About 20 months ago at halftime during the game at Southampton Jamaal Lascelles had a go at players in the dressing room at halftime for some sloppy play in the first half.
He told the players they had to care when playing for Newcastle and be proud to wear the shirt – and some other things…
That impressed manager Rafa Benitez who in that summer made Jamaal Lascelles the captain although he was only 22 at the time.
In fact, one of our problems we’ve had in the last eight games is that we have missed Jamaal’s play and leadership in the Newcastle side, so hopefully, things will improve with all of our 26 squad players now fit to play.
Jamaal has said the players talked in the dressing room after the Everton defeat and a few home truths were said.
Jamaal Lascelles – spoke up after Everton defeat
But it not as frantic and hectic as it was at Southampton.
Here’s what Jamaal has to say as reported in the Chronicle:
“It’s not like a few years back when I had a go at people.” “It’s nothing like that at all.”
“It’s just about working hard as a team, sticking together, looking back on how well we were doing at the start of the season compared to now.”
“I would not say it was calm, no. There were a few home truths said.” “I don’t want to leave it too late for things like that to be said.”
“The reality is we are not in a great position and sometimes things need to be said that players do not want to hear.”
“It’s certainly not the easiest game in the world (at Arsenal).”
“But they only have 11 men and we have 11 men and we’re in the same league, so for me, it’s anyone’s game.”
“Ideally, you do not want to be conceding goals from individual errors.”
“If you are going to be conceding goals in this league, it should be by your opponents playing world-class football.”
“I think at the start of the season, teams were scoring goals against us which had us holding our hands up saying ‘OK, that’s great football.’”
“But more recently, in the last three or four weeks, we have been making mistakes and it has cost us.”
“So we definitely have to sort that out because it is unacceptable.”
The first thing Newcastle must do is to start defending well so we are hard to beat because we don’t concede too many goals.
With Jamaal back in the side and Paul Dummett coming back soon that may happen.
But the position we are in at the moment is not good and given we were 7th top after beating Crystal Palace 1-0 at home in October – it’s come as a huge shock to the system.
At least to me, it has.
Comments welcome.
86 comments so far
toontaff2
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:21 AM
Comment #1I bet something was said to SlowMo! 😮
Frank pingles come sock
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:28 AM
Comment #2Cheers hibbit
A lot of people saying deal is already done
These meetings prove it’s not
However that curry night could of indicated that the framework is done and these meetings are the loose ends
bettyswallocks
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:31 AM
Comment #3Magscar may well have a valid point when he points out that mega rich owners will expect instant results with a certain amount of flair and exciting football attached.
Depending on how rich and how much they spend , the new owners might insist on a more entertaining attacking style than Rafa is comfortable with. Winning is not always enough for some owners as Abramovich proved . My thoughts are that Rafa will be given the gig for a while with money to spend and then judged on performances thereafter and rightly so.
hibbit
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:31 AM
Comment #4Frank
as i’ve said all along i don’t know what goes on in the meetings ,
only that there happening and where there held
SecretSausage
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:31 AM
Comment #5Well if Rafa speaks today we should be able to read a lot into it.
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:45 AM
Comment #6hibbit
Yes I can see Rafa’s very much in the deal and personally I want him to stay if given the tools until it is evident he can’t compete with the new kids on the block but looking at the parallells of Chelsea and Man City then ambition equals impatience and ruthlessness.
Some speculate on the deal (fair enough) but I have simply moved on to the assumption that it will happen and therfore turned my thoughts to where will we be and how might we can there.
I like yourself and many others on here have supported the club through thick and thin through many years but the stage we are now poised at is like no other ( including Hall’s takeover) in the club’s history never mind my time supporting.
Seeing a potential glorious time for us doesn’t stop me realising that there could be some difficult moments for us to accept in the chase for that. That doesn’t mean wanting or welcoming it just seeing the possibilities that massive change can bring.
I like others tended to turn my nose up at the quick fix clubs and their cavalier attitudes until we are apparently moving into that territory and you have to suddenly reassess. It will be what it will be and I won’t stop supporting my club because of a once snooty attitude I held to “rich” clubs.
Leicester won’t happen again until the planets realign ( much as they did to let us finish 5th) and any club wishing to even compete in this PL needs serious money as hopefuls like Spurs and Everton ( let alone Arsenal and LIverpool) have found.
I have had enough “thin” and heartache for a lifetime (literally!!) and short of selling my soul welcome a chance to compete with the big noisy ones. Hope the price isn’t too much.
Jib
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:46 AM
Comment #7I still stand by what I said
last week –
with Christmas so close
any agreement has to have
a Sanity Clause
toontaff2
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:47 AM
Comment #8And proof Catchy was right all along – Schteve has won the Israeli Cup as coaching consultant at Macabi Tel Aviv!
Says he’s coming back to England, maybe a previous job…………you heard it here, first 😆
martoon
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:54 AM
Comment #9Very good Jib @ 7 🙂
Frank pingles come sock
Dec 15, 2017 at 9:57 AM
Comment #10I have spoken with lad I know who works inside the ground
He is saying Lee charnley is tell everyone not to come to him anymore for work related stuff as he won’t be here in 2 weeks time.
Fat Mike has allegedly sold all the land around the ground on the Quiet , the land did come with the club when he bought it??
The main reason he is selling is he is trying to buy an old hospital in Chelsea for 300 million
Not sure if this ties in with anything that has been said before ??
geordiemark
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:02 AM
Comment #11Frank pingles come sock
so Ashley has sold the land that the club owned aye, always thought he would do that but surely that should devalue the club somewhat shouldn’t it
toonincheek
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:04 AM
Comment #12Wouldn’t surprise me at all if MA has sold off
all the land around St. James, although by all
accounts, it seems that the land could not have
been used to extend the capacity.
Plenty of other Club-related activities, though,
could have made use of the adjacent ground.
Sickening that MA’s legacy will continue for
years, restricting the Club’s activities.
Frank pingles come sock
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:06 AM
Comment #13That’s what is being said by staff inside the ground.
So it sounds like he is defo packing his bags
geordiemark
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:07 AM
Comment #14I don’t think the ground is big enough really, plus I cant see the council allowing extending the ground, I think the new owner will probably want a bigger stadium to go with a much better team, man city done it plus Chelsea are doing it and spurs are as well
Binney
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:08 AM
Comment #15Heard rumours of an annoucement today at around 6pm but don’t get your hopes up.
geordiemark
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:09 AM
Comment #16Frank pingles come sock
with whats gone on with the tax investigation I wouldn’t have him anywhere near the ground plus Ashley cant shake that one off quick that’s for sure but its not just Newcastle involved in all this I reckon every club in the top league are involved one way or another
Lindisfarne
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:10 AM
Comment #17Love some home truths on this blog.
hibbit
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:10 AM
Comment #18NO meeting today and next week’s reservation cancelled.?????????????????????
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:11 AM
Comment #19Betty@3
Not suggesting that owners will want entertaining Football as a priority simply results commensurate with their increasing investment.
Fans and owners will accept pragmatic football when results go their way for some time so for me style isn’t the first priority but is likely to a requirement once club develops
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:13 AM
Comment #20hibbit
Being a glass half full sort of guy perhaps things finalised?
Please…
hibbit
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:18 AM
Comment #21magscar
i honestly don’t know i wish i did
but it does seem odd as they have used this venue a lot
Lindisfarne
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:19 AM
Comment #22How many would welcome a move Christian Benteke?
Could be an opportunity for a low cost transfer, he has the strength to lead the attack and a powerful shot. Just needs to get his head straight, his confidence back and some goals.
Frank pingles come sock
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:24 AM
Comment #23Hopefully signs of progress / deal coming to an end (pleeeeeeasse)
Frank pingles come sock
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:26 AM
Comment #24Hibbit – that sounds like the end to me (can’t see them changing venue) or calling off taps completely at this stage
Binney – hope so !!
15th might be the date after all
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:29 AM
Comment #25hibbit
Presume the venue isn’t the Tall Trees (in you need k of the woods) once much loved by Robson and Reid late of Boro and Mackems 🙂
hibbit
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:30 AM
Comment #26magscar
houses now and lots of them
ronaldo aarons
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:34 AM
Comment #27Yeah tall trees burned down and is no more
hibbit
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:34 AM
Comment #28magscar the venue https://www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/ham-yard-hotel/private-events-meetings/
ronaldo aarons
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:34 AM
Comment #29That’s interesting, seems today could be the day it seems.
ronaldo aarons
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:36 AM
Comment #30I’m glad lascelles is back.mwe did look better defensively although we didn’t have much to do. Communication is so important in a team, especially in defence. For someone so young as captain, he is very good.
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:36 AM
Comment #31Haven’t been there in years. Have a mate (black and white) who lives in area and he used to mention their frequent get togethers whilst they no doubt plotted wastefully to usurp us as the Cock of the North 🙂
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:39 AM
Comment #32hibbit@28
Not quite as classy as Tall Trees but hey it is in London the financial centre of the Universe so it has its compensations 🙂
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:46 AM
Comment #33The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part
Posted this lyric from Tom Petty a month or so ago – still very relevant today as things drag on – expected an early Christmas present as many others but
ronaldo aarons
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:47 AM
Comment #34http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/12/14/nufc-fans-furious-as-tv-cameras-expose-wayne-rooneys-nasty-off-the-ball-incident-during-evertons-win-at-sjp/
Rooney elbow on Ritchie that was unseen by match officials and motd unsurprisingly. Retrospective action could be carried out but don’t wait up on that.
Ian Toon
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:47 AM
Comment #35magscar- I understand where you’re coming from in speculating on the way forward at the toon. There are clearly many and varied possibilities and implications of new and ambitious ownership of our football club. Let’s not forget that Ashley inherited Fat Sam but sacked him because of the quality of the football and the buying of ageing footballers on long term contracts.
The big spenders in the premiership have owners looking for a return on their transfer market investment. Certainly Mourinho is widely viewed as a chequebook manager but he has met owner and fan demands in his first season. But it is an ongoing demand and requirement of a manager which is why many Arsenal fans are so disrespectful of Wenger.
Your generation and my fathers believed in measuring and judging managers by their transfer dealings. This prior to Sky football payments was the development of academy players bolstered by spending in the transfer market. This was the policy at Everton under a former owner but a new manager, under new ownership, spending £140 million but not delivering was not given time. I view the likes of Pochettino and Benitez as a contrast of developing players moulded to their own philosophy. In the case of Lascelles who has been given responsibility with accountability. But will our new owner(s) want instant success and a noticeable return on any investment in the transfer market both in January to retain our current status but also next summer when we will be looking for more than mere survival. Burnley have set the yardstick.
Any new investor in the toon will want a return on their investment which Rafa will need to buy into given his doubtless revised and specific job specification requirements.
magscar
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:49 AM
Comment #36Oops… Post submitted unwittingly
… but will keep the faith.
Off to occupy myself to stop fretting but is today the day for a hard announcement given bits and pieces posted this morning 🙂
NezzaNUFC
Dec 15, 2017 at 10:59 AM
Comment #37(Whistles)
😉
Rotonda heights
Dec 15, 2017 at 11:02 AM
Comment #38magscar,
I think we can give jail a bit of leeway. Tbh many people would struggle to see too much good in Ashley.
– – –
Frank,
You’ve lifted spirits a bit there as this whole sorry saga is really getting to me now. On another note, would it be the end of the world if we moved from SJP? It’s not exactly been blessed with success over the years, even alleged to have a curse on it! 70,000 geordies a couple of miles away could be a sight to behold.
– – – –
Didn’t realise Pep’s yellow rosette was for catalan independence. Apparently that’s why city beat united according to mourinho. Well it beats ”’science was against us”. I think it was Cruyff who got the Barca style going but Pep could almost patent it as his own these days, he’s even got Sterling looking up and playing quick short passes and cut backs. Wish we had more coaches trying to play Pep’s style rather than your Pulis, Pardew, Allardyce, Moyes brigade. To be fair though Silva, Pochettino, Klopp, Wenger teams are easy on the eye too.
Frank pingles come sock
Dec 15, 2017 at 11:05 AM
Comment #39Nezza – what you heard ?
Rotonda heights
Dec 15, 2017 at 11:13 AM
Comment #40Ian,
If new owners want a return and by happy coincidence we are taken along for the ride in achieving hitherto unheralded realms of success then win, win for everyone.
City seem to have now reached this great situation where the quality of football is from another dimension and they are simply blowing allcomers away in the process. However, many empty seats every time I watch them. I don’t think this would ever be the case with us and we would always still retain our soul and not become a plastic, cosmetic operation .
None of us under 75 really know what success looks like, but boy it would be great to find out.