Rafa won’t admit it until we’re mathematically safe, but this was the moment our Premier League survival was confirmed. A performance full of desire, commitment and fight, our third straight win, and one that took us 10 points clear of the bottom three. What a day!
We are still a few short of that magical 40-point mark (as Rafa will tell you), but, as we proved once again today, we look more like a side ready to threaten a top 10 finish than one who’ll be spending the next few weeks in a relegation fight.
We outgunned a very capable Leicester side in every department. We know they have several ‘superior’ players, being one of the best sides outside the top 6 (something Benitez wants us to be before long), but Rafa’s game plan, paired with the players incredible effort, discipline and ability to follow the gaffers orders has been second to none in recent weeks.
We’ve peaked just at the right time and, just 55 days on from being in the relegation zone, we now find ourselves in the top 10.
Quite incredible really. Not only a relief for us fans praying for a nerve-free end to a stressful season, but a well deserved reward for Benitez and this brilliant bunch of lads who have knuckled down and delivered despite some difficult circumstances.
Posting again without apology.
“They shall not pass”#NUFC pic.twitter.com/0NmFBhSfbO
— Chris (@ChrisNE14ST) April 7, 2018
Not only are we showing incredible unity and fight (see clip above), so many of our players are going from strength to strength. The likes of Dubravka, Lejeune and Kenedy really look the part, Dummett and Lascelles have been consistently colossal, Diame has gone from a poor mans Amdy Faye to Viera and Kante’s lovechild and the previously inconsistent Perez and Shelvey are now delivering. And that’s missing out Ritchie and Yedlin – two who had underperformed at times this season, but are now looking full of beans.
Gayle desperately needs a goal, but even he is doing a superb job for the team without scoring. His energy levels seem high and he’s giving centre-backs something to think about. If we can get a fit and firing Islam Slimani into this side over the last 6 games then I don’t see why we can’t secure a top 10 finish.
They could’ve had a penalty (or two), but Maguire could’ve also been sent off. On the whole, I’d be absolutely baffled if there’s Leicester City fans out there who honestly felt we didn’t deserve to take all three points. A special mention should go out to Perez too – a player whose often been criticised, but one whose now won us two games in a week (all against the side he scores a last minute own goal against in the reverse fixture!).
Ayoze Perez ?? pic.twitter.com/kUPl4jJbSJ
— Jenson? (@TacticalBenitez) April 7, 2018
The scenes at the full-time whistle were just brilliant. Players punching the air and amazing scenes and noise from the away end. This feels like the moment we did what everyone doubted and confirmed our survival on our first season back in the big time.
A brilliant effort from our boys and some special scenes at the end. Bring on the last six games!
Best moment of my life pic.twitter.com/yrgnQxA8MW
— true faith #nufc podcast (@tfweeklypod) April 7, 2018
I am getting greedy now.
What I want:
A win against Arsenal for the first time in ages. When was the last one? Laurent Robert?
Shelvey outshining the Oompaloompa to show that he is the one to go to the WC not an overrated premacrock media darling.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It was quite interesting today. I saw the Shelvey stats at half time and his pass completion % was 60. That is because he actually passes the ball forwards and tries a few decent passes.
I was on The Guardian comments page the other day saying Wilshere was the worst player against Stoke. I was countered by a one-eyed mole with a white cane saying he had an 85 % pass completion rate. Yes, back to the keeper and sideways!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’d like to see the colour of Staveleys money before we get excited. The Mirror articles says they’re so confident of completing the purchase they’re already planning the new training ground. What the hell can they do? They can’t get planning as they don’t own the property and they can’t start the process. Maybe they’ve put together a CAD drawing which is sat in Amanda’s office!
Stuart79(Quote)
I think WBA, Stoke and Huddersfield or Swansea will go down. Would anyone take any of their players?
Stuart79(Quote)
GlosMag:
The talk of Manchester earlier got me thinking and I realised those Schmeichelboys don’t like a lob do they
???
Shamrock(Quote)
Maybe Mooy to give central midfield some real depth. Joe Allen? Possibly Erik Pieters as back up to Dummett?
Otherwise….. ??
Tell you what though, if we can finish in the Top 10, it won’t do our chances of keeping Kenedy any harm. We need to get him and Dubravka signed up ASAP.
Shamrock(Quote)
Sham: Dubravka supposedly had a buy option for 4 mil so we don’t have any worries there.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Interesting that this year there’s very few players who have been relegated would improve our team. Unless Palace go that is.
Stuart79(Quote)
The more I watch football, the more I do not understand why Shelvey is not given a chance in the England squad.
All of these pundits and his Pals say Wilshere is England’s best creative midfielder and best option even though he is crocked most of the time, is slow as a snail in treacle and is a little c@nt. Is there an agenda. I don’t get it.
It is the same agenda as the recyling of Arry, Pards and Hughes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Benteke 🙂 🙂 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric Dubravka is a steal at 4 mil from what we have seen so far.
Kenedy makes a huge difference too though. Really need to get him signed up and cannot lose Lascslles. I think he signed a new deal not long ago?
Shamrock(Quote)
Sham: we are playing pretty well. Sign Sergio Aguero and we would be top 6 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric
komfort(Quote)
Bristow
komfort(Quote)
RIP
komfort(Quote)
XXX
komfort(Quote)
That Perez lob mind…..felt like I was back watching Albert in 96 , Kasper can tell his old man he knows how it feels now 😆
Felt a bit sorry for Brighton yesterday, not quite sure how they lost their game, plenty of chances to wrap it up near the end of game.
kimtoon(Quote)
Also not sure how Youngs tackle on Aguero wasn’t a penalty either, you can totally see why no English refs have been selected for WC
kimtoon(Quote)
Aye, Aguero would be nice. Low wages too 🙄
We actually look a really strong team now. Undefeated for the rest of the season? Rafa’s planning will now be well into overdrive despite the 40 points nonsense. What he’ll want is early signings and not the last minute scrambling of recent windows where you end up with a Joselu. Looking forward to seeing Slimani and what he could bring. For real progress we need to see the back of Gayle and Joselu. HTL!
georgio(Quote)
Was hoping any take over talk would stay in the background until we were mathematically safe tbh. Really think all the previous hype over a potential take over had an adverse effect on us.
As far as I’m concerned just put up or shut up, talk is cheap as they say. Make him an offer then he has to show his real intentions .
kimtoon(Quote)
You’re right, georgio, I think we look like a decent side. Solid at the back, strong in midfield but still weak up top mind. The impressive thing for me is how players have improved. Players never improved under the likes of Pardew, Carver or McClaren. It should give any owner confidence to back Rafa.
Stuart79(Quote)
He had a similar tackle in the England friendly on the touchline. I never thought of him as a dirty player but that should have been 2 sendings off in the last 3 games.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Brighton drew which wasn’t the worst result for them as it put Huddersfield deeper in trouble. This could be it for Saints today.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I would take Shaqiri off Stoke.
sidekick(Quote)
Arsenal have put out a so-called weakened team although I would suggest that it is addition by the subtraction of Jack Wilshere. This means he will likely take a full squad to Russia which has to be good for us. But Saints are playing Shane Long, a non-scoring striker. I really can’t see anything other than a loss unless Arsenal play like they did for the 1st 70 mins against Stoke.
And Rooney subbed on 57 minutes in last 2 games. If Fat Sam hooks him then his stock has certainly gone down. The crowd almost turned on him but realise he is a local lad and didn’t quite.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Still can’t see Palace going down but they have a bad habit of playing well but still losing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
or drawing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Arsenal fans should be ashamed of themselves. Half empty stadiums because they’re only winning FA cups, finishing in the top 6 of the PL and getting to Europa league SF. Unbelievable!
Stuart79(Quote)
If we don’t beat Arsenal next week I will be staggered. They’re absolutely pathetic.
Stuart79(Quote)
I think I jinxed Arsenal with the Shane Long comment 🙂 2nd goal of the season so still can be classed as a non-scoring striker.
I don’t care what Big Fat Sam says to the press, I know he will be pissed off by Rooney’s reaction. BFS has the biggest ego in football (yes, bigger than Mourinho because Jose has actually won things) so he will not like Wayne crossing him. Has panned out exactly the way I thought it would with Wayne’s defenders saying but, but… he has scored 10 goals. 4 were penalties though. Same with Wilshere. They have both lost whatever pace they had and it is showing in their performances.
At least the pundits have shut up a bit about Wayne. Their silence is telling because they were always quick to defend him, especially Koewn and Carra.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Lose this and I think Southampton are done. Hughes has 10 men behind the ball when Arsenal attack. He is playing a high press when Cech gets it but Arsene must be able to suss that if I can.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The weird thing to me is that there are so many empty good seats at Arsenal, front row! If you don’t want to go couldn’t you just give them to family or friends. I went to see Real Madrid and bought the tickets on stub hub. Shows how fickle and fair weather the Arsenal fans are now.
Even Welbeck scores (deflected) so that shows you how truly bad Southampton are.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Remember there were calls when Pardew and Carver were in charge for the fans to vote with their feet and stay away. Didn’t happen. Didn’t Arsenal win the FA Cup last year and are as good as in the QF of the Europa League? We dream about such failure.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I actually think they’re a better team than Huddersfield, who I think will go down or Swansea. I think Southampton might just do it.
Stuart79(Quote)
too bloody true Eric
icedog(Quote)
I have slated Perez lately but that really was a magnificent goal he scored yesterday. Similar in class to some of the goals he scored when he first joined us. That was also a good header he put in which produced a good save from Schmeichel. Nice to have to eat my words.
Groucho(Quote)
Good point.
Shamrock(Quote)
I really don’t get Arsenal fans, unless their are restrictions on ticket sales. I think London is the most visited city in the World. Much bigger than Madrid and they have a ground easily accessible from the centre. When I was at the Real Madrid about half the fans around me were Yanks and Asian. I paid $160 for 2 middling seats. Why don’t the cockneys sell their seats on Stub Hub? Is it not allowed because away supporters might get in the home end?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart: apart from Hughes, this is Southampton’s problem:
Chelsea home
Leicester away
Bournemouth home
Everton away
Man City home
Swansea away
I can see maybe 4 or 5 points from those games and Swansea will probably be decisive. One hope is that the atmosphere at Big Fat Sam’s Everton will be so toxic that they can get something there. Everton even spent 47 million in January on Tosun and Walcott and they seem no better.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You know who are probably going to decide this relegation? Swans. They still have to play Stoke and Southampton.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Jack Wiltshire will be a decent free transfer for someone.
Stuart79(Quote)
Arsenal are playing **** and still score 3 against Saints. It just feels like their luck has run out. You don’t have to have the worst team to go down, there are sometimes intangibles like spirit and luck that decide it. And tangibles like fixtures.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Lost any pace he had. I watch him a lot because the pundits say he is England’s best hope at the WC. He has been terrible and even the Arsenal fans have said so. He has turned down an 80k contract with added incentives. I think he is looking for 120-150k which is beyond all but the top 6 and Everton which is where I think he will end up. Him and Rooney the slowest midfield in history! And Everton need another number 10 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Whilshire is ****,Eddie Howe soon Sussed him couldn’t keep his place there Gosling kept him out ffs
Icedog(Quote)
Ice: Wilshere gets away with murder because of his reputation and is an odious little tw@t. This is what the commentator over here said about him just before he tried to rip the shirt off Stephens’ back:
“Wilshere has done nothing since he has come on except misplace passes, give the ball away and fall over”.
And his media sycophant Pals say if he is fit he should go to the WC. I don’t think they can have travelled north of Watford because Shelvey is 10 times the player Wilshere is. He might not be fast but he is still faster than Jack Wilshere 🙂 They pick their favourites and nothing they do can sway them. Exactly the same with Rooney.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Jack is not the lad in Wilshires case .
kimtoon(Quote)
I really don’t have anything against Rooney or Wilshere I have a problem with the coverup from the pundits and journos. They watch the same game and perpetuate a hoax that Rooney was/is as good as in his hayday. Even after Mourinho discarded him they still said it was a good deal for Everton and that was after his Euros performance where Mr. Roy let him run the team. Even Big Fat Sam knows the Emperor has no clothes now.
As for Wilshere, he is living off a reputation from 5 years ago. Every single time I have watched him he has been **** and yet those on the pundits couch are still saying he is England’s best hope at the WC. I don’t know what games they are watching and if they can be so wrong on this, what else are they wrong about? It also confirms that Wenger has lost the plot a bit because he keeps playing him. As Ice said, Howe rumbled him pretty quick.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
BFS said in the interview after the game that he took Rooney off because he “needed legs”. He is tacitly admitting that Wayne is slow and off the pace if not quite yet saying that he is **** now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I know this is a NUFC blog but we weren’t playing today and Southampton were. Should I really be bothered anymore as we are probably safe and they are no longer our relegation rivals. I am just so used to worrying about relegation over the past few years.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And what the hell are Chelsea doing? On this form, you would have to fancy our chances against them and Arsenal. This is the second time that Chelsea players have given up after winning the league. They know that Conte is gone and I wouldn’t be surprised if Hazard has his bags packed as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bad Dost has fell out with his club and asked to leave,worth a punt??
Icedog(Quote)
Bas
Icedog(Quote)
Arsenal are probably our bogey team as Southampton were until this year. This might shock some people but this is this years AWAY record:
Played 13
Won 3
Drew 4
Lost 8
Points 15
Goal Difference, minus 8
They are in Moscow on Thursday and play the early game on Sunday. They played a few reserves today so it looks like they will be taking their full squad to Russia.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This is probably our best ever chance of taking something from Arsenal in quite some time.
kimtoon(Quote)
The last win I remember was 3-1 away I think when Laurent Robert scored. We have to have won since then. And there was the 4-4 that had the crowd telling Tiote to shoooooot every time he got the ball for every game afterwards. Not sure if he ever scored again (I remember 1 being wrongly chalked off). And for them it was Bergkamp around Dabizas that I remember. I am sure I have missed a lot but NUFC.com will have some reminiscences.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Andy Carroll 1-0. Was Houghton manager
GlosMag(Quote)
2 draws including that 4-4 and 10 defeats since then.
Def time for a change
GlosMag(Quote)
The chalked off Tiote goal was Man City wasn’t it.
kimtoon(Quote)
They are our bogey team. And now City since they got the oil money. I don’t see this Arsenal team competing unless they spend 300 million. They are complaining about Cech, their defense is **** and most of their midfield are useless. Their 2 best players were just bought for a small fortune – Aubamayang and Lacazette – and Ozil held them to ransom because he was in the last year of his contract. Total mismanagement and yet somehow they are still 6th. Do you know they are the 5th most valuable football club in the World. Ahead of Chelsea, Liverpool and City according to the last Deliotte assessment.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, Arsenal made a huge **** up in not sacking Wenger when both Guardiola and Klopp we’re both available. Who do they replace him with now? All the best are taken. They’ve allowed the likes of Spurs and Liverpool to overtake them by miles and next season they’ll have a new manager who will need about £200m to get back into top 4 contention. The way that club has been run from a position of absolute strength is amazing. It’s almost Ashley-esque in its incompetence. However, they still win trophies which is the name of the game.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I checked Lawro’s prediction table and we would be on 27 points which compares favourably with Merson’s 24. I actually don’t blame them because most teams that go into a tailspin like we did before Christmas usually continue it. All I will say is that they didn’t factor in Rafa and how he is not like most of his immediate rivals in the PL bottom 14.
Lawro has Huddersfield on 14 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Arsenal have scored 11 goals in their last 3 games and for the life of me I don’t know how. I watched all 3 and they were **** except first half against CSKA. The quality of opposition must have something to do with it – Stoke, S’ton – and soft penalties. However, I think I better stop slating their players (Wilshere) as it will probably come back and bite me in the **** the way their luck is going.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I actually think we could take points off Arsenal after watching that pile of **** yesterday. Plus the pressure is off now for us and I think we can play with more freedom and confidence. Here’s hoping..
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Trouble is, it’s on Sunday with an early kick off, and I work Sundays… ?☹️ Hope I can get the afternoon off…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Must be a slow news day with Sky saying PSG interested in Kenedy. Only has to get past Veratti, MBappe, Neymar, Draxler and Di Maria to get a game then. PSG just sold Lucas Moura, another Brazilian international because he couldn’t get a game.
If I was NUFC I would go after both Kenedy and Loftus Cheek and hope Chelsea would sell us one of them. They just don’t seem to promote their young players and want immediate success so we might have a chance there.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Is it a catch 22 with Kenedy? The better he is, the less likely we are able to buy him. The worse he is the less likely we want him. This is the problem with not having a buy option. Luckily, we put that in for Dubravka. BTW Ryder said we better hurry up and buy him because other teams might come in and offer more. It is astounding that The Chronic’s chief sports writer doesn’t understand what a buy clause ,ie. we have first option at a preset price and we would have to pass it up for other clubs to claim him. Idiot!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Oh ****, I just remembered it was John Gibson which is even worse since he has been around for so long. My apologies to Ryder, for once 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Glorious moment at work today
Work is populated by followers of generic “Top4 United” prawn cocktail fans with a smattering of proper supporters including 5 of 6 mags
Fellow toon fan spotted me, caught my attention with a low chant of
“Rafa, Rafael ..”
I joined in
“Rafa , Rafael ..”
And we were joined by others
“Rafael Benitez”
Absolutely tip top start to my day
???
GlosMag(Quote)
Sounds like a scene from “The Office”. There’s that one where they start menamenah de de de de de, menamanah…
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Nobody in the National Press is talking about the implosion at Sunderland. They are 50 to 1 ON to go down (their last 2 games are Fulham and Wolves so it could be even more of a humiliation). This is bigger than Rangers because their path back was relatively easy in the Scottish Leagues. Bigger than Portsmouth, Wimbledon and Coventry because Sunderland are a traditional team with a loyal support and Premier League infrastructure.
The only comparison is Leeds but they did it in slow motion as it took them 3 years in the Championship before they jumped the shark into league 1. Sunderland are doing it in hyper-drive.
There is talk of a consortium but they never pan out and Ellis Short will not pay off a bank loan of 70 million so they would be saddled with that on top of anything he would want. Why would a buyer take on 100 million of debt in the 3rd Division with a wage bill of 35 million and no assets to sell?
Why is nobody talking about this? They are sleepwalking into administration. And what happens then?
A 10 point deduction to start the new season. I am not even sure if parachute payments are paid to a team in administration. Probably not. So who would be their white knight? Probably a vulture like Ashley who tried to rape Rangers. And would it be out of the goodness of their heart or to strip any remaining assets from the club?
Then, if they go into administration the players wages are first in line for payments. So Jack Rodwell would be head of the queue for his 70k a week from whatever is left or comes into the coffers.
I have made a few of these points before but nobody is talking about this and it should be one of the top stories of the season.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Where are the NE correspondents of the Nationals? Louise Taylor, Luke Edwards, Craig Hope, George “Respected Journalist” Caulkin? Where are the ex-players? Don Hutchison, Kevin Phillips, Gary Rowell? Where is Peytar Reed?
I just don’t get how this is NOT getting any coverage.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This really is a nightmare for the unwashed. Not only do they have to pay the players first with any money they have but if there are outstanding transfer fees for these same **** players (there will be some because they are paid in instalments) then they are next in line. Greggs and even the Inland Revenue are behind these.
So Sunderland cannot shift the **** players who have first dibs on any money coming in. If parachute payments continue to be paid in adminstration, the current crop of no-hopers would get most of it. There are 2 more years, if it is still payable.
So where else do they get money? There is no TV money and the league pays a pittance. The Premier League gets it all.
Season tickets? The average cost in League 1 is 300 quid. So, assuming 20,000 a game (generous) that is 6 million a year. And who is going to sponsor a League 1 side? My guess is there are relegation clauses in the sponsorship deals.
They are well and truly screwed if they enter admin or not, and nobody is talking about it.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I know not many will be interested but let me put this in perspective. The TOTAL revenue from all 24 League 1 Clubs in 2015/16 was 136 million (from Delliote football finances survey). Sunderland have debts of 140 million!!!
So, the average annual money brought in by a League 1 club in 2015/16 was 5,600,000. That’s everything, TV, gate receipts, concessions, parachute payments (if any), shirt sales. Everything.
They really are in big trouble.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric,tbh I wouldn’t take any real enjoyment in seeing them go under. It’s very sad for NE football, although lots of them predicted this would happen to us, the fact that it’s happening to them doesn’t make me feel like gloating . I wanted them relegated and to stay in the fizzy for a couple of seasons to learn a bit of humility, that banner on the plane was uncalled for, especially considering they’d only survived by the skin of their teeth too.
You are right Eric , they look screwed and what with Hartlepools issues too ( I know they been took over now ) but all the same, it’s sad for NE football.
Truth is Short is a more passionate owner but nowhere near as astute money wise as Ashley.
You cannot spend and pay what they have for mediocre , mercenaries and past it united players like they have and not come to a sticky end.
Sad day for ANY club that goes under , except perhaps West Ham 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Gateshead looking for new owners too with current ownership feeling they cannot afford to invest more money. They are not in debt but need to secure a new owner before next years budget is announced.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gateshead-fc-up-sale-club-14509245
kimtoon(Quote)