Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Newintoon]

Aye, some of the defence of Rafa is absolutely ridiculous.  If he was such a perfect manager why is he at our club ffs.

 

But he's working with absolute shite for the league he's in, that's the owner's fault.

 

I have no idea why he is with us tbh, his previous job was Real Madrid ffs

 

[Jesse Pinkman]

Couldn’t give a fuck what Rafa has achieved previously. Starting Ritchie one of our most attacking players at LWB was a bad decision. Starting Diame CM was a bad decision.

 

He’s honestly making more wrong decisions then right at the moment. I hope he turns things around and trust that he will.

[HaydnNUFC]

Tired of the "if this was Pardew/Carver/McClaren" line, like. Fucking tedious.

[Hanshithispantz]

Couldn’t give a fuck what Rafa has achieved previously. Starting Ritchie one of our most attacking players at LWB was a bad decision. Starting Diame CM was a bad decision.

 

He’s honestly making more wrong decisions then right at the moment. I hope he turns things around and trust that he will.

Howay man. Other than his ability to put a ball in Ritchie's best attribute is his workrate. Hard working wingers are often put in at fullback when playing a back 3.

 

He seems to have done shite and I'd probably wait a while until trying him there again like.

[Newintoon]

Couldn’t give a fuck what Rafa has achieved previously. Starting Ritchie one of our most attacking players at LWB was a bad decision. Starting Diame CM was a bad decision.

 

He’s honestly making more wrong decisions then right at the moment. I hope he turns things around and trust that he will.

 

Diame was fine at centre mid, started to fade later. Ritchie is normally defensively sound, how could he predict how awful a match he would have, stop talking shite

[geordiedean]

Some of the comments on here and across social media are a bit disheartening. Rafas a man who takes intense pride in every aspect of his work, he'll be disappointed too. Good to hear the sway contingent singing his name.

 

A bit disheartening?! They’re fucking outrageous!

I’m now starting to see why so many people give our fans grief for being thick and having unrealistic expectations. Some of the comments directed at Rafa are an absolute embarrassment.

 

Problem is, views like this make it appear that Benitez is infallible.  He's making plenty of decisions that several disagree with.  Loads of daft selections, subs, transfers.  I get that he isn't being given a suitable budget to work with, but he has cocked up a lot this year.

 

Its so infuriating to think that some on here and our fans think that if you criticise Rafa its out of order. Rafa has fucked up on many many occasions and if Pardew,Carver or Mclown done the same they would be absolutely lambasted for it. Rafa is not beyond criticism at all and I know he hasn't had a budget to work with but his signings have been fucking woeful as a whole and his tactics and subs usage at times has been staggering

 

who would have done better for us?

 

This response sums things up exactly how I feel. Your speaking as if he is the best thing since sliced bread are you telling me there is absolutely no managers who could have done any better or made any different decisions to him. If you think that then youre nuts. Im not saying id want Rafa sacked but hes made some absolute shit decisions. Has Sean Dyche had things better to work with in the championship and the prem league id say not yet hes doing a fantastic job at Burnley with what he has

 

[huss9]

subs always seem to be made so late but

merino, ritchie and mbemba all need to be  blamed for our defeat today before rafa.

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

I'd love to hear these failsafe suggestions for line ups and tactics from his critics tbh. So far I've seen him try a lot of the fan suggestions and yet the complaints are still there. There's not a settled team that will work against every team and I get the feeling that that's what some seem to think.

[Guest neesy111]

Well we enticed benitez for starters....

[Newintoon]

I'd love to hear these failsafe suggestions for line ups and tactics from his critics tbh. So far I've seen him try a lot of the fan suggestions and yet the complaints are still there. There's not a settled team that will work against every team and I get the feeling that that's what some seem to think.

 

like the ones that wanted 442 then we get ripped apart on the break, u think they would shut up after that.

[joeyt]

Some of the comments on here and across social media are a bit disheartening. Rafas a man who takes intense pride in every aspect of his work, he'll be disappointed too. Good to hear the sway contingent singing his name.

 

A bit disheartening?! They’re f***ing outrageous!

I’m now starting to see why so many people give our fans grief for being thick and having unrealistic expectations. Some of the comments directed at Rafa are an absolute embarrassment.

 

Problem is, views like this make it appear that Benitez is infallible.  He's making plenty of decisions that several disagree with.  Loads of daft selections, subs, transfers.  I get that he isn't being given a suitable budget to work with, but he has cocked up a lot this year.

 

Its so infuriating to think that some on here and our fans think that if you criticise Rafa its out of order. Rafa has f***ed up on many many occasions and if Pardew,Carver or Mclown done the same they would be absolutely lambasted for it. Rafa is not beyond criticism at all and I know he hasn't had a budget to work with but his signings have been f***ing woeful as a whole and his tactics and subs usage at times has been staggering

 

who would have done better for us?

 

This response sums things up exactly how I feel. Your speaking as if he is the best thing since sliced bread are you telling me there is absolutely no managers who could have done any better or made any different decisions to him. If you think that then youre nuts. Im not saying id want Rafa sacked but hes made some absolute s*** decisions. Has Sean Dyche had things better to work with in the championship and the prem league id say not yet hes doing a fantastic job at Burnley with what he has

 

 

Burnley finished 16th last season in their first season back in the PL. We're above 16th right now. Who's to say that this time next year if we stay up we can't be doing what Burnley are doing this season?

[TRon]

Some of the comments on here and across social media are a bit disheartening. Rafas a man who takes intense pride in every aspect of his work, he'll be disappointed too. Good to hear the sway contingent singing his name.

 

A bit disheartening?! They’re f***ing outrageous!

I’m now starting to see why so many people give our fans grief for being thick and having unrealistic expectations. Some of the comments directed at Rafa are an absolute embarrassment.

 

Problem is, views like this make it appear that Benitez is infallible.  He's making plenty of decisions that several disagree with.  Loads of daft selections, subs, transfers.  I get that he isn't being given a suitable budget to work with, but he has cocked up a lot this year.

 

Cocked up according to who, you? Other world renowned football experts?

I fucking love this armchair management stuff - ‘obviously we’d have won if Mitro started instead of Joselu and Shelvey played alongside Merino’. The sheer fucking arrogance of it is staggering!

You’re talking about one of the best and most decorated managers in world football! We all have an opinion but being so certain that Rafa got this wrong or that wrong is laughable.

 

Oh right, no opinions allowed on a football forum.  Gotcha.

 

 

 

You can have your opinions, but if you can question Rafa's opinions, why you getting your knickers in a twist if someone questions yours?

[ilikenewcastle]

Tired of the "if this was Pardew/Carver/McClaren" line, like. f***ing tedious.

 

It's a load of crap mate. When Benitez oversees a massive decline in fortunes like those clowns did, maybe he will get criticised in a similar way.

 

Rafa has probably frustrated us all several times these past couple of seasons, but he's doing everything he can do and more with the tools at his disposal.

[Hhtoon]

Some of his stubbornness can be frustrating and there have been some less impressive signings (he admits himself a manager does well to get 70% or so success), but if we get taken over I absolutely wouldn't want anyone else.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Rafa should never be compared with Pardew or McLaren, I find it weird when people say if Pardew did that etc. there would be an uproar. It’s like holding Joselu up to Shearer. Rafa does things because his methods have merit, when Pardew did something there was no thought put into it whatsoever. Santon DCM anyone?

[Guest chopey]

Our squad is painfully thin if we had kept it at 1_0 till half time we literally had no-one to bring on and shore things up

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Some of his stubbornness can be frustrating and there have been some less impressive signings (he admits himself a manager does well to get 70% or so success), but if we get taken over I absolutely wouldn't want anyone else.

 

Most of the players he wanted aren’t here.

[mighty__mag]

Some of the comments on here and across social media are a bit disheartening. Rafas a man who takes intense pride in every aspect of his work, he'll be disappointed too. Good to hear the sway contingent singing his name.

 

A bit disheartening?! They’re f***ing outrageous!

I’m now starting to see why so many people give our fans grief for being thick and having unrealistic expectations. Some of the comments directed at Rafa are an absolute embarrassment.

 

Problem is, views like this make it appear that Benitez is infallible.  He's making plenty of decisions that several disagree with.  Loads of daft selections, subs, transfers.  I get that he isn't being given a suitable budget to work with, but he has cocked up a lot this year.

 

Its so infuriating to think that some on here and our fans think that if you criticise Rafa its out of order. Rafa has f***ed up on many many occasions and if Pardew,Carver or Mclown done the same they would be absolutely lambasted for it. Rafa is not beyond criticism at all and I know he hasn't had a budget to work with but his signings have been f***ing woeful as a whole and his tactics and subs usage at times has been staggering

 

who would have done better for us?

 

This response sums things up exactly how I feel. Your speaking as if he is the best thing since sliced bread are you telling me there is absolutely no managers who could have done any better or made any different decisions to him. If you think that then youre nuts. Im not saying id want Rafa sacked but hes made some absolute s*** decisions. Has Sean Dyche had things better to work with in the championship and the prem league id say not yet hes doing a fantastic job at Burnley with what he has

 

 

Burnley finished 16th last season in their first season back in the PL. We're above 16th right now. Who's to say that this time next year if we stay up we can't be doing what Burnley are doing this season?

 

Hindsight, prediction, alternative thinking is very much unacceptable on here.

[Hughesy]

Some people really need to take a look at the quality (or lack thereof) of our squad now and compare it to the squads of every single previous manager and then re-evaluate their opinion of Rafa.  Makes me mad to think about some of the quality that the likes of Pardew had at his disposal (and wasted) and then you look at what Rafa is managing to do with basically a Championship team..

[Figures 1-0 Football]

Ashley has given Rafa a piece of string to open a tin of beans, he’s doing the best that he can but unfortunately he isn’t a miracle worker.

 

If we had someone like Pardew, McClaren or Carver in charge, they’d be getting pelters because we’d be bottom (or very close to it).

[madras]

I'd love to hear these failsafe suggestions for line ups and tactics from his critics tbh. So far I've seen him try a lot of the fan suggestions and yet the complaints are still there. There's not a settled team that will work against every team and I get the feeling that that's what some seem to think.

 

like the ones that wanted 442 then we get ripped apart on the break, u think they would shut up after that.

Fairly sure they'd have been saying to go 442 in some games, other tactics in others.

 

Are you saying he's beyond criticism btw ?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Right...

 

Our performances from match to match concerns me massively or rather the way we play and has done for a while now, dating back to last season. Every time we take to the pitch we seem to be set up differently each game, be it tactically even if a slight change, or be it with personnel.

 

There is no consistency to our play or performances and no cohesion. There doesn’t seem to be relationships and patterns of play developing between x or y player in terms of partnerships.

 

Each player works hard and we rarely lose our shape so we are kind of well drilled in that sense, but that’s about it. What is our style? What are we good at?

 

It’s difficult of course because our players simply aren't good enough, but this is where Rafa earns his money or should do. Creating a team better than the sum of its parts.

 

That isn’t the case though as our alarming form demonstrates and I actually feel we would play better and be higher up the table if we were less of a team (strict shape, tactics, role of players, systems etc.) with the sum of our parts doing their thing whatever that is. I.e. our better players being allowed to play more of their own game.

 

Merino for example is a lovely footballer, but today he may as well have been Colback out there, that’s what he was reduced to.

 

Rafa should know his best team by now, but he clearly doesn’t and that is another worry. If the back four, midfield and front players keep changing from one game to the next tactically or personnel, that cannot be healthy.

 

We have in Gayle someone who can score goals, but someone like him needs to play every week. In Shelvey we have a player who can dictate play, but he needs the right players around him and the right set up. Perez and Diame are not players to have around him. Same with Merino who should have the team built around him, but it seems he’s just another cog.

 

In short I feel Rafa isn’t helping things. He manages everything game by game and that’s all good and well if you have top quality players, but we don’t. He is constantly trying to find the right answers to problems, but perhaps the right answer right now would be to pick an 11, set them up in a system that best suits them and give them a run of games to solve their own problems or more over to give the opposition problems that they have to try and solve.

 

We are a mess at the moment and we are doing nothing good and lots bad.

 

We cannot keep blaming the players for not being good enough even if they aren’t. Rafa perhaps the problem is with you...

 

This is in no way me blaming Rafa for where we are in the table or writing him off by the way. I just feel his methods and ways isn’t helping us at the moment and especially certain players.

 

Before a ball was kicked this season we all wondered of Gayle would transfer his Championship form to the Premier League, or if Shelvey would step up and become an established quality player at this level for example.

 

Well as much as they have limitations in ways, how the hell will we ever find out if they get chopped and changed all the time or if their roles change from one game to another?

[Greg]

If only football were that simple.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

If only football were that simple.

 

It’s not as complicated as Rafa sometimes makes it either.

[mighty__mag]

Right...

 

Our performances from match to match concerns me massively or rather the way we play and has done for a while now, dating back to last season. Every time we take to the pitch we seem to be set up differently each game, be it tactically even if a slight change, or be it with personnel.

 

There is no consistency to our play or performances and no cohesion. There doesn’t seem to be relationships and patterns of play developing between x or y player in terms of partnerships.

 

Each player works hard and we rarely lose our shape so we are kind of well drilled in that sense, but that’s about it. What is our style? What are we good at?

 

It’s difficult of course because our players simply aren't good enough, but this is where Rafa earns his money or should do. Creating a team better than the sum of its parts.

 

That isn’t the case though as our alarming form demonstrates and I actually feel we would play better and be higher up the table if we were less of a team (strict shape, tactics, role of players, systems etc.) with the sum of our parts doing their thing whatever that is. I.e. our better players being allowed to play more of their own game.

 

Merino for example is a lovely footballer, but today he may as well have been Colback out there, that’s what he was reduced to.

 

Rafa should know his best team by now, but he clearly doesn’t and that is another worry. If the back four, midfield and front players keep changing from one game to the next tactically or personnel, that cannot be healthy.

 

We have in Gayle someone who can score goals, but someone like him needs to play every week. In Shelvey we have a player who can dictate play, but he needs the right players around him and the right set up. Perez and Diame are not players to have around him. Same with Merino who should have the team built around him, but it seems he’s just another cog.

 

In short I feel Rafa isn’t helping things. He manages everything game by game and that’s all good and well if you have top quality players, but we don’t. He is constantly trying to find the right answers to problems, but perhaps the right answer right now would be to pick an 11, set them up in a system that best suits them and give them a run of games to solve their own problems or more over to give the opposition problems that they have to try and solve.

 

We are a mess at the moment and we are doing nothing good and lots bad.

 

We cannot keep blaming the players for not being good enough even if they aren’t. Rafa perhaps the problem is with you...

 

This is in no way me blaming Rafa for where we are in the table or writing him off by the way. I just feel his methods and ways isn’t helping us at the moment and especially certain players.

 

Before a ball was kicked this season we all wondered of Gayle would transfer his Championship form to the Premier League, or if Shelvey would step up and become an established quality player at this level for example.

 

Well as much as they have limitations in ways, how the hell will we ever find out if they get chopped and changed all the time or if their roles change from one game to another?

 

The Merino bit ??

 

I think Mitrovic could do wonders for Gayles game if he could get in the team and partner him up top. The big man little man Tosh Keegan type plan.

 

I personally wish Rafa would get over this player exile thing he has. I dont rate many of our players including Mitro, but he should  have had the nod more this season especially with Joselu being dreadful.