Saturday sees Newcastle face Aston Villa in a crucial Premiership survival contest at the very ground which saw the Magpies related from the top flight in 2010.
Many will be expecting a relatively straight forward victory for Newcastle considering their recent form and the fact that Villa have been so poor this season. Rafa Benitez though, is far too experienced to assume that three invaluable points will be gift-wrapped and offered up for Newcastle to gleefully accept and take back to Tyneside.
Villa’s predicament means that they simply have nothing to lose. Already relegated with the crowd fully focussed on venting frustration at their ownership, the players have the freedom to perform without expectation. In fact, they are expected to lose. It is a bizarre situation that Newcastle will have to handle with defiant determination and controlled professionalism. Benitez is just the man for that kind of proposition and he has let his side know exactly what he expects of them.
Benitez will be prepared for the task at hand, make no mistake. Janmaat is available again at right back but is no longer a certain starter following the form of Anita who could well keep his place in the side. He may well field an unchanged side, which Rafa rarely did at Liverpool and Chelsea but he seems to see the value of consistency when results have gone so well in a relegation fight. The time for rotation and experimentation is not exactly now. Rafa must go with what he trusts. That is one of the reasons why it wasn’t exactly a shock to see Obertan and Marveaux leave the party early. With absolutely no chance of involvement in the final two fixtures, the French flops were given the opportunity to seek employment elsewhere.
If Newcastle are to survive, a victory is essential. The noises coming out of the squad are so much more positive than earlier in the season. The players seem to be united at last and there is a sense of togetherness that has been so dearly lacking for a number of seasons. The fans are up for it too with a considerable upturn in performances allowing fans to dream of a survival which seemed so unlikely five games ago.
Wins for Chelsea and Man United would certainly help ease the nerves too, but first and foremost, Newcastle must do the business at Villa.
In Rafa we trust!
I actually said we’d draw v villa but we’d also beat spurs. I still believe this.
We just need a **** Everton team to beat a buzzing Sunderland team and Watford to put a show on for their home fans.
Gashley(Quote)
This hurts. Brilliant comments by Shearer. He noticed we drew and Sunderland won, then said we messed up. Yes Alan we figured that one out ourselves. Aye Kimtoon lass. We were eventually going to go down again with Ashley in charge. He still doesn’t have a clue after 9 years of ownership.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Cisse was shocking. Bad call but Rafa hasn’t got many options. Villa were onto Townsend and nullified his cut-ins. Wijnaldum offers nothing a Sissoko let us down big style. Our who attacking play was ****
How can we leave shelvey on the bench, especially after taking off two midfielders. I’m not his biggest fan but we needed some decent balls played.
Ultimately, it’s all on fatty for being a tight **** and hiring monkey’s. We’ll go down and won’t come back for a cpl of seasons. Hopefully we’ll get shot of Ashley.
Gashley(Quote)
To have start games with Cisse up front tells us a lot. It tells us we’re absolutely screwed. That man has the first touch of an elephant. Mitro is probably the slowest striker in the league. No way to build a successful team. Huge disappointments all over the squad. Doumbia = disaster, De Jong might as well have stay in the Netherlands. Same with Wijnaldum except for about 4 home games. No depth in defense. Saylor isn’t even Championship quality anymore. Shelvey just didn’t have it after the first couple of matches. Disasters everywhere. Good luck to whoever gets the job of rebuilding us. Especially if Ashley and Charnley are still around.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Can we get back up with such disastrous ownership? That question will haunt me for a long time now. 👿
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Anyways. I’m sick of being depressed about Newcastle so I’m signing off for the foreseeable future
Have fun guys 😈
Gashley(Quote)
Sorry call me deluded but while it’s still mathematically possible I will keep believing we can do it, I’m not throwing the towel in just yet, and I just hope the players and Rafa haven’t either.
Big Dave(Quote)
looking at Everton, Scum couldn’t have an easier game to secure their pl status.
kimtoon(Quote)
Yup. They dithered too long. The clown should have gone before the trip or start of January window.
Shamrock(Quote)
What worries me is how long they will take to appoint a new manager and what sort of a mess our preseason is going to be. Remember 5-1 at Leyton Orient? Next season we will not have the players to get 100 points like last time! This time in two years we could be poor relation to Boro and Sunderland. ❗
DJG(Quote)
Well Stu the trip on your yellow brick road was fun but it’s time for us to face reality now. We need Sunderland to loss both games and us to win. Bearing in mind we could not beat a side that has lost 12 straight and the fact Sunderland just turned a certain defeat into a win I think it’s fair to say we are done in the PL. How disappointing has Gini been in recent months? It was nice have Townsend around for a bit. No doubt he won’t hang around if a PL side comes in for him.
Shamrock(Quote)
Is it not telling that McClaren and Carver are still in the job centre?
DJG(Quote)
You’re welcome on The Funky Fuckitall Express.
Keeping it realistic since who cares.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Funky I’m onboard mate. toot toot!
Shamrock(Quote)
me in all
kimtoon(Quote)
A difficult day for all of us. I didn’t think the team had the same fighting spirit as they did for the last few weeks. Very strange given the need for the points. Just the idea of having to start Cisse was enough to put me off. The first half was a joke. Just terrible from both sides. This will take a huge struggle now and I can’t say I see a solution other than if Rafa stays.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
McClaren was Carr’s choice at the end of the day and he should be held responsible. He filled the team with dead wood as well. He had 40 million to spend in the summer and should have done a heck of a lot better. This is where only buying potential gets you ( Relegated ). We needed experienced players as well. The dumbest move was extending Colocini’s contract.
Terry(Quote)
Colocini’s defensive displays and leadership skill’s is the reason we are relegated.
Terry(Quote)
Without Colocini we have managed 2 win’s and 3 draws. Should have dropped him
Terry(Quote)
G2 Cisse might look a better player in the championship mate. Riviere as back up. Obertan on the wing with Thauvin. Colocini leading the back four. The board are stupid enough to do this.
Terry(Quote)
When you don’t build a balanced squad you are asking for disaster and that’s what we got. The idea that the only players worth buying are foreign and under 25 (until the panic buying of January) is laughable. We must have brought in over 20 midfielders in the last 4 or 5 seasons. But how many decent CB’s did we sign? One (Mbemba)? And how many experienced strikers? None since Cisse and Ba and Remy on loan. Ludicrous mentality that has to be paid for now.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Cisse, Sissoko, Townsend, Perez, Janmaat, Gini,and Krul will all want away.
kimtoon(Quote)
I think Marveaux and Obertan have been released from their contracts Terry mate so neither of them will be around. Saivet might stay I suppose and I don’t know what they’ll do with Gouffy. Shelvey might be around also. Hard to say about Mitro. He was exactly brilliant for us. Sissoko and Wijnaldum out the door for certain. Townsend will be sought after. Krul will probably go. Janmaat will leave I would think. I hope we can hang on to Mbemba and Lascelles. De Jong will probably try to leave to save his career. Hard to say what will happen with Tiote. Lots of huge question marks.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I nearly spat my cornflakes out when we brought De Jong on. The bloke stinks… why not bring Shelvey on, with Shelvey, at least you might get a shot from outside the box…
One of the worst cloggy teams in 3 decades and we have three of them in our squad… what a pity…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Some mouthwatering clashes for us next season. Burton, Rotherham, Brentford and maybe Sheffield Wednesday’s first team?
Shamrock(Quote)
It’s all come to tears no doubt about it. Ashley can thank himself for staying instead of selling up properly a few seasons back. Pretending to sell up doesn’t help anyone Ashly. You overpaid. How sad. Suck it up and sell the club now before it gets even worse.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
And bloody Bristol city too, pop in for a coffee I’m only round the corner from ashton gate lol
kimtoon(Quote)
For me the key matches were the draw at home to Sunderland, the loss away to Norwich and this draw at Villa. Seven lost points.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Kim I will probably take you up on that mate. I’m only a couple of hours away.
Shamrock(Quote)
G2, What will Scum do without the 6 points they normally get from us next season. Also if Fat Sam is so good how come they are even in a relegation battle. Questions the press and ex pundits should be asking instead of fawning over the fat blob
kimtoon(Quote)
Well, I predict a top ten finish next season, wasn’t that what Tufty promised us ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
How many out and out failures at the club aside from Ashley, Charnley and Carr of course? Here’s my of the top of my head list:
1. Obertan – flop from the get go.
2. Cisse – one season of miracle goals and then flop.
3. Colo – a contract extension? You’ve got to be joking.
4. Saylor – hope he never plays for us again.
5. Marveaux – had one decent game. I think.
6. Riviere – need I say more?
7. Thauvin – was he given enough time?
8. Doumbia – farce.
9. Wijnaldum – how much worse could have played away from home?
Nine flops in the first team alone. No wonder we’re on the verge of relegation.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
On the day Sunderland effectively relegate us, Middleborough take our place in the PL. Can it GET any more embarrassing? (He says in the Chandler Bing way)
Shamrock(Quote)
G2 until he sales up we got nothing to look forward too.
Terry(Quote)
lets hope Defoe gets pissed tonight trips over and breaks his foot.
kimtoon(Quote)
How much was Wijnaldum putting himself out at away matches? Was he at 70%? I doubt it. He was again invisible today except for a few moments and flashes. How pathetic for a Dutch international. Hang your head when you leave Georginio.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Or possibly I get pissed, trip and break Defoe’s foot Kimtoon mate.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 you have to admit Graham Carr has sunk us ?
Riviere what a waiste of 6 million I’d rather have Charlton Cole on a free.
Colocini terrible defender I can see why Toonbrother hates him so much.
Obertan has great pace but nothing else.
If our star potential players leave in the summer and our dead wood players leave will we even have a team next season. Rafa leaving to not a nice position to be in.
Terry(Quote)
nobody with an ounce of sense would buy NUFC from ashley at the price he will be asking.
The greedy fat **** is stuck with us, unless he is prepared to take a massive loss.
Which is the least he deserves.
I hope he sees his SD empire going down the pan too
karma
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
It’s like picking over the leftovers at the SD bin Terry mate. It’s not much to choose from and you probably wish you hadn’t bought it when you get it home. That’s how I feel about Riviere and Doumbia for starters.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I want Jabba gone and Wonga gone, only that can ease this ***** situation.
kimtoon(Quote)
I wish I knew exactly who picked the players and who picked McLaren Terry mate. I have this horrible feeling it was all of them, the complete set of fat slackers we call an owner, an MD, a board, and a head scout.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Ashley the fat w@nker, who I’m going to call the fanker for short now. Anyway this fanker Ashley who has had 9 years to learn how to be a decent owner, who has had nine years to learn not to hire his fanker friends, who has had nine years to stop with the bollocks is still with us. How we deal with that is a huge problem that has to be solved.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Beardsley Boots I would love to see his sports direct empire goes bust but he will sink us as well mate.
Terry(Quote)
G2 what ever happened to the blogger on here years back called I LOVE MIKE ASHLEY. He must be to embarrassed to come on here now. Must feel like a complete ****.
Terry(Quote)
If he wants to completely asset strip the club and put the club into administration, it will matter not 1 jot.
If we get relegated to the conference it will matter not 1 jot
The club will survive and will rebuild and rise again.
Bring it on.
The fan base is strong and will stick with whatever is left.
At the end of the day, the club is bigger than ashley could ever aspire to.
Do your worst mr ashley, then get the **** out of town.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Well said Beardsley Boots. I wouldn’t put it past Ashley to put the club into administration.
Terry(Quote)
Well I think the reality is we are down. Out yellow brick road was fun while it lasted, Sham.
Would hope that from this shambles the club realise that this folly of only buying young players has failed miserably. Sunderland needed a goal scorer and they bought Defoe and he kept them up. We would never entertain him because he was too old and we wouldn’t make any money from him.
Let’s hope they will learn.
Stuart79(Quote)
Is it really beyond all possibilities that Sunderland draw and lose their next two games?
Stuart79(Quote)
Yes. They just came from behind twice and won. Against Chelsea. I have no faith we will beat Apurs either.
Shamrock(Quote)
I don’t want to continually bash our Managers, especially someone who has been as successful as Rafa, but why play Cisse? I would also scratch my head when Robson played Shola.
At least when Mitrovic came on it looked like we might score. I was surprised we didn’t win that game, we had enough chances. The net is the same size in The Championship, right? Will our forwards be able to hit there?
What was needed today was a bit of creativity or even genius. Someone who could create something from nothing. Townsend can occasionally, and who was that fat bloke that Pards ran out of town and is now interesting Barcelona and Chelsea?
It is a bit depressing because we really should have won that game.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I just looked up the stats and we had 9 shots of which 3 were on target. Villa had 2, none on target. I thought it was painful to watch and that confirms it. It also confirms we probably did enough to win.
I really thought we would win. How bad must de Jong, Riviere and Doumbia be in training to not get on in place of Cisse?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Here is an article from Ryder. I didn’t even read it because I was struck by how the people in the Corporate seats are dressed.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastles-flawed-signing-policy-heading-11300436?
There is one person with a black and white tie and that is it. I am not saying they should all be dressed in replica shirts or Toon Beenie hats but maybe the odd scarf here and there. The Managing Director seems to be wearing nothing showing he has any allegiance to NUFC. They all look like they are dressed for a cold Day at the Races or ready for a 5 minute walk to The Opera, not a football match.
There is no sense of belonging it that picture, no passion displayed. They may as well have been talking to their accountant rather than watching a football match. Or watching the Fat Lady sing which is actually what happened today I think.
I know you do not have to dress from head to toe in black and white to be a fan. But I think football is tribal and showing colours is part of that. Go to any American sporting event and even the owners and money men will be wearing a team baseball cap or at least a badge/pin like Rafa does on his lapel.
Even the Fat Man wears a black and white scarf or tie.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
By the way, I am not one to be wearing a replica shirt for a night out or a day at the beach. However, I do think it is appropriate to have the club colours or a crest on at the match. If you don’t, I think it shows total detachment and disinterest which is what I am saying about The Corporates.
“Oh, Jemima, how terribly gauche of you to have that black and white scarf on. You might be mistaken for one of the plebs in the cheap seats. Look at Keith Bishop up there, he is appropriately dressed with his powder blue scarf, and Lee Charnley, very dashing in his plain black scarf and dark suit.”
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Am I going over the top again? I know that a lot of business is done at the matches and it is a way of getting people together in a congenial atmosphere and all that. But you are there to have fun and join in. You aren’t off to the office so why dress like that? I am not saying put on the replica shirt or take it off and display your NUFC belly tattoo. I am saying show some allegiance Jemima. Wear something that says you support the Toon and are at a football match and not a cocktail party or a wedding.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am watching a replay of a Chicago Cubs game and about 90% of the people behind home plate have some sort of Club identification showing. A hat, a shirt a blanket even (it has been really **** weather in Chicago this year). They pay about $250 apiece for those tickets and they are not dressing like they are off to a dinner party. It is not beneath them to dress down for a day and show some support for their team.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
There is no excuse for Charley and Bishop in that picture. They are club employees. A few of the others in that picture might be corporate invites but the rest are probably fans. I think it is so pompous to think it beneath them to wear club colours. They are at the football match FFS and that is not beneath them so why pretend they are at the Opera.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
http://www.footballinsider247.com/newcastle-news-colback-in-fa-betting-probe/
Kimtoon(Quote)
Kim. I will be happy for all of them to leave apart from Andros and Ayoze. Krul perhaps also as he’s been a good ‘keeper in the main.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a premier league club bid for Lascelles to be honest. People may scoff but honestly how many better young English CBs are there atm? On talksport Adrian Durham was talking about taking him to the Euros after he was at SJP for the Swansea match. Are players like Darlow, Armstrong,Dummett gonna get us back up? Clubs are supposed to be after Aarons but I think that might be paper talk. He might stay if guaranteed to be playing more games. Boro have finished top 2 because they had some players who are above championship level (Downing, Gaston R, Ayala, even Rhodes & Nugent are good for championship) We need some international level players to get back up.
DJG(Quote)
I’m hopeful that Armstrong can be one of our strikers next season. He has.done well to score 19 goals in his first ‘proper’ season. Okay it was only league 1 but more importantly he has glowing reviews from the Coventry fans. They were a championship team until quite recently and I reckon they know a good player with potential when they see one. The next logical step is the championship. He seems to have everything apart from the size and strength so maybe he can partner Mitrovic. What we need is a partnership like that to be given time to develop. Playing Cisse upfront on his own is ridiculous. We haven’t replaced Remy and Ba if we wanted to play like that.
DJG(Quote)
The fact is that we have relied on players with potential to keep us in the league. Players like Mitro, Perez, Gini and Mbemba were bought to get better and then be sold at a profit. Treating the club like a trading company and forgetting it was a football club is the biggest reason we are where we are. Players like Defoe and Huth were needed but we wouldn’t make any money on them so we didn’t buy them. Looks very silly now considering it’s costing us £100m minimum.
Thing that pisses me off is that most people knew it too, apart from them at the club.
10%.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sissoko and Janmaat first out of the door for me.
Groucho(Quote)
Stuart and others have nailed it.
Nevermind **** managers, part developed players are why we’re down. We play the most expensive youth team in all honesty. Barely any are full players yet.
I don’t see how we come back up this time.
funkyjesus(Quote)
That comes back mainly on the guy I’ve been calling out for years – Graham Carr.
The guy is a joke.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Playing Cisse upfront on his own is ridiculous.
spot on DJG
Been saying this for years.
We have never ever been any good playing 1 up top.
we have always looked better and more attack minded playing a traditional 4-4-2
Which is what Leicester have done all season.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
FJ – Carr was surely given a mandate from Ashley to bring in the players he has done. ??
The worst thing ever to happen was Liverpool offering stupid amounts of money for Andy Carroll.
This was a lightbulb moment for ashley and changed the whole approach to running the football club.
GREED
Easy money to be made from bang average players with potential.
WRONG
That was the point when all that mattered was to remain a mid table club. Win nothing, keep clear of european matches etc. Become nothing more than a feeder club to other premier league clubs. Buy cheap and sell on at a profit.
what a complete and utter joke.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Carr can’t be held totally responsible. He couldn’t suggest players over the age of 26 which is just ridiculous.
In January we needed a striker, left back and centre half. We bought three midfielders and a strike on loan who can’t even get in the squad. Charnley and Carr must be held responsible for that mess as that was the last chance.
Stuart79(Quote)
Can’t figure out why we sat so deep in the first half. Did Rafa see it as a banana skin? Or did he create one?
Whatever, it was a strangely lethargic, poor performance from a team desperate for a win against a Villa who had just lost to 11 other teams.
You never know but Everton are well out of sorts and the probability is we’ll be relegated on Wednesday.
Nowt new there but such a shame to lose Rafa as well.
Georgio(Quote)
Georgio – Probably more likely they’ll draw against Everton and Watford and we go down on goal difference.
Stuart79(Quote)
The most painful thing for me, was that we were given hope. Too little too late, but hope all the same. Until then I was resigned to our fate. Predicted it even before the season started.
But getting Rafa in was cruel and doubles the pain of relegation. 5 matches undefeated with these players cannot be under stated. The guy is brilliant, but even he couldn’t put any heart and fight and bottle into this squad of no hopers.
Who exactly we will replace him with is of no concern to me right now, the summer is going to be very interesting indeed.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Very optimistic Stuart – as usual.
Georgio(Quote)
BB – I would put my money on someone like Steve Bruce. I think the club would be looking at someone like that. He’s got teams promoted from the Championship and had done a decent job wherever he’s been in relative terms. He’d be pretty cheap too.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart – if Hull gain promotion via the play off’s (possible) Bruce will not be leaving Hull.
If he fails, (likely) then he is just another failed championship manager.
You’re probably in the right ball park though.
I’m thinking Stuart Pearce myself
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Shamrock I don’t think we should feel embarrassed as fans. The fact remains that we are some of the best fans in the world and have probably the best away support in the league. How the club is run is not something we can control so it’s Ashley and Charnley who should be ashamed/embarrassed. Tottenham might win today for 2nd and there is the possibility that Everton will beat Sunderland on Wednesday, so we shouldn’t give up until it’s over. Our players embarrassed the fans who went to Villa Park though. Sissoko said he was 100% sure we would win (probably after looking at their league form). Then most of our players thought they could have an off day. I wish players like Sissoko and Steven Taylor wouldn’t speak to the press. They are so full of s### it’s unbelievable.
DJG(Quote)
wouldnt it just be brilliant if sunderland lost thee last 2 games and the fact that we couldnt beat a pish poor villa sent us down.
for the life of md i couldnt understand yesterdays game, its as if rafa played the law of probability and lost.
that first half showing was so lethargic it was mind numbing. the second half wasnt much better, but if the likes of colback, cisse and wijnaldum as international professional players cannot tfouble a goalie from 10 yards you can have mourinho, pep and wenger all sitting on the bench togethef, if the players are gash you have no chance.
rafa blew it yesterday, sorry like.. de jong ffs…the bloke is a disaster.. young adam armstrong would have shown them all how to do it in the last 15…thats for sure.
so disappointing with the lethergy shown yesterday…
Munich Mag(Quote)