Infinitely Content

Lejeune making defending under pressure look easy.

Love Paul Dummett like. Come on leaps and bounds too similar to Diame.

FUCKING GOOOOO ON MATTY LAD

Gonna' win 4-0.

2 months ago you'd be laughed out of the asylum for that Diame is now probably in with a shout of being our player of the season along with likes of Lascelles, Shelvey & Dummett imo. Weird to say so like.

It was. It was also a bloody good job he didn't try and shoot himself ...but nah, credit where it's due, he done really well to square it as much as he deserves the criticism coming his way due to his poor misses in that half too.

Agreed Kaka. Dubravka is another example of Rafa's ability to make effective low key signings. He's had a brilliant start here too.

TY Kenedy <3

Mario Lemina. That was fucking quality by Perez that like.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS

Class by Diame, absolutely tragic from Gayle who has now has 2 clear cut chances without even threatening, has to leave that for Perez imo - who had the momentum behind him. Sorry like but Gayle is nowhere near good enough.

By the way, this is exactly why we need Jonjo Shelvey in the team, so so much better off with him playing on the front foot.

Got to do better there Gayle.

What a fucking goal that is!

Matteo Darmian looks a bit like a young Gary Neville.

Feels good to be considered 'too tactical' tbf. Haven't been able to say that much in my Newcastle-supporting life.

With players like Boufal to bring off the bench it would be silly to rule out their chances if it's all level late on in the game like. A boring 1-0 to us with them not threatening too much would be absolutely welcome though.

I've watched a few Southampton games lately, including Stoke just gone, and whilst they were better than their opponents they don't look a good side by any stretch. Given our general solidity and that we've proven hard to beat for decent sides, I really don't think we'll be losing this one. A draw would be the obvious prediction but I do think we'll nick it by 1.

"Go out and enjoy yourselves. The result will come"

That’s nonsense, outclassed in every department? Ridiculous. The only thing Messi outclasses him is in terms of football flair and wizardry on the ball. Stats wise very similar, same with accolades and trophies. Only Ronaldo has won a major trophy with his country. I’m sure the debate about who was best will continue long after they have retired. But Messi has more goals & more assists in club football as well as being comfortably the better footballer. Ronaldo has the international edge in terms of trophies and that's about it, which isn't really an individual accolade tbf. That's pretty comprehensive in favour of Messi in my view, although you're right in saying the debate will continue long after they both retire which is credit to the pair of them.

Must be canny frustrating for Ronaldo like. All those wonderful accolades yet still outdone and outclassed by Messi in almost every department.

Talking about pens, I think the penny might have dropped for Rafa when Joselu missed that penalty against Burnley. He hasn't started since, and if there's one thing I think Rafa got wrong it's judging his character. I just don't think he's a big match player whereas Mitro is, regardless of any other attributes. I think you're right. Mitrovic's mentality comes under question a fair bit, but I think he has that something else about him that serves him/the team well in big games (and from now till the end of the season all we have are big games). Ironically that 'something else' may also be the thing that prevented Rafa from giving him the chance to play, as he would perhaps be more inclined to take things into his own hands; discarding the manager's instructions on certain occasions. I can understand the thinking though if this is the case, as Benitez would probably rather be in control as much as possible given the fine margins we're dealing with.

I don't believe thinking in terms of Mitrovic v Joselu is all that constructive tbh. Where one has to been made out as less for the other to be more. Joselu does a different job, and some including the manager, coaching staff & players I presume would argue he has done it well enough for the most part. 'It's only the championship' is also not really a worthwhile point as the same could be applied to Dwight Gayle who has hardly set the world alight in the Premier League ever despite being quality in the Championship. I think it's more constructive to think of them individually and what they bring/could have brought to the team with recognition that all three of them have obvious positives & negatives. Joselu has scored a few important goals, worked very hard for the team & been lacklustre at times too, the same can very much be applied to Dwight Gayle who goes missing far to much to be a leading striker for us. Mitrovic on the other hand has had glimpses of action for us this season and arguably made us look a more potent attacking side on those occasions. I think the frustrations & questions come about through the thought of 'what if', as there's much evidence that points towards the feeling that if he was given a run in the side, he would have likely matched or bettered the other two scoring wise whilst also allowing us to take advantage of his direct style in a team consisting of poor passers of the ball and not much creativity generally speaking. Slimani could provide that if he gets himself fit in time, but now that Mitrovic is showing his worth and the ability to hit form despite not even being match fit - of course questions are going to be asked as understandably so I'd say. Not that they're all that useful at this present time mind. And not that he would have been guaranteed to make much of a difference either. As an aside, and imo, going forward as a team I'd much rather keep hold of Mitrovic than the other two, I think Gayle & Joselu have pretty much reached their ceiling in the Premier League, where as Mitrovic is a young, promising player and more of an unknown quantity. You also cannot ignore the positive signs shown in his first season here when he was actually given a run. On the other hand, if Rafa doesn't see him as a player who can play in the system he sees fit, than obviously Mitrovic has to move on, but that doesn't mean he was/is poor in any way shape or form really.