Rafael Benitez

[pete0]

21 hours ago, Hafnia said:

Ah I see Walsh bought Tosun but you alluded that Allardyce bought Walcott (I think that's what you said earlier). 

On 16/04/2018 at 17:21, pete0 said:Alladyce was here one window and addressed two problems. One pace, Walcott, two a striker, Tosun

 

Im not a fraud in the sense that I don't get sacked from a prestigious job for taking brown envelopes....  

I couldn't really care if everything I said was inaccurate about football (Lukaku retuning to the prem and resulting in a nice spirited charity bet, Bony who went from Swansea to man city and was crap and I thought he would be good.  Loads.

Sadly for you - there is an extremely common theme that you point blankly refuse to accept when you are wrong.... Your refusal to accept you are wrong drags threads on and on, this thread alone has seen many join and the basically disengage in sheer frustration of your gas lighting antics.

You are wrong, very often, that's fine, we all are ..... What isn't fine is that you can't recognise and accept it, that's not great.   You honestly can't see that you are obsessed with being seen as correct - you will take obscure views which are extremely pretentious, when challenged on them you then arrogantly proclaim everyone else is wrong.

I'm out.  See ya, in Rafa we trust!!!

Addressed the problem areas that we needed pace on the wing and an extra striker. His job isn't choosing which one. He also said we needed a centre mid (Walsh failed to bring one in) and a centre half (loaned one but he got injured straight away). Silva completely fucked the team by not getting Doucoure or a player of similar ilk and instead wasting the budget on Richarlison when we already had two left mids. The latter still hasn't been addressed unless you count Godfrey.

You're a fraud if you think you know anything about football. Am absolute hypocrite. Cry about Tosun not playing then use him not being good enough to attack a former manager. Strange thing is that manager had him scoring goals. Surely you should be moaning about the others for not being good managers and getting the best out of him.

You need therapy, projecting as always. I take responsibility when I'm wrong. I'm happy to be wrong as I've learnt something. You have serious issues, a brat who throws tantrums and tries to bully his opinions on others, ffs you were talking about addiction on here like there was only one way to go about it even though others said they handled it differently, you were a complete and utter shit show having a go at them. Genuinely feel sorry for anyone who has to put up with you in person. 

 

[Hafnia]

5 hours ago, pete0 said:

Addressed the problem areas that we needed pace on the wing and an extra striker. His job isn't choosing which one. He also said we needed a centre mid (Walsh failed to bring one in) and a centre half (loaned one but he got injured straight away). Silva completely fucked the team by not getting Doucoure or a player of similar ilk and instead wasting the budget on Richarlison when we already had two left mids. The latter still hasn't been addressed unless you count Godfrey.

You're a fraud if you think you know anything about football. Am absolute hypocrite. Cry about Tosun not playing then use him not being good enough to attack a former manager. Strange thing is that manager had him scoring goals. Surely you should be moaning about the others for not being good managers and getting the best out of him.

You need therapy, projecting as always. I take responsibility when I'm wrong. I'm happy to be wrong as I've learnt something. You have serious issues, a brat who throws tantrums and tries to bully his opinions on others, ffs you were talking about addiction on here like there was only one way to go about it even though others said they handled it differently, you were a complete and utter shit show having a go at them. Genuinely feel sorry for anyone who has to put up with you in person. 

 

I'd be absolutely mortified with myself if I wrote a paragraph that I've just highlighted.  Put your phone down or whatever it is you use Pete and go get some air. 

[pete0]

20 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

I'd be absolutely mortified with myself if I wrote a paragraph that I've just highlighted.  Put your phone down or whatever it is you use Pete and go get some air. 

I was mortified when you failed to act human when talking about addiction. 

[dunlopp9987]

Mods, can we finally shut this down?

[Palfy]

5 hours ago, pete0 said:

Addressed the problem areas that we needed pace on the wing and an extra striker. His job isn't choosing which one. He also said we needed a centre mid (Walsh failed to bring one in) and a centre half (loaned one but he got injured straight away). Silva completely fucked the team by not getting Doucoure or a player of similar ilk and instead wasting the budget on Richarlison when we already had two left mids. The latter still hasn't been addressed unless you count Godfrey.

You're a fraud if you think you know anything about football. Am absolute hypocrite. Cry about Tosun not playing then use him not being good enough to attack a former manager. Strange thing is that manager had him scoring goals. Surely you should be moaning about the others for not being good managers and getting the best out of him.

You need therapy, projecting as always. I take responsibility when I'm wrong. I'm happy to be wrong as I've learnt something. You have serious issues, a brat who throws tantrums and tries to bully his opinions on others, ffs you were talking about addiction on here like there was only one way to go about it even though others said they handled it differently, you were a complete and utter shit show having a go at them. Genuinely feel sorry for anyone who has to put up with you in person. 

 

Pete come on mate calm it down fella you don’t want the reputation that post is portraying trust me mate your better than that  

[pete0]

3 minutes ago, Palfy said:

Pete come on mate calm it down fella you don’t want the reputation that post is portraying trust me mate your better than that  

So it's fine for him to sling shots for no reason and psychoanalyse me. We were discussing Benetiz yet he brings up Gerrard twice as he can't actually ever have a debate so starts strawmanning his way than admit he's wrong or actually give some weight to his opinions than merely spout them as if they are fact.

[Hafnia]

13 minutes ago, pete0 said:

I was mortified when you failed to act human when talking about addiction. 

You will have to tell me how I wasn't human in talking about addiction.  Genuinely need to understand this as I'd be absolutely gutted if I did.

[dunlopp9987]

20 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

You will have to tell me how I wasn't human in talking about addiction.  Genuinely need to understand this as I'd be absolutely gutted if I did.

@pete0 please for the love of god, if you do want to continue this conversation with Haf, send him a message instead.

[Hafnia]

17 minutes ago, dunlopp9987 said:

@pete0 please for the love of god, if you do want to continue this conversation with Haf, send him a message instead.

 

For the record my stance on addiction is this.... I've not drunk in near 2 years as I was on a scary pathway.  My method is different to others and I feel very passionately that methods which are hugely successful in countries like Sweden aren't used in the UK and when people find that willpower isnt enough they become completely withdrawn from trying anymore. 

Myself , Mike, Matt have shared our experience with alcohol in particular so I find his latest post particularly insulting but unsurprising.  

Don't reply to this by saying "no more or take it to PM".   Leave this post to stand as it is. I'm not having him spout that nonsense.  Anyone who is struggling with addiction please do not give up - I wasn't in a good place, traditional methods were not right for me but may be right for others but I did find a method that worked and I shared it with addiction services on the Wirral... Sadly they can't utilise the protocol that worked for me legally. 

Never been happier as a result of not drinking anymore. Life gets better without it.    If I have ever psychanalsed Pete or anyone else then I apologise as it's not on. 

[pete0]

3 hours ago, Hafnia said:

You will have to tell me how I wasn't human in talking about addiction.  Genuinely need to understand this as I'd be absolutely gutted if I did.

You were talking down to another about how your method was better. You couldn't understand that they're method worked for them.

[Hafnia]

2 hours ago, pete0 said:

You were talking down to another about how your method was better. You couldn't understand that they're method worked for them.

I'm sure the search and quote function will allow you to post that example of me "talking down".  There are only two people I have spoken to about personal experience with addiction/alcohol and that's Matt and Mike..... I'm pretty sure they would be able to respond accordingly without you dragging it up a long time later in order to point score. 

 

[Hafnia]

On 06/06/2018 at 20:12, Hafnia said:

I find it amazing that your brain when exposed to alcohol now hasn't gone "ahhh there you are! More more more!!!". You must have been a drinker through a different pathway to many.

I read into the science behind addiction because i couldnt understand how people can become "physically addicted" to gambling etc.

In the main it appears that the brain in many addicts release endorphins when taking in alcohol or betting on a race etc (bodys own morphine endo-phine) and our brains have opiate receptors getting stimulated with this.... the actual alcohol or gambling isn't what the person is addicted to - it's their own endorphins. Essentially they get the cravings like a heroin addict would.... when quitting the brain adapts to the shortage of endorphins and creates more receptors which are there ready just in case the person does the addicted activity again.

Read up on Kenny sansom..... he started doing something which is a massive success in Sweden- taking a drug that shuts down the opiate receptors before drinking.  Eventually the brain detaches the connection of drinking and getting high... the problem is that if he drinks without shutting the receptors off first that go berserk and crave more.

The fact is this.... there is medical intervention to stop the disease of addiction.   Too much money is made by the vicious circle of rehab and abstinance.  The problem is the cure involves old past-patent drugs ... no money to be made.   Scandalous.  

 

On 06/06/2018 at 20:39, MikeO said:

It's unusual I know, very few (%wise) go from full on to social and I feel lucky in that I have. That said I'm always very cautious because I know the risks so if I've had a day or two I'll back off for a while; maybe the counselling training helps......eg I know that a "craving" will only last for a short while, twenty minutes or so, so if I ever get one it's easy enough to get through.

Is this the "talking down" post that you refer to. ... Or an intelligent exchange between 2 people expressing their experience and what worked for them.

Do yourself a favour.... Stick to misquoting less emotive topics rather than point scoring on shit you have no business doing. 

[pete0]

1 hour ago, Hafnia said:

 

Is this the "talking down" post that you refer to. ... Or an intelligent exchange between 2 people expressing their experience and what worked for them.

Do yourself a favour.... Stick to misquoting less emotive topics rather than point scoring on shit you have no business doing. 

Pretty sure you've just seen it as it was within those exchanges. 

Point scoring? Go back and look who the little princess who started this was. Can't help yourself but constantly have digs. I shouldn't come down to your level but hey ho.

[pete0]

Many said this was Benetiz first test. Well and truly failed. He's put himself before the team leaving James out. A lot of times the ball was given away playing the percentage passes (mainly Townsend), bit more football and we could have had a different outcome.

[Palfy]

2 hours ago, pete0 said:

Many said this was Benetiz first test. Well and truly failed. He's put himself before the team leaving James out. A lot of times the ball was given away playing the percentage passes (mainly Townsend), bit more football and we could have had a different outcome.

This wasn’t a test for the manager you can’t really blame him if he’s got 37% of the first team unavailable through injury, you could call that a failed test if he had 100% of the squad to pick from. That was more a test for the players available to stake a claim in the starting line up and to show how versatile they can be if required to play out of their normal position.  

[pete0]

1 hour ago, Palfy said:

This wasn’t a test for the manager you can’t really blame him if he’s got 37% of the first team unavailable through injury, you could call that a failed test if he had 100% of the squad to pick from. That was more a test for the players available to stake a claim in the starting line up and to show how versatile they can be if required to play out of their normal position.  

We got beat thanks to the regular starters although not helped by going 5-5-0. The players looked all over the place after Rondon went off.

Maybe Coleman might have done better for the third goal but the first two are on Digne (although Keane should take some blame too for the first one, caught too far up the pitch and made to look like a training cone yet again). 

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, pete0 said:

We got beat thanks to the regular starters although not helped by going 5-5-0. The players looked all over the place after Rondon went off.

Maybe Coleman might have done better for the third goal but the first two are on Digne (although Keane should take some blame too for the first one, caught too far up the pitch and made to look like a training cone yet again). 

The only position I would have picked differently would have been Kenny on the right, I’ve always said Godfrey can’t play there but he can definitely play LB, and possibly toyed with Godfrey for Mina but I would in the end probably gone with Mina based on fitness. Then in hindsight if we had known what a dreadful game Digne would have I would have gone with Godfrey on the left. 
I wouldn’t have gone with James if I didn’t feel he was fit but if he wasn’t carrying an injury I would have had him on the bench, but whether I would have used him is a different matter. 
So all in all there wasn’t a lot more Rafa could have or should have done with differently the players at his disposal, but for some individual errors from established first team players we were looking like 0-0 was on the cards, managers can’t be held responsible for the individual mistakes of players that has nothing to do with tactics or setup, unless of course the player or players in question were serial offenders then you could question should the manager be picking them. 

[Hafnia]

No cover. Simple as that.   Played well with endeavour for large periods.

[Palfy]

3 hours ago, RPG said:

I think Rafa did as well as he could with the players available. Subbing Rondon did change the game I think but Rafa really had no choice. Rondon clearly isn't fit and seemed to be pacing himself just to even last the 60 minutes. I suppose you could argue that he should have been replaced with Simms but he had only just climbed off the treatment table himself.

My gut feeling is that if Gray had scored for us just before Cash scored the first for them then we could have hung on for a 0-1 or a 1-1 - either of which would have been a good result. But then Digne had a nightmare 5 minutes and we were 2-0 down with not long to go and a very weak bench. Game over.

This result and performance says little or nothing to me about Rafa - apart from he put a game plan together with a weak squad that worked ok for an hour. What it does do is highlight, yet again, our lack of strength in depth. That situation is not going to improve overnight and we need to get behind the entire squad and management to help us through what could be a tricky couple of seasons of rebuilding.

 

Rafa is the man for the job though.

Some very valid points made

[Bailey]

On 18/09/2021 at 07:52, Hafnia said:

Perception is everything.  Take a well reputed manager and watch him set up a team in a shit way, fans may frown etc but they go along with it up to a point.  

Allardyce never once set up Everton to get anything other than a point out of the game.  

I hated the fact we hired him, I can't stand the fact that one or two try and defend his tactics/attitude. 

I don't think it should matter. If a manager comes in and sets us up to nick a point they should take the same amount of shit as another other manager. 

I agree about the rest but I don't think other managers should get a free pass for doing the same thing. 

On 18/09/2021 at 07:57, Palfy said:

It was interesting to read an article which was saying that Rafa wanted a better CB, and that he doesn’t see a decent pairing with what have at this moment so was going to make that his next priority signing. I tend to agree with that we don’t have a natural leader who knows how to run the back line Keane is probably our most experienced CB but is slow and prone to having lapses of concentration, Mina is far too erratic in his defending although good at a last ditch tackle or block you feel most would be unnecessary if he positioned himself better. Godfrey shows great promise but lacks the experience to become the leader now but will grow into that role in years to come, but would make a willing number 2 in a decent pairing, Holgate isn’t a starter for me and possibly would struggle to keep a place in the squad should someone else come in unless of course Keane or Mina were sold to make way. 
Rafa is playing a counter attacking style of football were we are giving up long spells of possession to defend in numbers then break at speed, could this be to counteract a weakness that he sees in our CB pairing, and if he gets his right man who he can trust to do the job will we then see a more attacking team based on plenty of possession. 

Given our counter-attacking style, I would be very disappointed if this was the case. 

You don't need amazing CBs to play good counter-attacking football. Wes Morgan and Robert Huth won the league with Leicester as an example. 

[Palfy]

31 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I don't think it should matter. If a manager comes in and sets us up to nick a point they should take the same amount of shit as another other manager. 

I agree about the rest but I don't think other managers should get a free pass for doing the same thing. 

Given our counter-attacking style, I would be very disappointed if this was the case. 

You don't need amazing CBs to play good counter-attacking football. Wes Morgan and Robert Huth won the league with Leicester as an example. 

But are we playing that way because our CBs are dictating the way we play, I don’t think Rafa particularly wants to play with only 35-40% possession but with no leadership or decent pairing with our CBs is holding us back.  

[pete0]

16 minutes ago, Palfy said:

But are we playing that way because our CBs are dictating the way we play, I don’t think Rafa particularly wants to play with only 35-40% possession but with no leadership or decent pairing with our CBs is holding us back.  

I'd say we need more of an experienced leader. Our centre halves get caught up the pitch too often, a more experienced player spots it and gets them back in position. If you're back four hold shape it makes it much harder to get through.

[Palfy]

9 minutes ago, pete0 said:

I'd say we need more of an experienced leader. Our centre halves get caught up the pitch too often, a more experienced player spots it and gets them back in position. If you're back four hold shape it makes it much harder to get through.

Agreed, generally you build a team from the back upwards. 

[Bailey]

31 minutes ago, Palfy said:

But are we playing that way because our CBs are dictating the way we play, I don’t think Rafa particularly wants to play with only 35-40% possession but with no leadership or decent pairing with our CBs is holding us back.  

I don't think they are. Mina and Godfrey can easily play higher up the pitch. Hogate too. Mina is definitely the leader of the group. 

We are all about the counter attack and our summer signings suggest that too. 

[Shukes]

Our defence doesn’t have a leader, that’s plainly obvious. Pickford is taking more of a role in this at the moment….. due to our lack of organisation in defence.

First rule of counter attacking football, is to defend. 

[Palfy]

3 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I don't think they are. Mina and Godfrey can easily play higher up the pitch. Hogate too. Mina is definitely the leader of the group. 

We are all about the counter attack and our summer signings suggest that too. 

I don’t know I thought Townsend and Gray were predominantly brought in to give us width and get decent balls into DCL and Richarlison as we were lacking any decent service to the front 2 and not playing to there strengths, there is definitely a lack of leadership in the back line and we don’t have a decent pairing of CBs imo individually 2 or 3 them can play but together there is very little connection. 

[Bailey]

10 minutes ago, Palfy said:

I don’t know I thought Townsend and Gray were predominantly brought in to give us width and get decent balls into DCL and Richarlison as we were lacking any decent service to the front 2 and not playing to there strengths, there is definitely a lack of leadership in the back line and we don’t have a decent pairing of CBs imo individually 2 or 3 them can play but together there is very little connection. 

Townsend and Gray are both playing as inverted wingers as their strongest foot is their inside foot. They are being played to cut inside not get to the byline and put crosses in. 

I agree that there is a connection issue but that is down to management. I see no reason why there cannot be a pairing between them. Afterall it isn't like we are shipping lots of chances, we just aren't building possession through midfield. It is long, direct football and then try and win the second ball. 

Mina is without doubt the leader. He is the one organising, talking to everyone. Keane and Godfrey just look a little unsure of themselves in the new system and it may just take them a bit of time to get used to it. Godfrey in particular given his age and the that he missed the start of the season.

[Shukes]

The problem isn’t that we are shipping chances though, it’s that the players at the back aren’t confident enough with the ball to link with midfield effectively.

Mina isn’t a leader. He may be the least worst out of them all, but he isn’t in any way a leader in there. He is a much better game against Villa yesterday, but got bullied on Monday night. We need a CB that can come and mix it up, stand tough when needed and motivate players around him.

We don’t have that player in defence yet. Allan is the closest we have in the team.

[Bailey]

19 minutes ago, Shukes said:

The problem isn’t that we are shipping chances though, it’s that the players at the back aren’t confident enough with the ball to link with midfield effectively.

Mina isn’t a leader. He may be the least worst out of them all, but he isn’t in any way a leader in there. He is a much better game against Villa yesterday, but got bullied on Monday night. We need a CB that can come and mix it up, stand tough when needed and motivate players around him.

We don’t have that player in defence yet. Allan is the closest we have in the team.

They are all fine playing out of the back. I would say Keane is one of the best passers in the team. Mina is very good at drawing attackers out of position and playing around them. Last season everyone was telling me Godfrey was an elite midfielder! That isn't the problem in my opinion. 

I couldn't disagree more about Mina being bullied. You don't win the sheer number of duels he did if you are being bullied. He is the one fighter at the back. 

The issues lie with the make up of our midfield IMO. A central two are always likely to overloaded meaning we are likely to have less possession. Allan has an allround game but for all his qualities, Doucoure is not a possession midfielder. He is all energy popping up with a tackle in our box, before going down the other end and having a shot. 

I don't see us playing any differently under Rafa than being counter attacking and direct. 

[Shukes]

He didn’t win duels, he won headers. He was pushed over easily and didn’t stand up. 
You see him as a leader, I see him as a big guy that’s a lightweight.

You see ball playing defenders, I see technically inept players with a low confidence who panic when put under pressure.

Im fine with your opinion mate, I just completely disagree.