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Rafa's almost unrivalled experience and success is showing itself for all to see now - we are far from a great side, but he is getting the best out of the players at his disposal and although there will be upsets along the way, I fully expect his first full season to end with promotion. Not taking anything for granted but we look a professionally assembled TEAM rather than a motley collection of individuals.

Just hope Ashley gives him the maximum support when and if we go back up because he will make NUFC a force to be reckoned with.

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The goals from set pieces is a huge turnaround. As it happens, we are third in goals scored from the third least shots per game in the league, which to me suggests we have a better class of players than other teams. Normally few shots isn't a good sign, but we've spend a lot of time ahead and in control in games, so it's not a concern.

 

Rafa is closing in on a 50% win percentage in league games. McClaren was 22%, Carver 15%.

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Hard to comprehend just how desperately shit we were. Seeing us look professional for the first time in literally years is hard to get your head around.

 

Think out more attacking foodball and approach will be reserved for home games and a dont loose mentality away from home.

 

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Hard to comprehend just how desperately shit we were. Seeing us look professional for the first time in literally years is hard to get your head around.

 

Think our more attacking foodball and approach will be reserved for home games and a dont loose mentality away from home.

 

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He's doing a great job. For as long as I've been alive it's been in the DNA of NUFC to have a shit defence - no matter how good the attack is. This man is changing everything about us and I love him, he's perfect.

 

Enjoyed his interview with Holloway at the end, so humble and saying all the right things to gee up the team. Also loved it when Holloway decided to congratulate and praise him instead of asking a final question which IMO proves that a lot of the people associated in the league are really quite honoured to have him involved.

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post match interview anywhere online?

 

Was thinking the same. Can't find it anywhere.

 

Rafa said after the game:

 

 

 

"We had more control in the first half and scored a goal which made it easier in that we knew what we had to do and in the second they were pushing and pushing so it has been a tough game against a good team.

 

"The main thing for me has been to see the team working as a team from the strikers to the 'keeper and also the players coming from the bench so that is a positive thing for the future.

 

"But I still think there is plenty of room for improvement, my feeling is the team is doing well but still we have things we can improve on.

 

"The commitment is there, they listen to us so that is why we have to be positive and confident for the future because the team knows what we are trying to do and work very hard.

 

"You try to enjoy it, at least on the journey back. Then we have to be ready for the next one. We will train on Sunday and see how the players are.

 

“After that we will decide the best options and the best players for the next game. We don’t have too much time, but we’ll try to enjoy.

 

"We can improve in a lot of areas, in defence, in the middle, and in attack and the way we play the counter-attacks but after that I am really pleased with the team and the way they work but they know, we know, we can play better."

 

(from .com)

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post match interview anywhere online?

 

Was thinking the same. Can't find it anywhere.

 

Rafa said after the game:

 

 

 

"We had more control in the first half and scored a goal which made it easier in that we knew what we had to do and in the second they were pushing and pushing so it has been a tough game against a good team.

 

"The main thing for me has been to see the team working as a team from the strikers to the 'keeper and also the players coming from the bench so that is a positive thing for the future.

 

"But I still think there is plenty of room for improvement, my feeling is the team is doing well but still we have things we can improve on.

 

"The commitment is there, they listen to us so that is why we have to be positive and confident for the future because the team knows what we are trying to do and work very hard.

 

"You try to enjoy it, at least on the journey back. Then we have to be ready for the next one. We will train on Sunday and see how the players are.

 

“After that we will decide the best options and the best players for the next game. We don’t have too much time, but we’ll try to enjoy.

 

"We can improve in a lot of areas, in defence, in the middle, and in attack and the way we play the counter-attacks but after that I am really pleased with the team and the way they work but they know, we know, we can play better."

 

(from .com)

 

Cheers. Always striving for more, love it.

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Just seems to me that he's so disciplined about seeing us as a long-term project. What we're seeing now are the first few steps, getting the basics of defending drilled in, making sure that the entire squad - even the fringe players - understand their roles and understand that we have to be solid and compact throughout the side. Considering how mentally fragile we've been, that's no easy task.  You can see the growth in Gouffran, Anita, Shelvey (to an extent), Lascelles, even Colback isn't quite as horrible as usual these days.

 

I think we'll see this sort of match a lot over the first few months. Ideally once we're more comfortable and confident, there'll be a bit more flair. For now, this is exactly what we need. Settle the team down, get used to controlling matches and winning. We haven't had a mentality like that for a long, long time.

 

I guess especially since we've had such clowns in charge for so long, to see a boss with a genuinely earned air of authority is reassuring.

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I think Colback's been worse than ever in his last 15 games or so, like.

I don't know, he always just been utter wank, but now the players around him are playing well, so its properly showing the spunk. :lol:

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Hmm. Quite the opposite for me. Never seen Colback look so comfrotable in posession as he did on Saturday. Did the simple things well which is pretty much all you can ask from such an average player.

 

He's always done the simple things well other than tackle a player who is on the run. If the opponent would just slow down, or even better stand still, Jack would tackle the fuck out of him.

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Hmm. Quite the opposite for me. Never seen Colback look so comfrotable in posession as he did on Saturday. Did the simple things well which is pretty much all you can ask from such an average player.

 

He's always done the simple things well other than tackle a player who is on the run. If the opponent would just slow down, or even better stand still, Jack would tackle the fuck out of him.

 

He has? I think he's been pretty poor keeping possession, poor in simple passing, very poor positionally. He's never going to be fast but he should and could make up for that if he played with some brains. On Saturday I thought he did. Also he didn't seem to be hiding behind players like usually. Being confident in possession probably helped.

 

And 96% passing and most tackles.

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