Newcastle were plunged deeper into the relegation mire on Saturday afternoon and are now sinking fast after the worst possible outcome played out at Carrow Road following Norwich’s injury time winner. And sadly Newcastle can have no one but themselves to blame after coupling sorry set piece defending and mindless indiscipline to see another so called ‘must win’ game end in defeat.
Players giving away these ridiculous free-kicks in dangerous areas is costing Newcastle crucial points. Unfortunately these particular points could prove to be the final nail in Newcastle’s Premier League coffin.
Newcastle certainly had a fair chunk of ill fortune on the day too with a clear handball in the lead up to the winning goal and Rafa was unhappy about the amount of stoppage time in the first half when Norwich scored the opener. But the days of blaming others has gone, Newcastle are in this mess because they are a poor side who concede far too many goals. Rafa is running out of games to turn this around with now only seven games remaining.
There are still positives to take from the game, even if there are no points. Newcastle responded well to going behind and again Rafa showed good in-game tactical flexibility. Mitrovic has hit some goal scoring form…finally and Papiss Cisse has added a threat to the side too, forcing a fine save from Ruddy to deny him what would have been the winner.
But the sad truth is that Newcastle can’t seem to perform for the whole 90 plus minutes of a game and certainly lack confidence and a match winning mentality. Where there is still hope that with 21 points left to play for, Newcastle can gain enough to catch two teams above them. The worrying thing though is that for sections of the games against Sunderland and Norwich, we were second best and only able to claim one lonely point.
Don’t give up yet though…Mitrovic hasn’t.
Correct, Eric.
I’d like to start the ball rolling on the result tomorrow. Reckon 3-1
Stuart79(Quote)
The last few years finances shows Charnley knows what he is doing with the books so I would keep him for that. Rafa could be basically Brian Clough and say I want this player, can we afford him? I doubt Ashley would trust Carr or Charnley to pick another Manager and who else does he have to turn to – Kinnear, Wise, Lliambas?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Isn’t it true that Rafa’s people approached NUFC? He had just come from place where he had no control and was sacked when they were second in La Liga and still in the Champions League. Complete control might be appealing.
I am now going to blow any credibility I may have by predicting 2-2.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Rafa has hinted he may stay,saying he wants to stay here for a few years,can we hope??
Icedog(Quote)
Ice: you sure that was not him being diplomatic? He couldn’t exactly say he would leave if we are relegated. However, he is in a situation where he would not have to demand anything he wanted, he would be offered it. Where else would he get that in an era of Oligarchs, oil money, dodgy far east “businessmen” and Yank Hedge Fund Managers? All of them demanding immediate gratification as they compete with people who have similar money and ambition to themselves.
To an extent NUFC is now unique in that the owner wants it to run itself and it is a big enough club to be self sufficient as recent financial results have shown. Rafa can have “Rafa United” if he so chooses.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Here, I will go through a few of the owners that I know about:
Sunderland – Yank Hedge Fund
Liverpool – Yank Hedge Fund
Villa – Yank Hedge Fund
Everton – Yank
Man U – Yank Sports Team Owners
Leicester – Thai Businessman
Arsenal – Russian Oligarch and Yanks
Chelsea – Russian Oligarch
Man City – Middle East Oil
Palace – new Yank owners
Spurs – British Hedge Fund Manager
All these people want control and success but only a few of them can actually have that success because there only so many trophies and places in Europe. The rest will be chasing their tails and chopping and changing managers/dof.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’ll say this again – if Everton keep Martinez, Rafa will stay next season.
Georgio(Quote)
Rafa will NOT manage Everton!
Rafa was asked if he would stay here if we went down. His response was “I don’t honk we will go down.” That’s classic evasion. Basically it means it won’t stay and who could blame him.
Stuart79(Quote)
Actually, NUFC is an unique opportunity for the right person – someone who could bring a degree of success. Demanding foreign ownership has taken over most of the English PL and a lot of Europe. Even clubs like Barca and Bayern who have fan ownership are essentially run by their own moneyed cliques.
Fat Mike, on the other hand, knows he has failed and has no one to turn to. Everybody he trusted in football has let him down, and I mean everyone. All he wants now is an easy football life and to keep his SJP billboards as the PL brand goes ever more global. I am sure he will let Rafa have “Rafa United” if he keeps us PL mid-table and even wins a cup. Hell, if he does that he can be Chairman of the Board when he retires to the Wirral. Where else would he get that opportunity? Complete control, and if he does OK Chairman of a major business for life?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have said this before but Rafa is on a hiding to nothing if he goes and manages Spain. All of their best players got old together and will not be at their peak or will be retired by the next World Cup. They are in for rebuilding and their 3 best teams – Barca, Real, Athletico – hardly have any Spaniards as guaranteed starters.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
ERIC. Ime with your thoughts totally,or is it we both have the same wish list,well you have to have hope what else is there??
There is talk of another middle- eastern group wanting to buy a PL club
Icedog(Quote)
Ice: it is there if Rafa wants it and what alternatives does Ashley have but to hand Rafa the keys to drive the NUFC bus? I am sure Troysta will say I am out of my mind and that there is no bus, only a reality train 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Icedog and Eric…how about this one… – Rafa AND a new middle eastern owner with loads of spondoolicks.. ?
Now that would be just lovely 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM now your getting greedy mate lol
Icedog(Quote)
Icedog, nowt wrong with thinking big mate…
Munich Mag(Quote)
actually not all of its Ashleys fault. some of the players have been a disgrace this season.
The amount of times ive seen Sissoko bottle a 60/40 or fail to get his head to a ball in-case he gets clattered is a joke.
3-1 Saints
Rafa will not stay. the Chron are getting desperate asking him every day now
Gashley(Quote)
Gashley, we have 5 or 6 complete wasters in the squad mate… Janmaat, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, three main culprits making it look like they are trying but cheating the stripes imo..
Munich Mag(Quote)
got terrible problems with my pc, very slow and not responding properly, if i disappear for the weekend you’ll know why 😆 in case i’m off line over weekend my prediction is a 3.1 loss sadly though i really hope i’m wrong.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Gashley: Rafa is on a no lose if he chooses to stay whether we are relegated or not:
1. He gets paid 4 million a year to manage a club that is currently in the top 20 richest in the World (not after relegation but has the potential to return).
2. He can do whatever he wants, hire and fire, reshape the club from top to bottom.
3. If he succeeds Ashley will reward him. Probably with shares of NUFC and bonuses because that is what he does with Sports Direct Management.
4. If he fails it will not tarnish his reputation because everybody knows how tough the competition is now and that NUFC is a basket case.
5. He can be Manager AND de facto Chairman because Ashley has nowhere else to turn. Fatty has rolled his dice and come up snake eyes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What do you want Rafa?
Complete control, Tick
An Owner who will leave you alone, Tick
A one club town, Tick
52,000 utterly loyal fans, Tick
Players to sell to get your own in, Tick
All your own staff, Tick
4 mil a year to keep the wolves from the door, Tick
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’d like to see some real effort for the last 7 matches. Make every game worth watching. Rafa expects it, the supporters expect it. Time to deliver lads.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Eric.
He could choose 4 mill a year or more at any champions league club.
We are skint, he’ll not have the players he’s got not.
I’m not even sure if hes the right guy to get us out of the Championship. Moyes or Pearson will probably be a better shout..
Gashley(Quote)
@MM I agree mate.
Our main men we expected to propel us to stardom are the reason we’re in the ****..
Gashley(Quote)
What do you want Rafa?
Complete control, Tick.. as long as we can give you peanuts and you can buy monkeys
An Owner who will leave you alone, Tick, until you question where the cash is
A one club town, Tick
52,000 utterly loyal fans, Tick but it might fall to 35-39k in the championship
Players to sell to get your own in, Tick, but leave some of the cash for agents, new grass etc 😆
All your own staff, Tick
4 mil a year to keep the wolves from the door, Tick
Gashley(Quote)
dont get me wrong. I’m still pinching myself he’s here BUT
he could go anywhere.. He might not fancy the Championship, its a tough auld league..
Is he the right guy? he’s used to winning with quality players. not nicking a 1-0 result @burton with Sammy Ameobi netting the winner
Gashley(Quote)
NUFC are not skint Gashley. The parachute payments and player sales will cover next year’s costs. If we don’t get promoted we will be skint but then Rafa will be off anyway with 4 mil in his pocket. It is a no-lose for him with no downside and a lot of upside because he would be running a club exactly the way he wants with no interference.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If you look at it, Rafa is being given a club because the owner admits now he hasn’t a clue and the people he put in charge have failed after they were given complete control and the keys to the store. What more would a control freak want> Everything he wants with a bar set low and no consequences for him if he fails.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric
well for me its a no brainer. He’d be mental to hang around when we go down.
Do you think he’s got what we need to get us up?
Gashley(Quote)
Yup. He is a proven winner wherever he has been. He is well off now but can leave a legacy if he achieves anything with NUFC and be our Chairman if he wants that, influencing his club for decades to come. He will also be paid an annuity as Chairman of NUFC thus securing his family’s financial future without him having to work. He is supposedly a workaholic and a control freak so what basket case club has more potential than us. He tried Inter, Real and Napoli and the Chairmen had such high expectations and egos that he wasn’t given any time. We have low expectations and Ashley will leave him alone and be happy to have him after the failures he has hired.
He would be gifted a club with history and fans. Really, complete control. What Manager does not want that? AS A GIFT. Because the fat man will not interfere as long as we are in the PL and Rafa will have all NUFC income to do with as he likes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Don’t you think mate a good manager (Rafa) can help a average player that bit better I know he’s used too working with a better class player but his methods and tactics should help if he has a season to work with them
Icedog(Quote)
THere would also be noone to challenge Rafa’s authority or go over his head like there was with Keegan. They have all been discredited. Carr will be gone and he can keep Charnley but as the bookkeeper/negotiator because I think he is useful in that role.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think we will be relegated but we have the core of a decent team, we have just been mismanaged for so long that it is hard to see.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We will also have the most money of anybody in The Championship once a few high earners are sold and we make some decent transfer fees from them. We may have no money in the bank now but we have assets we can sell and expenses we can reduce on the playing staff side.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The TV money in The Championship is about 20 mil a year. You don’t think we could double that by selling Wijnaldum and Sissoko? We are miles ahead of the ones already there and we don’t need to do a fire sale as there is so much money in the PL and China now that it is not necessary.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just got to Southampton. Weather *****! Who said they have it better darn South?!
Getting pist tonight and then again before the match. Might not be as bad then!
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric, Ice.
I know what he can bring to the table but its still mental for him to consider it.. If he did I’d be over the moon..
Would it be mental for arsene wenger to manager in the Championship? Mourinho ? Van Gaal
Gashley(Quote)
Eric
If we do lose Rafa do you think Mike will give full control to the likes of Pearson?
will he be given the power to buy and sell?
Gashley(Quote)
Gash: none of them would have complete control of their clubs. NUFC is broken and Ashley knows it now. There are Owners, DoFs, Directors, Legends, ex-managers, Oligarchs and many others who will want a say at the other clubs you mention.
THERE IS NOBODY LEFT AT NUFC WHO HAS ANY CREDIBILITY. So it is a totally different situation.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gash: why would Mike Ashley give control to Pearson? He has neither the experience, the Trophies or proven ability that Rafa does. Straw man argument mate.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
lol even more reason to do a runner..
I wish I shared your vision Eric, I really do. If Rafa is still here next season I’d look forward to the Championship.
More chance of being disappointed after we signed Lee clark from Killy
Gashley(Quote)
ERIC we also have a parachute payment no idea what it is like do you??
Icedog(Quote)
Eric. It wasnt an argument. If Rafa knocks back the control where do we go next?
I reckon we’d have more chance in the Championship under Pearson or another as he’ll know the players / league etc.
My question was: whether he’d get to buy who he wants through his own experiences or do we revert back to the tried and failed Carr securing signings we probably dont need..
Gashley(Quote)
Try and find Frazer Foster and get him pi::ed mate
Icedog(Quote)
Will try, Ice. Although he looks like he’d take some pie – eying!
Stuart79(Quote)
Absolutely shocked to see our U 21’s losing 3-1 before half time!
Why on earth or how on earth should I say, has anybody at our academy still got a job?!
Stuart79(Quote)
😆 😆 😆
Icedog(Quote)
Gash: I am trying to be positive because I think we could survive one year in the Championship because of the parachute payments (40-45 mil 1st year, Icedog) and we have players that we could sell to provide funds and also for the proceeds to cover existing pay-roll. We would be giants among midgets for one year only but would be fcked after that if we were not promoted.
I will do a quick analysis if you want. But probably better to wait until our fate is sealed – tomorrow?
My point about Rafa though is that this is a chance for him to pretty much run a club on his own terms with no personal outlay and being paid 4 mil a year into the bargain. He could then parlay that into a legacy for his family if he was successful. In a land of Oligarchs and Hedge Fund Managers where else is there that opportunity?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ice: I think Fraser Forster will be hard to miss 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
well if sticks around, hats off to the bloke. I’ve been really impressed by him despite the results
If he walks to another club on the same wage and is able to work with the cream of the crop. I wouldnt blame him
Gashley(Quote)
http://goonertalk.com/2016/04/08/video-dan-crowley-scores-brilliant-goal-for-arsenal-u21s/
Real good goal,but defending from the under21s is as bad as the first team
Icedog(Quote)
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9873622/parachute-payments-overhauled-for-promoted-premier-league-clubs
KIMTOON(Quote)
What i like about Rafa is he doesn’t blame anything or anyone about our results. He could easily of cited the howson handballs in the build up to Norwich winner, which even the ref review on monday said the goal shouldn’t of stood. But he focuses on the positives and makes no excuses, such a refreshing approach after years of Pardews excuse bingo and Steves grin and bluff.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kimtoon: I tried to figure out the parachute payments a few months ago and it is incredibly complicated given the new TV money and some new rules. I think it is about 40 mil in the first year (and I am good maths and money). Your post above is a bit out of date. I am confident it is 40-45 mil first year.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am also not as full of hyperbole as Dr. Ed even though he has a PhD he is wrong with his maths. He says we will lose 100 million if we get relegated.
Total **** because he is assuming what we would have made with the new TV deal and calculating that in.
We will actually lose about 20 million compared to this year and can make that up from player sales and getting rid of salary.
We are not in a desperate position yet, although if we do not get promoted first time of asking we will be.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Jabba is really having a bad time of late, SD doing badly,his football club is doing badly, now Wonga is going broke its having to borrow 25mil to keep going,
Real shame 😆
Icedog(Quote)
Eric, I can’t make head nor tail of it either mate, that was the most recent info i could find.
Ice, Let’s hope their losses mean they pull out of sponsoring us 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
got to get this pc fixed, it’s in a right state,doing my head in.
KIMTOON(Quote)
KIM have you got a virus in your laptop,you can pick them up quite easy on some of these footy links,try running a virus program even one of those free if you haven’t got one,there’s a few shops round here that will clean up and speed up your laptop for £25 maybe you have one in your area
Icedog(Quote)
Bloody hard game today! Southampton are a decent side. It will be a tremendous win for us but in reality, I can’t see it.
We fell well short against a lesser side in Norwich and a draw today would be something but I fear too little for us, even if the others above us lose.
Here’s hoping!
Troy Stavers(Quote)
C’Mon the mighty Killie!
Good point away to Partick Thistle last game.
Clarkie has turned the tide now!
Troy Stavers(Quote)
We are Killie,
Super Killie,
No-one likes us,
No-one cares,
We hate Ayr,
Black b*stards,
And we’ll chase them everywhere…
Clarkie! Clarkie! Clarkie!
Troy Stavers(Quote)
ice, i have Avast, trying to run a smart scan but it stops or freezes and i had same probs when attempting system restore too. It’s so slow to refresh and load owt it will only let me on chrome . going to ring pc guy as i can’t stand it.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim I always found that Avast was to big a programme and very slow and slowed down your computer,but it can be hard to unintelligible. I would normally prefer Avira it is a small and does what it’s supposed to do.
Also it is important to have a good general clean up programme and run it every couple of weeks, the best one I know and have used it for over 10yrs is iolo system mechanic you can do things separate or just click for a one touch clean up. You can download a free trail of it for a month
Big Dave(Quote)
Kim ( hard to uninstall ) not unintelligible
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave, cheers for the info, i will talk to PC chap about it. I used to have Bullguard which was alright ,not brilliant. Hazel put free Avast on it for me as her web designer pals all use it, but as you say it maybe is too big for mine. I know hazel uses it on her works one with no problems like. Not heard of Avira , is that a free one ? This PC has always been slow since i got it, well compared to the previous one it is, Hazel is always moaning about it. Might treat myself to a new one.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim yeah Avira is a free one, I used to use Avast but had so many problems with it so ended up binning it which took me ages getting it off my pc as it has so many hidden files.
But I think a clean out programme makes the biggest difference to speed etc. If you want I can send you a download link for system mechanic trail later when I’m on the pc as it’s too hard to do it on my phone. And if you like it I will send you my code for it which means you won’t have to pay for it.
Yeah laptops and pc’s change so fast one that was a top spec 2yrs ago is way outdated now.
Big Dave(Quote)
Cheers Dave, that’s really helpful, please do.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim meant to say pc’s and their spec are a minefield you can get single core, dual core and quad core etc which make a massive difference to how fast they run so your new one could be a single core , but if your older one was dual core then it would be faster than your new one. And that’s just for the processor , then you have Ram etc
Big Dave(Quote)
my smart scan is at 92% now almost finished been scanning for nearly hour and a half! only red flag is outdated software so far Virus check fine as is bad rep browser add ons and network threat. performance issues found so i have clicked on resolve, see if that helps.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Dave, oh god, you do know i’m a complete technophobe don’t you 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
kim the best one for me is malwarebytes, it is free but getting the premium is worth it. I paid £18 for 3 pc’s not sure if thats still available tho..
been through all of them, this is the best imo
Gashley(Quote)
DAVE Ime a dummy when it comes to technology,Ime thinking of buying a new laptop in next couple of weeks what laptop would you recommend?
Icedog(Quote)
Cheers, will bare in mind mate
KIMTOON(Quote)
well at least most are going for a defeat today. A win would be a nice surprise
The last time I looked, Saints had about 5 decent strikers. we have 1 rookie..
If we do get beat today we should expect life in the Championship. we hoped v Sunderland~Fail, v Norwich~ Failed… I reckon Rafa will admit defeat soon..
Tough place to go with two strikers but what have we got to lose. I’d start with Cisse and Mitro
Gashley(Quote)
Charlie Austin, Pelle, Juanmi, S Long, Mane, Rodriguez & Tadic can score too
We have Rookie Mitro and a want-away Cisse. Do we even include Riviere
Gashley(Quote)