Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Shearergol]

Stuff he can't legislate for:

 

1. s**** goalkeeper he wanted rid of throwing the ball to the opponent's best player a yard out.

2. Lack of quality throughout the squad.

3. Players given a chance to show why they should be in the side getting themselves sent off.

4. Hitting the posts with excellent efforts.

 

Stuff he has to answer for tonight:

 

1. The f***ing abysmal way we gave up with half an hour to go.

 

Honestly, that wasn't good enough. Blame quality, individual mistakes, whatever. We didn't do anywhere near enough to change the course of that match and he needs to address it.

 

You cannot completely absolve him from number 2.  Seriously, even with the ridiculous restrictions and number of times he has been f***ed over, the players he has decided to bring in are just pure crap. 

 

How many f***ing times? They weren't the players he decided to bring in, they were the players that he ended up having to resort to. You already know this, you just f***ing love your snivelling sack of s*** WUM act.

 

He selected those players as back-up deals.  He didn't have to sign Joselu, but he did.

 

Alternative being...

 

Could have signed someone like Charlie Taylor for left-back and just played Mitrovic.

 

Yup. Kept Hanley as 4th choice and mbemba back in at centre back. Begovic went for £10m.

 

Been badly squad managed and a failure of a window.

 

Dave has already said this but say Begovic, it's not the £10m that was the problem, it's the wages he would be on.

 

We didn't sign players because of their value, we didn't sign them because Ashley wouldn't pay their wages. Now Rafa should be doing better, no doubt but this lays at Ashley's feet.

 

Bournemouth can afford his wages, so can we. We’d have sold Darlow to Boro, his wages, no Joselu, no need for another cb and what it’s cost to upgrade, it could have been done like.

 

You obviously know a lot more about this than everyone else. What’s he being paid? Do any of our players need their wage increasing to match his? What’s our limit on wages for a keeper? What are Darlow and Joselu on?

[Guest ElCid]

Stuff he can't legislate for:

 

1. s**** goalkeeper he wanted rid of throwing the ball to the opponent's best player a yard out.

2. Lack of quality throughout the squad.

3. Players given a chance to show why they should be in the side getting themselves sent off.

4. Hitting the posts with excellent efforts.

 

Stuff he has to answer for tonight:

 

1. The f***ing abysmal way we gave up with half an hour to go.

 

Honestly, that wasn't good enough. Blame quality, individual mistakes, whatever. We didn't do anywhere near enough to change the course of that match and he needs to address it.

 

You cannot completely absolve him from number 2.  Seriously, even with the ridiculous restrictions and number of times he has been f***ed over, the players he has decided to bring in are just pure crap. 

 

Right, name the free left back and £5m striker you wanted us to sign.

 

Do I have to in order to say Benitez has made some f***ing crap signings?  Nah.

 

World’s biggest cop out. I thought as much.

 

Rafa brought in 4th or 5th choice players he thought might be able to do a job. He has made it clear all along that they are not the players he wanted. If they were his first choices the criticism would be fair but give the situation some context and throw a bit of intelligence into the mix (fat chance of that with you) and you realise they were the best he could get UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

 

If you buy s*** you get s*** and this bollocks about needing players holds no basis as you can’t polish a turd but what is his biggest error is to keep playing these players week after week that is not good management. I have full sympathy and anger that he was not allowed to bring in his top choices but to then buy total duck eggs and keep playing them is not acceptable either.

[TRon]

Got to start earning his massive salary now like.

 

What is it you expect him to do? Order his defence to stop conceding goals? Get what we always knew was a poor strike force to start scoring freely? All he can really do is organise the team and hope they do their jobs.

[JH]

I’d still take him over every possible alternative.

 

He really is the best we can hope for. And if reports are to be believed, the reason we’re finally cutting Ashley out of the club.

[Guest ElCid]

Got to start earning his massive salary now like.

 

What is it you expect him to do? Order his defence to stop conceding goals? Get what we always knew was a poor strike force to start scoring freely? All he can really do is organise the team and hope they do their jobs.

 

Don’t sign them in the first place because they are not good enough.

[Bimpy474]

Stuff he can't legislate for:

 

1. s**** goalkeeper he wanted rid of throwing the ball to the opponent's best player a yard out.

2. Lack of quality throughout the squad.

3. Players given a chance to show why they should be in the side getting themselves sent off.

4. Hitting the posts with excellent efforts.

 

Stuff he has to answer for tonight:

 

1. The f***ing abysmal way we gave up with half an hour to go.

 

Honestly, that wasn't good enough. Blame quality, individual mistakes, whatever. We didn't do anywhere near enough to change the course of that match and he needs to address it.

 

You cannot completely absolve him from number 2.  Seriously, even with the ridiculous restrictions and number of times he has been f***ed over, the players he has decided to bring in are just pure crap. 

 

How many f***ing times? They weren't the players he decided to bring in, they were the players that he ended up having to resort to. You already know this, you just f***ing love your snivelling sack of s*** WUM act.

 

He selected those players as back-up deals.  He didn't have to sign Joselu, but he did.

 

Alternative being...

 

Could have signed someone like Charlie Taylor for left-back and just played Mitrovic.

 

Yup. Kept Hanley as 4th choice and mbemba back in at centre back. Begovic went for £10m.

 

Been badly squad managed and a failure of a window.

 

Dave has already said this but say Begovic, it's not the £10m that was the problem, it's the wages he would be on.

 

We didn't sign players because of their value, we didn't sign them because Ashley wouldn't pay their wages. Now Rafa should be doing better, no doubt but this lays at Ashley's feet.

 

Bournemouth can afford his wages, so can we. We’d have sold Darlow to Boro, his wages, no Joselu, no need for another cb and what it’s cost to upgrade, it could have been done like.

 

Of course we can, if Ashley wasn't the owner. He won't go to where we need to and other clubs go as that is modern football now, it's like we're 3 years behind everyone else. We needed a striker, couldn't get a GK so held on to Darlow. It's not difficult to understand that again it was the wages, Joselu was way down on Rafa's list but that he was the one that fitted the finances limited by Ashley.

 

I'm not defending Rafa for the form we're in, but i can see the bigger picture where Ashley has the reigns well and truly held up.

[steve_69]

My trust in the man has waned of late, it's like he's been a different manager to the one we've known over the last couple of months. His team selections have been questionable, he's set us up poorly on a number of occasions, he's lacked any evidence of being able to motivate the group of players. He's still the man you want in the job, but my god this is not acceptable right now, whatever the state of the squad. Need a shock result at Arsenal now, something to get he confidence going again.

 

Did you watch the first half of that game? We might’ve lost but we didn’t deserve to. The first half performance was the best we’ve played recently and the second half performance came from a combination of being deflated after going in behind, and fat Sam parking the bus.

[Disco]

To regain a level head for a minute:

 

- He's not getting the best out of what we have

- We probably shouldn't have had such a big turnover of players in the summer and focused on the spine of the team. We've effectively had nearly 3 starting XIs in 20 months. No continuity.

- Not getting his preferred players is early is killing us

- Not knowing his best XI is killing us

- Individual errors, so fucking many every game, are killing us

- Not being ruthless and street smart in games before tonight have killed us.

 

Also, as shite as we've been we're not in the bottom 3, somehow. As hard as it we need to try and stay positive.

[Zero]

Darlow over Eliott and Woodman? Keep on playing Ritchie when he is out of form? Ignoring Mitrovic? Manquillo? Diame? 442? The suicidal pressing? The long ball tactics to Gayle? Match substitutions?

 

Please don't try to say Rafa got all his decisions right and the results are all down to individual errors. There are a huge lot of stuffs he got wrong for this run.

[joeyt]

I like Aarons but no idea why he came on before Murphy

[toon25]

The other clubs at the bottom and took a gamble. Results have picked up. Rafa doesn’t know what to do with this squad and, frankly, £30 million won’t touch the fucking sides.

 

It’s not Rafas fault, but he’s not getting a tune with this bunch of hopeless fuckfarts. If he stays is dependent on whether he’s Steveley’s man, but if we weren’t getting taken over, there’s an argument to be had for rolling the dice if we want to stay on this league.

[Sean]

I’d still take him over every possible alternative.

 

He really is the best we can hope for. And if reports are to be believed, the reason we’re finally cutting Ashley out of the club.

 

Well said.

[Big Geordie]

I think Rafa started running out of ideas, some weeks ago. He knows we are limited in quality, due to the lack of investment by Ashley. I just wonder if he has wrung everything he can from these players? Have they given up on him?

[TRon]

Got to start earning his massive salary now like.

 

What is it you expect him to do? Order his defence to stop conceding goals? Get what we always knew was a poor strike force to start scoring freely? All he can really do is organise the team and hope they do their jobs.

 

Don’t sign them in the first place because they are not good enough.

 

 

Most of them were signed to take us out of the championship.

[afar]

My trust in the man has waned of late, it's like he's been a different manager to the one we've known over the last couple of months. His team selections have been questionable, he's set us up poorly on a number of occasions, he's lacked any evidence of being able to motivate the group of players. He's still the man you want in the job, but my god this is not acceptable right now, whatever the state of the squad. Need a shock result at Arsenal now, something to get he confidence going again.

 

 

Did you watch the first half of that game? We might’ve lost but we didn’t deserve to. The first half performance was the best we’ve played recently and the second half performance came from a combination of being deflated after going in behind, and fat Sam parking the bus.

 

I've not seen any of the game, I'm really basing my comment on our general performance over the last couple of months, which simply hasn't been good enough, as the manager he has to take some responsibility for that.

[mrmojorisin75]

You have to understand that we are going to make history, the worst run ever in EPL. Absolutely no way you can defend Rafa. Ask for sacking is another matter because we probably couldn't bring in a better one, but even by a normal manager standard this is piss poor, never mind a world class manager.

 

The takeover talk in a way saved his job. If there is no takeover Rafa must be sacked for this run. You can have lots of reasons to lay the blame on others but sorry to me Rafa cannot escape from any blame. Worst run in EPL is coming FFS.

What is the worst ever run incidentally?

[Guest ElCid]

To regain a level head for a minute:

 

- He's not getting the best out of what we have

- We probably shouldn't have had such a big turnover of players in the summer and focused on the spine of the team. We've effectively had nearly 3 starting XIs in 20 months. No continuity.

- Not getting his preferred players is early is killing us

- Not knowing his best XI is killing us

- Individual errors, so f***ing many every game, are killing us

- Not being ruthless and street smart in games before tonight have killed us.

 

Also, as s**** as we've been we're not in the bottom 3, somehow. As hard as it we need to try and stay positive.

 

Agreed but it’s going to need a massive turn around of personnel again to get us out of this shit as come December 23rd we will be in the bottom 3 and due to the run probably a few points off a good few teams.

[Dave]

You have to understand that we are going to make history, the worst run ever in EPL. Absolutely no way you can defend Rafa. Ask for sacking is another matter because we probably couldn't bring in a better one, but even by a normal manager standard this is piss poor, never mind a world class manager.

 

The takeover talk in a way saved his job. If there is no takeover Rafa must be sacked for this run. You can have lots of reasons to lay the blame on others but sorry to me Rafa cannot escape from any blame. Worst run in EPL is coming FFS.

What is the worst ever run incidentally?

 

Most consecutive PL defeats

15 - Sunderland (2002/03)

 

Most consecutive PL matches without a win

32 - Derby County (2007/08)

[Bimpy474]

Personally i'm not a massive fan of Rafa's football but imo, as soon as Ashley gone this club with breathe again.

 

Obviously i'm not saying we'll start playing brilliant football but the hold, the grip, the utter cancer this man has spread through this club will be lifted. We just need a few more weeks and we're free of the wretched piece of scum.

[JH]

You have to understand that we are going to make history, the worst run ever in EPL. Absolutely no way you can defend Rafa. Ask for sacking is another matter because we probably couldn't bring in a better one, but even by a normal manager standard this is p*ss poor, never mind a world class manager.

 

The takeover talk in a way saved his job. If there is no takeover Rafa must be sacked for this run. You can have lots of reasons to lay the blame on others but sorry to me Rafa cannot escape from any blame. Worst run in EPL is coming FFS.

What is the worst ever run incidentally?

 

Most consecutive PL defeats

15 - Sunderland (2002/03)

 

Most consecutive PL matches without a win

32 - Derby County (2007/08)

 

NETD

[Zero]

You have to understand that we are going to make history, the worst run ever in EPL. Absolutely no way you can defend Rafa. Ask for sacking is another matter because we probably couldn't bring in a better one, but even by a normal manager standard this is p*ss poor, never mind a world class manager.

 

The takeover talk in a way saved his job. If there is no takeover Rafa must be sacked for this run. You can have lots of reasons to lay the blame on others but sorry to me Rafa cannot escape from any blame. Worst run in EPL is coming FFS.

What is the worst ever run incidentally?

 

Most consecutive PL defeats

15 - Sunderland (2002/03)

 

Most consecutive PL matches without a win

32 - Derby County (2007/08)

 

Nice one.

[mrmojorisin75]

You have to understand that we are going to make history, the worst run ever in EPL. Absolutely no way you can defend Rafa. Ask for sacking is another matter because we probably couldn't bring in a better one, but even by a normal manager standard this is piss poor, never mind a world class manager.

 

The takeover talk in a way saved his job. If there is no takeover Rafa must be sacked for this run. You can have lots of reasons to lay the blame on others but sorry to me Rafa cannot escape from any blame. Worst run in EPL is coming FFS.

What is the worst ever run incidentally?

 

Most consecutive PL defeats

15 - Sunderland (2002/03)

 

Most consecutive PL matches without a win

32 - Derby County (2007/08)

No chance we'll beat either of them, though this overall run will end up being terrible imo

[Superior Acuña]

You have to understand that we are going to make history, the worst run ever in EPL. Absolutely no way you can defend Rafa. Ask for sacking is another matter because we probably couldn't bring in a better one, but even by a normal manager standard this is p*ss poor, never mind a world class manager.

 

The takeover talk in a way saved his job. If there is no takeover Rafa must be sacked for this run. You can have lots of reasons to lay the blame on others but sorry to me Rafa cannot escape from any blame. Worst run in EPL is coming FFS.

What is the worst ever run incidentally?

 

Most consecutive PL defeats

15 - Sunderland (2002/03)

 

Most consecutive PL matches without a win

32 - Derby County (2007/08)

 

Only 12 defeats / 24 failures to win in a row to go. Worst ever run in PL history FFS

[YNGLEGIONNAIRE]

Like the majority I'm desperate for Rafa to pull through this . But he does make errors of judgement . Darlow , Elliot or Woodman ? What about recalling £ 6.5 million Sels from his loan ? .. a Rafa signing and an even worse keeper than Darlow or Elliot

[Dave]

The other thing that's really bugging me - and I know this is pretty rich considering he's at least partly responsible for a takeover even being possible, even if just by being here in the first place - is what happens if the PCP bid all comes to nothing. It's certainly still a possibility, despite today's promising reports.

 

He's then got to carry on working with these players and the motivation looks completely shot right now.