Rafael Benitez

[mrmojorisin75]

I do think quite a few have greatly underestimated the strength of this league (some going so far as to put money on us going undefeated, which is totally asinine), based largely on our experience from 2009/10. It's not remotely the same league it was even six years ago: the PL doesn't exist in a vacuum, its good fortunes do somewhat trickle down.

 

The quality's fucking abject, man. Give over. Just look at the Burnley side that won it.

I agree. Huddersfield did nothing yesterday except put their team behind the ball and fight for every ball. As we've seen over the years once it became clear we didn't have a plan to break them down they grew in confidence. Still should never have lost. We beat ourselves yesterday.

[The College Dropout]

I really hate this 'he knows this league' s***, what is there to know about it? It's a football league with football teams in it, exactly like the Premier League although the standard is lower.

 

You don't need to have 60 years experience playing or managing in the Chmapionship to do well in it.

Facile view imo.  League nous can be over emphasised but it does exist.

 

What a load of bollocks.

 

On your view, Sean Dyce would be a better option to Rafa?

 

No. I didn't say that nor is that my point. We aren't the same as Burnley.

 

Burnley have been promoted with a good championship team. They then got relegated with a good championship team. Then promoted again. When relegated they didn't need to adjust anything, they just went again. Lost 1 player I think replaced him well.

 

We have a team with some fairly decent technicians who haven't adjusted to the league yet. A manager whose career has been built off cautious teams at the highest level - he needs to put out a more offensive team for this challenge. We need to impose our will more.  He hasn't adjusted yet.

 

I don't believe management or teams are linear. Different leagues and teams have different challenges. I think Rafa's overall class will shine through in the Championship but he's needing a learning curve to get there.

[TRon]

I do think quite a few have greatly underestimated the strength of this league (some going so far as to put money on us going undefeated, which is totally asinine), based largely on our experience from 2009/10. It's not remotely the same league it was even six years ago: the PL doesn't exist in a vacuum, its good fortunes do somewhat trickle down.

 

The quality's fucking abject, man. Give over. Just look at the Burnley side that won it.

I agree. Huddersfield did nothing yesterday except put their team behind the ball and fight for every ball. As we've seen over the years once it became clear we didn't have a plan to break them down they grew in confidence. Still should never have lost. We beat ourselves yesterday.

 

Then you have to ask yourself, how good is our team exactly? We don't look like we can keep possession in midfield, we can't create chances, and our defence keeps conceding goals to crap teams. There's not one area of the pitch where we look better than the general standard in this division.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

But TCD, none of that is 'knowing the league', it is about knowing the team you are working with.

 

Rafa doesn't need to 'know the Championship', he just needs to know his best 11 and best tactics for each game.

[Guest neesy111]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

Boro just got promoted playing with 1 up top.

[Gallowgate Toon]

I do think quite a few have greatly underestimated the strength of this league (some going so far as to put money on us going undefeated, which is totally asinine), based largely on our experience from 2009/10. It's not remotely the same league it was even six years ago: the PL doesn't exist in a vacuum, its good fortunes do somewhat trickle down.

 

The quality's f***ing abject, man. Give over. Just look at the Burnley side that won it.

I agree. Huddersfield did nothing yesterday except put their team behind the ball and fight for every ball. As we've seen over the years once it became clear we didn't have a plan to break them down they grew in confidence. Still should never have lost. We beat ourselves yesterday.

 

We did have a plan, apparently. It just wasn't followed. As someone else said, Rafa has spent the majority of his career playing against sides that sit & concede possession to his teams, he obviously knows how to get the results.

[Guest neesy111]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

Boro just got promoted playing with 1 up top.

 

We'll have to sign a new defence for that to work.  As we are conceding some shockers so far.

[TRon]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

Boro just got promoted playing with 1 up top.

 

Fwiw I think we'd have won both our games if we were'n conceding goals from nowhere. boro had a very reliable defence, we keep giving away goals through sheer carelessness.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

Boro just got promoted playing with 1 up top.

 

We'll have to sign a new defence for that to work.  As we are conceding some shockers so far.

 

2 games into the season.

[mrmojorisin75]

I do think quite a few have greatly underestimated the strength of this league (some going so far as to put money on us going undefeated, which is totally asinine), based largely on our experience from 2009/10. It's not remotely the same league it was even six years ago: the PL doesn't exist in a vacuum, its good fortunes do somewhat trickle down.

 

The quality's f***ing abject, man. Give over. Just look at the Burnley side that won it.

I agree. Huddersfield did nothing yesterday except put their team behind the ball and fight for every ball. As we've seen over the years once it became clear we didn't have a plan to break them down they grew in confidence. Still should never have lost. We beat ourselves yesterday.

 

We did have a plan, apparently. It just wasn't followed. As someone else said, Rafa has spent the majority of his career playing against sides that sit & concede possession to his teams, he obviously knows how to get the results.

If you saw a credible plan in that yesterday then you know something I don't.

[Gallowgate Toon]

I do think quite a few have greatly underestimated the strength of this league (some going so far as to put money on us going undefeated, which is totally asinine), based largely on our experience from 2009/10. It's not remotely the same league it was even six years ago: the PL doesn't exist in a vacuum, its good fortunes do somewhat trickle down.

 

The quality's f***ing abject, man. Give over. Just look at the Burnley side that won it.

I agree. Huddersfield did nothing yesterday except put their team behind the ball and fight for every ball. As we've seen over the years once it became clear we didn't have a plan to break them down they grew in confidence. Still should never have lost. We beat ourselves yesterday.

 

We did have a plan, apparently. It just wasn't followed. As someone else said, Rafa has spent the majority of his career playing against sides that sit & concede possession to his teams, he obviously knows how to get the results.

If you saw a credible plan in that yesterday then you know something I don't.

 

Our own manager said the players didn't follow 'instructions. He said they weren't doing what they'd practised in training. Ergo, I'm assuming there was a plan.

[Kanj]

Our CBs have let us down in mistakes directly leading to 3 goals.

[Guest Gomez]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

Don't know about yesterday, but we played 4-4-2 against Fulham, whatever the Sky said the lineup was.

 

It seems like we don't really have a focal point. More of the same, nobody taking responsibility.

[Guest neesy111]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

Don't know about yesterday, but we played 4-4-2 against Fulham, whatever the Sky said the lineup was.

 

It seems like we don't really have a focal point. More of the same, nobody taking responsibility.

 

I'm not sure it was 442.

[Scoot]

I really hate this 'he knows this league' s***, what is there to know about it? It's a football league with football teams in it, exactly like the Premier League although the standard is lower.

 

You don't need to have 60 years experience playing or managing in the Chmapionship to do well in it.

Facile view imo.  League nous can be over emphasised but it does exist.

 

What a load of bollocks.

 

On your view, Sean Dyce would be a better option to Rafa? Because he has Championship knowledge? That is apparently very different from winning in any other league in the world.

 

felix magath struggled hugely in this league despite his reputation and experience.

 

Because he was in charge of a faltering Fulham side who sold all of their best players, nothing to do with 'knowing the league'.

 

They also bought the best striker in the division.

 

And had gaping holes of crap in nearly every other position.

 

What happens in League One? Do you need a knowledge of League One to suceed?

 

Why are players like Payet so successful in the Premier League with no experience of it? How did Mourinho ever suceed in any job, he had no experience of the league when he started each role.

 

Huddersfield have started very well under their manager with no Championship experience.

 

This

[Dr Venkman]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

We played 4-4-2 yesterday in the first half.

[biggs]

Throw my thoughts in fwiw basicaly i thought build up play was like typical England international style slowwwwwwwwww  passing around back four playing controlled but fruitless balls to midfield allowing Hudders to get back so waste of time and pretty much zero movement from Gayle as he was happy to to wait for anything and not telling anyone where he wanted it ,Rafa to me got it wrong with the pace of the tempo we played at far too slow or players fault who knows ? ,plain for all to see Mitro back after ban and a fucking winger on other flank to compliment Ritchie .2 holding midfielders meh not required imho just grafters covering runs .

[morla84]

We either need to buy players who suit the system he wants to play, or change the system to suit the players. It's a long season but we can't go too long hoping it will click

[Gallowgate Toon]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

We played 4-4-2 yesterday in the first half.

 

We definitely did in the first half against Fulham too. Perez would constantly hit the flanks, pretty much never sat in the hole at all.

[Mattoon]

We're just getting a lot of the ball and don't know what to do with it, I think it's obvious to all that we don't have the personel to penetrate a team that sits back on us and until that changes every team in the league is going to play the same way, sit back and wait for a break. We need some teeth and we'll dominate, we're too one dimensional at the moment, Rafa will change that.

[Gallowgate Toon]

We're just getting a lot of the ball and don't know what to do with it, I think it's obvious to all that we don't have the personel to penetrate a team that sits back on us and until that changes every team in the league is going to play the same way, sit back and wait for a break. We need some teeth and we'll dominate, we're too one dimensional at the moment, Rafa will change that.

 

Whilst I do agree with this, I think our lot will become more accustomed to playing that way even if we don't get more in (which we need). Rafa said his methods take a few games to kick in, I'd expect that to be the case here when it's a very different type of football to the one most of our squad have been playing.

[TRon]

We're just getting a lot of the ball and don't know what to do with it, I think it's obvious to all that we don't have the personel to penetrate a team that sits back on us and until that changes every team in the league is going to play the same way, sit back and wait for a break. We need some teeth and we'll dominate, we're too one dimensional at the moment, Rafa will change that.

 

Yeah, one thing I have no doubt of is that Rafa will not tolerate these levels of incompetence for too much longer. Taylor was out on his arse after his abject performance against Norwich last season, and I'm getting the feeling that Rafa's patience is starting to wear thin with a few of those still here.

[Dr Venkman]

We're just getting a lot of the ball and don't know what to do with it, I think it's obvious to all that we don't have the personel to penetrate a team that sits back on us and until that changes every team in the league is going to play the same way, sit back and wait for a break. We need some teeth and we'll dominate, we're too one dimensional at the moment, Rafa will change that.

 

Yeah, one thing I have no doubt of is that Rafa will not tolerate these levels of incompetence for too much longer. Taylor was out on his arse after his abject performance against Norwich last season, and I'm getting the feeling that Rafa's patience is starting to wear thin with a few of those still here.

 

Indeed; but he needs viable alternatives in order to carry that out.

[AY]

Good post TCD.  Agree with that, what works in the premiership will not work the same in the championship.

 

He has to drop the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 forrmation for me and play a flat 442.

 

this 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 conversation is bollock. 4-4-2 is not automatically more attacking than 4-3-3 or some version of it. It's more down to players movement than numbers on paper.