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2021/22 Rafael Benitez

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Brennan said:
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.
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He was given total autonomy though. He called the shots. I know we didn’t have money - and don’t have money. I know that, or at least not until we free’d some up late in the window

But I won’t let the Rondon thing slide. He wanted him in July. Dalian wanted money. Rondon wasn’t out of contract. It was a lengthy negotiation for him to get out of his Dalian deal. And he’s getting paid big money here, compared to the quality he has.

He was not the only striker in world football available, but the manager had a hard on for him and wanted him. We were supposed to be getting away from that.
 
I think Rafael made mistakes in his substitutions (it happens, you can't get it 100% right) and tweaks against Watford. Set piece defending were horrible - not sure what Rafael is working on behind the scenes. But I think the players should get most of the blame...Once we conceded 2 goals in 2 minutes, there was nobody on the defense and midfield stepped up to take command - they all shrunk like cowards. Rafael pointed this out last game. Next question is what is he going to do to fix this?

Last season, we had some problems with Pickford and Carlo managed it well that Pickford turned into this calm presence. But I think Carlo failed to manage the team's mentality which resulted in us self destruct in the final 10 games or so. Rafael has to work with the same weak minded squad (Defenders and Mids mostly) that easily cracked under pressure. This Watford loss might be harder to bounce back from. It's going to be a difficult two months against really good opposition. I'm not optimistic, but it is what it is.
 
Got a message from a Liverpool fan mate when motd was on “nice shot of Rafael folding his glasses” sums it up for me. He can win but a soon as he doesn’t the tinder box of nutter that hate him fuelled by the rs saying well done agent Rafael means it will never ever work.
 
BlueToff said:
But it’s a target man who can’t hold it up or do anything because he’s crap
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The game has progressed though. None of the top teams play with a target man because it is such a low percentage way to play. The top teams don't need someone to hold the ball up because they aren't looking to lump it forward.

The modern game is all about retaining possession and looking to pass through the opposition. We have had two dinosaur managers who are stuck in the late 90's.
 

Efcjake said:
The nuremberg trials style inquest we will need to undergo after this dark period of the club's history is over will not be kind to some.

It is not too late to join the right side of history.

Benitez will not see Christmas. This run coming up is going to be tough.
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I think I’m in the clear mate on this one.
 
woke up early this morning and still feel absolutely rotten. As unfair as it may seem Benitez will get one transfer window to prove he has the know-how to manage this club. Even before we conceded those last 4 we play absolutely rotten. Change the plan or we will end up changing the manager.
 
Colonel Getafe said:
Benitez and James never got along, James never worked hard enough for Benitez's liking and doesn't fit into the 442 system he plays. I agree the techincal qualities GS and James offered are evidently lacking as an option from the current squad, both are talented players (GS might just be the best pointer in Prem history!) but James was out the team precisely because he didn't "hustle". As for 'you have to bring high caliber players to the team' that is easier said than done if you cannot spend a penny because of FFP restrictions from previous poor transfer dealings. I'm sure EFC would love to bring in top class players every window if they could.

I'm no Benitez fan, but I wouldn't say he was terrible, talentless or brainless - I can think of many worse managers out there (some previously in the EFC hot seat!). I get the point of your comment, but it does seem a bit too simplistic to say "throw GS and James in the side and all is well", as if the team wouldn't some how have to accomodate them, or their deficiencies, without still being a shambles once the midfield is bypassed or overran.
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Ok maybe not brainless but definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed…. Everton is not a Real Madrid or Manchester city where you have awesome players riding the bench. Getting rid of one of your best players because you can’t find a place for him is ludicrous. Everton has no depth. Try to build on what you have, not take away. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. James is very talented. His downfall is that he is made of glass… Everton’s problem lies in the midfield. They have a solid frontline when not injured. Awesome keeper. But no creativity in the middle that’s what sigurdson and James provided last season.
 

Johnny_s said:
Tell you who is a massive [Poor language removed]. That cork evertonian, I’d laugh if he died. Everything that’s wrong with the fan base

edit: ban me I’m [Poor language removed] sick of Everton and it’s “fans”
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What a lovely chap you are. I think that post says more about you than it does me. You quite obviously are a kopite. Good riddance to bad rubbish i say.:bye:
 
Cork Evertonian said:
What a lovely chap you are. I think that post says more about you than it does me. You quite obviously are a kopite. Good riddance to bad rubbish i say.:bye:
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I grassed him up for you. Totally out of bounds.

Benitez though. He has a mountain to climb. He will have to pull some remarkable results out of his backside to survive.
 
Brennan said:
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.
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If he had kept Kean and Rodriguez it would have been better for him. Our squad was so bare thin we didn’t need to offload them for Rondon. Benitez had pull in the summer signings. Only Gray and Townsend seem to be decent.

We are in urgent need for summer and hopefully the wages saved will make a difference.
 

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