2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[welshtoffee]

How do you know...

You said you were following him in China despite you actually never seen the team play, weird behaviour from an attention seeking idiot !!

 

[Martin Alvito]

Quite the u-turn mate?

I think it's sarcasm.

It's not as though those of us who have been staking out the "back the manager" position like Benitez. It's a position dictated by a couple of realities - he's more competent than any replacement we're likely to get, judging from his track record and the names we've been linked with, and the fact that we can't afford our manager's chair to become perceived as a career-killing revolving door.

The upward failure of so many recent occupants suggests that the problems at the club generally should not have been laid at the manager's door, and that the footballing world understands this. I can only explain why so many of you are determined to lay present problems at the present manager's door through him being an abrasive former RS manager.

When we trot out pony midfielders, we concede. When we trot out pony attackers, we don't score. We've been doing rather a lot of both lately. It's a bottom-half side producing bottom-half results. The saving grace is that relegation form is so bad this season, and we aren't that bad. We're right on pace to concede and score what we did two years ago with DCL having been out all season. This is probably not a coincidence.

If selling Digne is necessary to get in a replacement and some decent midfielders, we should do it. If Benitez does those things, I'll apportion credit. If not, I'll apportion blame.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

I think it's sarcasm.

It's not as though those of us who have been staking out the "back the manager" position like Benitez. It's a position dictated by a couple of realities - he's more competent than any replacement we're likely to get, judging from his track record and the names we've been linked with, and the fact that we can't afford our manager's chair to become perceived as a career-killing revolving door.

The upward failure of so many recent occupants suggests that the problems at the club generally should not have been laid at the manager's door, and that the footballing world understands this. I can only explain why so many of you are determined to lay present problems at the present manager's door through him being an abrasive former RS manager.

When we trot out pony midfielders, we concede. When we trot out pony attackers, we don't score. We've been doing rather a lot of both lately. It's a bottom-half side producing bottom-half results. The saving grace is that relegation form is so bad this season, and we aren't that bad. We're right on pace to concede and score what we did two years ago with DCL having been out all season. This is probably not a coincidence.

If selling Digne is necessary to get in a replacement and some decent midfielders, we should do it. If Benitez does those things, I'll apportion credit. If not, I'll apportion blame.

Noooooo way?

 

[Simon Buttle]

The problem is mate is recruitment has ultimately undermined our last few managers Ancelotti aside.

Koeman finished 7th and got us into Europe - we then sell Lukaku that summer and somehow Walsh spends £150 million on complete rubbish/dont replace Romelu and we struggle and he gets sacked.

Silva finished 8th in which our summer business that season was on the whole good (Richarlison, Mina, Digne, Zouma).

But the following summer instead of building on that 8th place/good season of recruitment Brands then sells Gana one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe and replaces him with two donkeys in Delph & Gbamin, he doesn't bring in a much needed experienced CF (DCL was still not at the required level at that point) and instead signs a 19 year old from Italy with an attitude problem who coincidently had the same agent as our DOF.

We also lose Zouma back to Chelsea and fail to replace him - Silva struggles and he gets sacked.

We can blame these managers but ultimately poor recruitment and not replacing key players has led us down the road we are currently on.

Thing is there comes a point where managers/coaches need to stop demanding the kin cheque book all the time and just get on with their bloody job ie managing/coaching the players, there is still more that could be extracted from this squad under the right leader imo.

 

[Zatara]

"untold damage" lol

Removing a DOF who spent £250 million on largely tat.

Removing a head of recovery who had overseen the worst injury crisis in our recent history

Potentially removing a LB who whilst I dont mind would be no real loss and has been poor for near 18 months now.

If thats untold damage you've been living in a cave the past 25 years lol

Surely the worst medical crisis is currently happening after the head of medical was punted...

I mean weve had to postpone against burnley due to a medical issue.

I don't need to look at the table to know come the end of game 38 we'll be midtable mediocrity as we have been for the past 4-5 seasons regardless of who the manager in the dug out is be it world class Carlo, Progressive Young Silva or worst manager of all time Benitez.

Until the squad improves we are going nowhere.

Benitez said "8th is nothing" and also that "we will be much stronger in the second half of the season"

So to me that means he's expecting us to finish top 7.

Yes you massive kopite slug, he’s being grossly mismanaged by this fat odious pig

You have a delightful way with words.

 

[Nymzee]

How do you know...

Because you didn't start following us till Benitez arrived.

6 months ago.

 

[Kev The Rat]

Just for the record besides maybe City.. which other Club has a DOF been a success…

AZ Alkmaar and Leicester City

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Thing is there comes a point where managers/coaches need to stop demanding the kin cheque book all the time and just get on with their bloody job ie managing/coaching the players, there is still more that could be extracted from this squad under the right leader imo.

Indeed. Silva is cited in the post you are replying to, but no mention is made of his absolute inability to change tactics or manage games or even be pragmatic. It was all there to see at the end of his tenure.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

Going back this notion that Benitez is a builder...

Valencia. Did incredibly well, two league titles. However, joined a club on an upward trajectory. Hector Cuper had them contesting the champions league final the two seasons prior. So arguably a very accomplished relatively successful squad to work with.

Liverpool. Took over from Gerrard Houllier (RIP). Recent treble Cup winners. A squad that clearly possessed a lot of talent. Incredible achievement to win the champions league (let's be honest here). Longest managerial stint in his career, some may argue he ultimately did not achieve as much as expected (I.e. a title). But that's harsh.

Inter. Followed on from an all conquering Jose Mourinho at the height of his powers. Again inherited an incredibly talented squad. Solid start, booted unceremoniously in the same season.

Chelsea. Interim appointment. Followed Di Matteo (lol). Di Matteo had squeezed a champions league and FA Cup win out of that squad the season prior. Again, a very talented squad to pick up the reigns with. Infrastructure in place. Delivered Europa league. Credit for picking up the reigns.

Napoli. Followed Walter Mazzari who had taken Napoli to the champions league, won a cup and finished second in Seria A in the previous season. Again, a not insignificant platform.

Real Madrid. Followed Ancelotti. Again, amazing squad. Loads of preceeding success. Unceremoniously punted.

Newcastle. A complete change of profile, arguably. Club in free fall. His first (only part) season ended in relegation. Creditable he brought them up and stabilised in the Premier League once more.

Dalian Pro. Another curve ball, as in, a very different profile of club and situation. Middling performance and left.

Everton. Absolute basket case of a club. Inherited patchy squad. Tasked with rebuilding.

Broadly, you can see that his successes, in terms of major trophies, have been on the back of an existing upwards trajectory.

But building a club from scratch to be winners? Less of a convincing record. @davek has already said it, he's here to stabilise. Essentially we're his Newcastle #2. Which is depressing for his career arc and for us.

How the mighty have fallen.

Great post mate.

When did he ever do a job at a club in our situation? No long term vision or strategy behind his appointment at all.

We were a blank canvas in the summer - an opportunity to appoint a manager and give them freedom and time to reshape the club in their vision….and we chose him. A man whose ambition is to get us playing like a lower half [Poor language removed] Newcastle team. Incredible.

I was fine with him coming in for a few seasons to play crap boring football and keep us hovering around mid/lower half of the league until we could spend some money again. So, reluctantly, were lots of others.

Would anybody at the start of the season accepted Benitez’ appointment if the mission statement was this guy is going to get the freedom to call all the shots at the club and completely rebuild it as he sees fit? Nobody would, surely.

We’re doing a complete rebuild with a man that wants to play reactionary, dull, negative football. This should have been a long term appointment with some vision behind it, fans would have given the right man time. This isn’t the right man and some are oddly lapping it up.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Great post mate.

When did he ever do a job at a club in our situation? No long term vision or strategy behind his appointment at all.

We were a blank canvas in the summer - an opportunity to appoint a manager and give them freedom and time to reshape the club in their vision….and we chose him. A man whose ambition is to get us playing like a lower half [Poor language removed] Newcastle team. Incredible.

I was fine with him coming in for a few seasons to play crap boring football and keep us hovering around mid/lower half of the league until we could spend some money again. So, reluctantly, were lots of others.

Would anybody at the start of the season accepted Benitez’ appointment if the mission statement was this guy is going to get the freedom to call all the shots at the club and completely rebuild it as he sees fit? Nobody would, surely.

We’re doing a complete rebuild with a man that wants to play reactionary, dull, negative football. This should have been a long term appointment with some vision behind it, fans would have given the right man time. This isn’t the right man and some are oddly lapping it up.

It also serves as a belated rejoinder to those who, a couple of days ago, were hailing him as a born winner and harbinger of success.

Yes he's won stuff, but only ever at clubs in a position of strength already. Which we are not.

So, right man for the job? Guess it all depends on what you are happy with and consider success or winning.

 

[Simon Buttle]

The owners brought in the best DOF they thought would work in Walsh and Brands.. both proved that DOF don’t work if you look at the players recruited.. the Decision on what players will fit in and will be good enough should rest with the person who runs the team and trains them.. the manager... afterall it’s his head on the block so he should be responsible nobody else...

Just for the record besides maybe City.. which other Club has a DOF been a success...

No club has won anything in the past 15 years in any of the top leagues without some sort of a DoF/Sporting director

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

It also serves as a belated rejoinder to those who, a couple of days ago, were hailing him as a born winner and harbinger of success.

Yes he's won stuff, but only ever at clubs in a position of strength already. Which we are not.

So, right man for the job? Guess it all depends on what you are happy with and consider success or winning.

Spot on. Look he did well at Valencia but took over a very good team, think they finished second the season before he took over. Then took over a RS team that won trophies and left them in a mess.

Record in the transfer market is hit and miss, plays terrible football and is a cold fish that falls out with players. What possessed us to think this is the guy to completely rebuild the club? I just don’t see it.

 

[Legend78]

Because you didn't start following us till Benitez arrived.

6 months ago.

AZ Alkmaar and Leicester City

so basically two out of all those clubs... yeah good ration that... best get one in then..

 

[Legend78]

No club has won anything in the past 15 years in any of the top leagues without some sort of a DoF/Sporting director

So you backing a suit on the boardroom ahead of a footballing man who works with players everyday to make decisions on who comes in and what players are capable of... that’s fine.. you stick to your Walsh and Brands blueprint.. obvious your on to a winner with that one...

 

[Nymzee]

How do you know...

Anything to add?

Because you didn't start following us till Benitez arrived.

6 months ago.

Fair enough mate.. I come from Liverpool and I am a supporter of the Chinese Team Dalian Pro...