Rafael Benitez

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

25 minutes ago, Cornish Steve said:

The difference is that those other Prem teams essentially played their second team. We played most of our first team.

Half our first team was missing ! 

[Palfy]

8 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

Half our first team was missing ! 

Your wasting your time Dunc but it doesn’t really matter let them carry on making shit up, and be safe in the knowledge your right and Benitez is going no where this season

[StevO]

16 minutes ago, Palfy said:

Your wasting your time Dunc but it doesn’t really matter let them carry on making shit up, and be safe in the knowledge your right and Benitez is going no where this season

Going nowhere is exactly the problem, Rafa is going nowhere, the team is going nowhere, the club is going nowhere.

[Palfy]

10 minutes ago, StevO said:

Going nowhere is exactly the problem, Rafa is going nowhere, the team is going nowhere, the club is going nowhere.

I can’t help thinking nowhere must be somewhere, because I’m sure we’ve been there before

[dunlopp9987]

1 hour ago, Cornish Steve said:

The difference is that those other Prem teams essentially played their second team. We played most of our first team.

Go take a look at the squads that Newcastle, Burnely and City put out for their FA Cup matches. Hard to say those are their "second teams."

[Matt]

21 hours ago, AlbanyNYToffee said:

yea let’s blame Rafa for this. Squad is a joke. Brands had a lot of wins but the task of overcoming Walsh’s misses and overspending, Big Sam, and a few glaring misses of his own is still happening. 

Not really possible to fix contracts of 5+ years in 3 years if no-one wants to buy them

[Bailey]

On 09/01/2022 at 12:43, Palfy said:

Which basically means I not prepared to accept what Benitez has said, but if and when Digne says something I’m going to completely accept that. 

No it doesnt. It means exactly what I posted.

[Hafnia]

On 04/07/2021 at 08:00, Hafnia said:

Totally agree.

Finch farm looks more like happy farm when you watch these Everton FC videos. 

Players all chummy before and after games with their international teammate opponents.   

Rafa is gonna lose some of the dressing room which he will plan for - a culture change from comfort to hard arsed work is not going to go well with the "let's pretend I'm busy" merchants. 

He will know our weaknesses more than most. I'm actually looking forward to the fallout.  

I anticipate a bit of "he can't do that cos that players one of our best and he will want to leave". ..... If we have players who want to leave cos a manager doesn't indulge them and they can't do what they want then they are part of the reason the Rafa is our 5 th manager in a handful of years. 

 

Crack on Rafa. 

I wasn't far off the mark - we will see how far this goes.  It appears its not just the players but an owner who seems to stick his beak in too much

[StevO]

1 hour ago, Hafnia said:

I wasn't far off the mark - we will see how far this goes.  It appears its not just the players but an owner who seems to stick his beak in too much

You had it almost spot on. If you could have guessed we’d get spanked every week too then you could have cleaned up at the bookies!

[Hafnia]

29 minutes ago, StevO said:

You had it almost spot on. If you could have guessed we’d get spanked every week too then you could have cleaned up at the bookies!

Like roadhouse…… it will get worse before it gets better.  

[StevO]

2 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

Like roadhouse…… it will get worse before it gets better.  

Relegated. 
Finish top four! In the championship. 

[Bailey]

Im not convinced he has a clue what our weaknesses are either! 

[Newty82]

The things I never liked about Rafa are really starting to come through.

I'm mixed on it. On one hand, we need shit sorting out. On the other hand, I'm not sure he's the right man for it. Yeah, he'll appear to clean things up but it feels more for him, his ego, his stubborness, than anything else.

It needs to be fir the club. I dunno.

[MC11]

Rafa Benitez is one very very arrogant man. 

[MC11]

3 minutes ago, RPG said:

He may, or may not, be arrogant. If he can bring success on the pitch I really don't care. He is certainly starting to assemble his own team/squad and he can only be judged on that in another couple of windows imho.

If he can’t man manage what he’s got he doesn’t deserve another window never mind two. Im sick of hearing give managers a couple of windows every time we get a new one. 
 

Managing is about getting the best out of what you’ve got. It’s about pushing the team under you as far as they can go. 
 

BENITEZ OUT 

[MC11]

10 minutes ago, RPG said:

That is certainly a part of what managing is about but Benitez must apply that in the context of a long term plan and strategy. Digne was obviously not prepared to even try to play the way that Rafa wanted him to so he had to go. We have signed 2 full backs before Digne has even left and it looks like we have this lad from Villa coming on loan for the rest of the season at least. Say what you like about Rafa but he obviously has a vision for Everton and is assembling the squad to make it happen.

He has to stay. We have to support Rafa and the team imho.

The negative atmosphere at the club at the moment is horrible. That’s the only way to describe it. Right now is a very very dark time to be an Evertonian 

[dunlopp9987]

3 hours ago, MC11 said:

The negative atmosphere at the club at the moment is horrible. That’s the only way to describe it. Right now is a very very dark time to be an Evertonian 

To be honest, this doesn't feel any more catastrophically horrible than moments under Martinez, Koeman, Allardyce and Ancelotti.

Every single one of those managers had at least one chunk of time during their tenure where everyone on here was bitching and moaning about how it's the worst they've ever seen Everton play.

We're a sad bunch of fuckers who, even if we win the treble, will somehow find something to moan about

[Romey 1878]

5 hours ago, dunlopp9987 said:

To be honest, this doesn't feel any more catastrophically horrible than moments under Martinez, Koeman, Allardyce and Ancelotti.

Every single one of those managers had at least one chunk of time during their tenure where everyone on here was bitching and moaning about how it's the worst they've ever seen Everton play.

We're a sad bunch of fuckers who, even if we win the treble, will somehow find something to moan about

Bisto Tits' tenure was far worse in terms of atmosphere than those three in my opinion. I think this is around that but I don't know if it's worse just yet.

[Aidan]

I'm quite conflicted with the situation at the minute and the way Rafa is running things. On one hand, I feel many aspects of his methods are something we've needed for a long time. He wants the team to be just that, a team, and wants to achieve this with discipline and hard work. He isn't interested in individuals.

On the other hand, it's difficult to get on board with it. From the outset many fans didn't want Rafa at the club, which makes any negative situation seem worse, because he isn't very well liked. It feels like Digne was being driven out for whatever reason and I'm not sure we will ever know the details of it or who was in the right. If Digne wasn't willing to adapt his game to suit the team, then he's not really a player I want at the club. On the flip side of that, it is disappointing to think Rafa was incapable of finding a way of using Digne to his strengths - but then again where has that ever got previous managers?

So far there seems to be a lack of a plan on the field, but there does finally seem to be a vision off it. I've never seen the board work so fast in a transfer window to seal targets. I would guess this could only be influenced by Rafa. Whether these players are good enough or not is yet to be seen.

One thing I'd like to mention is that the signings he has made so far have influenced the team really well. Gray looks like he could be a really good player for us and Townsend has his flaws but is a useful squad player, better than most we have brought in in recent years. He has also brought Gordon's game on heaps and bounds and he is also looking like he will be a good little player for us.

At this point it pains me to say it, but the sensible thing to do would be to give Rafa the summer window and see where we are at around Christmas time before we call for his head. I know that is very difficult though as every loss breeds hatred.

[Hafnia]

14 hours ago, StevO said:

Relegated. 
Finish top four! In the championship. 

can see rafa handing out severance cheques - "its my way or the highway"

[Hafnia]

24 minutes ago, Aidan said:

I'm quite conflicted with the situation at the minute and the way Rafa is running things. On one hand, I feel many aspects of his methods are something we've needed for a long time. He wants the team to be just that, a team, and wants to achieve this with discipline and hard work. He isn't interested in individuals.

On the other hand, it's difficult to get on board with it. From the outset many fans didn't want Rafa at the club, which makes any negative situation seem worse, because he isn't very well liked. It feels like Digne was being driven out for whatever reason and I'm not sure we will ever know the details of it or who was in the right. If Digne wasn't willing to adapt his game to suit the team, then he's not really a player I want at the club. On the flip side of that, it is disappointing to think Rafa was incapable of finding a way of using Digne to his strengths - but then again where has that ever got previous managers?

So far there seems to be a lack of a plan on the field, but there does finally seem to be a vision off it. I've never seen the board work so fast in a transfer window to seal targets. I would guess this could only be influenced by Rafa. Whether these players are good enough or not is yet to be seen.

One thing I'd like to mention is that the signings he has made so far have influenced the team really well. Gray looks like he could be a really good player for us and Townsend has his flaws but is a useful squad player, better than most we have brought in in recent years. He has also brought Gordon's game on heaps and bounds and he is also looking like he will be a good little player for us.

At this point it pains me to say it, but the sensible thing to do would be to give Rafa the summer window and see where we are at around Christmas time before we call for his head. I know that is very difficult though as every loss breeds hatred.

this.

It may well be that Rafa is a wrecking ball who may ruin us..... but make no bones about it - this group of players left to their own devices would continue to take £££ and see us relegated without a whimper.

If we had any semblance of a team who appreciated the shirt and fought for the points I would be all over Rafa - as it does appear he is going full on and may be taking a huge risk......  but my thinking is "what have we got to lose".

Our club has been populated by millionaires stealing a living and I think he knows this.  The fact is that he shouldn't have been hired as there are too many fans who wont allow him to upset a few overrated egos because they have mastered the art of conning some fans that they care about the club.

 

[RuffRob]

This transfer window is going to be massive - although we know some are still relatively inexperienced, the players coming in are going to have to show their is something about them. A bit like Godfrey when he arrived last year - has his flaws that need ironing out plenty to be optimistic about and good enough to be in and around the first team.

 

[Btay]

1 hour ago, Hafnia said:

this.

It may well be that Rafa is a wrecking ball who may ruin us..... but make no bones about it - this group of players left to their own devices would continue to take £££ and see us relegated without a whimper.

If we had any semblance of a team who appreciated the shirt and fought for the points I would be all over Rafa - as it does appear he is going full on and may be taking a huge risk......  but my thinking is "what have we got to lose".

Our club has been populated by millionaires stealing a living and I think he knows this.  The fact is that he shouldn't have been hired as there are too many fans who wont allow him to upset a few overrated egos because they have mastered the art of conning some fans that they care about the club.

 

Sadly I agree

[Btay]

On 14/01/2022 at 00:04, RPG said:

If that was one of the reasons he was hired, then he is absolutely the man for the job.

If he can get rid of the deadwood in a ruthless manner, get rid of anyone who is just here for the money and replace them with young, keen and hungry players then it will blow a much needed breath of fresh air through our club.

I have no issue with the manager being backed on this front - I’ve been calling for accountability for the players since Roberto got sacked.

I do have issue though with the super negative football and shit tactics though. I am hoping and praying when he gets more of “his” players it changes but if this is to be the normal we should have kept Big Sam…

[Cornish Steve]

6 hours ago, Btay said:

I have no issue with the manager being backed on this front - I’ve been calling for accountability for the players since Roberto got sacked.

I do have issue though with the super negative football and shit tactics though. I am hoping and praying when he gets more of “his” players it changes but if this is to be the normal we should have kept Big Sam…

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

On 12/01/2022 at 23:19, MC11 said:

If he can’t man manage what he’s got he doesn’t deserve another window never mind two. Im sick of hearing give managers a couple of windows every time we get a new one. 
 

Managing is about getting the best out of what you’ve got. It’s about pushing the team under you as far as they can go. 
 

BENITEZ OUT 

That’s all very true but that’s now 6 manager who’ve failed with what we’ve got so just maybe what we’ve got is simply not good enough?

As I’ve said previously it’s impossible to judge the manager one way or the other under the circumstance For me the next few weeks is the time to judge Rafa. We now have a fully fit squad bar Davies , who wouldn’t get near the staring XI anyway, and he has had a chance to bring some of his own players in. Albeit he hasn’t been afforded the financial backing his predecessors have

Im fully expecting results to change in the second half of the season and for us to start climbing the table, which to be fair is what Rafa said would happen all along

If they don’t then I will be wanting him out in the summer

[Shukes]

10 hours ago, Btay said:

I have no issue with the manager being backed on this front - I’ve been calling for accountability for the players since Roberto got sacked.

I do have issue though with the super negative football and shit tactics though. I am hoping and praying when he gets more of “his” players it changes but if this is to be the normal we should have kept Big Sam…

My problem is I have watched managers like Big Sam and Carlo play their football…. And Rafa is a mile away from being negative. We create far more chances every game than we ever did with those two combined.

Tactics are all well and good when players follow them, but the players need to be able to replicate it on the pitch… and so far Rafa hasn’t been shy in spelling that out. 
 

No way in hell should have kept that absolute disease to football. 

[Shukes]

7 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

That’s all very true but that’s now 6 manager who’ve failed with what we’ve got so just maybe what we’ve got is simply not good enough?

As I’ve said previously it’s impossible to judge the manager one way or the other under the circumstance For me the next few weeks is the time to judge Rafa. We now have a fully fit squad bar Davies , who wouldn’t get near the staring XI anyway, and he has had a chance to bring some of his own players in. Albeit he hasn’t been afforded the financial backing his predecessors have

Im fully expecting results to change in the second half of the season and for us to start climbing the table, which to be fair is what Rafa said would happen all along

If they don’t then I will be wanting him out in the summer

I’m in exactly the same place.

[c1982]

Odds on him keeping Newcastle in the Premier League this season?

[Aidan]

Despite what I said yesterday and given I'm now fearful for relegation, get this man out of our club right now. Had enough of this shite. Never have I been so ashamed and embarrassed about being an Everton fan.