Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Darth Crooks]

Yes or so I understand

[Tribesman]

All the club have to do is work with Benitez instead of working against him or just ignoring him. They don't have to do everything he wants to do, but at least make the effort to bounce ideas off him and meet Benitez halfway.

 

Give him £50 million plus player sales to spend in the summer, break transfer record again, do some deals quickly, spend £20 million on the training ground and listen to what he has to say about improving the academy.

[TRon]

Last time they might have just shook hands on the promise of transfer spending etc.  This time they must spit on theirbpalms before shaking on any agreement.

 

Rafa didn't sign a contract in a hurry last time either, he thought he'd got the clauses in there to guarantee spending money generated, only to find out later that spending includes budgeting for wages, holiday pay, Xmas presents etc. He doesn't strike me as the naive sort so don't think he'll fall for that again.

[marki]

Almiron must have in the back of his mind his boss won’t be here next season, so I don’t think his motivation to come was Rafa mind, money and the lights of the PL surely were his reasons because before the Man City game he was 100% leaving in most our minds.

 

One signing has changed the mind set again, classic Ashley again, I only want Rafa here if he’s backed fully, he won’t be and hasn’t so I’m resigned still to him going.  80% going imho

hence if he plays to a high standard he,ll be playing for arsenal or liverpool next year ,tidy profit mind

[marki]

if charnly is the man to secure rafa then he,ll be off rafa stopped listening to him last summer

[Robster]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/mike-ashley-expects-rafa-benitez-13944146

Splurge

One fucking signing.

I hope Rafa tells them to fuck off.

[TRon]

if charnly is the man to secure rafa then he,ll be off rafa stopped listening to him last summer

 

Charnley has publicly admitted they could have bought Almiron a year ago but they weren't interested until the financial package fell within their budget. The same budget which has forfeited collecting umpteen millions from Sports Direct in advertising fees.

[Kanj]

Throw Clark in the mix too who has let nobody down when he has played and you would be happy with any three playing out of that five. Really impressive bunch.

 

Absolutely.

 

The thing is it’s looked even better because of the intelligence and ball playing of Lejeune and ball playing of Schar. IMO you need a both for this to work at its best.

[Minhosa]

Throw Clark in the mix too who has let nobody down when he has played and you would be happy with any three playing out of that five. Really impressive bunch.

 

Absolutely.

 

The thing is it’s looked even better because of the intelligence and ball playing of Lejeune and ball playing of Schar. IMO you need a both for this to work at its best.

 

Agree and I think them two are the reason for the change in system as both can spray balls out to higher/wider positions and also offer plenty of cover when the full backs are exposed/out of position up the pitch.

 

I noticed yesterday that both of them effectively become inside fullbacks when the two widemen go up the pitch and then return to a compact/solid three in the middle when the FB's recover.

[relámpago blanco]

I can't complain with anything this wonderful man has done.  He is building from the back and we are excellent defensively and have outstanding central defenders.  He has added a hopefully a key player in Almiron (we shall see) from an attacking perspective but building, training and organising an excellent defence is a lot cheaper than building an amazing attacking threat and that's what he has done probably because he had no choice. He has had very little to spend but really Murphy is probably the only real significant failure but who would have known that and he was probably at the bottom of his list but it was sanctioned due to his age.  Lazaar, Gamez etc were all punts.  If we are taken over and he is allowed to build even slowly over a 5 year period it would be amazing and also probably very rewarding for him. 

[Raconteur]

 

 

Agree and I think them two are the reason for the change in system as both can spray balls out to higher/wider positions and also offer plenty of cover when the full backs are exposed/out of position up the pitch.

 

I noticed yesterday that both of them effectively become inside fullbacks when the two widemen go up the pitch and then return to a compact/solid three in the middle when the FB's recover.

 

The biggest impact this has had on our tactics is that having Lejeune and Schar makes Shelvey completely obsolete. No longer do we have a centre midfielder collecting the ball from the centre-half’s toes (essentially making us three in defence when we try to build attacks) before spraying a 60 yard ball.

 

Instead, we can use more dynamic and balanced midfielders, adding more to our general play (especially defence) than Shelvey

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Shelvey doesn't do that when he's/we're playing well anyway, he collects it much further forward.

[Raconteur]

Shelvey doesn't do that when he's/we're playing well anyway, he collects it much further forward.

 

True, but that’s what we were getting this season, and Rafa’s solution seems to have fixed that.

[Tribesman]

So is Shelvey 5th choice now even behind Hayden?

[Raconteur]

It’s a game to game thing really, what’s positive is that we have options at centre half and centre midfield. When we’re at full strength, Rafa can send out those players that he thinks will best get a result.

 

That said, I can’t think of many combinations or opponents that has Shelvey in the starting team. On the bench, yes - I can see Longstaff being sent back to the 23s unfortunately, to facilitate Shelvey and A. N. Other on the bench.

[Yorkie]

What's even wrong with Shelvey atm?

[Mr Logic]

What's even wrong with Shelvey?

 

Alopecia totalis.

[xLiaaamx]

Ki in there to pass and move it is what's its set up for now. He's ideal to come in.

[huss9]

interview with fabio pechia - makes you feel angry and sad, then almost to tears with the last bit.

 

“We often speak to each other. Even before I left for Japan, I asked him for advice,”

 

“If he keeps Newcastle up again this season, he has pulled off a sporting miracle.”

 

“Now, the aim has to be to compete and move to a higher level. Bigger investments are needed.”

 

“I don’t know if he will stay.”

 

“He has a good connection with the club and he is loved by the fans, but he also wants to win things – and he knows how to do it.”

 

“When we arrived at Newcastle, in March, the situation was very difficult and our only goal was to try and save the team,”

 

“If we had got there a few weeks earlier, we could have done the business. This was the biggest disappointment.”

 

“I was only in Newcastle for three months, but from day one it felt like home. The atmosphere at St James’ Park overwhelms you.”

 

“For me, for any Italian, to see a game like that one against Spurs (5-1) defies all logic.”

 

“A relegated team and 50,000 people who cheer on their heroes and above all sing the name of Rafa.”

 

“Extraordinary.”

[Cookie1892]

i know its a rip off but...

 

Rafa's at the wheel,

tell me how good does it feel,

we've got Rondon, Almiron, Perez

Sean Longstaff's a mag born and bred

 

duh duh duh duh duh

 

 

[ToonArmy1892]

His pashun when we scored.

[Tribesman]

Looking at Rodgers and Wagner to replace Benitez if he doesn't sign a new contract according to The Times.

[David Edgar]

Eww.

[LV]

Still think it’ll be Fat Sam or someone of that ilk from the PFM travelling circus.

[ianovthetoon]

We will currently be looking at no one because the clowns in charge don’t think that far ahead.