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Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)


Greg

Would you have Rafa back?   

463 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you have Rafa back?

    • Yes, as manager, immediately
    • Yes, as manager, but at some point in the future (eg if relegated)
    • Yes, in an advisory or DoF role
    • No, not in any meaningful capacity

This poll is closed to new votes


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Guest Butcher

One year since his last game in charge. Jesus time flies.

 

What a fantastic away day. Cracking atmosphere.

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Probably worked hard, kept his head down and followed instructions.

Such a strange player. Just so utterly unremarkable yet unprovoking compared to others from the same era. I always forget he played for us.

 

Mad that he has over 100 games for us.

 

Feel that way about a bunch of players like Gouffran, Obertan, Marveaux etc. from the Pardew era

 

 

 

 

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Didn’t he arrive more as a second striker, had a good start playing there, before Pardew turned him into more of a grafting winger?

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Sounds similar to what a lot of Liverpool players have said. Even the players that don't like his methods or his manner still respect their effectiveness.

 

Common story in all the teams he's managed in Spain. He's a "down to business" type manager who's never done much babysitting of players. It doesn't always work, mind. It didn't at Real Madrid where managing the dressing room is as important as the tactics.

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Atsu was effective enough on the break because of his pace and had some useful displays first season back, as rubbish as he is.

 

Gouffran was no use at the top level. Got to question Rafa a bit if he genuinely wanted to keep him around.

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Interesting, Gouffran was alright in the Championship, but was quite clear he wasn't a Prem player

 

When he first arrived he was handy, chipped in with a few goals. That's until he was converted into a 'defensive winger' by the King.

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Atsu was effective enough on the break because of his pace and had some useful displays first season back, as rubbish as he is.

 

Gouffran was no use at the top level. Got to question Rafa a bit if he genuinely wanted to keep him around.

 

Be more inclined to question my own opinion.

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Gouffran was absolutely terrible

 

Truly awful :lol:

 

From what I recall I remember feeling his was a "plodder" did a job he was asked and you get what you pay for and signing cheap "usually" means you are buying limited players. I didnt dislike him as he did do a job but nor did I miss him leaving the club.

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Acceptable player who can follow instructions, it's what Rafa needed to rely on.

 

Also pretty much all he could afford. I'm sure he would prefer a higher calibre of player who could follow instructions.

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Gouffran was absolutely terrible

 

Truly awful :lol:

 

From what I recall I remember feeling his was a "plodder" did a job he was asked and you get what you pay for and signing cheap "usually" means you are buying limited players. I didnt dislike him as he did do a job but nor did I miss him leaving the club.

 

I disagree, he was a useful outlet at times and scored some important goals (the two winners v Chelsea spring to mind). He was very inconsistent and tailed off badly towards the end which I think colours how he was thought of here. He was value for money overall.

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Guest Butcher

He could run around a bit. That’s it. Woeful fotballer. Couldn’t shoot or cross and couldn’t beat a man.

 

He’s got really pretty eyes, mind.

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He regressed horribly under Pardew and Carver when they decided he was some kind of deep lying centre midfielder. By the time McClaren came along he looked absolutely shot to bits but Rafa put him back on the wing and allowed him to get forward again. Turned out to be very useful in the Championship as it was very much his level by that point. Slow but hard working and a decent finisher.

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