The Benitez Thread

[Martina 210]

but as @Martina mentioned, we can't take this competition for self-granted, regardless if we are Chelsea and striving to be the best.

I can see one can easily misunderstand what I meant :-)

I didn't mean one should take Chelsea finishing top 4 for granted - I meant people are giving Benitez credit for something that hasn't happened yet.

I used to take us finishing top 4 for granted as well - those were the times…

We are just too "up and down" under Benitez, his decisions/subs don't make sense to me and we lost to weaker teams too often.

[SinineUltra 1,170]

I've questioned your arguments and made an example of how Arsenal supporters think the same way, and merely suggested that your thinking is completely wrong about this issue. Did I call you a cunt ? I could have.

Of course the goal was to offer another way of looking at things, provoke yours. There is a nicer answer than 'you're a cunt' one though. Anyway, I'm not dragging this any further.

That's how politicians and lawyers try to wriggle out of trouble and back track their words when things go sour. Like I said, you can sugar-coat it as much as you want but you provoked it. Just questioning your arguments and offering another way of looking at things. Let's drop this.

Anyway, I agree with @Ryan Gooding. As long as he is manager of Chelsea, I will support him. I'm dying to see, who will be the first people to call the head of the next manager. I bet it won't take long. Usually the same faces are very eager to pull the trigger when things aren't going exactly perfect.

[bushman 2,043]

I can see one can easily misunderstand what I meant :-)

I didn't mean one should take Chelsea finishing top 4 for granted - I meant people are giving Benitez credit for something that hasn't happened yet.

I used to take us finishing top 4 for granted as well - those were the times…

We are just too "up and down" under Benitez, his decisions/subs don't make sense to me and we lost to weaker teams too often.

The only reason Chelsea is up & down is THE TEAM IS TOO THIN.

[Martina 210]

The only reason Chelsea is up & down is THE TEAM IS TOO THIN.

Or Rafa too thick :-)

[SinineUltra 1,170]

I can see one can easily misunderstand what I meant :-)

I didn't mean one should take Chelsea finishing top 4 for granted - I meant people are giving Benitez credit for something that hasn't happened yet.

I used to take us finishing top 4 for granted as well - those were the times…

We are just too "up and down" under Benitez, his decisions/subs don't make sense to me and we lost to weaker teams too often.

I don't think anyone is giving him credit for something we haven't done. If we do finish top4, though, then well done players, well done coaching staff and off with Benitez, who will be hopefully replaced by a more supported manager. TOP 4 used to consist of Manu, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. Now there is the addition of Tottenham and ManCity, Liverpool have been playing the second fiddle for some years now. Blaming it all on one man who hasn't even been here for the whole season is just a way to look excuses. Blamed share from the staff, players and fans for booing the manager (and the team) for half season, creating this lovely atmosphere to work in. It is not a big surprise we were better away rather than at home when Benitez took over.

We will be unstable, up and down team as long as we keep changing managers. Next season will tell, but I think the reason why ManU are so successful in the league in particular is because they had Ferguson. They have had a weak squad on the paper for some years now and still they produce something every year. There was not even the slightest of doubts by the fans, club, players regarding his work.

Only TOP4 games RDM managed this season was a home loss against ManU,an away win against Arsenal and a win against Tottenham. We can't really go in statistics and in hindsight say how someone else could have done this job so or so much better in such a hostile environment. On that basis Ray Wilkins is the best head-coach in the world, having managed us on 2 different occasions, total of 2 games and has 100% win record.

Before anyone starts to blame me for being anti-RDM and how I don't appreciate his work - I did not support the fact that he got sacked, it wouldn't have made any difference anyway. There were only bad and worse managers on the market to replace him till the end of the season, but that's the route the club took and we can't change that. I didn't support the sacking of Mourinho and Ancelotti also, but that doesn't mean I would have hated on Scolari or Villas Boas comparing every stat imaginable to show how dire they were.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

Or Rafa too thick :-)

Would love to see the excuses from people like you when the new manager hits a rough patch. So, so many E-managers here, you don't know what's behind his decisions not to sub someone in, it might be a minor injury, it might be bad form/attitude shown in training and so on. Think outside the box, behind a LCD screen we all think we could do better, reality is oh so much different.

[Kojo 4,676]

Some people will never see the importance of Benitez's work at Chelsea.

I agree that he's a complete cunt & has been clueless about substitutions since his Liverpool days...but he's steadied the ship.

He hasn't overachieved (by winning trophies) or underachieved (by finishing 5th or 6th). He's satisfied the minimum requirements of an interim manager.

Now, both parties can move on without too much of a fuss.

This Benitez praise is going way too far.

It just goes to show how much impact the media has, Benitez has had two europa wins then finally managed to win some premier league games. Also interesting how some forgot about the Liverpool draw, thanks to Rafas great subs again. And then once the media start praising Rafa everyones actually convinced that he's doing a good job.

No! Untill he secures top 4 and wins the Europa then we can say he's done something, as for now nothing has changed. So he should of won those games, what about all the other games where he drew due to his stupid subs again, 2-0 up then drawing 2-2 that happened twice in 2 weeks.

[robdog 2,084]

1. It seems those who give Benitez credit for this season take us finishing top 4 for granted - the EPL hasn't finished yet as far as I know (and we haven't won any trophy yet).

2. Thin squad, too many matches and tired players - Rafa's favourite excuse. (Benitez is well known for making excuses and never taking responsibility for anything. That's why he feels at home in Liverpool).

These players are top athletes. Besides he doesn't play certain players regularly, even though they publicly say they're fit enough (Terry) or capable of decent contribution (Lampard, Ba). Why did he play Torres in Liverpool - he could have rested him and it meant Torres played three matches in a row. There were 7 matches in which both Terry and Lampard started this season - and we haven't lost any of them.

3. Myth about Torres "being back" and giving Rafa credit for that. The last time Torres scored in the EPL was in December 2012.

4. RDM had different issues to deal with - we didn't have Ba at that time and our new signings needed more time to settle down. When Benitez took over they already had some understanding of other Chelsea players and the EPL as such.

after reading that post, Martina I think I am love w/ you . You are like a fresh cup of Virtual Coffee. Bringing Mental Sobriety to the mind. Cheers!!!

[Martina 210]

Would love to see the excuses from people like you when the new manager hits a rough patch. So, so many E-managers here, you don't know what's behind his decisions not to sub someone in, it might be a minor injury, it might be bad form/attitude shown in training and so on. Think outside the box, behind a LCD screen we all think we could do better, reality is oh so much different.

It was a joke, I'm sorry if you didn't think it was funny. In my defense: I put a smiley there as a clue.

And I thought the post I reacted to was meant as a joke as well, because I gave my view on the "thin squad excuse" on the same page.

[Changingman_2000 876]

This Benitez praise is going way too far.

It just goes to show how much impact the media has, Benitez has had two europa wins then finally managed to win some premier league games. Also interesting how some forgot about the Liverpool draw, thanks to Rafas great subs again. And then once the media start praising Rafa everyones actually convinced that he's doing a good job.

No! Untill he secures top 4 and wins the Europa then we can say he's done something, as for now nothing has changed. So he should of won those games, what about all the other games where he drew due to his stupid subs again, 2-0 up then drawing 2-2 that happened twice in 2 weeks.

way, way too far, couldn't agree more. Still, every club has it's fickle fans i suppose. We had next to fuck all, in the way of "fickleness", pre 93'. A few started to show during Hoddle, a good few more in the Ruud boy era, trickle more for Vialli, similar level for Ranieri, then a fucking flood of them since 2003. Can't for he life of me think why

[Martina 210]

after reading that post, Martina I think I am love w/ you . You are like a fresh cup of Virtual Coffee. Bringing Mental Sobriety to the mind. Cheers!!!

Thank you :-)

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

after reading that post, Martina I think I am love w/ you . You are like a fresh cup of Virtual Coffee. Bringing Mental Sobriety to the mind. Cheers!!!

[Martina 210]

Blaming it all on one man who hasn't even been here for the whole season is just a way to look excuses

That is - IMHO - a contradiction. You are aware of our position in the EPL when Benitez took over, right? The season started quite well.

Blamed share from the staff, players and fans for booing the manager (and the team) for half season

Yes, the fans were booing the manager and 2 players (Torres and Benayoun) - never the team. Benitez is neither the first nor the last manager being booed. And quite frankly: what did he expect? He must have known this when he took the job.

We will be unstable, up and down team as long as we keep changing managers.

Well, we changed a manager last year and won the CL :-)

We can't really go in statistics

Why not? There is a strange tendency for those who support Benitez to avoid statistics.

Try this one: http://www.weaintgotnohistory.com/2013/5/9/4314856/chelseas-results-against-the-premier-leagues-best-only-serve-to

We don't know what would have happened if RMD stayed with us and I guess we were all upset. I can't give Benitez any credit and I don't understand those who can - but I respect your opinion and let's just say we disagree.

For me a manager whose managerial skills never go beyond "winger for a winger" or "defender for a defender" when he makes subs is as useful as a donkey.

[Martina 210]

To sub or not to sub? Rafa and the Big Bench Debate

By Dan Levene, May 10th, 2013

The conversation was heated – at least on one side. The journalist, somewhat stereotypically propping up the bar, wanted to know what Rafael Benitez was thinking of when he used (or rather failed to use) his substitutions on Wednesday night...

http://www.footballscores.com/superblog/to-sub-or-not-to-sub-rafa-and-the-big-bench-debate/

A good read.

[robdog 2,084]

To sub or not to sub? Rafa and the Big Bench Debate

By Dan Levene, May 10th, 2013

The conversation was heated – at least on one side. The journalist, somewhat stereotypically propping up the bar, wanted to know what Rafael Benitez was thinking of when he used (or rather failed to use) his substitutions on Wednesday night...

http://www.footballscores.com/superblog/to-sub-or-not-to-sub-rafa-and-the-big-bench-debate/

A good read.

Yes it was!!! Straight & to the point. Love the comparison of other CFC Gaffers & how FSW is far below them