Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Altamullan]

The squad is just shite, i'm sorry that's all there is to it. I'm struggling to find teams in the Premier who I would be confident of beating, Leicester and Palace coming up and they are better than us man for man as well.

Worse than last season? When similarly some people couldn’t see a worse squad in the big bad PL.

 

Others have strengthened. We’ve stood still.

No, we don’t have the squad we would all want, but we strengthened/added needed options. Don’t see us as relatively weaker. As ever, depends how well managers can get a tune out of their ‘instruments’ and conduct/create a symphony. Some who have spent much more than us will have all the gear and no idea, personally I think we will be ok, if mid-table mediocrity classed as ok.

[Pilko]

Also turns out to be the correct perspective an all, like usual

 

I don't think you'll find many people that disagree with him being too good for the club in it's current state. Although we won't get into your obsessive wish for him to leave. It's just boring as shit; you're near enough just copy and pasting the same message in here every day FFS.

 

 

Like a broken record, it's tedious as fuck.

 

It's like having NE5 back. Getting close to ruining the forum with the same shit in every thread.

[duo]

So dude near me was literally on his feet in the second half shout at Rafa to change things...

[Crumpy Gunt]

Genuinley think Rafa could win us a trophy and we'd still have some fans saying "Yea but we were boring weren't we"

Were going to win fuck all - ever. This I (and many other NUFC supporters i'd guess....) have accepted. So, a bit entertainment now and again shouldn't be too much to ask.

 

I wonder if we are seeing players not happy with the style they are being asked to play? Our captain was dropped (ankle injury...hmmm) for a disagreement apparently.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Also turns out to be the correct perspective an all, like usual

Funny considering this is two posts after you've mentioned how you now think you're going to lose the two bets you made based on your usual correct perspective.

[biggs]

fit enough for bench fit to start .Cech was crapping himself but we didnt really try to put him under pressure and that team worries me that we are just so weak and easy to take possession from and give it away so cheaply ,yedlin never really utilized effectively .

[Infinitely Content]

The squad is just shite, i'm sorry that's all there is to it. I'm struggling to find teams in the Premier who I would be confident of beating, Leicester and Palace coming up and they are better than us man for man as well.

Worse than last season? When similarly some people couldn’t see a worse squad in the big bad PL.

 

Others have strengthened. We’ve stood still.

No, we don’t have the squad we would all want, but we strengthened/added needed options. Don’t see us as relatively weaker. As ever, depends how well managers can get a tune out of their ‘instruments’ and conduct/create a symphony. Some who have spent much more than us will have all the gear and no idea, personally I think we will be ok, if mid-table mediocrity classed as ok.

 

Some sense and reason, at last

[Bimpy474]

For me it feels like we're a club with no heart this season. Rafa will do his best but from the very top of the club the apathy, carelessness and vindictiveness is killing the team, killing any hope.

 

We may have a team to stay up but right now we have a team that doesn't look like it can stay up, we just look like a club that will go down. It's the feel around the club, not because of the manager or players, but because we're run by thick as mince idiots who can't see what's happening right in front of them, for the third fucking time.

[Guest neesy111]

I think it's very debatable whether we are stronger than last season.  Lots of questions marks over a number of the summer signings.

 

We have beeneft behind though by 2 of the promotion clubs imo and few others that finished below us last season.

 

Defensively I think we look far worse than last season, lejeune is a huge miss.  All well and good and keep goal difference down but we've conceded twice in every game minus the caridff match despite putting at tactics to keep it at as tight as possible.

[mrmojorisin75]

For me it feels like we're a club with no heart this season. Rafa will do his best but from the very top of the club the apathy, carelessness and vindictiveness is killing the team, killing any hope.

 

may be something in this i guess, last season was about exceeding expectations and so forth

 

this season we've deliberately had the chair kicked out from under us by ashley, has probably had an impact on everyone

[Pilko]

My issue with Rafa always has been that we look alright when level or leading a match, but often look absolutely stunned and unable to reach when going a goal down, particularly at home.

 

When the pressure is really on us to force the issue and get back into a match, we don't seem to have the know how or flexibility to be ever so slightly more gung-ho. This was even the case in the Championship I thought.

[Bimpy474]

For me it feels like we're a club with no heart this season. Rafa will do his best but from the very top of the club the apathy, carelessness and vindictiveness is killing the team, killing any hope.

 

may be something in this i guess, last season was about exceeding expectations and so forth

 

this season we've deliberately had the chair kicked out from under us by ashley, has probably had an impact on everyone

 

Aye, last season was more of an unknown as we'd just come up (again) but actively sabotaging your own club this season really is peak Ashley, then again he's been doing it for years.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'm barely following it now, just waiting for a fixture we might have a chance in.

[George Bailey]

Have to admit I do not expect us to win anything in my lifetime.

Zero chance of winning the league and any European competitions, way beyond us save for a huge takeover by an Amazon type gazzilionnaire investor.

 

We do not take the domestic cups seriously so all in all can't see us winning owt. (this is the one thing we could change relatively easily)

Doesn't matter a jot to me though.

[Yorkie]

Last season's squad was showing green shoots of promise but the only really positive addition is Rondon. Fernandez has started well but he's no better or worse than Lejeune. Ki is worse than Merino. Meanwhile, at least two of last season's best performers have massively regressed (Kenedy and Diame).

 

Then there's injuries, a rotten fixture list, another miserable cup exit, a squad that's starting to lose its fight and a smear campaign against the manager; all against the backdrop of a fanbase in revolt. Everything is horribly negative and it's all been caused by yet another appalling transfer window orchestrated by the incompetent board and their malevolent boss.

 

Everything added up and we've basically got a lot worse. It'll take either Rondon coming out firing or another shrewd January if we're to come anywhere close to the remarkable 10th-place finish of last season. A year in the bottom four or five seems a lot more likely at this point.

[Wallace]

For me it feels like we're a club with no heart this season. Rafa will do his best but from the very top of the club the apathy, carelessness and vindictiveness is killing the team, killing any hope.

 

may be something in this i guess, last season was about exceeding expectations and so forth

 

this season we've deliberately had the chair kicked out from under us by ashley, has probably had an impact on everyone

 

Aye, last season was more of an unknown as we'd just come up (again) but actively sabotaging your own club this season really is peak Ashley, then again he's been doing it for years.

 

To me it is understandable why the players will be demoralised this season.  I guess everyone could see it happening apart from Ashley and his cronies.

 

They played their hearts out last season and got us to a decent position in the league.  Then what happens?  The players all come out asking for the manager to be backed.  Ashley won't do it because Rafa won't sign the contract because Ashley won't sanction improvements to the infrastructure.  The result being that he is only allowed to bring a player in if one leaves.  This leads to players like Ritchie and Gayle being unsettled because they don't want to leave and neither does Rafa want them to leave but he needs to improve the squad and is not allowed to add to it.  Hayden wants to leave - even does the decent thing and actually puts in a transfer request - but is not allowed to leave because Rafa knows he will not be able to afford anyone  better.  Then comes the annual dispute with players over bonuses - supposedly based on unattainable targets.

 

So why should the players feel motivated to repeat last season's efforts?  The owner clearly isn't interested or grateful for last season or even capable of comprehending what an enormous effort it was from everyone.  His attitude is if they finished 10th, then that cuts him some slack as they can afford to drop a few places.  He has no interest in rewarding them or motivating them to do better than last year.

 

And the players brought in?  All from relegated clubs or ones that were involved in relegation battles.

 

Along with the difficult start and the gradual realisation that this season is going to be even more of a struggle and certainly not one to enjoy - either by players or fans, then it is not hard to see why players are not performing to the same levels.  I am sure they are giving their all but will have been subconsciously affected by Ashley's decision making.

 

And Rafa's situation is probably the main issue.  The players have all bought into him but if he leaves, where does that leave them?  It has never worked when players know a manager is leaving and almost always, the manager does end up leaving before the end of the season.

 

So what happens next?  Palace and Leicester will be difficult, then it is Man Utd.  Where will we be then?  If Ashley wouldn't back Rafa with 12 months left on his contract why would he do it with 6 months left?  Does that mean he sacks Rafa?  I wouldn't be surprised if he is waiting for the opportunity just like he did with Hughton.  And no doubt the next manager will be given significant transfer funds as another kick in the teeth for Rafa with the underlying message that it was all Rafa's fault for not signing the contract.

 

 

 

[TRon]

Genuinley think Rafa could win us a trophy and we'd still have some fans saying "Yea but we were boring weren't we"

Were going to win fuck all - ever. This I (and many other NUFC supporters i'd guess....) have accepted. So, a bit entertainment now and again shouldn't be too much to ask.

 

I wonder if we are seeing players not happy with the style they are being asked to play? Our captain was dropped (ankle injury...hmmm) for a disagreement apparently.

 

Maybe there are some players who would prefer us to push forward more, but we have generally defended fairly well this season so they are putting the effort in. The problem is we can't pass the ball out when we have possession, I think that's just down to a lot of players not being very good, not so much that they feel a bit down.

[Dave]

Yorkie and Wallace.

[Infinitely Content]

Last season's squad was showing green shoots of promise but the only really positive addition is Rondon. Fernandez has started well but he's no better or worse than Lejeune. Ki is worse than Merino. Meanwhile, at least two of last season's best performers have massively regressed (Kenedy and Diame).

 

 

Yes but it's not like we have sold Lejeune, we have added Fernandez to an already strong area meaning we are certainly stronger there. Fernandez is an upgrade on Mbemba in this league for sure.

 

Also think it's unfair to say Kenedy has regressed, we're only 5 games in.

[mrmojorisin75]

Last season's squad was showing green shoots of promise but the only really positive addition is Rondon. Fernandez has started well but he's no better or worse than Lejeune. Ki is worse than Merino. Meanwhile, at least two of last season's best performers have massively regressed (Kenedy and Diame).

 

 

Yes but it's not like we have sold Lejeune, we have added Fernandez to an already strong area meaning we are certainly stronger there. Fernandez is an upgrade on Mbemba in this league for sure.

 

Also think it's unfair to say Kenedy has regressed, we're only 5 games in.

 

problem with the mbemba/fernandez swap is that mbemba could actually do a decent job at FB as well and i'd have had him in the team ahead of manquillo every day of the week

[Yorkie]

Last season's squad was showing green shoots of promise but the only really positive addition is Rondon. Fernandez has started well but he's no better or worse than Lejeune. Ki is worse than Merino. Meanwhile, at least two of last season's best performers have massively regressed (Kenedy and Diame).

 

 

Yes but it's not like we have sold Lejeune, we have added Fernandez to an already strong area meaning we are certainly stronger there. Fernandez is an upgrade on Mbemba in this league for sure.

 

Also think it's unfair to say Kenedy has regressed, we're only 5 games in.

 

Fair. I wrote squad where I meant first team.

[Infinitely Content]

In which case I'd agree. Although it's a good job we got Fernandez with Lejeune being injured, otherwise we would be significantly weaker there until his return. We certainly didn't do enough in the transfer window, not even close; but I personally don't think it was horrendous (not saying you do, like). I think we're stronger, just about.

[Zero]

We are stronger in terms of squad depth but our starting eleven is more or less the same.

[TRon]

Last season's squad was showing green shoots of promise but the only really positive addition is Rondon. Fernandez has started well but he's no better or worse than Lejeune. Ki is worse than Merino. Meanwhile, at least two of last season's best performers have massively regressed (Kenedy and Diame).

 

 

Yes but it's not like we have sold Lejeune, we have added Fernandez to an already strong area meaning we are certainly stronger there. Fernandez is an upgrade on Mbemba in this league for sure.

 

Also think it's unfair to say Kenedy has regressed, we're only 5 games in.

 

problem with the mbemba/fernandez swap is that mbemba could actually do a decent job at FB as well and i'd have had him in the team ahead of manquillo every day of the week

 

I really like Fernandez, he's not only a proper defender who does the dirty work well, he showed some nice touches going forward as well when we were chasing the game. That cross was a belter, shows what we are missing by not having quality full backs.

[Guest]

We are stronger in terms of squad depth but our starting eleven is more or less the same.

 

Is it though? We've replaced Mbemba with someone I'd have thought would at least replace Clark as 3rd choice yet we've still started Clark for the majority of the season over Schar, Ki isn't as good as Merino imo, and I don't care whether Mitrovic was suited to Benitez's game or not, I don't think we've got any strikers on the books better than him. We don't have a single back-up left-back (not even a Gamez or Haidara) either.