Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Darth Crooks]

Watching Everton v Palace yesterday, it’s scary. Even the players who flattered to deceive and were basically crap are probably worth £20-40m.

 

To even be expected to compete in this league you need multiple £20m players in your team and ideally 1 or 2 worth £50m.

 

It's also how you end up in a position where £10m is spent on someone like Murphy and rather than it being viewed as a pittance for a young, British player, it's viewed as a waste of a lot of money and we're in a position where some of our fans are thinking like Ashley, completely divorced from the reality of modern day football spending.

 

If he ever played Murphy I would feel differently. This was someone he wanted. Who was our most expensive signing that summer.

 

This isn’t about agreeing with Mike Ashley. Don’t be so fucking stupid. This is about taking the rose tinted glasses off for a moment and actually seeing that Rafa has done a decent job but not amazing, certainly not in the transfer market with what he’s had to spend.

 

The state of the team this year is on him. The same bunch played far better last year.

 

This beggars belief

[Guest firetotheworks]

Watching Everton v Palace yesterday, it’s scary. Even the players who flattered to deceive and were basically crap are probably worth £20-40m.

 

To even be expected to compete in this league you need multiple £20m players in your team and ideally 1 or 2 worth £50m.

 

It's also how you end up in a position where £10m is spent on someone like Murphy and rather than it being viewed as a pittance for a young, British player, it's viewed as a waste of a lot of money and we're in a position where some of our fans are thinking like Ashley, completely divorced from the reality of modern day football spending.

 

If he ever played Murphy I would feel differently. This was someone he wanted. Who was our most expensive signing that summer.

 

This isn’t about agreeing with Mike Ashley. Don’t be so f***ing stupid. This is about taking the rose tinted glasses off for a moment and actually seeing that Rafa has done a decent job but not amazing, certainly not in the transfer market with what he’s had to spend.

 

The state of the team this year is on him. The same bunch played far better last year.

 

I didn't say agreeing, I said thinking like, which you are.

 

And your last two sentences are a joke. Absolutely embarrassing.

[Guest neesy111]

Regarding Murphy, he really should had been sent out on loan if he's not going to be starting games.  Him joining us has been to his detriment so far.

[LRD]

I’ve lifted 24 signings from .com and made a judgement (relative cost and impact) as to whether they were good signings or not. I totally get that he has had to cut his cloth accordingly, but in terms of getting someone to do a job for us, it looks pretty 50-50 to me.

Gayle 10m good

Ritchie 12m good

Gamez free poor

MATT SELS 5.5m Gash

Hayden 4m poor (when is last time this cunt played?)

Hanley 5.5m poor

Clark 5m good??? He’s fucking gash man

Diame 5m good

Yedlin 5m good

D. Murphy 3m good

Lazaar 3m poor

Atsu 6.2m good??? No, he’s not really is he.

Lejeune 8.7m good

Murphy 10m+ poor?? 10m+? It was fucking 12 million. Gash.

Manquillo 4.5m poor

Merino 6.5m good

Joselu 5m poor

Kenedy loan good

Slimani loan poor

Dubravka 4m good

Ki Sungyeung free ?

Schar 3m ? Can’t get a game

Muto 9.5m ? Not looking like money well spent is it

Rondon loan ?

Fernandez 6m good

 

I count 63.3m on total cack.

 

Which are the players on 63.3m of total cack?

[Varadi]

I hate our fans at times like. Unforgivably ignorant.

 

 

First time in this thread for a while. Don't think I'll be back

[r0cafella]

We can't send Murphy on loan as we don't have the depth to loan our such players.

[LRD]

Some people are unrealistically expecting us to spend 5, 6m on players that should perform like 20m players on adequate squad depth and a perfect transfer record. No manager can do that, let alone without a proper transfer budget, a budget he knows nothing of and cannot plan around with, and a non-football man able to veto his targets based purely on financial grounds.

[sugoinufc]

Rafa makes mistakes - like every other manager. But the talk about firing him is ridiculous.

[Shearergol]

Some people are unrealistically expecting us to spend 5, 6m on players that should perform like 20m players on adequate squad depth and a perfect transfer record. No manager can do that, let alone without a proper transfer budget, a budget he knows nothing of and cannot plan around with, and a non-football man able to veto his targets based purely on financial grounds.

 

Nope, what he's actually saying is Rafa should be winning games playing 7 players (all worth £20m each) rather than having a squad full of cheap players. You know, why actually have 20+ players on the books when they're not good enough? In fact, sell them all and just sign Aguero, let him play on his own.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Regarding Murphy, he really should had been sent out on loan if he's not going to be starting games.  Him joining us has been to his detriment so far.

 

I mean, ideally, but how small can our squad be allowed to get?

[LRD]

Some people are unrealistically expecting us to spend 5, 6m on players that should perform like 20m players on adequate squad depth and a perfect transfer record. No manager can do that, let alone without a proper transfer budget, a budget he knows nothing of and cannot plan around with, and a non-football man able to veto his targets based purely on financial grounds.

 

Nope, what he's actually saying is Rafa should be winning games playing 7 players (all worth £20m each) rather than having a squad full of cheap players. You know, why actually have 20+ players on the books when they're not good enough? In fact, sell them all and just sign Aguero, let him play on his own.

 

Wasn't talking about Odin but your point is right. Still waiting for him to name the 63.3m cack.

[Shearergol]

Regarding Murphy, he really should had been sent out on loan if he's not going to be starting games.  Him joining us has been to his detriment so far.

 

I mean, ideally, but how small can our squad be allowed to get?

 

Which is exactly the point certain people are missing.

 

If you need 10 players and you have £30m to spend, you don't go and buy 1 player for £29m and then moan that the others are shit.

[Zero]

I don't blame Rafa for settling for 4th 5th or 6th choices but I genuinely didnt feel that Rafa really has a plan to play or incorporate that player into our team.  His handling of Murphy and in a way Muto are highly questionable imo.  The likes of Gamez Ki who cost nothing okay fine I could accept them being number fillers. But Murphy and Muto who costs us 10m should at least be a player that should bring changes to our team right? No, Ritchie is still the automatic starter despite not up to EPL standard and Joselu is 5m striker is still his preferred choice. Perez is still the only no.10 since Rafa has no plan to play Muto there. Atsu who costs us 10m total is basically non-existent. Manquillo is still the only backup for both side backs. We do have lots of choices at centre back but then why do we need to bring in Fernandez when Clark is still there? First choice Lascelles Lejuene with Schar Clark as backup is more than enough. Of coz Fernandez looks a great signing which Rafa deserves credit but wait a minute is that means Clark or Schar is going to get close to zero minutes this coming season? Is this Rafa's plan?

 

Never mind the strange Merino deal and all the issues regarding the sale of Mitrovic.

 

I genuinely don't agree with a lot of his decisions regarding transfer. Rafa has done an excellent job in making wonders out of a bunch of shits and no way he should be sacked or responsible for the whole disaster created by the fat cunt.  But I am really not a fan of Rafa when it comes to transfers.

[Cf]

Oh come on. If anyone genuinely thinks the squad we have now is anywhere near to what Rafa wants then they want their head examining.

[Shearergol]

I don't blame Rafa for settling for 4th 5th or 6th choices but I genuinely didnt feel that Rafa really has a plan to play or incorporate that player into our team.  His handling of Murphy and in a way Muto are highly questionable imo.  The likes of Gamez Ki who cost nothing okay fine I could accept them being number fillers. But Murphy and Muto who costs us 10m should at least be a player that should bring changes to our team right? No, Ritchie is still the automatic starter despite not up to EPL standard and Joselu is 5m striker is still his preferred choice. Perez is still the only no.10 since Rafa has no plan to play Muto there. Atsu who costs us 10m total is basically non-existent. Manquillo is still the only backup for both side backs. We do have lots of choices at centre back but then why do we need to bring in Fernandez when Clark is still there? First choice Lascelles Lejuene with Schar Clark as backup is more than enough. Of coz Fernandez looks a great signing which Rafa deserves credit but wait a minute is that means Clark or Schar is going to get close to zero minutes this coming season? Is this Rafa's plan?

 

Never mind the strange Merino deal and all the issues regarding the sale of Mitrovic.

 

I genuinely don't agree with a lot of his decisions regarding transfer. Rafa has done an excellent job in making wonders out of a bunch of shits and no way he should be sacked or responsible for the whole disaster created by the fat cunt.  But I am really not a fan of Rafa when it comes to transfers.

 

Muto started the last two games tbf. How is Joselu the first choice? Oh, and Rondon is injured. Atsu cost £6.2m.

 

Merino didn't get back in the team following his injury because he lost his form and Diame was playing so well, then he wanted to leave. What could Rafa do about that?

 

Actually, I could easily argue against every point you make there. Rafa bought players for the championship who are still here, because we can't sell them, either because we can't replace them, the wages are too high (nothing to do with Rafa) or nobody else wants them.

[Happinesstan]

Every year people complain, and question Rafa's early season team selections. And every year he is vindicated.

 

 

[NEEJ]

Watching Everton v Palace yesterday, it’s scary. Even the players who flattered to deceive and were basically crap are probably worth £20-40m.

 

To even be expected to compete in this league you need multiple £20m players in your team and ideally 1 or 2 worth £50m.

 

It's also how you end up in a position where £10m is spent on someone like Murphy and rather than it being viewed as a pittance for a young, British player, it's viewed as a waste of a lot of money and we're in a position where some of our fans are thinking like Ashley, completely divorced from the reality of modern day football spending.

 

If he ever played Murphy I would feel differently. This was someone he wanted. Who was our most expensive signing that summer.

 

This isn’t about agreeing with Mike Ashley. Don’t be so fucking stupid. This is about taking the rose tinted glasses off for a moment and actually seeing that Rafa has done a decent job but not amazing, certainly not in the transfer market with what he’s had to spend.

 

The state of the team this year is on him. The same bunch played far better last year.

The irony.

 

"...with what he's had to spend."

Which/how many of the players mentioned make up this £63m figure you've tallied up? The powers that be very rarely spend more than £10m on a player, which effectively buys you bugger all these days. Essentially, we're relying on Rafa and his recruitment team to unearth absolute gems each and every time we enter the transfer market. It's not a sustainable model (hence no other club conducts business like this, barring Cardiff) and we don't spend nearly enough money to guarantee successful signings.

 

"The same bunch played far better last year."

Howay man, the rest of the league has improved their squad, investing heavily whilst we (at best) stood still. With that in mind it's not realistic to expect the same outcome simply because the same core set of players remain.

 

[Paully]

[Happinesstan]

Fucking hell. £100k wouldn't get you Brian Kilcline in 1992.

[NEEJ]

Don't be so fucking stupid. With what he's had to spe... Oh.

[Wallsendmag]

For all those who've decided to turn on Rafa please console yourselves in the knowledge that he'll be gone in 7 months time and you can get behind Steve Bruce or Sam Allardyce in the way you never got behind Rafa.

[Si]

As much as Rafa has coached a few of the players on to better performances, one thing really stands out.

 

He’s spent over 60 million over three seasons on players that rarely play if at all. Total dross.

 

That’s a possible 6 x 10m players who could have come in and made a difference.

 

Or 3 x 20m.. even just three very decent players could have made a massive difference to this team.

 

I’m not even counting the free transfers who never played and but took up wage budget.

 

He’s bought poorly for the most part and I think this is probably the root of Ashley’s stance, or his excuse possibly for not backing him.

 

Sacking him will cost about 3 million (half a season) it’s not beyond the possibility that this could happen sooner than we think.

 

We wont pay the wages wanted by an expensive player though will we so he couldn't have signed one. Plus the club won't go for an expensive player will they? He's not operating in the bargain basement by choice.

[Zero]

I don't blame Rafa for settling for 4th 5th or 6th choices but I genuinely didnt feel that Rafa really has a plan to play or incorporate that player into our team.  His handling of Murphy and in a way Muto are highly questionable imo.  The likes of Gamez Ki who cost nothing okay fine I could accept them being number fillers. But Murphy and Muto who costs us 10m should at least be a player that should bring changes to our team right? No, Ritchie is still the automatic starter despite not up to EPL standard and Joselu is 5m striker is still his preferred choice. Perez is still the only no.10 since Rafa has no plan to play Muto there. Atsu who costs us 10m total is basically non-existent. Manquillo is still the only backup for both side backs. We do have lots of choices at centre back but then why do we need to bring in Fernandez when Clark is still there? First choice Lascelles Lejuene with Schar Clark as backup is more than enough. Of coz Fernandez looks a great signing which Rafa deserves credit but wait a minute is that means Clark or Schar is going to get close to zero minutes this coming season? Is this Rafa's plan?

 

Never mind the strange Merino deal and all the issues regarding the sale of Mitrovic.

 

I genuinely don't agree with a lot of his decisions regarding transfer. Rafa has done an excellent job in making wonders out of a bunch of s***s and no way he should be sacked or responsible for the whole disaster created by the fat c***.  But I am really not a fan of Rafa when it comes to transfers.

 

Muto started the last two games tbf. How is Joselu the first choice? Oh, and Rondon is injured. Atsu cost £6.2m.

 

Merino didn't get back in the team following his injury because he lost his form and Diame was playing so well, then he wanted to leave. What could Rafa do about that?

 

Actually, I could easily argue against every point you make there. Rafa bought players for the championship who are still here, because we can't sell them, either because we can't replace them, the wages are too high (nothing to do with Rafa) or nobody else wants them.

 

Muto is not a striker who can play upfront alone.  He is simply not that type of player, especially when we play so many long ball. 

 

Atsu cost us 10m in total including the loan fees.

 

Merinos problem is about the clause. Basically, he joined us on a condition that he could move on as long as any team would pay the amount we paid to Dortmund. Now tell me what's the point of this deal then? The player plays well - left within a year and we got nothing. The player plays shit - we got a deadwood in our squad. And yea if Merino enjoys life here what should you do? Give him faith and ask him to sign another contract to change the clause. And no, Rafa didn't give him faith after his injury and so that's it. Of course Merino would leave. And of course we would get nothing left behind. Now tell me what's the point of getting him at the first place, and why handle the situation like that given our only way out is to pursuade him to sign another contract? Yea I agree Diame deserves the starting spot but for teams development you should play Merino instead, especially after our safety was guaranteed.

 

For the last point, yea if what we get is that shit and can't move on then what's the point of bringing in other shits that can't replace them and make a change to our team? Yea you got it fucking spot on. The likes of Ki Schar or even Muto do looks like the new deadwoods in the making. Never mind Joselu Ritchie Hayden Manquillo etc.

[Ankles Bennett]

It seems to me that having repeatedly pointed out that the team needed a prolific goalscorer during the summer, is Rafa now deliberately picking teams that highlight that deficiency in the team or is this what they call paranoia?

[sbnufc]

 

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