Mick Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I said and agree that yesterday we were simply second best. We let a poor Blackburn side get into the game, we had a shocker against Wolves and allowed them to be comfortable, we conceded too much possession to both Sheff Wed and Huddersfield. We've beaten some sides fairly easily but we've not battered any side at home and we haven't attempted to do so. The conservative approach at home is costing us points. We're giving sides hope; we could have some more very twitchy home games to come. Some of the crowd reaction yesterday was awful. We can't play to the crowd but we're not exactly helping ourselves. I thought we battered Reading and also battered Birmingham, they're two that come to mind. Some of the crowd reaction was awful, the bloke in front of me deserved a slap for the way that he went on. I've came away from some games and wondered how we hadn't scored more goals because we've had plenty of chances to do so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duo Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Rafa Benitez is our manager...Whoever thought that would happen........just enjoy it whilst it lasts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I hope he makes a public apology and admits that 4-4-2 is the superior formation and that he is guilty of crimes against football before stepping down. It's the only honorable thing to do. #TeamFrancis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiston Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 So are people not allowed to criticise the manager when he fucks up in a few games? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duo Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 So are people not allowed to criticise the manager when he f***s up in a few games? Sometimes I think a reality check is needed: Fulham were excellent - got their tactics spot on. It happens. Rafa wanted to strengthen - the powers that be decided not to. So when key players such as Shelvey are off the pace - Rafa is limited on what he can do to change it. If Tom Cairney was in our squad the result would have been different. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 So are people not allowed to criticise the manager when he fucks up in a few games? It's fair to criticise, you just need some perspective. People's lack of knowledge of the Championship (and their overestimation of our squad) has them believing that we should just be beating everyone regardless of how well they're doing. We played shite and got turned over by a really good side in this league. There's been an obvious drop off since winter with teams probably sussing us out a bit, and Rafa not changing his style probably doesn't help that but that's just the way he is - it works for him so he'll not change, for good or bad. We had the opportunity to pretty much make promotion a certainty in the summer had we listened to him but we've took a gamble and the glaring weaknesses in our squad are showing. EDIT: Basically what duo said never saw his post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
huss9 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 we've been unlucky with injuries to key players at the same time. yedlin's pace, and hayden's lack of colbackness have been missed and its clear gayle physically fit but not quite mentally or match fit. get past brum - have a rest - then attack wigan and burton at home with a fully fit squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 we've been unlucky with injuries to key players at the same time. yedlin's pace, and hayden's lack of colbackness have been missed and its clear gayle physically fit but not quite mentally or match fit. get past brum - have a rest - then attack wigan and burton at home with a fully fit squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Could really rotate the squad a little bit IMO. Some of our lot just look terribly gassed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Could really rotate the squad a little bit IMO. Some of our lot just look terribly gassed. We don't really have the options to rotate in midfield though. The failure to get some midfielders in January is criminal imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figures 1-0 Football Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 He can be criticised and I agree with most that we need a change of approach in our home matches but in the long run we've been fine and we're top of the league and highly likely to be promoted. We're going to lose games, we're going to put in the occasional s*** performance every now and again. Every team comes to SJP with no pressure on getting a result, it's a cup match for them - they have nothing to lose whereas we have everything to lose. Yesterdays defeat wasn't because Rafa got it wrong - it was because the team on the pitch were pathetic, clearly uninterested at times and ambled around like a bunch of tossers. Under previous managers, this would go on and on and on. Under Rafa I have no doubt he'd have called people out, there will be changes in the next game and we'll go back to a performance we expect. After every defeat at home this season, we've won the following game. Looking at some of the horrifically s*** posts on here after a defeat, it's unsurprisingly the rest of the world think we're deluded or have unrealistic expectations. Pathetic posts from people who wet the bed more often than not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I didn't go to the game but the fact we surrendered 70% of the possession in the first half and (according to most) were persistently hitting long balls to Dwight Gayle suggests absolving Rafa of all blame is equally as stupid as the posts you're referring to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figures 1-0 Football Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I didn't go to the game but the fact we surrendered 70% of the possession in the first half and (according to most) were persistently hitting long balls to Dwight Gayle suggests absolving Rafa of all blame is equally as stupid as the posts you're referring to. I'm not absolving him of all blame at all. There are times that he gets it wrong, but yesterday's defeat was not solely down to his tactical choices and was mainly due to the ineffectiveness of those on the pitch. It was clear what Rafa wanted us to do yesterday, press Fulham and release Gayle early. It was a tactic that easily could have worked, Fulham were playing a very high line and there was a lot of space for Gayle to run into. However, the execution of the players on the pitch was p*ss poor. Ritchie clearly frustrated after 5 minutes that Colback and Dummett were not pressing. This then went around the team, heads dropped and more and more players started playing poorly. The balls to Gayle were ridiculously wide of the mark and impossible for him to latch onto. We actually started relatively well, we dropped off after about 15 minutes and then lost any control of the game completely. Second half there was a clear change, we attempted to play with the ball a bit more but were always vulnerable to Fulham playing on the break - which they did twice and scored two further goals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Rafa Benitez is our manager...Whoever thought that would happen........just enjoy it whilst it lasts. I will when some enjoyment starts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chopey Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Fulhams front 3 caused us problems from the start yesterday and our midfield was constantly overun, I think the majority of posters on here are just a little surprised that Rafa did nothing to try and combat it, even though four or five of our players had off days, we still just stuck with the same tactics we have used all season. Even the Liverpool fans that love Rafa as much as we do say that he is very ridgid in his tactics and even makes his subs based on time rather than the game in front of him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Rafa Benitez is our manager...Whoever thought that would happen........just enjoy it whilst it lasts. I will when some enjoyment starts We're top of the league man Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figures 1-0 Football Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Fulhams front 3 caused us problems from the start yesterday and our midfield was constantly overun, I think the majority of posters on here are just a little surprised that Rafa did nothing to try and combat it, even though four or five of our players had off days, we still just stuck with the same tactics we have used all season. Even the Liverpool fans that love Rafa as much as we do say that he is very ridgid in his tactics and even makes his subs based on time rather than the game in front of him. But he did try and change it. It worked in parts as well, we were much better in the second half. When you're chasing a game you're always vulnerable to conceding especially against a team as pacey as Fulham. I'm sure when Rafa changed it at HT, he didn't expect Dummett to give Fulham a two goal lead or Clark to have to come off injured. I've not looked but I'm sure the stats will evidence this too. Especially when I think Fulham scored their 2nd and 3rd with pretty much their only attempts in the second half. Both goals coming on the break as mentioned above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 He only changed it after the 2nd goal went in. It was the introduction of Murphy that improved us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chopey Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I didnt see him try and change it from where i was sitting Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figures 1-0 Football Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I didnt see him try and change it from where i was sitting You might not have noticed the changes because our players were still passing to Fulham players rather than each other. But there was a definite change in tactics which led to us improving after the break, albeit slightly because the players were still piss poor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliottman Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Rafa Benitez is our manager...Whoever thought that would happen........just enjoy it whilst it lasts. I will when some enjoyment starts We're top of the league man We really get what we deserve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I didn't think we changed that much after half time and it was the first 15 mins after half time where the game became completely out of reach Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altamullan Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I'm not joining in the WUMMING, but I feel compelled to dust-off a variant of the 'two up front' rant. The lack of variation in our home formation (pretty much lining-up as we do when away) does two things: makes us predictable as hell; concedes home advantage which adds most benefit when we have possession football and chances to crank-up the atmosphere into something helpful rather than harmful. Why do either? Especially when we have three fit strikers and are without an obvious 'no.10'/AM in our usual system. RB needs to take a long hard look in the mirror and channel his internal teacher: could do better; more flexibility required. So you know better than Rafa? Remind me who sits top of the league? Managed by whom? Absurd logic which only gives credence to rival fans who accuse of a Messiah complex. Rafa doesn't change, whinge if you want, just accept it and crack on............we got well beat yesterday by an infinitely better side , deal with it. He has us on target, on top, stop f***ing moaning At the risk of treating you like a f***ing imbecile, being on top at the end of the season is what is important. We have a, relatively speaking, poor home record. Failure to try to understand and problem solve that is poor management. As is inflexibility for the sake of it. Rafa is and always has been methodical. However, he did explicitly say he would play two strikers if indicated (Holloway interview) and is undisputably a good manager. He will have his own views on our home form. We will all have views too. And guess what? They are being expressed on a forum to discuss NUFC. We are all are exposed to your opinion (including that we'd blow promotion by the play-offs and an unhealthy Makem-obsession) I suggest you develop some tolerance for others' views. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decky Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I'd be more concerned about our home form if it was December. As it stands there's 9 games left and we're top and 6 points clear of 3rd. We'll be fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
morla84 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I'd be more concerned about our home form if it was December. As it stands there's 9 games left and we're top and 6 points clear of 3rd. We'll be fine. 5 of which are at home, which means we have a maximum 12 points left to play for. Playoffs here we come I'm afraid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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