2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Marius57]

It doesn’t change the fact that he was signed under Allardyce and was part of the £40m spent under his tenure.

OK, if you insist.

Going to leave it there. As blame for transfers seems to change depending on whether people like the manager or not.

 

[cronullasharks]

What an embarrassment of a thread

 

[Marius57]

What an embarrassment of a thread

It is embarrassing having him as manager but it wouldn't be very fair not to give him a thread when previous managers have had then.

 

[Kev The Rat]

What an embarrassment of a thread

It is but that’s because Benitez has done nothing in the time he has been here to move the debate on.

Our discussions are going round in circles because the waiter has failed to move us forward in any way.

It would be good to discuss tactics or management but there again he has neither of those, or perhaps what a serious vision of the club would be like with him at the helm.

Unfortunately none of that is possible because a) he’s so divisive and b) he hasn’t got the ability to build a team

Therefore the discourse inevitably remains stuck at square one.

 

[Death]

It is but that’s because Benitez has done nothing in the time he has been here to move the debate on.

Our discussions are going round in circles because the waiter has failed to move us forward in any way.

It would be good to discuss tactics or management but there again he has neither of those, or perhaps what a serious vision of the club would be like with him at the helm.

Unfortunately none of that is possible because a) he’s so divisive and b) he hasn’t got the ability to build a team

Therefore the discourse inevitably remains stuck at square one.

Benitez hands are tied Kev. Come on now. He's actually doing ok giving the circumstances. Aru.

 

[Earwigjoe]

Still wonder why he chose 1978 in his name.
Maybe he's a Notts Forest fan, winning the league after just getting promoted was a huge accomplishment.

Its obvious with his love for all things Chinese it was the appointment in '78 of the Legend Big Dong Xiaoping as
Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. I think he just loves a Big Dong.

 

[Zatara]

Yes good post.

On the opening paragraph, all I can say, is I said the same in the summer. I seem to remember saying it to @Zatara in a thread that Gray would be ok, Brands had been watching him and liked his running stats. I honestly don't put a lot of truck in Benitez allegedly texting someone when he was in China. That just sounds very difficult to believe to me, especially when it's contrasted with Everton regularly sending scouts to Leverkusens game, and Brands saying he wanted a wide player who could carry the ball.

As for Gordon, no disagreements there. That is a big plus for Benitez really. I thought his comments after Watford were a bit ridiculous (as he is prone to be in post match interviews) but he has managed Gordon very well and you can see improvement.

As for the wider discussion on youth I agree with a lot of your sentiment. I think there has to be more realism, and we bring through more than we think. Unlike Chelsea, City and Liverpool we are not spending millions (if not tens of millions) out each year on salaries, fees and agents fees for young players (and this goes on every season from those teams). You wonder why LFC's wages budget is 350m, a lot of it is eaten up by lads in the 23's and below.

One criticism I would have is our development post 18 hasn't been good enough for some time. You look at lads like Barkley, Rodwell to a degree Davies etc they have all flatlined at about 18/19. Thats not good enough. Players at LFC just keep improving, Gerrard, Carragher and now Arnold just keep improving. That is one thing we need to do better and suss out. I suspect the managerial turmoil hasn't helped.

DCL is the exception, and honestly has gone beyond where anyone may have thought. That won't happen every time, but to me Holgate, Davies,Kenny should all have got to Godfrey level based on where they were at 19.

I hope we see more of Dobbin, he might not be well known, but he is a bright prospect. It's key critical Benitez gets him to sign the deal, and it will be a big black mark against him if he fails in that regard.

We have 11 players that I would keep in a 23 man squad.

If Benitez can add Mykolenko/Patterson then its 13/23 squad spaces filled.

In 2022 and 2023 if the sole strategy is to move players on and replace with high potential u23s then it makes perfect sense. We sign those players and also develop from within at a relatively low cost.

The FFP by 2024 would be in the positive in terms of both fees and wages and the squad will be more experienced. At that point we can obliterate FFP again with 3 top class signings to take the team up another level.

Its just a numbers game. We need to have as many top players as possible in a 23 man squad.

 

[Zatara]

Pattersons not that good defensively imo, hes better going forward which wafa doesnt seem to like or encourage. Leon king 17 at Rangers their young centreback might be a better option before Slippy brings him to villa.

We'll have to see what the signings and outgoings look like in Jan and summer to know more on how he wants to setup.

Patterson's defensive stats look very good to me.

 

[Legend78]

You are a full knob mate. That's my point of view. And they view of most here.

I don’t have a problem at all with that my friend.. you can’t go on a forum and like every poster.. it’s not how it works.. I also think some posters on here are full nobs too... what I do is either offer an alternative view point if I don’t agree with there post or simply ignore it and move to next post.. what I don’t do is get myself worked up, keep asking who they support or call for bannings etc.. that’s just silly..

If we all keep to forum rules and respect each other views then it’s all good...

 

[Legend78]

We'll have to see what the signings and outgoings look like in Jan and summer to know more on how he wants to setup.

Patterson's defensive stats look very good to me.

Yes he needs to be judged after his January and summer signings have been made.. not before... if the team is struggling at the start of next season then I fully accept he will be under mounting pressure.. deffo not before then tho.. just ridiculous

 

[Bluestar]

OK, if you insist.

Going to leave it there. As blame for transfers seems to change depending on whether people like the manager or not.

My point is that under Allardyce there was £40m spent on the team while under Benitez there has been a negative net spend while also being unable to use Sigurdssen.

 

[kenada_blue]

We have 11 players that I would keep in a 23 man squad.

If Benitez can add Mykolenko/Patterson then its 13/23 squad spaces filled.

In 2022 and 2023 if the sole strategy is to move players on and replace with high potential u23s then it makes perfect sense. We sign those players and also develop from within at a relatively low cost.

The FFP by 2024 would be in the positive in terms of both fees and wages and the squad will be more experienced. At that point we can obliterate FFP again with 3 top class signings to take the team up another level.

Its just a numbers game. We need to have as many top players as possible in a 23 man squad.

Rafalution doesn't have the brains for that IMO

 

[LocalNative]

I could be a Merseyside fan and like both teams.. the Chinese team I do not support as I have never been able to watch them live but have shown an interest in them because a Merseyside manager worked for them... like I have said previously I do take interest in teams abroad with Merseyside connections..

Why the secrecy mate? It's an anonymous forum, you can admit which team you support ffs.

Obviously it isn't Everton, but we know that already.

 

[davek]

Safe as houses and here for as long as he wants to be. That's the inconvenient truth the derisory number of his opponents on here cant or wont accept.

As said before: Peak Pitchfork occurred a month ago after the derby. He has been strengthened ever since. He is now indisputably in charge of the club and carving out a transfer window which will be the first building blocks of his stay here.

 

[blue to the bone]

It's definitely keiran that's back positin as the leg end too.