to shine through.

We had all the same players out injured at different stages last season and were 4th in March.

Sorry?
Have we had dcl? James? Sigurdson?
It doesn’t matter where we were in March does it? We finished below midtable, we have a midtable squad with severe injury list, that spent £1.7 in the summer. Whilst losing Bernard, hamaz and sigurdson - two of which, while not consistent could win games.
We are in bad shape. This isn’t the managers fault and bringing someone in now would be the worst thing the club could do

 

[james_v02]

Rafael got Gray for that price and Townsend on a free, who one could argue has been our best player this season in general, let alone pound sterling for pound sterling.

Then all these injuries. To very key players. With a squad full of dross that Rafael had nothing to do with.

I'm not ready to write Rafael off yet. Based on who we actually have on the pitch available to us right now, we are a bottom 8 side. Possibly bottom 5.

Once we get our best players back, we will be comfortably mid-table.

To put this at Rafael's feet is curious, to say the least.

It is going to be a tough period. We have nearly 30% of our 25-man squad out for an extended period, and those are our key players and main (experienced players) backups. I share the same opinion not to write Benitez out yet. Blaming him at this stage is like blaming a newborn baby for not being able to run.

What I do hope is for Benitez be less rigid with his squad selection and take some risks with our youth. It's a gamble but turning to Rondon, Iwobi, Delph and Gbamin to make a difference, aren't great options either.

 

[Marius57]

Sorry?
Have we had dcl? James? Sigurdson?
It doesn’t matter where we were in March does it? We finished below midtable, we have a midtable squad with severe injury list, that spent £1.7 in the summer. Whilst losing Bernard, hamaz and sigurdson - two of which, while not consistent could win games.
We are in bad shape. This isn’t the managers fault and bringing someone in now would be the worst thing the club could do

We literally finished midtable, not below it.

I mean, 2 of those players you mention, left under benitez' watch. One of them he actively forced out. We can't complain about losing creativity and excuse him of all fault for that when he allowed and made it happen.

 

[PhilM]

We are 11 games into his first season having had no investment in the summer and a squad we all know is poor - so unless a manager has us playing effective football from the very get go he deserves the sack?

That's all true.

Yet, we cannot ignore that our current form is joint worst in the league with Brentford over the last five matches - even Newcastle and Norwich are better.

A defeat to Brentford and it's the worst. We haven't won in the league since the 13th September and if we don't beat Brentford we then start a pretty difficult run.

It's the RS (H), Arsenal (A), Palace (H), Chelsea (A), Leicester (H), Burnley (A) and Newcastle (H). Genuinely, at the moment, how many points do you predict?

I've been more accepting of Rafael than many and yes we've got to factor in injuries compared to our paper thin squad, but eventually we've got to step back.

Objectively, the proof is in the pudding: at the moment, we're looking lacklustre at best and spiralling downwards rather than bucking the trend.

Again, I'm not going to be a doom merchant like many as I believe that it'll improve, but the question is when and by how much? What are our ambitions?

Apart from a small number of games, we didn't look amazing in a fair few of our victories being saved by counter-attacking goals and the likes of DCL.

Without him and others to lift us up, it is a concern and we should (must) be beyond that. The manager has to do something soon or expect criticism.

 

[longers]

It's worrying that I am starting not to care anymore because the club offers no hope no vision. Just total incompetence

embrace it, no longer caring that much about Everton has been one of the most positive changes in my life

 

[kiss the crest]

Every fan has known for years that our squad is poor, apart from 9 players we have nothing in reserve, well out of those 9 we have 3 injures and one suspended for the next game.
Which leaves 5 players and fans expect Benitez to get results with that?

2 of the players he has signed have carried us this season I would hate to think where we would be without them.
My only gripe is the lump of lard he has signed

 

[Nymzee]

Every fan has known for years that our squad is poor, apart from 9 players we have nothing in reserve, well out of those 9 we have 3 injures and one suspended for the next game.
Which leaves 5 players and fans expect Benitez to get results with that?

2 of the players he has signed have carried us this season I would hate to think where we would be without them.
My only gripe is the lump of lard he has signed

Let’s not pretend you always need a decent squad to grind out results. We got a point against them lot with this pile of steaming dung under Allardyce.

Use what you have the smartest way possible.