Rafael Benitez

[Smal]

Interesting to see him play more of an all out 4-4-2 today. Thought it worked well with Perez/Mitrovic.

[mrmojorisin75]

Not going to blame him today, as we were brilliant.

 

Still, how many goals have we let in just before HT/FT this season?

Not going to blame him eh. That's big of you.

[Ronaldo]

Interesting to see him play more of an all out 4-4-2 today. Thought it worked well with Perez/Mitrovic.

 

It didn't, though. We had no cutting edge at all.

[TheDonis]

Don't know what it is about Rafa. His teams score lots of late goals but also concede them. Every time I've watched you on TV this season there seems to have been late ones.

 

I watched that and thought you played well tonight. Leeds offered nothing but defended well. You really should have scored more than one, though.

 

Wrong decision to put Colback on in my view. It broke up your tempo. Maybe Hayden was tired? But also baffled where the ref got five minutes added from.

[mighty__mag]

Terrible subs. Still thinks its ok to risk Colback.

And thinks any old player can play as a number 10.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Taking Hayden off was crazy like. I understand wanting to keep players fresh, but tired or not, a good tired player is better than a terrible fresh player.

 

I can't really fault anything else though, we completely dominated the match.

[TheDonis]

Terrible subs. Still thinks its ok to risk Colback.

And thinks any old player can play as a number 10.

 

Rafa gets subs more right than wrong, and sometimes they work fantastically well. But they didn't tonight. Was he asked about taking Hayden off after the match?

[r0cafella]

Hayden has just come back from Injury given what happened with Gayle subbing him was sensible especially with another game on Monday.

[nemtizz]

Can't remember the last time he made decent, effective subs, tbf.

[Mick]

Taking Hayden off was crazy like. I understand wanting to keep players fresh, but tired or not, a good tired player is better than a terrible fresh player.

 

I can't really fault anything else though, we completely dominated the match.

 

Hayden was limping before he went off, he probably had to go off.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Taking Hayden off was crazy like. I understand wanting to keep players fresh, but tired or not, a good tired player is better than a terrible fresh player.

 

I can't really fault anything else though, we completely dominated the match.

 

Hayden was limping before he went off, he probably had to go off.

 

Fair enough, but I think so little of Colback I'd probably have still kept Hayden on.

[TheDonis]

Taking Hayden off was crazy like. I understand wanting to keep players fresh, but tired or not, a good tired player is better than a terrible fresh player.

 

I can't really fault anything else though, we completely dominated the match.

 

Hayden was limping before he went off, he probably had to go off.

 

Fair enough - the right call then.

 

Rafa should have been allowed to get McCarthy in January. A good player. Light years better than Colback. You'd be home and hosed by now.

[Mick]

 

Fair enough, but I think so little of Colback I'd probably have still kept Hayden on.

 

Colback is the last player I would have brought on, I would have replaced Hayden with Rob Elliot before replacing him with Colback.

[mighty__mag]

Terrible subs. Still thinks its ok to risk Colback.

And thinks any old player can play as a number 10.

 

Rafa gets subs more right than wrong, and sometimes they work fantastically well. But they didn't tonight. Was he asked about taking Hayden off after the match?

 

I had my doubts as soon as Colback came on. I cant pin all the blame on that sub,because we didnt take all the chances we should have finished. As much as Rafa does and gets things spot on, he continues to use players ineffective, and that is down to his stubborn formation. He hopes what is at his disposal will adapt, but its not always that simple.

It is obvious to see though that we do miss Clark and the threat of Dwight Gayle. Mitrovic is just not a threat at this level or higher. I defended him in the early season but he's just far to slow.

[Aiston]

Don't know what he sees in Colback but stop playing the useless twat please.

[Pilko]

Diame was a terrible move too. Just bring on Hanley and go five at the back.

[Altamullan]

Diame was a terrible move too. Just bring on Hanley and go five at the back.

I actually think Diame had a more negative impact than Colback: looked completely off the pace.

[Dave]

Diame was a terrible move too. Just bring on Hanley and go five at the back.

 

On the match thread people were complaining about us shutting up shop as it was.

[Pilko]

Diame was a terrible move too. Just bring on Hanley and go five at the back.

 

On the match thread people were complaining about us shutting up shop as it was.

 

Nah, out of what was on the bench Diame was the worst person to bring on. Lazy as fuck.

[jimmymag]

Plays the percentages and, inevitably, sometimes gets it wrong, but still amazing that he's getting this squad promoted.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Don't think he did anything wrong tonight really, should've been a comfortable win. A manager can't control everything.

[Kanj]

He can't be blamed for us creating that many chances and not scoring nor can he be blamed for Lascelles losing a 20+ goal scorer in the box in the final minute of stoppage time.

[Stifler]

It's about time he started questioning the referee's.

[madras]

Thought tactically he played it spot on, much more expansive.  My one worry is that he wasn't in the technical area as much, almost as if to say "there you go, that's what you want, I want nowt to do with it"

[Dave]