2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Stuartisitc1878]

He’s added balance and pace to the team although let's be honest it didn't take a football genius to work that out, it was blatantly obvious we’ve lack those things the last few seasons and in all honesty It’s criminal that neither Silva, Carlo or Brands sorted the balance and pace out but there you go.
Credit where it’s due he’s tactically won us games, he appears to have won over the players who could have easily been massively disheartened after Ancelotti left. He’s got us results with a very little money spent and his best players injured. It’s easy to look at the fixtures we’ve had and say “yeah well, we should be beating those teams” but last season showed we rarely win the games we should. The QPR result was unacceptable and he probably should have played his strongest squad but equally the players on the pitch should have been good enough to beat an upper mid-table championship side but that game aside he's done better than i expected. I didn’t want him as manager and that had little to do with his history with that lot but more to do with his age, his ambition and his ability to still coach at the highest levels but so far (and it’s early days) he’s proved me very wrong. And if me being wrong means Everton are doing well, then I’d like to be wrong all the time.

 

[TimHowardsBeardJuice]

He’s added balance and pace to the team although let's be honest it didn't take a football genius to work that out, it was blatantly obvious we’ve lack those things the last few seasons and in all honesty It’s criminal that neither Silva, Carlo or Brands sorted the balance and pace out but there you go.
Credit where it’s due he’s tactically won us games, he appears to have won over the players who could have easily been massively disheartened after Ancelotti left. He’s got us results with a very little money spent and his best players injured. It’s easy to look at the fixtures we’ve had and say “yeah well, we should be beating those teams” but last season showed we rarely win the games we should. The QPR result was unacceptable and he probably should have played his strongest squad but equally the players on the pitch should have been good enough to beat an upper mid-table championship side but that game aside he's done better than i expected. I didn’t want him as manager and that had little to do with his history with that lot but more to do with his age, his ambition and his ability to still coach at the highest levels but so far (and it’s early days) he’s proved me very wrong. And if me being wrong means Everton are doing well, then I’d like to be wrong all the time.

I've thought about the QPR game.

IMO we lost for playing Davies AND Gomes without one of Douc or Allan. Both Davies and Gomes were terrible and QPR had the run of the middle of the park. There were other reasons, Charlie Austin won the Duel of the Corpses with Rondon, but let's go with that for purposes of this discussion.

RB knows that if he doesn't get a good start in the league that his whole project is imperiled. RB can see what he has, which is a squad that was already thin before these injuries. A long cup run is going to test his depth. My guess is that he ran out a squad lineup and thought, let's see if these players can beat QPR, if they can't then we're not going deeper into the cup anyway so why run my best players into the ground.

I was angry when e lost that game but I've gotten over it. Much rather be doing as well as we are in the league. Let's get our players healthy, get a couple of reinforcements in January, continue to get results in the league, and then we'll be better off for a run at the cup taht really matters.

 

[Saint Domingo]

£1.7m budget and aiming for the top 7.

Say what you want about the man but he has ambishun - people can koff with all this off to China for a pension nonsense.

Some Everton managers would have already slipped into self congratulatory ‘you’re all lucky I’m even here’ mode by now. He reminds me a bit of Moyes, I’m sure there’ll be a ceiling somewhere but at least he’s actually giving it a go and not making excuses for himself already. Koeman and Allardyce made out that we were an impossible case who should dial down their expectations.

 

[Stuartisitc1878]

I've thought about the QPR game.

IMO we lost for playing Davies AND Gomes without one of Douc or Allan. Both Davies and Gomes were terrible and QPR had the run of the middle of the park. There were other reasons, Charlie Austin won the Duel of the Corpses with Rondon, but let's go with that for purposes of this discussion.

RB knows that if he doesn't get a good start in the league that his whole project is imperiled. RB can see what he has, which is a squad that was already thin before these injuries. A long cup run is going to test his depth. My guess is that he ran out a squad lineup and thought, let's see if these players can beat QPR, if they can't then we're not going deeper into the cup anyway so why run my best players into the ground.

I was angry when e lost that game but I've gotten over it. Much rather be doing as well as we are in the league. Let's get our players healthy, get a couple of reinforcements in January, continue to get results in the league, and then we'll be better off for a run at the cup taht really matters.

likewise. When the starting 11 was announced i was very much of the opinion it was the right call to rest key players. Especially with them dropping like flies at the time and it's very easy to be an after timer after a loss and claim we should have done this or that. You're bang on about Davies and Gomes but even with that, in the end despite the poor performance and lack of midfield/static defending it was a penalty shootout miss that ultimately knocked us out.

 

[jamieni]

Some Everton managers would have already slipped into self congratulatory ‘you’re all lucky I’m even here’ mode by now. He reminds me a bit of Moyes, I’m sure there’ll be a ceiling somewhere but at least he’s actually giving it a go and not making excuses for himself already. Koeman and Allardyce made out that we were an impossible case who should dial down their expectations.

There will definitely be a ceiling. We can’t really compete for trophies unless we somehow become a regular CL team which is v unlikely. Sadly last season was a missed opportunity in terms of qualifying for Europe.

If Benitez can get us in and around Europa League consistently then he’s doing a decent job. The hope will be the new stadium unlocks some more investment in the team but with Newcastle looking ready to go thermonuclear it’s going to be tough to get into the top 4. Moshiri was right about there being a small window of opportunity for Everton to really compete, and I think hindsight now tells us we absolutely blew it.

 

[Toffeelover]

There will definitely be a ceiling. We can’t really compete for trophies unless we somehow become a regular CL team which is v unlikely. Sadly last season was a missed opportunity in terms of qualifying for Europe.

If Benitez can get us in and around Europa League consistently then he’s doing a decent job. The hope will be the new stadium unlocks some more investment in the team but with Newcastle looking ready to go thermonuclear it’s going to be tough to get into the top 4. Moshiri was right about there being a small window of opportunity for Everton to really compete, and I think hindsight now tells us we absolutely blew it.

That does not bother me at all,

1. Why because they have to get a manager who is recognised as a top man.
2 Stuck with the squad they have now until January.
3. What players can they entice in and will their clubs let them go.
4. Has to be mega money for that to happen.
5. To get players they will; need to make room then will have to shift some of their squad, who? will they go?
6. On the edge of relegation can that be avoided?

 

[Stuartisitc1878]

That does not bother me at all,

1. Why because they have to get a manager who is recognised as a top man.
2 Stuck with the squad they have now until January.
3. What players can they entice in and will their clubs let them go.
4. Has to be mega money for that to happen.
5. To get players they will; need to make room then will have to shift some of their squad, who? will they go?
6. On the edge of relegation can that be avoided?

same for me. I'm not to concerned about Newcastle. They have an entire squad to overhaul and whilst they can spend 200 million in January who's gonna sell to them cheap? Say they came in for Richarlison we'd be demanding 100m plus. To get the quality of player the fans will now be demanding they'll be lucky to buy 2.. maybe 3 players at best for 200million.
Even targeting the likes of Ward-Prowes or players like that will cost them 50million plus a piece.

 

[jamieni]

same for me. I'm not to concerned about Newcastle. They have an entire squad to overhaul and whilst they can spend 200 million in January who's gonna sell to them cheap? Say they came in for Richarlison we'd be demanding 100m plus. To get the quality of player the fans will now be demanding they'll be lucky to buy 2.. maybe 3 players at best for 200million.
Even targeting the likes of Ward-Prowes or players like that will cost them 50million plus a piece.

Yeah I think in the short term it’s not an issue but presumably if their owners are competent and serious about investing then they’ll be a good team in a couple of seasons. Regardless of Newcastle, there are a number of teams we can’t compete with financially, namely City, Chelsea and Utd. We have very little margin for error now. We need to get into Europe soon, kick on and invest very wisely in players to have a chance of competing.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

likewise. When the starting 11 was announced i was very much of the opinion it was the right call to rest key players. Especially with them dropping like flies at the time and it's very easy to be an after timer after a loss and claim we should have done this or that. You're bang on about Davies and Gomes but even with that, in the end despite the poor performance and lack of midfield/static defending it was a penalty shootout miss that ultimately knocked us out.

For me we lost the QPR game because of Begovic and some poor defending

The squad Benitez picked was more than capable of winning

We gifted them their two goals and then Begovic didn't get near any of their penalties. If he'd actually been anywhere close to competent then Davies wouldn't have even needed to take one

 

[MikeH72]

For me we lost the QPR game because of Begovic and some poor defending

The squad Benitez picked was more than capable of winning

We gifted them their two goals and then Begovic didn't get near any of their penalties. If he'd actually been anywhere close to competent then Davies wouldn't have even needed to take one

The pens he did get near went straight through him too, he is complete and utter gash.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

The pens he did get near went straight through him too, he is complete and utter gash.

Pickford was still injured then too, so it’s not like Benitez had a choice

 

[Ring master]

Press conference 1.15pm Friday

 

[ProZ]

Press conference 1.15pm Friday

That smile, my manager

 

[windymiller]

That smile, my manager

Do you like crocodiles too, mate?

 

[Groucho]

Pickford was still injured then too, so it’s not like Benitez had a choice

Like any manager mate, you’ll always get a few folk who find fault.

Although none have got at my nerves as much as this since Moyes’ haters.