In the last eight games since we took Huddersfield part 3-1 at the John Smith’s Stadium on March 4th (seems like 3 months ago) Newcastle have slumped in both form and results.
The outcome is that we have just 9 points and only two wins in that woeful streak and the 3 games before the International break with just 2 points was the worst return of any three league games this season.
Since then we have bettered that and in our last three league games we have two defeats and one draw for a return of a single point.
Not good.
Rafa Benitez in training
We are now positioned so that automatic promotion will almost be a certainty – but it’s nothing we have done since beating the Terriers on 4th March – so the last seven weeks (including two week International break) we have been woeful.
We’re sure that’s exactly what Rafa Benitez will tell his players before tomorrow night’s game at home to Preston, who we have already beaten twice this season.
Rafa will want the players to show the fans that we are worthy of promotion and the fans have been put through hell and high water since early March when automatic promotion looked closer than it’s turned out to be.
Rafa has trained all last week to cut out the daft mistakes that have cost us so many points and he will want a mistake free professional performance, with excellent defensive play.
It will also be important the players learn from the last eight games they cannot go off the boil when they are doing so well.
Rafa – the ultimate professional – will want three wins in the final three games of the season as a matter of pride for himself and for Newcastle United Football club.
But we’ve learned this season that nothing is easy in the Championship – the most difficult football league in the world to play in – as Rafa has often attested to.
It will not be easy, but if our players aren’t ready for this game they wont be ready for any game in their lives.
There will be 52,300 fans there and new flags on display; Newcastle fans will demand the night be a celebration for achieving our only goal this season – automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
It will be only the second time in six years that a team has been relegated and then immediately automatically – Burnley were the other side to do that.
Nothing short of that will be good enough on Monday night.
If we can do that the headlines on Tuesday will be all about Newcastle and our reemergence back to the big time.
That’s what we want to see, but the players shouldn’t think it will be easy.
That’s seems to have the problem with the lads since the Huddersfield win.
We want to see Newcastle start the game tomorrow like a steam train on steroids!
🙂
The players need to make our fans proud by 9:45 pm tomorrow night.
We know they can do it.
Comments welcome.
75 comments so far
Vask
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:46 PM
Comment #41It certainly was bob. The next day I was supposed to be networking at some a training event. I went but spoke about 10 words al neet. Got a similar networking opportunity on Tuesday. I hope Madley doesn’t eff me owa.
Ron Knee
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:46 PM
Comment #42Palace under siege at L’pool.
Bobbybee
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:47 PM
Comment #43On transfers, I’ve no idea why there’s so many Championship players in people’s wants list. No question some could make the step up, but I’m hoping for better things. As for Defoe, I wouldn’t want him if his arse was decked with diamonds. Too old and takes too many chances per goal. His misses are partially to blame for the scum’s demise. Can’t say he hasn’t had the chances, because he has. He only looks good because he’s surrounded by a bunch of spanners. Not good enough for a team with ambition and that’s what we are under Rafa.
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:48 PM
Comment #44I bet it’s
“If the kids are united “
optimistic prime
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:51 PM
Comment #45We’ve been everyones cup final all season tomorrows ours, we’ll go up tomorrow! The players will definitely be up for it, as will the fans.
Early goal and the party will begin.
Fulham seem to be everyone’s pick in the playoffs, they’re playing very well. I’d like to see Hull stay up given the choice, all things considered they’ve made a fight of it all year and who wants a Welsh team in the EPL
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:51 PM
Comment #46Needs to be sung in a Geordie accent tho’ but
Bobbybee
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:54 PM
Comment #47Forgot about the Liverpool game being on sky. Think the end of that might be worth viewing, so..
sing in the corner
Apr 23, 2017 at 5:59 PM
Comment #48Jib
Haha, brings back memories of the wild ‘toon army punk disco’ from 5pm on Saturday match days in the Percy Arms.
sing in the corner
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:00 PM
Comment #49Wouldn’t bother Bobby.
Big Sam anti football special.
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:02 PM
Comment #50sing in the corner
How did we get in SJP so pissed ?
welshgeordie9
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:03 PM
Comment #5145optimistic prime
Shut up there’s a good boy.
Ron Knee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:03 PM
Comment #52Palace now winning.
welshgeordie9
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:04 PM
Comment #532-1 to palace, Big Sam the magician.
sing in the corner
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:04 PM
Comment #54Normally ok going in and during, maybe not so in the toon a few hours later!
welshgeordie9
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:06 PM
Comment #55Has klopp got a plan b when things don’t go right, don’t think so.
optimistic prime
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:07 PM
Comment #56Welsh
Watch the Irony doesn’t smack you in the face.
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:07 PM
Comment #57All us lads from the coast used to congregate at the south east corner of the Gallowgate (opp to the scoreboard) and when Dire Straits “Tunnel of Love” came to the line “from Cullercoats to Whitley Bay” we used to roar along with it.
sing in the corner
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:12 PM
Comment #58Welshtroll9
Do you find the way Palace have played enjoyable to watch?
Just saying, cos you have been slating the Toon’s ‘non attacking’ / defensive play all season.
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:14 PM
Comment #59sing in the corner
Myself , and I believe Bobbybee , used to have a few sherberts in the Hofbrauhaus watching the big dippers before the game !
Ron Knee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:14 PM
Comment #60Jib@57
Were you wearing your Dame Allan’s blazer at the time?
Vask
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:16 PM
Comment #61Aye Jib yee knar. Certainly cannit be giving it the awld ‘arry ap ‘arry voice. Also change kids with toon and if with we’re.
andrew84
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:18 PM
Comment #62Welsh I’m pleased you’re intent on sticking around regardless of the result tomorrow.
After all you’re the gift that keeps on giving, you’d be a big miss.
sing in the corner
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:19 PM
Comment #63Jib
It was the Jack the rippers in Idols in the ‘modern’ era 🙂
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:25 PM
Comment #64Ron
Ray (Rocky) Hudson was in my class at DA’s – remember him ?
He’s now a TV pundit in the USA
sing in the corner
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:26 PM
Comment #65Fat Sham..
Bent, smug tw@
I give creative players like Townsend, zaha etc a couple months before the realise they are rare counter attack outlet at a dead end club.
Ron Knee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:31 PM
Comment #66Jib
That makes you and him about 5 years younger than me. Were you taught by Percy Stronach (“the Major”)?
Bobbybee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:34 PM
Comment #67Ah, the hofbrahaus, or beer Keller for easy spelling. What a way to prepare for a game for any young red blooded male of the time. 🙂 Bouncing on the tables and long benches to ‘if the kids are united’ getting well and truly peed. Cracking atmosphere and and most certainly home fans only territory. Didn’t matter how drunk you were back then though, they’d let anybody into the game. Even if you got chucked out they’d let you back in if you paid again! 🙂
Bobbybee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:46 PM
Comment #68Ron, was the the guy who always wore a sheepskin back in the seventies?
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:51 PM
Comment #69Got back to the Toon for my favourite teacher – Ted Baldry’s funeral last Summer.
Ron Knee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:51 PM
Comment #70Which guy, Bobby?
Jib
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:56 PM
Comment #71Bobbybee
Were you there when a Yamyam in full Villa regalia wandered in ?
He had his drink paid for all lunchtime as recognition of the size of his cojones.
Bobbybee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:56 PM
Comment #72Percy. There was always a guy in a sheepskin right smack in the middle of everything that ever kicked off. We went to Millwall on the same coach as him after our coach sold too many seats. 60 of us on an old 1965 beat up charabanc, because the one ordered failed to turn up. ‘I can get one,’ he said, and turned up with that. 60 of us went down, exactly 13 came back, the rest were locked up. 78-79 season if my memory serves me well. If there was trouble, he was always in the middle of it. 🙂
Ron Knee
Apr 23, 2017 at 6:57 PM
Comment #73Jib@69
I had a classmate who used to regularly throw up in his lab!
Bobbybee
Apr 23, 2017 at 7:02 PM
Comment #74Can’t recall that Jib, but I was usually pretty far gone. Remember when a group of mackems, came in once and quickly regretted it. No colours, but somebody recognised one of them and all hell broke loose.
When you look at a night out now in the city centre, and then go back to the seventies, you’d think it was a different planet let alone different city. They’ve done a remarkable job of cleaning it up. It was an effing war zone back then.
Bobbybee
Apr 23, 2017 at 7:16 PM
Comment #75Ah right Ron, we’re on two different subjects mate! My mistake. 🙂 When you’re talking teaching you actually mean teaching lmao! Thought you were on about the crowd for some bizarre reason. Don’t suppose anybody else knows who he was? Stood out a mile in that sheepskin. Had blondish hair, cut very short.