2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Yarrgh]

First half - as bad as anything witnessed under Walter Smith. 3 CBS at home Vs the dingles is a joke. We're gonna get done if that crap carries on.

Second half - as good as Tommy tuchel/Pep Fraudiola - adapted the shape and deserved the win.

I thought Gomes was absolutley brilliant when he came on - joined everything up and was always available and involved.

One thing he's got over Ancellotti - we are so much fitter.

I agree

Unless the 5 at the back was to weather the storm and tire then physically/ mentally and frustrate them. On a couple of occasions in the first half we had very brief glimpses of us rocketing through the gears and slicing through them. But it was grim viewing.

Also would have thought it was looking for a James in the second half but obviously not seeing what happened.

Another good 2 points and an awkward (dirty and well drilled) opponent dispatched. Yet another game were I think Benitez well deserves praise.

 

[hallamblue]

I'm never sure if a manager deserves praise for getting it wrong and then correcting it after an hour. He's not the first to do it and he won't be the last. It was clear after 20 minutes it wasn't working, and I said to my lad he needed to sub Godfrey for Gomes as there was no link between the back players and midfield. Hopefully he's learnt from last night, and we won't play that way again, although to be fair I don't think anyone else plays like Burnley.

 

[FrenchDarrenBent]

I agree

Unless the 5 at the back was to weather the storm and tire then physically/ mentally and frustrate them. On a couple of occasions in the first half we had very brief glimpses of us rocketing through the gears and slicing through them. But it was grim viewing.

Also would have thought it was looking for a James in the second half but obviously not seeing what happened.

Another good 2 points and an awkward (dirty and well drilled) opponent dispatched. Yet another game were I think Benitez well deserves praise.

Maybe he thinks we cant sustain that playing style for 90 minutes?
Changing the formation got them confused and disorganised, hence the quick goals.

First half was awful, Burnley didn't help with time wasting antics after 5 minutes

 

[FrenchDarrenBent]

Great 3 points , great goals and played so well last half hour.

Doesnt excuse the manager picking a back 3/5 at home agst Burnley.
Players dug him out of a hole tonight.

Would you agree it was Rafael's players that dug him out?
Even Keane, thanking Rafael for his trust with a good second half.

 

[catcherintherye]

Would you agree it was Rafael's players that dug him out?
Even Keane, thanking Rafael for his trust with a good second half.

I'm not sure his players dug him out per se. Keane scored a good header.

He went with 3 at the back to combat 2 forwards. It didnt work. I wouldnt labour that point so much. He made the right change and the new system worked. Sometimes managers get things wrong and have to change it.

The positive is he did, and the players didnt seem to panic. Yes a lot of that is having fans in, but under Ancelotti we just didnt seem to be able to turn the ride of games.

 

[Nymzee]

Performances have been generally naff but results are there. Extremely early days. Still don’t want him as my manager though at all.

 

[roy vernon]

He certainly seems to have engendered a good spirit in the squad, they know that they won’t get away with dialing it in with him in charge. I have been pleasantly surprised by Benitez, he has a long way to go yet, but, the early signs are good. I even prefer him to Large Samuel now, progress hey?

 

[Lord Buckethead]

Forgetting lord Buckethead and spadge.

at least tag me you Coward!

 

[Lord Buckethead]

He seems to have a plan B

Good job really, his Plan A stank the place out last night.

 

[Lord Buckethead]

Anyone not convince yet?

Yup. 4 league games is not enough. Carlo did much better last season, had us second at Christmas and look how that turned out.

We only bothered to play for the last half hour last night, but it was enough, a better team would have had us dead and buried by then.

I still can't watch words come out of his mouth.

 

[The binman chronicles]

Seems to be getting comfortable under the table and opening up, showing his true personality and not the serious bloke we had for the first two months.

Whether that's a good thing or not I don't know. Perhaps that fear that kept him in check was good.

 

[tim cahill]

Performances have been generally naff but results are there. Extremely early days. Still don’t want him as my manager though at all.

I still don't particularly like him, but he's doing a good job at the moment. Our 2nd half performances have got us the results and it's usually down to something he's changed.

 

[Lord Buckethead]

Well played Benitez.

Already won over most of the doubters.

Hopefully soon the remaining few will be as socially unacceptable as anti vaxxers.

When have I ever been socially accepted?

 

[Harryflashman]

I still don't particularly like him, but he's doing a good job at the moment. Our 2nd half performances have got us the results and it's usually down to something he's changed.

Like you I didn’t want him , I can’t say I like him but he’s doing ok . First half he got it wrong & changed it and the decent run continues , he’s going to have harder tests but I like that he seems engaged with the performances of the players and is at least demanding which I suspect many of them need .

so far so good , tough to say anything else really .

 

[Nymzee]

I still don't particularly like him, but he's doing a good job at the moment. Our 2nd half performances have got us the results and it's usually down to something he's changed.

I’d rather not need a goal down and horrid performance for someone to get something right myself.