Benitez has lost the players

[Rich]

I find it hilarious that people say Johnson 'can't defend' he has won the PL with Chelsea, the FA Cup with Portsmouth is the regular for that pesky attack mided Italian coach Cappelo but still he 'can't defend'.
That phrase or opinion is what you get by watching too much sky tv or reading 'insights' from journalists who have no better football knowledge than the average man on the street, the only difference is one did a journalism degree others didn't.

I guess thoughout his whole career Johnson has been lucky that no team decided to attack down their left hand side.
Yes he is an attacking full back and yes he will be caught out of position when we lose the ball but that is part and parcel of his role. You don't play over 200 games for club and country by the age of 25 as a full back if you 'can't defend'
These same media people have tried to claim Ashley Cole couldn't defend in the past but he's the only defender to get the better of Ronaldo every single time he played against him.

Have your rant, but the lad isn't a good defender and you're right he did win a PL medal but he was hardly first choice with 17 appearances to his name. He was that good for Chelsea they sold him to Portsmouth for £4m.

I'd prefer my defenders to be first and foremost quality ones, the rest is a bonus.

[dww]

I can see that a blanket accusation of not being able to defend is unfair on Johnson. What he can't do is deal with players running at him, which is a shame as fullback in one area where that is one of the key things you have to deal with often without great amounts of assistance.

He is decent in the tackle, his positioning is fine when he hasn't pushed up, his recovery pace is good and he is decent in the air.

Other than his complete inability to spot a trick his main problem is in distributing the ball safely from deep. He is far too ambition and often gives away the ball in dangerous areas. His two problems are both things that could potentially be improved but they have both been costly in his time with us.

[Icon]

What is this thread about now?

Kinda forgot...

[The Birdman]

Have your rant, but the lad isn't a good defender and you're right he did win a PL medal but he was hardly first choice with 17 appearances to his name. He was that good for Chelsea they sold him to Portsmouth for £4m.

I'd prefer my defenders to be first and foremost quality ones, the rest is a bonus.

It wasn't a rant mate it just annoys the **** out of me that people / posters band around sayings they've heard on Sky or read somewhere.
You don't get to play for your country as a full back if you can't defend, people may think he isn't strong enough defensively, they may think he is better attacking in their opinion but he can defend.
Also there is never any altenatives offered like "Johnson can't ****ing defend, we should have bought Michah Richards instead because blah blah blah" it's just he's ****, he's rubbish, the ref is crap, the PL is fixed.
Excuses, excuses, excuses.

[The Birdman]

This 'He's lost the players' is complete rubbish as well, more media generated headlines that mean nothing.
Players play for themselves first and foremost, anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded, next they play for the club as that's who pays their wages and players like Gerrard and Carra have an obvious affinity as local lads and lastly they play for the manager because he's the one who picks them.

[5europeancups]

I'd say he has lost the players.

His star man Torres is openly stating that we made a mistake selling Arbeloa, Hyppia and Alonso. If that isnt a dig at the manager then nothing is.

Riera is hoping Rafa gets fired before he has to leave.
Babel is praying Rafa gets fired.
Gerrard doesnt know what he wants...

I think Rafa's biggest issue with relations to the players is that he apears to be inconsistent. I think it is fair to say that falir players need time to get their eye in.

Players like Babel / ngog / bennayoun / torres will often miss gilt edged chances if they come on for the first time in four games. To be honest I felt sorry for Ngog last wekend. I think he should be played up front with Torres more often at the expensive of the hardworker...

I strongly beleive that if we dont finish fourth then Rafa will do the honourable thing and will probably take Lucas and some other pets with him.

[Exiled_red]

I'd say he has lost the players.

His star man Torres is openly stating that we made a mistake selling Arbeloa, Hyppia and Alonso. If that isnt a dig at the manager then nothing is.

Riera is hoping Rafa gets fired before he has to leave.
Babel is praying Rafa gets fired.
Gerrard doesnt know what he wants...

I think Rafa's biggest issue with relations to the players is that he apears to be inconsistent. I think it is fair to say that falir players need time to get their eye in.

Players like Babel / ngog / bennayoun / torres will often miss gilt edged chances if they come on for the first time in four games. To be honest I felt sorry for Ngog last wekend. I think he should be played up front with Torres more often at the expensive of the hardworker...

I strongly beleive that if we dont finish fourth then Rafa will do the honourable thing and will probably take Lucas and some other pets with him.

I don't think it's as black and white as that all three players wanted to leave, yes Alonso wanting to leave was (at least) partly due to Rafa. There was also pressure on Rafa to balance the books. Torres is obviously disappointed to see Alonso leave as he's a good player and as Xabi had been here a while and was also Spanish probably helped Torres settle in when he arrived.

I feel sorry for Rafa because he's in a no win situation with this, the players leaving obviously affected us but he was in many ways powerless to stop them going.

[Kenneth]

I'd say he has lost the players.

His star man Torres is openly stating that we made a mistake selling Arbeloa, Hyppia and Alonso. If that isnt a dig at the manager then nothing is.

As they all wanted to leave, I don't think it really is.

Riera is hoping Rafa gets fired before he has to leave.
Babel is praying Rafa gets fired.
Gerrard doesnt know what he wants...

I think Rafa's biggest issue with relations to the players is that he apears to be inconsistent. I think it is fair to say that falir players need time to get their eye in.

Players like Babel / ngog / bennayoun / torres will often miss gilt edged chances if they come on for the first time in four games. To be honest I felt sorry for Ngog last wekend. I think he should be played up front with Torres more often at the expensive of the hardworker...

I strongly beleive that if we dont finish fourth then Rafa will do the honourable thing and will probably take Lucas and some other pets with him.

I also don't think he'll walk. Not unless another club goes after him big time.