Rafa Benitez made the rather strange decision of making Moussa Sissoko the Newcastle captain for the vital game yesterday when he dropped Jonjo Shelvey, but it seemed to work because Moussa had a good game for a change – and he even scored his first goal of the season and then went bonkers when he ran over to the touchline where Benitez was.
So Rafa seems to have figured out how he can get the best out of the 35 times capped French International who has had a poor season for Newcastle – so far.
Moussa Sissoko rifles the ball home for Newcastle’s second goal
This is what Rafa said in the Chronicle about Moussa:
“I am really pleased with him because since I came here, the only thing I can say is that he’s been really good in terms of his work on the pitch, the things he is trying to do in the training sessions and also the relationships he has with a lot of the players.”
“He is someone that they can see as a very influential player with a lot of our French players, and I think it is important because he is so good that he has confidence. It is a boost for him and also for the team.”
“We have a lot of players who talk French, so then you need someone like him who is a big name for them and they can see he is a good player, a great player and if he is performing and working as hard as he has been working, the others have to follow him.”
Moussa has been so disappointing this season, but if we he can come to life in the remaining five games of the season then maybe he can help us even survive in the Premier League.
It’s a fact that when Moussa plays well the team plays well and that was certainly true yesterday.
And from what Rafa is saying today it seems that Coloccini may not make it back before the end of the season with that calf injury of his, so it’s important that Moussa perform as one of our remaining senior players.
If having the captaincy is such a spur to the Frenchman then we assume Rafa will keep him on as captain – and it could be an unchanged starting line up against Manchester City on Tuesday night.
That will be a very tough game for us, but we have to try to win the game somehow – we need the points to avoid being relegated.
And we were assuming Moussa will be sold whether we go down or stay up next month, but it may be if we stay up Rafa wants to keep him in the squad.
Wonder what Rafa is doing to try to get the best out of Gini Wijnaldum, who had another quiet game yesterday?
Comments welcome.
60 comments so far
toon kk
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:02 PM
Comment #41Tsunki
I never get personal mate, it’s only a football blog.
As far as I was aware drabble can also mean a meaningless short story.
Hence our meaningless season.
Ketsbaia9
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:02 PM
Comment #42Can’t disclose that const.
Tsunki
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:10 PM
Comment #43Toon kk now that really hurts spelling it out like that. 🙂
toon kk
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:19 PM
Comment #44Tsunki
Try not to cry mate, we don’t want you getting all upset!!!!!
beermonkey
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:21 PM
Comment #45kets
i say seek help but i think we all know how ur going to pay for it
rather than talk about kets and how he enjoys his time away from the toon
if and its a IF we go down and rafa stays would we be able to attract prem quality players to the club
its alot easier to sell the club with him here
does any1 now how the trialist got on and anymore on the bloke he had at liverpool not sure didnt he do some scouting for rafa
nufcalex
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:25 PM
Comment #46Jonjo shouldn’t have been made captain straight away anyway after a few games, you can’t go into a club and taken the captains arm band and expect all the players to respect you straight away, that was a poor decision for moral of the team.
Tsunki
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:32 PM
Comment #47Toon kk I could explain how upset I am buy I think it would take more than 100 words.
Beer monkey – best post of the day. For changing the subject.
Tsunki
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:33 PM
Comment #48I wonder if Ian Toon has heard of a Drabble?
toonbrother
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:33 PM
Comment #49He is GREAT player
We are lucky to have him
hibbitt
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:34 PM
Comment #50just dont get beat off city a point from them would be a massive lift just keep it tight and don’t get beat
keep the faith
Tsunki
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:36 PM
Comment #51I don’t think colo is fit yet toonbrother. But I know what you mean. He’s just dreamy.
hibbitt
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:37 PM
Comment #52beermonkey
trialist which /who trialist ??????
Tsunki
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:37 PM
Comment #53Hibbit with some hindsight I think Ketsy might take your option.
beermonkey
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:43 PM
Comment #54hibbit
rafa bought some spanish kid in 16 i think
toonbrother
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:50 PM
Comment #55shame it took so long to implement the defensive configuration i’ve been calling for since the start of the season
lascelles + mbemba in central defense
if these two had played together all season, we’d be in the top 10 by now
shame
beermonkey
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:50 PM
Comment #56hibbit
http://www.themag.co.uk/2016/04/rafa-benitez-set-sign-young-spanish-playmaker-trial-newcastle-united/
toon kk
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:52 PM
Comment #57Hibbitt
A home game is a good start for us,
Playing against a inform city will be tough but hopefully our Swansea result will have given us a confidence boost.
toon kk
Apr 17, 2016 at 8:56 PM
Comment #58Saylor shouldn’t be anywhere near our first team ever again. He’s caused mayhem in our already fragile defence.
jimmysmith
Apr 17, 2016 at 9:19 PM
Comment #59Yes, you might think both Sissoko’s and Widjnaldum’s morale took a battering when Shelvey was given the armband so quickly after arriving, and wonder how Widjnaldum still feels about it. De Jong might have been the best choice, had he been able to nail down a place, but his lack of minutes continues under Rafa, which disappoints me. I thought Rafa might get the best from him, although he’s now struggled to break in under successive managers, and so it looks like he won’t become a significant player for us.
beefman13
Apr 17, 2016 at 9:33 PM
Comment #60Great player Ed!!! honestly mate, great players are consistent, he certainly isnt, the amount of times he did stuff yesterday with no end product as he has done for most of this season, the goal was a snap shot, otherwise he dosnt know what he is doing, he runs away clutching the badge, what a joker, he should be ashamed of himself, and to be fair not just him, this toon team have been disgraceful for 75 per cent of this season.