The Benitez Thread

[teignman 441]

In the past week or so, I've seen quite a few journos banging on about how Benitez deserves a great deal of credit for getting us to our current position. This of course whilst painting us, the fans, as a bunch of ingrates blinded by the past. I, for one, don't find our current position or the man who brought us to this anything to be celebrated. We haven't secured CL qualification, though we have an appreciably better team than Le Arse and Spuds. We have consistently dropped points to lower sides (which makes today's match feel a bit ominous) on the heels of baffling substitutions or inaction. This season has been absolutely exhausting, and not in the good way. I'll be happy when we can turn the page, waive goodbye to El Gordo, and hopefully have qualified for next season's Champions League.

[didierforever 7,349]

There is only one answer to it all.

So much written, so little said!

your input to this debate has been immense..

[bushman 2,043]

Who is saying we are proud of the current situation here ?

It just seems funny to me, to hear professional commentators at football radios, TVs saying Rafa has done respectable job & the team is playing well at the moment. Meanwhile, all I read here by amateurs how Rafa is responsible for everything what´s wrong with Chelsea.

[bushman 2,043]

your input to this debate has been immense..

My opinion of the posting stands the same.

[didierforever 7,349]

I think if you take away two top-class players from any team, they'll look like absolute crap.

You take away RvP from Arsenal last season, they'd finish mid-table...take him away from United this season, they wouldn't have won the PL title so easily...

You take away Bale from Spurs, they'd be below 6th for sure...

In most cases, the team's performance is based on the brilliance of 2-3 players...unless you have a strong tactical system like Dortmund, Bayern, Barca of 2-3 years ago...

I'm not saying that Benitez has 'achieved' anything at Chelsea...but your example applies to most clubs.

you are absolutely right about arsenal and spurs, but i feel united would have pulled it off even without rvp. they almost did it last season. and they do it simply because they DO have a style of play of simply putting in balls in the box from almost anywhere till it goes in the net. but still there is a method to madness in united's play which has to be credited to the coach.

my point had been that FSW should not be credited with the style of play we are playing right now simply because we were playing this way even under RDM, but we are defensively more sound under FSW.

[didierforever 7,349]

My opinion of the posting stands the same.

but the point is what was your stand. u dint take a stand. u doubted what i said which i explained to you in DETAILED. you on the other hand have simply made vague statements, derailed the debate and stated things. u have neither contradicited me or told me WHY YOU THINK OTHERWISE.

[bushman 2,043]

but the point is what was your stand. u dint take a stand. u doubted what i said which i explained to you in DETAILED. you on the other hand have simply made vague statements, derailed the debate and stated things. u have neither contradicited me or told me WHY YOU THINK OTHERWISE.

Don´t bother to continue.

[didierforever 7,349]

Don´t bother to continue.

my pleasure.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

So, fans shouldn't voice their opinion on Rafa subbing Yossi Benayoun in for Oscar? With Lampard and Ba on the bench?

I'm saying as much as people here would like to think that they know more than Benitez - they don't even have 5% (and that's being generous) of the footballing knowledge he has, there's a reason he has been a manager of Valencia, Liverpool and Chelsea while we're here on the Internet typing ANONYMOUSLY. Voicing opinion is of course needed and welcome but I'm saying we don't have the slightest background info nor reason why he chose to do those moves, and never will. We can only speculate - or commence in an all out hate war on the Internet like some.

In my opinion he has done fine considering how bad things could have already been. At the moment we're in contention to win EL and are in a good position to finish 3rd, all in our own hands. It'd be deluded to think any manager would have won most of the competitions we were in when you considering our squad depth, injuries, AFCON, managerial situation, fan "support", media attention, hangover from CL glory and so on. But hey - just voicing my opinion, like you said.

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

Lampard really really covered Rafa's arse today.

[bushman 2,043]

Today´s introduction of Luiz after half time was the turning point for Chelsea. The complexity of the game changed completely.

Rafa should take the full credit for it.

So far, Rafa has done everything what was asked of him. The team is in CL & perhaps EL trophy just might be as a bonus.

[robdog 2,084]

Lampard really really covered Rafa's arse today.

Also Benteke sticking that boot into JT. That saved FSW's bacon today, but then again we knew we would have some issues today.

[Sheva. 5,373]

He will never get any credit, granted he has made some bad decisions, but every manager does, the most important thing though is he was given the task of ensuring CL qualification and he has all but done that. So well done to him, and surely he wouldn't need to wait 2 years to find another job lol.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Credit where credit is due. He's done a fairly decent job. I may not love him but I respect him...somewhat.

[Tomo 21,751]

Who is saying we are proud of the current situation here ?

It just seems funny to me, to hear professional commentators at football radios, TVs saying Rafa has done respectable job & the team is playing well at the moment. Meanwhile, all I read here by amateurs how Rafa is responsible for everything what´s wrong with Chelsea.

Blinded by hate, if it was Ancelotti or Hiddink in at the same time with the same pattern of results they wouldn't even mention half the "facts" they do.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Today´s introduction of Luiz after half time was the turning point for Chelsea. The complexity of the game changed completely.

Rafa should take the full credit for it.

So far, Rafa has done everything what was asked of him. The team is in CL & perhaps EL trophy just might be as a bonus.

Come off it, any human being with decent footballing knowledge would've made the same move. Everyone in the CFC away end were calling for Moses to come off for Luiz after Ramires' sending off, it's common sense, not some magical tactical stroke.

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Benteke's stupid red card and incredible Frank saved his ass. Otherwise we would have been very nervous in the next 7 days.

[Tomo 21,751]

I have been thinking of the past few days for reason's to hate Rafa, i had a long hard think and came up with

NOTHING

The thing is that (unlike the Scousers and Rupert) i don't think he is a great manager, but i do think he is a very decent man.

In the face of hate and adversity from some Chelsea fans, he has acted with absolute class and dignity during his time at our club.

He has been totally professional, despite the fact that he is only here till the end of the season.

He has also not shirked from treating the senior players on merit and has seemed to do so without causing a dressing room rift.

He hasn't done amazing at Chelsea, but that is more down to Rafa the manager, not Rafa the man.

For the people throwing their toys out of the pram about his previous comments, i assume you will be treating Rooney equally similar then if he joins us? (as he stuck v sign's to our supporters in that 2011 title decider at Old Trafford).

[didierforever 7,349]

Come off it, any human being with decent footballing knowledge would've made the same move. Everyone in the CFC away end were calling for Moses to come off for Luiz after Ramires' sending off, it's common sense, not some magical tactical stroke.

precisely... i dont know what people are hooting FSW for. MOSES biggest contribution today was probably winning us a corner. any1 in the world could have guessed exactly how much lamps would have struggled playing the lone deep midfielder role. i mean if it was essien (5 year back) or makelele then we could have tried playing 4-1-3-1 formation but i dont think any1 in the current squad could be good enough.

so now we just praise our manager to make the most obvious move. thats what our standard has fallen to. PATHETIC.

[Fernando 6,585]

You just can't win with some fans.

They will hate him no matter what.

But in the eyes of the people who can see past the hate like very few can see that he did Ok. His main task was to qualify to cl and he has done that.

Job done.

Everything else does not matter.