The Benitez Thread

[Jype 6,398]

It's not about how he does this season though for me, i just look at all the clubs he's managed and meh. Plus the fact that he's a former Atleti player, a lot easier to get the players and fans on his side from the first day. Just like it was for RDM.

His Atletico team are very solid though and they create enough chances.

Remember he's only 42 years old and started his managerial career at 36, considering that he has been anything but meh. I admit he probably wouldn't be an ideal manager for us at this very moment and I don't even know if he speaks English but I aways liked him as a player when I was a kid and now as a manager too. Maybe not now but one day I would love to see him in charge of Chelsea if his impressive career continues like this.

That's enough off topic by the way, back to Benitez.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Changing the pivot did not fuck us up, how many chances did Corinthians have?

It was a tight game like you would expect in a final, but we failed to take our chances and they took their 1 good chance.

I don't blame Benitez for anything actually, and neither do i blame the players - it's not as if they did not want to win, things just did not go our way, tough luck, move on.

It is not about chances, everyone (who knows Corinthians) knew they would only create 1-2 chances. It was about controlling the midfield, and we totally lost it in the second half.

It is weird, was it only good luck today?

[Sheva. 5,373]

Remember he's only 42 years old and started his managerial career at 36, considering that he has been anything but meh. I admit he probably wouldn't be an ideal manager for us at this very moment and I don't even know if he speaks English but I aways liked him as a player when I was a kid and now as a manager too. Maybe not now but one day I would love to see him in charge of Chelsea if his impressive career continues like this.

That's enough off topic by the way, back to Benitez.

Fair enough then if he continues like this, he will surely become a wanted man.

[Sheva. 5,373]

It is not about chances, everyone (who knows Corinthians) knew they would only create 1-2 chances. It was about controlling the midfield, and we totally lost in in the second half.

It is weird, was it only good luck today?

You need luck every game, but more so in a big game, a final. Gary Cahill had a superb effort stopped on line, Torres wide open smashes the ball right at the keeper = bad luck.

Corinthians shot deflects off Cahill and right to a wide open Guerrero - luck.

[Rmpr 8,977]

You need luck every game, but more so in a big game, a final. Gary Cahill had a superb effort stopped on line, Torres wide open smashes the ball right at the keeper = bad luck.

Corinthians shot deflects off Cahill and right to a wide open Guerrero - luck.

LOL

Cahill effort was luck (I will give you that), but Torres miss was his fault and Guerrero goal was ridiculous (3 defenders at the goal line).

Everyone in the whole world sees Benitez had a forgetable game, but for some it was just bad luck.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

So when we lose it is all the player`s fault and when we win it is Rafa`s tactical ability?

Get real, Benitez mistake at CWC (a final that actually was worth something, even if small) was way worse than raping Villa...

We lost the game bacause Corinthians returned better for the seconf half and he didnt do anything, he watched it and only did something when we conceded.

Why does everyone criticize our managers when it should be our players? Same happened with Carlo, same happened with Scolari, same happened with Villas-Boas, same happened with Di Matteo and now the same with Rafa. Some people always think the coach is the one who should get the blame. Ultimately Cahill missed a sitter, so did Torres and Ramires should of went and headed the ball away before Gurrero got it but where is their criticism?

Also the fact barely anyone looked like they wanted to win the trophy except Luiz and Oscar when he came on. Rafa said he was here to win trophies, he wanted to win it, that was his main objective when he became Chelsea boss, to win as many trophies as possible.

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Rafa Benitez Blue and White army! :blue scalf:

Too soon?

Still early for that, but there's certainly an army in the making, even on here.

[Sheva. 5,373]

LOL

Cahill effort was luck (I will give you that), but Torres miss was his fault and Guerrero goal was ridiculous (3 defenders at the goal line).

Everyone in the whole world sees Benitez had a forgetable game, but for some it was just bad luck.

The Torres miss ( i only saw it once because i don't like to relive bad moments) he went for power instead of placement immediately he saw the ball, but it just happened to go right to the keeper who was having one of those games - where he didn't look like he would be beaten.

The Guerrero goal, yeah 3 players on the line, but the most important thing is the ball deflecting to his path very, very fortunately.

Whatever though you can stick with your opinion of it being all Rafa's fault, but i personally do not buy it.

Why does everyone criticize our managers when it should be our players? Same with Carlo, same with Scolari, same with Villas-Boas, same with Di Matteo and now the same with Rafa. Some people always think the coach is the one who should get the blame. Ultimately Cahill missed a sitter, so did Torres and Ramires should of went and headed the ball away before Gurrero got it but where is their criticism?

Most common thing in football. It's always the manager's fault.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

The Torres miss ( i only saw it once because i don't like to relive bad moments) he went for power instead of placement immediately he saw the ball, but it just happened to go right to the keeper who was having one of those games - where he didn't look like he would be beaten.

The Guerrero goal, yeah 3 players on the line, but the most important thing is the ball deflecting to his path very, very fortunately.

Whatever though you can stick with your opinion of it being all Rafa's fault, but i personally do not buy it.

Most common thing in football. It's always the manager's fault.

Its shocking when you consider Villas-Boas was sacked because half the team didn't want to play under him (mostly the senior players, I don't care about if he tried alienating them or whatever, your senior pros are there to set an example, they should of just got on with it) and went off complaining eventually led to him getting sacked because of a split camp, lackluster performances and shit results because of low morale and team spirit. Call me a AVB fanboy or whatever but he was harshly treated by the older guys, they weren't happy because they were rotated etc even though he didn't really communicate with them as well as he could have but still hes the manager and hes there to pick a team, its not up to them to pick a team. Lampard came out and said their relationship wasn't ideal but still he was seen as the "good guy" in this incident and Villas-Boas the "bad guy" just because he was the coach.... nobody seems to ever blame the players at Chelsea FC...

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Its shocking when you consider Villas-Boas was sacked because half the team didn't want to play under him (mostly the senior players, I don't care about if he tried alienating them or whatever, your senior pros are there to set an example, they should of just got on with it) and went off complaining eventually led to him getting sacked because of a split camp, lackluster performances and shit results because of low morale and team spirit. Call me a AVB fanboy or whatever but he was harshly treated by the older guys, they weren't happy because they were rotated etc even though he didn't really communicate with them as well as he could have but still hes the manager and hes there to pick a team, its not up to them to pick a team. Lampard came out and said their relationship wasn't ideal but still he was seen as the "good guy" in this incident and Villas-Boas the "bad guy" just because he was the coach.... nobody seems to ever blame the players at Chelsea FC...

Mate you probably skipped the time when many on this forum called Lampard, Drogba and others a disgrace because of their behaviour at the time.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Most common thing in football. It's always the manager's fault.

Why does everyone criticize our managers when it should be our players? Same happened with Carlo, same happened with Scolari, same happened with Villas-Boas, same happened with Di Matteo and now the same with Rafa. Some people always think the coach is the one who should get the blame. Ultimately Cahill missed a sitter, so did Torres and Ramires should of went and headed the ball away before Gurrero got it but where is their criticism?

Also the fact barely anyone looked like they wanted to win the trophy except Luiz and Oscar when he came on. Rafa said he was here to win trophies, he wanted to win it, that was his main objective when he became Chelsea boss, to win as many trophies as possible.

I am not saying it is solely Benitez fault, but at the specific game in CWC, he was terrible and people must not forget that. Rafa had one of his worst ever game and I (as a fan who wanted the trophy) wont forgive him. Some players were nonexisting just like him. The most important part of a coach`s job is to prepare the players for the game, both mentally and physically. he didnt do it in any way.

However, Rafa had an excellent game today and he deserves credid. He has improved our defense by a mile, he seems to understand the double pivot role really well and he makes Torres a better player. All of these qualities must be brought up just like his mistakes. If he continues to do a good job (although it did take some bad results for him to do so), I will be the first to recognise.

When he first arrived and we drew at SB with Mancity, I thought he would do a great job. Things changed when the wins didnt come and we lost CWC, at that time his impact had been mostly negative. Now, if we continue getting better and winning, he will leave us with a positive record. I have no shame in changing my opinion or recognising a mistake.

I have said it more than a dozen times, Benitez will forever be a FSW but it doesnt exclude the fact he was the best available manager. He is a good tactitian and little by little he is improving our team. However I will always be gutted by his stupid performance at CWC, I wont be able to forget my hate towards him, but that

wont stop me from praising him when he deserves it.

You (RyanDavidson) have no right to criticize the memebers who bash Benitez because you are just as biased and one sided as "us".

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

Mate you probably skipped the time when many on this forum called Lampard, Drogba and others a disgrace because of their behaviour at the time.

Na I did see it, just I seen some people sticking up for Lamps too and thought they were a bit crazy because he was clearly at fault for moaning about not playing!

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

I am not saying it is solely Benitez fault, but at the specific game in CWC, he was terrible and people must not forget that. Rafa had one of his worst ever game and I (as a fan who wanted the trophy) wont forgive him. Some players were nonexisting just like him. The most important part of a coach`s job is to prepare the players for the game, both mentally and physically. he didnt do it in any way.

However, Rafa had an excellent game today and he deserves credid. He has improved our defense by a mile, he seems to understand the double pivot role really well and he makes Torres a better player. All of these qualities must be brought up just like his mistakes. If he continues to do a good job (although it did take some bad results for him to do so), I will be the first to recognise.

I have said it more than a dozen times, Benitez will forever be a FSW but it doesnt exclude the fact he was the best available manager. He is a good tactitian and little by little he is improving our team. However I will always be gutted by his stupid performance at CWC, I wont be able to forget my hate towards him, but that wont stop me from praising him when he deserves it.

You (RyanDavidson) have no right to criticize the memebers who bash Benitez because you are just as biased and one sided as "us".

How do I have no right to criticize the members who bash Benitez?

People criticized Benitez right after he took the job, not having played a match etc saying we'd be shit because of his negative tactics bla bla bla. First game we got a draw vs City (not a bad opponent to get a draw again) but people still criticized him just because he was an ex-Liverpool manager who had said some stuff he'd probably regret and there was no other logical explanation bar that. That first game vs City at the Bridge I could have criticized 99.9% of the crowd for continuously booing him like absolute twats instead of getting behind the team and supporting them.

That pretty much stereotyped Chelsea fans as idiots who wouldn't give a Benitez a chance due to him being an old Liverpool manager who had said stuff years ago that some people hadn't gotten over even though we idolize someone who has been given multiple fresh starts due to his private life and on the pitch problems hes had at times and got over all the stuff he'd done (JT).

If I don't have the right to criticize people who criticized Benitez before he'd even taken charge for one game does that mean that the people who criticized Benitez didn't have the right to do so in the first place?

I'm not just arguing for the sake of it, I'm just trying to say all this anti-Rafa stuff is absolute bullshit. We should support him as hes Chelsea boss now, forgot all the stuff hes done in the past as we have with JT and just get on with it.

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Na I did see it, just I seen some people sticking up for Lamps too and thought they were a bit crazy because he was clearly at fault for moaning about not playing!

I was the one sticking up for Lamps, and I admit it. But none of us knew what was really going on, why was Lamps unhappy if he was. The players, especially our old guard, have been blamed many many times in the past, yet those players and their leadership carried this club and covered all the mistakes Roman made.

[Rupert 130]

8-0, 5-1 in the same week and morons are still having a go at Rafa. He is too good for some of you. The rest of us can sit back and enjoy the expertise of this fine man. He won the La Liga twice with a team that had not won it in the previous 30 years. With or without the morons among us he will bring glory to Chelsea and do it in high style but with personal modesty.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

8-0, 5-1 in the same week and morons are still having a go at Rafa. He is too good for some of you. The rest of us can sit back and enjoy the expertise of this fine man. He won the La Liga twice with a team that had not won it in the previous 30 years. With or without the morons among us he will bring glory to Chelsea and do it in high style but with personal modesty.

Exactly wins 8-0 and 5-1 and people still moan. Is it any wonder why other clubs fans do say we are mugs and that we are fickle and ungrateful etc etc. Just because hes Rafa Benitez people want him out even though hes a more proven and much more established manager than Robbie was.

[Rmpr 8,977]

How do I have no right to criticize the members who bash Benitez?

People criticized Benitez right after he took the job, not having played a match etc saying we'd be shit because of his negative tactics bla bla bla. First game we got a draw vs City (not a bad opponent to get a draw again) but people still criticized him just because he was an ex-Liverpool manager who had said some stuff he'd probably regret and there was no other logical explanation bar that. That first game vs City at the Bridge I could have criticized 99.9% of the crowd for continuously booing him like absolute twats instead of getting behind the team and supporting them.

You dont have the right because you dont understand them. I have heavily criticized them for booing Rafa and after talking with our hardcore fans and listening to some fancasts, I was able to get a sense of how they felt.

I still wouldnt boo any manager or player, but now, I understand the ones that do.

I was man enough to recognise my mistake and apologise for the memeber I had a discussion about it (the boo effect). Like it or not, this football club belongs to the traditional british fans that have lived and breathed Chelsea for many years and trully experience being a Blue Londonist. Only they know how it hurts to see a Loserpool "legend" who honestly meant those horrible phrases about CFC being at the sideline of Stamford Bridge.

It does not mean they are better fans or anything, please no. What I am saying is that we have to understand their point of view, because if everything falls apart, they are the ones who will hold the club together. So, until we accept that and experience it, we have no right to criticize them!

[Corner 456]

Its shocking when you consider Villas-Boas was sacked because half the team didn't want to play under him (mostly the senior players, I don't care about if he tried alienating them or whatever, your senior pros are there to set an example, they should of just got on with it) and went off complaining eventually led to him getting sacked because of a split camp, lackluster performances and shit results because of low morale and team spirit. Call me a AVB fanboy or whatever but he was harshly treated by the older guys, they weren't happy because they were rotated etc even though he didn't really communicate with them as well as he could have but still hes the manager and hes there to pick a team, its not up to them to pick a team. Lampard came out and said their relationship wasn't ideal but still he was seen as the "good guy" in this incident and Villas-Boas the "bad guy" just because he was the coach.... nobody seems to ever blame the players at Chelsea FC...

I couldn't agree more mate, I was saying the same thing for weeks after he got sacked.

If you think about it, those players that were complaining and intentionally playing badly under AVB, they're all getting paid £100K per week. But they can't deal with it because he doesn't talk to them enough, and because they don't have a place in his tactics? They should have worked harder in training and take on board what the coach was trying to teach them. What the hell do some players expect the manager to do? Hold their hands? Give them some lollipops?

God, I love football, but footballers can be very frustrating sometimes. I guess I still I have a lot of frustration inside me from that AVB period. Rant over.