Tiotes Witch Doctor

It obviously does matter how other teams are doing. Winning 2 games out of 12(and losing in the cup to a championship team) is not a ridiculously good job no matter what the team was or what is happening in the background. He did a brilliant job last season and I’m confident by the end of the season we’ll be very comfortable again but he has not done a brilliant job so far this season. Exactly this, it seems like hes doing a cracking job in turning around our fortunes at the moment but everything good doesn't automatically negate how clueless we looked for the first 10 games, abysmal performances not just unlucky ones, he could and should have done better, I just don't get how people can be so blinkered that they can give him all the praise in the world for winning 2 games in a row but not acknowledge he had a very poor start to the season with no wins in 11 including the cup. It's ok to point to lack of investment which is of course valid, but surely the last two games if anything has shown the type of football we are capable of WITH the players we HAVE.

Clark must be gutted, so much quality ahead of him at the minute it would seem.

Got it spot on yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed watching us for the first in a while, him and the players deserve a lot of credit, I have been critical of the man this season and rightly so IMO, but it looks like there's a good chance hes going to turn this around, and I absolutely hope he does, and shoves my words back down my gob.

Could argue that the booing spurred him on to play well when he came on, not that I agree with it of course.

Our goal difference compared to the current bottom 3 is mental.

Manager and players finally earning their coin this season!!

3 points!!!

Or maybe, they are following his gameplan to a tee but it isn't working.

This is good

Because nobody in the Milburn stand has done more than whispered since 1995.

How did you feel when Pardew did it? We all knew Pardews motives and knew he was a puppet, Lascelles has shown to be anything but that in the past and I think on this occasion we can give him the benefit of the doubt, the bloke is the club captain, hes trying to get everyone pulling in the same direction, his comments were definitely ill advised but he doesn't deserve to be booed, and he still deserves our respect IMO. Or we could all act like babies about it and give him dogs abuse, I'm sure that will work wonders.

Calling him a nice guy was definitely a bad move, could have just said something about concentrating on his football rather than thinking about the owner etc.... However the hate he is getting is ridiculous tbh, and if anyone boos him at the game they want shot, the crowd is so quiet and apathetic I doubt anyone would even muster up the energy to boo him though.

Would only play him up front, his finishing is his best attribute.

0-0.

I've always said this and nobody has ever agreed with me, today is a good day.

This is what I was basically getting at, but fuck me the fanboys are really out to slit my throat. Can't have no criticism on Rafa, absolutely not. A "world class" manager is underperforming, if you can accept it or not is entirely up to you. Don't give me that shite about Championship side neither, Brighton/Burnley are managing fine and their squad isn't exactly far better than ours. Even the Cardiff side is doing better than ours ffs, whats our excuse there? Ashley again? Bang on, it always goes the same way though, if you dare question Rafa's involvement in the poor run you are an Ashley sympathiser and you are expected to come armed with a list of people who could do a better job. I just think he should be held accountable since... you know hes responsible for getting the best out of these players at the end of the day, did I expect us to be even mid table after the teams we've faced, no I certainly didn't but I would hope for more than 2 points from Leicester, Palace, Brighton and Cardiff, and I'd maybe hope we could nick something off at least one of the big sides maybe on just one occasion if possible. He has been messed around the squad is underfunded and he would be doing better with a better hand, my argument is that he should be doing better with the hand he does have, theres quality in that squad still albeit not enough.

Pardew had a much better squad but also had huge limitations as a manager, I'm told we have a world class manager, the team isn't great but it's better than no wins in 9 and 2 points from Cardiff, Brighton and palace. Nobody thinks Benitez is the big problem here, but he shouldn't be the only manager in history not to be questioned after no wins in 9 ffs. Put the cult hero status to one side for a moment, 1 win in 15, no wins in 9, he's doing incredibly poorly. "But who would you get who do you want to replace him?" I don't want him replaced I want him to do a better job.

Only one man can save us from relegation now, will he answer the call?

0-1 Glenn Murray penalty.

Surely when one or two players are out of form or having a bad patch then that happens, but when the entire team seem to be under performing and can't see to string two passes together then they have to look further, to themselves and the coaching staff and manager also need to shoulder blame as to how its become like this.

Everyone behind the ball, Joselu lumbering around the pitch as ever, and a 2-0 loss.

Apparently its impossible to be critical of one man without being accused of defending the other, Ashley is a cancer on this club and in the big picture he is the biggest problem and always will be, but I wont pretend Rafa isn't to blame for anything that goes on in training or on the pitch, he is the manager after all.

Its a combination of both, Ashley isn't forcing him to leave his most expensive signings on the bench is he? Or to keep playing Joselu when we could be trying something else, or to set the team up in a which totally stifles any creativity. A mixture of both. You honestly think this squad should be achieving more then? His most expensive signing was £10m and the someone else to Joselu's is injured. More than 2 points in 8 games, yes I do ffs

It's like talking to a cult.

You give him praise for all of that, so why can't you see that he should be taking part of the blame for this mess too?