Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Tubestationatmidnight]

To try and keep this shambles of a club in the premier league for now at least. It's going to be one monumental slog for survival this season and I still think a lot of our fans just don't get how bad our squad is. Cardiff and Huddersfield are goners and it's us and Brighton for the last spot.

 

Other than maybe Southampton I can't make a case for anyone else to be in relegation danger. Even Fulham seem to have too much and Burnley will sort themselves out now to be lower mid table

[Guest firetotheworks]

Not getting hammered is to be lauded though. I don't think there's some alternate timeline where this team is playing more attacking football and being in any way more successful. It seems like the idea that the players aren't good enough and Ashley's not spending anywhere near enough is slowly slipping into 'yeah, but Rafa should still be doing better' territory.

[Tubestationatmidnight]

People complaining about what Rafa is serving up baffles me. It's no different to what got us 10th last season and how we beat manure Arsenal and Chelsea.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Not getting hammered is to be lauded though. I don't think there's some alternate timeline where this team is playing more attacking football and being in any way more successful. It seems like the idea that the players aren't good enough and Ashley's not spending anywhere near enough is slowly slipping into 'yeah, but Rafa should still be doing better' territory.

 

We could be playing much better football in the final 3rd without sacrificing anything or most of which that makes us hard to beat. We are hard to beat, but we make it hard for ourselves to win games and there needs to be a balance.

 

Throughout our promotion season and a lot of home games last season we could have, had we played better going forward, collected more points.

 

I will take a 0-0 away to Palace all day long even though we were awful and showed no real ambition, but play like that at home to Leicester and I’ll say piss off and fuck that.

[Crumpy Gunt]

Rafa's teams are generally defensive, dull, boring and tactical, this seasons current version has no redeeming qualities at all, unless not getting hammered is to be lauded. We all watch football to be entertained surely, if not why?

 

This exactly.

[Tubestationatmidnight]

This seasons version is the same as 2016 and 2017 version. He hasn't just gone like this

[Tubestationatmidnight]

Not getting hammered is to be lauded though. I don't think there's some alternate timeline where this team is playing more attacking football and being in any way more successful. It seems like the idea that the players aren't good enough and Ashley's not spending anywhere near enough is slowly slipping into 'yeah, but Rafa should still be doing better' territory.

 

We could be playing much better football in the final 3rd without sacrificing anything or most of which that makes us hard to beat. We are hard to beat, but we make it hard for ourselves to win games and there needs to be a balance.

 

Throughout our promotion season and a lot of home games last season we could have, had we played better going forward, collected more points.

 

I will take a 0-0 away to Palace all day long even though we were awful and showed no real ambition, but play like that at home to Leicester and I’ll say piss off and fuck that.

 

We don't have any footballers in the final third though. Just a target men and some average "wingers" and Perez.

We rely on set pieces scraps and knock downs etc. We did last season too

[Guest firetotheworks]

Not getting hammered is to be lauded though. I don't think there's some alternate timeline where this team is playing more attacking football and being in any way more successful. It seems like the idea that the players aren't good enough and Ashley's not spending anywhere near enough is slowly slipping into 'yeah, but Rafa should still be doing better' territory.

 

We could be playing much better football in the final 3rd without sacrificing anything or most of which that makes us hard to beat. We are hard to beat, but we make it hard for ourselves to win games and there needs to be a balance.

 

Throughout our promotion season and a lot of home games last season we could have, had we played better going forward, collected more points.

 

I will take a 0-0 away to Palace all day long even though we were awful and showed no real ambition, but play like that at home to Leicester and I’ll say piss off and fuck that.

 

Based on what exactly? Even so both were tremendous successes, so it's hard to complain even if you were right, which I don't think you are, personally.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Rafa's teams are generally defensive, dull, boring and tactical, this seasons current version has no redeeming qualities at all, unless not getting hammered is to be lauded. We all watch football to be entertained surely, if not why?

 

This exactly.

 

As if you'd ever be entertained.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Not getting hammered is to be lauded though. I don't think there's some alternate timeline where this team is playing more attacking football and being in any way more successful. It seems like the idea that the players aren't good enough and Ashley's not spending anywhere near enough is slowly slipping into 'yeah, but Rafa should still be doing better' territory.

 

We could be playing much better football in the final 3rd without sacrificing anything or most of which that makes us hard to beat. We are hard to beat, but we make it hard for ourselves to win games and there needs to be a balance.

 

Throughout our promotion season and a lot of home games last season we could have, had we played better going forward, collected more points.

 

I will take a 0-0 away to Palace all day long even though we were awful and showed no real ambition, but play like that at home to Leicester and I’ll say piss off and fuck that.

 

Based on what exactly? Even so both were tremendous successes, so it's hard to complain even if you were right, which I don't think you are, personally.

 

Our often abject performances at home especially in terms of ambition in numbers getting forward, attacking threat etc. makes it all the more critical we do pick up some 0-0s away from home or beat a Man Utd in a one off game. It’s those games which enables us to stay up so you are right it was a success, but we can’t just keep puttng our faith in doing that and hoping for the same results while we draw at home to Swansea or lose at home to Leicester, both games where we are awful going forward last season. Again I’m happy with a point and a clean sheet away from home even if we are piss poor, but I want to see much more ambition at home.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Not getting hammered is to be lauded though. I don't think there's some alternate timeline where this team is playing more attacking football and being in any way more successful. It seems like the idea that the players aren't good enough and Ashley's not spending anywhere near enough is slowly slipping into 'yeah, but Rafa should still be doing better' territory.

 

We could be playing much better football in the final 3rd without sacrificing anything or most of which that makes us hard to beat. We are hard to beat, but we make it hard for ourselves to win games and there needs to be a balance.

 

Throughout our promotion season and a lot of home games last season we could have, had we played better going forward, collected more points.

 

I will take a 0-0 away to Palace all day long even though we were awful and showed no real ambition, but play like that at home to Leicester and I’ll say piss off and fuck that.

 

We don't have any footballers in the final third though. Just a target men and some average "wingers" and Perez.

We rely on set pieces scraps and knock downs etc. We did last season too

 

Just a few extra bodies in the final 3rd would be great. We are a poor team with poor players, but let’s not pretend we are the only one, even Everton despite what they have spent are a shit team. The gap isn’t that great, although we make it seem that way when we see less than 30% of possession every game, home or away whether it’s Man City or Swansea...

[Guest firetotheworks]

Cardiff aside, we're pretty much out on our own as the lowest quality team in the division imo. Everton are a strange example because they aren't shit like, they're pretty obviously in transition with the way that they play, but they have some very good players - every single one of which would walk into our side. Far too much emphasis on judging everything on form at the moment.

[Collage]

I love Keegan. He's all about inspiration, a lovable man and one of the most important individuals in the history of this club. But as a manager, you can't compare him with Rafa Benitez and Sir Bobby Robson. You just can't.

 

Sir Bobby won throphies in four countries, he won the FA and UEFA Cup with Ipswich fucking Town. He managed Barcelona. He almost took England to the World Cup final.

 

Rafa Benitez has won the Champions League, The Europa League, 2 La Ligas and more.

 

Bobby and Rafa have managed the biggest clubs in the world.

 

Kevin Keegan will be remembered as a great player, indeed he was. But he was never a great manager.

[geordiedean]

I love Keegan. He's all about inspiration, a lovable man and one of the most important individuals in the history of this club. But as a manager, you can't compare him with Rafa Benitez and Sir Bobby Robson. You just can't.

 

Sir Bobby won throphies in four countries, he won the FA and UEFA Cup with Ipswich fucking Town. He managed Barcelona. He almost took England to the World Cup final.

 

Rafa Benitez has won the Champions League, The Europa League, 2 La Ligas and more.

 

Bobby and Rafa have managed the biggest clubs in the world.

 

Kevin Keegan will be remembered as a great player, indeed he was. But he was never a great manager.

 

Ive always said that if Bobby was manager from 95 with Keegans team wed have dominated English football, Keegan was great but tactically he was poor and I do still blame him to an extent for why we didn't win the league in 96 ( The stupid points we threw away by being so fucking gung ho and at times tactically clueless Blackburn away, the Liverpool 4-3, west ham away)

[mrmojorisin75]

Who's downgrading anyone like?

Well, fucking exactly. I started this by saying I think he's the best coach we've had and I didn't mean it to become a pissing contest between managers. I stand by the Rafa thing because I've always been a fan of the defensive side of the game and it's something I always look out for in games. The level of detail and quality you can see in his coaching of very average players is insane.

 

That said as others have started it my most active time as a fan was the Keegan years I'll always have great fondness for the man but you're talking about 25 years ago now ffs. We now operate in the richest league in the world where more money is spent than at any time in history and Rafa is keeping us in the league making profit.

 

He's doing a fucking outrageous job.

[Yorkie]

It's impossible to measure Rafa's NUFC against Keegan and Robson imo. Those two were supported by their Chairmen, and were provided with the resources they needed to build a team in their image.

 

Rafa hasn't been allowed anything like that; he's been battling against circumstance ever since he got here. Even during the Championship season; that summer window only represented a massive reshuffle operation. It was more about binning the waste and finding suitable replacements than sitting down and thinking, 'right, what can I do here...' Then January came and he wasn't allowed to make the additions he'd identified. Since then, every transfer window has been a farce, unworthy of any more critique.

 

You can identify Rafa's traits and managerial characteristics, of course. Defense and organisation come first, that much is obvious. He likes players with stamina who are intelligent and tactical. We'll always have one up top and we'll always have someone who's main job is to tackle hard and break up the play. But who's to say, with proper backing, he wouldn't have us playing attractive football that didn't depend so much on the rigidity of the set-up?

 

Keegan and Robson were allowed to express themselves and are comparable to one another. But I don't believe you can compare either of them to Rafa, because the contexts are so different.

[Guest ElCid]

It's impossible to measure Rafa against Keegan and Robson imo. Those two were supported by their Chairmen, and were provided with the resources they needed to build a team in their image.

 

Rafa hasn't been allowed anything like that; he's been battling against circumstance ever since he got here. Even during the Championship season; that summer window only represented a massive reshuffle operation. It was more about binning the waste and finding suitable replacements than sitting down and thinking, 'right, what can I do here...' Then January came and he wasn't allowed to make the additions he'd identified. Since then, every transfer window has been a farce, unworthy of any more critique.

 

You can identify Rafa's traits and managerial characteristics, of course. Defense and organisation come first, that much is obvious. He likes players with stamina who are intelligent and tactical. We'll always have one up top and we'll always have someone who's main job is to tackle hard and break up the play. But who's to say, with proper backing, he wouldn't have us playing attractive football that didn't depend so much on the rigidity of the set-up?

 

Keegan and Robson were allowed to express themselves and are comparable to one another. You can't compare either of them to Rafa when the contexts are so different.

 

Agreed as I said the set ups were totally different from each - we don't know how either one would have done during their respective eras if you replaced each with another. Each would have had their own ways and methods for example I don't think Rafa would have tolerated Ginola, Robert or Albert and I don't think Keegan or Robson would have purchased some of the players Rafa has either.

[TRon]

Who's downgrading anyone like?

Well, fucking exactly. I started this by saying I think he's the best coach we've had and I didn't mean it to become a pissing contest between managers. I stand by the Rafa thing because I've always been a fan of the defensive side of the game and it's something I always look out for in games. The level of detail and quality you can see in his coaching of very average players is insane.

 

That said as others have started it my most active time as a fan was the Keegan years I'll always have great fondness for the man but you're talking about 25 years ago now ffs. We now operate in the richest league in the world where more money is spent than at any time in history and Rafa is keeping us in the league making profit.

 

He's doing a fucking outrageous job.

 

 

I am not enjoying watching us at all at the moment, but the defensive discipline fascinates me as well. Nothing will ever match Keegan's era for sheer joy, but we did get found out a few times tactically. One of my greatest regrets will probably be never getting to see what Rafa could do with a Newcastle team of genuine quality, because I have always said he's the ideal coach to win cup competitions. Not so much title wins, at least not the Premier, but he would be CL every season.

[mrmojorisin75]

Who's downgrading anyone like?

Well, fucking exactly. I started this by saying I think he's the best coach we've had and I didn't mean it to become a pissing contest between managers. I stand by the Rafa thing because I've always been a fan of the defensive side of the game and it's something I always look out for in games. The level of detail and quality you can see in his coaching of very average players is insane.

 

That said as others have started it my most active time as a fan was the Keegan years I'll always have great fondness for the man but you're talking about 25 years ago now ffs. We now operate in the richest league in the world where more money is spent than at any time in history and Rafa is keeping us in the league making profit.

 

He's doing a fucking outrageous job.

 

 

I am not enjoying watching us at all at the moment, but the defensive discipline fascinates me as well. Nothing will ever match Keegan's era for sheer joy, but we did get found out a few times tactically. One of my greatest regrets will probably be never getting to see what Rafa could do with a Newcastle team of genuine quality, because I have always said he's the ideal coach to win cup competitions. Not so much title wins, at least not the Premier, but he would be CL every season.

There are moments under Rafa, even with this group of players where they break out and play some of the attacking football he coaches and it's lush like. It's totally different from KK or Robson but if he had good quality attackers we'd be good to watch imho.

 

Was just thinking of an example and even leaving aside the obvious Wolves/Fulham spend Leicester, for example, are playing a £25m number 10 who is totally unproven at the top level. Rafa is playing £1.5m Ayoze Perez and getting him close to double figures over a season. It's lunacy.

[Altamullan]

Three different men, all great in their own way.

 

Mix Keegan with Benitez and you get Robson.

What happens if you chuck in a dose of Arthur Cox? Does it go pearshaped and you end-up with a Gordon Lee? 

[Zero]

I genuinely don't think we would play better football (or more entertaining football to be precise) if Rafa is backed.  You are talking about something that he has never done throughout his career, no matter in Valencia and Liverpool.

[Yorkie]

We scored 100 goals in the Championship season, including a couple of 6-0s and a couple of 4-0s. I think the football would be more palatable if he was given the resources to be competitive in the top half of the Premier League.

[Paully]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/09/24/transfer-summit-could-decide-rafa-benitezs-long-term-future/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

[Tubestationatmidnight]

"Altough Ashley feels Benitez hasn't shown enough appreciation of the financial situation at SJP"

 

What fucking financial situation 

 

Ashley definitely wants to keep him as he knows he will keep him on the gravy train on a shoestring. If there was no funds last summer or this summer then why would there be in January? Unless they did that to make even any moderate funds in January seem like a big change.

 

Surely he won't be fooled into signing a new deal by getting say 50m to spend in January for example then the tap gets turned off again for the next 2 summers. Surely they can come to a deal where they both are happy and have it wrote into a contract.

 

But yet again that's on the basis of having a reasonable owner, anything that comes out or happens now shouldn't change a thing. He could give Rafa 100m in January and it wouldn't change a thing as we all know there's a sinister ulterior motive behind it always.

[steve_69]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/09/24/transfer-summit-could-decide-rafa-benitezs-long-term-future/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

 

Same shit, different day. It's getting very boring now.