Ronaldo

I think Rafa's changed a bit now though. I think as he's grown older and more experienced he's become a more avuncular, even father-like figure rather than the cold, aloof technocrat many spoke of. If he has learned to deal with players better, that is good news for you. He can and does fall out with players and can be brutal with it. See Xabi Alonso, which pretty much cost him his job with us in the end. I'm sure he learned from that just as he's learns from every mistake he makes. Last week was a Rafa masterclass. Though he speaks otherwise, he definitely had Tuesday and Saturday in mind before your game v Bristol City. You can bet training for a few weeks also had those matches in mind. Rafa would never admit it but occasionally his eyes goes on bigger games, his player's naturally follows, and there follows the weird result. We lost to Boro then beat Real Madrid in the same week... I do wonder whether the repetition of the next game, the next game is as much for his own benefit as the teams. I can't think of a better manager at setting a team up for a must win match. It's his forte. It's why I always think he'd make a great international coach. But he'd hate it because he'd got piss bored in between. Brilliant post as always. And yep, I do sense his approach to man-management has evolved since Liverpool. I think international football would frustrate and get the better of him. His mantra is preparation and at the business end of tournaments you're obviously unsure of your next game. That and not being able to buy players who fit his functionally defined system.

Agree with that. When you see us lose consecutive home games 0-3 and 0-6 you stop caring about the means. Fwiw Bellamy didn't dislike his methods. He actually said if he ever became a manager, Rafa's approach would be his template. His autocratic, one-size approach was just obviously unsuited to a pretty unique and difficult player like Bellamy who needed someone with Bobby's flexible people skills to get the best out of him, that's all.

We'll seldom see flamboyant footballers at NUFC under Rafa, like. If I remember rightly Bellamy's main gripe with Benitez was the fact he made him train for less speed and more endurance, which, as he saw it, completely negated his natural game. That and the fact he basically told him to find a new club on the plane home from their Champions League final defeat.

If you didn't read that and ascertain that he was talking about them as a partnership you've got bigger problems than I thought, like. I was glad to see both men leave NUFC but they were inarguably a very solid pairing last time we were in this division.

It's completely irrelevant, though. Nobody ever intends to give away a penalty.

67% for Sheff Wed, too. Surprised at that.

Yeah it's an expression that comes from boxing. Someone with limited ability who'd make a living traveling from town to town to fight much higher ranked fighters in front of their home crowd and usually fall over after a few rounds.

They'd definitely be my pick from the playoff positions.

I hope Brighton win every game from now until the end of the season if it keeps Huddersfield in 3rd. The Premier League has too many tinpot clubs based in awful Rugby wastelands as it is.

Yeah, Blackpool did them at home in the second leg.

You're right either way, to be honest. He was an old man in Bedknobs and Broomsticks 46 years ago.

Brucie's death was postponed?

That's ridiculous, like, but totally expected. Awful, awful club. Last thing you'd want is another half-hearted tinpot club like that in the PL.

A lot of these posts totally disregard who our manager is, like. He'll pick intelligent, malleable players with professional attitudes first and foremost.

Did all of the Sunlun fans there today get free tickets or what? None of them seem to give two shits about what's happening on the field.

Yep, should be way above that.

I'd probably do the same. On the other hand if Rafa's here for the long term there's not much point in retaining him.

Homosexuality = bad. Blokes with masks on kicking some cunt's head off the pavement = fine. Lovely country.

Quality attempt by Borini, almost hit the corner flag.

Agree with that.

What, because I think he's a good, not great, defender that would improve us instantly without costing the earth? We've been buying central defenders completely unsuited to English football for over a decade now and he's the attainable antithesis to that.

Beast.

Yep.

We probably wouldn't have gone down twice in that time with him in the team, either.

Exactly. You know whoever it is will probably play the best football of their career under Rafa anyway. You just need someone with the basic solid materials and right approach/attitude. Shawcross would obviously be perfect.