2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Neiler]

But we were really good last year?

We went man for man last year.

 

[wainy]

Yeah this is exactly what I'm saying. It isn't good enough but on this particular area I'm willing to give Rafael a little leeway because we really don't have players fit to do the job.

To what? Win headers? Behave yourself.

 

[BirkenheadBlue]

The fact of the matter is that Big Dunc is a better option.

He would t be my first choice, but it’s hard to see how he’d be doing worse, and would be far less divisive. Would be just Dave fuming on his own in the corner

 

[TheBigIguana]

We went man for man last year.

We did not. It was more of a hybrid than this years is because we used blockers more often but it still had lots of zonal marking principles.

 

[blue to the bone]

Ralph Hassenhutl was a dead man walking when Soton lost 8-0 to Leicester and then look what happened after.

It was 9 nil. And united beat them 9 nil a year later .

 

[TheBigIguana]

To what? Win headers? Behave yourself.

We do not have a lot of good headers of the ball in the team!

Of the team today only Keane qualifies.

 

[Colonel Getafe]

You have to START winning before you can KEEP winning

That sounds like some common sense to me. Quick! Where's the block button........

 

[ForeverBlue92]

I wonder if the Brighton fans or Wolves fans would have looked at their squad and said "YUP! We're an 8th/9th placed side at the half way point, no doubt!". No chance! That's competant coaching from modern managers who have a tactical plan.

We're a team that slumped to the depths of 10th in the second half of last season, yet one of the most decorated managers around -one we are told is a master tactian/coach/manager- has us in 15th with 1 league win in effectively a third of the season, yet we're supposed to shrug our shoulders and say no biggie?!?!

Brighton maybe but Wolves?

The same Wolves who've finished above us 2 out of the last 3 seasons.

The same Wolves who finished 7th twice on the spin and have gotten to both an FA Cup & Europa League Semi Final in recent years?

Wolves are a very good team - Jimenez, Neto, Hwang, Traore, Moutinho, Neves, Podence, Coady etc are good players that suit their system and have been built to play a certain way for 3-4 years now.

 

[wainy]

We do not have a lot of good headers of the ball in the team!

Of the team today only Keane qualifies.

Being fit has nothing to with winning a header. That headed goal today had nothing to do with having people being “good headers”, it’s a manager who refuses to change his methodology at set peices. We’ve had a week to prepare for this game and after 44 seconds they had two 6ft giants unmarked on our six yard line. It’s indefensible.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

He would t be my first choice, but it’s hard to see how he’d be doing worse, and would be far less divisive. Would be just Dave fuming on his own in the corner

Wouldn't be my first choice either mate but as you say, even as an interim we could be confident that he would improve upon the current mess. It is mad that Moshiri has allowed things to get this bad.

 

[Neiler]

We did not. It was more of a hybrid than this years is because we used blockers more often but it still had lots of zonal marking principles.

Not for me mate, Id accept at times there was principals, but it wasn’t a zonal marking system, but it’s a reach as any system instinctively will lead to instinctively attacking the play, that doesn’t mean it’s zonal. The key tenants last season were a deep line, holding a very straight coordinated line and man marking. The key tenants on a zonal approach where when we were attacking using defenders. Actually it’s a bit reach in my opinion, to link to tenants of zonal, certainly defensively.

 

[gaino92]

The Brighton one gets cleared by DCL

DCL was on the pitch when they scored...

 

[adi dassler]

He's not wumming mate, he's very cunning with his posts. I think he hatesBenitez just as much,if not more than anyone else on this forum. He's a forum owners dream poster. He keeps the threads open bringing controversy to them. I don't think he's in a paid role but if I was a forum owner I would certainly look at doing so. He's pretty clever at what he does and I don't think he ever post's without a ready made back up post. Anyone who really thinks he's backing the fat man should look at all his stuff on the rs, he hates them with a passion and I'm sure he feels the same about Benitez. He's the GOT owners treasure ?

Imagine having that much time on your hands. I feel sorry for him, must lead a pretty sad life.

 

[Colonel Getafe]

Brighton maybe but Wolves?

The same Wolves who've finished above us 2 out of the last 3 seasons.

The same Wolves who finished 7th twice on the spin and have gotten to both an FA Cup & Europa League Semi Final in recent years?

Wolves are a very good team - Jimenez, Neto, Hwang, Traore, Moutinho, Neves, Podence, Coady etc are good players that suit their system and have been built to play a certain way for 3-4 years now.

Fair enough, you might have a point about Wolves, but doesn't that speak to the effectiveness of their Board? I think Nuno did a very good job with them pre and post promotion, and they've clearly hired the right guy in Lage to keep them competative for the European spots.

Compare that to us: picked a has-been manager who has done nothing of note in a decade, was enjoy his pension at China, didn't have any other offers (as far as I know); yet we fall over ourselves to shove aprox £8m a year in his pocket because our helmet of an owner thinks winning La Liga in 1974 makes him a good manager.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Being fit has nothing to with winning a header. That headed goal today had nothing to do with having people being “good headers”, it’s a manager who refuses to change his methodology at set peices. We’ve had a week to prepare for this game and after 44 seconds they had two 6ft giants unmarked on our six yard line. It’s indefensible.

They weren't unmarked though. Mykolenko missed the header.