2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[MikeH72]

Was the system 343 yesterday? Thats what it looked like to me.

Think with a top drawer CM with energy and pace alongside Doucoure and a healthy Mina + CB coming in we could suit that going forward.

Would mean Richarlison or Gray having to move out to the right going forward though.

No it most certainly wasn’t. It was 5-4-1.

 

[Thomasc]

Should be sacked for his signing and persistence with Rondon alone.

 

[matty1878]

Keep dreaming of Kovac and £100 million budgets I'll see you in the summer when Benitez is still EFC manager.

(a) he WONT BE

Was the system 343 yesterday? Thats what it looked like to me.

Think with a top drawer CM with energy and pace alongside Doucoure and a healthy Mina + CB coming in we could suit that going forward.

Would mean Richarlison or Gray having to move out to the right going forward though.

(b) 343? LOL 451 unless your thick

 

[Death]

I wish he'd just stop playing salmon Ron. He's turned me off them lovely butties a poster on here makes.

Ew ew

 

[Thomasc]

No it most certainly wasn’t. It was 5-4-1.

Taking the injuries into account, any manager worth his salt would be looking at the tools at his disposal and utilising them to the best he possibly can.

Seems like this tit is hell bent on doing exactly the opposite to that and trying to be clever, which is something even a non Evertonian like Jenas can see from a mile away.

Allardyce got us up to 8th playing with Cuco Martinez at left back and Gylfi out wide left.

This chump isn’t even up to that standard.

 

[MikeH72]

I wish he'd just stop playing salmon Ron. He's turned me off them lovely butties a poster on here makes.

Ew ew

Mmmmmm yum yum.

 

[Papa Shango]

IF given the choice between Moyes and Benitez, which way would everyone go?

I`d have Moyes back in a heart beat, we need someone like him to build the club up again, only trouble is Moyes has made all his mistakes and getting a younger version will mean we need to make them all over again.

It was interesting seeing his interview today saying how he is much more positive these days, this West Ham side certainly shows that....

Moyes but I would really like us to stay away from the lives closest or used to manage us management strategy.

I never want us to go back to managers or players.

 

[Bluestar]

I tell you what I don't get...

We aren't a great team, I accept that and I accept that Benitez isn't at fault for that as far as most of the personnel issues go

But - what usually happen for teams who aren't great is that managers will set them up to be hard to beat in the first instance. Ancelotti cottoned on to this last season and made us horrible to watch, but difficult to break down. Allardyce knew this and gave us all 6 months of eye torture. It happens.

Benitez has form for getting teams compact and hard to beat. What I don't get, especially given how bad we are, is that we've barely seen that at all here. Away at Chelsea and away at Man Utd are the only times I can remember thinking we looked compact and hard to break down. You would think he would get that bit right first and then try to build on it? Yet in games against the likes of Brighton and Hull, we've had chasms of space to exploit for the opposition.

It's almost like he's overestimating how good we are, which seems mental.

I genuinely don't care whether we play 442, 4231, 433, 343, 352 or whatever, I just want us to look cohesive and I've not seen that since United away.

The set pieces are another issue entirely and also need to be fixed (although, despite having conceded from them in our last two games, I'd accept that there's been a gradual improvement on this over the last few months).

This is what can be levelled at Benitez. Most of the other stuff is froth and bubble. Hearsay on what is going on behind closed doors, but this is valid commentary.

 

[Blue Roo]

Was the system 343 yesterday? Thats what it looked like to me.

Think with a top drawer CM with energy and pace alongside Doucoure and a healthy Mina + CB coming in we could suit that going forward.

Would mean Richarlison or Gray having to move out to the right going forward though.

Yeah priority should def be a CM and a CB good at set pieces/control of the box - after that, transfers should start to take on a different outlook.

I really hope Richarlison stays on for at least another season for the reason that he and Andros hold their own in defence and in doing so give balance to the whole team. Richarlison has never had someone on the other wing putting in the effort he does until Andros came along (Walcott, Iwobi were a joke) and then of course we get scuppered by injuries.

Richarlison- DCL-Townsend with Grey (10) playing the freer role and interchanging with Richarlison. Thats as good as most in the PL and something the rest of the team can play to with assuredness. Top CB and CM and then the transfers are all about improvement rather than...well what's being going on for far too long.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

541 really. The wing backs rarely got forward. We needed 3 in midfield as well.

Ultimately if the manager is going to persist with this 541 then we certainly need a Gana alongside Doucoure imo.

Allan just doesn't have the legs to suit a midfield two in this league imo.

 

[Blue Roo]

541 really. The wing backs rarely got forward. We needed 3 in midfield as well.

It wasn't a 541. Mylo and Kenny were nowhere near their respective CB's in what seemed liked the intended set up and both were caught out time and again.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Was the system 343 yesterday? Thats what it looked like to me.

Think with a top drawer CM with energy and pace alongside Doucoure and a healthy Mina + CB coming in we could suit that going forward.

Would mean Richarlison or Gray having to move out to the right going forward though.

Benitez could have his fullbacks up in the opposition penalty area for the entire game and some on here would still be screaming it was a back 5.

I don’t see why people are bothered by the formation. Tuchel plays it, Conte played it at Chelsea, Guardiola has played it, Rodgers did it for a while, Martinez did it at Wigan. It’s a decent formation for transferring between a flat 5 out of possession and pushing fullbacks forward when in possession.

If we had any centrebacks worth their salt we probably wouldn’t need to play it as it’s good for covering CBs who are not mobile or good in the air. Hence why Chelsea play it as they don’t have a suitable partner for Rudiger if they played a two (which Lampard never realised). Gets the best out of Azpilicueta and covers Silva’s lack of pace.

 

[allen]

Ultimately if the manager is going to persist with this 541 then we certainly need a Gana alongside Doucoure imo.

Allan just doesn't have the legs to suit a midfield two in this league imo.

It’s all very well having an ultimate plan for how we’ll play when we have the personnel.

But to try and implement that when we don’t have the players, and stubbornly stick to it regardless of results, is total folly.

This is why he’s failing.

Carlo had the pragmatism to get the best out of the players he had. That is what every single manager ought to do, while honing the squad to eventually play the way they prefer.

Benitez refuses to do that, and it’s going to be his undoing. He will be sacked before he assembles the side he wants.

 

[jcschu]

Don't know if it's ture.... but if I were fans of other clubs, it's undoubtedly the best timing to support removal of Benitez.

- Due to FFP, this team won't have much spending power without selling key players
- Those who fought desperately to keep their manager alive will once again be demoralized, will they concentrate and perform under a new and unknown manager?
- Years of legacy problems remain unsolved
- No good managers wiling to risk their career for a bad team without enough good players, injury prone, no money to spend, bad "attitude" always prevail and outlast a few ex-managers, and a potential relegation fight

But here comes the "Benitez stays" scenario

- current results and form are the worst in years
- no immediate comfort of getting better, 5 defenders, 2 slow midfielders vs the world, amateurish defending esp. in set pieces, low confidence, out of shape
- bad performances driving fans crazy
- stubborn and divisive character

And there's possibly only one scenario that he can turn it round, like miraculously solved the defensive holes and free up other players to move forward. That glimpse of "Arsenal-esque" one-two football by Gray and Gordon, the passion and fighting spirit against all odds, won't have any future if all you can do is to carry those liabilities on your back.

Newcastle thought they deserved Benitez after all these years under Ashley, but turned out he's just an old, miserable FSW get stuck in a "home" where he loves the most hated him. And with proper reasons.

 

[ForeverEverton]

Benitez could have his fullbacks up in the opposition penalty area for the entire game and some on here would still be screaming it was a back 5.

I don’t see why people are bothered by the formation. Tuchel plays it, Conte played it at Chelsea, Guardiola has played it, Rodgers did it for a while, Martinez did it at Wigan. It’s a decent formation for transferring between a flat 5 out of possession and pushing fullbacks forward when in possession.

If we had any centrebacks worth their salt we probably wouldn’t need to play it as it’s good for covering CBs who are not mobile or good in the air. Hence why Chelsea play it as they don’t have a suitable partner for Rudiger if they played a two (which Lampard never realised). Gets the best out of Azpilicueta and covers Silva’s lack of pace.

The trouble is, if you play a back 3 and you want 3 in midfield which we invariably need you make the wingers redundant. If you play with wingers we get exposed in CM.

Play 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 and we can have it all, fullbacks can still go forward in a back 4, look at Liverpool and City...