Crisis? What crisis! Yet another Jamaal Lascelles header handed us a third successive win in a battling performance against Stoke City at a packed out St.James’ .
Stoke started brightly and saw a lot of the ball in the early stages, but it was yet another spirited performance from the lads. We were organised, pressed well and created several chances – it could and should have been more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.
Atsu’s opener came out the blue, with the brilliant Matt Ritchie putting an enticing across on a plate for the Ghanaian, who couldn’t miss after arriving late at the back post.
The game should have been done and dusted before Shaqiri’s almost inevitable equaliser. Joselu spurned two big openings, whilst the Gallowgate were left perplexed by the referee’s failure to hand us a penalty after a goal-bound Christian Atsu was pretty blatantly bundled over.
Shaqiri’s strike was a bitter pill to swallow after the missed chances, but the captain soon put things right. He latched onto a Matt Ritchie corner and cannoned the ball in off the bar. The Gallowgate erupted and we hung on for yet another well earned win.
Merino was magnificent again in midfield, whilst Clark and Lascelles held the fort at the back with two strong displays. Yedlin and Mbemba did a good job to contain the tricky Jese and Shaqiri whilst Ritchie outstanding. Busy as ever and played a big part in both goals.
Joselu held the ball well on occasion but missed a few too many big chances. He could have had a hat-trick! Atsu offered us an out ball on the break and looked lively yet again, whilst Perez had one of his better afternoons with some good work on and off the ball.
Player ratings
Elliot (8) – Yedlin (7.5), Lascelles (8.5), Clark (7), Mbemba (7) – Ritchie (9*), Hayden (7), Merino (8), Atsu (7.5) – Perez (7) – Joselu (6).
SCENES at St. James' after Jamaal Lascelles' winner!! ???⚫️⚪️⚫️ #NUFC@Lascelles16 pic.twitter.com/3VQ46C0E0F
— Black&WhiteBarmy (@BlackWhiteBarmy) September 16, 2017
A great shift from the lads. Another big win and sign that we have more than enough to compete at this level. Get in!
Sharpy, just realised you got in before me re coleen. 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Sham – yes I remember us being allies in our defence of Jamaal but I also questioned Rafa so will join you holding up hands – we can start a mini Mexican wave ?.
But I do still stick with my opinion of Perez being a pretty ineffective number 10. If Joselu is going to struggle finding the back of the net then I’d be in favour of replacing Perez with Gayle and playing a more 4-4-2 formation to help Joselu out up there.
However, whilst we are playing well & winning – leave well alone.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Cheers KIM just just read that
Icedog(Quote)
Palace have both Manchester sides away followed by Chelsea next. They are looking at a good possibility of 8 games and zero points. Not looking good at all.
shamrock(Quote)
Yeah pretty much agree with your thoughts on Perez mate.
shamrock(Quote)
Sham: I don’t think Everton will struggle that much as they do have some good players but I was a bit surprised when the usual suspects said they had “won” the transfer window and were certs to finish 7th in their mini-league of 1. You just do not replace a Lukaku that easily. They scored 61 goals last season and Lukaku either scored or assisted 31 of them. Koeman is screwed if he lets Rooney run the show as he slows everything down and messes up the shape of the team. He probably has some sort of playing time clause in his contract as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I didn’t realise Palace play the top 3 next. That is realistically 0 points from the first eight games for them. Even Sunderland had 2 points! No one is relegated in October but they could be giving themselves a mountain to climb. 40 points needed from 30 games.
DJG(Quote)
After Chelsea at home they play us at SJP! What a game that is for us. Huge potential banana skin, we can’t afford to gift them possibly their first points!
DJG(Quote)
They play the 2 Manchesters away and a London Derby. They will be big underdogs in all of those games. I don’t care what the pundits say about them having a strong squad if you lose 8 in a row it has to affect your confidence. I am not saying they will certainly lose all 3 games but I will be shocked if they get more than 1 point.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Who’d have thought that Everton would be bottom 3 and Toon top 4 after the first 5 games of the season.. ??. Of course it will not stay like this, but it’s a nice moment all the same …
Dubai Toon(Quote)
And Mr. Roy’s body language is terrible when things go against him. He starts rubbing his face like a demented chimp. That can hardly instill confidence.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
DJG – it could be even worse than that for the Palace mate. As yet they haven’t scored this season – how many goals do you see them getting against the top 3?
Can you imagine ZERO pts and ZERO goals after 8 games of the season – where the hell would their confidence be then?! …. and it just so happens their next game after the top 3 is a trip to SJP.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Didn’t we have like 3 points after 8 games under Schteve? Remember the mood around the club then. I think that is about the time he changed from saying judge me after 10 games to give me until Christmas and using clichés like Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Oh sorry mate, I didn’t see your 2nd post ??.
Yeah it could be a banana skin, but I think we will have fewer games like that under Rafa. We play Brighton, Lpool & Saints – all on Sky ?.
I think all of those are winnable with the form we are in and the discipline we are showing – however we are NUFC and could collapse between now & Palace ??♂️?
Sharpy17(Quote)
if we can get to end of December with 28 points I will be well happy that’s another 16 games and you would hope we can get a few good results .
KIMTOON(Quote)
You really want a couple of teams to get cast adrift early in the season as it is very hard to play catch up. I thought it would probably be Swans, Burnley or maybe Brighton but I very happy to see Palace and West Ham down there. Everton will eventually go on a run and finish mid-table.
I still think it will sort itself out and that the top 6 of last year will beat up on everybody else who will be fighting for scraps. Of the bottom 14 though I don’t see anyone standing out so far.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I checked and we did have 3 points after 8 games under Schteve although we did win the next game. That pall was never really lifted under Schteve’s entire tenure and it looked like we were sleepwalking to relegation until Rafa came in. Just like the Manager and fans can lift a team, they can also set tone of despair – just look at the Mackems now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – yeah mate and look how much money Mc got to spend on new recruits in the 2 windows he was there for.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Funnily enough we’ve started this season identically to last season so far. Although I think we won about 9 on the bounce didn’t we? Would take that! 🙂
Stuart79(Quote)
Well, I think there has been an overemphasis on Joselu. Every striker will miss a few now and again and one was saved and another was a foot wide from a very good effort. Some say he could have taken another touch but usually in the PL if you do that the defender recovers and the chance is gone – they are that quick.
To put it into perspective Liverpool had 35 shots against Burnley. They have a player who Barca offered 100 million for, probably England’s 3rd choice striker (Sturridge), someone who tore up Serie A (Salah) and Firminho who in todays market would cost 40 mil. Someone must have missed a few chances.
Also, Lacazette who cost 60 million missed an open goal from 5 yards. Sanchez who was sat on the bench just laughed. And Pedro missed a pretty easy one-on-one in the same game.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I mean, if all of the decent chances are taken most games would end up 3-3 or 6-2. I am not sure exactly what the average chance conversion rate is but I think it is something like 20%. Sometimes a player will be on fire like Cisse was for 5 months but even then I think his conversion rate was 35%. Then he regressed to the mean and even further and couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo (I know it is a mixed metaphor).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – I’d take a repeat of how we ended last season too mate ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric , I was thinking the same about missed chances too. There was a lot of money on display in both the sunday games on sky and in Liverpool’s team too, yet loads of chances not taken or missed. So I won’t get too down on Joselu just yet.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Lascelles is Mr September on my NUFC calendar, they got that right.
KIMTOON(Quote)
😆
shamrock(Quote)
I was pondering the Liverpool 35 shots stat and 1 goal and thought how is that possible so looked at The Guardian match report and it says 26 shots off target, 9 on target. How is that even possible? Didn’t Joselu have 3 shots and get 1 in goal? That is a better ratio than the much vaunted and very expensive Liverpool team 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I honestly think the only one he should really be disappointed with was the one over the bar. The other 2 were half chances that look worse misses coz of that one over the bar. As you say, better forwards miss chances too.
Overall his play was very good, and to be honest, when we signed him I expected a 10-12 goals a season forward. I’m not expecting a polished finisher.
Sharpy17(Quote)
And just for the hell of it here are more Guardian stats:
Newcastle
Shots Off Target: 11
Shots on Target: 3
Goals: 2
Man City
Shots Off Target: 18
Shots On Target: 9
Goals: 6
It seems that even with Aguero and Jesus that not all shots are on target or result in goals 🙂 Maybe I will get on twitter and explain that to a few people.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Yeah mate, but a billion pound buys you 4 more goals!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
Too many excuses being thrown around for Joselu. 3 great chances missed when we only had 5 or 6 all game. Never mind we’ve seen it all before.
Lascelles makes a great point about the energy in the team and it’s youthfulness. See Ayoze getting stick too after three battling performances which I thought just wasn’t in him. He’s still improving and it looks like we’ve found a top class LB. Who knew?
georgio(Quote)
Btw…. The national media love to hammer us fans for having unrealistic expectations. I have not seen anybody on here or elsewhere suggest we would or should finish top half for example. It is pretty unanimous that anything above relegation is a good season.
So why then is Rafa Benitez saying the fans are now talking about Europe? That is potentially a damaging comment in terms of negative attention being placed on us yet again. Has he taken a comment said somewhere in jest and taken it too literally? Just a bit strange.
shamrock(Quote)
Rafa does say some strange things but maybe it’s you taking him too literally.
georgio(Quote)
”The fans, when you win so many games in a row, they are excited and thinking about Europe – for me it is one game at a time.”
“It is a very competitive league and we are learning from that.”
That is Benitez trying to manage fan expectations. I’m not taking his comment too literally. The question is, where has he got the impression from that the fans are thinking about Europe?!
shamrock(Quote)
Joselu’ entire career is pretty much in lin with his missed chances on Saturday. I don’t think it was that unusual. But let’s be clear, what were we expecting for £5m? He’ll score 1 in 4 games.
Stuart79(Quote)
yep, that’s an odd thing to say, maybe it’s lost in translation. Maybe he thinks we’re thinking about Europe and trying to curb our enthusiasm ? All the same it will only feed our deluded press tag. 🙄 Slap wrist Rafa, don’t feed the trolls.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Eric-
Over the last 10 years of the Premier League, the total ratio of Goals:Shots is just under 10%. Obviously, not all shots are created equal – some are easier shots, some are taken by better/worse finishers. However, I think even the best finishers don’t get all that far above the 10% mark – maybe 15% at most, but I’m not sure about that.
This isn’t meant as a defense or an indictment of Joselu, but I agree that he can’t be judged on one game. I think Sharpy or someone else mentioned that simply getting those shots is half the battle, and I agree with that, too. I’m not sure anyone in our squad was even getting those shots in the first two games, much less finishing them.
Charlie Prince(Quote)
KIM I once had your email address but can I hell find it,have you still got mine?.
Icedog(Quote)
Joselu is a 5 mil player. He is never going to pull up trees. But from what I have seen so far, he has slotted in very well. Holds the ball well and can play a bit. He will contribute to the goals but ideally we need somebody alongside or just behind him that is more of a regular finisher.
shamrock(Quote)
Crooks has said the toons bubble will burst as the players can never keep up their work rate all season,PL is a bit different from the ccc where as normally you get a weeks break between games so hopefully we can keep it going
Icedog(Quote)
Roo gets two year driving ban .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ice, no mate I don’t have yours . Don’t know if Sham can mail you mine ?
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ok mate I’ll wait and see if he does,it’s I have some gen for you I cannot really put on the blog
Icedog(Quote)
Kim, you have mail.
Shamrock(Quote)
cheers Sham
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ice, I have just sent my email to you .
KIMTOON(Quote)
If we get strengthened in the winter, Europe is not just a dream.
I know I am dreaming again …
funrafa(Quote)
You have mail too mate,let me know if you get it
Icedog(Quote)
I really like Bein sport,shows Sky the way home imo
Icedog(Quote)
Nowr wrong with that mate,I’ve been doing it for yrs lol
Icedog(Quote)
I liked the look of Olanare from CSK if the rumour is true. Good competition for Joshula and Mitrovitch. Not a real improvement but only 23 and not over-priced
still need a number 10 and a LB
Premandup(Quote)
Agree 100% we need a no10 very very badly
Icedog(Quote)
KIM reply for you
Icedog(Quote)
Ice, cheers, I mailed you back too lol
KIMTOON(Quote)
got it mate,let’s hope he can,you would over the moon with it for sure
Icedog(Quote)
Could the press and pundits be any more negative and condescending so who cares if they bring back the old delusional tag, that is exactly what I would expect from them.
I think Perez is getting unnecessary criticism too. However, if he does not score a few soon I will start to question his place in the team. It is fine having grafters but strikers also have to score. That may sound contradictory as I have defended Joselu’s “misses” but Joselu has played 3 games and Perez has been here 3 years.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Regarding Crooks’ comments about running out of steam. Just about every team is playing the high press now and demanding full on energy from all players. We have a decent sized squad with no European football and no League Cup. We also do not have that many players out during the international break. We pretty much have one game a week. I would worry more about Spurs in terms of fatigue.
These pundits cannot give NUFC a compliment without a caveat or a dig.
We are probably bottom on the Lawro, Merse prediction league.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My thought 100% on the same lines as you
Icedog(Quote)
I agree with Stuart that Joselu will probably be a 1 in 4 striker because they are his career stats. But if he could have a “career year” and get 1 in 3 then that extrapolates to 12 goals which would be a good return. We need one of our strikers to get double figures.
Everybody has given up on Gayle it seems. He has had some time to get his head straight and get comfortable with his hamstrings so hopefully we can get the best out of him again. If not, Fulham in January beckons.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We probably need 50 goals to get mid table which is roughly what we are on pace for. Somebody has to step up though because if we get in the lower 40’s we will be in the relegation scrap. That’s just the way it is. So far, half of our goals have come from the centre backs and history tells us that that will not continue.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Rafa has done really well when you consider it cost only 60 mil and the average age of the team on sat was only 25 would have been even younger if Murphy had played or Aaron’s
Icedog(Quote)
I just looked up some stats and we have been pretty dire in terms of goals scored. You can almost get by though with a negative goal difference as long as a few of those are 6-0 drubbings from Man City and most other games are close:
2016 Goals Scored 44, Position 18
2015 Goals Scored 40, Position 15
2014 Goals Scored 43, Position 10
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, so higher position but less goals in 2014
KIMTOON(Quote)
Yep: I did read somewhere though that the average number of goals scored per game has been going up in the PL in recent years. Just by like .1 per game per team but over a season that is an extra 4 goals.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sham is more of a stats king but I wanted to illustrate that we need to get some goals from somewhere. The midfield has to chip in and we will need more than 5 apiece from Perez and Joselu. As I said before, somebody has to step up and we probably need 2 in double figures unless Rafa goes full on rotation policy.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I also think that the extra goals per game might be a bit skewed because a few teams like Spurs and Man City dished out a few hammerings and we got rid of a few of the defensive minded coaches in the PL and replaced them with forward thinking foreign managers.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Oh, and the increase in goals per game that I read about was over a 3 year period. Can’t remember the source now, but remember the gist of it.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Did Richie not score 11 last season?
Icedog(Quote)
NBC Sports in the US have put together a Rafa/NUFC documentary. I saw the trailer last week so it wasn’t just cobbled together after a couple of wins. I have seen a few of these before and there are usually in-depth interviews and a lot of footage and quotes from ex-players etc. They are usually an hour long and I know the interviewer is a British guy called Roger Bennett who has a couple of shows and is sort of half comedian half journalist.
When it airs I will write a quick review of anything new or interesting and see if there is a youtube link. There probably will be as everything seems to end up on youtube now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
good one mate, look forward to it.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ditto
Shamrock(Quote)
To the great credit of NBC they do not pick the usual suspects to do specials on (I am sure that will come). So far they have picked stories. They did one on “The Southampton Way” about their academy and how they bring through players. They could easily have got a bigger audience by doing “The United Way” but didn’t. They did one on Ranieri and how Leicester won the league. One on how Swansea nearly went bankrupt and their extraordinary journey to the PL. Another on Bournemouth and their 13,000 seater ground and what in the hell are they are doing in the PL?
No idea why they chose Rafa and NUFC, I suppose I will find out soon enough. But it is actually quality sports journalism and better than the 5 minute guff/fawning pieces that Sky do as their build up. More akin to what you used to see 30 years ago in the build up to the FA Cup final. Where the BBC would have 3 hour build ups and Bob Wilson doing interviews, touring the ground, talking to the fans, interviewing local journalists (I don’t think Ryder was old enough, thank God) etc.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Shamrock: you are too young to remember how special the BBC build up to the FA Cup final used to be, but I sure Kimtoon does and definitely Icedog who will go back further. I remember the 1974 final and loving every minute of it (except the game 🙂 ).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think we should be pushing for top 3 tbh. 4th means we have to play a qualifying game… 😆
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric, FA cup final day used to be very special , I loved the build up to it. I remember being very young say 5 or 6 and finding the whole thing really exciting and it wasn’t even a local team that was playing . You only had 3 tv channels back then so it was watched by millions , no pc’s or fancy phones to stream stuff.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Eric I recall watching top flight footy regularly on terrestrial television. That was before the money went mad and the players stopped playing for the shirt (in general).
Shamrock(Quote)