2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Tubey]

Because if he signs players that largely all have pace, are direct, can tackle etc and are suited to counter attacking football if Benitez fails someone else can come in and utilise that system but make tweaks that potentially held us back under Rafael.

Whereas at the moment thats impossible as you have a ton of players who all suit a mixed bag of systems.

We need a manager for a good 2-3 seasons to actually build a squad and see where we go from there imo.

Spot on. Especially with a useless Director of Football.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Why does it have to be such an extreme example though? I don't actually want Potter, btw, and I don't think he'd want Everton in the way it is atm anyway.

I don't think Benitez's brain has melted at all. I just think his footy is outdated. It suited the 2000s, even the early 2010s. Now it doesn't fit. His insistence with playing 4-4-1-1 is an example of that. We've got worse defensively under him, and he's telling our one attacking full-back not to cross the halfway line.

Injuries haven't helped but even with our players fit we weren't that good. For him to actually come out and say 'wait for the second half of the season' has completely rattled me. He's the manager, wtf is he doing about it until then?

The most important game in football is always the next one. He needs a result very badly.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Gbamin and Onyango.








Seriously?

Onyango should start this weekend

 

[BlueToff]

Because if he signs players that largely all have pace, are direct, can tackle etc and are suited to counter attacking football if Benitez fails someone else can come in and utilise that system but make tweaks that potentially held us back under Rafael.

Whereas at the moment thats impossible as you have a ton of players who all suit a mixed bag of systems.

We need a manager for a good 2-3 seasons to actually build a squad and see where we go from there imo.

Okay, but it's a very one-dimensional way of playing.

Adrian Clarke is a pretty good pundit and summed it up after the West Ham game - 'Everton just need to try and play some football'

You don't have to be the world's best players, or have all of your team fully fit (though it does help, absolutely) to do that, mate. I've seen no signs.

Let's hope it does all miraculously fix itself but we're putting tons of pressure on DCL and Doucoure and Mina to stay fit all season. I fear that is not going to be the case. And in the meantime Benitez has to start using what he has so we aren't putting square pegs in round holes. Townsend, right now, is our best wide option yet he's playing him central. Nah, it's not on. He's got two midfielders on the bench so ultimately they're going to have to be used - hopefully Docuoure is back for Brentford so that would help that, clearly.

I don't think Benitez plays the style of play that buys 2-3 seasons though, honestly.

 

[BlueToff]

Gbamin and Onyango.








Seriously?

It's not ideal. Far, far, far, far from it. But once Gray went off, Iwobi was not the answer.

Either bring on a midfielder or play Rondon up top if he really had to persist with Townsend central.

If Iwobi had to be the answer, then play Iwobi centrally and put Townsend where he can affect the game for us.

 

[ToffeeTim]

We are passive off the ball. We run around a lot but don't actually challenge for the ball.

We lack movement in possession. Players pass the ball and stop. Even look at us taking throw ins. There is hardly ever players showing for the ball.

These issues can be improved by good coaching. You don't need top class players to get better in these areas.

 

[BlueToff]

Onyango should start this weekend

One of them should unless Doucoure is fit. Absolutely.

 

[BlueToff]

The most important game in football is always the next one. He needs a result very badly.

I just feel (and this isn't me being arbitrary here) that he's going to need a 4 points from the next three matches to buy him time. Even that would only be 2 wins in 12 but would at least have us on 18 points heading into the festive run.

I don't care where those points come from. Obviously a derby win probably buys him more time but Christ I can't see that happening. I worry about that game, I really, really do.

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

Because if he signs players that largely all have pace, are direct, can tackle etc and are suited to counter attacking football if Benitez fails someone else can come in and utilise that system but make tweaks that potentially held us back under Rafael.

Whereas at the moment thats impossible as you have a ton of players who all suit a mixed bag of systems.

We need a manager for a good 2-3 seasons to actually build a squad and see where we go from there imo.

And there in a nutshell is why I never wanted this manager at the club, little to do with his past associations but everything to do with his dead end style of football.
If we end up building a club based on his footballing DNA we will only continue our malaise in my opinion, it is a brand of limited football I abhor.
The owners of Wolves came to a similar conclusion with Nuno despite his previous success they came to believe his counter attacking style would carry them no further and opted for a more progressive coach.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I just feel (and this isn't me being arbitrary here) that he's going to need a 4 points from the next three matches to buy him time. Even that would only be 2 wins in 12 but would at least have us on 18 points heading into the festive run.

I don't care where those points come from. Obviously a derby win probably buys him more time but Christ I can't see that happening. I worry about that game, I really, really do.

Yeah I think we need to win at least 1 of the next 3 games. If we only pick up say 1 point or something then he's going to be sacked.

 

[zukai12_]

look , any manager would struggle with so many important players out , that's no doubt

but look at it, this guy doesn't want us to actually play football, there is no system, no play style , just relying on the players to bail him out

conceding possession, punting long balls and standing 2 meters off the opposition players is just not an acceptable way of playing in 2021

 

[Colonel Getafe]

I agree with most of this. I dont think this board will act particularly logically.

Guess it depends what you consider 'logical' to be. If December is a disaster and the club are in/around the bottom 3 come January, goals are still being shipped left and right because the zonal system still doesn't work, the atmosphere is toxic, and there's no real sign of a tactical plan (or at least one that works), then surely the most 'logical' thing to do is to get rid of the manager ASAP and get someone in who remedy those things ASAP before the potential for relegation becomes a strong possibility. And if one thing is certain, Moshiri cannot have his asset drop out the Prem at any cost.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

And there in a nutshell is why I never wanted this manager at the club, little to do with his past associations but everything to do with his dead end style of football.
If we end up building a club based on his footballing DNA we will only continue our malaise in my opinion, it is a brand of limited football I abhor.
The owners of Wolves came to a similar conclusion with Nuno despite his previous success they came to believe his counter attacking style would carry them no further and opted for a more progressive coach.

Funnily enough a lot of Leicester fans on social media hate the "progressive" football Rodgers plays and I've seen a few want to go back to counter attacking.

There isn't one best way of playing imo it ultimately comes down to the players and manager.

I think given time he'll have us playing a solid counter attacking style but that will take time and investment in the squad which is why im willing to give him longer than 11 games and £1.7 million as we are going in an endless circle hiring and firing.

We need stability one way or another.

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

Funnily enough a lot of Leicester fans on social media hate the "progressive" football Rodgers plays and I've seen a few want to go back to counter attacking.

There isn't one best way of playing imo it ultimately comes down to the players and manager.

I think given time he'll have us playing a solid counter attacking style but that will take time and investment in the squad which is why im willing to give him longer than 11 games and £1.7 million as we are going in an endless circle hiring and firing.

We need stability one way or another.

Counter attacking football is rightly labelled anti football by many.
People in general will accept the limited entertainment value if you are grinding out trophies or even battling to survive , but it quickly palls if you are stuck in mid table purgatory.
Football is meant to be an escape from the drudgery of daily life after all, not a mirror image of it.

 

[Colonel Getafe]

Funnily enough a lot of Leicester fans on social media hate the "progressive" football Rodgers plays and I've seen a few want to go back to counter attacking.

There isn't one best way of playing imo it ultimately comes down to the players and manager.

I think given time he'll have us playing a solid counter attacking style but that will take time and investment in the squad which is why im willing to give him longer than 11 games and £1.7 million as we are going in an endless circle hiring and firing.

We need stability one way or another.

Pretty sure they'll have enjoyed winning the FA Cup and Charity Shield and European football whilst playing a lot of teams off the park under Rodgers. Certainly more enjoyable than the mind numbing boredom Puel was serving up.