2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Efcjake]

Benitez is a decent manager - you dont win a Champions League, Europa League, La Liga Title, FA Cup & Copa Italia by being a crap manager.

If people invested as much emotional energy chasing Brands out the door instead or "dat ex Kopite" we would be in a much better place believe me.

Go check his thread. I'm covering all bases.

 

[marsh]

Surely massive clubs like Newcastle and Barca will be after Rafael? Can't see how we keep him to be honest.

 

[MikeH72]

Surely massive clubs like Newcastle and Barca will be after Rafael? Can't see how we keep him to be honest.

Lol

 

[Marius57]

Don't want to derail your conversation but the shots on target is totally meaningless.

Lets say for example all 3 of the shots trickled into the keepers arms but they had shots ballooned over the bar from 2 yards out and put wide of an empty goal. The better chances are almost always in the shots off target stats.

Not saying that's what happened here but it has always bugged me the shots on target stat.

Same as the shots stat. 12 shots. Great, could have all been from 30 yards.

 

[Efcjake]

These players lost a record number of home games under Carlo Ancelotti. Is any given manager who’s here at the time to blame?

In a year that home games were played without home support. Last year's home form is such an outlier and there are legitimate factors for why that happened.

 

[LeeCarsley]

In a year that home games were played without home support. Last year's home form is such an outlier and there are legitimate factors for why that happened.

almost like there should be nuance in how you view results

 

[Marius57]

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Called him rafatollah all summer. Which is a kopite made term. Has literally banged on about him non stop. But that's OK, as he hasn't chanted his name.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Called him rafatollah all summer. Which is a kopite made term. Has literally banged on about him non stop. But that's OK, as he hasn't sang his name.

He'll always be the Rafatollah - anyone who can make grown men cry and burn their season tickets based on nothing more than a comment made 15 years ago is a ledge in my eyes.

 

[JLW]

I bet you Coleman picks up ‘a knock’ before the City game.

Probably happen when he does his impression of being a captain

 

[Efcjake]

almost like there should be nuance in how you view results

It's hardly a home game if there are no supporters. Just another stadium at that point.

Don't see how that applies to the excuse factory Benitez has working overtime for him.

 

[Efcjake]

He'll always be the Rafatollah - anyone who can make grown men cry and burn their season tickets based on nothing more than a comment made 15 years ago is a ledge in my eyes.

Cringing here

 

[Toffeelover]

The next manager will have the advantage of lots of contracts ending. But we have been awful at moving players on.

There are lots of senior players at the club who should have been told they were no longer required years ago. Yet lots of them are still regularly starting games. Gordon plays well and gets dropped. Iwobi plays poorly, gets injured, then gets brought back into the team. There are lots of things wrong in how we select our teams.

Very true Tim, we have a problem moving players on, some do not want to go or will not because of the wage packet here, e,g. Tosun. Your comment on Iwobi is spot on, could also ask why did he keep playing Rondon.
As for picking Gordon it has already been pointed out Benitez is not one for giving youngplayers a chance to stick to "old experienced" players which explains quite a bit on the team selectons made.

 

[MikeH72]

In a year that home games were played without home support. Last year's home form is such an outlier and there are legitimate factors for why that happened.

See also our good “away” form last year.

 

[Toffeelover]

Benitez is a decent manager - you dont win a Champions League, Europa League, La Liga Title, FA Cup & Copa Italia by being a crap manager.

If people invested as much emotional energy chasing Brands out the door instead or "dat ex Kopite" we would be in a much better place believe me.

You have to look at the time scale for those achievements they are a matter of history. What has he managed in the last say 5 years? Managers can go off.

 

[nsno-chris]

He'll always be the Rafatollah - anyone who can make grown men cry and burn their season tickets based on nothing more than a comment made 15 years ago is a ledge in my eyes.

Jesus christ