The Benitez Thread

[robdog 2,084]

Like I said hes the first to lose to West Ham.

We all know why the fat bastard was brought in -like your namesake Sheva -it was to indulge the owners fantasy that some how he can get the best out of the £50m hairband, like in some way Laurel cant perform without Hardy

Love the Laurel & Hardy reference

[Fulham Broadway 16,921]

Not really, the previous 2 games we have defended decently enough, surely better than at anytime in the previous games JT has been out.

But there's nothing this squad can do against teams like West ham etc, and it is not Rafa's fault.

Would have been slightly different if JT was back there, because he bosses everything in the air.

Well he did out wit him. They won 3-1. You listen to the managers at the end Allardyce made sense whilst FSW waffled on like Grant

[Fulham Broadway 16,921]

Love the Laurel & Hardy reference

Haha thats begging for someone to photoshop Torres and Rafa

[Jase 43,479]

Not really, the previous 2 games we have defended decently enough, surely better than at anytime in the previous games JT has been out.

But there's nothing this squad can do against teams like West ham etc, and it is not Rafa's fault.

Would have been slightly different if JT was back there, because he bosses everything in the air.

Well he did out wit him. They won 3-1. You listen to the managers at the end Allardyce made sense whilst FSW waffled on like Grant

Tactically outwit Benitez or not, the fact remains that Allardyce realized the problems with his team, fixed it at HT especially with those 2 changes and completely overran us in the second half. Benitez did not react and hardly changed anything to stem the flow of West Ham's attacks. Players did not perform then but Benitez was certainly at fault too.

[Leif 6,006]

You're all just haters. Rafa has what it takes to become one of the top 5 managers of all time and our best ever.

[Fulham Broadway 16,921]

Tactically outwit Benitez or not, the fact remains that Allardyce realized the problems with his team, fixed it at HT especially with those 2 changes and completely overran us in the second half. Benitez did not react and hardly changed anything to stem the flow of West Ham's attacks. Players did not perform then but Benitez was certainly at fault too.

First loss to West Ham since 2002 and not winning a league game in. 7 games since 1995.

Fucking hell we should get Hoddle in to advise......

[Sheva. 5,373]

Tactically outwit Benitez or not, the fact remains that Allardyce realized the problems with his team, fixed it at HT especially with those 2 changes and completely overran us in the second half. Benitez did not react and hardly changed anything to stem the flow of West Ham's attacks. Players did not perform then but Benitez was certainly at fault too.

What changes could have been made? i did not see one player on the bench that could have changed the game, all our players are very similar.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Well he did out wit him. They won 3-1. You listen to the managers at the end Allardyce made sense whilst FSW waffled on like Grant

I could 'outwit' this Chelsea side with a team like Stoke or West ham, and that's my point.

[zolayes 14,489]

Not really, the previous 2 games we have defended decently enough, surely better than at anytime in the previous games JT has been out.

But there's nothing this squad can do against teams like West ham etc, and it is not Rafa's fault.

Would have been slightly different if JT was back there, because he bosses everything in the air.

If we CAN'T beat teams like West Ham we are truly fucked ,,,cos who the hell will we be able to beat.???

[Jase 43,479]

What changes could have been made? i did not see one player on the bench that could have changed the game, all our players are very similar.

Bring Romeu on and change to a 4-3-3? Midfield was overran in that second half and Mikel and Ramires was struggling badly. As soon as West Ham got the ball, their midfield just broke forward knowing well that whoever was in CAM(Mata or Hazard) won't track back and they had us outnumbered in the central area.

[Sheva. 5,373]

If we CAN'T beat teams like West Ham we are truly fucked ,,,cos who the hell will we be able to beat.???

It's a tougher game than it sounds, especially away. Man city did not win there either, and they have much more physical players than us.

The minute Diame came on the game changed, he pushed Mata around like he wasn't even there - and those fucking long balls are a nightmare to deal with.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Bring Romeu on and change to a 4-3-3? Midfield was overran in that second half and Mikel and Ramires was struggling badly. As soon as West Ham got the ball, their midfield just broke forward knowing well that whoever was in CAM(Mata or Hazard) won't track back and they had us outnumbered in the central area.

That would have been a minor change, and wouldn't stop them from bullying us in the air. It also would not stop Diame from running around like he owns the midfield lol.

[Jase 43,479]

It's a tougher game than it sounds, especially away. Man city did not win there either, and they have much more physical players than us.

The minute Diame came on the game changed, he pushed Mata around like he wasn't even there - and those fucking long balls are a nightmare to deal with.

Nightmare but not impossible to deal with. We didn't do enough to prevent crosses from coming in and hardly track the runners from midfield.

[Jase 43,479]

That would have been a minor change, and wouldn't stop them from bullying us in the air. It also would not stop Diame from running around like he owns the midfield lol.

Even then, it will give us a better chance to match them in midfield rather than 3 v 2. 4-2-3-1 then wasn't even working then. Why not change things around and see what happens?! Silly to just dismiss that we couldn't do anything to stem West Ham's attacks.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

Change to the 4-3-3 please the 4-2-3-1 is getting boring now. Hate dicking around the enemy penalty area all the time.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Nightmare but not impossible to deal with. We didn't do enough to prevent crosses from coming in and hardly track the runners from midfield.

I beg to differ, we didn't let them have much joy on the flanks with Moses doing well to help Cole on the right, and Azpi dominating Jarvis.

But on corners they looked threatening and they also played it up from their own half a lot.

[Jase 43,479]

I beg to differ, we didn't let them have much joy on the flanks with Moses doing well to help Cole on the right, and Azpi dominating Jarvis.

But on corners they looked threatening and they also played it up from their own half a lot.

Unfortunately once they changed their midfield around and got their act together in the 2nd half, we hardly looked comfortable then.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Even then, it will give us a better chance to match them in midfield rather than 3 v 2. 4-2-3-1 then wasn't even working then. Why not change things around and see what happens?! Silly to just dismiss that we couldn't do anything to stem West Ham's attacks.

I agree with that, but i don't think Romeu especially would have made much of a difference.