The part that mostly got to me was does he really think The team is performing better under his stewardship with individuals like Frank Lampard, David Luiz and Juan Mata all taking their games to another level "A lot of the players are growing and improving all the time," said Benitez. "Victor Moses, Cesar Azpilicueta, Ryan Bertrand and David Luiz, who was criticised at the beginning, have all improved Can he really believe it is he that has caused all these players to improve, coz I can't see this at all. Who is he saying criticized them in the beginning,
One professional pundit was arguing today that if Coco wins you both the FA Cup and The Europa, he will become, arguably, your greatest ever manager, certainly one of them. Given that fact, it would be difficult to see how the Russian could deny him a new, highly lucrative contract.
Benitez has always been a cup manager, but there's no denying we went from being title challengers and odds on to finish 3rd (at least) to being an Arsenal win away from being 5th. For every time Benitez gets it right, he gets it wrong twice. The only area where our performance under him has improved dramatically is in Europe, the shape, set up and tactics have been better. I'd rather have RDM anyday but that's just me. I never expected us to win any trophies this season no matter who was manager, as GNev has said it's a completely transitional season with a completely different way of playing football. This season has proved no matter who is manager, with our best side out we are the best team in the league, but beyond that probably midtable or Liverpool/Everton level. Squad depth is the real area we need to improve on
What would any so called pundit outside ex-Chelsea know about our club? Just another clueless moron that thinks he knows it all like Hansen and Lawro. Benitez has taken a squad that should be comfortably 3rd into probably 4th/5th best after tomorrow. Under the circumstances Mourinho, Ranieri, Vialli, Sexton, Ancelotti, Di Matteo, Gullit, Docherty et al are all superior managers in our history.
I don't know if it is Benitez doing but Luiz does look better at cb now. Azpi has come on leaps and bounds but that is more likely due to getting lots of game time. My first choice rb ahead of Ivan now.
where does the myth that Rafa is a cup manager come from? He won La Liga twice and broke Liverpool's league points total record twice.
When Barca were near bankruptcy and Real weren't a threat due to having a string of poor managers and turmoil at board level
I don't have an issue with people not liking him or rating him. That's fair enough. But he took a Liverpool side good for mid 70s points at best and finished on 82 and 86 points. He's an excellent league manager. We had no hope of winning the league on our budget yet he almost pulled off the impossible.
But surely that is down to the players we now have and their style of play, any Manager could have done what he has given those players
