2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[BigDuncTributeBand]

The people defending Benitez need to realise that we KNOW the team is crap, we KNOW the recruitment has been awful and we KNOW we have had injuries. But there are 2 basic things that are unacceptable with this manager.

1. Set pieces. Conceding almost every week when the same personnel dealt with them far better last year. We must be the only team in the league not to score from one either.

2. Style of play. Palace had 68% possession in the first half. Crystal Palace! We sit off and are so negative.
When we’ve inevitably conceded and have to chase a game and play on the front foot, we are far better. This has happened time and time again - Southampton, Burnley, Wolves, Palace, Brentford, Arsenal etc etc but the manager still sends us out on the back foot. He won’t change because every time he manages anywhere, it’s all about his ego. Always will be.

Totally agree but I’d add a third, team spirit. He’s killed it, they look beaten and totally dispirited. He sets the mood of the group, it’s a huge part of being a manager.

Look at someone like Burnley, Championship squad but Dyche has them all singing off the same hymn sheet and has fostered a spirit and togetherness. Rafael’s done the opposite and it doesn’t cost any money, it’s purely down to man management of individuals and of the group.

 

[R.Reddington]

Totally agree but I’d add a third, team spirit. He’s killed it, they look beaten and totally dispirited. He sets the mood of the group, it’s a huge part of being a manager.

Look at someone like Burnley, Championship squad but Dyche has them all singing off the same hymn sheet and has fostered a spirit and togetherness. Rafael’s done the opposite and it doesn’t cost any money, it’s purely down to man management of individuals and of the group.

It’s a bit worrying when we show up at mid table Palace already a beaten team…

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

It’s a bit worrying when we show up at mid table Palace already a beaten team…

It really is isn’t it, when they’ve lost their previous three games as well. We can all see it, the opposition must sense it and spur them on.

 

[R.Reddington]

It really is isn’t it, when they’ve lost their previous three games as well. We can all see it, the opposition must sense it and spur them on.

Nailed in defeat on Thursday, Leicester come to Goodison and probably take the piss as well (they’re no pushovers) and then everything is on Burnley , Newcastle and Brighton : 7/9 needed from them 3 at least!

 

[R.Reddington]

It really is isn’t it, when they’ve lost their previous three games as well. We can all see it, the opposition must sense it and spur them on.

That’s the thing, Palace saw how we set up and it gave them confidence, any manager with a brain would’ve demanded his team to go there and push them back, be aggressive and get the home crowd on edge.

 

[ranxerox]

It exactly fits my narrative. Down to a tee. Just carries on the trend of rushing towards the next PL manager who has won a few games. Last season it was Hasenhuttl, Bielsa, Smith, Rodgers, Potter. Look where some of them are now. I bet Gerrard will be in a world of pain in 12 months time because most premier league managers outside the top 6 are at some point. Which just reinforces my point that there’s no miracle silver bullet manager who is going to impose some new progressive philosophy on these players and suddenly have them flying and building year after year. The players are rubbish. A lot best another manager might get a brief spark out of them but then they’d just revert to the mean just like Southamptons did, just like Villas did, just like Leeds have. Changing manager only loses us money we can’t afford to lose and starts yet another cycle all over again.

So we should keep Benitez forever?

It sounds like your trying to say that it makes no difference who manages the club.

According to your claims no other manger would do any better, thus it must also be true none would do worse since they’d just revert to the mean.

Therefore since there is no performance difference possible the club should at least hire someone the fans don’t despise.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

Nailed in defeat on Thursday, Leicester come to Goodison and probably take the piss as well (they’re no pushovers) and then everything is on Burnley , Newcastle and Brighton : 7/9 needed from them 3 at least!

The Burnley game will be like a game of hot potato, neither team want the ball.

 

[Kev The Rat]

We went from Smith to Moyes - the club was at its lowest ebb and the transformation was immediate without an overhaul of playing staff.

It could be the same again with a new manager.

 

[R.Reddington]

The Burnley game will be like a game of hot potato, neither team want the ball.

I don’t fancy us away at Burnley on Boxing Day either. They’ve picked up their home form now and are fighting for points. Dyche gets them firing about this time of the season.

 

[R.Reddington]

Being honest,

Would any other manager in the league still be in a job with our current form?

Villa binned Smith
Norwich binned Farke
Spurs got rid of Nuno after 10 games
Watford binned Munoz who got them promoted

Surely it’s our turn next.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

I don’t fancy us away at Burnley on Boxing Day either. They’ve picked up their home form now and are fighting for points. Dyche gets them firing about this time of the season.

Two terrible teams, playing terrible football. It’s a scrap and basically who wants to win the fight. Considering our lot have no spirit, who would bet on them to win the fight?

 

[Thomasc]

It’s the perfect storm.

Dreadful manager, injuries galore and no spirit.

We are going down folks. If we don’t, it will be by the narrowest of margins.

Benitez is just causing more unrest. The players know he’s an out of touch clown and they will all be feigning injuries from now until the end of the season.

The owner deserves relegation for appointing him.

 

[billyblue80]

Being honest,

Would any other manager in the league still be in a job with our current form?

Villa binned Smith
Norwich binned Farke
Spurs got rid of Nuno after 10 games
Watford binned Munoz who got them promoted

Surely it’s our turn next.

He would be gone now if Moshori wasn't making the decisions

 

[MikeH72]

He would be gone now if Moshori wasn't making the decisions

He wouldn’t have been in the job in the first place if Moshiri wasn’t making the decisions.

 

[Saint Domingo]

So we should keep Benitez forever?

It sounds like your trying to say that it makes no difference who manages the club.

According to your claims no other manger would do any better, thus it must also be true none would do worse since they’d just revert to the mean.

Therefore since there is no performance difference possible the club should at least hire someone the fans don’t despise.

At least let Benitez get rid of some of the players first. The only benefit of having an unpopular manager is he can make a clean sweep of the place unemcumbered by trying to keep anyone on side. He’s already taken Brands out who people had wanted gone for ages.

Why would anyone want a new manager coming into this squad. Turning up to the changing rooms and seeing Coleman Keane and Davies ‘ready to work hard for the new manager’. At least let Benitez flush the turds our first. It’s probably the only benefit of him being here yet some want him out before he can even get on with the job.

Benitez to wipe the slate clean, then a new manager to come in when he actually has a chance of succeeding. As long as the players are here, the performance level won’t change much regardless of who the manager is. So we could make a short term change, spend a lot of money doing so, and start a rebuilding cycle all over again with another manager who we’ll all hate within 12 months when he loses loads of games (which he will with these players), or we can continue to go through the pain with a manager everyone already hates, let him get some of these clowns out of the club, then give a new manager a decent chance to actually succeed.