Rafael Benitez

[SEMTEX]

The hitting it long stuff, and not wanting to play at all, really can't be what he's sending them out to do (all the time). Rafa said as much in his post match comments.

 

 

If he really didn't tell them to hit it long vs Ipswich, we've got a team full of complete fucking idiots/bottlers, because they did it for 90 fucking minutes.

 

My guess is it's somewhere in-between though, because the Murphy/Diame combo tells me they're going for hoofbahl.

[Bimpy474]

The hitting it long stuff, and not wanting to play at all, really can't be what he's sending them out to do (all the time). Rafa said as much in his post match comments.

 

I'm with you on that but there was definitely a tactic of being direct, which i don't really understand when you want to control the midifield as Rafa always alludes to.

 

Something is just not right, whether that be the players not lstening (if so they're off their rockers to not listen to Rafa), or we've just hit a rut we can't get out of, and the players are taking the easy ball by getting rid instead of playing.

 

Whatever it is, we just look awful at times, but go up and give him funds, better players in certain positions and we'll look so much better.

[nemtizz]

We've been hitting it long, for better or worse, since the first game of the season.

[Guest neesy111]

The hitting it long stuff, and not wanting to play at all, really can't be what he's sending them out to do (all the time). Rafa said as much in his post match comments.

 

I'm with you on that but there was definitely a tactic of being direct, which i don't really understand when you want to control the midifield as Rafa always alludes to.

 

Something is just not right, whether that be the players not lstening (if so they're off their rockers to not listen to Rafa), or we've just hit a rut we can't get out of, and the player take the easy ball by getting rid instead of playing.

 

Whatever it is, we just look awful at times, but go up and give him funds, better players in certain positions and we'll look so much better.

 

I think the players really don't suit the formation we are playing, hence why they are going long.

[Bimpy474]

We have a habit of getting sucked into playing shit football by the clogger teams we come up against in this league. I think thats why our best performances come against the better teams, we both want to play football.

 

I don't agree with that, that's an easy cop out excuse.

[Bimpy474]

The hitting it long stuff, and not wanting to play at all, really can't be what he's sending them out to do (all the time). Rafa said as much in his post match comments.

 

I'm with you on that but there was definitely a tactic of being direct, which i don't really understand when you want to control the midifield as Rafa always alludes to.

 

Something is just not right, whether that be the players not lstening (if so they're off their rockers to not listen to Rafa), or we've just hit a rut we can't get out of, and the player take the easy ball by getting rid instead of playing.

 

Whatever it is, we just look awful at times, but go up and give him funds, better players in certain positions and we'll look so much better.

 

I think the players really don't suit the formation we are playing, hence why they are going long.

 

True, but then surely he should change the formation (he won't so it's a moot point). It's the Diame signing which i think has let Rafa down the most, playing as a 10 he's been crap and not something Rafa expected i would say.

[Greg]

We've been hitting it long, for better or worse, since the first game of the season.

 

First half of the season we didn't really in the traditional sense, mixed it up between some good passing play and then hitting it over the top to get Gayle in behind on the break.

 

Since Christmas we've been dreadful, very little passing football and constantly either hitting it long to the big man or over the top for Gayle unsuccessfully, which teams have worked out now.

 

 

[HaydnNUFC]

https://twitter.com/bigchrisholt/status/854394558846820352

[Kanj]

That run of form also coincides with the Gayle and Hayden injury too right?

[Happinesstan]

https://twitter.com/bigchrisholt/status/854394558846820352

 

Ashley will probably use those statistics next January, to calculate whether he can get away with spending nowt again.

 

If we've got 26 points by deadline day he'll spend nowt.

 

 

[Wallsendmag]

https://twitter.com/bigchrisholt/status/854394558846820352

 

Ashley will probably use those statistics next January, to calculate whether he can get away with spending nowt again.

 

If we've got 26 points by deadline day he'll spend nowt.

 

 

 

Not a chance we'll have 26 points by the end of January unless he spends big in the summer.

[Greg]

For context that would have been 13th this season. It's entirely possibly considering if Rafa is still here (on the basis that he will have already walked if he isn't backed).

[Dave]

I've never seen 'straw man' used so often as on this forum. It's a like an N-O obsession.

 

 

 

[ponsaelius]

I've solved it. We've been shite since that geek with his laptop went to Hearts.

[SEMTEX]

Looking at his win percentage I reckon there's a reasonable chance he'll be back next year...

[Crumpy Gunt]

It was Shane Warne who said: "Monty Panesar hasn't played 33 tests, he's played 1 test 33 times" – a reference to his limited approach.....

[Guest chopey]

It was Shane Warne who said: "Monty Panesar hasn't played 33 tests, he's played 1 test 33 times" – a reference to his limited approach.....

 

Very good.

[TRon]

The hitting it long stuff, and not wanting to play at all, really can't be what he's sending them out to do (all the time). Rafa said as much in his post match comments.

 

I'm with you on that but there was definitely a tactic of being direct, which i don't really understand when you want to control the midifield as Rafa always alludes to.

 

Something is just not right, whether that be the players not lstening (if so they're off their rockers to not listen to Rafa), or we've just hit a rut we can't get out of, and the player take the easy ball by getting rid instead of playing.

 

Whatever it is, we just look awful at times, but go up and give him funds, better players in certain positions and we'll look so much better.

 

I think the players really don't suit the formation we are playing, hence why they are going long.

 

True, but then surely he should change the formation (he won't so it's a moot point). It's the Diame signing which i think has let Rafa down the most, playing as a 10 he's been crap and not something Rafa expected i would say.

 

I think it's the constant mistakes at the back which are giving him the biggest headache. If Diame is crap you can always put someone else in there in his place. Too many players are struggling to do the basics and I imagine he wanted to fix this in January.

[DJ_NUFC]

It was Shane Warne who said: "Monty Panesar hasn't played 33 tests, he's played 1 test 33 times" – a reference to his limited approach.....

 

This is it, grumpy. Your finest hour as a poster by pulling up this splendid (but characteristically inaccurate and unrelated) cricketing anecdote. The world automatically slows down to the pace life should be lived at when test cricket enters the fray.

[themanupstairs]

It was Shane Warne who said: "Monty Panesar hasn't played 33 tests, he's played 1 test 33 times" – a reference to his limited approach.....

 

It was Bruce Lee who said: "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times".

[HawK]

It was Shane Warne who said: "Monty Panesar hasn't played 33 tests, he's played 1 test 33 times" – a reference to his limited approach.....

 

It was Bruce Lee who said: "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times".

 

 

 

 

 

[Marmoset]

It was Shane Warne who said: "Monty Panesar hasn't played 33 tests, he's played 1 test 33 times" – a reference to his limited approach.....

 

It was Bruce Lee who said: "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times".

 

And now he's dead.

[1964]

It was Shane Warne who said: "Monty Panesar hasn't played 33 tests, he's played 1 test 33 times" – a reference to his limited approach.....

 

It was Bruce Lee who said: "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times".

 

And now he's dead.

 

And Shane Warne isn't, it's pretty clear to me who's quote stands the test of time, if you'll pardon the pun

[Hanshithispantz]

Raymond Blanc once said "a soup is only as good as it's worst pea, and one of my peas is ginger."

[Si]