Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[54]

The Magpies have only lost once at St. James’ Park in the Premier League under Rafa Benitez (W5 D3)

[mrmojorisin75]

He's the right man for us at the right time, which is a very important factor in managerial success.

 

Just need that twat to sell up and fuck off now, 5 year contract for Rafa and some increased activity in the transfer market.

 

 

[The College Dropout]

He's the right man for us at the right time, which is a very important factor in managerial success.

 

Just need that t*** to sell up and f*** off now, 5 year contract for Rafa and some increased activity in the transfer market.

 

 

 

Atsu, Perez & Joselu today so poor imo. Every game I keep thinking - imagine we went out and backed Rafa. Nothing too wild but enough to get a competitive team out there in his mould. We could really do something in this league and in the cups.

[mrmojorisin75]

He's the right man for us at the right time, which is a very important factor in managerial success.

 

Just need that t*** to sell up and f*** off now, 5 year contract for Rafa and some increased activity in the transfer market.

 

 

 

Atsu, Perez & Joselu today so poor imo. Every game I keep thinking - imagine we went out and backed Rafa. Nothing too wild but enough to get a competitive team out there in his mould. We could really do something in this league and in the cups.

Atsu disappointed me in particular today, in total contrast to good other performances so far he never tried to beat Gomez on the outside. He basically beat himself today for whatever reason.

[duo]

Bloody Ian Wright going on the radio as if Liverpool deserved to win. 

 

I thought tactically we were brilliant. 

 

Great atmosphere today as well.

[Hanshithispantz]

Not convinced by Atsu at all tbh, he started fairly bright but his end product is awful and too many times he'll beat his man and then find the quickest and best route to run down in order to lose possession as effectively as he can.

[Interpolic]

Not convinced by Atsu at all tbh, he started fairly bright but his end product is awful and too many times he'll beat his man and then find the quickest and best route to run down in order to lose possession as effectively as he can.

Aye he's been frustrating as fuck most of the season imo. Runs down so many blind alleys.

[HaydnNUFC]

Bodega went completely silent for his post match interview

[Si]

Check out @premierleague’s Tweet:

 

That smile

[Guest]

Don't know why but I fucking love his glasses off, into top pocket, shake the opposition manager routine he has.

[Danh1]

Still have trouble coming to terms with the fact that this man is our manager.

[samptime29]

Must be a good feeling at a game, when both sets of fans think you're ace 

 

 

[Klaus]

Not convinced by Atsu at all tbh, he started fairly bright but his end product is awful and too many times he'll beat his man and then find the quickest and best route to run down in order to lose possession as effectively as he can.

Aye he's been frustrating as f*** most of the season imo. Runs down so many blind alleys.

 

A lot of players of his type can be frustrating at times. His end product will hopefully improve with experience, he clearly has some natural talent but he is still very raw currently.

[Dave]

Must be a good feeling at a game, when both sets of fans think you're ace 

 

 

 

Like our last one?

[Yorkie]

Sure I heard a chorus of "Rafa Benitez - he's not one of you" in the first half; assuming that was the Liverpool fans?

[NUFCDoog]

What a bloke - if he came to me tonight and said he wants to spend the night my missus id light the fucking candles and have him a full English waiting in the morning

[The College Dropout]

Think Atsu's end product is pretty good actually. It's the beating of his man and being dangerous for a full game that is his problem imo. Today he never got a sniff out the fullback. Was poor second half against Brighton but good in the first imo.

[Danh1]

Sure I heard a chorus of "Rafa Benitez - he's not one of you" in the first half; assuming that was the Liverpool fans?

 

"Rafa Benitez, he's won more than you"

 

In response to the song about Gerrard slipping from level 7.

[Yorkie]

Ah k. Meh.

[Hanshithispantz]

Think Atsu's end product is pretty good actually. It's the beating of his man and being dangerous for a full game that is his problem imo. Today he never got a sniff out the fullback. Was poor second half against Brighton but good in the first imo.

When I said he had bad end product a lot of it probably has to do with him trying to get the ball in from awkward angles or after running down a corridor tbh.

 

He has the odd highlight in him but it seems like over the course of a few games he does very little. Hopefully he finds some proper form as we could really do with a rapid, direct forward.

[Interpolic]

https://twitter.com/RAWK_Meltdown/status/914745238115233792

[TBG]

That looks like the fall of a Middle Eastern dictatorship.

[Lush Vlad]

That looks like the fall of a Middle Eastern dictatorship.

 

 

As for Rafa and how he sets us up.  It really is a breath of fresh air (Partridge).

 

We would set up defensively under previous managers.  But there would be no shape or structure.  It would just be sit everyone deep and punt it long.  You could argue Pardew and McClaren actually had a stronger squad to work with, as well. 

 

The fact a manager actually has a particular style and a bit of tactical nous shouldn't really come as a surprise to most football fans.  But we have been served up so much shit of late.  It is just refreshing to see someone stick so rigidly to his guns. 

 

Yes, it can be a bit frustrating at times.  I thought the conservative approach cost us a bit against Huddersfield and Brighton.  Games we should have got at least a point from.  But at least he isn't knee jerking, rotating loads of players and changing the formation every week, like his predecessors. 

 

Just to echo what everyone else has been saying.  3-4 more even half decent players in the summer and we really could have been having a go this season.  The fact of the matter is, we are still about 4 players short in the starting XI and I don't see this changing any time soon.  Unless these takeover rumours come to anything. 

 

Rafa is working wonders with the cards he has been dealt.  I hope he is here for a very long time.

[TRon]

That looks like the fall of a Middle Eastern dictatorship.

 

 

As for Rafa and how he sets us up.  It really is a breath of fresh air (Partridge).

 

We would set up defensively under previous managers.  But there would be no shape or structure.  It would just be sit everyone deep and punt it long.  You could argue Pardew and McClaren actually had a stronger squad to work with, as well. 

 

The fact a manager actually has a particular style and a bit of tactical nous shouldn't really come as a surprise to most football fans.  But we have been served up so much shit of late.  It is just refreshing to see someone stick so rigidly to his guns. 

 

Yes, it can be a bit frustrating at times.  I thought the conservative approach cost us a bit against Huddersfield and Brighton.  Games we should have got at least a point from.  But at least he isn't knee jerking, rotating loads of players and changing the formation every week, like his predecessors. 

 

Just to echo what everyone else has been saying.  3-4 more even half decent players in the summer and we really could have been having a go this season.  The fact of the matter is, we are still about 4 players short in the starting XI and I don't see this changing any time soon.  Unless these takeover rumours come to anything. 

 

Rafa is working wonders with the cards he has been dealt.  I hope he is here for a very long time.

 

[HawK]

I'm relieved to see that the majority are finally catching up to the minority in 'supporting the club' actually means. The flags look simply glorious, our ground resembles some of the more passionate European clubs before kick off. Of course, this filters through to the team on the pitch. All these displays of solidarity towards our manager have not only had the effect of sticking two fingers up at Mike Ashley and his 'regime', but also the players know it doesn't matter how good or big they think they are, we are always, always going to back the manager regardless. We are almost a club unique in this aspect.

 

I believe, our unwavering, passionate, ardent support of Rafa Benitez may have helped contribute to Shelvey's change of direction back on to the path to fulfilling his potential. All that extra work he put in in the summer, demanding to play in reserves matches, and then that performance against Liverpool. On the ball, his play has a definite air of nonchalance, borne of sheer ability. His vision and his knack to pick a perfect pass with the speed that he does is literally like nothing I've ever seen in a footballer. In one motion, he'll receive a ball with barely a second or two to react before he's set upon, and will locate and ping the most ridiculous, FIFA-esque pass right where it needs to be.

 

Other great passers of the ball from by-gone eras have been more protected, and had whole teams built around their delivery. Shelvey is making do with the little space and time provided by either of the both inexperienced, yet promising Merino or Hayden. With another manager, like any other we've had in the past decade, I'm certain he'd have reverted to type, thrown his toys out of the pram and pushed for a summer move and the pressure would have been on the manager for mishandling the player.

 

I'm encouraged by the recent articles about Rafa being reportedly interested in the 'Newcastle project' even before Steve McLaren was sacked. I'm also curious to see what Mike Ashley's next play is in trying to drive a wedge between the fans and the manager. Rafa is the master of behind-the-scenes politics and Mike Ashley is absolutely nowhere near his level. In a game of brinkmanship between the two, it's hard to see Ashley coming out in any way apart from the gluttonous, fraud of a man that he is.