ToonArmy1892 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 About 600 short of capacity, saw a few empties dotted about the ground on tele, these games were barely getting to general sale last season, never mind not selling out. Tide is starting to turn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 I didn’t see much of the game despite having a large TV bang in front of our table at the pub as I spent most of the two hours talking to people, but from what I saw and the reaction in the pub and then from people in Toon where we headed to after following the defeat, all I can say is it is worrying times once again here at Newcastle and I cannot see more positive days ahead. Only worse or similar. Last season we had a united squad out to prove themselves in the top flight with a clear goal of staying up and improving and that was achieved. As the season wore on we saw a limited team become a decent team that showed promise of more, but today that team which was forged on winning the Championship and proving a point looks and feels way off that right now. We look relegation fodder and for all of Rafa’s man management and coaching expertise, I look at the team now and think it needs a bit more than that to even get close to the kind of team we become last season and that’s down to the simple fact we didn’t improve it even marginally. There is only so much Rafa can do and he did it last season because he had a team fighting to establish itself back in the top-flight, to prove doubters wrong and for a number to show they belonged at this level which mirrored his tactics, coaching and methods in a way that dovetailed perfectly at times more often than not. The whole ethos of that in our second season has gone now though and I can see it unraveling quickly, very quickly, and Rafa also unable to stop that never mind stitching things back together like he did when we hit a few skids last season. 10th last season was over achievement, but there were enough signs to suggest it needn’t be a one off like 5th under Pardew and while there are teams just as poor or worse on paper, we had something that give us an edge last season other than our manager. We look like a new team, a promoted team, but lacking certain things from that which we had in abundance last season, there is no cohesion or pattern of play or style that we went on to develop towards the end of last season that should be a given today, that we should be about from the get go. It’s worrying and a tall ask of Rafa and the players to do what they did last season, grow into a team that become good enough to do more than enough. It’s like we start all over again, back to square one. But without the momentum of being a winning team who won a division or a team of players with a point to prove. That shouldn’t be case and wouldn’t had we strengthened significantly, but alas that didn’t happen and once again we are up against it and looking to start all over again. Rafa is good enough, the players clearly aren’t and for us we are left hoping more than anything that the same players can over perform and the new ones who are in no way an upgrade settle, become part of the fabric and also overperform. Again it’s a tall ask. Chelsea are not a great team, a poor example of them at their prior best despite their obvious individual talents and huge outlay on players, so to surrender over 80% of the possession and hope to not lose so early in the season says it all and what the aim is for this season and for us as a club. Stay up. We saw last season once Rafa got us settled, set up right and drilled that we could be more expansive and compete with even the better sides as we developed as a team and grew and that’s why we finished 10th and beat teams like Chelsea. That has kind of been reset and again we are back to square one. Make no mistake about it, this will be a tougher season, we won’t finish 10th, we will be in a relegation fight and it’s not going to be pretty nor rewarding. I fancy us to stay up simply because of Rafa, but it will require him and his staff to work more miracles and magic than they have ever achieved before that’s how big a task this is. If he does keep us up, I’d regard it as some achievement which last season was in my books, but should we go down, I know where I’ll point the blame at... It should be Neglect United not Newcastle. If we were a house we would be a run down dilapidated building in dangerous disrepair, with Rafa tasked with turning it into a palace with a sponge, a tin of paint and some air freshener. It’s ludicrous and makes what others in the media say just as much of a joke, it’s impossible and kind of not worth the effort because you cannot polish a turn. Shit is shit and that’s what we are as a club. Shit. Knock it down, start afresh or keep living in a hovel while everyone around you live in plush luxury which you are paying the same to live in, that’s the reality facing all fans. It really is down to the fans now, if a Rafa managed Newcastle aiming to avoid a third relegation in just over a decade is something you believe is worth forking out whatever it costs to attend a single game or all games so that you can be there to witness it all, then don’t complain when the opposition have 80% possession or Joselu starts up front or after the first month of the season we are in the bottom 3. You are paying a premium for that. As the saying goes you get what you pay for. Our next match will be fun... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Lord the length of that post man ffs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stottie Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 I would bet that "0.8 expected goals (+ 1 penalty)" is the least any team with 70%+ possession has ever created in a game where the score was level for so long. It is the same as we managed against Cardiff, thirty minutes of which was with 10 men. People are heaping praise on Jorginho, but all he did was recycle the ball. Hazard floated about impressively but Chelsea had no penetration. For this approach to work against Man City, we will need them to miss multiple good chances, something Chelsea did not do because they didn't create any. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Need a right-back in January mind. Spurs : winning goal comes from our right-back position. Cardiff : Manquillo was awful and then Hayden sent-off. Chelsea : Sloppy free-kick and own goal from Yedlin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ujpest doza Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 81-19 possession yet the shots on target stats read 2 to us and 3 to them. We were brilliant man, nullified all there attacking threat and gave them zero space to work in. A dodgy pen (at the match I was behind it and thought it was a pen straight away mind) and an own goal and a very dodgy ref giving them every slight touch as a free kick and giving Murphy in particular nowt all afternoon. Great header from Joselu and great shift from Murphy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ElCid Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Need a right-back in January mind. Spurs : winning goal comes from our right-back position. Cardiff : Manquillo was awful and then Hayden sent-off. Chelsea : Sloppy free-kick and own goal from Yedlin. Third goal Dummett was ball watching when the ball came in and Ki should have got a block in. Both full backs need upgrading Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 81-19 possession yet the shots on target stats read 2 to us and 3 to them. We were brilliant man, nullified all there attacking threat and gave them zero space to work in. A dodgy pen (at the match I was behind it and thought it was a pen straight away mind) and an own goal and a very dodgy ref giving them every slight touch as a free kick and giving Murphy in particular nowt all afternoon. Great header from Joselu and great shift from Murphy. Murphy was non-existent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 I thought Murphy was decent enough. I don't remember Ritchie doing anything Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Some proper dickheads about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonArmy1892 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Disgusting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
samptime29 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Thought we were organised and committed. The effort was clearly there. I don't like us playing with 5 at the back tho. It really limits us in central midfield, harder to create chances IMO. Was in Level 7 and the railings were filthy on the walk up. Didn't look like they had been cleaned in years. Its only a little thing but it shows no care is going into maintaining stadium. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonArmy1892 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Thought we were organised and committed. The effort was clearly there. I don't like us playing with 5 at the back tho. It really limits us in central midfield, harder to create chances IMO. Was in Level 7 and the railings were filthy on the walk up. Didn't look like they had been cleaned in years. Its only a little thing but it shows no care is going into maintaining stadium. The gallowgate pigeon sums it up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperFlat Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 The posters in the bogs are from the Championship season as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
samptime29 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 The posters in the bogs are from the Championship season as well. Aye noticed that. Proper amateur hour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Half time game they do is shite too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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