Positives from the 2015/16 Season we hope will carry on into 2016/17

I know what you are thinking, it must be very hard to pick out the positives from last season. We had a manager in Steve McLaren who talked the talk but couldn’t walk the walk, half the team only playing for the name on the back of the shirt rather than the one on the front and one of the worst seasons (if not the worst) I have ever seen from a Newcastle Squad.

Now the dust has settled, me, like everyone else, is ready for the season ahead and looking forward to getting behind the team in their push for automatic promotion to the Premiership. On reflection of last season, I think there are a number of things which need to remain in order for us to achieve this:

Lascelles’ Passion – After a shaky start to his Newcastle career we really saw Lascelles start to step up and shine towards the back end of last season. After our 3-1 loss to Southampton away on 9th April Lascelles gave a no-holds-barred interview showing nothing but passion, which asked more from himself and all of the Newcastle players. From this moment on he had started to win our hearts and his rise in popularity has risen ever since – to the point where some believe he should be captain this season. Whether Rafa decides to make him captain or not, if he shows the same amount of passion this season it will do nothing but wonders.

Lascelles and Mbemba’s Partnership – Another positive towards the back end of last season was the ever growing partnership between these 2. This will be the first season since our last Championship campaign that our defensive partnership back then, Coloccini and S Taylor, will not be in our squad. With their riddance it is also great to see Rafa is finally starting to build on our defence (which has been needed for some time) with the introduction of a very experienced Jesus Gamez from Atletico Madrid. I am hoping there are more to follow, but whoever comes through the door, I believe we should open the season with these 2 still solid in the middle of the defence. Being only 22 and 21, if they can carry this on, it could pay huge dividends to Newcastle United for a long time to come!

Adam Armstrong – Although he was playing out on loan at Coventry last season, the 19 year old Geordie striker managed to bag 20 goals in 40 games! The local lad is probably going to be one of Rafa’s hardest decisions in regards to where he should be playing this season. He gained a great deal of experience and confidence down in League 1 with Coventry but the question is do you do the same again or take the risk and have him along side our strike force of Mitrovic, Gayle & Perez? Either way I am excited to see what he can bring to the table this time around.

Depth in Goal – Some might say that having to resort to our third choice goalkeeper for a second season in a row was a nightmare of situation last season – but I beg to differ! With Tim Krul out injured up stepped Rob Elliot who put in so many top class performances before his injury. Next up was Karl Darlow, a Keeper who only had Championship experience at this point, but again out he shone with some fantastic saves and performances! This made our first purchase of Matz Sels an interesting one for me, but with Elliot our injured until November and rumours flying left, right and centre of Tim Krul’s departure it does make sense. Even if the rumours become true I feel very confident in the Goal Keeping position with Elliot, Darlow, Sels and Woodman on our books.

The Rafalution – Rafa Benitez – simply the signing of the summer. We have already seen the huge impact he has had in bringing in top quality players to the club. Since his take over he has made a huge impact and I am so excited to see what he can carry on doing for us. Hats off to the board aswell for managing to keep him even through our relegation – although by the sounds of it the Toon Army was the real winning factor.

88 thoughts on “Positives from the 2015/16 Season we hope will carry on into 2016/17

  1. Kim personally if Sissoko wants out we should get rid of him. Rafa will have somebody lined up to replace him. But our team is looking more positive already. No more Colocini or Taylor the defense looks stronger already.

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  2. Terry, it does mate I agree. I just want him gone. It’s a shame because he was picking up under Rafa a bit and could be even better if he applied himself. Trouble is he’s too selfish and frankly **** right lazy to be bothered. Did you see Progba shouting in his face after Portugal scored? If he gets a top club move but doesn’t pull his weight he’ll know about it a lot quicker than we let him off with.

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  3. The problem they all might have is that the bigger clubs might not value him as highly as we or certainly he does.
    But when you have bids like £15m for Ibe being made, then it’s only right we should say £20m plus for Sissoko – I’m just not sure I see many clubs (if any) offering that much.

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  4. Has anyone else started thinking of our strongest 11 with the newbies we have?
    I’m not putting the likes of Sissoko, Gini, Krul and Tiote in there. Just the newbies and likelies – what 11 in what formation has Rafa got in mind?.

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  5. Sam Allardyce is so full of sh*t. He is angling for the England job and one of his selling points is mentoring his successor. Give me a break you fat toad, you know you are not good enough and want to get the job through the back door. It is like **** Cheney being appointed by Bush to find a Vice Presidential candidate and after an “extensive search” he came up with HIMSELF.

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  6. Eric – I’m not so sure to be honest mate. Sam cetainly isn’t the best coach we could get, but he’s also not the worst either.
    What he does have that some other candidates don’t is an ability to unite a group of players. He has that old school manager about him & that seems to be a big thing that England miss.

    The Euros they all seemed to be playing for themselves. There was no real formation & I think we all agree that Roy’s selection was wrong.

    Sam may not have won trophies, but you could say he’s been a success at most if not all clubs he’s been at – certainly is last 2 WH & the Scum.
    A lot of the success Bilic has had with WH is thanks to the ground work Sam did, and very few expected he’d keep the Scum up – but he still has never been relegated. That’s largely thanks to the unity he instills into he’s squads.

    I’m not saying he’s my first choice, I’m just saying that whether you like him or not, he has credentials to at least be considered.

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  7. Rafa is doing a great job so far re building the squad and the defence is certainly looking more solid now.

    My one worry is who is going to be the guy creating chances? Jonjo is out of favour with Rafa dis solo gone( bag of **** anyway) Goni gone, andros gone, cabella gone (again dogshit) thauvin is back but he’s a wet flannel and will get bossed in the championship…. I can only see Perez as our best option arm…. Only concern I have at the moment

    Any thoughts?

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  8. Sissoko not dis solo, gini not goni and Perez as am not arm

    Fukin spellcheck

    Jim:
    Rafa is doing a great job so far re building the squad and the defence is certainly looking more solid now.

    My one worry is who is going to be the guy creating chances? Jonjo is out of favour with Rafa dis solo gone( bag of **** anyway) Goni gone, andros gone, cabella gone (again dogshit) thauvin is back but he’s a wet flannel and will get bossed in the championship…. I can only see Perez as our best option arm…. Only concern I have at the moment

    Any thoughts?

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  9. Jim – yeah I think Ritchie will create & score & I think Gayle will too.
    De Jong seems keen to stay & I think he could be a creative player a already in our squad we haven’t seen much of, and likewise Aarons.

    There is talk of us being keen on taking Jordan Ibe & I think he could be a decent replacement for Andros Townsend.
    I would like a left winger as well though, just incase Aarons has another indifferent season.

    Janmaat is still in the squad at the moment as well of course who is a real threat on the right. Better going forward than defending IMO but could be used as a right winger or wingback – if he’s not sold that is.

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  10. I agree. I reckon he would be a good thing. England has been trying to play pretty football for a while and it does not work. Square pegs in round holes. Allardyce’s tactics are the epitome of English football. He could well get them playing to their strengths.

    Sharpy17:
    Eric – I’m not so sure to be honest mate.Sam cetainly isn’t the best coach we could get, but he’s also not the worst either.
    What he does have that some other candidates don’t is an ability to unite a group of players.He has that old school manager about him & that seems to be a big thing that England miss.

    The Euros they all seemed to be playing for themselves.There was no real formation & I think we all agree that Roy’s selection was wrong.

    Sam may not have won trophies, but you could say he’s been a success at most if not all clubs he’s been at – certainly is last 2 WH & the Scum.
    A lot of the success Bilic has had with WH is thanks to the ground work Sam did, and very few expected he’d keep the Scum up – but he still has never been relegated.That’s largely thanks to the unity he instills into he’s squads.

    I’m not saying he’s my first choice, I’m just saying that whether you like him or not, he has credentials to at least be considered.

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  11. Fair point Eric and sharply however eggs in one basket would like to see another creative come in as well as a left winger.. that kid from Southampton could be worth a punt anyone coming through their youth system is worth s look imo.

    Ibe to Bournemouth now a cert wasn’t worth the 15 mil but an exciting prospect

    Sharpy17:
    Jim – yeah I think Ritchie will create & score & I think Gayle will too.
    De Jong seems keen to stay & I think he could be a creative player a already in our squad we haven’t seen much of, and likewise Aarons.

    There is talk of us being keen on taking Jordan Ibe & I think he could be a decent replacement for Andros Townsend.
    I would like a left winger as well though, just incase Aarons has another indifferent season.

    Janmaat is still in the squad at the moment as well of course who is a real threat on the right.Better going forward than defending IMO but could be used as a right winger or wingback – if he’s not sold that is.

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