2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[BlueToff]

lol

Are you suggesting Benitez's set-piece system is working?

IIRC we've scored one league goal from a set-piece this season (and that was one that was cleared out to Townsend who headed it back in for Richarlison v S'ton but I think will count), and conceded six. We only conceded seven set-piece goals in the league last season.

We also look completely useless from crosses into the box from open play. We're allowing far too many in and goals have been conceded in that way v Leeds and QPR.

 

[Carlito]

A lot of Everton managers have failed to arrest slides like this in recent years, but Moyes did it numerous times, usually by defaulting to a core of players he knew he could count on and building from there. If Benitez wants to find a positive in today's performance, it should be that he knows for certain that Rondon and Iwobi don't fall into this category.

 

[Brennan]

It's a very daft response I'm afraid. There are no style points for set pieces. You need to find a way to be good at them and preferably at both ends. They have absolutely nothing to do with how you play in open play.

If we aren't good at them then it doesn't matter if we play like Pep's Barca side. You can't defend badly from set plays and be a good PL side.

Ancelotti had a method that worked. The fact our football in open play was poor to watch is irrelvant to that point. Keep what is working and fix what is failing. Benitez instead fixed what was working and there's been no improvement in our general play. In fact our defending as a whole has regressed enormously.

We are currently two places higher in the league than we finished under Ancelotti despite some serious injury issues, I’m not sure how you can claim we’ve just regressed or stayed the same.

The “arrogance” shout is what’s daft here. Clearly set pieces are an issue to be worked on, but this idea that it is born from a place of arrogance on Benitez’s part is baseless conjecture.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Gray picked up a knock before coming off and we dont know how long Gordon had in him - the manager said he struggled to last the full 90 and I see no reason to not believe him as if he had some agenda he could have just played Iwobi from the start like Ancelotti did all last season ahead of him.

All season you've lost your head mate you question my credentials yet im perfectly reasoned at present - this is a 8th-12th side and thats where we'll finish come the seasons end.

If you cant hand the inevitable let downs until the manager is given the funds to properly rebuild the squad of bottle jobs and perennial losers then you need to question if you need to take some time away from Everton for your own sake.

Same for the likes of Zezti who's normally reasoned but has turned into some rabid dog since Benitez lost his first game.

If the manager thought Gordon didn't have 90 mins then why did he think Rondon had.

I haven't lost my head at all. I've been reasoned throughout this sorry 4 months. I have my opinions and I've no doubt what I've predicted will come to pass because I've watched enough EVerton to know what we need.

The squad is not good enough but putting our faith in a hugely divisive manager to overhaul a squad and unite a club is just a ludicrous idea that will never work.

The subs today were planned in advance. Nothing to do with knocks. He is inflexible and a poor game manager. Our defending this season is certainly not what you expect from a so called elite manager. It's worse than Silva, Martinez, Koeman etc.

There's no decision Benitez could make that you wouldn't defend. You have an agenda and your objectivity disappeared weeks ago. You never backed any manager now demand we all back Benitez, who hardly any of us wanted or respect. I don't need any lectures thanks.

 

[Leylo]

A lot of Everton managers have failed to arrest slides like this in recent years, but Moyes did it numerous times, usually by defaulting to a core of players he knew he could count on and building from there. If Benitez wants to find a positive in today's performance, it should be that he knows for certain that Rondon and Iwobi don't fall into this category.

And most of the squad which he didn't sign,not that I'm a big fan of him defo needs funds to replace half the squad.

 

[Brennan]

Are you suggesting Benitez's set-piece system is working?

IIRC we've scored one league goal from a set-piece this season (and that was one that was cleared out to Townsend who headed it back in for Richarlison v S'ton but I think will count), and conceded six. We only conceded seven set-piece goals in the league last season.

We also look completely useless from crosses into the box from open play. We're allowing far too many in and goals have been conceded in that way v Leeds and QPR.

No. I’m laughing at the needs a slap comment.

You won’t find a single post from me saying we’re good on set pieces.

The difference is, I won’t slate the manager or attack his character for it. Just like I didn’t slate the previous manager or attack his character when he had us playing some pretty horrendous football.

The insults and abuse in this thread in particular are an embarrassment. People calling our manager a “fat c***”.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

If the manager thought Gordon didn't have 90 mins then why did he think Rondon had.

I haven't lost my head at all. I've been reasoned throughout this sorry 4 months. I have my opinions and I've no doubt what I've predicted will come to pass because I've watched enough EVerton to know what we need.

The squad is not good enough but putting our faith in a hugely divisive manager to overhaul a squad and unite a club is just a ludicrous idea that will never work.

The subs today were planned in advance. Nothing to do with knocks. He is inflexible and a poor game manager. Our defending this season is certainly not what you expect from a so called elite manager. It's worse than Silva, Martinez, Koeman etc.

There's no decision Benitez could make that you wouldn't defend. You have an agenda and your objectivity disappeared weeks ago. You never backed any manager now demand we all back Benitez, who hardly any of us wanted or respect. I don't need any lectures thanks.

Oh the sweet irony lol lol

 

[gwladysnight]

Tim, along with myself and a few other posters, was one of the only ones in here calling Ancelotti out. We regularly got told we couldn't expect too much etc.

Ancelotti wanted to play better footy, he just had no idea how with the players at his disposal when we came out into the run-in last season. That's a failing of him, totally. It was either backs to the wall stuff (which did work, btw, because we were defensively sound in those matches) or he went the other way and chucked all of our fit attackers on the pitch.

Benitez is definitely setting us out to be a counter-attacking team. Okay. But to do that you need to be defensively sound (we aren't), good from set-pieces (we aren't) and, at least, be able to mix things up which we cannot do. We've averaged 40% possession, Brennan, in nine league games. We've played one team from the 'big six', and played four teams at home that I'd expect to be in a relegation battle come May.

Now I'm not obsessed with having the ball. But there has to be spells in games where you can control it and set the tempo. We've done it in tiny, little flashes, but they've been too few and far between. The 10-passes stat from last week was revealing. Second-lowest team in the league for passing moves of over 10 passes. And 10 passes isn't a lot.

I called out Ancelotti as well.

The biggest thing about our lack of possession is that we are okay when we can play percentage football concede possession and look to counter with the likes of Gray. As you say there is nothing wrong with playing counter attacking football.

Teams like Atlético are brilliant at it. As a tactic it is fine, but you have to have the ability to change tack if you go behind or like today have to play expansive football to win games against teams you should beat.

Ancelotti and Benitez simply don't have the ability to get their teams to do that consistently. Today was a perfect example. At 1-1 Benitez's solution was to keep Rondon on and go 4-4-2. We got a break from a set piece but then we were completely outgunned in midfield.

The whole ground were crying out for Richy to come on for Rondon. Instead, the dinosaur took off Gordon and Gray and kept Rondon upfront.

 

[Tim's tourettes]

Today proves the old adage, you can't polish a turd. Fair play, Benitez has managed to roll the Everton turd in glitter early on. The true lack of numbers and quality is now blatant

 

[BlueToff]

Ancelotti consistently had usbz. If it’s arrogant for Benitez to stick to a certain way of playing set pieces, why is it not arrogant for Ancelotti to refuse to change our style of play?

“Daft response” isn’t an answer.

No. I’m laughing at the needs a slap comment.

You won’t find a single post from me saying we’re good on set pieces.

The difference is, I won’t slate the manager or attack his character for it. Just like I didn’t slate the previous manager or attack his character when he had us playing some pretty horrendous football.

The insults and abuse in this thread in particular are an embarrassment. People calling our manager a “fat c***”.

Fair enough. I don’t think the manager deserves personal stick. I think he’s a good man, I don’t think he’s a good manager anymore - but I do think he’s very dedicated and in terms of coaching is more down to what we need than what we’ve had in a good while

I think he has faults and failings and all of those were on show today. I think the footy we play is crap in general play. And as @ToffeeTim points out, this talk of us being more defensively organised is nonsense. We aren’t.

now, there’s tons of issues that aren’t on Benitez. Marcel Brands should not be at the club, because he has no influence, yet he was given a 3-month deal in April. The rest of the board shouldn’t be here. But there’s not much us or Benitez can do about that right now.

Im glad king said what he said today, because it was a stick to the previous manager and the board and that dosser of a dof we have. But at the other end, we have a bloke who Benitez insisted on signing, using the autonomy he has over transfers, to go and chase all summer.

my issue all season has been our play has just been tosh, and weaknesses that we’ve had all season haven’t been addressed. That’s his job.

 

[BlueToff]

I called out Ancelotti as well.

The biggest thing about our lack of possession is that we are okay when we can play percentage football concede possession and look to counter with the likes of Gray. As you say there is nothing wrong with playing counter attacking football.

Teams like Atlético are brilliant at it. As a tactic it is fine, but you have to have the ability to change tack if you go behind or like today have to play expansive football to win games against teams you should beat.

Ancelotti and Benitez simply don't have the ability to get their teams to do that consistently. Today was a perfect example. At 1-1 Benitez's solution was to keep Rondon on and go 4-4-2. We got a break from a set piece but then we were completely outgunned in midfield.

The whole ground were crying out for Richy to come on for Rondon. Instead, the dinosaur took off Gordon and Gray and kept Rondon upfront.

It was ludicrous. But it had worked. So, as soon as we scored, it should have been give it 5 mins and then change shape. We had Richarlison on, so we have a striker. Get Rondon off, put a midfielder on - either Gbamin or Holgate so it could be a transition between a 3 in midfield or defence - and pack the midfield. That’s what worked v Burnley. It pushed us up the pitch because we were able to press out.

but Benitez let it drift, he let Ranieri make the change, go to a back 3 and push the others forward. Benitez didn’t change our shape, instead he just took off Gray and brought on Iwobi, and we surrendered any counter threat we had, and Watford just had free run at our midfield, with Allan on a yellow and Davies being, well, Davies

 

[Brennan]

Fair enough. I don’t think the manager deserves personal stick. I think he’s a good man, I don’t think he’s a good manager anymore - but I do think he’s very dedicated and in terms of coaching is more down to what we need than what we’ve had in a good while

I think he has faults and failings and all of those were on show today. I think the footy we play is crap in general play. And as @ToffeeTim points out, this talk of us being more defensively organised is nonsense. We aren’t.

now, there’s tons of issues that aren’t on Benitez. Marcel Brands should not be at the club, because he has no influence, yet he was given a 3-month deal in April. The rest of the board shouldn’t be here. But there’s not much us or Benitez can do about that right now.

Im glad king said what he said today, because it was a stick to the previous manager and the board and that dosser of a dof we have. But at the other end, we have a bloke who Benitez insisted on signing, using the autonomy he has over transfers, to go and chase all summer.

my issue all season has been our play has just been tosh, and weaknesses that we’ve had all season haven’t been addressed. That’s his job.

Rondon looks to be a donkey, but I find it difficult to be overly critical of the signing when the manager clearly wasn’t given a pot to piss in for transfers.

 

[gwladysnight]

Gray picked up a knock before coming off and we dont know how long Gordon had in him - the manager said he struggled to last the full 90 and I see no reason to not believe him as if he had some agenda he could have just played Iwobi from the start like Ancelotti did all last season ahead of him.

All season you've lost your head mate you question my credentials yet im perfectly reasoned at present - this is a 8th-12th side and thats where we'll finish come the seasons end.

If you cant hand the inevitable let downs until the manager is given the funds to properly rebuild the squad of bottle jobs and perennial losers then you need to question if you need to take some time away from Everton for your own sake.

Same for the likes of Zezti who's normally reasoned but has turned into some rabid dog since Benitez lost his first game.

We may be an 8th-12th level team, but that doesn't mean we should be happy with a manager whose only ambition is to keep us in mid-table whilst taking tens of millions in wages out of the club.

We need a progressive manager who can build a young hungry team who want to play for the shirt. Not dinosaurs who bring in their own older players who condemn us to mediocrity.

 

[gwladysnight]

It was ludicrous. But it had worked. So, as soon as we scored, it should have been give it 5 mins and then change shape. We had Richarlison on, so we have a striker. Get Rondon off, put a midfielder on - either Gbamin or Holgate so it could be a transition between a 3 in midfield or defence - and pack the midfield. That’s what worked v Burnley. It pushed us up the pitch because we were able to press out.

but Benitez let it drift, he let Ranieri make the change, go to a back 3 and push the others forward. Benitez didn’t change our shape, instead he just took off Gray and brought on Iwobi, and we surrendered any counter threat we had, and Watford just had free run at our midfield, with Allan on a yellow and Davies being, well, Davies

Excellent post. What sums it up is Ranieri at 70 looking to make progressive changes whilst Benitez looks to go 4-4-2 and lump it up to a target man.

 

[gwladysnight]

Rondon looks to be a donkey, but I find it difficult to be overly critical of the signing when the manager clearly wasn’t given a pot to piss in for transfers.

Benitez has managed that donkey at three different clubs and keeps signing him.