It’s not a good state of affairs at the moment at Newcastle with the team having gained just one point in the last 6 games.
Rafa seems also to be getting frustrated because it looks like what he told Mike Ashley in May is coming true – they didn’t take his advice.
The message from Rafa was If we don’t sign class players and experienced players in the summer, the team will struggle.
That’s now happening after a decent start in the first 9 games of the season when we got 14 points and three wins.
But now we have 15 points after 15 games – so that’s a little sobering.
But the summer is past and gone – it’s over – it happened – and now Rafa and the players, with the help of the fans, have to press on and get some wins.
Rafa Benitez – hierarchy didn’t take his advice in the summer
You can tell Rafa is annoyed because this is what he said, as reported in the Shields Gazette,
when asked if January will be a big transfer month for the club:
“I have no idea.”
“We have to improve. “But to stay up? I think so.” “But when people talk about these games, this is the Premier League.”
“We know we have to improve a lot of things, but still we will be a team in the bottom half of the table.”
“We’re a young team that has to learn and has to improve, and we’re learning every week.”
“Lack of experience is not a worry, it’s a fact.”
“It’s a fact. So everybody knew and we knew.”
“It was good for a while, and after we were expecting to have some problems and we had our own problems, because we made our own mistakes,”
“Too many things were wrong after we made the first mistakes and after a lot of positives at the beginning.”
Rafa is clear that the mistakes we (make that Mike Ashley) made in the summer have caused our present problems.
We’ve often said that good communication in any organization is fundamental to a successful company.
And since Rafa’s plans for January are up in the air he should be getting an update from Lee Charnley and/or Mike Ashley as to what is happening with the takeover.
The question Rafa could ask is what will the transfer funds for January be if Mr. Ashley is still the owner – which is now more than likely.
It seems to us that since November 21st no further bid has been made by PCP Capital Partners.
That’s even though articles are coming out about the National (Dubai newspaper) report on December 1st that mentioned a second bid from Staveley – but that was merely quoting the National report of November 21st.
It’s not a good sign that no further bid has been lodged by Amanda Staveley.
Comment welcome.
130 comments so far
YoungMag :P
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Comment #1YoungMag 😛
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:47 PM
Comment #86
Shelvey, elliot, perez, Mbemba, Mitrovic, Lascelles, Clark, yedlin, manquillo, ritchie and gayle
They have premier league ‘experience’
Elliot – mainly a number 2 goalkeeper, shouldn’t be starting in this league.
Perez – had one decent season upfront where he showed potential but has faded badly.
Clark – always looked shaky at villa, eventually got relegated with them.
Manquillo – failed badly at Liverpool, got relegated with Sunderland.
Yedlin – was OK for Sunderland but they were fighting relegation, also failed at Tottenham.
Mbemba – showed good potential first season before mistakes started to creep into his game. Now he’s usually overlooked.
Lascelles – was great for us when we got relegated, we’re missing him now.
Shelvey – failed at Liverpool, was a decent player for Swansea but they got rid (I wonder why).
Gayle – hardly featured for palace but did a decent job there.
Mitrovic – had a decent first season however he missed countless chances infront of goal. Has youth on his side but clearly has problems with Rafa.
Ritchie – didn’t feature much for Bournemouth and Eddie Howe didn’t seem to bothered to let him go.
Then the rest have potential to be premier league players such as: Merino, Murphy, Aarons, Lejuene and Hayden etc…
Or they are just barely tested in this league like Darlow, Joselu, Gamez.
It’s just not a premier league level squad regardless of ‘experience’. It has like 2 key players being Lascelles and Merino. Who both still hardly have any premier league experience.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Comment #2more like Rafa wont say
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:52 PM
Comment #3those defending Rafa cannot have it both ways,
He is either a world class coach, or he isnt
you cannot say yes we have a world class coach then start slating the quality of the player, there is no logic in that what so ever.
a world class coach, will coach bad footballers into better ones, and no one is expecting him to turn this group in a top 4 team.
i think he has an ok group, he won the division below with them and improved it just a bit, and im biased here but when i look at squads like brighton Huddersfield swansea, palace, there isnt many of those teams that i would say player for player squad for squad i would swap,, od players yes, but i would chose our squad over theres every time.
and like i said we have a world class coach, do any of them have one ?
YoungMag :P
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:52 PM
Comment #4These arguments clearly go two ways…
1. If you believe the squad Rafa has is good enough to be mid table in this league then you place most of the blame on him.
2. If you believe he has a shit squad then you place most of the blame on Ashley and feel sympathetic for Rafa rather then overly critical, since it’s not really his fault.
I personally belong in the number 2 camp, because it’s clear for most to see that that is where the truth mainly lies.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:54 PM
Comment #5young mag
you could do the same with any of the bottom half teams, has Burnley changed there whole squad bournmouth?
world class coach could earn his money
Jib
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:54 PM
Comment #6Whoever was asking
Hibbit?
The PL dosh is paid in a lump
at seasons end (June)
Rotonda heights
Dec 4, 2017 at 2:56 PM
Comment #7catchy
when have i ever run away and run away from what exactly?
An emotionally, hormonally unbalanced, unhinged nut job by the sound of it.
All you ever do is insult people.
That’s all you ever do.
Think about that before your next hissy fit
YoungMag :P
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:04 PM
Comment #8Rotonda, I tend to agree with you but that post is so hypocritical.
Catchy
The only teams you have a point with there are the other promoted teams. The likes of Burnley, Crystal Palace, Swansea and West Bromwich all had the premier league TV money to add to the there squad.
Huddersfield and Brighton recruited better then us in my opinion, but they knew the amount of money they had to spend. So they bought the right players for the right positions.
Rafa was promised every last penny that we had generated through promotion blah blah… His first buy being £12 million Murphy sums up exactly how he was conned into thinking he has more money available. After that signing it was clear the funds were lower then first expected since all of these proposed signings were getting worse in quality each day. I’m sure if Rafa knew the exact amount rather then being in this grey area of ‘all money generated’ he would have bought accordingly.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:06 PM
Comment #9RH
wrong again
I only respond when people call me. you might recall you stared having digs at me, i never once singled you out.
i post facts and others like you cannot handle the truth..
run away? yes,, because you dont answer back , you ask a question you get an answer, then when its not to your liking you get this back” An emotionally, hormonally unbalanced, unhinged nut job by the sound of it”
Jib
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:09 PM
Comment #10I was working with someone today who
was at the Everton game
Huddersfield are cack (no shots on goal)
Dean Hoyle’s net worth is about £380m
so the PL dosh will be a real windfall for
him.
He’s clearly not bothered at all about relegation
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:11 PM
Comment #11young mag,, grow up , im on your side ROtonda, really hmm
he makes a false statement, which he done a lot recently, then gets called out, and poof, he is gone like magic.
i see you didnt reply to the Twitter comment, becasue it make sense
Jib
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:12 PM
Comment #12Cat cheese from Norway
Optimistic Panda
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:16 PM
Comment #13Posada
I’ve had plenty of my own to say but because you’re so opinionated you dismiss anything that doesn’t go along with your Rafas to blame for everything stance you won’t even consider it.
I like jail and a few others have said we’d like to see other players in the side but you call them happy clappers.
Funny you say I’ve nothing of my own to say when you’re quoting fans who’ve been at the ground since 92, foolish man.
I bet you’re one of these kk premier league fans who never went to the ground before the Premier league starred, one of the boo boys. You should go down the road to the other NE team, they welcome your sort of support!
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:17 PM
Comment #14young mag
what your saying is this world class manager can only work with world class players?
and what im trying to say is i would like him to use his squad a little better, and you yourself questions why he wont play Mitro, Rotonda is asking it, what is so wrong that you can wonder that and i cannot
as for ssquads and buys, most buys are in the lap of the gods, its always been 50/50 whether a player will settle no matter the cost of the player, even with players swapping teams in the same league, this for reasons no one will ever work out.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:19 PM
Comment #15very good Jib
YoungMag :P
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:19 PM
Comment #16Catchy
I said ‘i tend to agree with you’ and you equate that to me saying I’m on his side? Am I not allowed to agree with other bloggers now?
In all honesty I think you need to grow up if you believe that there is some sort of cult out against you. Jeez.
I didn’t respond to your twitter comment because I know that no matter what I say it won’t make a difference. But here goes anyway…
Why does it matter if he puts up twitter comments? The fans who use that social media to express there opinions are equal to those who express there’s on here. I don’t get the big deal regarding it. You don’t have to read the post at all if it effects you that badly. Ed can post what he wants, it’s his blog and we should be grateful that he is even carrying on with it now regarding his health.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:20 PM
Comment #17OP
if your asking for other players in the team, whats so different in what we are asking for
YoungMag :P
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:26 PM
Comment #18Catchy
Not what I said.
He’s currently got us in 14th, with a squad that is weak as shit. He’s doing very well with this squad which is actually the opposite of what you just claimed I said.
If he had the funds to sign his first choices I’m almost certain we would be around 8th – 10th.
We signed no number ten and Joselu and you’re telling me that the situation we are in is down to Rafa.
The main thing that annoys me about Rafa is his late substitutions and failure to be proactive during games. But I’m not going to sit here and constantly criticise him when he’s been dealt a shit hand.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:26 PM
Comment #19young mag
i find it very offensive to not get both sides of a story, its insulting. so cherry picking posts is not a good thing IMHO
Brexit was full of this, general election was full of it, the USA election was so one sided its not even funny to call them the leaders of the free world.
and like i said this is a social media site, his very own platform, and i come here to read your comments not billybobsquare pants who we know nothing about.
YoungMag :P
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:33 PM
Comment #20It’s a Nufc blog, regarding EVERYTHING that is Newcastle United related.
Regardless of where there opinions are coming from they are still Newcastle related opinions.
I’ll agree to disagree on this subject catchy, there’s no point lol.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:37 PM
Comment #21currently 14th yes. dropping like a stone. yes
saying if he got the players he wanted doesn’t cut it, thats all ifs and buts, we all assume that he didnt get the funds, and yes i lean that way too, but i also remember him waiting a very long time to see if Abrham was coming, players he thought he was getting could have also chose not to come, so its all not clear cut. and like i say ifs and buts
and like you, i sit waiting for a sub because i see it you see it he sees it in the 85th minute and thats the subs you make when your winning to run a clock down not chasing a game for a point or 3. and im not saying he should go gong ho against the big guys, im very happy to see us beaten by the better team when we have tried. but slating Ritchie at LB watching it not work for 90 mins and him get slated. thats just wrong and not his fault, switching manquillio and ritchie was an easy choice and did not involve any subs.
catchy in norway
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:38 PM
Comment #22you see
its easy to debate
YoungMag :P
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:44 PM
Comment #23If that ‘easy to debate’ comment is aimed at me then that is extremely patronising.
All I try to do is debate on here, with the odd comment that isn’t related..
People on this blog have way too much pride. It ends up with debates that just lead nowhere because neither party will budge.
But thanks for the chat catchy, helped pass the time. I’m off for a bit now.
hibbit
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:56 PM
Comment #24Worth a read LOL
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/ranked-50-most-hated-people-football-50-1
Tinman
Dec 4, 2017 at 3:59 PM
Comment #25I agree with you catchy. I don’t want him gone or anything daft like that but he is guffing up again and again recently.
The Mitro saga is a joke. The late subs are a joke. Ritchie LB is a joke. The negative comments over the last two weeks are a joke.
We can’t be sure if the squad is capable of staying up and we might not ever know until if Rafa keeps refusing to pick the strongest team. Whenever we play Perez, Joselu, Diame or Manquillo we may as well play with 10 men, they’re useless.
hibbit
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:02 PM
Comment #26A bit more on the same story LOL
https://www.themag.co.uk/2017/12/mike-ashley-gutted-position-top-50-hated-people-football-newcastle-united/
ShirebrookToon
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:15 PM
Comment #27Well I see everyone is getting along nicely again today!
Still arguing about the same old shite. Any gonna change shit is it?
Just get behind the team ffs man!
hibbit
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:18 PM
Comment #28personally I would have had right next to Sepp Blatter
Rotonda heights
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:18 PM
Comment #29young mag
maybe we are all a bit hypocritical. I don’t know why catchy keeps saying I’m running away. I answer him every time. I understand and hear the points he’s making, but by constantly repeating the same thing over and over again is achieving what exactly? Catchy and others don’t like Rafa. I feel there are mitigating circumstances for the current situation. We are all, however, powerless to do anything about it. I think the expression ”we will just have to agree to disagree” comes to mind.
Hibbitt, Sparky and Shire have waged a worthy campaign but I do feel the lights are going down now.
ShirebrookToon
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:20 PM
Comment #30Hibbit
Was expecting to see a few names from the blog on that list 😆
Tinman
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:23 PM
Comment #31Shire, it’s always going to be like this when the team is playing so poorly. And the takeover is looking increasingly unlikely
Tinman
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:24 PM
Comment #32Hahaha maybe Ed could have a poll? Biggest tw@ on the blog?
ShirebrookToon
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:25 PM
Comment #33Tinman,
Takeover looking unlikely. Not from what I’ve heard it’s far from unlikely
Tinman
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:25 PM
Comment #34P.s the reason the arguments are the same is because nothing is changing. That’s life and it’s out of our hands.
hibbit
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:28 PM
Comment #35Rotonda heights
got to admit the the situation is not looking good
the only ray of light is there has been a face to face meeting today and Ashley’s team are still at the table
it was never going to easy with Ashley involved
Tinman
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:29 PM
Comment #36Shire,
I have no knowledge of it at all. However surely a new owner would want to get in well in time to make transfers in Jan and to ensure survival.
Every game which goes by decreases the likelihood of it going through before the sunmer. If they don’t get it bought in time for Jan window then why wouldn’t they wait until the end of the year or until they are sure we are going to survive.
Hopefully it goes through shortly.
GeordieTwo
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:32 PM
Comment #37There is nothing new in the fact that Ashley didn’t support the club properly last summer. The only new thing is that it is now Rafa he has let down and it might be Rafa who walks if he gets fed up enough. That would make things much worse for the club and Ashley, who seems to want to sell damaged goods for a high price. This has always been a problem with Ashley. His inability to see that he is hurting his own bottom line by his actions. A strange man who must leave as soon as possible for everyone concerned.
Optimistic Panda
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:33 PM
Comment #38Catchy
You’re of the opinion that you know better than Rafa and believe he’s got much superior players in the squad.
I’m of the opinion that he should try different players which he is and has. I don’t think he has superior players, some maybe better against certain teams some may score more goals. I never thought 442 or attacking teams would work with this squad. Which has been proved.
I don’t think my opinion is more valid than Rafas, I don’t think he’s to blame every time we lose a match or concede a goal unlike yourself or Posada.
scout
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:33 PM
Comment #39Young mag
Richie played 129 games for Bournemouth in 3 seasons, also Gayle was top scorer for Palace at one point.
You read to many comics pal.
Slate the whole squad like that it’s not FIFA ffs
GeordieTwo
Dec 4, 2017 at 4:34 PM
Comment #40And what happens if we don’t survive? Then what would anyone including the Staveley group pay for the club? This is just another bizarre period of behavior by Ashley. To survive and look like we were going to finish well above the drop zone would have required Ashley to support Rafa last summer. But he didn’t do that and now all bets are off and why should Amanda and her people offer even more money for such a damaged club?