2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Saint Domingo]

You're going to be waiting a long time to see us take the game to any team under this manager...

Sit back and try and nick a goal on the break is the best we can hope for.

Apart from all those games we fell behind in and then took the game to the opposition to get the win or draw level? Southampton Burnley Brighton Arsenal Chelsea, but yeah apart from them lot.

 

[catcherintherye]

People forget performances. I’ve seen it called the worst derby people have ever seen. It was nowhere near, some of our 0-0s have been more embarrassing. One of the worst for me was the Allardyce one at Anfield when we didn’t get out of our penalty area apart from a Rooney punt to DCL that led to a penalty but because we didn’t lose everyone just forgets how inferior we were. We barely had a second on the ball, it was utter humiliation.

At the last derby we went under because Coleman passed the ball to Salah. Digne’s refusal to chase Salah back after Godfrey’s error didn’t help either. He of course dispatched both perfectly into the corners whilst since then him and Mane have been missing everything. Individual errors did for us but after a few mad minutes at the beginning we were in that game easily. Completely different platforms in my view to build from moving forward, but some fans can’t take the slightest bit of mocking from their kopite mates so would rather have a lifetime of plucky 0-0 draws playing Allardyce’s way than lose a few trying to win a few.

Again for you mate, this is poor.

4-1 did not flatter a massively overrated Liverpool team. They hammered us.

Give me a 0-0 against them a 4-1 humiliation.

I've seen some utter sh1te play for us in the 90s, and we never rolled over at Goodison for them. Like real rubbish, Mitch Ward, Terry Phelan etc.

If you honestly think, losing to that LFC team 4-1 at Goodison is in any way justifiable, then I give up.

As a final aside, have you seen the state of the back 4 we had at Anfield under Allardyce for that draw. William's, Holgate, Kenny and Martina from memory. With Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson in midfield. It was a miracle to get a 1-1.

 

[catcherintherye]

Good presser from him. Talking about players who want to be here arriving in the window. Talking about Townsend’s mentality in working hard to get back to fitness to help the team.

He’s implying what the last 7 years have confirmed, that there’s players at the club who don’t want to be here, and players who aren’t interested in busting a gut to get fit and help the team.

Both sets will be seeing the exit door under this manager and that can only be a good thing.

Does Rondon want to be here? If he does it would be nice if he could show it, rather than doing a poor mans Oumar Niasse showing. Maybe he can score a goal from further out than 60cm as well?

 

[Saint Domingo]

Again for you mate, this is poor.

4-1 did not flatter a massively overrated Liverpool team. They hammered us.

Give me a 0-0 against them a 4-1 humiliation.

I've seen some utter sh1te play for us in the 90s, and we never rolled over at Goodison for them. Like real rubbish, Mitch Ward, Terry Phelan etc.

If you honestly think, losing to that LFC team 4-1 at Goodison is in any way justifiable, then I give up.

As a final aside, have you seen the state of the back 4 we had at Anfield under Allardyce for that draw. William's, Holgate, Kenny and Martina from memory. With Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson in midfield. It was a miracle to get a 1-1.

They didn’t hammer us. The half time consensus was they had bettered the first 20 minutes, then we had the better of the last 20. This was against a full strength Liverpool whilst we had players missing. Most people saw the game as poised at halftime. Individual errors cost us in the second half. That’s not a battering in my book just because the score line got away from us as we practically kicked 2 in our own net.

There’s no scenario we win that derby game playing like we did under Allardyce. Playing like we did under Benitez, if executed better, and with less mistakes gives us a chance in the future. Even at 2 down we were taking the ball in midfield and playing through the lines (which led to the goal). That is something few Everton teams have tried to do to them. We did it once under Martinez, we did it once under Silva, we did it a couple of times under Moyes (when we were ahead). But most performances, like you say, even from the worst teams we’ve had have been a back to the wall defensive job hoping to nick a goal by a set piece.

 

[catcherintherye]

They didn’t hammer us. The half time consensus was they had bettered the first 20 minutes, then we had the better of the last 20. This was against a full strength Liverpool whilst we had players missing. Most people saw the game as poised at halftime. Individual errors cost us in the second half. That’s not a battering in my book just because the score line got away from us as we practically kicked 2 in our own net.

There’s no scenario we win that derby game playing like we did under Allardyce. Playing like we did under Benitez, if executed better, and with less mistakes gives us a chance in the future. Even at 2 down we were taking the ball in midfield and playing through the lines (which led to the goal). That is something few Everton teams have tried to do to them. We did it once under Martinez, we did it once under Silva, we did it a couple of times under Moyes (when we were ahead). But most performances, like you say, even from the worst teams we’ve had have been a back to the wall defensive job hoping to nick a goal by a set piece.

We watched different games then mate.

They hammered us. It was the most 1 sided derby game I've seen (I've never been to an Anfield derby).

I dont think it's acceptable for us to lose 4-1 to them. They're not that good.

 

[Thomasc]

They didn’t hammer us. The half time consensus was they had bettered the first 20 minutes, then we had the better of the last 20. This was against a full strength Liverpool whilst we had players missing. Most people saw the game as poised at halftime. Individual errors cost us in the second half. That’s not a battering in my book just because the score line got away from us as we practically kicked 2 in our own net.

There’s no scenario we win that derby game playing like we did under Allardyce. Playing like we did under Benitez, if executed better, and with less mistakes gives us a chance in the future. Even at 2 down we were taking the ball in midfield and playing through the lines (which led to the goal). That is something few Everton teams have tried to do to them. We did it once under Martinez, we did it once under Silva, we did it a couple of times under Moyes (when we were ahead). But most performances, like you say, even from the worst teams we’ve had have been a back to the wall defensive job hoping to nick a goal by a set piece.

They should have been 3-0 up within the first 15 mins, but peddle away.

 

[blue to the bone]

There are very posters here who would be giving benitez such stick if results were better. A few would yes . But if we were in 5th or 6th playing good football and winning games he would be tolerated. But we aren't. And so most of the criticism is warranted . It was a divisive appointment and a lot of people now want him gone . Some never wanted him and some will defend him regardless. But as we head into a new year its safe to say that the interest in the club is probably at an all time low .

 

[Legend78]

So just for clarity when Sam did it at the pit, it was "utter humiliation" but when Benetiz did the same thing at the bridge, it was probably the best we could hope for? Regardless of the players available (it was in the circumstances a very good result) the tactics and methods employed by both were almost identical. I struggle to see how one can be a humiliation whilst the other is viewed largely positively? I dont believe for a second that with a better first 11 we would have taken the game to them more, we didnt against City or Liverpool, nothing to say we would have done at Chelsea.

Funny enough our last game was away at Chelsea and Brightons last game was also away at Chelsea. Lets have a look at the stats for a fair comparison

...................................Shots.....................Corners....................GK Saves......................Passes..........Tackles...........Running
Everton........................5.................................1..................................9.................................194...................19...................Lots

Brighton....................18................................8..................................4..................................473..................23...................Not as much as Everton

That 194 passes is the 2nd lowest played by any team in the PL this year, only side with less in a game were Arsenal away at Man City when they were battered 5-0 having gone down to 10 in the first half, they played 185 passes that day.

Didn’t Leicester City win the league with something like 34% possession... never paid to much attention to those sort of stats myself.. better to use my eyes.. yeah football under Benitez has not been great but mitigating circumstances for that.. will be watching him closely when he has a full team and has made his own signings tho...

 

[zukai12_]

This is the best thread on the forum

 

[4737carlin]

This is the best thread on the internet

fixed

 

[Legend78]

What have Tottenham won more in the last 30 years that Everton havent then? Have they even won an FA cup in that time?

And what have I said, that makes you think I dont deserve to have a manager like Benitez? You addressed it to me after I said he needed to improve on the 59 points of last season to be deemed a success. No names were called. So can you explain to me how that opinion;
1) Demonstrates a lack of knowledge about football &
2) Means I dont deserve a manager like him?

It's probably easier at this point, to hold your hands up, show a bit of integrity and apologise for saying something ridiculous.

I dont hold a grudge, but if you're attacking people for suggesting a realistic target for a manager, you've lost the plot.

As a final aside, what is your relationship to EFC? You have evaded this question. Have you covered 20,000 miles a year watching them home and away like I have? And if not, who appointed you to decide who does or dowsnt deserve x, y or z? In a blunt sense, who on earth do you think you are?

Are you being serious about Spurs... they have only won two more trophies since the blues last trophy but they have never finished lower than 8th in about twelve years... they usually get to latter stages of cup competitions and they are based in London where they will always get maximum exposure and publicity.. they also have the most modern football stadium in the world and second biggest in uk..
I am not going to have a go at what Everton have done but even the most loyal Evertonian will admit the Club has drifted aimlessly since it last won the League title.. even the last trophy in 1995 was a shock given how good United were at the time and they have never really been close ever since apart from the Cup final defeat against Chelsea and a semi final loss to the reds...
The point I am trying to make is loyalty makes fans blind to where there Clubs actually are.. Red fans still think they are first or second biggest club in the country when everyone knows Chelsea and City have now over took them.. Everton fans still think it’s a big club because of Kendall..Harvey and Ball or the Championship winning teams of the mid 80s.. them days have sadly gone and new clubs have replaced them.. when I grew up Nottingham Forest were one of the main clubs which says it all.. look at them now.. like I say you have to feed the modern fanbase with trophies.. success and glory and for that reason Everton have sadly starved there fanbase last 20 years or so and it’s took its toll.. it’s just how football works. If it never all clubs would remain in the same position and Preston North End would be near the top

 

[Rob17896]

Is it?

Weve won more titles than 2 of them. We are miles bigger than Tottenham. What have they done to be bigger than us?

I'm sorry, but some fans dont know the size of our club.

Of course we older people do. How many fans remember life before the PL? Certainly not many of the global audience for the league. Spurs get more media, London based. We are a slightly higher than middling PL team. Chelsea, Arsenal have won lots more in recent years and Spurs have a bigger profile and turnover.

Historically you are correct but it is now distant history in sporting terms. I hope this is corrected soon and want to be part of the big five/six again, but we are not.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Didn’t Leicester City win the league with something like 34% possession... never paid to much attention to those sort of stats myself.. better to use my eyes.. yeah football under Benitez has not been great but mitigating circumstances for that.. will be watching him closely when he has a full team and has made his own signings tho...

Hi mate, when you type your posts out on here are you wearing your underpants on your head? ?

 

[Papa Shango]

Again for you mate, this is poor.

4-1 did not flatter a massively overrated Liverpool team. They hammered us.

Give me a 0-0 against them a 4-1 humiliation.

I've seen some utter sh1te play for us in the 90s, and we never rolled over at Goodison for them. Like real rubbish, Mitch Ward, Terry Phelan etc.

If you honestly think, losing to that LFC team 4-1 at Goodison is in any way justifiable, then I give up.

As a final aside, have you seen the state of the back 4 we had at Anfield under Allardyce for that draw. William's, Holgate, Kenny and Martina from memory. With Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson in midfield. It was a miracle to get a 1-1.

Terry Phelan was not rubbish.

Apart from that spot on!

 

[Armaghtoffee]

That derby performance was affected by a feeling that people wanted the defeat to happen (or weren't arsed) because they wanted Benitez gone. That contributed along with the terrible injury list to that heavy defeat.

As for Moshiri relenting to fan pressure. I for one was shocked that this time around he stuck to his guns and backed Benitez when it was easier for him to bend to their calls for change again. I think he's reached a tipping point with the sackings and is determined to stick by a manager and see it through. That's what the evidence underlines so far with Benitez.

Anywhere near midtable each season and Benitez is staying put. That's the weight of the situation as I see it.

Explain that point please Dave.

You are one of the only people I have seen on here willing an Everton defeat and it’s something I can’t understand at all.

I also don’t get how such a perceived sentiment would translate to the performance of the team? Surely the players are coached to ignore everything off field and just do their job?