2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[ToffeeTim]

Why did he recall Iwobi. What sort of message is that to the squad. Play well, get dropped. Play crap, get injured, come straight back in.

Losers mentality from the manager. Especially the refusal to change his abject tactics.

 

[LeeCarsley]

Bahaha the same Gordon who literally did nothing but jog around when he came in???

Absolute nonsense there was a reason he was anonymous in the Championship last season he isn't good enough.

He was on for 11 minutes and was one of our bets players against Manchester United. Iwobi, by contrast, has had his best performance of the season come against Huddersfield. Even if you can argue Iwobi fit what we wanted to do in this game better, the fact that he waited until the 79th minute to hook him is a legit gripe.

 

[MikeH72]

He really isn't.

He's just another average player our fans cream about same as Davies same as Gomes.

No he is. He is better than Iwobi. No one is “creaming over” him, get a grip.

 

[daza_1973]

Same for Rondon.

Imagine being a young striker and being left on the bench while that thing gets the full match.

Rondon is a John Spencer for the 2020's

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Oh see we’re back on the “get Howe in” from the forums top liar, even though nobody has ever said it

It was an awful game that he did nothing to even remotely change it.

It was pure Martinez levels of delusion today, hoping that plan A would work even though it was clear to everyone it wasn’t

It's Potter in, ffs. He really needs to get it right.

Although I suspect he'd be no better than Benitez.

 

[Carloblues]

He really isn't.

He's just another average player our fans cream about same as Davies same as Gomes.

He deffo is.

99.99% of players who play in the premiership are better than iwobi.

You just don't want to admit it because you'll have to then say beneitez something wrong in playing him

 

[sageyefc]

No he is. He is better than Iwobi. No one is “creaming over” him, get a grip.

Does the bare minimum of actually put some effort in aswell

 

[ToffeeTim]

The manager got it wrong. 3rd game in 5 he got it wrong.

He's been done there by Moyes. What a manager eh

 

[Parker]

He has no options.

The only attacking sub he could realistically make was a kid whos made a literal handful of first team appearances.

A full strength team and we would've won here and at Old Trafford. He's doing a good job considering we're playing with 10 men atm.

*Projectile vomits from Benitez praise*

 

[nsno-chris]

It's Potter in, ffs. He really needs to get it right.

Although I suspect he'd be no better than Benitez.

You’re right, he’s gone totally off the reservation in pure defence of Rafat.

Never even mentioned potterball

 

[Mosh Pit]

Does the bare minimum of actually put some effort in aswell

Which is always nice...

 

[ToffeeTim]

He has no options.

The only attacking sub he could realistically make was a kid whos made a literal handful of first team appearances.

A full strength team and we would've won here and at Old Trafford. He's doing a good job considering we're playing with 10 men atm.

*Projectile vomits from Benitez praise*

Nah that was total rubbish today. We were at home and looked scared to come forward. He's doing no better than is expected from these fixtures. In fact I expect the wheels to come off quickly with these negative tactics and unfair/illogical team selections.

 

[Baggzio]

He's been hampered by injuries but starting iwobi and Rondon again is criminal, keeping them both on for basically the full game cost us this game.

Subs needed to be made 5/10 mins before they scored. Undefendable

Look every team has injuries and it's no doubt we've been unlucky with them. The issue is with the fact that if Richy gets injured his replacement is Iwobi, with DCL it's Rondon. That is a comical level of drop in quality for the "depth" in this squad. I was willing to give any player a fresh start this year but I can't cope to see Iwobi or Rondon starting for us again, it's so bleak. We're literally one injury away from playing a literally Championship level player in so many positions.

Right back > Kenny,
Midfield > Davies,
Winger > Iwobi,
Centre Forward > Rondon.

The worst thing is that if you look at our full strength squad Iwobi, Rondon and Davies are probably the 3 subs that would be brought on.
An injury to any one of these positions, of which our starters in each are fairly injury prone, drops the level so much. It's news to no one but this squad is awful. I would say on paper even at full strength it is amongst the worst in the league, it is held together by about 5 actual class players and 2/3 decent ones, in a 25 man squad.

 

[BlueStevie35]

Leaving our best cb on the bench. Then we lost due to a bloody header.

Cannot be stressed enough, he was playing International football late on Thursday night, the full 90 for the 3rd game in the space of 6 days

 

[LinekersLegs]

Why did he recall Iwobi. What sort of message is that to the squad. Play well, get dropped. Play crap, get injured, come straight back in.

Losers mentality from the manager. Especially the refusal to change his abject tactics.

Thought Benitez did some good tweaks in the first half that meant we improved from being completely overrun to being probably the better side going into the half time whistle.

He just then seemed to do nothing further even when we were obliviously losing steam and not creating much. Appreciate that the bench was thin but still you’d have hoped for a bit more pro-active management.