Benitez was wrong for Everton from start – but board must mend fan relationship

Rafa Benitez was wrong for Everton but they won't fix the mess they're in until they mend their relationship with the fans.

It's never a good thing when your supporters turn on you and it looks so toxic at Goodison Park, where the blue half of Merseyside are in all sorts of trouble right now.

You can't lose a derby the way they did. The fans won't have it. They're not stupid. And the blame always lands at the manager's feet.

But there's a disconnect between the manager, the fans and the board and until that changes it won't be hard for other teams to get a result at Goodison.

Everton's recruitment has been awful. They've spent a small fortune since the new owner came in and what have they ended up with?

Never mind Liverpool's, which Everton players would get into West Ham's team? Or any other top six team? Dominic Calvert-Lewin? Jordan Pickford maybe?

Abdoulaye Doucoure has been a good signing. But you know there's a problem when you're spending nearly £40m on Alex Iwobi.

He's been there nearly three years and he hasn;t even scored ten goals yet!

Benitez was dealt a bad hand in the summer because he only got to bring in players like Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray.

When I saw those signings at the time I thought: 'Wow, they're not Everton players.' To be fair they have done alright, Gray especially.

But Salomon Rondon? My god…

Everton should never have given Benitez the job in the first place because he's a Liverpool legend. It was asking for trouble.

And this is the problem. I don't think Farhard Moshiri understands football. If you understand football, you can't give that job to an ex-Red. You just can't.

I find it mindblowing. Bill Kenwright has his critics but if that had been his decision to make he would never have given the job to Benitez.

As soon as it starts to go wrong the fans are going to say: 'What were you doing giving the job to a Liverpool man?'

And even if Benitez had got them flying, Liverpool fans just get to turn around and say: 'You're only doing well because you've got our ex-manager.' It was doomed to fail.

The fans turned on the board after the derby and they have a right to. Who is spending all this money? They have wasted millions.

And where do they go from here? Who can they sell to fund transfers? I don't think you could get £50-60m for Richarlison right now.

Look at their next few games. Arsenal and Leicester at home. Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Burnley away. They could be in a relegation battle by Christmas.

I think they will be looking for a new manager sooner rather than later. I don't see how Benitez turns it around.

I know he is missing players like Calvert-Lewin, but this is Everton. One of the most successful clubs in the country historically. You can't be relying so much on one player.

I still think they will be alright. Once Calvert-Lewin is back they will score more goals. But it is worrying. What has gone wrong there for Everton to get into this mess?

You have to look at the decision-makers at the club. Do they know what they're doing? The owner barely even shows up at games!

It's a total shambles and until they sort things our behind the scenes it's not going to get much better.

  • Richarlison risks wrath of Everton fans as he's seen with Liverpool shirt after thumping

Chelsea are going to miss Antonio Rudiger when he goes because it will take £60-70m to replace him.

Rudiger is definitely leaving. If he wanted to sign a new contract he would have done it by now. There's no chance he stays now.

But it's not Thomas Tuchel's fault. I think he made his mind up to go when Frank Lampard had him out of the team.
And even though he's been phenomenal since Tuchel brought him back in, and they won the Champions League, Rudiger hasn't forgotten.

Teams will be queuing round the block now to sign him, and someone will pay him a lorryload of money to join them.

He's been one of Chelsea's two best players all season for me and he won't be easy to replace – but Tuchel should already be thinking about who to go for.

There just aren't many world class centre backs around any more, and the ones who are will cost a small fortune.

That's why I don't understand it when clubs let a player run down their contract like this. It makes no sense at all and it does my head in.

Pep Guardiola has some cheek complaining about emergencies at Manchester City!

He says his squad is in an emergency situation because he only has 15 players – but they're 15 of the best players in the world!

Tell that to Everton. Or Newcastle. Virtually any other club in the country would swap their 23-man squad for 15 of City's players.

City go deep in every competition and you do pick up injuries because the players are all internationals and none of them ever get a break.

But come on. Put it in perspective. He's still got 15 world class players to choose from. Think about how fortunate you are.

City should be absolutely fine with the players they've got. They've got great Academy kids to rely on as well – it won;t be long before Cole Palmer is a £50m player.

My only worry for City is that they have 70 per cent of the ball in games but still only win by the odd goal.

They need a centre forward, and if I was Pep I'd go back in for Harry Kane in January because then you blow teams away in the opening 20 minutes of games.

Source: Read Full Article