Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[midds]

I wish we’d lost 5 nil me. At least I’d have seen loads of goals and went away happy and smiling because we had a go because that’s the most important thing. Can’t beat a 4 or 5 goal battering to line you up to play the champions away.

[cp40]

Crumpy thinks the bloke who was getting people on the Titanics lifeboats was to blame for the ones that died.

[ToonArmy1892]

Had we been losing when the penalty incident came, then i could maybe understand people being unhappy with Rafa's approach, but we weren't.

 

Assuming you would be happy with a point (i think most NUFC fans would), then Rafa's tactics were spot on, as we were on course for the point until the ref fucked it.

[Dave]

Not sure it's as much about protecting the goal difference as not getting obliterated 3 games into the season and the week before the toughest fixture of the season. I suspect if you're a player, Man City away looks a lot more daunting if you've just been demolished at home.

 

[Tubestationatmidnight]

Danny Murphy going on the good person list.

 

Let's update the list. So we have:

 

Me. Danny Murphy, custis, Shearer, carragher,

 

Against

 

Wise, shola, keys, gray, redknapp, big Sam, Bellamy, my dad

[Jaqen]

Not sure it's as much about protecting the goal difference as not getting obliterated 3 games into the season and the week before the toughest fixture of the season. I suspect if you're a player, Man City away looks a lot more daunting if you've just been demolished at home.

 

Probably the case, aye

 

I get the frustration though. Last season we beat Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal and drew with Liverpool at home and I think people just wanted a similar approach to some of those games. Nobody is expecting Keegan style football under Rafa or us to go toe to toe in an open game against the best sides but there’s definitely a middle ground between that and sitting with 10 men in our own third and just launching the ball back to them everytime we get it.

 

I do think with Shelvey and Kenedy in the side Rafa will show more adventure in other games against the better sides this season though. Would have been tough however he setup yesterday with those players available.

[Kanj]

We approached Spurs head on; we only lost by a penalty kick (dodgy maybe) and an own goal to Chelsea without our captain who was hurt, our best central midfielder who was hurt, and our on-loan creative winger ineligible to play.

[Bimpy474]

Not sure it's as much about protecting the goal difference as not getting obliterated 3 games into the season and the week before the toughest fixture of the season. I suspect if you're a player, Man City away looks a lot more daunting if you've just been demolished at home.

 

Exactly, Rafa is like a class chess player, he thinks 3 moves ahead and yet people like Crumpy seems to think he isn't world class despite it staring them in the face.

[Astroblack]

I'm fully with Benitez.

 

We played to his tactics and lost by an unlucky own goal. Their team is better yet we nullified them for the majority of the game. Their goals were scrappy and their moments of quality were no where near our goal.

 

We were missing three of our best players. Three new signings started.

 

And yet we almost got something out of the game.

 

It's a pity our next game is against City and then Arsenal as well as having Man Utd after that. We're gonna be starting the season with a massive boulder on our back.

 

October and November are going to be the real tests and that's when Rafa will shine.

 

At least we look comfortable and organized. It's not last ditch defending. The team looks like a unit.

[HaydnNUFC]

I'm fully with Benitez.

 

We played to his tactics and lost by an unlucky own goal. Their team is better yet we nullified them for the majority of the game. Their goals were scrappy and their moments of quality were no where near our goal.

 

We were missing three of our best players. Three new signings started.

 

And yet we almost got something out of the game.

 

It's a pity our next game is against City and then Chelsea as well as having Man Utd after that. We're gonna be starting the season with a massive boulder on our back.

 

October and November are going to be the real tests and that's when Rafa will shine.

At least we look comfortable and organized. It's not last ditch defending, the team looks like a unit.

And December. Those 3 months are our favourable fixtures. January is grim. But I trust Rafa.

[Shearergol]

Still think people are ignoring the fact that our ball retention was the worst it’s been in a long time. Players learn how to pass and we would have had a lot more of the ball. It wasn’t tactical to have so little possession.

[Bimpy474]

Still think people are ignoring the fact that our ball retention was the worst it’s been in a long time. Players learn how to pass and we would have had a lot more of the ball. It wasn’t tactical to have so little possession.

 

Aye i commented during the game how Ritchie and Murphy at the time had no awareness of players around them and kept losing the ball, chuck in Ki and Mo playing sloppy balls as well. Rafa himself said after the game we had to keep the ball better, it wasn't a let them have it back as soon as we get it thing, just poor play from us in possession a fair bit.

[Sean]

People moaning about Rafas tactics can enjoy next season with some muppet in charge playing 'front foot football' and losing 4-0

[TJM]

Shouldn't be immune to criticism when it's warranted. Shelvey was a big miss in midfield but to set the team up like that at home against that Chelsea team was piss poor

[HaydnNUFC]

About to slag us off on Sky in a couple minutes.

[Robster]

Shouldn't be immune to criticism when it's warranted. Shelvey was a big miss in midfield but to set the team up like that at home against that Chelsea team was piss poor

Until he's allowed to build the team he wants, he's immune as far as I'm concerned.

[Darth Crooks]

Anyone who bleats the lie saying they’ve had a good window then a week after saying we shouldn’t play that way is just a twat.

[Yorkie]

About to slag us off on Sky in a couple minutes.

 

Thanks for the warning, was just about to stick it on.

[Darth Crooks]

We cop criticism from being too expectant and hounding managers out when we back what he’s doing as well.

[duo]

Wolves should have lost - Man City hit the post enough times and goal wasn't a goal.

 

Newcastle should have at least drawn as Pen wasn't a pen.

 

Rafa's tactics were spot on imo.

[joeyt]

Rafa briefly celebrated our goal yesterday, can't remember him doing that before with us

[ToonArmy1892]

Here they go again on MNF about Rafa

[Guest ElCid]

Still think people are ignoring the fact that our ball retention was the worst it’s been in a long time. Players learn how to pass and we would have had a lot more of the ball. It wasn’t tactical to have so little possession.

 

Aye i commented during the game how Ritchie and Murphy at the time had no awareness of players around them and kept losing the ball, chuck in Ki and Mo playing sloppy balls as well. Rafa himself said after the game we had to keep the ball better, it wasn't a let them have it back as soon as we get it thing, just poor play from us in possession a fair bit.

 

Diame has not started the season well and I hope he's not going back to his old ways.

[Robster]

Here they go again on MNF about Rafa

I suppose we should take it as a compliment that they can't stop talking about us.

[HaydnNUFC]

Rafa briefly celebrated our goal yesterday, can't remember him doing that before with us

Aye, collector's item that, Rafa visibly celebrating something.