Rafa Benitez

[acrossthepond 877]

Assault, plain and simple. Gets worse every time you watch it, I cannot believe Martinez defended that hatchet job of a tackle or the scum who made it. I remember that match now. They scored a late winner from a handball. Everything about that game was terrible.

[Dr Gloom 22095]

no intent wasn't it? wanker

[The Fish 10906]

"not that kind of player"

[Alex 35431]

Dave Whelan defending him despite not long before that bemoaning the tackle that saw Whelan himself miss the cup final back when he was a player.

[The Fish 10906]

https://youtu.be/CKFKWRSJdR0?t=72

 

Not that kind of player

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

I'm just going to say it. He's woeful in the transfer market

[Happy Face 29]

At least he's generally looked at positions that need strengthening.

 

Really worrying that we're still playing a back 4 that could have started last season though.  Still look as shambolic against the weaker teams in this division.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

It's really concerning. We didn't just need depth we needed quality and especially for what has been spent.

[trophyshy 7084]

Who ate all the paella.

[ChezGiven 0]

Off his Rioja.

[@yourservice 67]

Totally Pisto.

[I ♥ Daddys Cock 0]

Mr Relegation

[Happy Face 29]

I'm just going to say it. He's woeful in the transfer market

 

Is he the one bringing players in?

[scoobos 298]

I think 20 mil for 3 (British?) players is a bargain tbh. Its not 2010 prices anymore.

[David Kelly 1260]

Is he the one bringing players in?

We're not still asking that question are we? I think it's obvious these are his players. From what Hayden said when he signed, Rafa knew all about him.

[Happy Face 29]

We're not still asking that question are we? I think it's obvious these are his players. From what Hayden said when he signed, Rafa knew all about him.

 

I'll never completely trust Ashley.

 

I hope and assume they're his players.  I'm just not entirely sure what's more worrying, that the club might be foisting players on him, or that he's spent over £10m on defenders and has been unable to add anyone capable of breaking into what was an abysmal back line anyway.

[David Kelly 1260]

I'll never completely trust Ashley.

 

I hope and assume they're his players.  I'm just not entirely sure what's more worrying, that the club might be foisting players on him, or that he's spent over £10m on defenders and has been unable to add anyone capable of breaking into what was an abysmal back line anyway.

Our defence was looking a lot more secure at the end of last season under Benitez when Lascelles was brought in. So in that sense I can understand why there's not been much in the way of changes. Like I mentioned on another thread, we still have a lot of players who have been here for the last two seasons when we've been awful. Their confidence is still low and their heads are dropping easily. I think he should look at bring in Gamez into the back four. After spending the last two seasons with Athletico you would assume his confidence would be a lot higher than the rest. I'm surprised we've seen nothing of him so far but I can't imagine it will be long before we do.

 

Of course getting Dummett out of the team has to be a priority.

[Happy Face 29]

Our defence was looking a lot more secure at the end of last season under Benitez when Lascelles was brought in. So in that sense I can understand why there's not been much in the way of changes. Like I mentioned on another thread, we still have a lot of players who have been here for the last two seasons when we've been awful. Their confidence is still low and their heads are dropping easily. I think he should look at bring in Gamez into the back four. After spending the last two seasons with Athletico you would assume his confidence would be a lot higher than the rest. I'm surprised we've seen nothing of him so far but I can't imagine it will be long before we do.

 

Of course getting Dummett out of the team has to be a priority.

 

Gamez only played 7 games last year.  Wonder how fit he'd be for playing every 4 days in a league that moves at twice the pace.

 

I'd put him ahead of Dummet like, just not sure it would work out with Aarons ahead of him.  Whisper it, but i fear you'd need Gouffran doubling back to help him out.

[David Kelly 1260]

Gamez only played 7 games last year.  Wonder how fit he'd be for playing every 4 days in a league that moves at twice the pace.

 

I'd put him ahead of Dummet like, just not sure it would work out with Aarons ahead of him.  Whisper it, but i fear you'd need Gouffran doubling back to help him out.

That might be the reason he's not played yet. But we don't necessarily need him to play that often (at least at first). Got to be worth a go on one side or the other.

 

I don't buy that we'd need someone like Gouffran in for defensive assistence. We've played with a defensive midfielder wide both games and we've conceeded. Personally I think we'd be better off looking to blitz the opposition with two wingers. I think we have the ability to not worry about the opposition, we just need to push on more ourselves.

[Happy Face 29]

That might be the reason he's not played yet. But we don't necessarily need him to play that often (at least at first). Got to be worth a go on one side or the other.

 

I don't buy that we'd need someone like Gouffran in for defensive assistence. We've played with a defensive midfielder wide both games and we've conceeded. Personally I think we'd be better off looking to blitz the opposition with two wingers. I think we have the ability to not worry about the opposition, we just need to push on more ourselves.

 

I'm not so sure.  Aarons and Anita as opposed to Ginola and Gillespie.

[David Kelly 1260]

Well I was thinking more Ritchie and Aarons/new signing. I'd never have Anita in my team. He's fucking awful.

[acrossthepond 877]

Well I was thinking more Ritchie and Aarons/new signing. I'd never have Anita in my team. He's fucking awful.

 

A regular starter for our PL sides who now looks like fucking dirge in the Championship. We bang on about Sissoko being a lazy cunt and stealing a living but what has Anita been up to for the past 3 and a half years? 

[Howay 12496]

A regular starter for our PL sides who now looks like fucking dirge in the Championship. We bang on about Sissoko being a lazy cunt and stealing a living but what has Anita been up to for the past 3 and a half years? 

I suppose it's not Anita's fault he got bought by us, I get the point though but I think Sissoko gets jip because he can be an effective player when he tries plus he's been touting himself about in the press for 2 year which is canny insulting. Anita tries it's just the bloke is utterly fucking shit, he arguably doesn't suit the pace etc of the English league. We've got a list of fucking cloggers who we shouldn't have tbh, Anita, Colback, Gouffran, Riviere, Dummett etc, it's hard to really have dislike for them because they do try but keep getting selected despite being shit.

[David Kelly 1260]

A regular starter for our PL sides who now looks like fucking dirge in the Championship. We bang on about Sissoko being a lazy cunt and stealing a living but what has Anita been up to for the past 3 and a half years?

Anita puts the effort in, he's just lacking in ability. And he doesn't go on about being a champions league player all the time.

But there's none of our players in the last two or three seasons who have greatly impressed.

[acrossthepond 877]

You're both right, that came off harsher towards Anita than I meant it. It's not his fault that he's rubbish. But it's an indictment of our transfer policy over the last 4-5 years. After all those years of listening to endless crap about value for money and wiping our noses and the horse and that cart and all that tiresome shit, we've spent and lost money on so many fucking plums it's unreal. Both de Jongs? Saivet? Ferreyra? Riviere? Doumbia? Marveaux? Gosling? Amalfitano? How many appearances do those clowns actually have between them all? Twenty? And the list actually goes on, there's Williamson and Gouffran and a new contract for Coloccini and Anita and and and. Sickening really. Nothing coming through from the youth teams either.