The Benitez Thread

[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.

[Jase 43,479]

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

Like I said, why not just change it and see what happens? Can't do any worse than we did then in midfield.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I do find it quite telling that we're in agreement that we could have done with some heft in midfield - one is left wondering what the fuck Mikel's job actually is.

[Muzchap 8,966]

That's been my point all along...

I hated 4231 formation it just wasn't working and RDM had no other ideas...

Then RB comes in and does exactly the same fucking thing

We are a 1 trick pony...

Fair play to the old cunt SAF he mixes it up a bit and so does that wanker Mancini e.g. 352 or 3511

Why can't we try this??? Our current formation is shit and maybe 2 players up front will give us a better chance of holding up ball...

#grumbles

I could do a better fucking job!!!

I've taken Crawley town to the Premiership, won Blue Sq Cup, League Cup and Promotion and Premiership... Have a team of 22yr olds with some older players and about to sign Messi for 10 million!!!

I've used evey formation possible and tend now to match up to my opponents formation, if thy play 4231 I put 5 in midfield and rape them!

That's what's happening to us and NONE of our last 2 Managers or Coaches can see this?

Fucking retarded if you ask me!!! (Not that you probably are...)

[Reddish-Blue 2,489]

That's been my point all along...

I hated 4231 formation it just wasn't working and RDM had no other ideas...

Then RB comes in and does exactly the same fucking thing

We are a 1 trick pony...

Fair play to the old cunt SAF he mixes it up a bit and so does that wanker Mancini e.g. 352 or 3511

Why can't we try this??? Our current formation is shit and maybe 2 players up front will give us a better chance of holding up ball...

#grumbles

How are we going to play with 2 up front? We don't even have 1 striker...when teams like United & Citeh have 3-4 quality strikers. Torres is beyond repair, Sturridge has fitness issues.

[Hutcho 8,443]

How are we going to play with 2 up front? We don't even have 1 striker...when teams like United & Citeh have 3-4 quality strikers. Torres is beyond repair, Sturridge has fitness issues.

Lol true, that would be the worst strike partnership in the history of football... Torres and his imaginery friend.

[The Mak 4,459]

What about a 4-3-2-1, with Oscar and Ramires sitting along side a deep Mikel/Romeu?

It would release Ramires' shackles a bit as we know he can track back, but he just looks uncomfortable as a DM. Not just that, but we basically don't have the players to play with 2 DMs (+ it seems Benitez doesn't want the full backs in the opposition half, so it's not as if we'll be loosing a great amount of defensive cover). Oscar is good at tracking as well (the job he did on Pirlo) and he has a good work-rate. Frank could easily slot in there too.

I think it'd help connect the defence and attack a lot better.

I'd like to play 2 up front, but I don't think it's an option until after January.

[Corner 456]

What about a 4-3-2-1, with Oscar and Ramires sitting along side a deep Mikel/Romeu?

It would release Ramires' shackles a bit as we know he can track back, but he just looks uncomfortable as a DM. Not just that, but we basically don't have the players to play with 2 DMs (+ it seems Benitez doesn't want the full backs in the opposition half, so it's not as if we'll be loosing a great amount of defensive cover). Oscar is good at tracking as well (the job he did on Pirlo) and he has a good work-rate. Frank could easily slot in there too.

I think it'd help connect the defence and attack a lot better.

I'd like to play 2 up front, but I don't think it's an option until after January.

Couldn't agree more. I've been praying for this to happen for weeks.

[Kez 2,727]

Isn't it obvious? Di Matteo should never have been sacked if Rafa fucking Benitez was the only alternative. It's not like we were in the relegation zone or something that bad with Di Matteo so why switch a club legend to a universally hated cunt who isn't even any better than RDM as a manager?

If he was the only option then the club should have stuck with RDM at least until the end of the season. Everyone knows Roman was going to get rid of him at some point but to do it now makes no sense. At least the players actually wanted to play for RDM & had a good relationship with him. This season has just turned into a massive pile of shit that Rafa cannot control, the fans don't want him here, the players don't want to play for him or understand his ideas. His ideas make no sense.

Surely it wasn't too much to ask to keep RDM here just until the end of the season.

[Sheva. 5,373]

the players don't want to play for him or understand his ideas. His ideas make no sense.

I don't understand these 2 points. You can't say the players do not want to play for him since many of them have been playing like this since under RDM, so they didn't want to play for RDM either?

And his ideas are actually solid as far as i'm concerned. Someone posted an article that likened the way he wants Chelsea to play to how BVB play, but we just don't have a good enough squad atm, which is shocking looking at how much some of those players cost.