This season was not meant to turn out like this.
But we suffered our third defeat in a row tonight at St. James’ Park against Championship side Nottingham Forest and all three goals we conceded were poor ones in which the defense completely switched off.
Aleksandar Mitrovic had put us ahead after just 3 minutes with a good goal but then sloppy defending allowed Forest to take the lead 2-1 with both goals being scored by Jason Cummings (29 and 31 minutes) before Rolando Aarons equalized in first half extra time with a great goal and it was 2-2 at the break.
That’s how it finished after 90 minutes, and in extra time Forest was superior and scored after 97 minutes through Walker to put Forest through to the third round of the League Cup, and we are out of the League Cup at the first hurdle.
Rolando Aarons after scoring Newcastle’s second goal
Seems like old times and this was an abysmal performance by Newcastle who were outfought by a Championship side at home – shame on us – and Rafa has lots of problems he has to solve quickly.
But we also started a weak side tonight, and Rafa made a full 10 changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Huddersfield last Sunday.
If we can come back and win at home to West Ham on Saturday at home that would give us all a huge lift, but we will have to start playing a lot better than in these first three games.
This is the first time Rafa has lost three games in a row at Newcastle and with another defeat tonight at home, the mood is going to be sour – at best.
Comments welcome.
61 comments so far
DeanToon88
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:16 PM
Comment #1I don’t even think I’m going to bother watching Newcastle this season as I can see it as a massively infuriating season ahead with defeats coming on a regular basis and wins once every blue moon. I have enough stress in my life without having to deal with another frustrating and relegation dogfight Newcastle season.
I am getting tired of this club been run as a business by mike ashley, and I’m constantly frustrated with the poor quality of our squad we have had for multiple seasons in a row, we badly needed to get shot of alot of players currently taking up the wagebill and championship players getting games for us but still we have the same players as we had when we went down,
we needed big name signings to keep this great club at a stable level but yet again we have been let down by the owner who promised to give rafa the money to buy players and hasn’t provided it, it looks certain to be another relegation season and we are going to be a yo yo club although next time we won’t have a top class manager in charge to get us out of it this time. angry is not the word.
another loss against west ham and its back to how it was the season we got relegated. confidence low, players unhappy manager leaves, end up with a two bit manager that hasn’t got a clue, i just cba with it anymore.
Our Toon
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:17 PM
Comment #2Ashley is to blame for the current plight of the squad but is Ashley to blame for the style of play or the defensive rubbish? Rafa got it wrong again today, as I said before the season started though, I’d take 15th before the season started even though I was belittled.
We have plenty of time to turn things around but the manager needs to step up and take some responsibility, Mitro did well tonight and he and Aaron’s were at the heart of all things we did well going forward.
Harley
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:18 PM
Comment #3Just back from the match. Terrible first half followed by a much improved second half but just couldn’t score. Sods law we had all the cha cues and then they go and score. Overall nowhere near good enough. Only Aaron’s looked premiership quality, with mtro and saivet doing ok. Saivet especially got better as the match went on. Very disappointed with Murphy and Hanley. lazar, gamez, barlazer, sterry, diame all looked what they are, championship level squad players.
Very worrying.
Toonacious T
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:27 PM
Comment #4Harley – does Mitro look fit/sharp?
nufc 11
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:30 PM
Comment #5Carr signed some rubbish players down the years and made sure they got big contracts that’s one thing rafa looks like a man that has terminal illness the power struggle has taken over everything and a losing habbit is had to break something has gotta give.
RUNAWAY777
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:35 PM
Comment #6And darlow should never be in goal again after that lob but there again I blame rafa for putting him in goal after telling him he’s up for sale .
toon22
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:37 PM
Comment #7Not exactly a shock the result.
Thats the problem,no point going over the same stuff over and over again.
hellodjo
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:37 PM
Comment #8The thing is though is it really worrying? For me the performance and the team Rafa put out is almost expected, only question people should have is about Rafa and not taking the competition seriously, not one player who’ll start against West Ham started tonight and we played Sterry, Barlazer, Saviet and a disinterested Hanley who was by all accounts diabolical (keep in mind he’s 5th choice).
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:42 PM
Comment #9Just got in from match.
What did I learn – We ain’t got a Premiership squad and same old shit from the manager one up front pass sideways and hoof. The natives are starting to get restless at the same old tactics – one up front.
Heaven help us this season if we do not buy – cannot see us getting 20 points and I was so optomistic after the Spuds game. We cannot go on playing defensive and hoping to nick a point here or there as we do not have the squad to play like that in the Premiership
Only decent players on show were Aarons who was my man of the match, Mitro who ran his socks of absolute F**ked at the end – thankless task playing up front on your own.
MBemba and Gamez did OK – Saviet got better as for the rest absolute parcel.
Again given a football lesson on how to play out from the back
Merit marks waste of time tonight but who were crap – Darlow two decent blocks but looked as if he could not be bothered.
Sterry and Barlusrer need to go out on loan – looked out of depth tonight.
Hanley – totally useless slower than a slug
Diame gets the ball then gives it away all to often
Murphy – picks the wrong option time and time again dribbles when he should pass runs into spaces that are not there.
where was Ding Dong tonight
RUNAWAY777
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:45 PM
Comment #10All them players who are up for sale done know fervour for themselves tonight but why should they when there on top wages so just stay at our club and collect your wages well done you tossers
magicmac54
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:46 PM
Comment #11Ed, i think youv missed a trick, i think your heading should have read, who was Newcastle,s worst player tonight against Forest. Nothing will ever change with that parasite Ashely in charge of Newcastle, he has sucked the life out of the fans, now he has sucked the life out of Rafa, in my humble opinion we are heading back down to the championship, and i think Rafa will be gone in the very near future, and we honestly cant blame Rafa, when he leaves, as Einstein once said only a fool keeps making the same mistakes and expects a different outcome, Ashely in the football world is a total fool. To Mike Ashely enough is enough, please sell our great club, we have had enough of your deceit and total lies to last us a lifetime. HWTL.
Harley
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:50 PM
Comment #12Toonacious
Mitro looked ok. He worked hard and held some balls up. But he’s hardly played and needs a run of games. I’d have him as our no 1 out of the 3 we have.
I don’t understand why Rafa didn’t bring Joselu on to play with him instead of in place of him. I think Rafa would spontaneously combust if he played 2 up front.
Ben Afri
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:51 PM
Comment #13A little perspective…yes, we have by all accounts – a championship squad. And yes, it’s the same team we’ve had since last season. But it’s the same team that won us the exit from that league with the trophy as a bonus, so let’s be a little respectful of the players who got us back up.
No, I’m not happy with the current squad at this level. But the reality is that this is the squad we’ll have as we slowly build the team up over the years if we’re lucky enough to stay up. Am I doubtful of that? Yes, but it’s a slow progress.
But to ask our lads to keep fighting for us when we threaten not to support them is easily as disappointing as the display tonight.
Not ONE Newcastle supporter is happy with our squad, but we support them anyway!!! NOT the owner!
RUNAWAY777
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:57 PM
Comment #14Please no matter what happens this season no one buy a season ticket next season till we see what they spend on player please don’t fall someone is thinking of buying the club know one is going to pay 350 million and where in for these players wait till they sign the dotted line.
msk21dec
Aug 23, 2017 at 11:58 PM
Comment #15we need a proactive manager and a manager who uses tactics to suit players at his disposal not to suit the managers one and only formation. rafa just reminds me of the times we had with pardew and mclaren same crap no change. tomas tuchel is available? would love the napoli manager sarri?
manxpie
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:02 AM
Comment #16but the owner is taking the piss on exactly that basis
as i said earlier he’d be out of business anywhere else
now is the time to make feelings known not next month or when we are in the shit at the end of the season
Jail for Ashley
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:03 AM
Comment #17Rafa Benitez is the last shred of decency stopping this club from imploding.
RUNAWAY777
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:05 AM
Comment #18St James was like a morgue tonight from start to finish forest supports out sung us and you no what they had every rite too
Toon Tang
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:06 AM
Comment #19so the highlight of the game was getting aarons customary 76 mins he would usually play over the course of a season completed all in one game. Ruddy marvellous
Our Toon
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:07 AM
Comment #20Has Rafa got the selection and subs right in the first 3 games?
Why was SDJ used in pre season and then not played tonight or been used this season. Rafa has to lift the players and look to change tactics if it’s not working
manxpie
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:07 AM
Comment #21rafa is ashleys only card ffs
and he’s played a blinder it seems……….again!!
when has ashley ever been proactive??
answer…… never he doesn’t give a shit
RUNAWAY777
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:08 AM
Comment #22Jail for Ashley normally I stand by what you say good bud tonight rafa keepet well out the way in the dug out bro I can only remember see him about 5 times with that hand movement .
manxpie
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:12 AM
Comment #23jail so having rafa here rights everthing thats wrong with ashley then
if pardew or mcclaren named that team you’d be hammering them 10 fold and ashley wouldn’t have been mentioned
Spotlight Kid
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:13 AM
Comment #24Ben@13 ‘But to ask our lads to keep fighting for us when we threaten not to support them is easily as disappointing as the display tonight.’
‘our lads’ are not our mates on the pub team but highly paid (overpaid in fact) professional footballers. This is their job, no other. Even if they were playing in an empty stadium they should be busting a gut to pick up the kind of wages they do.
manxpie
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:18 AM
Comment #25ourtoon no he hasn’t but probably because he thinks ashley might give just one shite about the club
but as we all know he doesn’t
sdj is of out by the looks of it in the last week our only genuine 10 by loan aswell
in other words we have got to have the best ever (times a billion) end to a transfer window under the fat twat
JP...from The Rock
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:38 AM
Comment #26Heard Rafa’s interview after the match and he has confirmed Aarons was taken off with slight cramp- Thank God! Was fearing the worst again. He can really shine for us if he stays fit. Today’s great goal proves that. He has the talent, but does he have the strength..let’s see, I hope he does.
Siem de Jong – Is leaving for Ajax and Riviere is mving to Metz. So that frees us some wages and if we’re lucky we might see Rafa sign a proper player that will fit in the EPL effortlessly. We need a proper number 10. It’s a disgrace that they allowed Diame the number 10 tbh. He is nothing close to a number 10 and I struggle to believe he is a proper footballer. Sissoko replacement my arse!
That player from Sampdoria doesn’t seem to be incoming according to his agent so who could we possibly bring as a quality number 10?..or Striker?
Our Toon
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:47 AM
Comment #27Manx
We complain about lack of quality and then allow SDJ out on loan, an international with CL experience rather than championship experience. Yes he’s had injury problems and not certain to remain fit for the season but in a squad with limited experience and quality surely he is one we should of looked to keep unless we got a big free for him.
Meanwhile Diame and Perez keep playing a role they are both utter shite at
GeordieTwo
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:50 AM
Comment #28I’ll wait again to see how we do against West Ham. This was a very weak starting 11 who weren’t ready for it apparently. This means less opportunities for our young’uns to get a run out which I’m disappointed about. Other than that we’re just too weak a club to compete for a domestic cup.
manxpie
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:54 AM
Comment #29exactly its as if wages has something to do with it……
so far we have de jong saivet colback lazaar hanley darlow?? hiadara to find takers for as they have been shown publicly not good enough and replacements brought in within a week!!
bloody joke and charnley was last seen laughing at us conceding a goal!!
manxpie
Aug 24, 2017 at 12:57 AM
Comment #30i notice jail has gone quite strange that
GeordieTwo
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:01 AM
Comment #31No use thinking about replacing Rafa with an owner like we have. He is the real problem and always has been. We’ll never know now what deals fell through in the early part of the summer but it clearly disturbed Rafa. I think it may already be too late to save the relationship with Ashley. Sad to see this happen yet again.
toon22
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:01 AM
Comment #32MA wont read this or care.
This season and every other will be more of the same.
Again like i said we have all said the same things over and over again,nothings changed.
Bring on West Ham i suppose.
lesh
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:08 AM
Comment #33JP
According to Sport Mediaset, Sampdoria have turned down an increased bid for Praet.
And you can’t even get a bookie to offer a price against us hearing those familiar words: ‘We did everything we could to sign Praet but couldn’t get him over the line,’
Our Toon
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:09 AM
Comment #34G2
You are correct Ashley has always been the problem, not everyone sees that though. I still can’t fathom how any fan can back him
Macas
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:09 AM
Comment #35Our Toon – Totally agree about De Jong, even if he was just coming on as a sub in games when we needed a bit of quality to break teams down. Getting rid of Anita and signing Manquillo seems a waste of cash as well. Not convinced by Murphy yet either, get the feeling he may turn out to be a flop. As for the Forest game, not sure why Colback was snubbed. Surely he would have been better then some of those who played. If Pardew or McClaren had sent us crashing out of the cup with such a weak team playing then they would been getting hammered on here.
Macas
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:10 AM
Comment #36would have been*
jimmysmith
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:15 AM
Comment #37Rafa needs to focus on getting players out, and getting players in, but first and foremost on preparing the players he has. Whether he likes it or not, or whether he’s worried about how this season might affect his reputation is beside the point. We really need this window to end. I don’t have a lot of faith in Gayle, Ritchie and Atsu at this level, but these are Rafa signings and no matter who he has, his players or those he has inherited, he needs to build them up and send them out in the belief that they can take the points. That’s it.
chicousa
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:42 AM
Comment #38Not going to get too upset by this result. I don’t think Rafa gave a fig about this match as witnessed by the fact he started 2 under 23’s and at least 3 players he has been shopping around (Saivet, Hanley and Darlow). Also playing Lazaar who was reported to be close to signing with Genoa. I think Rafa was throwing this match away as an opportunity to put a few players in shop window and also to send Ashley a not very subtle message that he needs to pony up some cash!
It was interesting to note that Saivet seemed to outperform Diame….perhaps the later should be the one on the trade block?!!!
Aarons seems to have EPL quality unlike several others who played. Was glad to hear he only had cramps and not injured!!!
Mitrovic, for my money, is a better all around player than either of our other strikers. Rafa please give the lad a run of games!
Posh_Geordie
Aug 24, 2017 at 2:14 AM
Comment #39I was at the match tonight. Sterry and Hanley were a nightmare the ripped us apart against them. Hanley is just too slow and a liability. I thought when Gamez went to his favoured RB he looked very competent in defence and great in attack. I don’t get how Aarons got mom. the only player that made and runs or movement in the whole match to create space was Ritchie and he was a sub…. everyone else just seemed to plat statues and move only when passed too.
Although Joselu was showing he was a cut above too as even though a late sub he also was trying to create. from the very little I’ve seen of him I have some glimmer of hope.
Saivet did alright. Mbemba was having to carry Hanley. We need shot of a lot of these fringe players and fast.
Is it just me that wants Siem instead of Demba?
chicousa
Aug 24, 2017 at 2:21 AM
Comment #40Posh,
Assume you meant Diame rather than Demba(?)….But yeah, I would rather have Siem stay at the club than Diame! All day long!!!