Benitez 3948

A few bad results are never enough to prove a manager weak. In the short term they prove nothing. But Raffa seemed to be carried away by his lucky CLC result and seems not to have fully realised how much needed to be done, and judging by his buys, what sort of players he needed to do it.

There are NO excuses for failing to fill the positions he says are so vital in the time he had available. The buck stops with him. Bad luck might be a reasonable excuse where individual results are concerned, but never in the field of admin where he is in charge. It's not his job to 'try' to get a decent winger, it is his job to make bloody sure he has one before half the season is over.

Your final question surprises me, but maybe you were not watching that final? After about 10-15 mins everyone I was watching with, probably all the Pool fans in the ground and all ( except maybe one ) of those watching on TV would have been waiting to see some tactical change which would stop the obvious source of danger...one sure to bring them goals. None were made. It either shows a lack of concern or a man who did not know what to do. There are no alternatives!

His inertia was hidden away by the final result. Lucky man, but maybe a continued run of bad results, and far worse, poor performances, shows him in his true colours. He obviously has some managerial skills suitable for a club somewhere.....but not this one.

LC