Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Lush Vlad]

The difference in intensity.  Wow!  I don't even remember it being that visibly obvious. 

 

Now most the players seem unfit, uninterested and unable to break into a sprint. 

[The Prophet]

The difference in intensity.  Wow!  I don't even remember it being that visibly obvious. 

 

Now most the players seem unfit, uninterested and unable to break into a sprint.

 

Exactly what I was thinking, the difference in intensity is mad.

[KaKa]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

 

[alexf]

imagine winning the ball back that high up the pitch and letting ASM cause havoc.

[KaKa]

The difference in intensity.  Wow!  I don't even remember it being that visibly obvious. 

 

Now most the players seem unfit, uninterested and unable to break into a sprint. 

 

The drop down in levels is really astonishing. As much as we all rate Rafa I don't think the quality of his management was even fully appreciated when he was here.

 

Because he was messed around so much with transfers, we never really got to see him really shine as far as really getting high up the league, and so he was dismissed by pundits and even some fans as not doing anything special.

 

I think now we've been stuck with Bruce for a year, who has spent so much money and has made the team look immeasurably worse, the drop off is really becoming so glaring.

[KaKa]

Longstaff pressing so intensely and quickly to win that penalty against Man City.

 

Now he is considered a plodder that can't run. Incredible stuff.

[Yorkie]

Those videos.

[Lazarus]

 

Its almost as if what you do on the training ground influences what you do on the pitch.

[Mikky]

Was thinking the other day - if you freeze Rafa’s last match and the squad he had: had Ashley not been a dick he could have done wonders with the money that was spent after he’d gone:

 

40m (Jo)

17m (Wilson)

14m (Lewis)

17m (ASM)

4m (Kraft)

 

That’s about 90m - plus a couple of free signings

 

Add that to his coaching, tactics

[St1pe]

The difference in intensity.  Wow!  I don't even remember it being that visibly obvious. 

 

Now most the players seem unfit, uninterested and unable to break into a sprint. 

 

The drop down in levels is really astonishing. As much as we all rate Rafa I don't think the quality of his management was even fully appreciated when he was here.

 

Because he was messed around so much with transfers, we never really got to see him really shine as far as really getting high up the league, and so he was dismissed by pundits and even some fans as not doing anything special.

 

I think now we've been stuck with Bruce for a year, who has spent so much money and has made the team look immeasurably worse, the drop off is really becoming so glaring.

 

One of the most recent tifo football videos had us bottom for intensity. Apparently the worst Premier League team in the last 5 years. From Rafa to that in 18 months.

[HaydnNUFC]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that the Man City home game in 2017-18 labelled Rafa's Newcastle as this shockingly bad to watch defensive anti football merchants: a game where we were a newly promoted side playing against a Guardiola managed Man City who were looking for their 18th successive league win and would eventually win the title with 100 points. We had around 18% of the ball, lost 0-1, but we almost snuck a result: Aarons had a chip cleared off the line, Gayle should've shot but instead dived and he also had a header go narrowly wide. But think back to the coverage and reaction from that night, Neville's commentary, post match interviews, tweets, even posts on here. The label stuck and that's what is clouding Neville's judgment I think. We did it against Chelsea at home in 2018/19 too, should've drawn the game but lost to a late own goal yet the coverage from Sky lambasted Rafa for it. Those games and how they were portrayed by the likes of Neville, Redknapp etc is the yardstick that they compare Bruceball to what we played under Rafa and because of it they see no difference, or even argue that the former is better.

 

Its bullshit.

[Paully]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that the Man City home game in 2017-18 labelled Rafa's Newcastle as this shockingly bad to watch defensive anti football merchants: a game where we were a newly promoted side playing against a Guardiola managed Man City who were looking for their 18th successive league win and would eventually win the title with 100 points. We had around 18% of the ball, lost 0-1, but we almost snuck a result: Aarons had a chip cleared off the line, Gayle should've shot but instead dived and he also had a header go narrowly wide. But think back to the coverage and reaction from that night, Neville's commentary, post match interviews, tweets, even posts on here. The label stuck and that's what is clouding Neville's judgment I think. We did it against Chelsea at home in 2018/19 too, should've drawn the game but lost to a late own goal yet the coverage from Sky lambasted Rafa for it. Those games and how they were portrayed by the likes of Neville, Redknapp etc is the yardstick that they compare Bruceball to what we played under Rafa and because of it they see no difference, or even argue that the former is better.

 

Its bullshit.

 

10000000% spot on!

[hakka]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that the Man City home game in 2017-18 labelled Rafa's Newcastle as this shockingly bad to watch defensive anti football merchants: a game where we were a newly promoted side playing against a Guardiola managed Man City who were looking for their 18th successive league win and would eventually win the title with 100 points. We had around 18% of the ball, lost 0-1, but we almost snuck a result: Aarons had a chip cleared off the line, Gayle should've shot but instead dived and he also had a header go narrowly wide. But think back to the coverage and reaction from that night, Neville's commentary, post match interviews, tweets, even posts on here. The label stuck and that's what is clouding Neville's judgment I think. We did it against Chelsea at home in 2018/19 too, should've drawn the game but lost to a late own goal yet the coverage from Sky lambasted Rafa for it. Those games and how they were portrayed by the likes of Neville, Redknapp etc is the yardstick that they compare Bruceball to what we played under Rafa and because of it they see no difference, or even argue that the former is better.

 

Its bullshit.

 

Great post. Why did Neville and pundits hate that City game? Because Rafa took away the goals galore wank fest it could have been if we played to let a far surperior side have space. Instead we had a game lost and minimum damage from goal difference for a loss. Nearly got a point too. There's a hatred of teams trying to limit the opposition running riot, but sadly the gap in resources from very top clubs to the rest means you have to reconsider going toe to toe with sides like City when you have players nowhere near as talented. If you try toe to toe there's a high chance you get walloped, unless you genuinely have the talent to compete at their level.

[KaKa]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that the Man City home game in 2017-18 labelled Rafa's Newcastle as this shockingly bad to watch defensive anti football merchants: a game where we were a newly promoted side playing against a Guardiola managed Man City who were looking for their 18th successive league win and would eventually win the title with 100 points. We had around 18% of the ball, lost 0-1, but we almost snuck a result: Aarons had a chip cleared off the line, Gayle should've shot but instead dived and he also had a header go narrowly wide. But think back to the coverage and reaction from that night, Neville's commentary, post match interviews, tweets, even posts on here. The label stuck and that's what is clouding Neville's judgment I think. We did it against Chelsea at home in 2018/19 too, should've drawn the game but lost to a late own goal yet the coverage from Sky lambasted Rafa for it. Those games and how they were portrayed by the likes of Neville, Redknapp etc is the yardstick that they compare Bruceball to what we played under Rafa and because of it they see no difference, or even argue that the former is better.

 

Its bullshit.

 

Yup, it's embarrassingly poor stuff from those so called pundits. I mean it's just so pathetically lazy, and they say it with such self assuredness and arrogance.

 

In Neville's case in particular it really does make it quite easy to see why he failed so badly at Valencia, and his time there was such a farce. His team had the same stench of incompetency as Bruce's Newcastle ones.

[KaKa]

The difference in intensity.  Wow!  I don't even remember it being that visibly obvious. 

 

Now most the players seem unfit, uninterested and unable to break into a sprint. 

 

The drop down in levels is really astonishing. As much as we all rate Rafa I don't think the quality of his management was even fully appreciated when he was here.

 

Because he was messed around so much with transfers, we never really got to see him really shine as far as really getting high up the league, and so he was dismissed by pundits and even some fans as not doing anything special.

 

I think now we've been stuck with Bruce for a year, who has spent so much money and has made the team look immeasurably worse, the drop off is really becoming so glaring.

 

One of the most recent tifo football videos had us bottom for intensity. Apparently the worst Premier League team in the last 5 years. From Rafa to that in 18 months.

 

We apparently have analysts at the club. Do you think they are monitoring any of these sorts of things and bringing them to the manager's attention? If not, what on earth are they there for?!

[huss9]

chewski fans making noises about having Rafa back.

[Rafalove]

Really? Where you seeing that?

[huss9]

my kids have been watching various youtube channels. i'm too old for that shite.

a lot of chelsea fans being interviewed and realising what they had with Rafa and with a lack of real quality proven coaches out there, how he would be great for a couple of years especially to teach the young'ns coming through. A lot now realising the job he did with us also.

[TRon]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that the Man City home game in 2017-18 labelled Rafa's Newcastle as this shockingly bad to watch defensive anti football merchants: a game where we were a newly promoted side playing against a Guardiola managed Man City who were looking for their 18th successive league win and would eventually win the title with 100 points. We had around 18% of the ball, lost 0-1, but we almost snuck a result: Aarons had a chip cleared off the line, Gayle should've shot but instead dived and he also had a header go narrowly wide. But think back to the coverage and reaction from that night, Neville's commentary, post match interviews, tweets, even posts on here. The label stuck and that's what is clouding Neville's judgment I think. We did it against Chelsea at home in 2018/19 too, should've drawn the game but lost to a late own goal yet the coverage from Sky lambasted Rafa for it. Those games and how they were portrayed by the likes of Neville, Redknapp etc is the yardstick that they compare Bruceball to what we played under Rafa and because of it they see no difference, or even argue that the former is better.

 

Its bullshit.

 

Great post. Why did Neville and pundits hate that City game? Because Rafa took away the goals galore wank fest it could have been if we played to let a far surperior side have space. Instead we had a game lost and minimum damage from goal difference for a loss. Nearly got a point too. There's a hatred of teams trying to limit the opposition running riot, but sadly the gap in resources from very top clubs to the rest means you have to reconsider going toe to toe with sides like City when you have players nowhere near as talented. If you try toe to toe there's a high chance you get walloped, unless you genuinely have the talent to compete at their level.

 

 

But if it was defensive football these pundits hate, why haven't they been laying into Bruce?

[hakka]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that the Man City home game in 2017-18 labelled Rafa's Newcastle as this shockingly bad to watch defensive anti football merchants: a game where we were a newly promoted side playing against a Guardiola managed Man City who were looking for their 18th successive league win and would eventually win the title with 100 points. We had around 18% of the ball, lost 0-1, but we almost snuck a result: Aarons had a chip cleared off the line, Gayle should've shot but instead dived and he also had a header go narrowly wide. But think back to the coverage and reaction from that night, Neville's commentary, post match interviews, tweets, even posts on here. The label stuck and that's what is clouding Neville's judgment I think. We did it against Chelsea at home in 2018/19 too, should've drawn the game but lost to a late own goal yet the coverage from Sky lambasted Rafa for it. Those games and how they were portrayed by the likes of Neville, Redknapp etc is the yardstick that they compare Bruceball to what we played under Rafa and because of it they see no difference, or even argue that the former is better.

 

Its bullshit.

 

Great post. Why did Neville and pundits hate that City game? Because Rafa took away the goals galore wank fest it could have been if we played to let a far surperior side have space. Instead we had a game lost and minimum damage from goal difference for a loss. Nearly got a point too. There's a hatred of teams trying to limit the opposition running riot, but sadly the gap in resources from very top clubs to the rest means you have to reconsider going toe to toe with sides like City when you have players nowhere near as talented. If you try toe to toe there's a high chance you get walloped, unless you genuinely have the talent to compete at their level.

 

 

But if it was defensive football these pundits hate, why haven't they been laying into Bruce?

 

Because Bruce is an English PFM. They get different treatment.

[TRon]

The difference in energy from then to now is frightening

 

And yet there are people who have consistently said there was no difference between Rafa's football and Bruce (even on here!). I really can't even begin to grasp what they were watching.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that the Man City home game in 2017-18 labelled Rafa's Newcastle as this shockingly bad to watch defensive anti football merchants: a game where we were a newly promoted side playing against a Guardiola managed Man City who were looking for their 18th successive league win and would eventually win the title with 100 points. We had around 18% of the ball, lost 0-1, but we almost snuck a result: Aarons had a chip cleared off the line, Gayle should've shot but instead dived and he also had a header go narrowly wide. But think back to the coverage and reaction from that night, Neville's commentary, post match interviews, tweets, even posts on here. The label stuck and that's what is clouding Neville's judgment I think. We did it against Chelsea at home in 2018/19 too, should've drawn the game but lost to a late own goal yet the coverage from Sky lambasted Rafa for it. Those games and how they were portrayed by the likes of Neville, Redknapp etc is the yardstick that they compare Bruceball to what we played under Rafa and because of it they see no difference, or even argue that the former is better.

 

Its bullshit.

 

Great post. Why did Neville and pundits hate that City game? Because Rafa took away the goals galore wank fest it could have been if we played to let a far surperior side have space. Instead we had a game lost and minimum damage from goal difference for a loss. Nearly got a point too. There's a hatred of teams trying to limit the opposition running riot, but sadly the gap in resources from very top clubs to the rest means you have to reconsider going toe to toe with sides like City when you have players nowhere near as talented. If you try toe to toe there's a high chance you get walloped, unless you genuinely have the talent to compete at their level.

 

 

But if it was defensive football these pundits hate, why haven't they been laying into Bruce?

 

Because Bruce is an English PFM. They get different treatment.

 

It's obvious but still pathetic in this day and age.

[hakka]

Absolutely. When Rafa does it is boring. Bruce does it then its because he doesn't have the players.

[Andybiotics]

Rafa available

 

[Ikon]

Rafa available

 

Wut?

[Ikon]

Just read