2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[DL100]

I liked him, decent man who had us playing the best football I'd seen from us for donkeys year's in that 1st season, if he'd had the money available that others have had since I reckon we would be in a much better place now. Of the managers we've had since not one of them have been anywhere as good as that 1st season. People on here will say he done nothing after that season but at this moment I would love a couple of semi-final runs, a lot of them say it was all big Rom who was his saviour but conveniently forget who brought him here. At this moment in time I would give anything to have Bobby here instead of Benitez and I also think Moshiri would be a lot better off in the pocket.

I also think a lot of people forget just how bad it went under Martinez. Yes he brought Lukaku in which was a great move, same with McArthy and Barry but after that first season taking an already well drilled side over he was Dire. The first season was great but he the turned into pretty much everything people are hating now. Stubborn, unwilling to change and played some horrible football and we couldn’t defend. Sidewards passing, odd formations, players in the wrong positions and some terrible signings. He was likeable but that got old very quickly.

Martinez was sacked for a good reason and struck gold with the Belgium job. Just because we haven’t got it right since doesn’t mean he should have stayed.

Terrible manager.

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

I’d give him the season and the Summer to sort the team out but that is only if he starts to make some positive changes.

If he remains stubborn and doesn’t then obviously he has to go.

Fair enough.
But based on our form so far I think he has to go now or we risk being dragged deeper into the relegation dogfight.
His position is directly comparable to Walker who was rightly dismissed in his first season.

 

[davek]

I must admit @davek that Benitez is a weird one for you to nail your colours to. I can understand any of the previous managers, they all had their own qualities… but Benitez. Crazy.

It's not weird. It's consistent.

Any manager gets a season from me to show what they can do.

It doesn't matter where they came from to get here.

That's only fair.

 

[Cow kecks]

I also think a lot of people forget just how bad it went under Martinez. Yes he brought Lukaku in which was a great move, same with McArthy and Barry but after that first season taking an already well drilled side over he was Dire. The first season was great but he the turned into pretty much everything people are hating now. Stubborn, unwilling to change and played some horrible football and we couldn’t defend. Sidewards passing, odd formations, players in the wrong positions and some terrible signings. He was likeable but that got old very quickly.

Martinez was sacked for a good reason and struck gold with the Belgium job. Just because we haven’t got it right since doesn’t mean he should have stayed.

Terrible manager.

He was 12th in the league when he got sacked, I can only dream of us being that high under this dinosaur ?

 

[davek]

You were demanding success under those sacked managers, now you're dying on a hill for a kopite legend who you are only demanding avoids relegation.

Almost as though you make your criteria up as you go along.

Those managers all got at leat 18 months and cash. Certainly the Moshiri hired ones did.

 

[nsno-chris]

Nil Satis 15th is Sound Lad

 

[DL100]

Some credit to Benitez for the form of Gray and Gordon and a decent squad player in Townsend - even Doucoure earlier in the season.

The defence and midfield are swiss-cheese now though and he seems too stubborn to change it.

To be honest, a 2-3 away win a cup game would be fine - I'm just concerned we haven't got the resilience at the back to avoid relegation at the moment - what is he going to do about it ?

Last night was always going to be a struggle away with our form but we won and maybe we should have won by more if we took our chances.

Personally if he is going to buy himself more time then he needs to adapt pretty quickly. He needs to play 4-3-3 and to our strengths. Pursuing with Rondon isn’t helping either. I’d have no issue with 5 at the back if we where keeping clean sheets and winning 1-0 until he has his preferred team but we aren’t. Leicester if it goes ahead is massive, Norwich even bigger. He needs 6 points. Then maybe we go into Feb in a better position with a full strength team.

At this point though I can’t see it happening.

 

[DL100]

He was 12th in the league when he got sacked, I can only dream of us being that high under this dinosaur ?

But we wasn’t heading in the right direction, the results where extremely poor and the football was awful. Liverpool away was terrible

 

[davek]

He deserved to go when he went, Dave.

Maybe.

Given what came afterward, my view is that he would have done a hell of a lot better with £500M than the divvies who succeeded him.

 

[DayL08]

Fair enough.
But based on our form so far I think he has to go now or we risk being dragged deeper into the relegation dogfight.
His position is directly comparable to Walker who was rightly dismissed in his first season.

If we get sucked in any further then he has to go immediately. We obviously need to be drawing up a list of replacements just in case

However I think with the lack of quality below us that we won’t be.

The only difference with Walker is that we weren’t on a manager merry go round before him. If Benitez had come in after say the 3 years of Martinez then I may be calling for his head already.

 

[davek]

I liked him, decent man who had us playing the best football I'd seen from us for donkeys year's in that 1st season, if he'd had the money available that others have had since I reckon we would be in a much better place now. Of the managers we've had since not one of them have been anywhere as good as that 1st season. People on here will say he done nothing after that season but at this moment I would love a couple of semi-final runs, a lot of them say it was all big Rom who was his saviour but conveniently forget who brought him here. At this moment in time I would give anything to have Bobby here instead of Benitez and I also think Moshiri would be a lot better off in the pocket.

He'd get abused mate.

That is the nature of the fanbase at games now: there is a hard core of people who dont want to be patient. Look at the divvies with their bedsheet last night embarrassing the club in that corner with their pathetic banner.

 

[maccavennie]

Nil Satis 15th is Sound Lad

Can you imagine watching that tactical set up yesterday and the mistakes that were going on (for about the 16th game) and still believe that this manager isn't finished as a top flight manager?

Unreal

 

[davek]

People still angry we won last night?

Oh dear.

 

[Kev The Rat]

However I think with the lack of quality below us that we won’t be.

The only difference with Walker is that we weren’t on a manager merry go round before him. If Benitez had come in after say the 3 years of Martinez then I may be calling for his head already.

I keep saying we are in a false position in the league. We are the beneficiaries of an average start - our actually position based on an extended run of 12 games is 20th

 

[Theoneandonly]

People still angry we won last night?

Oh dear.

Just caught up with this page. Absolutely pathetic. The agenda of some people on here is ridiculous. Crying when we win.