Rafa Benitez wants to add some experience to the squad this summer and the word coming out of the local papers is that he also wants to “balance” the squad.
A number of reports suggest that means Rafa wants to bring in more British players to a squad that has been dominated by mediocre French players for far too long.
And that could be accurate, as we have been linked with a number of British players this summer.
Rafa Benitez on the training field
The other way he needs to balance the squad is to bring in more experienced players – players who are used to winning, as Rafa tries to build a winning attitude and mind-set in his Newcastle players.
That’s to combat what has been built up over the last two seasons – a losing mindset – caused by – you got it – losing far too many games over the last two years.
We lost 19 league games in each of our last two seasons – a 50% loss rate.
That’s unbelievably bad.
🙁
Rafa wants to bring in around five or six players this summer to augment the squad since he knows very well he has to have a bigger squad with the extra games we’ll be playing.
Who knows we may even have a couple of good cup runs for a change.
The other way Rafa needs to balance the squad is to fill the gaps in various positions – we haven’t had enough good defenders for the last four seasons and conceded 255 league goals in that time.
On the other hand we have had far too many wingers (mainly French) in the squad.
So the squad has also been unbalanced in that way for far too long and last season we didn’t have a recognized left back in a number of crucial games.
Rafa has said more than once that he wants the lads to be the fittest players in the Championship and we will see some of that thinking in the next few weeks as Rafa holds double training sessions in this pre-season.
We already have a decent squad from last season – if we can keep our best players.
So Rafa’s goal seems to be to have the best, biggest and fittest squad for the Champions in the coming season.
And it will be a balanced squad too in terms of experience, with more British players and fewer French players – and strong in every single position – including our defense for a change.
If Rafa can achieve that this season – a squad that is the best, biggest, fittest and also balanced – then we should be a Premier League club again this time next year.
That’s the goal – the only goal this season.
Howay The Lads!!
9 comments so far
G
Jun 27, 2016 at 12:45 PM
Comment #1If he can sign us a bit of grit and determination, then that’s exactly what we need. Been linked with some decent CB’s this last couple of weeks, some of those may be a good start. Much as I have faith in Mbemba/Lascelles, it’s a long season, and we need depth.
Tsunki
Jun 27, 2016 at 12:46 PM
Comment #2That’s how I like my car tyres too.
Belfast
Jun 27, 2016 at 1:04 PM
Comment #3And yer women too.
The bigger the better.
welshgeordie9
Jun 27, 2016 at 1:10 PM
Comment #4They said at the weekend we were close to signing 4 players, the 1st one at the weekend was supposed to have been close just waiting for someone from the other club to come back from his holidays so he could finish it off with him sign some of the papers, that was Friday it is now Monday, and I’ve been thinking is he still at an airport still stranded or maybe he’s lost
Tsunki
Jun 27, 2016 at 1:36 PM
Comment #5I think the geezer in question is doing the Fire & Ice cruise, hawaii to alaska a good three weeks that one welshie.
Tsunki
Jun 27, 2016 at 1:37 PM
Comment #6Belfast but not women with tyres, no thanks ha ha
Jib
Jun 27, 2016 at 1:46 PM
Comment #7Young Ayoze is back on Tyneside from Tenerife where he was helping coach youngsters.
Ready for training tomorrow and scoffing at rumours of him leaving NUFC
WWSBRD
Jun 27, 2016 at 1:57 PM
Comment #8When does first team training officially start? July 1st?
Jib
Jun 27, 2016 at 2:29 PM
Comment #9Morgen
Mañana
Demain
Jutri
Domani
Holnap
Kusasa
Kesho