2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[davids]

Agree, I'll be fair with benitez though and admit he's inherited a squad that are genuinely awful on the ball. We haven't got anyone decent to retain possession in that team.

Martinez proved possession is irrelevant. You can pass it sideways for 85 minutes and still lose.We created chances,that's the important stat.

 

[Barnfred 55]

having less than 40% possession is eye bleeding at the best of times but you can sugar-coat it with a win, when you get beat not so much.

I don't mind having 40% possession provided we play with pace and purpose when we do have possession.

We showed signs of that yesterday but it doesn't help when you're main man up top concedes possession all the time

 

[Toffeelover]

In fairness to Digne, he's a quality full back but one who does his best work in the attacking third. He isn't bad defensively but it's fair to say he isn't the best.

Our managers tactics suit the majority of our squad but not Digne sadly. He doesn't get much of an opportunity to do what he's best at. I think it's unfair to say he's in poor form.

It also comes down to who is in front and at his side in the MF.

 

[Egil Olsen]

having less than 40% possession is eye bleeding at the best of times but you can sugar-coat it with a win, when you get beat not so much.

I have seen many Barcelona (Manchester City, Bayern Munich, etc.) matches with 80 percent ball possession, and it has been quite painful to the eye. So much ball possession is no guarantee of entertainment. It also does not have to be boring to watch teams with low ball possession. It all depends on the purpose.

We as a team have created many chances, and it indicates that we have a fairly effective style and at the same time manage to entertain. Most goals in football usually come after 5 or fewer passes. One might think that much of this is due to ball recoveries in the last third, but here there is no significant difference between where on the field you win the ball.

What is crucial is that the players are positioned so that they see the opponent's goal, and are central in the field, and quickly make vertical passes to players who are in front of the ball carrier. In today's football, the opponent is rarely out of balance, and you have to act fast when you regain the ball to take advantage of a weak degree of imbalance in the opponent. We have been quite good at this.

For teams like Manchester City, which has the world's best football players, it's more about tricking opponents out of position to create imbalance. Understandably, Burnley, etc., is quite compact and deep against these super teams, and will always risk as little as possible. When Manchester City scores, they keep the ball in the team as a defensive tactic.

It's pretty boring to be a Burnley player then. Because it is very difficult to win the ball from KDB, Silva, Rodri and the rest of the Manchester City team. It's also pretty boring to be a spectator then. But when the super teams meet each other, ball possession has much less to say. Then it's more about regrouping as fast as possible after ball recovery, and getting as fast as possible forward in the field.

 

[Terrarian]

I don't mind having 40% possession provided we play with pace and purpose when we do have possession.

We showed signs of that yesterday but it doesn't help when you're main man up top concedes possession all the time

Well I agree to a point but I don't think a club our size should be conceding so much possession at home to a non elite club. It has been happening far too long now, I am just not a fan of watching our opposition constantly having the ball, I find it dull and frustrating.

 

[Toffeelover]

I'll give you a serious answer. Yes.

You mean worse?

 

[Misa]

You mean worse?

Yes Sir. Worse.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear our kopite managerial maestro, got out smarted by David Moyes yet again. Eff off back to Newcastle i say.

 

[Terrarian]

I have seen many Barcelona (Manchester City, Bayern Munich, etc.) matches with 80 percent ball possession, and it has been quite painful to the eye. So much ball possession is no guarantee of entertainment. It also does not have to be boring to watch teams with low ball possession. It all depends on the purpose.

We as a team have created many chances, and it indicates that we have a fairly effective style and at the same time manage to entertain. Most goals in football usually come after 5 or fewer passes. One might think that much of this is due to ball recoveries in the last third, but here there is no significant difference between where on the field you win the ball.

What is crucial is that the players are positioned so that they see the opponent's goal, and are central in the field, and quickly make vertical passes to players who are in front of the ball carrier. In today's football, the opponent is rarely out of balance, and you have to act fast when you regain the ball to take advantage of a weak degree of imbalance in the opponent. We have been quite good at this.

For teams like Manchester City, which has the world's best football players, it's more about tricking opponents out of position to create imbalance. Understandably, Burnley, etc., is quite compact and deep against these super teams, and will always risk as little as possible. When Manchester City scores, they keep the ball in the team as a defensive tactic.

It's pretty boring to be a Burnley player then. Because it is very difficult to win the ball from KDB, Silva, Rodri and the rest of the Manchester City team. It's also pretty boring to be a spectator then. But when the super teams meet each other, ball possession has much less to say. Then it's more about regrouping as fast as possible after ball recovery, and getting as fast as possible forward in the field.

 

[Nymzee]

Yes Sir. Worse.

Considering they can run they couldn't have been worse. You have to change things if they're not going well.

 

[Toffeelover]

Yes Sir. Worse.

Than Rondon and Iwobi, oh dear.

 

[jonesl2]

Well I agree to a point but I don't think a club our size should be conceding so much possession at home to a non elite club. It has been happening far too long now, I am just not a fan of watching our opposition constantly having the ball, I find it dull and frustrating.

Leicester won the league with a average of 39%. They were far from boring to watch, personally I prefer to see us creating chances and moving up the pitch quickly. Last few seasons have been so boring to watch us pass it around for the sake of passing. I have enjoyed most of our games this season, yesterday wasn't great and after the villa game was probably the least enjoyable but we still at least created some chances oppose to some of the games towards the end of last season.

 

[MikeH72]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear our kopite managerial maestro, got out smarted by David Moyes yet again. Eff off back to Newcastle i say.

You seem to be buzzing that we lost?

 

[Misa]

Considering they can run they couldn't have been worse. You have to change things if they're not going well.

Than Rondon and Iwobi, oh dear.

I agree that a change should have been made. Another body in midfield as there was a huge gap between defence and attack which allowed West Ham to control the match. When Everton win the ball in defence, there was no outlet at all.

I also think the players from the bench could have been worse.

Gbamin - 4 5 games in 2+ years. Could be even more off pace than Rondon.

Tom Davies - was getting criticism for not shooting. Low on confidence. Average player who should be a squad player in a lower level PL team or high level Championship team

Lewis Dobbin - Unproven, physically weak. Should have been given 15 to 20 minutes as a sub for Rondon

Gordon - Shown some promise but better than Iwobi? Maybe in the future but I think both have significant flaws. Came on but didn't do anything

Mina - Needs to be rested. Godfrey and Keane didn't do too badly in his absence. Game wasn't lost here

Jonjoe Kenny - erm..... not Premier league level at all

Even when some players was having an off game like Allan, Doucoure, Digne, Iwobi, Rondon for example, there simply isn't anyone you can confidently bring on to change.

 

[Carloblues]

Disagree could have used some of the players on the becnh rather than Rondon or Iwobi, well could they have been worse?

Ay? Not sure what relevance that had to my post mate? I'm just saying we can't pass not that we should be playing iwobi or rondon haha

Martinez proved possession is irrelevant. You can pass it sideways for 85 minutes and still lose.We created chances,that's the important stat.

I think it needs to be balanced like, I think the reason we play so direct through gray and townsend is because he knows we can't retain the ball, we literally are never in control of a game ever because we cannot keep the ball.

I don't think you NEED all of the ball to control a game but you certainly need to be able to string a few passes together, something our players cannot do