Heron

That's fair enough that you didn't agree mate. I did come in hell for leather, I'd had a few beers and was pissed off with the attitude of our "support". I just think it's equally important to see what we can do differently to help the team as it is to criticise those already doing their best at pitch level or pitch side. Do our fans give 100%? No. So why should the players? It's our club. They're just temporary custodians / assets. You're right though, there is or should be an element of reciprocity. For some that is seeing exciting or aggressive football that gets them off their seat. For me that's them giving them all.

This strikes me as just outright hatred as opposed to rational perspective of today's performance Hatred FFS. He's just not very good. He isn't very good. I agree. But to say he was simply "less awful" yesterday is just a bit daft to be honest. He clearly had a half decent game and was equally as productive as any of our other midfielders.

No, I won't give my head a wobble. Some of the comments from our fans and actions of those fans are either idiotic or detrimental. I heard fans making comments that Rafa was shit yesterday at the game, who would we get who is better like? He's not blameless and nor is he perfect but some of our fans spout ill educated, uncalculated shit. The only thing I seem to see, which I can agree with, is that we don't play attractive, expansive football. So people aren't being entertained. I don't go to the games to be entertained I go there to support my team and be proud of their efforts which is what we have. We knew that before the season started, we just don't have the quality. Booing players off who are already giving their all, how is that constructive? Can you tell me? "Ah mate, you're trying your best but booooo you're fucking shit" aye... Nice one. We aren't seeing entertaining football and at home we aren't seeing results. It's frustrating. I agree, we haven't always had the right tactics, like 2nd half yesterday. But if you don't think our home fans' negativity isn't contributing to that then you need to give your head a wobble.

Good article that like.

I don't really buy into this "Give the fans something to shout about" like from a tactical point of view. They're all giving 100%, that's enough for the crowd to shout about, or should be.

He does offensively but does he defensively? I don't rate Ritchie positionally but his graft alone makes up for at least half of his defensive capabilities. He has more of that than Murphy, I'd suspect. He's a winger f*** being defensive. Not really of course, but howay, I want my wide man to go after his man, take someone on, get past a player, take the game to them. That's all Ritchie offers, graft. The British disease. By the way Murphy works hard too. He just doesn't go around yelling at people and for all Ritchie's graft, half of it is headless chicken stuff and not warranted at all. It's a wingers job to mark a full back if he is overlapping like. I don't really get this massive love in for Murphy now to be honest. He's been good these last few games but he's not proven to be much (if any) better than Ritchie like. Back the subject of Shelvey like, he obviously doesn't wanna be here anymore. The blokes a t*** if you ask me. Unfortunately he is one of our better players though, with the ball at least. It is also a winger's job to beat a man, go past a man, make things happen etc. and Murphy does that. Its not a love in, certainly not from me, ideally I'd replace the lot of them except for Lascelles and Merino, but he offers far more than Ritchie going forward and defensively, well, Ritchie has played almost every game and we still concede goals. He's just fucking shit basically. He only plays because he follows Rafa's instruction to the letter and law. For the most part, aye he does follow Rafas instructions yet he just doesn't defend well. I wouldn't say he was shit like, and I don't think Murphy is any better either. He just offers a more entertaining style of wing play that's all.

Aye mate.

Someone mentioned playing Ritchie as a number 10 in the pub yesterday. I think that could be interesting...

It's an interesting one like, for all the talk in the other thread about Rafa fucking it up we're right next to the two teams that came up with us and spent loads more money than us.

As much as I love Benitez I do think the team were instructed to let them come out second half to create space in behind. Someone said about Benitez sticking or twisting either in this thread or in another, every time Benitez has twisted (Tactically) this season it's been somewhat of a struggle. He should probably have stuck with what we did first half yesterday and he should never have went to 442 as so many idiots kept whinging about. We simply don't have the quality so the formation we play currently is the most suited one for us.

Agreed. But we didn’t and as such it was 0-0 at half-time. What we did second half was allow a totally awful Swansea side to take the lead, dominate possession and basically have the second half. When you are dominant and creating chances you keep going, keep knocking on that door, eventually one will go in. We just didn’t turn up second half, a complete contras to the first half. Again there is no excuse for that. If we go in 2-0 up then you can relax etc. Go in 0-0 despite having the best chances and unlucky not to lead and surely you keep going. But oh no, not Rafa at home. Negative, boring, counter productive and total nonsense. This kind of ‘result’ can send you down. Swansea will draw huge confidence from this, for us it’s another game in the league at home we’ve failed to win. It’s definately a ‘tactic’ of the manager because he was constantly instructing certain players to not get too far forward, to hold a line, to drop back and when the captain tells the keeper not to release the ball early and then bollocks him for even thinking about it, despite a break on and the crowd pushing for an early release... It’s like the manager is happy just not to lose at home. Me, I don’t get it or the tactics, it’s s*** and costing us big time. Swansea were there for the taking and one of the worst sides I’ve seen at home, yet second half they bossed it. First half only one winner and comfortably so, but only if we kept playing in the same vein... Second half. It was like a different team, a different game. I'll be honest. I always appreciate your opinion because I have this sense that you come from a similar footballing background to me, and I see your point. For me, 1st half we piled pressure and should have been 2up at least. 2nd half, we tried to let them come on so it would expose them on the counter. Given the results away from home that isn't stupid, but we paid the cost. At 1-1 we should have went hell for leather and instead we cautiously pressed. It was frustrating, but we've taken 4 points from Swansea this season which is good. All being said. We didn't win today because of a lack in quality (again) and not Benitez. He isn't void of criticism but after the last ten years of Ashley this probably the first team you can say you like and are proud of for a decade (at least). Naa prefered our last champo side that gained promotion over this. And our side with Demba ba Tiote Cabaye etc. Although managed by a cock end. Are you feeling alright? There's a difference. I enjoyed them. They did well. But we are now something to be proud of. Imagine if Benitez had that same crop of players man... Yes but if we are proud of them why if we are not blaming Rafa are we blaming them instead. Its constantly mentioned this is the worst side in years, only again today the worst in the league by some. Im not really proud of this side or much of a fan of the football, its dull boring s***, but im not daft enough to not understand Benitez trophy haul speaks for itself, if we lose Benitez we will never get a decorated manager again for a good while. But all the same there has been games where collectively Rafa has been as much at fault as the players. Benitez cant really be blamed for Dwight Gayle being a poor header of a football and missing good opportunities, he could be blamed for crap and poorly timed subs though. I hope he gets to deliver his true ambitions with us and is backed. But with the fat t*** still here this will be another window where he might just not be thick skinned enough to deal with more p*ss taking from the hierarchy. I think that his dull, methodical approach could be the difference between us staying up or enjoying one more game with a win that's all. 4 draws are better than 1 wins nd 3 losses. It's that sorta craic... Even though what I have said is over simplistic. FWIW I agree with the rest of your post. He isn't blameless but he is the smallest contributory factor. Any points are good points. I agree with all sides of the debates when it comes to us, thats why I can see with some members arguments that they are unhappy with our hopeless approach at home, and our cautious style, instead of bossing the whole game at home when you know a side is there for the taking. I love hearing the St James roar on motd when we go at sides and attack, its what most of us were attracted to in the first place. But sadly its missing at home atm because we are not going with that approach. [emoji1303] I appreciate your sentiment. However, on the subject of fans, it's the cat we have 26,000 there wanting to be entertained and sighing / booing at every opportunity that I'd also killing us. For every roar there's equal discontent. We knew where we'd be pre season yet some only remember the last pass. We're not alone like but there's no such thing as fans these days. Not in the UK. Just customers. Speaking in the majority of course. I know what you mean about some of our fans mind. Loads near me offer absolutely nothing in terms of support, but love to get on the team's back at every given opportunity, when they can be bothered to look up from their phones that is. The old goat in front of me spends the entire game sighing and shaking his head, I've had to bite my tongue as I'm there with my son, but he's getting right on my tits. Aye, it happens all over the ground just more in certain sections. Ridiculous. I don't really get it, people pay their money so are entitled to do as they please, but it's just sheer idiocy that these people think they're actions are at all beneficial. Not just that these same people probably say to their mates in the pub that all they wanna see is a team that gives their all, then when they go to the game go on like that. Arse holes.

Aye. That's part of it like... TBF Shelvey did a lot of chasing down yesterday and his efforts were appreciated by the crowd He did yesterday, to be fair. Playing to be away maybe?

The one at the Gallowgate? If so, I completely disagree. Someone should have been attacking the back post cause the ball in was bang on the money.

Not if he is performing better than him. Also, I think that is somewhat down to nursing Merino in, instead of just dropping him in the deep end like the club did with Mitro and Perez.

That's what I thought. He was a bit ignorant or didn't do his homework but he's not been owt like Ashley.

He does offensively but does he defensively? I don't rate Ritchie positionally but his graft alone makes up for at least half of his defensive capabilities. He has more of that than Murphy, I'd suspect. He's a winger fuck being defensive. Not really of course, but howay, I want my wide man to go after his man, take someone on, get past a player, take the game to them. That's all Ritchie offers, graft. The British disease. By the way Murphy works hard too. He just doesn't go around yelling at people and for all Ritchie's graft, half of it is headless chicken stuff and not warranted at all. It's a wingers job to mark a full back if he is overlapping like. I don't really get this massive love in for Murphy now to be honest. He's been good these last few games but he's not proven to be much (if any) better than Ritchie like. Back the subject of Shelvey like, he obviously doesn't wanna be here anymore. The blokes a twat if you ask me. Unfortunately he is one of our better players though, with the ball at least.

This strikes me as just outright hatred as opposed to rational perspective of today's performance

Purely put of ignorance, how?

36.5

Have you actually seen his set-pieces recently? They've been fucking diabolical. They were an asset earlier in the season but now they aren't at all. Have you ever stopped to think that might be for alternative reasons though. Not saying that is the case but players making wrong or shit runs and not scoring when chances are given don't help. He barely even beats the first man these days In fact I'm starting to think that's what the rubbing his temples symbol is to the rest of the team. "I'll hit the first defender" He put in a decent ball 2nd half today from a somewhat deep free kick to be fair. Was begging to be attacked at the back post and no one made the run (wey I think one tried but they ended up on the floor for some reason) I'm glad you thought the same of that free kick. I think k he is trying to pin point such set prices and as such they don't pay off as they hit the front man. I've never been a fan if such precision from such scenarios like

50,000 Geordies of which half are sighing or whinging when things go wrong isn't much of a plus like. Just to be argumentative ... Crowd were generally supportive today, any other manager and the boos and what have you would have been loud and proud given the shot fest of a second half. Again fans now expect a defeat or a draw at home, even against the likes of Swansea. I’d like Rafa to try and help create a fortress at home. But with this kind of approach and tactics... it’s like we are constantly the underdog, grateful for any scraps or small mercies. Even today myself I’m like well at least we didn’t get beat, howay this is f***ing Swansea at home man. Our fans at home expect too much for me like. I've always hated this mantra of delusion and shit, but our Jonny come lately fans are doing nowt but supporting that mantra for me. It's almost as if we're deliberately trying to complete the PL self fulfilling prophecy..

Exactly, 3 of those assists were from set-pieces. Merino only has 1 assist this season but was probably our most important player during that time when we won 3 on the bounce. Murphy's movement vs Stoke was very effective, for me Ritchie is only effective when the team is functioning very well when is hardly ever. That's like saying ah but 3 of Shearers goals mattered less cause they were pens...