[Archived] Benni Mccarthy - Gone

[rebelmswar]

Wow, Bob - never seen you like this! Fully agree though. Yesterday really got to me and I doubt there will be many who actually did make to the game yesterday, in the flesh, that will say he deserves his place in the first eleven.

His contribution to the team is minimal and there have been too many reports of tantrums to be able to say they have no foundation - no smoke without fire.

He wasn't the only underacheiver yesterday but he sure as hell stood out head and shoulders above everyone else as overpaid and disinterested.

Unquestionably a fantastic player with lots of talent, but he just doesn't want to play for us and we can't afford to have him undermine our challenge for Europe. It is crystal clear there are problems in the camp (which Nicko mentioned a week or two back), and yesterdays atrocious outing hurt. I mean really hurt - the worst I have ever felt when watching Rovers including relegation.

Shall we just wait until we are in a relegation scrap before questioning his commitment or hold out until we are in the Championship? Sorry Benni, but if you don't have the professionalism to give 100%, then it's time to go. Feel free to proove us wrong.

Meanwhile, Roberts is not a better player than Benni, but I think if he is told Benni is going and he will get his chance, he will stay. Roberts is the type of player who will dig in and that's the type we need, now. Don't forget he is the player that gave us hope in the Semi's at Old Trafford...

Agree there, so until we get rid of the chaff do we play Santa and Derbyshire? I am sure he could feed from and to Santa Cruz well.

[Wolverine]

I feel that's the only option. Unless we can convince Roberts to stay.

While Derbs didn't exactly turn the match on it's head when he came on, he didn't do too bad.

[Eddie]

Why would Roberts stay when Benni is his best pal? I find it far more likely that having Roberts in his ear is upsetting Benni. Roberts is the one who needs to go. If you have two bad eggs and have to get rid of one (and we don't actually know if Benni is a bad egg at the moment), then you ahve to get rid of the less talented one.

[Wolverine]

Is Mokoena not McCarthy's best friend

[philipl]

Benni is Benni's best friend probably.

Going back a while, Hughes was saying it was remarkable how there weren't cliques and how everybody sat with everybody else. That is probably under pressure now and I would tend to think our press boys are getting the goss right, albeit amplified and distorted somewhat, about three 30+ year old players being unhappy and disruptive.

Let's see what the team atmosphere is like against Arsenal on Tuesday.

[Alan75]

Now who does Benni remind me of ?

[tchocky]

Doesn't look like Benni though.

Anyone supposedly wanting to leave would probably be interested in putting themselves in the shop window by performing at every opportunity. I don't believe Benni is disinterested, it just isn't coming off for him at the moment and it frustrates him. So maybe his head drops because of that.

Then again, I haven't been to a game this season either....

[bob fleming]

Thanks for the reply Eddie. Eloquent as ever. Just a few things then...

The penalty was rubbish and I don't actually recall Benni putting it in the opposite corner (but I'm probably wrong) - In all fairness anyone can take a bad 'un but I alonng with the other 16,000 or whatever it was knew he was going to put it there. "Graft" you're right it's a different opinion to mine. "Flicks and Tricks" - on his day it's brilliant. I remember one such day this season.

"Benni is the best goalscorer we've had at this club since Shearer" - I don't think so. He's scored 5 league goals this season. FIVE. Hardly setting the world on fire is it? What he did last year has no bearing on what he does this season (unfortunately). Shearer once scored 5 after he was laid up with his knee from his hospital bed - and even when he wasn't scoring from Bed 12 Ward C he made a few assists. I believe the term we're looking for here with Benni is HIGH MAINTENANCE. That's where the "Graft" comes in I suppose. I honestly wouldn't mind if Hughes "cashed in" - so long as we get a replacement in (before anyone mentions the money - Santa Cruz cost £3.5m? I'd take two of those against two Benni McCarthy's anyday of the week).

As for the personal stuff - where? I just said you were talking @#/?. Is that personal? Who knows. It wasn't meant to be a personal attack, although looking back it was a little blunt I suppose. I just disagreed strongly with what you said.

[Oklahoma]

I don't doubt that Benni may be underacheaving.

But most of you have a problem with him. If he doesn't score, he is not good enough or he did it on purpose...

I've seen the goals and our defense was terrible. Maybe Nelsen, Samba, warnock, Emerton and other want to leave Rovers as well.

[CAPT KAYOS]

The penalty was rubbish

Totally in agreement here Bobski - and as I have posted in the match thread and you have stated - so many people just knew he would miss it.

[Eddie]

Yeah, but then everytime Rovers get a penalty I think they'll miss and whenever they then miss I'll say "I just knew he would". Maybe you're all different from me and others that I know, but I think a good amount of the time people expect players on the team they support to miss penalties, it's just a feeling of dread you get.

[OscarRaven]

people expect players on the team they support to miss penalties, it's just a feeling of dread you get.

Right after you have just celebrated 'winning' the penalty then you realise it means nothing until its scored - cue feeling of dread!

Benni wanted to score, he's just a flash get who over egged it. One good thing though, he will want to score the next one even more! Cue feeling of dread.

[CAPT KAYOS]

The surreal thing about it though, it seem to take a while before any of the Rovers fans realised we had been given a penalty.

Then when we did there was just an overall general malaise feeling that he would miss because of the way we were playing.

Still doesn't take it away from the fact it was a very poorly executed penalty though.

Edited December 17, 2007 by CAPT KAYOS

[Eddie]

We'd be pretty upset if that penalty had been given against us. It was a "foul", but if they gave those everytime then there would be a penalty from every corner. If they want to give them, then they have to start doing that, if not then you'll just see the odd one here and then and it will annoy everyone. It reminds me of Ooijer against Chelsea last year. You can't really complain because the ref is right, but you know that you'll come up the other end and see the same thing and there will be no whistle. That is the kind of thing that annoys me, I don't mind if they never call them, but don't call them once in a while.

[G Somerset Rover]

Just said it in the match thread too, but get rid of this idiot before he disrupts the harmony at the club further. You can tell he doesn't want to be here - he thinks he should be at Barca or Utd, so Id let some other mugs take him off our hands. He'll soon realise the grass isn't always greener, especially when a second rate club comes in for him. Great player when he's right upstairs but a childish prat when not - he looked like he'd done more major sulking when coming on today. This evening's lethargic 'few flicks' cameo summed up his season for me.

Edited December 18, 2007 by Somerset Rover!

[Guest WestSussexTombo]

I dont understand why Sparky is keeping his faith in him personally, especially when it is ruining the harmony of the squad.

Roberts has been good and i would of thought he would have been the perfect backbone to outmuscle the Arsenal youngsters. But then again if i had my way Derbs wouldnt have laid off the goal for Cruz as he wouldnt have been on till after half time.

I just hope Sparky see's that the cons way outweight the benefits as far as Benni is concerned. His goalscoring record isnt good enough this season and we should try a different pairing with Cruz. I mean Derbs worked quite well today setting up Cruz very well.

I suppose my question is, if we sold Benni could we make do with him with Cruz, Derbs and Roberts (if we can make him stay)

[LeftWinger]

I dont understand why Sparky is keeping his faith in him personally, especially when it is ruining the harmony of the squad.

I just hope Sparky see's that the cons way outweight the benefits as far as Benni is concerned. His goalscoring record isnt good enough this season and we should try a different pairing with Cruz. I mean Derbs worked quite well today setting up Cruz very well.

You are very much wrong. He might be off form, but he's still got 8 this season. He's a class act. How anyone can suggest the cons outweigh the benefits I do not know.

[tcj_jones]

It could be that we need two new strikers come the end of the season. Could be a testing summer for Sparky.

[Guest WestSussexTombo]

You are very much wrong. He might be off form, but he's still got 8 this season. He's a class act. How anyone can suggest the cons outweigh the benefits I do not know.

Sorry, i might have given the wrong impression. The way it seems to me is, his head is down at the moment much like Gamst, he is reaching the wrong end of his career age wise (i mean the bracket of 30-34 when strikers values go down), when teams will be willing to pay less and less for him. He has this media connection when he wants something which is a constant worry. Yes their is no doubting his quality/talent, its just id much rather see a younger face, preferably Derbs there. If Derbs gets a run in the squad, i wonder how long it will be before Benni tries to stur up some attention in the papers.

Benni had 2 very good chances against Arsenal today, and missed both, not even managing to get them on target. It just worries me i guess, thats all. I think maybe if its what is required, he should be dropped for a couple of matches to remind him, his place in the squad isnt 100% certain and that we have other options if he doesnt perform.

Edited December 18, 2007 by WestSussexTombo

[John]

I think we have got to watch it with statements like 'ruining the harmony of the team/club'. We are just speculating and I know Benni is a popular member of the squad.

Roberts could be the bigger problem in my view, bigger problem in the eye of Hughes that is. You could see Roberts slumped on the bench after around 60 mins tonight, as if he def knew he would not be coming on whatever.

Edited December 18, 2007 by John

[gazsimm]

benni did nothing again when he came on last night apart from get caught offside again and again, its about time Hughes use Roberts more and not keep accepting Benni's below performances.

[Dunnfc]

Its hard to make a real impact on the game when your a casual striker who normally is in the 6 yrd box to put the ball in the net, so tbh fellas id cut him a bit of slack.

[rovers_rob]

Its hard to make a real impact on the game when your a casual striker who normally is in the 6 yrd box to put the ball in the net, so tbh fellas id cut him a bit of slack.

That description is spot on and thats why Roberts should have come on instead.

[gazsimm]

That description is spot on and thats why Roberts should have come on instead.

i agree, what the hell has Roberts done to deserve the treatment he is receiving, i don't blame the guy for putting in a transfer request

[Wolverine]

Eddie, last night I was at work and only got to see the game on TV. When Benni came on I thought he looked up for it and ready to fight. Now, I come on here and those that actually went to the game are echoing my views from the Wigan match.

I am sorry for any criticism you may feel has come your way from me, but it is very clear to me that TV flatters some performances, and I can only suggest in Benni's case it is the off ball action that is the worst part of his game.

Watching him in the flesh, he rarely gets himself into a good position to receive a pass or pick up on a loose ball any more. Any attempt on goal recenty has been very half arsed and his body language suggests he has no motivation.

I agree with you that he hasn't become a bad player all of a sudden, merely that mentaly, he is not with us.

I sure hope he can be brought back to top form - that would be by far the most preferable outcome. But we have to consider that if he doesn't we need a change before it is too late. As has been mentioned, age is catching up, his value is diminishing and if he can't perform the job we are paying him a tidy sum to do, it is time to go.