Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle: Rafa’s return to Anfield ends in defeat despite us making it difficult

The game plan was clear and it looked like it may just pay off for the most part of the first half, but Liverpool found a way break us down, with two of their front three finding the net in a comfortable 2-0 win at Anfield.
 
Before I discuss the game in a bit more depth, here’s a few quick thoughts:
 
  • Merino looked off the pace and needs to pick it up and sharpish if Shelvey’s set for a spell on the sidelines
  • Dummett proved once again what a reliable defender he is – Lejeune and Lascelles look solid together too.
  • Kenedy was frustrating – tried skill in some bad areas and was far sloppier than he’s tended to be. A reminder tonight that he’s still a raw talent. 
  • Atsu and Murphy need to offer more on the break if we’re going to actually cause problems as a ‘counter attacking’ team. 
  • Aside from one missed cross, Dubravka looked pretty assured and sharp off his line again once again.
  • Don’t rage at Rafa for out defensive set up. We’ve got a very good goal difference thanks to this approach – we might’ve scored if we went ‘toe to toe’ but we’d have conceded 3 or 4 no doubt. This could be key in the long run.
 From a defensive perspective we had Liverpool frustrated and passing sideways for 99% of the first half, however a fortunate break of the ball and a piece of slack positioning was all it took for Salah to get in behind and prod home his 24th goal in the league. A real blow to our game plan that was almost working to a tee up until that point – especially when Paul Dummett had contained him so well up to that point.
 
That being said, Mo Diame very nearly drew us level in the last moment of the first half, with his top corner-bound effort being saved superbly by Karius. Looking back, that could’ve been a huge game changer. If that’d have gone in we could’ve returned to our hand plan in the second half, but instead it felt like we didn’t know whether to stick or twist in the second.
 
At 1-0 down it goes without saying that you must have a go if you want to get back into it, but in doing that there’s the risk that you get put to bed at the other end as a result. 
We clearly tried to stay in the game in a bid to have a go late on if the score line stayed at 1 (like City at home in December), but Mane scuppered any hopes of that by making it two. It was a well worked goal, but it was equally frustrating to see Kenedy gift them possession in the moments beforehand.
A defeat is a defeat, but 2-0 isn’t damaging – and there’s always a fear that these games could be when you’re playing one of the best attacking trios in world football.
 
One thing that we did get away with was Jamaal Lascelles’ late push on Salah. It was outside the box, but he was the last man and it could and should have been a sending off that would’ve seen the skipper miss the crucial game against Southampton next Saturday.
 
It’s a difficult one when looking back at the game itself on the whole. We never looked likely to score and didn’t really mount any sort on onslaught on the Liverpool goal, however this cautious approach against top sides has contributed to our respectable goal difference – something that will affectively give us an extra point over our rivals at the end of the season.
 
Yes there’ll be those saying we should’ve had more of a go, with us proving we can beat Man Utd when we did so a few weeks ago, but Liverpool away is a different proposition given their home form and firing front three. 
 
One thing we must do, regardless of the opposition is show more quality in the final third, however. We didn’t have too many opportunities to hurt Liverpool today, but we quite often flattered to deceive, made the wrong decision or struggled with the quality of our final ball.
 
It wasn’t an easy watch, but this isn’t a game that will define whether we beat the drop or not. It’s upcoming home games against Southampton and Huddersfield that will be key.
 
Those are the games where attacking intent and a positive approach will be essential. Onto Southampton we go – HUGE game.
(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

122 thoughts on “Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle: Rafa’s return to Anfield ends in defeat despite us making it difficult

  1. Just glad our goal difference didn’t take to much of a dent today. It panned out pretty much as I expected to be honest.
    We need to start turning some of our draws into wins to make it count, last week was a major slip up. Had we held on last week we’d be sitting on 31 and still looking ok given todays results. As it is we are far from safe, two more to go as the Baggies are surely doomed.

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  2. In case anybody thinks Mr. Roy is OK now and should be respected:

    1. Brasil farce

    2. Iceland farce

    3. Ray Lewington siteseeing trip instead of preparing for Iceland

    4. Harry Kane taking corners

    5. Rooney running the team and taking press conferences

    6. Had resignation letter prepared before Iceland debacle

    7. Joe Hart

    8. 30 second press conference and walked out at resignation

    WHAT I SEE IS THESE JOURNOS REWRITING HISTORY TO SAY HE WAS/IS AN “HONOURABLE GENTLEMAN”. No he is not. He was a coward and a loser when in charge of England. He set up his teams to fail and went on a Seine cruise when he should have been doing his job.

    Hopefully Palace will be relegated.

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  3. Predictable result at the end. We had the odd half chance ect but clear Rafa sees the games against the teams around us as the big ones. Two massive home games now. Win them and we will stay up.

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  4. Didn’t expect us to win yesterday. Hoped we might sneak a draw but this was a hope rather than an expectation. Liverpool are at the top of their game at the moment and we did well only to lose two nil. However that doesn’t cover my disappointment as I want us to win every game and am upset when we don’t. I see quite a few are highlighting a poor performance from Merino. No allowance made that he hasn’t played for some time. What I saw was an intelligent player trying to make the right kind of passes. We have too many hoofers in the side.

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  5. Groucho:
    Didn’t expect us to win yesterday. Hoped we might sneak a draw but this was a hope rather than an expectation.Liverpool are at the top of their game at the moment and we did well only to lose two nil. However that doesn’t cover my disappointment as I want us to win every game and am upset when we don’t.I see quite a few are highlighting a poor performance from Merino. No allowance made that he hasn’t played for some time. What I saw was an intelligent player trying to make the right kind of passes.We have too many hoofers in the side.

    Agree mate but there always has to be a scape goat when we lose .

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  6. Thanks to the weather I was able to have a full on footy day yesterday.
    I watched the Burnley/Everton game and later on ours.

    It drew me to a sad conclusion. If things don’t change in the summer in terms of recruitment and us improving, I think I’m done watching Newcastle games.

    I just don’t enjoy watch our games, and haven’t for some time now. There has to be something wrong when you enjoy watching Burnley more than your own club – and I know we will go on about the money spent and backing the manager and things like that. But the reality is that Burnley haven’t spent a fortune – they haven’t spent close to what Everton spent and they don’t have that £30m star player nevermind a collective of them.

    It’s just too much like hard work watching our games. It’s painful at times – so I stick with it til the end of the season, but it we don’t get players in in the summer that I think can make the difference (and that doesn’t necessarily mean £30m players) then I think I go to score checking until things change.

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  7. Sharpy, it’s incredibly sad that we are reduced to what we’ve become because of one mans greed , arrogance and down right spite. And it is spite now, of that I have no doubt.
    Like a child he sticks his fingers in his ears and refuses to listen to those better placed than him to understand the game and what’s needed to make us competitive. His pride stops him taking a perfectly good offer of £250m with no strings for the club. An offer which most finance experts in football clubs acquisitions all deemed a fair price given our situation.
    I have said often that he has no intention to sell, he is on to a good thing with SD free adverts and has zero affinity to the club and area.
    His all consuming greed means he will hang onto us for as long as he can make money for SD and by and large it’s working as proved by the huge increase in SD profits since owning us.
    I hope and pray we survive and he gets a offer he can’t refuse but fear we will see more of the same. He is killing the club in the worst possible way, with apathy and starvation of adequate funding. A world class coach and he dicks him about like he did with KK, big Al and Hoots, all brushed aside like pawns on a chessboard.
    He will pick up his ball and leave us stood on the pitch scuffing our feet when it suits him and not before.
    He is the ultimate gambler but his luck will run out at some point and by default so will ours, then it’s a case of can we rise from the ashes and that depends on a knight in armour coming to our rescue- I’m not holding my breath.
    It’s bloody depressing and right now the only shining light is Rafa, when he goes so will the likes of Lascelles , Shelvey and anyone worth a good return .

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  8. Sharpy17:
    Thanks to the weather I was able to have a full on footy day yesterday.
    I watched the Burnley/Everton game and later on ours.

    It drew me to a sad conclusion.If things don’t change in the summer in terms of recruitment and us improving, I think I’m done watching Newcastle games.

    I just don’t enjoy watch our games, and haven’t for some time now.There has to be something wrong when you enjoy watching Burnley more than your own club – and I know we will go on about the money spent and backing the manager and things like that.But the reality is that Burnley haven’t spent a fortune – they haven’t spent close to what Everton spent and they don’t have that £30m star player nevermind a collective of them.

    It’s just too much like hard work watching our games.It’s painful at times – so I stick with it til the end of the season, but it we don’t get players in in the summer that I think can make the difference (and that doesn’t necessarily mean £30m players) then I think I go to score checking until things change.

    Watching NUFC under the ownership of Jabba has been like you describe for 9 years. I actually don’t really care what division we play in whilst Jabba still owns the club because there’s no exciting future or ambition. Sad but true.

    I will say about Burnley though, last season they weren’t very pretty to watch. I think they’ve just evolved every season.

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  9. 6 defeats in a row for WBA. Worst run for 7 years. Does any of this sound familiar NUFC, Palace and WHam fans? How do these people keep getting jobs? And you just know that when he is sacked he will be on The Debate or the pundits’ couch for the World Cup.

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  10. Sharpy: I think Rafa is doing a good job given the resources he has but can you really say we have played well in any game this season apart from West Ham at home? The Man U win was nice but we were never comfortable and the last 10 minutes was excruciating.

    We need a couple of flair players or we all may as well just watch Liverpool because at least they are entertaining.

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  11. Eric Sykes:
    Sharpy: I think Rafa is doing a good job given the resources he has but can you really say we have played well in any game this season apart from West Ham at home? The Man U win was nice but we were never comfortable and the last 10 minutes was excruciating.

    We need a couple of flair players or we all may as well just watch Liverpool because at least they are entertaining.

    I think we played really well against Southampton away, I think also against Everton and also Bournemouth. The fact we just can’t take the chances is the reason we’re where we are.

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  12. I suppose I am not giving the lads enough credit. I didn’t see the Everton game but we still lost. Hopefully we can wipe that smug look off the chewing oaf in the return fixture. They just showed highlights of yesterday’s match against Burnley and him chewing/smacking gum with his mouth open just gets ever more annoying to me. The Everton fans have turned on him which I am very happy to see.

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  13. Ashley is a complete cancer in our club and I agree with Kim, there appears now to be this childlike defiance which is destroying things for us.
    Our player recruitment is just awful. Graham Carr took a lot of stick for some of the players he brought in, but the ones Rafa has brought in since are equally as bad. That for me is down to them having to work with a completely restricted budget.

    I’m torn with Rafa a bit to be honest as well. I think the man is a world class manager & with a Pardew or Pulis, I think we would be a lot worse off. I think with a manager like one of those 2 we would be bottom 3 expecting relegation. With Rafa we staying afloat, but I honestly don’t think we go down – mind that is mainly due to 3 clubs being worse than us.
    Where I struggle with Rafa though is his decisions. I don’t get the Mitrovic decision to they get Joselu or an injured Slimani. I don’t get the decision to make Merino a permanent signing when we had him loaned for the full season. He had a decent start, but the lad is bang average – no better than Hayden who we already own.
    I don’t get the loan of this keeper who to me doesn’t seem any better than what we have.
    I’m not getting into tactics against top 6 teams, coz I get it – I just don’t like it. But his substitutions confuse me at times.

    I know that seems like I’m being heavily critical of Rafa, but while I’m venting I may as well get it off my chest.

    My overall feel though is that with the right backing and support, Rafa could have had us up there with Burnley safe and making preparations for next season in the PL. Instead we probably have 3 or 4 fixtures than will define our season.

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  14. Player power is gone really over top,Barca wish to extend their airport but cannot as Messi will not allow planes to fly over his home ffs the worlds gone mad

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  15. Sharpy17:
    http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/927014645?-11058:809:3

    What a 24ct gobshite!!.Some of the stuff him & Dyer come out with is beyond pathetic.
    Good on Big Al for calling him out on it though

    Wow! he always talked a better game than he played. Maybe he should ask the Spurs fans what they thought about him – always flattered to deceive.

    England came to Chicago and The Manchester Tourist Board (yes they have one 🙂 ) invited us to the game. We were in a fancy box, the prawn sandwiches part but there were some American journalists there and I got talking to them and pointed out that Jenas was a NUFC player and I was a bit proud of it and maybe a bit boastful about NUFC (we were quite good under Sir Bobby).

    Anyway, Jenas was by far the worst player on the pitch, he couldn’t control the ball, any shot he had was a mile off target, he was just useless. We didn’t get all of the live games back then and most of what I knew about him was what he said about himself and what the press said.

    How did he get any England caps and why did Sir Bobby even play him? Looking back he was pretty shyte. But, as I said, he talks a good game.

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  16. To be fair, Sharpy I think Merino will prove to be a very good player. He has a great technique but if there’s no movement he can look average. He’ll be much better. As for the keeper – very early to be so judgemental surely? What’s he done wrong? I lost count of the amount of times I said “keeper should have saved that” with darlow or Ritchie. I’ve not said that yet with the new one.

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  17. It’s on for quite a while, but the true Geordie done a podcast with Kieran Dyer – it’s on YouTube as well I think.
    The Geordie took Dyer to task on a few things too to be fair to him. I think Dyer went on wanting to just promote his new book, but he didn’t take into account that he was talking to a toon fan.
    I understand now that things happened in his childhood that may have impacted his young adult life – but it’s hard to feel for the lad when he’s sat there saying he knew what he was doing was wrong or out of order.

    In a similar vein to what Jenas is saying there. Both reckon they had the ability to be up there with Gerrard & Lampard – Dyer even reckons he was good enough for a Barca (arrogant *****).
    He always says though that he would regularly be found in pubs round Newcastle having a skin full – but it’s ok coz they weren’t breaking club rules. Well what about personal responsibility for your own development. Neither had the self discipline to better themselves, despite having the help and guidance of people like Sir Bobby, Big Al and Gary Speed.
    They were a group of spoiled kids and still blame everyone else for their failings. Set of ******!!.

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  18. Sharpy17:
    It’s on for quite a while, but the true Geordie done a podcast with Kieran Dyer – it’s on YouTube as well I think.
    The Geordie took Dyer to task on a few things too to be fair to him.I think Dyer went on wanting to just promote his new book, but he didn’t take into account that he was talking to a toon fan.
    I understand now that things happened in his childhood that may have impacted his young adult life – but it’s hard to feel for the lad when he’s sat there saying he knew what he was doing was wrong or out of order.

    In a similar vein to what Jenas is saying there.Both reckon they had the ability to be up there with Gerrard & Lampard – Dyer even reckons he was good enough for a Barca (arrogant *****).
    He always says though that he would regularly be found in pubs round Newcastle having a skin full – but it’s ok coz they weren’t breaking club rules.Well what about personal responsibility for your own development.Neither had the self discipline to better themselves, despite having the help and guidance of people like Sir Bobby, Big Al and Gary Speed.
    They were a group of spoiled kids and still blame everyone else for their failings.Set of ******!!.

    Sharpy: Dyer was actually pretty good when not injured. Jenas was just shyte.

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  19. Sharpy17:
    It’s on for quite a while, but the true Geordie done a podcast with Kieran Dyer – it’s on YouTube as well I think.
    The Geordie took Dyer to task on a few things too to be fair to him.I think Dyer went on wanting to just promote his new book, but he didn’t take into account that he was talking to a toon fan.
    I understand now that things happened in his childhood that may have impacted his young adult life – but it’s hard to feel for the lad when he’s sat there saying he knew what he was doing was wrong or out of order.

    In a similar vein to what Jenas is saying there.Both reckon they had the ability to be up there with Gerrard & Lampard – Dyer even reckons he was good enough for a Barca (arrogant *****).
    He always says though that he would regularly be found in pubs round Newcastle having a skin full – but it’s ok coz they weren’t breaking club rules.Well what about personal responsibility for your own development.Neither had the self discipline to better themselves, despite having the help and guidance of people like Sir Bobby, Big Al and Gary Speed.
    They were a group of spoiled kids and still blame everyone else for their failings.Set of ******!!.

    Did you watch the one with Shearer. Very good. Showed Big Al’s true personality which doesn’t always come through on TV.

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  20. Eric Sykes: Sharpy: Dyer was actually pretty good when not injured. Jenas was just shyte.

    He’s still a *****, and could have been even better if he focused on his football more than his playboy life style.

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  21. Fair play to Brighton but they’ve got some luck playing Arsenal at this stage.

    Games I think we can and should win;

    Southampton H
    Huddersfield H
    Arsenal H
    WBA H
    Everton A

    But let’s assumw we get 8/9 points from them games and we stay up.

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  22. Eric Sykes: Did you watch the one with Shearer. Very good. Showed Big Al’s true personality which doesn’t always come through on TV.

    Yeah mate, I like it coz the Geordie isn’t the typical interviewer with the political correctness and scripted safe questions. I think it puts people more at ease and encourages them to be more open.

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  23. Icedog: Perhaps Wenger should have spent a bit of money on defenders 🙂 They have a good attack but look like they will concede every time Brighton get the ball.

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  24. Stuart79:
    To be fair, Sharpy I think Merino will prove to be a very good player. He has a great technique but if there’s no movement he can look average. He’ll be much better. As for the keeper – very early to be so judgemental surely? What’s he done wrong? I lost count of the amount of times I said “keeper should have saved that” with darlow or Ritchie. I’ve not said that yet with the new one.

    Stu – re Merino, maybe but I fear he’s another Perez. One who has bags of potential but will not fulfil it.
    The keeper looked shaky yesterday. First goal through his legs – never good for a keeper that. But also a couple of set pieces and clearances where he looked a bit suspect – we shall see.

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  25. Sharpy17: Yeah mate, I like it coz the Geordie isn’t the typical interviewer with the political correctness and scripted safe questions.I think it puts people more at ease and encourages them to be more open.

    Shearer was enjoying himself as well because he stayed there for like an hour and a half.

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  26. And another thing about Jenas – his goldfish bowl comment. WTF. Says it is a goldfish bowl and only moves to London where all the papers are based and TRIES to follow in the footsteps of actual NUFC (near) legends who moved to Spurs – Waddle, Gazza, Ginola, Sir Les.

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  27. Stuart79:
    Brighton more or less save now.

    Glad for Hughton. Of all the teams in the relegation scrap they are the team I would like to stay up along with us.

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  28. Sharpy
    I can understand your preference to watching premiership games not involving NUFC.
    We play boring , ultra defensive football under an ultra defensive manager.
    It is very hard to watch.
    Mitrovic would have been a legend here if he had been played with a strike partner – like he was with Serbia and Anderlecht , and is now doing with Fulham.
    There is no way on Earth that Rafa will play two strikers. I don’t think he even likes to have one striker on the pitch.
    If you want to see exciting football from a club on a low budget then watch Brighton. They have a manager who likes to take the game to the opposition – wish we could have got a
    manager like that.

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  29. This is the difference. Brighton have totally gone after Arsenal from the off. They have played their own game and really punished them.
    We would have sat in for the first hour and allowed Arsenal possession and space to knock it about.
    As I write this Arsenal equalise, but whatever the outcome, the Brighton fans will have enjoyed their teams performance and effort today.

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  30. One thing I would take from this Brighton game is to put pressure on Cech. He looks very vulnerable and gives it the Timmy (the hoof) treatment when pressed.

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  31. Sharpy, Can’t agree on the keeper situation mate, I think Debravka is streets ahead of Darlow and Elliot. His distribution, the ability to catch and hang onto the ball and play it out all better imo. He will make mistakes though, that’s human, but I’m liking what I see so far.
    Hayden has looked poor for me too, Merino has been out a while so likely off the pace a bit but he does look an intelligent player, always looking for the pass, he’ll pick up , you’ll see.

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  32. sidekick:
    Sharpy
    I can understand your preference to watchingpremiership games not involving NUFC.
    We playboring , ultra defensive football under an ultra defensive manager.
    It is very hard to watch.
    Mitrovic would have been a legend here if he had been played with a strike partner – like he was with Serbia and Anderlecht , and is now doing with Fulham.
    There is no way on Earth that Rafa will play two strikers. I don’t think he even likes to have one striker on the pitch.
    If you want to see excitingfootball from a club on a low budget then watch Brighton. They have a manager who likes to take the game to the opposition – wish we could have got a
    manager like that.

    Brighton has spent around 50M net investment since last year they up to PL. They really value their chance in PL. I can only wish we spend 20M on a striker.

    But anyway Rafa is a coach who pays lots of attention on the balance of attacking and defending. It may look too defensive for you. I wish you have a coach you like in the future.

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  33. Brighton have been brilliant today, well done hoots. Mind it helps when you have players who can actually finish.

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  34. 57.3M is the net spending for Brighton in season 2017-2018 PL transfers. Well done Seagull and congrats!

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  35. Arsenal have lost 5 of their last 6 and the win was against Ostersunds. I was saying last year that they have an overrated squad but now they are proving it. And I actually agree with Roy Keane for once that Jack Wilshere is the most overrated player on the planet. I don’t think I have ever seen a PL footballer as slow as him. The irony is that apart from a couple of years I think Roy Keane was also vastly overrated. He was a bit above average but was seen as a superstar. Others on the overrated radar are Rooney after 25 and Owen after Liverpool. Aren’t we so lucky to have them all pontificating now (Rooney soon).

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  36. So, a win for Brighton and them all but safe now… great result for Hughton. Wenger is definitely on shaky ground now I think… maybe pards for Arsenal… ???. That was a joke… ?.

    That ref decision to not even give a yellow for the foul that knocked out the Brighton player must be worst ever. Clear dangerous play and straight red for me like.

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  37. Truth is, both JJ and Dyer know full well they let us down and could of done much better . As has been said they had club legends all around to emulate but chose not to, instead getting caught up in the too much to soon culture that’s all to common nowadays.

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  38. Dubai Toon:
    So, a win for Brighton and them all but safe now… great result for Hughton. Wenger is definitely on shaky ground now I think… maybe pards for Arsenal… . That was a joke… .

    That ref decision to not even give a yellow for the foul that knocked out the Brighton player must be worst ever. Clear dangerous play and straight red for me like.

    would of been had it been other way round mate. # bigclubbias

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  39. Sharpy17:
    This is the difference.Brighton have totally gone after Arsenal from the off.They have played their own game and really punished them.
    We would have sat in for the first hour and allowed Arsenal possession and space to knock it about.
    As I write this Arsenal equalise, but whatever the outcome, the Brighton fans will have enjoyed their teams performance and effort today.

    I’m not sure we sit back against anybody apart from Man City at home, Sharpy.

    It’s also worth pointing out that Brighton have spent more than us and Hughton has got the players his squad wanted, not what was left from the end of the transfer window.

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  40. kimtoon:
    Simply have to beat Saints now, don’t want 21 days of misery to follow that game.

    Yup, it’s become the quintessential 6 pointer now hasn’t it? Even a draw is no good for us really…

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  41. kimtoon:
    Truth is,both JJ and Dyer know full well they let us down and could of done much better . As has been said they had club legends all around to emulate but chose not to, instead getting caught up in the too much to soon culture that’s all to common nowadays.

    Just read the Daily Mail article on Jenas and his quotes are even worse, he said:

    “I was coming through as a 19-year-old, Sven (Goran Eriksso) really liked me but Lamps (Frank Lampard) had got himself back into the equation and we were battling it out at this point”.

    He is seriously comparing himself to Frank Lampard 🙂

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  42. Watching Man City against Chelsea. City have had like 85% possession. Will Carra and Neville say they are not trying to win and have given up before they start? Wankers.

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  43. After watching a few games I think I had the same thought about Jenas as most people – that he must be amazing in training because he is shyte in the games so why else would Robson play him.

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  44. Can’t believe the hypocrisy of these Sky pundits!! ?
    Rafa was slaughtered for the same approach Conti has taken today. I’ve heard Souness say it’s an Italian master class, and that it also supports Conti when he says he doesn’t have the players to compete.

    Are you ? serious!!. This Chelsea team won the pissing league last season.
    It’s not been a great spectacle but Chelsea have restricted them to 1 shot – like that’s a positive. But when we played that way it was supremely negative and a joke to football.

    As I write this City score – watch them turn on Chelsea now.

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  45. We have nowhere near the players to compete with City & get slaughtered for playing defensive.

    Conti has left Morata & Giroud on the bench … what we would give to have either of those players!!! – and if we had either, do you think Rafa would have left them on the bench or played them against City??!

    Italian master class my ****!!. Souness is a plank.

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  46. Is this City Chelsea match the most mind numbingly boring match on the planet ever or what… do City realise it’s only 1-0… a Chelsea goal ruins everything.

    Cannot believe Giroud decided to swap Arsenal bench for Chelsea bench. He would be playing 90 mins every week with the Toon. ??☹️

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  47. Sharpy17:
    Can’t believe the hypocrisy of these Sky pundits!!
    Rafa was slaughtered for the same approach Conti has taken today.I’ve heard Souness say it’s an Italian master class, and that it also supports Conti when he says he doesn’t have the players to compete.

    Are you serious!!.This Chelsea team won the pissing league last season.
    It’s not been a great spectacle but Chelsea have restricted them to 1 shot – like that’s a positive.But when we played that way it was supremely negative and a joke to football.

    As I write this City score – watch them turn on Chelsea now.

    totally agree, also think Sky were really insensitive to ask Conti about Davide Astori just before the game, the guy was clearly upset by it.

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  48. Dubai Toon:
    Is this City Chelsea match the most mind numbingly boring match on the planet ever or what… do City realise it’s only 1-0… a Chelsea goal ruins everything.

    Cannot believe Giroud decided to swap Arsenal bench for Chelsea bench. He would be playing 90 mins every week with the Toon.

    I would expect the pundits to slam this game. This was Champions vs Champions elect – this was an advert of the 2 best teams in the PL. This was the showpiece of the best league in the World….

    This was one of the most boring games of football I have ever watched!!!.

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  49. kimtoon: totally agree, also think Sky were really insensitive to ask Conti about Davide Astori just before the game, the guy was clearly upset by it.

    Kim – yeah, I felt for Conti there like. Allowing Conti to pay his respect on camera is one thing, but to ask him things like ‘what kind of person was he?’ – really?!.

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  50. Sharpy it’s not even 24hours since the lad passed ffs, totally out of order but so Sky . I hate the lot of em.

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  51. How do these so called pundits have a job ffs,even Bein sports with snitch and snatch are just as bad,I know Big Al is one of ours but at least he’s fairly honest most times he’s had a small go at managing,what do those arseholes know about managing sweet fanny adams

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  52. The relegation mini-league seems to be sorting itself out. It is now probably any team from 13 to 19 because WBA look beyond hope.

    13 Sawans 30
    14 WHam 30
    15 Huddersfield 30
    16 NUFC 29
    17 Southampton 28
    18 Palace 27
    19 Stoke 27

    We have to beat Southampton otherwise that 3 week break will be difficult.

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  53. These pundits are idiots. Chelsea didn’t choose to play that way against Man City, they were forced to. They had 3 shots and none were on target. They really weren’t concerned about goal difference so the played the way they were allowed to play. Same with Arsenal, and both teams have very good players, a lot better than ours anyway.

    It is like they never watched Pep’s Barcelona or Bayern teams. Once he has them grooved they play the same way. Maybe some of the pundits watched that Champions League final at Wembley where a decent Man U team hardly got out of their own half. Pep just builds machines and these idiots always act surprised when a team has to defend for most of the game and cedes 75% possession.

    It will be interesting to see how Mourinho sets up in a few weeks at Old Trafford. What will the ex-Man U and Liverpool players say then. In fact what did Lampard (Jenas’ competition at England 🙂 🙂 🙂 ) say today?

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  54. Eric, we have the two best fixtures in the next two rounds. Win them and we stay up and both against teams either below us or just one point ahead of us. Lose them and we’re knackered. I’d say we will probably get 4 points

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  55. We need to beat Southampton. Obviously for the points off a relegation rival, but also because as a club & group of players they are in a pretty bad place at the moment.
    Their fans have turned on them and I think a win would not only get us the 3 pts but would further dent their confidence for future fixtures.
    Huddersfield is a tougher fixture as they are a club that is still very much behind their manager and players. We played pretty well against them in the first game but they produced the one piece of quality that won the game.

    Personally I think it’s WBA, Saints and another to go down.

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  56. I now think Palace might be in trouble because of their injuries. They have a better squad than us but not if they are on the treatment table. Anything against Man U would give them a big boost. But I want them to go down not just because of Mr. Roy, as I explained above, but because the idiot pundits are completely rewriting history and painting him as the kindly uncle, the grand old gentleman of football. Jesus, do they all talk some bollocks. I read that some were saying it was a tactical masterclass by Chelsea, until 35 seconds of the 2nd half 🙂

    I would really like them to go down but that would make me happy and as a NUFC fan I am not used to that emotion when it comes to football. I moved to the USA in 1990 so didn’t even see the Keegan years because there was no football on TV back then 😥

    And of course West Ham are not out of it. When Moyes gets depressed it can spread to the whole team – see his last managerial gigs. They were terrible against Swans and I saw them earlier in the season against Man U and thought they were probably the worst team in the league – again, even with them having probably a better squad than us.

    You should read the story about Fat Cat Gold who is driving home in his Rolls Royce and spots some WHam fans so gets out and says I a 82 years old and something like “I am one of you, I feel your pain”. Some let him get away with it but some weren’t impressed after the 4-1 loss.

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  57. One silver lining to the Liverpool defeat is that at least we have got the 2 form teams out of the way now. Arsenal of course have been a bogey team but maybe we have a chance. They have lost 8 away games this year – more than us.

    Then there is goal difference. I don’t think it has ever happened before but I think there is a good chance that GD will be a factor this year. So who do the free scorers play that they could dent the relegation candidates GD?

    Man City – a goal difference of +63 play:

    Stoke
    Swansea
    West Ham
    Huddersfield
    Southampton

    Liverpool play:

    Palace
    West Brom
    Stoke

    There is hope.

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  58. Since I am looking for glass half fulls. There is usually a close correlation between goal difference and league position. When you look at a team like Stoke you can see why they are struggling with a terrible goal difference. Ours on the other hand is about what a lower mid-table team would have.

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  59. And Palace will be in the bottom 3 before the last 2 games when they play Stoke and WBA. I would not want this fixture list and you know how the nerves jangle on the last couple of games when you are in trouble – Think Villa in Shearer’s last game in charge.

    Man U Home
    Chelsea Away
    Huddersfield Away
    Liverpool Home
    Bournemouth Away
    Brighton Home
    Watford Away
    Leicester Home
    Stoke Away
    WBA Home

    You can see maybe a couple of wins and a couple of draws but they only have 27 points so that would get them to 35.

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  60. If Palace get more than 3 points in their next 5 games I will be shocked. That would mean we probably would not be in the bottom 3. It means I have to cheer for grumpy pants tomorrow but so be it.

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  61. Eric, off the top of my head I think there have been two occasions when goal difference has played a part in relegation, will check it out if I have a chance later.

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  62. Eric, I’ve had a check.
    Goal difference has played a part in 5 of the premier league seasons

    92/93 season relegated Forest, Boro and Crystal Palace on goal difference
    95/96 season relegated Bolton, QPR and Man City on goal difference
    97/98 season relegated C.Palace, Barnsley and Bolton on goal difference
    06/07 season relegated Watford, Charlton Ath and Sheff utd on goal difference
    08/09 season relegated Derby, Bir/ham and Reading on goal difference

    Out of interest teams that have survived on low points are
    04/05 season W.B.A on 34 points
    07/08 season Hull City on 35 points
    09/10 season West ham on 35 points
    13/14 season W.B.A on 36 points

    In general you are looking at between 38 – 40 to guarantee safety though

    See here for more facts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Premier_League_seasons

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  63. Just seen on YouTube Kieran Dyer done his 5-a-side team of best players he’s ever played with when he appeared on Soccer AM.

    To my absolutely horrible and disgust – Jermaine Jenas did not feature ???….. even as super sub!!!! What the ?!!!.

    Who did feature though was the best manager he ever worked under – and that was Sir Bobby Robson – the same manager young JJ thought it fine to ‘drop his standards’ for.

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