At the beginning of the season the three relegated clubs Newcastle, Norwich and Aston Villa were the top favorites to be promoted back to the Premier League.
And after we made a very shaky start with those two defeats both Newcastle and Norwich are very well placed in the league table.
But that’s not the case for Aston Villa who have only one win in their first 11 games, are in 19th place and today sacked their manager Roberto Di Matteo.
Kieron Dyer while he was at Newcastle 1999-2007
Rafa is adamant that he wants the team and his players to keep improving – which they have done since those first two games so if that continues things will be looking good.
Former Newcastle player Kieron Dyer thinks Newcastle are very well positioned with Rafa Benitez in charge and he said these positive things about the club on Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday show:
“I think that it was the best thing that Newcastle went down because they’ve now got a manager who will run the club.”
“They will go straight back up and probably won’t go down ever again.” “I think Norwich and Newcastle will run away with the league.”
Hope so.
One thing Rafa will never let the Newcastle players do is get too big for their boots.
As we saw at Rotherham United on Saturday you have to be on your game and concentrate fully if you want to win a game in the Championship.
It truly is one of the toughest leagues in the world.
Comments welcome.
29 comments so far
Tsunki
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:09 PM
Comment #1Not sure about rotation, Jimmy? By my quick scanning I make it 24 out of 27 squad members have made a first team appearance so far this season, and only 7 have made less than 5. That looks pretty rotatey to me. 🙂
Tsunki
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:10 PM
Comment #2Anybody check to see how far back Welshie predicted his manager would get shown the alleyway exit?
welshgeordie9
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:12 PM
Comment #3Swans manager sacked and according to Sky American coach Bob Bradley to come in, wtf.
welshgeordie9
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:13 PM
Comment #4Could be worse i suppose, could have been mcclaren.
Ha ha ha
toontaff2
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:13 PM
Comment #5Unlike some, I am like an elephant – never forgetting, or missing the chance of revenge!!!!
I love seeing those awful Villains in the mire – there were some pleasant old school, older Villa fans in the pub before the game saying they would miss us in the PL. Then a gang of thugs came in and kicked off causing the bar to shut, we were not able to pay for it- shame!
Throughout the game they taunted us.
Then the nasty yamyams pelted us with rocks in the coach park, with their useless coppers doing nothing.
I hope they get relegated again – my next most hated club to the scum!
Jail for Ashley
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:14 PM
Comment #6Won’t go down ever again??, that all depends on Mikey now doesn’t it, at least while he’s here anyway.
Ian Toon
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:15 PM
Comment #74Ian Toon // Oct 3, 2016 at 9:16 AM
I see that Villa are said to be looking for a new manager. Wagner at Huddersfield is being mentioned as a strong candidate based it seems on Steve Round taking in a number of their games and being seen in Wagner’s company at a recent Huddersfield game against QPR.
Wagner’s got a reputation in the Championship for ‘full-throttle football’ based on high pressing and intensity- Klopp’s schooling but playing in the Championship with more games you need a large and fully motivated squad. I now Blackley’s been impressed. But Villa are lagging so far behind on points at this stage of the season to the likes of Huddersfield and the toon. I would be surprised if Wagner moves on.
Bobbybee
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:15 PM
Comment #8Ian, reply overleaf, i missed the bus again. 🙂
Jimmy……Jimmy……Jimmy Smith
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:16 PM
Comment #9How many starts though? Been a bit of rotation on the bench I think, to keep players involved. Bit of jostling early doors as the squad took place and settled down.
magscar
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:17 PM
Comment #10Average last thread
Replied to you and BandB
( won’t repost in case get jfa on my case)
but something you said caught my eye
“Call that what you want but I say it as I see it and I just can’t stand bullshitters.
It’s that simple for me.”
You are closer to BobbyBee than you think 😉
Belfast
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:17 PM
Comment #11Felt a bit sorry for that manager he wasn’t backed in the summer at all. Looks like the new guy got the job because he’s a yank like the new investors. He was managing in the French second division.
toontaff2
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:21 PM
Comment #12Whilst battling the blog gremlins – not the posters! – I cannot be the only one who has to go over each post 20 times, due to poor internet connection, leading to an illegible mass of letters and red lines – I wondered where my fellow Welshman was – surely he had seen the Swans had replaced the manager!
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:21 PM
Comment #13Used to love watching Kieron Dyer play in that SBR team, flair, creativity and could score a goal or two shame he was so blighted with injuries because he was a class act.
Agreed with Jail that any future relegations rests with Mike Ashley. He has been to blame for the previous 2 so if he A) learns his lesson and invests in the club or B) f**ks off then I’m sure we’ll never be in that situation again.
I’m still more inclined to favour option B).
Ian Toon
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:25 PM
Comment #14Belfast, Advisor to Harry Redknapp.
LGFUAD21
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:26 PM
Comment #15Guidollin is a good manager.
Feel bad he’s been dropped so soon after receiving no backing.
Think Swansea are just on the decline. They’ve failed to move forward and progress each season by never replacing the players they sell.
It’s exactly what happened here and at Villa and I’d be surprised if they lasted much more than 2 seasons up there.
toontaff2
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:27 PM
Comment #16Beating to it by Welshie!
And the Swans did not even line up the usual suspects – the ex-mackem messiahs!
Bobbybee
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:27 PM
Comment #17Magscar, I nearly misread what you put there! Lmao! Sometimes my bluntness gets me into trouble with certain predictable posters on here, but then, ask me if I give one? I talk about football in general which is an emotive subject. If you can’t get passionate about football, then wtf can you?
bettyswallocks
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:28 PM
Comment #18127bettyswallocks // Oct 3, 2016 at 1:26 PM
There seem to be quite a few clubs where the owners like to be involved in all aspects of running things including team selection. Managers are getting sacked as a matter of course now after a run of defeats despite past achievements.
I think we should embrace the long overdue appointment of Rafa as a manager that has enough respect from our owner to be entrusted with the running of the club with no interference.
Rafa has always favoured the rotation policy and will continue to do so when we are back in the PL. We will have to learn to accept it as I’m sure he won’t be swayed.
Tsunki
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:28 PM
Comment #19I remember England sweating on Dyers recovery from a broken bone in his foot at St Marys he was that good at the time. They tried all sorts with him, I think shin splints ravaged him a bit, I think they even tried digitally mapping him and computing his running style to see if they could fix him. On his day a great player no doubt. Liked the spinners on his hummer though.
welshgeordie9
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:30 PM
Comment #20toontaff2
It was only matter of time something would happen, wrong tactics, formation, not picking dyer, routledge and montero enough started me to think he’s not going be here, Not replacing Ashley Williams plus not going back in for Bony and Joe Allen pissed me off and losing them to frigging Stoke, no offence Stoke.
Tsunki
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:30 PM
Comment #21Betty – as long as the dog gets walked and the kids go to bed on time Mikey won’t worry about Rafa being in charge of the house 🙂
Tsunki
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:30 PM
Comment #22Right that’s enough talk about next year’s relegation fodder this is a nufc blog ha ha
Bobbybee
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:32 PM
Comment #23Ruddy, I get your dislike for Ashley, it’s understandable given his record. That said, if he’s going to sit back and let Rafa run the club how he sees fit, then I’m happy for him to stay at the mo. We might get another billionaire megalomaniac who takes another god knows how long to realise the error of his ways. This is one case where I agree that better the devil you know! 🙂
welshgeordie9
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:33 PM
Comment #24Swans are just like Newcastle, best players go and either replace with rubbish or in this case don’t replace them at all, if swans don’t buy in January then they are going to go down, it’s as simple as that.
magscar
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:34 PM
Comment #25Bobby
No dig intended just the references to balance were floating around when I was just catching back up on posts and rescanned them as I had been away for a little while. Thought I had reea one of yours :-).
I have no problem with passion – used to have it myself once!
Just reminded me that Mr “I never cross the street” has some remarkably fluid standards as well as BandB but then we knew that.
welshgeordie9
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:34 PM
Comment #26Anyway I don’t want to talk about that shower of shite.
Bobbybee
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:43 PM
Comment #27Magscar, you tell it how it is. Sadly some only rear their head to argue, then blame the football posters for it. Ok to give people abuse on here, whilst hiding behind anonymity, but I’m out of order for shouting (oooh!) at part time fans for blocking my view when we’re losing! And doing it face to face at that. It wasn’t just me either, it was everyone in our section 🙂 Like yourself, I say it as I see it and strangley enough, it was people who don’t go, who picked me up on it. The passion in any football ground could light the streets for a month. Jesus, the pro and anti pardew lot came to blows over it! 🙂 It transforms people and long may it continue. The buzz is incredible.
magscar
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:45 PM
Comment #28On football which I prefer – the thing about rotation which acknowledges fitness levels, opposition, length of the season etc it can also not take account of “get the shirt and keep it” and need for players to play into form.
I am sure Rafa is well aware of this and factors into his selections. I am still bemused a little by the lack of much playing time for other than Gayle and Diame. Is it Mitro’s lack of match fitness or doesn’t he fancy him?
Looks as though what many see as a good compromise of Mitro with Gayle behind just doesn’t figure? Must be something in training that doesn’t gel?
One of my forecasts in Martoon’s poll (top Scorer Mitro) is seriously under threat and I can only think Rafa has it in for me 🙂
lochinvar
Oct 3, 2016 at 7:16 PM
Comment #29See Townsend has his England call up to replace Stirling ….