Huddersfield Town 1 - 0 Newcastle United - 20/08/17 (post-match from p37)

[madras]

Mbemba at left back was a weird one. We definitely need a left back asap.

 

Ritchie and Perez just don't have the pace necessary to play in this formation at this level.

 

Joselu looked good and hungry when he came on.

 

Merino grew into the game and I am willing to let Manquillo have some time to prove himself instead of writing him off after game 2. He does have some pace, which we are sorely lacking everywhere on the pitch.

That's when you adapt what you have. Going 3 at the back (Mbemba, Clarke,Lascalles) would have done  but no, we HAVE to play 4-2-3-1 with the 2 never getting forward.

[Zero]

I am not saying Rafa out, I just mean he is the main reason we lost today.  Quality is not the issue. Before blaming player A player badly or player B is s***, take a look at Huddersfield lineup first.  And tell me what's our attacking plan?  What is Gayle doing? What is Perez responsibility other than recycling the lose ball?  And what the hell is Rafa thinking to sub in Murphy --- and play as a striker?  Diame? Hello Mitro? Is Diame our new white flag?

 

I just ask a simple question, if you are the gaffer, would you play our tactics and substitution like that? 

 

Very worrying for me.  Rafa clearly has a plan, but more clearly he has an agenda. Some players that are "blacklisted" will never be used unless there is no one left, like Mbemba and Mitrovic.  This won't go on well.

 

Quality is not the issue? Are you kidding?

 

If we have Man Utd team of coz we can walk.

 

If you are saying looking at team sheet we deserve to lose today, ok. To me it is the opposite.  We should win.  No question. No fucking question when the opponent is Huddersfield, one of the hot fav for relegation. 

[Twinport53]

I would say this if our opponent is not Huddersfield.  Take a look at their squad.  If you say they have a superior team and the reason we lose is because we have s*** players and major weakness in our squad, fine.  Rafa is really free from any blame then.

 

We have a Liverpool fan on this very board who says Rafas football is compact, rigid and boring. But will improve as the team does.

 

Yet we have made zero first team improvements since the last time we went to Huddersfield in March / April time. They have.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Fucking shit from start to finish. Diame Ffs. Rafa wants chucked for that signing alone.

Wish the forum had the same policy on shit posting.

[Mike]

Guessing they were already writing this up during the match.

 

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley will need to have another look down the back if his sofa for some cash to back manager Rafa Benitez or he is set to lose hundreds of millions of his beloved cash.

 

This side, as it stands, will be relegated back to the Championship unless two or three quality players are brought it before the transfer deadline closes.

 

No 70% discount deals from the bargain bucket or loans but genuine Premier League pedigree players that can help Benitez do his job and establish the club back in the top flight.

 

Anything else makes no financial sense.

 

United were outplayed and beaten by a Huddersfield Town side that has been strengthened in the right places from the play-off winners by a smart manager backed by his Chairman.

 

Not because Town's owner has the wealth of a small country but because he is smart enough to realise when investment pays off. Just like when Ashley managed to find £200m to back a building development in his beloved Chelsea.

 

A mistake from Jonjo Shelvey's replacement, Mike Merino, gifted Aaron Mooy the chance to curl the winner in the 50th minute and all of our summer signings struggled, although Joselu did OK on his debut after replacing the ineffective Dwight Gayle.

 

But it could have been a different story had Craig Pawson waved his red card again. He sent off two Chelsea players last week and should have been brandishing again to Steve Mounie for a stamp on Isaac Hayden that was worse than Shelvey's against Spurs.

 

The only difference was that Mounie was more clever and more sneaky but significantly more vicious.

 

And Pawson again failed to favour Rafa's side when he waved play-on following a handball in the area that was remarkably similar to one given against Chancel Mbemba by Mike Dean against Manchester United in our relegation season.

 

Matt Ritchie came inches away from opening the scoring in the 17th minute with a fine snapshot that Jonas Lossl tipped around the post.

 

But the defensive performance from United deserved to be punished and it was five minutes after the break when Mooy picked up the ball and Merino's weak attempt to stop him allowed the Australian to take a one-two and beat Rob Elliot with a curling effort.

 

The Magpies still had chances to get back and Javier Maquillo should have done better with a cross straight to the 'keeper after getting in behind the Terrier's defence.

 

Joselu then found space in the box but hit a weak shot that was easily saved. Ayoze Perez fired over the bar from close range and substitute Jacob Murphy had an effort blocked as the home side hung on for the win.

 

We started last season with two defeats and finished top of the league so in that respect it's early to press the panic button.

 

But this is a different ball game entirely. There are only 36 games left now to gain 40 points against 19 other sides that look better equipped and in better spirits - how we've managed to become so negative again so quickly is something only the owner can explain.

 

He failed miserably to do so when speaking to "Craigy" last week.

 

No history rewrites, no hiding behind hindsight when going against the patently obvious and no more, no-money bullsh*t. You didn't do your due diligence. Get over it and keep your promises to Rafa - he's our only chance of keeping this club United.

 

Could have written that 8 years ago and just stuck different names in as appropriate.

[madras]

f***ing s*** from start to finish. Diame Ffs. Rafa wants chucked for that signing alone.

Wish the forum had the same policy on s*** posting.

You really shouldn't wish that.......

 

 

 

 

 

And neither should I!

[madras]

I would say this if our opponent is not Huddersfield.  Take a look at their squad.  If you say they have a superior team and the reason we lose is because we have s*** players and major weakness in our squad, fine.  Rafa is really free from any blame then.

 

We have a Liverpool fan on this very board who says Rafas football is compact, rigid and boring. But will improve as the team does.

 

Yet we have made zero first team improvements since the last time we went to Huddersfield in March / April time. They have.

Couldn't he get the best out of what he has though instead of trying to shoehorn into what doesn't fit

[nemtizz]

This squad is good enough to comfortably survive but it's still garbage, and is severely lacking a decent #10. Performance levels have been dreadful and that's on Rafa and the players.

[Tiresias]

Our attack is just rubbish, that's all there is to say really.

[BONTEMPI]

Might as well pack it in now. Pathetic.

[TRon]

I would say this if our opponent is not Huddersfield.  Take a look at their squad.  If you say they have a superior team and the reason we lose is because we have s*** players and major weakness in our squad, fine.  Rafa is really free from any blame then.

 

We have a Liverpool fan on this very board who says Rafas football is compact, rigid and boring. But will improve as the team does.

 

Yet we have made zero first team improvements since the last time we went to Huddersfield in March / April time. They have.

Couldn't he get the best out of what he has though instead of trying to shoehorn into what doesn't fit

 

We'd still lose though because our strikers are shit.

[joeyt]

Not the bravest photo you'll ever see:

 

[Darth Crooks]

A loss in of and of itself isn't the problem or even if we've played poorly to meltdown out, as there's always next week. It's what happens as a result of the circus that's infuriating.

[Hanshithispantz]

Looks like he's about to flamboyantly explain why you absolutely must try the Grapefruit and Rosemary Spritzer.

[Darth Crooks]

Merino has a right runway swagger on there

[STM]

Didn't think we played that badly. I'm not surprised by the meltdown though.

 

Richie was terrible. He needs replaced for Murphy.

[ohmelads]

We haven't improved our first XI since the Championship and Huddersfield have.

 

Gayle was especially anonymous. When Joselu came on for him, it felt like we were back to 11 men. Gayle needs to be dropped next game because we can't afford any passengers.

[SEMTEX]

Didn't think we played that badly. I'm not surprised by the meltdown though.

 

Richie was terrible. He needs replaced for Murphy.

 

Really? Our midfield barely touched the ball. And on the rare occasions we had possesion, we played it long to Christian Atsu. There was no quality and no direction. Just a waste of time. We're fucked.

[STM]

Didn't think we played that badly. I'm not surprised by the meltdown though.

 

Richie was terrible. He needs replaced for Murphy.

 

Really? We barely touched the ball. And when we did, we played it long to Christian Atsu. There was no quality and no direction. Just a waste of time. We're fucked.

 

I thought we were the better team over all. I didn't have the commentary on from sky, so might be wrong. I need them to confirm what I saw.

 

Huddersfield were shite, with one decent moment. We were poor but got better as the game wore on. We need some cutting edge.

[STM]

We haven't improved our first XI since the Championship and Huddersfield have.

 

Gayle was especially anonymous. When Joselu came on for him, it felt like we were back to 11 men. Gayle needs to be dropped next game because we can't afford any passengers.

 

Totally agree on Gayle. Him and Richie should be dropped.

[Seymour]

We haven't improved our first XI since the Championship and Huddersfield have.

 

Gayle was especially anonymous. When Joselu came on for him, it felt like we were back to 11 men. Gayle needs to be dropped next game because we can't afford any passengers.

 

Totally agree on Gayle. Him and Richie should be dropped.

We cant drop Ritchie

[Figures 1-0 Football]

STM being incredibly brave coming on here and talking sense.

 

[SEMTEX]

Didn't think we played that badly. I'm not surprised by the meltdown though.

 

Richie was terrible. He needs replaced for Murphy.

 

Really? We barely touched the ball. And when we did, we played it long to Christian Atsu. There was no quality and no direction. Just a waste of time. We're fucked.

 

I thought we were the better team over all. I didn't have the commentary on from sky, so might be wrong. I need them to confirm what I saw.

 

Huddersfield were shite, with one decent moment. We were poor but got better as the game wore on. We need some cutting edge.

 

 

Nice attempted dig but I don't live in the UK and don't get sky commentary...

 

Huddersfield dominated the first half hour and the early going of the second half. The rest was much of a muchness. They're shit. We're worse.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'd try Richie more central maybe.

 

I'll never make my mind up on Ayoze, has some sublime moments but loses the ball a frightening amount.

[Hanshithispantz]

Talking sense by saying we were the better team in a game that we quite blatantly weren't the better team? Huddersfield look vulnerable but we couldn't string 3 passes together to take advantage.