Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Hanshithispantz]

It is staggering how people choose to ignore that Rafa was given pretty much enough to slap together this dog s*** squad. Most of the players really are that bad.

 

Rafa truly f***ed up when he didn't go to the ATM to get money for Aguero this summer.

 

One thing to critique his decisions, but some of you have taken dip s*** to a dizzying level.

Funny how Hughton didn't get Aguero money or a cool 50 million to spend in their promotion season and Brighton are still doing well isn't it.

 

Rafa is under performing, and I hope he still turns it around but, things just seem to be getting worse rather than better.

 

They also didn't literally lose 13/14 first team players from the 2015/16 either though. We had about 10 players remaining after all those transfers so had to bring in at least the same number of players to cope with the extra 8 (or 11) league games in the Championship. Brighton's team had been geared for promotion for years and the likes of Dunk would have easily been worth £15m, Knockaert the same (in this market), Dale Stephens £10m or so, whereas the bulk of our signings ranged from £2.5m to £5.5m, bar 2 notable exceptions.

 

Pretty much all our quality was sold to generate that £90m - £55m was put back in to sign 14 players - an average of £3.9m per player and you just need look at transfers in that league from this season to see that that figure really isn't that much - Assombolonga £15, Neves £16m, Rhodes £10m, Braithwaite £10m etc.

 

Brighton were at least equal to us last season, if not better as they were 7 clear with 3 games to go once their bottom line of promotion was secured. Make no mistake, if 1 was promoted and the other 4 went in the playoffs rather than 2 automatically, then we wouldn't have won the league, so we were at least equal and for whatever reason, their transfers this season have been better - Ryan has made a big difference, Davy Propper. We had Atsu last year, Joselu and Manq have arguably made us worse, Murphy non existent, so you could argue we are actually even worse than we were last season as only Merino has come in and had a decent impact.

 

Is location a problem, are we more restricted on wages (really can't see Joselu, Manquillo and Murphy being on more than £100k between them)? But I can guarantee if Rafa had his way, he wouldn't have went to Mike and said 'Mike, whatever you do, please please give me that Joselu lad who can't get a look in at Stoke, he'll make a hell of a difference".

 

We've had a bunch of top championship / fringe Premier League players bundled together in one window and while that cope have coped had 3 or 4 players been brought in at £15m-20m a skelp to add a bit of quality to a try hard but limited group, but we all know that didn't happen, so I'd argue that we are at a worse level than Brighton now.

 

People need to realise we are literally operating on a bottom 3 to 4 budget now (far lower than the likes of Everton, Leicester, Palace, West Ham, Watford etc) and if you were born after 1980 or so (which a large chunk of us on here will be) then for the first time in your life this is the first time that has happened - forget the top 6, we are miles behind 75% of the league. 

 

When Keegan took over and in a far worse position he bought players he thought could get us out of the league but would also make an impact in the premier league and the rest is history. Don’t think that happened last year and compounded by the fact tha

 

Yes. The footballing landscape allows us to replicate that on our budget.

Aye, Ritchie pretty much fits that and cost us £12m

 

Rafa could have bought better, definitely. His transfers have never been anywhere close to 100% throughout his career but he has a habit of building a squad that works when he actually has money to spend. We not only asking him to build a squad on a negative transfer budget but to do it if and when he sells, it's ridiculous.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

The faint hope I have is that Rafa knows the takeover is happening and that he's doing anything and everything to get points on the board with this dreadful group of players, most of who he doesn't trust.

The majority of the players on the pitch were bought during his tenure, so if Rafa does not trust them, that is Rafa's own problem.

 

Three seasons ago, Carver ended the season with a run of seven points in the final 13 matches. Currently, they are on a run of 5 points in 12, so hopefully he can better Carver's run with a win against Stoke.

[NEEJ]

Push forward? 85 minutes on the clock and the ball breaks free and Shelvey our best passer gets on the ball and looks up and NOTHING, no forward movement,  no urgency, no attempt to break away from the chains that are holding us back, that all important clean sheet and staying in the game making sure the opposition don’t breach our defence. Cheers Rafa for the point.

You're pushing out incredible levels of drivel at the moment, even by your standards.

Thought Shelvey was gash when he came on like, fwiw.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

If you have pennies to spend, you get s***.

 

If you surrender possession, sit back, play with no urgency and make poor subs you don’t win games...

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Push forward? 85 minutes on the clock and the ball breaks free and Shelvey our best passer gets on the ball and looks up and NOTHING, no forward movement,  no urgency, no attempt to break away from the chains that are holding us back, that all important clean sheet and staying in the game making sure the opposition don’t breach our defence. Cheers Rafa for the point.

You're pushing out incredible levels of drivel at the moment, even by your standards.

Thought Shelvey was gash when he came on like, fwiw.

 

No more gash than the rest, at least he tried to play the ball forward and tried to play with some kind of temp.

[Dave]

Oh, and Rafa also tried to buy players he thought could get us out of the league but would also make an impact in the Premier League. In January this year.

[Guest ElCid]

When Keegan took over, 25 years ago? How is that possibly a relevant comparison?

 

Because he built a team that got promoted but then could compete in the premier league. Were not Man Coty we can’t buy a new team every year.

[Twinport53]

Push forward? 85 minutes on the clock and the ball breaks free and Shelvey our best passer gets on the ball and looks up and NOTHING, no forward movement,  no urgency, no attempt to break away from the chains that are holding us back, that all important clean sheet and staying in the game making sure the opposition don’t breach our defence. Cheers Rafa for the point.

 

Is it Rafas fault that Yedlin can't defend?

 

Is it Rafas fault Dummett can only HOOOOOF?

 

Is it Rafas fault Hayden is out of his depth?

 

Is it Rafas fault that Atsu is our only semi decent winger?

 

Is it Rafas fault Joselu is the Spanish Luuk De Jong?

 

 

Open your eyes HTT. The squad lacks quality to such a degree Rafa doesn't trust them to think for themselves. He doesn't want them taking to many risks, because there is a higher chance we loss possession, are out of shape and get done on the counter.

 

So instead he knows our numerous limitations, and as a result its COMPACT COMPACT COMPACT. If we had even 3 quality players maybe he would encourage more expansive football. But it's backs to the wall because he has no real choice.

[Guest reefatoon]

If you have pennies to spend, you get s***.

 

If you show no desire to get forward and attack, you don't score.

[Vinny Green Balls]

If you have pennies to spend, you get s***.

 

If you surrender possession, sit back, play with no urgency and make poor subs you don’t win games...

 

If you careen wildly from one extreme to the next, people are going to rightfully call you a knob.

[wormy]

If you have pennies to spend, you get s***.

 

If you surrender possession, sit back, play with no urgency and make poor subs you don’t win games...

 

But hey, at least if we follows the words of the great King himself and go toe to toe, it'd be an honour to be pumped raw with no lube each week.

[ponsaelius]

Is he shite?

[Dave]

When Keegan took over, 25 years ago? How is that possibly a relevant comparison?

 

Because he built a team that got promoted but then could compete in the premier league. Were not Man Coty we can’t buy a new team every year.

 

Benitez literally had deals lined up for Premier League players in January. He wasn't allowed to do it.

[Vinny Green Balls]

When Keegan took over, 25 years ago? How is that possibly a relevant comparison?

 

Because he built a team that got promoted but then could compete in the premier league. Were not Man Coty we can’t buy a new team every year.

 

Benitez literally had deals lined up for Premier League players in January. He wasn't allowed to do it.

 

Dreaded context. How dare you?

[Kasper]

If you have pennies to spend, you get s***.

 

If you surrender possession, sit back, play with no urgency and make poor subs you don’t win games...

 

You don't see a connection with what you've said and the post you quoted?

[Hanshithispantz]

Oh, and Rafa also tried to buy players he thought could get us out of the league but would also make an impact in the Premier League. In January this year.

forgot about that. Townsend would have improved us no end this season too.

[TRon]

Rafa "We didn't play as well as we had wanted - but we did try to push forward more in the 2nd half. Doesn't know about incoming transfers - makes it difficult, so is concentrating on Stoke on Monday. Lack of creativity today, but we defended well and restricted Brighton. Wants players to be fresh for Stoke, hence making all of those changes against Man City"

 

Hard to gauge his demeanor as I was listening on the radio.

 

I thought he was calm and philosophical as usual.

[Lush Vlad]

When Keegan took over, 25 years ago? How is that possibly a relevant comparison?

 

Because he built a team that got promoted but then could compete in the premier league. Were not Man Coty we can’t buy a new team every year.

 

Football has changed massively in the last 20 odd years. As has our ambition and relative budget.

 

We’re not Man City good one. Another completely irrelevant point.

[wormy]

When Keegan took over, 25 years ago? How is that possibly a relevant comparison?

 

Because he built a team that got promoted but then could compete in the premier league. Were not Man Coty we can’t buy a new team every year.

 

Benitez literally had deals lined up for Premier League players in January. He wasn't allowed to do it.

 

Dreaded context. How dare you?

 

It's outrageous. I don't care that Rafa has been restricted every transfer window. He simply has to be buying better seventh choice transfer targets.

[Guest ElCid]

Push forward? 85 minutes on the clock and the ball breaks free and Shelvey our best passer gets on the ball and looks up and NOTHING, no forward movement,  no urgency, no attempt to break away from the chains that are holding us back, that all important clean sheet and staying in the game making sure the opposition don’t breach our defence. Cheers Rafa for the point.

 

Is it Rafas fault that Yedlin can't defend?

 

Is it Rafas fault Dummett can only HOOOOOF?

 

Is it Rafas fault Hayden is out of his depth?

 

Is it Rafas fault that Atsu is our only semi decent winger?

 

Is it Rafas fault Joselu is the Spanish Luuk De Jong?

 

 

Open your eyes HTT. The squad lacks quality to such a degree Rafa doesn't trust them to think for themselves. He doesn't want them taking to many risks, because there is a higher chance we loss possession, are out of shape and get done on the counter.

 

So instead he knows our numerous limitations, and as a result its COMPACT COMPACT COMPACT. If we had even 3 quality players maybe he would encourage more expansive football. But it's backs to the wall because he has no real choice.

 

He signed most of them so he has to take some responsibility for that.

[geordiedean]

What does this fella have to do before people start realising a lot of the issues we are having is down to him

 

For me, he would have to travel back in time ten years and alter the course of history resulting in an owner that runs the club in an intelligent, professional manner, maximising its commercial revenue and allowing that to be invested back into the playing staff.

 

Who exactly do you think would do better with this current squad? Pardew? McClaren? Kinnear? Carver? That is the quality of alternatives under Ashley.

 

I think the guy in the opposite dugout today could do just as good a job as Rafa is doing today with this squad to be honest

 

Im sick to death of him being absolved of any blame for shite performances week in week out. The 2 performances we have just put in this week are 2 of the most insipid, pathetic,gutless and toothless performances ive ever ever witnessed. Dress the Man City one up all you want but we conceded that game before wed even kicked off that is not football and Rafa is the guy who tells these useless fuckwits to play this way

 

Im sick to death of watching this negative approach to every game as if we are little old Newcatsle from the northern premier league taking on the big boys...its shit

[Vinny Green Balls]

When Keegan took over, 25 years ago? How is that possibly a relevant comparison?

 

Because he built a team that got promoted but then could compete in the premier league. Were not Man Coty we can’t buy a new team every year.

 

Benitez literally had deals lined up for Premier League players in January. He wasn't allowed to do it.

 

Dreaded context. How dare you?

 

It's outrageous. I don't care that Rafa has been restricted every transfer window. He simply has to be buying better seventh choice transfer targets.

 

You fucking reasonable people...

[wormy]

Push forward? 85 minutes on the clock and the ball breaks free and Shelvey our best passer gets on the ball and looks up and NOTHING, no forward movement,  no urgency, no attempt to break away from the chains that are holding us back, that all important clean sheet and staying in the game making sure the opposition don’t breach our defence. Cheers Rafa for the point.

 

Is it Rafas fault that Yedlin can't defend?

 

Is it Rafas fault Dummett can only HOOOOOF?

 

Is it Rafas fault Hayden is out of his depth?

 

Is it Rafas fault that Atsu is our only semi decent winger?

 

Is it Rafas fault Joselu is the Spanish Luuk De Jong?

 

 

Open your eyes HTT. The squad lacks quality to such a degree Rafa doesn't trust them to think for themselves. He doesn't want them taking to many risks, because there is a higher chance we loss possession, are out of shape and get done on the counter.

 

So instead he knows our numerous limitations, and as a result its COMPACT COMPACT COMPACT. If we had even 3 quality players maybe he would encourage more expansive football. But it's backs to the wall because he has no real choice.

 

He signed most of them so he has to take some responsibility for that.

 

FFS.

[TRon]

If you have pennies to spend, you get s***.

 

If you surrender possession, sit back, play with no urgency and make poor subs you don’t win games...

 

If you surrender possession regularly, that's usually a sign that the players are pretty shit.

[geordiedean]

Push forward? 85 minutes on the clock and the ball breaks free and Shelvey our best passer gets on the ball and looks up and NOTHING, no forward movement,  no urgency, no attempt to break away from the chains that are holding us back, that all important clean sheet and staying in the game making sure the opposition don’t breach our defence. Cheers Rafa for the point.

 

Is it Rafas fault that Yedlin can't defend?

 

Is it Rafas fault Dummett can only HOOOOOF?

 

Is it Rafas fault Hayden is out of his depth?

 

Is it Rafas fault that Atsu is our only semi decent winger?

 

Is it Rafas fault Joselu is the Spanish Luuk De Jong?

 

 

Open your eyes HTT. The squad lacks quality to such a degree Rafa doesn't trust them to think for themselves. He doesn't want them taking to many risks, because there is a higher chance we loss possession, are out of shape and get done on the counter.

 

So instead he knows our numerous limitations, and as a result its COMPACT COMPACT COMPACT. If we had even 3 quality players maybe he would encourage more expansive football. But it's backs to the wall because he has no real choice.

 

He signed most of them so he has to take some responsibility for that.

Bingo People say these players are shit.....who bought them then?