Rafa Benitez is very calm and he does not get too excited when we win and he doesn’t get too despondent when we lose – he keeps an even keel and that’s important if you are going to be a successful in management.
The 56 year-old is building a new team at Newcastle and it will take a little time – and some of our new players like Daryl Murphy and Achraf Lazaar still have to make their Newcastle debuts.
However with winning six games in a row we may be over the worst part – those two shocking defeats to start our season down below.
Jonjo Shelvey and Rafa Benitez in pre-season
Rafa has talked today about the players having to continue to work hard and he’s mentioned what’s needed as he builds his new team on Tyneside.
He also addresses the star of the last three games – Jonjo Shelvey.
This is some of what Rafa has said today:
“We have to keep working hard. And I will say it again, I am pleased with them because the way they train and work everyday puts me in a difficult position to decide the team.”
“Shelvey worked very hard over the summer to be ready.”
“He didn’t start in the team and maybe he thought it would be tough for him this season, but it’s the same message for everyone.”
“We have had some good games, but it depends on the team.” “We have some games where the scores have been very strong.”
“But we are a new team and we have to bring in new players.”
“You have to keep working with them and understanding them.” “To play at the level we did at QPR was quite positive.”
“QPR were quite strong and started the game with intensity. It was very warm out there, though.”
“When we scored the third goal, I think mentally that moment killed them more than physically.”
“After that, we were passing the ball well.” “When you are doing that and keeping the ball it gets more and more difficult for the other team.”
“You never know with goal difference.” “Sometimes you have to rely on it, but the main thing was to get 3 points and we are happy with that.”
After the performance on Tuesday night in west London there will be a tendency to get carried away and think it’s all going to be so easy this season.
That would be a big mistake.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
16 comments so far
Bambams
Sep 15, 2016 at 1:17 PM
Comment #1I can’t help but get carried away…..
It’s been a long time since I felt so positive.
Novocastrian66
Sep 15, 2016 at 1:19 PM
Comment #2If you haven’t already seen this youtube footage of Tuesday’s game, it’s worth a watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etish3T_zSs
expatmag
Sep 15, 2016 at 1:26 PM
Comment #3JFA
Last thread….my typos are more a combination of small phone, big fingers……I will try harder to be more correct.
Ron Knee
Sep 15, 2016 at 1:35 PM
Comment #4Novo
Good link!
Shadow_Shearer
Sep 15, 2016 at 1:46 PM
Comment #5All summer we were ALL carried away. Thinking all we need to do is show up & we will win the league.
The first two games was a reality check, we were put back down to earth. Now everybody knows, 50 or 60 % of our goals are coming from moments of magic.
Like gouffy volley (derby)
shelvey free kick(brighton)
lascelle header(brighton)
gayle free kick(reading) & his left footed finish against bristol.
We need to keep clean sheets & have moments of magic to win this league. Achievable yes, but not to get carried away.
cyprus
Sep 15, 2016 at 1:59 PM
Comment #6Thanks for that Novo. Still, if that’s our cameraman for this season, the lad needs to improve, although much appreciated.
Tip: while Mexican opponent fans are good for a laugh, give them less than 4 minutes of footage 🙂
Wish I could see the full 90′. Anyway, whoever made this, thanks for the effort.
Essex Geordie Bill
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:00 PM
Comment #7Novo
I Just watched that video link and was fascinated with that QPR fan with the sombrero, did he realise they were getting hammered? Can we get him in the January window.
BeeGuy
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:01 PM
Comment #8Looking at Wolves highlights makes me feel they were unlucky early with Barnsley. Barnsley then scored very good goals. Interesting to read both QPR and Wolves fans thought NUFC were pretty lucky on Tuesday night.
Bottom line is don’t look for NUFC to hammer Wolves Saturday. Wolves could park the bus and keep it a contest to the end. If NUFC does win Saturday, then maybe they will hammer Wolves Tuesday night.
swemag
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:06 PM
Comment #9Interesting article in The Mag about what could have happened had we made a more inspiring choice after Sir Bobby.
http://www.themag.co.uk/2016/09/newcastle-replaced-sir-bobby-someone-like-benitez-nowrafa-benitez-qpr-0-newcastle-6-newcastle-united/
When Sir Bobby was sacked we were in a dire state financially, this must be known. However, what is little known is that when Sir Bobby was offered the job he had an assistant named Jose Mourinho. At this time Sir Bobby knew the capacity of this young man and had let him take charge of cup games in Barcelona. Barca won the cup.
When offered the job in Toon Bobby asked Jose to come with him. He offered that he would lead the first two years. After this he would step down and Jose would take over as Manager of Newcastle United.
Indeed, imagine what could have been.
WWSBRD
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:08 PM
Comment #10BeeGuy
if anything we were unlucky with two goals that could of stood (Perez wasn’t offside for the first and Atsu should of scored)
We won’t hammer Wolves because that’s not what Rafa aims for though, I reckon we will control the game though and get another 3 points
Essex Geordie Bill
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:10 PM
Comment #11Jail
re an earlier comment by you, I also doubt if Gouffron will end up as top scorer. It was a bit of a tongue in cheek nomination but having said that he could easily have had another couple to his name, so who knows.
I think he’s more of a Rob Lee type player who will do a lot of work and chip in with some useful goals.
At this moment in time it would’t come as a shock to me if Shelvey didn’t end as top sorer, to use another player comparison, Frank Lampard?
Essex Geordie Bill
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:17 PM
Comment #12BeeGuy
Just curious about your name, do you have an interest in Bees. Only reason I ask is because I and a group of friends own a hive and they are great little producers. The lady whose garden they are in talks to them every day and it seems to work.
BeeGuy
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:25 PM
Comment #13The BeeGuy is indeed a bee guy. I provide housing for 20-25 colonies ( I don’t claim to own them, they have a collective mind of their own that does not always follow what the human has in mind for them) in North Carolina, USA. I keep them at my home S of Charlotte, and haul them to the Blue Ridge Mtns. when the honey flow ends here in June and certain insect and mite problems begin to manifest themselves. The girls get hauled back home in October. With two harvests of exceptionally tasty honey, they make 1,00-1,500 lbs. of honey each year on an organic management regimen.
Oldgit1
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:39 PM
Comment #14I can’t see the league match with Wolves being a high scoring game but still expect us to get 3 points.
I’m interested to know what team our Rafa will put out for the cup game against Wolves I believe he will not play any youngsters in that match as he would want to keep the momentum going with the 1st team squad and can see Murphy and possibility lassore ( wrong spelling I know) . Don’t think any players from the under 21 squad will be considered.
Cups draws are down to how lucky the manager is and in Rafa we have a lucky manager with the first two rounds giving us home advantage. Maybe this year I can book up and go to Wembley which me and my Brother can at long last embark on.
Essex Geordie Bill
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:40 PM
Comment #15BeeGuy
Yeah I understand what you are saying, perhaps I should have said we provide a home for them and they in return give us a share of their honey.
We had a scare earlier in the year when we found hundreds of dead bees lying dead around the hive and wondered if something nasty had effected them.
Turned out that a rival swarm had tried to take over the hive and our resident bees had beaten them off.
We also get lovely honey which is great for combating hat fever. I swear by it.
Essex Geordie Bill
Sep 15, 2016 at 2:41 PM
Comment #16Hay fever, not hat fever, duuuh! 🙂