Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[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.

[Crumpy Gunt]

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.

"all love Rafa"?

You believe that?

[James]

I respect Rafa I really do but he has inadvertently become a shield for Ashley. I will be sad to see him go but the club and the fans needed him and Lascelles to walk last summer and they have let us down by not doing so.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Let us down ffs.

[Darth Crooks]

I agree he’s become a shield or buffer but it’s not through complicity. He hasn’t let us down like.

[Wilson]

Christ this is getting worse in here.

 

Just what ashley wants now, people passing the blame to Rafa. Madness.

[Stal]

Isn't it?

 

The facts remain the same;

- a bang average team overachieved last season in a herculean effort getting to 10th

- that team wasn't properly invested in during the summer by ashley , thus demoralizing that team and the fans

- a stupidly skewed set of opening fixtures

- a world class manager with pretty much bang average players, but now with very little to motivate them with. Last season it was clearly "let's kick on and in the summer we can regroup and invest which will improve us all" whereas now it's what exactly? "Work yourselves into the ground without question with no light at thr end if the tunnel? How can anyone motivate in that scenario?

- short sighted people who claim "it's Rafa's team" or "he bought them", totally losing sight of the restraints on him and why he had to go for those players

- more lies from the regime, including fake takeover talks and minutes not agreed by anyone in attendance

- a puzzling fan base where a vast amount don't understand short term pain (missing a match) for long term gain in order to shift the creepy fat owner

 

Maybe our new motto should just be "Interdictum est spe".

 

But I digress, the bottom line is Rafa should not and can not be blamed.

 

 

 

 

[Yorkie]

I'd barely consider him a shield/buffer tbh. His leaving wouldn't be any sort of catalyst. Doesn't matter who's in the dugout when there's a wife to escape from.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'd barely consider him a shield/buffer tbh. His leaving wouldn't be any sort of catalyst. Doesn't matter who's in the dugout when there's a wife to escape from.

 

Sadly I’m starting to believe this as well.

[Away Day Gadgie]

Isn't it?

 

The facts remain the same;

- a bang average team overachieved last season in a herculean effort getting to 10th

- that team wasn't properly invested in during the summer by ashley , thus demoralizing that team and the fans

- a stupidly skewed set of opening fixtures

- a world class manager with pretty much bang average players, but now with very little to motivate them with. Last season it was clearly "let's kick on and in the summer we can regroup and invest which will improve us all" whereas now it's what exactly? "Work yourselves into the ground without question with no light at thr end if the tunnel? How can anyone motivate in that scenario?

- short sighted people who claim "it's Rafa's team" or "he bought them", totally losing sight of the restraints on him and why he had to go for those players

- more lies from the regime, including fake takeover talks and minutes not agreed by anyone in attendance

- a puzzling fan base where a vast amount don't understand short term pain (missing a match) for long term gain in order to shift the creepy fat owner

 

Maybe our new motto should just be "Interdictum est spe".

 

But I digress, the bottom line is Rafa should not and can not be blamed.

 

This is exactly how i see it.

[Pons Alias]

It's mad how little people acknowledge the impact of momentum and confidence.

When Keegan was here, that was his stock-in-trade - and he knew he needed to be backed to achieve it.

[Darth Crooks]

Well he's a buffer in the sense that some fans want to back him and the team before considering anything else. People need to accept theres that risk involved tbh.

[thenige]

Love people slagging off Rafa's signings when we move so badly or late that he seems to often end up with options way down his list.

 

Joselu was probably his 10th choice striker signing.

[Papavasiliou]

Love people slagging off Rafa's signings when we move so badly or late that he seems to often end up with options way down his list.

 

Joselu was probably his 10th choice striker signing.

 

Same could be said of Carr's choices tbh.

[Guest reefatoon]

I'd barely consider him a shield/buffer tbh. His leaving wouldn't be any sort of catalyst. Doesn't matter who's in the dugout when there's a wife to escape from.

 

Completely believe this too. All very demoralising when you see so many of our own fans bunkering down and refusing to try and get Ashley out. Just looks like the vast majority will not stop going no matter what. Just leaves it all a little pointless and demoralising. Got to the point for me where i just don't give a toss anymore if he stays or goes. Just feels like nothing will work when so many people are willing to camp out on Ashley's side (even when they don't realise that is what they are doing), keep handing him money and going, all because of some blind, blinkered loyalty they think they should be showing.