Newcastle United will be the death of me.
Football can be a cruel game and we’ve had yet another taste of that today, with us conceding three times in the last 20 minutes to lose a game we look destined to win at Old Trafford.
I couldn’t believe what I was watching in the first half. They were absolutely abysmal – looking and playing like a side who wanted Mourinho sacked – but we were brilliant.
Unfortunately, the tables turned in the second half and we could not respond to the pressure they put us under – but is it any surprise when they can bring on Sahcnez and we can bring on Atsu when things changed?
Any sort of a result today would’ve been a real bonus – so it’s tough to take losing a game we could and should have won – however we must take the positives.
Muto was brilliant. His movement was fantastic and he showed a real burst of pace too. He took his goal well with a sharp turn and powerful shot. His energy and intensity up top is something we’ve not had all season, so this could be a huge boost moving forward.
It was also Kenedy’s best performance of the season by quite a distance. His finish was emphatic, he protected Manquillo very well and gave us a dangerous outlet out wide. Let’s hope his late injury isn’t bad.
Perez was better (probably due to him having more to work with up top in Muto), Shelvey ran the show at times, Diame got about the pitch superbly and Yedlin and Lascelles were outstanding at the back.
The fact of the matter is that it’s another game down and another game where we’ve failed to pick up a single point, but we have no other choice now but to focus on the positives and take them into Brighton at home in two weeks time.
That game will define our season. This game won’t.
Relegation is a cert how many games won in the last 20 we got lucky last year now its to late spend 100 mil in jan rafa Will waste it he sold our best players dont worry he will stay 6 mil contract tells me that he loves the city more lile the money people want to get real support the team not the regime is that a joke his football tactics are sad defend all the time how can you win playing like that
Macmag(Quote)
unfortunately was working so did not see the game, however have just seen the goals. Is Sanchez not two yards offside and in line with ball when Martial scores second. Also could we have gone three up when young handled and ref gives a goal kick.
Derek(Quote)
yes and yes
kimtoon(Quote)
Sickening result that and I got to disagree Olly I think it could define our season.
The win would of been a massive confidence boost and I really don’t see us beating B&HA but had we won the boost would of meant we went into the game really believing . Murray is scoring for fun for them and I don’t think we’ll find their defence as accommodating as Man Utds first half today.
We really need to be more consistent as well, why are two halves never the same with us performance wise ?
Gutted at that result .
kimtoon(Quote)
Didn’t see the game but observed that they scored after Rafas substitutions, taking off our effective threat.
Much as I love Rafa, anything in that ??
Geordie exile(Quote)
Genuinely feel gutted.
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim – I know we’ve discussed this before but if we had a player on the line, does Mata score that freekick?!?!?!!! ?
Connected to that, a stupid freekick to give away by Diame in the first place – who didn’t have a great game today at all.
But before that, we absolutely should have had a penalty in the first half. Sod this ‘we didn’t get a corner lark’ – it was a nailed on bloody penalty.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kenedy and Muto were carrying injuries. 🙄
Toontaff(Quote)
Wonder if at half time we decided to fall back and defend what we had or Did Man U up their game. The Man U defence was open and there for the taking. One theory is that Newcastle are not fully fit and that is why we fade in the second half. Diame certainly lacks sharpness. We were excellent in the first half but we need to be able to play 90 minutes. Why Atsu even makes the bench I don’t know. I’ll get on my hobby horse and make a plea to put Roberts on the bench. I would also put Longstaff there in place of Hayden. What Roberts and Longstaff may lack in Premiership class they would make up for with youthful enthusiasm. They are after all Geordies. Anyway Atsu and Hayden, who doesn’t want to be here, are not Premiership class. Including two Academy players would also give a boost to other Academy players if they could see they could further their careers with Newcastle. There seems to be a brick wall between the Academy and the first team. Too many have had to leave to get a fair crack.
Groucho(Quote)
Yeah , shame about Kenedy and Muto having to go off, Murphy and Atsu are no effective replacements.
And then you have Man U bringing on Felliani ( always a threat in the air ) and Sanchez and of course Mata end of first half , and that is the difference. They have game changers, we don’t.
Perez went off for Joselu late on , that’s us right now I’m afraid .
Were we that good first half or Man u just bloody awful ? Well Brighton will tell us that I think .
kimtoon(Quote)
Groucho, I think it was the fact that Man u upped their game and bought on 3 excellent players and we had enforced changes to two of our most effective players that did it tbh. No lack of effort from the team today, spirit was plain to see just came up short in managing the game to the end.
Sharpy, yep a man on the post would of stopped that goal for sure.
kimtoon(Quote)
And Shearer was bang on on match of the day with his comment about Taylor, awful decision re the handball.
We go 0.3 up at that point and it’s a different game imo, heads drop and it’s much harder mentally to come back from 0.3 down than 0.2.
kimtoon(Quote)
Ashleys face when we were 0.2 up looked like someone had pissed on his cornflakes ! very odd
Did he have a few hundred quid on us to lose ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Richard KeysVerified account @richardajkeys
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Almost inevitably. But this is why loan moves between PL clubs shouldn’t be allowed. Kenedy can’t play v Chelsea – but he can here.
WTF, this guy is a fruit loop who’s anti Toon , Rafa agenda is getting out of hand .
kimtoon(Quote)
Gut wrenching but really it was inevitable . . . once the first went in I knew it would end in defeat. At 3-0 it would have been all over. Ref bottled in especially not even giving a corner!
georgio(Quote)
He’s from Whythenshawe Manchester.
kimtoon(Quote)
Wythenshawe even 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
old article about refs not being allowed to ref teams they may support
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/manchester-official-anthony-taylor-allowed-12005260
kimtoon(Quote)
It was also apparent that about an hour in, Muto and Perez and Kenedy started to run out of steam leaving the defenders and mids plenty of space and time. What Rafa sees in Murphy and Atsu I have no idea and neither have they.
georgio(Quote)
I was unfair to Diame in my comments yesterday. I think him giving the freekick away and that poor header was stuck in my mind, and overshadowed what was actually a good performance to be fair to him.
I still don’t understand not putting a defender on that post for free kicks?!.
Man Utd were below par that first half, and Jose made good changes at the right time of the game – it helps having that kind of quality on the bench, but the heat was on him yesterday and he showed he hasn’t thrown the towel in yet.
But I think Muto made a big difference to us yesterday with his style of forward play. He was making the runs that Shelvey can play the passes for – he looked improved yesterday.
Kenedy and Perez looked sharper – more like they did at the end of last season when Gayle was in the team playing a similar style to Muto yesterday.
Was that because these players upped their games coz it was Old Trafford?. I hope not, but we’ve got yet another few weeks to wait.
The positive thing is that we have a run of 3 fixtures where we could certainly put some decent points on the board.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Having had 8 pretty horrible fixtures (bar maybe Cardiff), here are our next 10 fixtures which would take us up to Christmas:
Brighton (h)
Saints (a)
Watford (h)
B’mth (h)
Burnley (a)
W Ham (h)
Everton (a)
Wolves (h)
H’field (a)
Fulham (h)
With only 2 points on the board at the moment, and 30 up for grabs from the above fixtures – what’s the realistic return do we think?
For info – we had accrued 15pts by the 23rd Dec last season. So based on that – is 12-15pts realistically achievable from those fixtures?
Sharpy17(Quote)
5 points.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I blame Tobin and Squi and PG.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Funnily enough I think our players are better equipped to play away from home on the counter. Teams who come to SJP might just sit a little deeper knowing we will struggle to break them down.
Reckon we might get 10 points from that lot, Sharpy.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – yeah I was thinking realistically 9-10pts from those fixtures. But if we were to get say 6-7pts from 3 in a row there then maybe as many as 12.
Football aside, how did the big meet go yesterday?
Sharpy17(Quote)
As bad as things have looked for us, I’m just watching Fulham getting picked apart by Arsenal.
Mitrovic may score them goals, but they will concede 3 for every one he scores.
The league looks ugly now, but it’s early doors. I think it will be similar to last season, with a good 6-8 teams down there. I think we will be one of them, but will we have enough – or will there be investment in Jan to inject us again as Dubravka and Kenedy did last year.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy:
Stuart is a really nice guy.
It was a bit strange tough because none of the usual people who watch the games in Chicago turned up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I was in awe of Eric complete calmness and utter belief we would win the game even when we were being battered. His mate, Robert and I were the complete opposite! It was a good day – I enjoyed it. Well, apart from the result that is.
Stuart79(Quote)
Just remembered something I read on the Fans Forum minutes. Apparently SD are going to start paying for their ads and this next bit is hillarious – SD only take space at the stadium that goes unsold. Given the number of SD signs scattered around SJP are we really expected to believe that almost nobody wants to advertise at the ground? Laughable!
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart, mate. Enjoy the rest of your time in Chicago. Really. Go to the Art Institute. It is not to be missed. I have been to The Louvre, The Met in NYC and The Prada. This is about the 4th after those. Maybe the Tate, not new Tate, old Tate.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And take that Lancashire home with you 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My time in Chicago is over… I’m in the airport now waiting to fly to NYC. I need a new liver though!
Stuart79(Quote)
12-13points is achievable. We’ll see. We were so much better with Muto up there. Joselu is just big, he offers nothing. Rafa – it’s time to try Longstaff and Roberts. Murphy and Atsu are rubbish.
georgio(Quote)
Absolutely agree with that, Roberts and Longstaff need to get game time. They cannot be worse than Atsu or Murphy or Hayden or, or, …
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Rafa wasted £18m on those two useless buggers!
georgio(Quote)
agree
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric/Stu – for what it’s worth I think it’s class that yous took the time to get together ?
But Eric calmness personified?! He must save his ranting for on here then!! ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: Stuart was right though about what was happening in the game. I was applying logic. It hardly ever happens that you are 2 nil up with 20 minutes to play and lose 3-2.
Stuart was applying NUFC logic which doesn’t apply to physics or the universe.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart was applying NUFC logic which doesn’t apply to physics or the universe
isn’t that the truth. 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
To be fair though, Eric, Robert was also on planet NUFC and he was only drinking coffee!
But I am still pissed off worh Diame. Not for the foul but the awful header he missed when it was 2-2. If he’d have scored that would have been that. They wouldn’t have recovered. Small things like that make a big difference.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – yeah I was annoyed with Diame last night. He did have a decent overall game, but that freekick let them back in, and that header doesn’t get any better than that!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
it’s the not given handball that’s still bugging me , awful mistake by Taylor .
kimtoon(Quote)
VAR
Sharpy17(Quote)
You don’t know Robert, Stuart. He would complain if it was 78 degrees Fahrenheit because it wasn’t 77 degrees or expressed in celsius .
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – I’m watching the Lpool v City game at Anfield and they have the likes of Bet Victor, Nivea, Western Union, New Balance and Carlsberg all proudly being associated with Lpool.
It’s always disgusted me that we have no advertisements for the Bobby Robson foundation – yet I’m sure there is a Rugby League team that does.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Agree sharpy, there should be ads promoting both sir bobs foundation and Alan Shearers centre/foundation for disabled kids.
kimtoon(Quote)
Sorry, but our game last night knocked spots off this bore fest imo
kimtoon(Quote)
The worst penalty in the history of penalties.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – yeah I forgot about Shearers but absolutely.
It’s always bothered me that as a one club city, we don’t promote more local charities, businesses or venues like we used to.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – “I still don’t understand not putting a defender on that post for free kicks?!.”
You can do it for corners but if you try from free kicks it opens the door for the opposition having six players standing in our six yard box with Dubravka and none offside.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – does it matter from such close range mate?. It was just outside the box and by the time we get pushed back 10yds they wouldn’t be gaining too much ground anyway – but it defends that side of the goal rather than leaving it wide open for Mata to score, and Xhaka when we played Arsenal.
If the defender on the line clears it, it doesn’t matter how much closer the opposition get.
Sharpy17(Quote)
It does leave it open to a little chip into the six yard box though. Whatever, it’s a moot point but I’ve not seen anybody try it yet and you’d think someone would have by now.
Our real problem is scoring goals anyway.
georgio(Quote)
yeah, as I understand it that’s exactly why it isn’t done. All the same I would take the risk.
kimtoon(Quote)
Georgio – if they are chipping into the box they aren’t shooting at our goal and we would have other defenders in the box to block or clear it.
Personally I would be trying it cost that’s 2 we have conceded already as a result of not trying it.
I’ve noticed that Brighton now have a playing kneeing down behind the wall so when they jump the taker can’t knock a cheeky one underneath it. I don’t know how many they conceded like that before hand, but smart move to avoid conceding.
I’d be putting someone like Yedlin or Ritchie on that post. That makes that target a lot smaller for the taker. If the ball is chipped over, then they are facing play, can see that happening and are quick enough to get out and close them down.
The other end is easier again mate – just don’t play Joselu ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Or Murphy or Atsu. It’s playing with nine men when those two are on the pitch. Throw in Joselu and that’s eight! 😆
georgio(Quote)
“Georgio – if they are chipping into the box they aren’t shooting at our goal and we would have other defenders in the box to block or clear it.”
Have you seen the pic of Sanchez’ winner? They have three players attacking ball, all in the air. We have three defenders all flat footed on the ground. Lascelles, Yedlin and Ritchie.
Last week when Maguire headed in Morgan was riding on Lascelles shoulders. He was still on there when Maguire ran away celebrating. After Saturday you have to wonder just exactly what the refs are watching.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – yeah those 3 certainly highlight the lack of quality in our squad. The thing that links them all is they are all Rafa signing though.
Did we/do we have better option there. Rafa sold Thauvin in the same window as signing Atsu and Murphy if I’m not mistaken. I know Thauvin wasn’t great for us under previous managers, but I don’t think Rafa too a good enough look at him before selling and bringing those 2 in for a total of £20m (which surely could have been used to bring in better)
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m struggling to think of who he could have brought in that would be worse. He even got the wrong Murphy brother!
georgio(Quote)
From what I hear Atsu wasn’t suppose to made permanent. It was only done when Rafa realised he wasn’t getting a decent budget. £6m he cost. Who’s better for that? As for Murphy I still think he’s a talented player but needs time. Writing a young player off after one season is silly imo. As for Joselu! £5m FFS! Who could he have bought for that?
People are asking Rafa to buy Champagne when he only has enough cash for a pint of lager.
Stuart79(Quote)
Exactly . Anyone who thinks these are first choice on his list are daft, more like hobson’s choice for Rafa.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – I’ve never for one second thought they were close to his first choice – but they were still his choice, and I’m not sure the little money he spent on the improved us – Murphy/Atsu or Thauvin/Aarons, Joselu or Mitrovic/Murphy?.
He should have been given money to improve the squad, but having not been, I think he could have made better use with what he had.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Aarons is a dogs dinner. He’s clearly not disciplined to be a successful footballer. He’s also not improved at all in 5 years. As for Thauvin, Rafa has already said he wanted to keep him but he wanted to go back to France. Having said that, from what I aW of him he was never going to be good enough because he never wanted to be here. We can’t make a judgment on Mitro yet as he’s not had a full season at Fulham but he himself has said he wouldn’t do the work Rafa asked him to do. What should Rafa do then?
Stuart79(Quote)
Better than 10th Sharpy? Really?
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – I remember us disagreeing about Aaron’s. You wanting the club to pay him bigger wages and me saying he had to prove himself.
But you took the Rivière one so I’ll not labour the point too much ?.
I do wonder if him going off the rails was down to the lack of opportunity to get into the first team. His injuries didn’t help and he fell away – bit of a slippery slope after that.
Yeah, once Thauvin went over to France it was always going to be difficult to get him back. But I do think Rafa could have tried harder with him and at least took some time to look at him in the pre-season before just letting him go. He was contracted to us so I don’t care if the player wanted away.
But Mitro is the one for me. If he wasn’t perfect for Rafas system, then Rafa should have changed to accommodate him rather than getting a £5m second rate player in instead.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Highly unlikely – ok, you can have that one.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Couldn’t disagree more on Mitro. No way should a manager change his entire game plan and style for a player who, lets face it, has proved absolutely nothing. Ok of it was Messi or Ronaldo but Mitro? Give ower!
Stuart79(Quote)
Thanks ?
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – I’m not suggesting he changes his whole game plan to accommodate Mitro. He can still play the same formation, it would be a case of having a player in there to support or do those extras.
Sir Bobby did it with Shearer when he brought Bellamy in to be his runner. I know obviously Shearer was far more proven than Mitrovic. But Mitrovic is/was a far greater goal threat than Joselu or Rondon – the players he’s brought in to replace Mitrovic.
Sharpy17(Quote)
So after some time to reflect I reckon we can get maybe 12 points from the next 10 games. losing and letting the other team score 3 times in the last 20 minutes will give you food for thought. The problem is then we have Liverpool, Watford and Man U before the transfer window opens.
That’s 21 games played and where do we get a goalscorer in January?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If we put out our best team are we better than 3 other teams? Probably. Cardiff, Huddersfield and Southampton. Maybe Brighton and Hughton has been relegated before.
The Fatman seems engaged again. What is that about? Why do you not attend a game for 18 months and then suddenly go to 3 on the trot and take everybody out for pizza?
And what’s with offering a holiday for staying up? Even the worst paid starter gets over a million pounds a year (20k a week x 52). It’s not like they are Sports Direct warehouse workers. They can afford their own holidays.
I am confused. I am confused by how badly we played in the 1st 7 games and the capitulation of a Rafa team on Saturday. If there was one thing you could usually be sure of it would be that a Benitez team would not throw away a 2 goal lead in the last 20 minutes to a Man U team in crisis who had been awful against Valencia 4 days before. That’s why I was calm with Stuart. I thought the worst we would get was a draw and I would have taken that before the game.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Hopefully Rondon will be fit by then! Whoever Rafa wants to loan in January he’d better get done on time for Jan 1st. It’ll have to be loan as no one decent will come permanently if we’re still near the bottom.
georgio(Quote)
It also has to be from abroad as we already have 2 season long loans from the PL.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My head hurts and it wasn’t from day-drinking with Stuart. It is NUFC. The more you try to figure them out the more complicated it gets. What was it Churchill said about Russia? They are a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Welcome to Newcastle United Winston.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Again. If there was anybody you could choose to hold onto a 2-0 lead with 20 minutes to go it would be Rafa Benitez. And then…
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The players particularly the forwards just ran out of steam. Are they fit enough Rafa? Then why would you replace forwards with other forwards when you’re trying to hold a 2-0 lead. He could have brought Clark and Schar on instead of the useless Murphy and Atsu. The bloke is just too inflexible in my mind.
georgio(Quote)