hakka Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Absolute privilege to support a team this man manages. Indeed. Rafa Benitez is everything I have ever wished a Newcastle manager to be and more. When I talk to Liverpool fans about our love for Rafa, the little things he's changed and the big things, I always get this smile back from them. They totally see the love for Rafa that they had too, and seem genuinely happy for us and Rafa. Just hope the fat one doesn't fuck this up. We're looking close to defying the odds with staying up despite a lack of investment. I hope we are sold or Rafa is backed with reasonable funds early in to the summer. Next season could be really positive for us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
loki679 Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Absolute privilege to support a team this man manages. Indeed. Rafa Benitez is everything I have ever wished a Newcastle manager to be and more. When I talk to Liverpool fans about our love for Rafa, the little things he's changed and the big things, I always get this smile back from them. They totally see the love for Rafa that they had too, and seem genuinely happy for us and Rafa. Just hope the fat one doesn't fuck this up. We're looking close to defying the odds with staying up despite a lack of investment. I hope we are sold or Rafa is backed with reasonable funds early in to the summer. Next season could be really positive for us. Haven't we said this pretty much every transfer window since he arrived? Never seems to happen. A sale once our PL survival is confirmed might be the only chance we have to push on from here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 No one think he's changed his tactics (not just formations) this season ? From the frigid teams that played at Brighton and Huddersfield and the rigidity for too long home to Watford we've went after teams, since about (I'm guessing here) the West Ham away game we've been a different team, much more pro active (obviously more defensive for the man city and liverpool games) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
YNGLEGIONNAIRE Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Maybe he's starting to trust the team more . Offensively we're limited and things can easily break down , but he's probably more relaxed that his defence is more equipped to cope now . He has them drilled but with the addition of the new keeper and return of Dummet perhaps he feels we can play with a tad more freedom . He did comment about our 2nd goal against Southampton , in that it pleased him because it showed how players were learning and making the right decisions . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 No one think he's changed his tactics (not just formations) this season ? From the frigid teams that played at Brighton and Huddersfield and the rigidity for too long home to Watford we've went after teams, since about (I'm guessing here) the West Ham away game we've been a different team, much more pro active (obviously more defensive for the man city and liverpool games) I don’t think he’s changed anything really, we are just benefiting from having someone like Kennedy down the left and the form of Diame and Shelvey. We still allow the other team far too much possession. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
morla84 Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Seems to me like he played pressing for the early games to get a good start, grinded out results through the middle of the season to keep our heads above water, and is now loosening the leash a bit to get some points while most have burned themselves out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Aye I don't think our approach has changed a great deal on the whole. He seemed to dabble with the odd change of formation when we were in that shitty run (think there was a couple of 442s, a couple of 352s), but 4231 has been the best and most used, with Perez off whoever, pressing the opposition. Diame being the other main presserer. We're a limited side with few goals. Two strong signings and several players coming into form, combining with a rigid formation that presses has put us on this very reasonable run since New Year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Brian Glanville in the latest World Soccer: It's curious how short football journalistic memories are. There have been two salient examples in a leading popular daily. One of the errors concerned the European Cup Final in which Liverpool recovered from a three goal half time deficit to force extra time and beat Milan on penalties. The author gave credit for Rafa Benitez - when the fact was that Liverpool turned the table not because of their manager but despite him. In the first half Liverpool had allowed Kaka to run riot. The true hero was Liverpool's captain, Steven Gerrard, who insisted that the German midfielder Dietmar Hamann should be brought on to mark Kaka. This Hamann impecabbly did, Kaka vanished, Liverpool scored three goals and then went on to prevail on penalties. All hail Stevie G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattypnufc Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Aye, it was definitely Gerrard and nowt to do with Benitez at all. Glanville is getting too old now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsted Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Aye, it was definitely Gerrard and nowt to do with Benitez at all. Glanville is getting too old now. He's been a miserable old cunt for decades tbf. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
afar Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Yep that's definitely how top managers operate in vital games, if a player "insists" on something happening, especially if it's Stevie G then the manager has to do it. Honestly some journo's must not read what they write because surely they can't believe it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Aye, it was definitely Gerrard and nowt to do with Benitez at all. Glanville is getting too old now. He's been a miserable old cunt for decades tbf. Didn't realise he was still alive tbh. He looked about 70 odd 20 years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ_NUFC Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Brian Glanville in the latest World Soccer: It's curious how short football journalistic memories are. There have been two salient examples in a leading popular daily. One of the errors concerned the European Cup Final in which Liverpool recovered from a three goal half time deficit to force extra time and beat Milan on penalties. The author gave credit for Rafa Benitez - when the fact was that Liverpool turned the table not because of their manager but despite him. In the first half Liverpool had allowed Kaka to run riot. The true hero was Liverpool's captain, Steven Gerrard, who insisted that the German midfielder Dietmar Hamann should be brought on to mark Kaka. This Hamann impecabbly did, Kaka vanished, Liverpool scored three goals and then went on to prevail on penalties. All hail Stevie G Goodness me. The Stevie G cult lives on with revisionism. I heard Stevie G actually slapped Rafa and dragged him over to the Milan dressing room, where he rogered him in front of wincing, crying Italians, who could do nothing but surrender to such alpha-male dominance on display. And Liverpool won. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ameritoon Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Not that this needs clarification, but the way Carragher tells it the subs were all Rafa Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
xLiaaamx Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Benitez believes it will take just a few quality and experienced additions to turn United into a top-10 side - starting with an attacking-midfielder. Agree with this from the chronicle. I think with Kenedy coming in, you add another couple in at that end of the pitch and we become very comfortable without changing the defence. ((Assuming Dubravka remains in goal.)) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interpolic Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Yep it's a number 10 and a striker we need, same as last summer. We're decent enough elsewhere with options in most positions but those 2 positions are so important and our options there are shite. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
afar Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Yep it's a number 10 and a striker we need, same as last summer. We're decent enough elsewhere with options in most positions but those 2 positions are so important and our options there are shite. I think central midfield is also a big concern. Diame has played really well of late, but he's going to be another year older next season, and I'm not sure he can be relied upon for much longer. Shelvey has been up and down in form and as we've seen, we are way too reliant upon him. Hayden has been somewhat of a disappointment this season, and could very well be moved on in the summer, Merino started well but has faded badly. We need a lot more quality in there and also ensure we have that dynamism that Diame has added. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 We could've been in and around 7th fighting for a potential Europa League place had we had a capable striker; Swansea at home, Burnley at home, Brighton at home, Bournemouth at home, Bournemouth away, even Palace away (we had a break which we really should've scored from at the very start of the 2nd half at 0-1). There's a collective 13 points dropped due to the squandering of many scoring opportunities. Goes to show how good a job Rafa is doing this season and how fucked over he's been in the transfer market. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figures 1-0 Football Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 We could've been in and around 7th fighting for a potential Europa League place had we had a capable striker; Swansea at home, Burnley at home, Brighton at home, Bournemouth at home, Bournemouth away, even Palace away (we had a break which we really should've scored from at the very start of the 2nd half at 0-1). There's a collective 13 points dropped due to the squandering of many scoring opportunities. Goes to show how good a job Rafa is doing this season and how fucked over he's been in the transfer market. Whilst all of that is true - Ashley wont see past the fact that we’ve survived relegation. In his eyes, it will have been an overwhelming success and further evidence that he doesn’t need to spend millions of pounds on players whilst we have Rafa. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
morla84 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Kenedy, Number 10, Striker, Defensive Mid and Left back for me. Get rid of Selz, Gamez, Elliot, Joselu, Haidara, Saivet, Lazaar, Colback Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 We could've been in and around 7th fighting for a potential Europa League place had we had a capable striker; Swansea at home, Burnley at home, Brighton at home, Bournemouth at home, Bournemouth away, even Palace away (we had a break which we really should've scored from at the very start of the 2nd half at 0-1). There's a collective 13 points dropped due to the squandering of many scoring opportunities. Goes to show how good a job Rafa is doing this season and how fucked over he's been in the transfer market. Whilst all of that is true - Ashley wont see past the fact that we’ve survived relegation. In his eyes, it will have been an overwhelming success and further evidence that he doesn’t need to spend millions of pounds on players whilst we have Rafa. Infuriating but most definitely true. Suppose it hinges on the potential of a takeover. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Kenedy, Number 10, Striker, Defensive Mid and Left back for me. Get rid of Selz, Gamez, Elliot, Joselu, Haidara, Saivet, Lazaar, Colback I'd argue the need for another centre back. If Lascelles is injured, defensively we're a mess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 We could've been in and around 7th fighting for a potential Europa League place had we had a capable striker; Swansea at home, Burnley at home, Brighton at home, Bournemouth at home, Bournemouth away, even Palace away (we had a break which we really should've scored from at the very start of the 2nd half at 0-1). There's a collective 13 points dropped due to the squandering of many scoring opportunities. Goes to show how good a job Rafa is doing this season and how fucked over he's been in the transfer market. Agreed plus also some howlers from in nets - Darlow's vs Everton when we hit the bar and post immediately springs to mind! A Decent GK, Kenedy and a decent CF (all of which Rafa wanted) in the summer and we'd be looking at 7th! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Not sure about that. We still badly missed Dummett and football was basically impossible without Lascelles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 I think Dummett coming back has been the most important thing this season, Manquillo at LB was a horrific mess at best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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