Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[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 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.

 

You're changing your arguments.

 

You said Joselu was first choice. He hasn't started the last two games. Whether Muto is suitable for that role just means we didn't sign a striker who would be - the club's fault.

 

Merino's clause - the club's fault

 

Atsu's fee - the club's fault (where does it say we paid £3.8m for a loan btw, or are you including wages?)

 

You ask what the point is of bringing players in? It's been said hundreds of times on here - if you need a squad player and you have £3m to spend, you buy a player worth £3m. Or would you prefer to not buy that player and just have 12 players on the books and and extra £20m in Mike's pocket?

[joeyt]

Rafa was supposed to be on Monday Night Football tonight but has cancelled

[GideonShandy]

They got Giggs instead.

[DJ_NUFC]

Making fans think 10m quid gets you an EPL starter is the greatest trick Mike has ever pulled on our fanbase. People banging on about Atsu & Murphy's fees as if we just spent $50m on duds.

[Paully]

We’ve had no luck at all this season too;

 

Spurs – hit the woodwork twice, Kenedy’s touch when clean through and if (clutching straws!) goal line technology wasn’t used then there is no way their first would have been awarded!

 

Cardiff – missed a last minute pen

 

Chelsea – very debatable pen

 

Man Utd – denied a blatant pen when we were 2-0 up

 

Brighton – their goal came via a corner that was a goal kick

 

 

Lejeune and Rondon will make a huge difference when fit

 

[jackyboy]

I wonder how Muto would suit the number 10 role in place of Perez who is just becoming huff and puff

[ToonArmy1892]

Rafa was supposed to be on Monday Night Football tonight but has cancelled

 

Nice one Rafa, fuck them about

[Skeletor]

Can't believe anyone is questioning Rafa. If he'd been given anything resembling footballers in the summer then we might be able to talk. He got us tenth with a load of garbage last season. Any sensible owner (or even moderately shit owner) would build on that happy accident.

[Guest neesy111]

Can't believe anyone is questioning Rafa. If he'd been given anything resembling footballers in the summer then we might be able to talk. He got us tenth with a load of garbage last season. Any sensible owner (or even moderately shit owner) would build on that happy accident.

 

[UncleBingo]

Can't believe anyone is questioning Rafa. If he'd been given anything resembling footballers in the summer then we might be able to talk. He got us tenth with a load of garbage last season. Any sensible owner (or even moderately s*** owner) would build on that happy accident.

 

A modest transfer budget and a few assurances on the training ground/academy and he would have signed a new deal, no doubt about it.

This whole thing is Ashley's play to get Benitez out of NUFC, he's way too popular, outspoken & ambitious for the fat cunts liking.

[Hhtoon]

Can't believe anyone is questioning Rafa. If he'd been given anything resembling footballers in the summer then we might be able to talk. He got us tenth with a load of garbage last season. Any sensible owner (or even moderately shit owner) would build on that happy accident.

 

Resembling footballers? Give over. Fernandez, Kenedy are decent. Muto settling and promising and Rondon TBC. Ki currently seems tripe and Schar is cover cos of Lejuene.

 

Hate"fans" slating players as though it's their fault other key positions weren't strengthened. Guess we can only support the best ones. And then cry hypocritically when they show no loyalty.

 

 

 

 

[Guest chopey]

Any conspiracy theories as to why he cancelled

[Hhtoon]

Yeah, not sure I agree with that especially when some aren't shit.

A proper no. 10 and a striker and we'd be comfortable. That's not the players fault.

 

Edit - per the supporting/shit comment, not squad garbage which there clearly is 

 

[Guest neesy111]

We didn't need to sign ok or decent players, we needed upgrades with our signings in the summer and most haven't been.

[Hhtoon]

Yeah, not sure I agree with that especially when some aren't shit.

A proper no. 10 and a striker and we'd be comfortable. That's not the players fault.

 

Maybe. But this is a poor squad. Joselu, Atsu, Diame, Yedlin/Dummett, Manquillo etc. No players who can beat a man, a weak midfield (bar shelvey), dodgy full backs, Ritchie is just a worker, Perez can't find form. Kenedy is a good player and we have good CB's/Keeper. That's it really, though. This team is full of hard working, average footballers, bereft of creativity, and we have no game changing subs. That's not good.

 

Yeah sorry, I definitely agree with the squad being very poor. But with Rafa and 2 added top players I think it would be a team to be respected.

I just don't like bitching about players who are not those top players. Every team outside top 5/6 has a selection of average players, they just enough quality to carry them. That ratio gets worse the farther you go down.

[Hhtoon]

Danny Simpson and Wes Morgan won the premiership title for Christsakes 

[Guest firetotheworks]

With a supporting cast of Kante, Mahrez, Vardy, Gray, Drinkwater. Players that we have nowhere near the quality of, and that was generally an anomaly.

 

Saved me a post. Albrighton too.

[Hhtoon]

With a supporting cast of Kante, Mahrez, Vardy, Gray, Drinkwater. Players that we have nowhere near the quality of, and that was generally an anomaly.

 

Saved me a post. Albrighton too.

 

Yeah, I know. My point is did Leicester fans only cheer those players or the average players as well?

We're bitching at average players as though it's their fault Ashley didn't get the decent players. I found that distasteful.

[Guest firetotheworks]

With a supporting cast of Kante, Mahrez, Vardy, Gray, Drinkwater. Players that we have nowhere near the quality of, and that was generally an anomaly.

 

Saved me a post. Albrighton too.

 

Yeah, I know. My point is did Leicester fans only cheer those players or the average players as well?

We're bitching at average players as though it's their fault Ashley didn't get the decent players. I found that distasteful.

 

Couldn't agree more if it's inside SJP/directed at them on social media.

[James]

You can carry a couple of shite players for sure, if you've got real quality elsewhere.

 

Andy Griffin vs Juventus

[ToonArmy1892]

You can carry a couple of s**** players for sure, if you've got real quality elsewhere.

 

Andy Griffin vs Juventus

 

Buffon OG tbh.

[LV]

Any conspiracy theories as to why he cancelled

 

He said he would only go on if we won at the weekend. Prob wants the extra time to work with the squad on improving.

[TRon]

Any conspiracy theories as to why he cancelled

 

Not for sale.

[Andy]

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.

 

One of the most clueless series of posts I've ever seen on here, fair play.

[Decky]

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.

 

One of the most clueless series of posts I've ever seen on here, fair play.

 

Aye. The players busted their arses last season and probably expected the squad to be improved so they together as a squad could push on. Also they all love Rafa who hasnt been given a new contract. Why bust their arse again when Rafa is currently leaving at the end of the season? The motivation the players had last year doesnt exist this time round.