2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[akkers]

To be clear I didn’t want him here &
I won’t pretend I did but so far he’s doing well & more than that I think he’s lucky , I mean that as as compliment still a long way to go mind.

Neither did I initially, I actually thought yet another manager on the decline after the stint in China apart from the other more obvious barriers, I'll stick to what I say though and fingers crossed this improved effort by the team continues, the real measure will be how we react to a loss, I just don't see any repeat of the end of season man City performance under Benitez

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

He just has to get 3 points in the next 3 games and he's had a better start than Carlo.

What then you schmucks?

I believe that he will do better than 3.

He has inherited a team of superstars and added some long-forgotten bargain-basement gems to the mix.

You may think I am being facetious in saying his target should be at the very top, but I'm serious. I am studying him, watching and listening as a tiger does to its prey and I can see that he is clearly still getting his head around the squad but is learning how to play them.

His use of Doucoure in recent games has reminded me of Heinz Holliger's Oboe Fantasy, quite a wonderful spectacle to observe.

Moshiri has built us a squad that is like a formula one car but sadly most of the drivers he has picked have been more milk cart than formula one.

In Benitez, he might have just found our Jenson Button and it could be great.

 

[bernie inn]

Great 3 points , great goals and played so well last half hour.

Doesnt excuse the manager picking a back 3/5 at home agst Burnley.
Players dug him out of a hole tonight.

He’s played a back 3/5 before against Burnley and it worked, this time it didn’t he changed it, players embraced it, and were fit enough to carry it through. I honestly don’t see what there is to be miserable about at this point, are people just on a wind up?

 

[bernie inn]

Its almost identical to last season in some games, we have showed the same….good game changing tactics. Last season we had more flare with james.

gray looks good, but lets see how he looks when chips are down….like he has done all career so far….he has showed nothing.

im just so sceptical, and dont want to go ott.
Im sure so many of you forget how well we started last season….the media and social media blow up…it was mental…zcars played on radio x……james all over the gaff….number 1 singles etc.

I haven’t forgot, that was brilliant last season, watching a video of maradonna dancing with spirit of the blues overlaid on it was fantastic, then it turned to the proverbial. However that’s not going to stop me enjoying it now, and I’m bemused why people aren’t getting on board, it’s like being miserable for miserable sake over something you have absolutely no control over (not just you)

 

[AussieToffee11]

Got the first half setup wrong. Five at the back against Burnley is exaggerated pragmatism.

Full credit to him that he changed the game in the second half.

His ability to get stark improvement out of Doucoure, Gray, Townsend, Coleman, Iwobi and Gomes so far this season is very impressive.

It is refreshing to see a manager, you know, actually managing and coaching. Townsend after the game saying that Rafael didn't even mention the goal but that he could have run in behind the lines more. That is how you build a winning culture.

Happy he is my manager. We lose that game under Carlo.

 

[Eggs]

….I always think you only play 3 CBs when you don’t have two who are good enough.

At Everton it always means we play with 5 at the back & it generally means we get overrun. I thought it was a clear tactical error and one Benitez was slow to change. Still, turned out fine in the end.

Pleasantly surprised he selected Godfrey at the first opportunity & played Mina ahead of Holgate.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

Normally these are the kind of games we screw up, but what a great comeback after going one nil down. I have to give credit where it's due. It's a results based business, and Benitez so far is getting them. Everton winning matches with Benitez as our manager, will annoy the more bitter and twisted reds supporters even more. So whatever your thoughts are on the manager, whether you agree with the appointment or not, it's still great when Everton win.

It's in this clubs best interests that Benitez is a success here. I think we need to go for a reverse psychology approach. The folk on rawk enjoy seeing us being upset about r a f a being our manager. So i think we need to deny them that satisfaction, by taking a less hostile approach to the manager. Everton winning matches, also goes a long way with regards to helping Benitez win the fans over.

 

[MikeH72]

Marco Silva beat Burnley 5-1, away!

Lets not run away with ourselves.

Carlo Ancelotti lost to them 2-1 at home.

 

[MikeH72]

We'd have lost that tonight against a better team. No doubt.

We lost to that exact team last season.

 

[MikeH72]

we sat top of the league last season….we was better, thats a fact.

going behind against these teams is not great in the first place.

Oh yeah I agree, do you know what’s worse? Going behind to them and losing the match every single time like we did last season.

 

[Mat70s]

We'd have lost that tonight against a better team. No doubt.

Isn’t that a truism you could apply to every match ever played? A better team than the one we beat will have beaten us…ok.

 

[Igrok]

Just keep James out…

 

[Thomasc]

If he can win these types of games then we are ok.
We are light years behind Man U, Liverpool, city and Chelsea, so nobody expects us to get anything against those teams, it’s when we lose to the likes of Burnley that people will turn on him, so he’s made a great start in that respect.

 

[MikeH72]

Isn’t that a truism you could apply to every match ever played? A better team than the one we beat will have beaten us…ok.

Yeah, people talk about Burnley as if they don’t win any games ever. Comfortably beat us last season.

 

[BNJ1878]

I am studying him, watching and listening as a tiger does to its prey and I can see that he is clearly still getting his head around the squad but is learning how to play them.

Read that in my Attenborough voice.

His use of Doucoure in recent games has reminded me of Heinz Holliger's Oboe Fantasy, quite a wonderful spectacle to observe.

Heading off to Google this right away.

Edit. That's wonderfully mental. Takes quite a turn half way through. What's the instrument where that lady has a claw hand suspended in thin air? She appears to be stabbing at some keys with another hand but I couldn't see on clip I saw.

Moshiri has built us a squad that is like a formula one car but sadly most of the drivers he has picked have been more milk cart than formula one.

In Benitez, he might have just found our Jenson Button and it could be great.

I like the Button reference - Right man, right time.

Thank you for your post, it took me on quite a journey.