Rafael Benitez

[TheDonis]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him fucking spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

[Hughesy]

Think most managers do tend to have a shelf life.  Feels wrong even typing it, but I really hope Rafa doesn't, given his tactical brain and coaching ability.

[Sir Toon]

There's definitely something went on in the background and aside all this talk of Rafa staying, his persona recently hasn't been that of someone genuinely happy with things.

 

Whether that means he's getting more attached to his job I dont know but even whilst we've been talking over basic maths in another thread, the fact remained that not one player HAD to be sold from the premier league squad.  The club were quite vocal in this.

 

As it was and for that reason of a stockpile of £30m+ being created, that should have been Rafa's in theory to strengthen and make his job easier.  He was hardly going to come out and say the personnel aren't good enough.  Can see grief ahead personally once it's sorted either way.

[TheDonis]

Think most managers do tend to have a shelf life.  Feels wrong even typing it, but I really hope Rafa doesn't, given his tactical brain and coaching ability.

 

They do but often it's because players stop listening to them. Or become tired of them, or lose respect if they've ballsed up elsewhere. Rafa had no respect at RM. But the players at NUFC should be delighted to be working with someone like him, which is why this job is a good fit.

[mighty__mag]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him fucking spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

Bizarrely Jack Colback can bypass this treatment then.

One of the pitfalls in our drop in form along with losing the stability of Clark.

[Hughesy]

Think most managers do tend to have a shelf life.  Feels wrong even typing it, but I really hope Rafa doesn't, given his tactical brain and coaching ability.

 

They do but often it's because players stop listening to them. Or become tired of them, or lose respect if they've ballsed up elsewhere. Rafa had no respect at RM. But the players at NUFC should be delighted to be working with someone like him, which is why this job is a good fit.

 

Completely agree - the cloggers we have in our squad should be grateful to even have one coaching session from Rafa, let alone have him as their manager.  I'm just hoping that our current players are too stupid to understand what he's asking them to do and that he is permitted to rip the squad up and start again.

[Elliottman]

The players he's working with just simply aren't good enough. There's two or three of the starting 11 that are terrified of the ball for a start. That said, there's a good chance we'll finish with more than 90points.

[mrmojorisin75]

The players he's working with just simply aren't good enough.

 

in a nutshell, i think he's trying to balance the abject shite we've got into a functioning unit that doesn't ship 4 goals every game and he's just about succeeding with it

 

if we 'opened up' as some people want i honestly think we'd get humped fairly often a la mcclaren/pardew

[Guest palnese]

The same shite players won 9 in a row or whatever it was.

[NG32]

The same s**** players won 9 in a row or whatever it was.

 

Been a long season tho and weve had players in and out.  Plus weve lost Gayle,  which has slowed us right down.

[Guest firetotheworks]

The same shite players won 9 in a row or whatever it was.

 

That's not really true. We've had suspensions and injuries to Shelvey, Gayle, and Clarke who were all massive during that time.

[Shearergol]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him fucking spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

[TheDonis]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

 

He comes steaming out at a hundred miles an hour to the bloke with the bandaged head, who beats him easily, and finds space for the pass. If Mitro doesn't dive in, holds him up or jockeys him there, that pass isn't on. He has to cut back inside and launch it in himself or go wide.

[ujpest doza]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him fucking spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

Timewasting in the corner didn't work.

Would have been better passing and moving the ball around, or whisper it quietly going for the jugular and actually trying to score more goals.

 

Just saying mind, don't quote me.

 

[Shearergol]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

 

He comes steaming out at a hundred miles an hour to the bloke with the bandaged head, who beats him easily, and finds space for the pass. If Mitro doesn't dive in, holds him up or jockeys him there, that pass isn't on. He has to cut back inside and launch it in himself or go wide.

 

He's a striker. The blame lies with the defence 100%.

[joeyt]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

Timewasting in the corner didn't work.

Would have been better passing and moving the ball around, or whisper it quietly going for the jugular and actually trying to score more goals.

 

Just saying mind, don't quote me.

 

 

I thought the timewasting in the corner was fine and we were managing the game pretty well and frustrating Leeds but it was when the ball ended up in their box and we lost it which lead to us being opened up to the counter attack and Colback made the foul for the freekick in the lead to their goal. If we just kept it in the corner and kept winning throw ins or corners we probably would have seen the game out (even if it wouldn't have been great to watch)

[jimmymag]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

 

He comes steaming out at a hundred miles an hour to the bloke with the bandaged head, who beats him easily, and finds space for the pass. If Mitro doesn't dive in, holds him up or jockeys him there, that pass isn't on. He has to cut back inside and launch it in himself or go wide.

 

He's a striker. The blame lies with the defence 100%.

 

Defend from the front!

 

Another skill Mitrovic is crap at!

[Shearergol]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

 

He comes steaming out at a hundred miles an hour to the bloke with the bandaged head, who beats him easily, and finds space for the pass. If Mitro doesn't dive in, holds him up or jockeys him there, that pass isn't on. He has to cut back inside and launch it in himself or go wide.

 

He's a striker. The blame lies with the defence 100%.

 

Defend from the front!

 

Another skill Mitrovic is crap at!

 

Hang on, so he's to blame for the goal even though he was the furthest forward, 3 players let the cross actually come in and 2 centre backs ignored the runner?

 

There's an agenda right there.

[jimmymag]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

 

He comes steaming out at a hundred miles an hour to the bloke with the bandaged head, who beats him easily, and finds space for the pass. If Mitro doesn't dive in, holds him up or jockeys him there, that pass isn't on. He has to cut back inside and launch it in himself or go wide.

 

He's a striker. The blame lies with the defence 100%.

 

Defend from the front!

 

Another skill Mitrovic is crap at!

 

Hang on, so he's to blame for the goal even though he was the furthest forward, 3 players let the cross actually come in and 2 centre backs ignored the runner?

 

There's an agenda right there.

 

Do you disagree with the main point?

 

Watching Mitro "close down" is a joke. Gayle does 3 times the amount of defending Mitro manages. Well, he is 3 times quicker than him.

[Shearergol]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

 

He comes steaming out at a hundred miles an hour to the bloke with the bandaged head, who beats him easily, and finds space for the pass. If Mitro doesn't dive in, holds him up or jockeys him there, that pass isn't on. He has to cut back inside and launch it in himself or go wide.

 

He's a striker. The blame lies with the defence 100%.

 

Defend from the front!

 

Another skill Mitrovic is crap at!

 

Hang on, so he's to blame for the goal even though he was the furthest forward, 3 players let the cross actually come in and 2 centre backs ignored the runner?

 

There's an agenda right there.

 

Do you disagree with the main point?

 

Watching Mitro "close down" is a joke. Gayle does 3 times the amount of defending Mitro manages. Well, he is 3 times quicker than him.

 

You've changed the main point. I asked why Mitro would be blamed by Rafa for the goal. He's like 6th in line for blame.

[Guest neesy111]

I'm no fan of Mitro, but you can't blame him for what happened on Friday.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

Blaming a striker for making a poor challenge when there were 10 other players behind him who made similarly shit (or even no) efforts ffs

 

Mitro had been on the pitch for 94 minutes and had worked his arse off. Diame strolls onto the pitch with 10 minutes to go and he failed to put any sort of challenge in near the box, yet we're sat here talking about Mitro's poor attempt to challenge for the ball on the halfway line.

 

Murphy was terrible yesterday, again. As bad as Mitro has been in some matches - yet he's received little/no stick for it. Before anyone even says "aye but he scored", aye he did, but Atsu put the ball on a plate for him and it was near on impossible to miss. The remaining time in the game he was diabolically shit and gave away constant free kicks.

[Minhosa]

I'm no fan of Mitro, but you can't blame him for what happened on Friday.

 

Agree with this. The blame lies with the defence and particularly with Lascelles imho.

 

Mitro was doing exactly the right thing in timewasting. At the time I was shouting at Colback to chop the Leeds player assuming we would have time to organise ourselves to defend the set piece and then the game would be all but over.

 

Mitro and Jogback relatively blameless here. If Lascelles had of covered Wood, we'd be near enough up.

[HawK]

Blaming a striker for making a poor challenge when there were 10 other players behind him who made similarly s*** (or even no) efforts ffs

 

Mitro had been on the pitch for 94 minutes and had worked his arse off. Diame strolls onto the pitch with 10 minutes to go and he failed to put any sort of challenge in near the box, yet we're sat here talking about Mitro's poor attempt to challenge for the ball on the halfway line.

 

Murphy was terrible yesterday, again. As bad as Mitro has been in some matches - yet he's received little/no stick for it. Before anyone even says "aye but he scored", aye he did, but Atsu put the ball on a plate for him and it was near on impossible to miss. The remaining time in the game he was diabolically s*** and gave away constant free kicks.

 

If Mitro contributed to winning matches to compensate for his criminal lack of a goalscorer's instinct, he'd not get anywhere near as much stick.

 

The fact is he doesn't, and Murphy's goals have won us matches. Strikers should be judged on goals scored, first and foremost. Murphy is just better at scoring than Mitrovic as the stats will show. How many assists has Mitro gotten whilst not scoring?

[ujpest doza]

I wonder if there was something said on Sunday because there was rumours of players moping around the hotel on Sunday night.

 

Rafa is a patient man. But the nature of that equaliser against Leeds will have driven him f***ing spare. Maybe he decided to give it both barrels, though that's not his style. Usually he cuts players dead who won't learn or won't do a job. Maybe that's why Mitro was benched?

 

How was Mitro to blame for the Leeds goal by the way?

Timewasting in the corner didn't work.

Would have been better passing and moving the ball around, or whisper it quietly going for the jugular and actually trying to score more goals.

 

Just saying mind, don't quote me.

 

 

I thought the timewasting in the corner was fine and we were managing the game pretty well and frustrating Leeds but it was when the ball ended up in their box and we lost it which lead to us being opened up to the counter attack and Colback made the foul for the freekick in the lead to their goal. If we just kept it in the corner and kept winning throw ins or corners we probably would have seen the game out (even if it wouldn't have been great to watch)

I just don't think we did the timewasting in the corner thing very well and would have been better served passing the ball about to frustrate them.

 

I can't blame Colback either as it was a foul that had to be made and we should have then had time to get organised and defend properly.

 

I can blame Lascelles mind as he completely lost Wood.