Going into this week’s Monday night match-up between Chelsea and Spurs where Leicester City clinched the Premier League title, Jamie Carragher had his say on how he feels boss Rafa Benitez have changed the way Newcastle United play for the better.
More specifically, the ex-Liverpool man focused on the Magpies’ defending which has improved momentously since the Spaniard took over with two clean sheets to United’s name in their last four matches. Take a look at the video below for Carragher’s full insight into Newcastle’s improved fortunes on the pitch.
With Newcastle United taking on an Aston Villa side who are the lowest scorers in the division, Benitez’s men yet again have another great chance of picking up a clean sheet in a must-win match-up over at Villa Park.
What are your predictions for tomorrow’s 3pm kick-off? Here at NUFC Blog, we’re going for a 2-0 win with Andros Townsend and Moussa Sissoko the scorers.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Carra makes a lot of sense, but it is so hard to listen to that high pitched Scouser accent.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
‘errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm’
Andy The Magpie(Quote)
Is that what he says ATM? I don’t get to see him that much.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I had to turn off the link on your thread. I just couldn’t listen to Carra, pierceing high pitched Scouse put me off my dinner.
Nor Tommo, McManamen, or Stevie Me. Their accents are like nails on a chalk board. Get some elocution lessons from The Beatles.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And shoving someone’s head through a glass door would be a never hire on my hiring criteria. Having a pot belly and man boobs would also rule someone out if I was hiring a fitness coach. Putting someone’s head through glass is a bit more “motivation” than I would want.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
More from Steve Black in a Journal artiicle in 2012:
“My library at home consists of about 15,000 books and 3,000 of them are on strategy,” Steve told me. “I read and devour everything and I’ve learned the most from outside of sport, from the business czars of the world. I then adapt it to my job because the basis of our approach to life, professional and private, remains the same. I learn and I refine ideas to fit in with my own. I’m not a normal sports coach. I’m a one-off with, I hope, a freshness that will interest those listening.”
Yeah right. You have read 15,000 books. No you haven’t!!!! you are a con artist.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just a total liar.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
His job is fitness now. Putting people’s head’s through glass doors earlier. Having Man boobs and a pot belly now. #my belly is bigger than you Dads my tits are bigger than you WAGS.
15,000 books Blackie. And you read 3 of them. Winnie the Pooh, I am Merse, and Conmen for Dummies.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Total conman. The more I read about Steve Black, the more I see he is a total con man:
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/face-to-face-steve-black-4637422
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Again. Con man. From The Journal article about “Blackie” the con man:
“Equally, would England’s super-hero admit that a guy was “the driving force behind all my goals” if he wallowed in his hard man reputation which once saw him throw a person through a glass door ripping his neck wide open?”
Eric Sykes(Quote)
15,000 books. Yeah, f2ck off. Not even a motivational speaker could try to convince a journalist that you read that many? It is the Newcastle Journal though and they are more gullible than any paper in the world – their sister paper employs Ryder FFS.
Blackie is making **** up and if anyone cannot see it they deserve him. He is so full of shyte and up his own arsehole I cannot understand how Sharpie loves him.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So, if it is even possible to read a book a night, that would be 365 into 15,000.
Hmmm… so for Blackie to get through his library it would take 15,000 divided by 365.
41 fucking years. Assuming a book a night. Or 288 years assuming a book a week, moron. Yes, I did call Blackie a moron again.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Blackie has 6.8 metric Tonnes of books in his house. 7.5 US Tons. (I did the maths)
If the books he had were 1 inch in width that would mean he would need 1,250 feet of shelf space to fit them in, NOT inches, FEET.
So, Man boobs Steve Black has 1,250 FEET of shelf space in his house and has read all 15,000 of them which would take 288 years at a book a week.? He is full of shyte, a conman and totally full of shyte.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
At one inch in width for each book that is 15000 inches of shelf space. Are you a library Blackie or do you take us all for idiots?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
He might have the books on an E book reader.
sidekick(Quote)
15000 inches of books is 381 meters wide. So Blackie has 381 meters of book shelf space? It is 416 yards. 19 cricket tracks. Liar, liar pants on fire.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sidekick: he would still take about 288 years to read them though at a book a week.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
AND: let’s say it cost him a tenner a book. 15000 times 10 is 150 thousand pounds on books he didn’t read except Winnie the Pooh.
That would really be a big bonfire of the vanities.
15,000 books Blackie. You liar. You con artist. You charlatan.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Maybe he didn’t mean it as said he had only read Winnie the Pooh? 15,000, 1 point 5 who does the maths 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
381 meters of books. That would stretch around a whole football pitch, with some to spare Does anybody believe Blackie has read that many books. 288 years of them? Yeah, right 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
288 years of books on your shelf. FFS 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Wfrom the end of last thread
Dembele banned six games ,he’s bloody lucky imo,misses toon game
Maybe Blackie could talk into his ear and keep him right 😆
Icedog(Quote)
Ice – instead of talking into his ear he could give him a book to read.
sidekick(Quote)
Agree Icedog. Suarez was banned for 10.
I will stop about this Blackie stuff eventually. I just don’t understand that anybody on here doesn’t think he is a com man – Sharpy. Yes You.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Con Man.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
15,000 books. 288 years of reading. 386 metres of shelf space. FFS Blackie is a con man. 1,250 inces of shelf space.
He said he had 15,000 books, not e-books Sidekick. So my maths is right.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Thank-you Andy, though was confused for a minute as was on the nicky toon thread about Ginola’s thoughts which has no comments 😕 Shame, would like to of had that thread up a while so I could gaze lovingly at the sexy David 😀
Eric, I think we’ve pretty much exhausted the Blackie topic now mate.
Heart says a narrow win, head says draw possible loss due to them suckers wanting to take us down with them. 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
It is not true Blackie. It is not true. You do not have 15,000 books. You are lying and I know you are.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, forget nails down a blackboard, you wanna hear our lewis when he grinds his teeth, it is bloody awful and sooooo loud too, drives me to distraction. 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: I think I have exhausted the Blackie topic 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If ever there was anybody dwelling 🙂 🙂 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
kimtoon: I thought you quite fancied Janmaat? So he should play tomorrow?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Me mam is always shocked that my memory is so good 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Villa have four of their best players out?its hard to work out “which”better players
Icedog(Quote)
ERIC being a nosey git when was the last time you were in the toon ??did you go from toon straight to the good old USA ,
Icedog(Quote)
Oh my days. Fortunately I’ve been golfing all day so missed the additional 12hr nonsense from Eric.
I didn’t for one second think that me posting I was pleased to see Ian Cathro staying on would have lead to all of that.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice: i was in Newcastle for 6 weeks last year. Visited me Mam. Have also seen my brother in Thailand (he kives there) for 6 weeks this year and me Mam and 83 year old Aunt went as well.
We all watched the Toon games late at night in Thailand.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: don’t think I even care about Blackie. I think he is a fraud and said so.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Blackie is a fraud. There I said it. A con man. A cheat. And obviously a thug.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I don’t care about your opinion on the bloke. I didn’t last night & I don’t now – I never will. There I said it – I never will.
What I find incredible is that you can go on a 24hr rant about a bloke you claim you don’t even care about – when he wasn’t even the topic of conversation to begin with. I spoke about Ian Cathro.
You turned the conversation to a bloke you claim not to care about.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I know you don’t care about my opinion on Blackie. He is a fraud though and that is what you do not see. Read what I said and you will see he is a complete fraud. He is absolutely full of ***** and conned you as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
As for the game tomorrow.
If Anita is fit I would leave him at RB personally, but I know he came off injured against Palace so tough call.
I think he’s better defensively than Janmaat, who could maybe come on as an attacking threat later in the game.
I would also go with Perez ahead of Gini as I think Perez offers better support to the CF.
Im still undecided about whether I’d go with Cisse or Mitrovic to start – but I think Rafa may stick with Cisse and it’s a system that seems to be working.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – thanks for the concern but nobody has conned me ever – certainly not Steve Black.
Sharpy17(Quote)
My points is simple. That Blackie is a con artist, a fraud. That he did nothing for NUFC, That he was a thug who put a man’s head through a glass door. That he confused the NUFC players with his pathetic motivational speaker talk. That he said he had 15,000 thousand books in his library when that is a total lie.
DO YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE? About the liar Blackie and how much more he lies?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well Sharpy: you are wrong. You swallowed Steve Black’s line and now spout it on here.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Luckily Blackie didn’t throw you through a glass door when you met him Sharpy? Nice bloke. Failed at NUFC, failed with McClaren everywhere he has been. He did talk to Jonny Wilkinson once though.
Man Boobs, pot belly, physical fitness coach. You are having a laugh FFS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It is a joke man, and you defending him is also a joke.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Look Eric, with respect just shut the **** up about it now man will you – it’s fucking boring.
I come on here to talk about NUFC. To post comments and read other people’s – not to take unwanted advice from you. If I ever wanted it id ask, but that won’t happen – so stop preaching please.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric you are killing the blog. Give it a rest.
Shamrock(Quote)
What is there to kill Sham? You said yourself it was dead and you weren’t even sure if you would be on here any more.
Who has been on? You haven’t really.
TDS turned up after 3 months.
If I hadn’t have posted 55 times then there would have only been 5 posts.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So STFU.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have not posted because you have been a *** all day.
Shamrock(Quote)
I was done with Blackie but then I read that Journal article and it set me off again.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And yesterday Sham 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
3-1 to us. Cisse gets 2.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharp I have said a few times for you not to bite but I can understand why you do bite as it seems like never ending digs at you, even though I agreed with your original views on what Blackie might bring to the team , but it seems like Eric just has his sights set on you.
Eric I do enjoy some of your Craic but to be honest some of your sniping is getting a bit tiring. You go on about the Aussies just coming on to snipe but from what I have seen you snipe and have far more sly digs at bloggers .
Big Dave(Quote)
Lawro predicts a Toon win.
Telegraph claim Ben Arfa is going to Barcelona.
Benitez said: “It’s important to get this message: no complacency, concentrate. We have seen the last games of Aston Villa and they did well against Watford, they did really well. We play against Spurs in the last game, but the next one is the most important one because win this and we approach it with the fans behind us and it will be easier to keep everyone on their toes and motivated. “For this game, we need to be sure that we are focused, and we can’t lose our concentration.”
“I like a little bit of tension because then you can perform better — but not too much. You can’t go there and play with anxiety. You have to play your game. They will play their game. They are a good team in a bad position and they have lost confidence, but they still have some good players and the work-rate is there, so for us the main thing is to be sure that we play at our level. “We have to approach the game with the right mentality and cannot go there and think it will be an easy game. They know — we have been talking about that. We will encourage them to approach the game like a final.”
Meanwhile Chelsea manaver Hiddink has assured Sunderland’s rivals he will cield a strong side this weekend; “Given the situation, it wouldn’t be fair of us to have a serious approach for the Spurs game and not have a serious approach for the other games.
“I am not going to change a lot in the team. Before, I made some changes with academy players, but it would not be fair to do this again to the other teams in the last games.”
Shamrock(Quote)
Dave – I enjoy banter, and I’m don’t take myself so seriously that I can take a ribbing now and again.
But it’s just boring now, you know what I mean?!.
If I was sat having a pint in a pub having to listen to someone ranting on like that I’d drink up and leave. I think that’s what the Aussies have done and a few others – but that’s just my opinion.
I get the impression Sham has had his fill as well.
He’s right, this block is becoming the Eric show – and it’s not a very good one.
I haven’t bit as such, I’m simply trying to make it clear I’ve had enough of hearing him now.
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHAM it’s not really Hiddick I worry about,my worry is will the players have that same attitude,they don’t want to get injurys with the euros coming up and scum will push them,how that Catt stays on the pitch defeats me at times
Icedog(Quote)
As much as I like Benn I just can’t see it.
As for all the rest , that’s what I like to hear.
Big Dave(Quote)
Ice what you say about about Chelsea also applies to Spurs against us on the last day, hopefully anyway!
Shamrock(Quote)
Sham – I saw that earlier today about Benny and Barca.
Can you see that coming off?. I’d be amazed personally, but if he’s on a free then I guess it’s possible – surely not though?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sham just read what you posted there, lets hope its not a bluff and he will field a strong Chelsea team. If that is the case we should be ok, though I have a feeling it may end up in a draw for them, just hoping Chelsea do their stuff and beat them. Then Everton can put on a show for their boss and fans on Wednesday
Simon(Quote)
SHARPY/ERIC it’s becoming a bore now,nobody has had more pee taking than me and Big Dave for a laugh but this isn’t laughable any more ❗
Icedog(Quote)
Not sure re; Benny to be honest. He has had a good season and Barca like a flair player. He cant expect to be a started though. His club president reckons he has been in Barcelona this week having talks so who knows?
I like what Rafa says about the lads needing to concentrate properly. He is saying be switched on from the first to last – because last few games tbeh have sailed too close to the wind at times.
Simon Im sure he is not bluffing. Chelsea have a scrapper or two as well so hopefully Sunderland wont bully them. I am a bjt worried about the Everton game though. Martinez is a dead man walking. Will the players really scrap for him at this stage of the season knowing he is a a gonner?
Shamrock(Quote)
Spot on Ice we have enjoyed a hell of a lot of wind ups and **** takes on the blog but for me the secret is to know when enough is enough.
I enjoy a lot of what Eric comes of with but at times I feel ( rightly or wrongly ) that it’s like listening to a drunk that never let’s up and keeps repeating himself.
Big Dave(Quote)
Yeah Sham you are right about the Chelsea players. Suppose as well got Terry who is still either fighting for another year there or a contract elsewhere, so he needs to put on a show and stop Defoe and whoever else
Simon(Quote)
Ice – believe me, I’m not finding it all that funny either mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Think I’ll duck out the site for a while it’s becoming as bad as eds site if not worst
SHARPY/ERIC I normally enjoy your posts but not this
Icedog(Quote)
Sham – I think it was Mark Lawrence who was saying it at the weekend on MOTD Extra (I usually don’t agree with him, but did on this occasion).
He was saying that Newcastle are like 2 different teams from 1st half to 2nd half. That was certainly the case against Lpool and was against Palace – we looked **** hot at the start of the 2nd half.
Rafa is right. We need to be on our game for the full 90 odd mins.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice – what part do you think is played in this like?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice – am I meant to just agree with the bloke and go along with everything he says just to avoid this nonsense?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy no mate your not expected to just go along with it, as I said I can’t blame you for biting, I don’t think that’s what ice is saying or expecting you to do.
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave – go along with what though mate?. As you have spotted yourself, this isn’t craic or banter – it’s snidey comments.
How long are you expected to go along with that – it’s been around 24hrs now FFS.
Ice is pooling me into his posts, but I’m not sure how I’ve contributed to this. My comment yesterday was about Cathro staying on – I don’t see why Ice is at me on this one like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
just want tomorrow over with now, got a horrible feeling it’s not gonna work out for us. Villa are still scoring. Just hope we get in first and rock their confidence.
kimtoon(Quote)