The Benitez Thread

[Azpinator 2,325]

I don't think any Chelsea fan should tolerate this SOB anymore, period.

[GodZola 630]

Hazard certainly did not look injured to me? Anyway why does he always take him off, he is a player that can produce at any moment just like Bale but did you see AVB taking him off? Benayoun instead of Lampard again was bizarre & it is these strange decisions that has distanced himself from the fans not just his previous.

He had the opportunity to put this to bed, beat Spurs & then play a weakened side against Villa & rest some of the players who to be fair also contributed to losing 2 points as they looked tired to me - its not great preparation now we have to go to Villa with a strong side before a final.

[didierforever 7,349]

Give all the stick you want, but just don't say that that single sub in the 86th minute is what prevented us from winning when we practically gifted Tottenham two goals and wasted at least 3-4 clear-cut chances.

the point is if he had the guts to take off torres and put on BA even in the 60th minute, we could and WOULD have closed the game. how many times did torres lose the ball with a poor pass or just ran into a defender. not left or right, just simply ran into him and then asked the ref for a foul!!!

rambo looked shattered in the 2nd half. for the first time that i have seen rambo play, it seemed he was really tired, why not get lamps on... the point is that his 86th minute substitution did cost us the match because he dint make the proper substitution earlier. we are battered , bruised and tired and the least we should be doing is getting players off the pitch who seem to be losing it to get fresher players on.

so i will say that benitez's substitution at the right time (or rather lack of it) and his substitutions in general cost us the match.

[Fernando 6,376]

I would not mind he staying as we are starting to play really good.

Yeah his sub are kinda weird but so where Carlos sub when he was with us.

Nobody is perfect but I love the way we are playing now.

We just got a shitty bench and a horrible striker.

If we can fix that in the summer we will be playing even better.

Last I think people really dislike Benitez that anything bad he quickly gets the stick.

I'm sure if it was Mourinho fucking up people here would be lenient, and I don't like that.

In fact I don't care if he has allegiance to Liverpool. All I care is about his ability to help the team play good and move forward.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

3 More games guys, just 3 more Fucking games and we can put this season behind us.

[manpe 10,855]

If Hazard really was injured, then Moses on for him was fine, nothing wrong with it. Benayoun on for Oscar, didn't see any point in it. But what pisses me off the most is that he moans about fixture congestion, rotates the team like crazy every match, yet rarely uses all 3 subs.

Yesterday the team was visibly knackered in 2nd half. The intensity with which we played the 1st half started to show badly. A tired Torres is even more useless than a regular Torres, so that automatically was -1 player. Why not bring on Ba? Hasn't Benitez witnessed what he's capable of (scoring half-chances, holding the ball up, winning aerial battles... the only header I remember Trolles 'winning' was a ball that had gone out of bounds and nobody was contesting him)?

Lampard, who has old and slow legs is still capable of coming on fresh and help us control the middle of the park (a place where we desperately needed reinforcement), maybe even snatch a goal. Why were Ramires and Luiz ran around to near death, especially when the latter has rarely got a rest recently? Idiotic, moronic, clueless decisions all round.

There is one thing he deserves credit for - the way we played in the 1st half, this is what won us a point. He was probably surprised himself that he got things right for once and then lost his head because he hasn't been in this situation before.

[yuvala 2,167]

Should have subbed Torres.

Shouldn't have subbed Hazard (didnt look injured to me, but if he was then its ok..)

Shouldn't have subbed Oscar for Benayoun.

Shouldn't have tried to keep a 1 goal lead in the 70 min, we almost lost ..

Just counting the days till I can finally say "good riddance" to this idiot and to this season.

[English Freak 456]

Benitez has basically done the job of an interim manager fairly well...

His substitutions are a bit weird..in terms of players and timing but all in all, as long as we don't fuck up against Villa or Everton....

UCL football next season with Mourinho or someone else!

[manpe 10,855]

Benitez has basically done the job of an interim manager fairly well...

His substitutions are a bit weird..in terms of players and timing but all in all, as long as we don't fuck up against Villa or Everton....

UCL football next season with Mourinho or someone else!

Yes, if he keeps us in top 4, then we can call his spell somewhat a success, because he's fulfilled the minimum requirement. But it begs the question in me - was it really necessary to humiliate and sack Robbie for someone else to stick teeth and nails in a top 4 position? Was an inspirational Champions League and FA Cup winning manager really so crap that he couldn't have done it himself instead of a two year unemployed Chelsea unfaithful?

In hindsight this shenanigan seems so pointless. Actually can it be called "hindsight" if there never looked like being a point to it at all?

[22mek22 133]

Anyone else scared for Villa?

[Jase 43,479]

Anyone else scared for Villa?

With Benitez around, it's always scary and there's always that doubt as to whether we will win a game, even when we play the lesser sides. He isn't one that instills confidence into people.

[Azpinator 2,325]

I would not mind he staying as we are starting to play really good.

We are shaky without Hazard (and hopeless without Mata+Hazard) and you know it.

[HRiver 1,512]

He has done alright, but I will start to consider his stint here as somewhat successful only if he leads us to Europa League glory. Europa League + top 4 finish is better than simply a top 4 finish, which imo shouldn't really be considered an achievement.

[yuvala 2,167]

counting the days

[manpe 10,855]

Anyone else scared for Villa?

Not particularly. We smashed them 8-0 last time, remember? Although this time stakes are higher, players are fatigued and we're playing on an away ground. Their current form is also very inconsistent. This is their current overall form (LWDLWW), this is their current home form (WLWLDW). Our overall form looks like this (WWDWWD) and away form (LLLWDW). I'm not sure if they've even won 3 in a row this season, but they did smash Sunderland 6-1 at home recently.

Anyway, taking into consideration both clubs' forms, it's very difficult to predict anything. What I'm most afraid is that they will decide to show up, but it's literally a lottery with them. Think we will edge it, not 8-0 mind.

[Martina 210]

Colin Murray: Chelsea faithful are entitled to hate Rafael Benitez

Regardless of whether or not Chelsea win the Europa League under the guiding hand of Rafa Benitez, I think a round of applause is in order… for their fans.

Quite an interesting article.

http://metro.co.uk/2013/05/07/colin-murray-chelsea-faithful-are-entitled-to-hate-rafael-benitez-3715647/

[robdog 2,084]

well I just hope this scene actually plays out:

[Magic Lamps 11,452]

He has done alright, but I will start to consider his stint here as somewhat successful only if he leads us to Europa League glory. Europa League + top 4 finish is better than simply a top 4 finish, which imo shouldn't really be considered an achievement.

not even then. We should have secured 2 titles and top 3 long before. If he wins Europa league, it will be an ok stint but nothing more. Judging what we have achieved until now, his stint has been a almost a disaster.