We cannot get too carried away and Rafa will ensure our players are ready to concentrate in all the 11 remaining games so we have a good chance to get that promotion which has been job one all season long.
And certainly after we have beaten the top side and the 3rd played since over the last week the odds have even shortened on Newcastle winning the Championship and getting promoted.
It’s thumbs-up from Rafa Benitez
With SkyBet we are 1/6 odds-on to win the Championship and 1/100 odds-on to be promoted.
To win the Championship:
Newcastle 1/6
Brighton 5/1
Huddersfield 25/1
Leeds 150/1
Sheffield Wednesday 250/1
Reading 500/1
To win promotion:
Newcastle 1/100
Brighton 1/6
Huddersfield 6/4
Leeds 11/4
Sheffield Wednesday 3/1
Fulham 4/1
Rafa will be wanting Newcastle to do the best the team possibly can over the final 11 games for a number of reasons.
One is he wants to win as many games as possible – that’s always the case with Rafa.
But second is that a good run at the end of the season sets a team up for a good start the next season, because it increases the confidence of the team and they get used to winning games – a winning mentality.
Rather than the opposite.
Over the last two seasons in the Premier League we have seen the polar opposite effect, when we have had a terrible run at the end of the previous season and that has carried over to the start of the next season.
In the 2014-2015 season we got 3 points from the first 7 games and last season we got 3 points from the first 8 games.
Wins gives the team confidence for the early season games and hopefully in the Premier League next season we can get off to a good start.
Comments welcome.
26 comments so far
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 6, 2017 at 8:44 AM
Comment #1Seen in the last few threads we have been talking about that lot down the road’s obsession with us!!It is not just them to be honest lots of opposition fans hate us judging by comments on social media ! Its quite sickening actually!
If any of you have Sky Sports on Facebook have a look at the comments when its an article about us granted a lot of them are Mackems and Boro fans but we get it tight from loads of other supporters !
The deluded tag is always the first words I see followed by the usual stuff about expecting to win Champions League etc etc
Hopefully we can keep Rafa and give him proper backing in the big league as I would love him to win us a trophy it would be immense !!
Salmon
Mar 6, 2017 at 9:18 AM
Comment #2Not too fussed as to what will happen at Reading.I think we already passed 2 of the biggest tests of the season.Hoped for a draw in those games but to come away with full 6pts is an incredible achievement and is slotting one leg to the premier league.As far as i’m concerned,job is already done.I felt more relaxed and more positive for the remainder of the season,for the first time after long while.
hibbit
Mar 6, 2017 at 9:24 AM
Comment #3Salmon
hope the players don’t adopt that attitude it could be disastrous for the club !!!!!!
we need to keep the pressure on till promotion is guaranteed
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 6, 2017 at 9:27 AM
Comment #4When makems phone radio Newcastle, it’s often to talk about Newcastle. It seems if they talk about their own club, they have to give their views on Newcastle first.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Mar 6, 2017 at 9:36 AM
Comment #5Previous posts on Gayle not ready
totally agree – He did not look happy on Saturday night when the game ended as if he was still not happy in-himself with his hamstring injury.
So me I would use him in the same way as we did Saturday night.
Looks like there will be no derbies for the TOON next season never mind not many Mackems left in the stadium of Shite when Citiy’s secondd goal hit the back of the net.
I and on Radio Newcastle phone in tonight SMB’s will be having a go at the TOON instead of hammering their team/club. Hee, Hee, Hee
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 6, 2017 at 9:51 AM
Comment #6Personally I don’t think we should rush Gayle back we should let Murphy start the game again and bring Gayle on for 20 minutes at the end if possible just to ease him into it!
He still wasn’t moving 100% in the game for me although he did well defensively and also to be around for the finish!
Hope Atsu gets another game although much prefer him on the left and Richie on the right although the last few games have probably been for tactical reasons
posada
Mar 6, 2017 at 9:56 AM
Comment #7Will two games in three days be too much for Murph.
What about Mitro or has he had his chips.
posada
Mar 6, 2017 at 9:58 AM
Comment #8…… and I wish we would stop talking about that lot. Them down the road.
I’m telling you it brings bad luck.
Ignore them.
martoon
Mar 6, 2017 at 10:02 AM
Comment #9posada @7 – I was asking about Mitro earlier – was he injured or simply not in the squad. If it is the second one it is quite a slap in the face to not even make it to the bench!
posada
Mar 6, 2017 at 10:16 AM
Comment #10Martoon
As far as I know he’s not injured.
Speculation but if Murph was picked ahead of him perhaps his dummy went flying or he re-acted badly.
Thing is Murph is much more mobile and can get in behind the other side.
Talking of mobile I think you have to give Gayle some credit for the way he chased down for our third. He was making that run in hope more than anything. Similar to the goal he scored against Leeds.
cyprus
Mar 6, 2017 at 10:20 AM
Comment #11Brighton to win seems a good punt.
martoon
Mar 6, 2017 at 10:36 AM
Comment #12posada @10 – As I remember the bench had 3 defenders and 3 attackers namely Perez, Gouffran & Gayle. I guess Rafa didn’t want to have, only, 2 defenders on the bench so Mitro didn’t make it. Considering the form of these 3 attackers and Murphy it is hard to see him getting back on the bench for a while.
jayphoto
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:26 AM
Comment #13If I was murphy I’d be livid had I been dropped for Mitrovic. Similar style player but Murphy has shown far more this season with less chances. Understandable if he is dropped for Gayle but surely he’d hope to have done enough to be ahead of Mitro!
Seems a really hard working, nice, professional guy off the field too!
jayphoto
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:31 AM
Comment #14Not been on the last week so sorry if anyone mentioned this but the Huddersfield game was a carbon copy tactically of when Napoli under rafa beat Klopp and wagners Dortmund a few years back.
Got me thinking, this year we have a really good record against teams that play this possession football. We get the win nearly everytime despite having like 30% of possession. Just shows how organised tactically rafa has made us because pre rafa, tiki taka used to destroy us!
Reading play a slowed down version of huddersfields tactics. Had all the ball at St James’ but lost 4-1. Fancy rafa to set up similar again, quite optimistic of the win! Be nice if Gayle can be fit too!
We’ve beaten all the sides that try and play football this year.. its the blackburns, Wolves’, Bristol City’s that put 11 behind the ball that we’ve struggled against
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:37 AM
Comment #15@jayphoto
Its kind of why I think we will do well in the premiership under Rafa for the first season as we will be the underdog in most games so his tactics will work and we will probably get some “shock” wins that we were not expected to get!
Its against the teams who will make it difficult for us that could be a problem although if he can get a few more quality attacking players it might not be as much of an issue!!
jayphoto
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:38 AM
Comment #16Would definitely look at the 2 Huddersfield Loanees in the summer. Izzy Brown and Aaron Mooy.
Mooy especially looks such a calm, intelligent midfielder, not sure I see either of them really breaking through at Man City or Chelsea.
I’ve noticed this year, the players that are really impressive Tend to be loanees. Brown, Mooy, Abraham are probably the 3 that stand out the most. Actual signed championship players don’t look all that great! I know Knockeart is rated but seen Brighton play 5 or 6 times this season and he’s been pretty poor everytime!
hibbit
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:41 AM
Comment #17jayphoto
that’s what makes this league so hard
plus the fact they all rise there game at st james for a lot of these players its the biggest day of there career playing in front of 5o thousand plus fans gives them adrenaline rush
jayphoto
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:41 AM
Comment #18@Lee Charnley – personally reckon we’ll bring in some serious quality in the summer in a good 4 or 5 positions.
Can see them shipping Mitro and Perez out, possibly Mbemba, that will all raise more funds. My bet is they’ll sign players for the first team with current starters dropping to the bench and current benchees dropping out the squad.
jayphoto
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:44 AM
Comment #19@Hibbit – I’d say it seems a lot harder than the first time around but I think Rafas on course to beat that points total?
Quality is a lot higher across the board since 2009 though. Not 100% Chris Hughtons side then would win this years championship.
Actually watched a highlights reel on 2009, completely forgot about Danny Guthrie playing for us
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:48 AM
Comment #20@jayphoto
Yeah I would like to see us replace our deadwood with quality to beef up the overall squad :
Tiote , Vuckic , Riviere , Sammy , Haidara and Thauvin all replaced with players of the quality of Sigurdsson to go with the current players who are good would be excellent although it remains to be seen what ambition Ashley has next season !
Not to mention Mbemba , Mitrovic are possibly on the way out so that could be as much as 8 players needing signed….. and thats before Saviet , De Jong and Krul are back as well !!
I can see Perez being kept hes a useful player to come off the bench and poach a goal
Looks set to be a very busy summer
Rotonda heights
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:55 AM
Comment #21i can see conflicts with carr again if mitro and mbemba are down the road, but sorry not good enough for me, either of them.
jayphoto
Mar 6, 2017 at 11:58 AM
Comment #22@Hibbit – I can see Perez moving on purely because if he’s not first choice now, he’s only going to move down the list. Reckon we’ll bring in a proper number 10, not to mention De Jong seems to think he’s here next season, for me he’s a better player than perez when fit.
Reckon they’ll be stuck with saivet too, 4 years left on his deal, no team In france that could afford his wages will want him
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 6, 2017 at 12:01 PM
Comment #23I honestly thought this season Mbemba would be our starting defensive midfielder by the end of the season he has all the attributes to do well in that role must be something wrong with his application in training etc
Would love to see a fully fit De Jong full of confidence in a Rafa system I reckon it would be deadly with Gayle and Richie beside him
jayphoto
Mar 6, 2017 at 12:06 PM
Comment #24@Rotonda – agree that neither are good enough,But wouldn’t surprise me if we made profit on both of them!
Personally i’d loan Mitrovic out to either Portugal (where he wanted to go originally), france or Italy. Big physical strikers with no pace do well in those leagues, no doubt he’d enhance his reputation/value.
Reckon Mbemba, because of his age, pace, versatility and tbf he did play well in the premier league will get a decent move. He’s got Spurs written all over him for me.
Personally think both are good players, but neither fit into Rafas tactics. The guy has played the same way for 20 years… Massive centre backs, Centre mid that can find drop a pass 60 yards to feet, wide men that cut in, full backs that over lap and a striker with pace who runs into the channels… Tenerife, Valencia, Liverpool, Napoli,Even Madrid… all had this in the line up 75% of the time at least ! Can’t see him changing now
Toonces
Mar 6, 2017 at 12:37 PM
Comment #25I personally think that Mbemba, Mitro, and Perez will all be given chances again once promotion is secured. Whether that means before the season is over or in the lead up to next season. Rafa made it clear, several times, that he wanted to play those players who had experience of the championship or proven as professionals. He really has’t played any of the young players except when forced to – i.e. Mitro getting time because of Gayle’s injury. Same for Lazaar I think. Yes, Lascelles is young but he had the Notts Forest experience in this league and he earned the captain’s armband for this season. Perez had more playing time than the others because of our lack of a #10 and he seems to be closest of what we have that fits that role. However, he is a square peg/round hole being asked to do a job. Diame’s not a #10 either but he brings the physicality and experience that Perez is lacking and pushed him back to the bench. I think Yedlin is the only young player to really take his chance and he did well in the relegation battles for the scum last year – that experience of coming through adversity. Mitro, Perez, Mbemba, Lazaar will be on their last straws. The other bench players – namely Hanley, Gamez, Murphy for that matter – were bought as experienced cover to make up the squad.
Bobbybee
Mar 6, 2017 at 12:41 PM
Comment #26Before this run of games I said five or six points would see us through. Having already got that, whatever we get at Reading is pure bonus. Be very nice to get another three points and I would be surprised if we don’t now. The better football the opposition play, the more likely we are to win. Not wishing to be accused of blowing smoke up his arse – but feel free to because I couldn’t care less – this is where Rafa is showing how much better a manager he is than those around him. I have criticised Rafa before and I will again if necessary, but when he gets it right so often, it would be churlish to criticise when it’s unfounded. The man is a genius and it shows even more in this league. He completely nullified the threat of two very good teams in Brighton and Huddersfield and without somewhat dubious penalties, both would have resulted in clean sheets. I think that’s worth bigging up myself. After years of incompetent managers it’s nice to be able to say good things about our gaffer and players. And if that’s blowing smoke up his arse, then light me another spliff. (Don’t smoke tobacco).