Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

If he'd been allowed to sign Townsend, Mccarthy, Caballero, Abraham and whoever else he had sorted - I feel like we'd be in a slightly better position.

You can say this for any manager. The performances have been timid, the tactics confused. This has to fall on the manager at some point. I feel as though there is enough in the side that it can be one that is tough to beat, rather than one that capitulates.

[Yorkie]

If he'd been allowed to sign Townsend, Mccarthy, Caballero, Abraham and whoever else he had sorted - I feel like we'd be in a slightly better position.

You can say this for any manager.  The performances have been timid, the tactics confused. This has to fall on the manager at some point. I feel as though there is enough in the side that it can be one that is tough to beat, rather than one that capitulates.

 

Sure, and I agree that he needs to be scrutinised for our performances. But these signings were all but done, then blocked by those above him.

[mighty__mag]

I'll leave you to it lads. Best of luck with Steve Bruce. 

 

embarrassing fan boy stuff

 

Says the person with " In staveley we trust" 

 

Fucking cringe bomb.

[triggs]

I'll leave you to it lads. Best of luck with Steve Bruce. 

 

embarrassing fan boy stuff

Aye, as much as there has been some embarrassing comments from our fans, this bloke is embarrassing

[TRon]

If he'd been allowed to sign Townsend, Mccarthy, Caballero, Abraham and whoever else he had sorted - I feel like we'd be in a slightly better position.

You can say this for any manager. The performances have been timid, the tactics confused. This has to fall on the manager at some point. I feel as though there is enough in the side that it can be one that is tough to beat, rather than one that capitulates.

 

Not with those defenders.

[ponsaelius]

The 4-4-2 thing is an absolute mystery.

 

Last season we never, ever played 4-4-2. I think it occurred for the last 20 minutes a couple of times but never from the start of matches. It was extremely frustrating because like in 09/10 I think if we'd wanted to we could have got at teams a lot more and used a more expansive set-up to win more comfortably.

 

However the saving grace was that Rafa was probably planning for the top flight where we'd need to be solid and well-drilled in a system ready for a struggle in the PL. Early few weeks of the season it seemed that way. We were shite but we didn't concede many goals and looked good enough to stay up. Since the terrible display at Burnley we've been playing 4-4-2 (and 3-4-3 at Chelsea) and looked massively open because of it.

 

It's really odd. Now we're stuck in a bit of a hard place because the side have absolutely zero confidence, and reverting to type might dent it even further rather than sure us up. I think we have to do it though. This is fucking car-crash at the moment.

[Gallowgate Toon]

This is going to sound like 2013 all over again but what's it going to take to try 4-3-3? It's the only way I can see for us that balances us out enough to not be total shit at either end of the pitch.

 

We absolutely can not handle having a 2-man midfield, and the defence needs more protection without Lascelles anyway. We're never going to be great going forward.

[Yorkie]

Thing is, it's the first really sticky period during his tenure. He did his damnedest to keep the Sissoko team up, but it was too late. Last season was an absolute battle - a real struggle, but he saw us through. He wasn't rewarded how he should've been, but he's making mistakes himself, no doubt.

 

He deserves the fanbase's support through this period - he's earned it following a successful first season-and-a-bit in the job.

[mighty__mag]

I'll leave you to it lads. Best of luck with Steve Bruce. 

 

embarrassing fan boy stuff

 

Says the person with " In staveley we trust" 

 

Fucking cringe bomb.

 

 

fair play you've got zero idea of what a joke is

 

Could have said the same about yourself when i was pissing around about Lingard.

 

 

[Mr Logic]

Ok lads, fire him then and save yourself the pain. 

 

Hey, don't take one negative posters views as representative of the whole. This place is garbage when the team are struggling, always has been, emotions take the place of reason.

 

Blaming Rafa for Ashleys running of the club is bordering on the insane imo. But we could/should have a three man midfield every game, Shelvey needs to be out there purely for the way he can change a game. (and I'm not thinking red cards. )

[r0cafella]

Ashley is the only one to blame for this, if Rafa was actually able to get the players in we needed we would have been fine.

 

Divide and conquer works every time.

[Cheshire Mag]

The 4-4-2 thing is an absolute mystery.

 

Last season we never, ever played 4-4-2. I think it occurred for the last 20 minutes a couple of times but never from the start of matches. It was extremely frustrating because like in 09/10 I think if we'd wanted to we could have got at teams a lot more and used a more expansive set-up to win more comfortably.

 

However the saving grace was that Rafa was probably planning for the top flight where we'd need to be solid and well-drilled in a system ready for a struggle in the PL. Early few weeks of the season it seemed that way. We were shite but we didn't concede many goals and looked good enough to stay up. Since the terrible display at Burnley we've been playing 4-4-2 (and 3-4-3 at Chelsea) and looked massively open because of it.

 

It's really odd. Now we're stuck in a bit of a hard place because the side have absolutely zero confidence, and reverting to type might dent it even further rather than sure us up. I think we have to do it though. This is fucking car-crash at the moment.

 

Think it’s s case of Rafa trying shoehorn in Joselu.

[Infinitely Content]

This is going to sound like 2013 all over again but what's it going to take to try 4-3-3? It's the only way I can see for us that balances us out enough to not be total s*** at either end of the pitch.

 

We absolutely can not handle having a 2-man midfield, and the defence needs more protection without Lascelles anyway. We're never going to be great going forward.

 

I think the problem a lot of managers have with it is that 4-3-3 requires you to have a front three who are right up in the final 3rd. When the other team breaks, this often means two of the 3 central players drop off the flanks to cover the wings leaving a huge gaping hole in the centre of the pitch. So whilst 4-3-3 sounds stronger in the middle, it often leaves you exposed in that specific area when out of possession, especially in quick turnarounds.

[triggs]

Ashley is to blame but the manager absolutely has to take some of the blame when you get 1 point from 7 games

[Smal]

Defence had no protection and there was no link to the strikers either. It was diabolical.

 

Need to ditch the 442.

[nemtizz]

I'll leave you to it lads. Best of luck with Steve Bruce. 

 

embarrassing fan boy stuff

 

Says the person with " In staveley we trust" 

 

Fucking cringe bomb.

 

 

fair play you've got zero idea of what a joke is

 

Could have said the same about yourself when i was pissing around about Lingard.

 

 

 

Pissing about.   You were seething about a dance.

[steve_69]

You have to take into account that our Championship standard team has been without 4 key players during this shit run, arguably all of which are PL standard - Merino, Dummett, Atsu, Lascelles. When you’re working with a squad as shit as ours, the last thing you need is for it to be made shitter due to injuries.

[TheDonis]

Ok lads, fire him then and save yourself the pain. 

 

Hey, don't take one negative posters views as representative of the whole. This place is garbage when the team are struggling, always has been, emotions take the place of reason.

 

Blaming Rafa for Ashleys running of the club is bordering on the insane imo. But we could/should have a three man midfield every game, Shelvey needs to be out there purely for the way he can change a game. (and I'm not thinking red cards. )

 

I have posted on here before and said quite clearly that I don't understand - at all - why Rafa has abandoned a system that has served him so well and gone 4-4-2 in search of goals. Yeah you've scored them but you're shipping them at a ridiculous rate. I find it bizarre. Rafa is usually the stubborn guy who never rips up his rulebook, and yet he's cast aside his favoured formation. I genuinely don't understand it as it could cost him his job - (my comments up the thread were in response to some dimwitted meff who said he'd damaged you forever) - and that'd be a shame for you, and for him. But that's football

 

Have any journos asked him why he's abandoned 4-2-3-1? He's played it everywhere, through thick and thin. Was there a clamour to change it?

 

[mighty__mag]

The 4-4-2 thing is an absolute mystery.

 

Last season we never, ever played 4-4-2. I think it occurred for the last 20 minutes a couple of times but never from the start of matches. It was extremely frustrating because like in 09/10 I think if we'd wanted to we could have got at teams a lot more and used a more expansive set-up to win more comfortably.

 

However the saving grace was that Rafa was probably planning for the top flight where we'd need to be solid and well-drilled in a system ready for a struggle in the PL. Early few weeks of the season it seemed that way. We were shite but we didn't concede many goals and looked good enough to stay up. Since the terrible display at Burnley we've been playing 4-4-2 (and 3-4-3 at Chelsea) and looked massively open because of it.

 

It's really odd. Now we're stuck in a bit of a hard place because the side have absolutely zero confidence, and reverting to type might dent it even further rather than sure us up. I think we have to do it though. This is fucking car-crash at the moment.

 

Think it’s s case of Rafa trying shoehorn in Joselu.

 

If he wanted to buy a number 10 why didn't he just not buy Joselu for 6m and buy a average number 10 at 6m.

 

Just seemed daft to bring in another forward, and not the position you actually wanted to fill.

 

Im sure that Brazilian player in La liga would have not broke the bank. Cant think of his name.

[afar]

We’ve been told so many times that Rafa never changes from 4411, yet in this wretched simply wretched run of form he’s tried every formation bar it.  Not sure what’s happened to the man, perhaps he’s just given up, like most of his players.

[triggs]

Ok lads, fire him then and save yourself the pain. 

 

Hey, don't take one negative posters views as representative of the whole. This place is garbage when the team are struggling, always has been, emotions take the place of reason.

 

Blaming Rafa for Ashleys running of the club is bordering on the insane imo. But we could/should have a three man midfield every game, Shelvey needs to be out there purely for the way he can change a game. (and I'm not thinking red cards. )

 

I have posted on here before and said quite clearly that I don't understand - at all - why Rafa has abandoned a system that has served him so well and gone 4-4-2 in search of goals. Yeah you've scored them but you're shipping them at a ridiculous rate. I find it bizarre. Rafa is usually the stubborn guy who never rips up his rulebook, and yet he's cast aside his favoured formation. I genuinely don't understand it as it could cost him his job - (my comments up the thread were in response to some dimwitted meff who said he'd damaged you forever) - and that'd be a shame for you, and for him. But that's football

 

Have any journos asked him why he's abandoned 4-2-3-1? He's played it everywhere, through thick and thin. Was there a clamour to change it?

Journos never ask questions that fans actually want the answer to

[mighty__mag]

I'll leave you to it lads. Best of luck with Steve Bruce. 

 

embarrassing fan boy stuff

 

Says the person with " In staveley we trust" 

 

Fucking cringe bomb.

 

 

fair play you've got zero idea of what a joke is

 

Could have said the same about yourself when i was pissing around about Lingard.

 

 

 

Pissing about.   You were seething about a dance.

 

I did think it was gay. Tbf 

 

I was more pissed at thet college drop out prick weighing in.

Such a mouthpiece.

[Dokko]

Any other manager would be sacked after this run. Its going to continue till the end of the year as well.

 

He's a lucky man.

[Bimpy474]

You have to take into account that our Championship standard team has been without 4 key players during this shit run, arguably all of which are PL standard - Merino, Dummett, Atsu, Lascelles. When you’re working with a squad as shit as ours, the last thing you need is for it to be made shitter due to injuries.

 

True but doesn't explain leaving Shelvey that does it, if you're so short on quality you don't really leave out your one creative player. If it's because he doesn't trust Shelvey in a two then make it a three and even then, he bloody well trusted Shelvey in a two against Liverpool, i think the no trust in a two is utter bollocks.

[TRon]

Ok lads, fire him then and save yourself the pain. 

 

Hey, don't take one negative posters views as representative of the whole. This place is garbage when the team are struggling, always has been, emotions take the place of reason.

 

Blaming Rafa for Ashleys running of the club is bordering on the insane imo. But we could/should have a three man midfield every game, Shelvey needs to be out there purely for the way he can change a game. (and I'm not thinking red cards. )

 

I have posted on here before and said quite clearly that I don't understand - at all - why Rafa has abandoned a system that has served him so well and gone 4-4-2 in search of goals. Yeah you've scored them but you're shipping them at a ridiculous rate. I find it bizarre. Rafa is usually the stubborn guy who never rips up his rulebook, and yet he's cast aside his favoured formation. I genuinely don't understand it as it could cost him his job - (my comments up the thread were in response to some dimwitted meff who said he'd damaged you forever) - and that'd be a shame for you, and for him. But that's football

 

Have any journos asked him why he's abandoned 4-2-3-1? He's played it everywhere, through thick and thin. Was there a clamour to change it?

 

 

There was, but I don't think Rafa's they type to cave in to fan pressure. Maybe he just doesn't trust his team to be able to keep a clean sheet so is looking for more threat up front instead? I don't know.