2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[GrandOldTeam]

I mean, I'm no manager, but if my team was getting overrun in midfield I'd bring on Holgate or Gbamin just to bolster the middle. Might be too much common sense for Benitez though. We were of course super desperate for fresh attackers when 2-1 up at home.

Gbamin is the answer then? Gbamin would have meant we'd 'see the game out' against Watford?

How many minutes has he played in the last 3 years?

You can't go throwing him on there.

Fans - myself included, slated Ancelotti for doing that against Crystal Palace in March; when the subs killed us;

Agree.

Posted at the time surprise at Gbamin.

He was like a rabbit in headlights before his injury.

Throwing a centre mid who hasnt played for 2 years into a league game that close?! Insane.

Also, why bother signing King when he doesnt get a sniff when your strikers are playing so piss poor?!

As for the centre half in Holgate - the fella has been absolutely woeful for over a year. Putting him in midfield means we don't concede 4 goals in 12 minutes?

He replaced like-for-like for legs, and looking at that bench he had next to nothing on.

The team give up.

This is the team we have - a team the club captain admitted hides, a team who successive managers have questions their commitment - whether we like it or not the manager isn't that significant.

It's going to take a few years to rid the rot from this team.

 

[MikeH72]

Reasons for the Watford defeat;
1. Playing Rondon
2. Not taking Rondon off
3. Persisting with ridiculous zonal marking
4. Not changing shape and putting a DM on when 2-1 up and being overrun in midfield.

All on the manager.

Don’t forget Ben Godfrey not being able to jump for a header and dribbling into 3 of his own team mates on the edge of his own box, also key reasons imo.

 

[Harryflashman]

Well if you think we will get a result then get off the managers back every 5 seconds!

Same suspects every single day moaning constantly. Why not make a thread dedicated to slating the fat pigman so the rest of us can just discuss the manager as the season goes on in peace?

let’s do a deal you stop posting in here and you do the same .

I'm happy to say that he was culpable in that Watford game with the subs made

I think every game is different

By and large I don't think you can point the finger at him too many times this season

Sadly though this is the internet where there is zero balance and no middle ground

Either it's always his fault or it never is depending on what camp you sit in

I think it’s fair to say he was culpable for Watford and is Probably not Completely blameless for the cup otherwise I think he’s probably done ok We’ve got out of jail a couple of times but every manager has that and with the lack of money & injuries it’s been far from easy .

I think it is possible to be balanced even if you don’t like him .

 

[Zezti]

You.

If you cant see Benitez is the least of our problems at present then you have an agenda its that simple.

I cant remember you being anti Benitez from the get go but like ToffeeTim 1 defeat and you've started frothing at the mouth.

Its embarassing - he's had no funds to bring in his own players and has been here 9 games, has a squad player facing possible criminal charges and a good few injuries to our best/key players.

"But Michael Keane cant play zonal"

Michael Keane cant find two even pair of socks he's an utter coward and soon as we bring in a proper partner for Mina the better.

If holding this club (all of it, Benitez included) to a higher standard than early cup exits to crap championship sides and being embarrassed by relegation teams is having an agenda, then sure... But that's not having an agenda

Having an agenda is intentionally and repeatedly lying to misrepresent and ridicule people who have legitimate criticisms (see your last two lines), and making poor excuses for just one aspect of the wider failing of the club because that's the hill you decided to sit on from the start.

The irony is just too much. I'm done continuing this nonsense with you.

 

[DanEFC92]

Don’t forget Ben Godfrey not being able to jump for a header and dribbling into 3 of his own team mates on the edge of his own box, also key reasons imo.

Aside from zonal marking (which is a team effort), he didn't mention the back 4. Mad.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Reasons for the Watford defeat;
1. Playing Rondon
2. Not taking Rondon off
3. Persisting with ridiculous zonal marking
4. Not changing shape and putting a DM on when 2-1 up and being overrun in midfield.

All on the manager.

1. Who else plays? Does it change the outcome of that game?
2. Who comes on? Does it change the outcome of that game?
3. Played it for years ,including under Ancelotti.
4. So it was sound for 63 minutes but it caused us to concede 4 goals in 12 minutes.

Ok mate.

 

[Nymzee]

Gbamin is the answer then? Gbamin would have meant we'd 'see the game out' against Watford?

How many minutes has he played in the last 3 years?

You can't go throwing him on there.

Fans - myself included, slated Ancelotti for doing that against Crystal Palace in March; when the subs killed us;



As for the centre half in Holgate - the fella has been absolutely woeful for over a year. Putting him in midfield means we don't concede 4 goals in 12 minutes?

He replaced like-for-like for legs, and looking at that bench he had next to nothing on.

The team give up.

This is the team we have - a team the club captain admitted hides, a team who successive managers have questions their commitment - whether we like it or not the manager isn't that significant.

It's going to take a few years to rid the rot from this team.

But why was replacing like-for-like the answer when they tweaked their shape and started to dominate? That's just plain arrogance and a lack of in-game management. Defend him all you like but think it was very plain to see we needed another body in midfield.

 

[LeeCarsley]

we're only ever two defeats away from disaster aren't we we've got a difficult run of games and since I'm expecting us to lose every one of them we'll probably win a few, eh? at the end of the day however much you might dislike this bloke, the problems go far, far deeper than just him.

 

[Zezti]

Not sure Watford is one to blame the manager.

To concede 4 in last 12 minutes to Watford. Something bigger wrong there, and its not taking Gordon off for Richarlison, or Iwobi for Gray.

I've perhaps been Iwobi's greatest critic but fans putting it on him is agenda driven IMO. As is on Benitez. The team just folded;



^ Grim, no matter who the manager is.

For me, it's this that goes right through this character of this team.

I think blame can be awarded to more than one area. Players, manager, DoF, owner. They all deserve a share of it.

 

[Encoder]

Don’t forget Ben Godfrey not being able to jump for a header and dribbling into 3 of his own team mates on the edge of his own box, also key reasons imo.

Thanks Mike, I had repressed that horrific memory and now its all can think about.

With who?

View attachment 144539

He brought on two senior players in Richarlison and Iwobi for Gordon and Gray.

The players out there who were winning on 63 minutes, certainly shouldn't have conceded 4 goals in 12 minutes. They set a Premier League record in doing so.

Bringing on Iwobi for Gray didn't cause that collapse.

The sheer weight of the collapse, with multiple seasoned internationals forgetting how to do the most basic of work can't be put squarely on the manager.

We have mentally weak players who couldn't handle the atmosphere and poo'd the bed.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

But why was replacing like-for-like the answer when they tweaked their shape and started to dominate? That's just plain arrogance and a lack of in-game management. Defend him all you like but think it was very plain to see we need another body in midfield.

Because this is the bench.

He had a half fit Richarlison, and... Iwobi.

He doesn't make changes, he's slated for making no changes/fresh legs.

The other options are Gbamin. No.

Holgate at CM? Not for me.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

If holding this club (all of it, Benitez included) to a higher standard than early cup exits to crap championship sides and being embarrassed by relegation teams is having an agenda, then sure... But that's not having an agenda

Having an agenda is intentionally and repeatedly lying to misrepresent and ridicule people who have legitimate criticisms (see your last two lines), and making poor excuses for just one aspect of the wider failing of the club because that's the hill you decided to sit on from the start.

The irony is just too much. I'm done continuing this nonsense with you.

No one on here has said Benitez takes no share of the blame - but anyone who hasn't been in a coma or living in a cave for the last 7 years or so realises after £1.7m in the summer and 9 games into a season with multiple injuries to key players his share of the blame on a pie chart is very low.

Walsh
Brands
The players
Kenwright

Those 4x make up about 75% of it from the start and that doesn't include Moshiri and ex managers.

 

[Encoder]

I think blame can be awarded to more than one area. Players, manager, DoF, owner. They all deserve a share of it.

In my opinion, the hamstringing of the DOF and multiple cooks spoiling the broth are to blame. What is the manager supposed to do when Godfrey can't head the ball and Keane is cannoning the ball of Allans arse?

 

[Nymzee]

Because this is the bench.

View attachment 144540

He had a half fit Richarlison, and... Iwobi.

He doesn't make changes, he's slated for making no changes/fresh legs.

The other options are Gbamin. No.

Holgate at CM? Not for me.



View attachment 144540

Well it doesn't mater if Gbamin and Holgate "aren't for you" really in this example.

If you're Everton manager and you think Davies and Allan alone can stop Watford's changed shape then you're not fit for the job. Use the players you have, try something, be pragmatic. I hated him as our manager but Allardyce doesn't lose that game from that position.

 

[Harryflashman]

Because this is the bench.

View attachment 144540

He had a half fit Richarlison, and... Iwobi.

He doesn't make changes, he's slated for making no changes/fresh legs.

The other options are Gbamin. No.

Holgate at CM? Not for me.



View attachment 144540

If gbamin isn’t an option even when we’re crying out for a body in the centre of the pitch then perhaps he just shouldn’t be on the bench . I can see the argument for holgate although if it hasn’t worked it’s fair to say the manager would have been crucified on here .