Rafa Watch

[Gingawaria]

They're desperate to find any sort of stick to beat Benitez with, the 'rested' players against Southampton is just the latest.


01 Cech
02 Ivanovic
26 Terry
28 Azpilicueta
34 Bertrand
08 Lampard
11 Oscar
12 Mikel
13 Moses
21 Marin
09 Torres

That's not a 'weak' team by any stretch of the imagination.

[Arn]

It is also very well known that RDM didn't trained the players as much as they should have done but you can't blame RDM can you.............

That is IMO the big reason to why Rafa must rotate as much as he do. The players can't cope a full PL season because of the lack of hard training.

[RedReet]

I wish Benitez would cast up some of those many articles in his first couple of years here when he was absolutely slated for devaluing the sacred FA Cup and not taking it seriously, instead prioritising Europe. Now he does the complete opposite and prioritises the 'oldest and greatest cup competition in the world' and gets even more abuse.

[RedReet]

Ha ha, a quick google search from 2005 brought up...

FURIOUS Tommy Cassidy has accused Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez of devaluing the FA Cup after the Premiership giants were dumped out of the competition this week by his former club Burnley.

Cassidy, who played in the Newcastle United side beaten by Liverpool in the 1974 final at Wembley, believes the FA showpiece to be the greatest cup competition in the world.

And he branded the Spaniard’s ploy of fielding a woefully under-strength team at Turf Moor as “absolutely disgraceful.”

“Benitez can’t treat the FA Cup - and more importantly, the Liverpool supporters - the way he did,” added the Workington Reds boss.

“He didn’t show any respect for it. If I were a Liverpool supporter I would be very angry about it.

“The supporters are the lifeblood of the club, and after two or three years when Liverpool have been poor, they’ve been let down.

“He’s done the game no favours. I’m angry a British club has treated the FA Cup with such disdain.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/other/tommy-blasts-liverpool-s-fa-cup-selection-was-a-disgrace-1.410851?referrerPath=home/2.1962

That was after one game in charge.

[Roboklopp]

Cunts.

[Shackanory]

Awww, did Ashley Cole miss an hour and a half of football, leading him to pull his hamstring after fifteen minutes? Shame.
Some of these ******s need to get a ****ing grip. Ashley Cole can't defend, he's always upfront doing a Terry, Eden Hazard never knows when to pass and David Luiz is just ****.

[TheElephantMan]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22017068

Can't see Rafa being offered another position in the Premiership, going to Chelsea was a big mistake.

[dom9]

It was a gamble. It could have gone either way. It went the wrong way.

Unless he wins the cup and qualifies for the CL.

[Lee]

It was a gamble. It could have gone either way. It went the wrong way.

Unless he wins the cup and qualifies for the CL.

I honestly thought he'd get Chelsea competing for the league this season.

Like you say, they can still finish top four and win two cups which wouldn't be a total disaster.

I'd like him to head back to Spain and do well with a club in La Liga.

[Phoenix07]

I think he really needs to win the Europa League to raise his profile, or win the FA Cup if they can get past Manchester City as a bonus.

I think they have an excellent chance of the Europa League, and it'd remind the rest of Europe (even Real Madrid) of how good he is.

[Lee]

I think he really needs to win the Europa League to raise his profile, or win the FA Cup if they can get past Manchester City as a bonus.

I think they have an excellent chance of the Europa League, and it'd remind the rest of Europe (even Real Madrid) of how good he is.

The talk of him replacing Mourinho at the end of the season has gone quiet recently hasn't it.

What other Spanish teams could potentially looking for a new manager?

[Chris]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22017068

Can't see Rafa being offered another position in the Premiership, going to Chelsea was a big mistake.

Should piss the Europa League from here though and is one game away from winning the FA Cup (with all due respect to the **** in the other semi) so at least he'll get a little CV boost out of it. The league has been a mare though so far.

[Muddled]

I have a degree in sports science from Spain, have spoken to many people about injuries. It's the first time I ever heard anything like this. First of April.

Chelsea interim boss Rafael Benitez, 52, says he thought it was an April Fools joke when he learnt Ray Wilkins had blamed him for the injury suffered by Ashley Cole against Manchester United.

[Shaggy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9969315/Rafael-Benitez-thought-Ray-Wilkins-comment-on-rotation-policy-causing-Ashley-Coles-injury-was-an-April-Fool.html

[Pedenj]

It does seem odd that Rafa caused an injury by resting a player.

Yet alot of the press back him as 'Ray knows them Chelsea players better than anyone'