There have been some worries during the week about whether Jamaal Lascelles would be available for the very important game tomorrow at home to bottom of the table Swansea City
But Rafa has said Jamaal is fit and ready to play, although we still have Aleksandar Mitrovic, Florian Lejeune, and Jesus Gamez not available for this game through injury.
Wonder how bad Lejeune’s injury is – since we will need him through the end of the season.
Rafa Benitez – during press conference
Rob Elliot is fit again so we will have to wait and see if Karl Darlow keeps his place after having a great game in the 1-0 win at Stoke and doing well last Saturday too against Luton Town.
Here’s some of what Rafa said Rafa starting with the captain who is fit:
“He is the captain, a leader and is a good example for everyone.”
We have Jesus Gamez, Florian Lejeune and Aleksandar Mitrovic injured. Mitrovic has been running and is closer.” “Those three players will not be available.”
“We have to approach this game with the same mentality as the last few games. It will be a massive game for us, a massive game for them. Hopefully, we will win.”
“Swansea have a new manager and they are quite organised, quite disciplined. We need to be sure that we don’t lose the game but have the mentality that we will win. It will be tough.”
“We are working on transfers but there is no news at the moment. We don’t have any offers. All the names that you can read in the press, some of them are not true.”
“It is not a question of needing to sell to buy. The January window is so complicated. If some players leave, it’s because we have a replacement.”
“We have a lot of people working, talking to agents, giving us names and options. I have to concentrate on games and Saturday is an important game for us.”
“We are still working on things. I am hopeful we will do something. I still don’t know the budget but we are working on it.”
It’s a bit ridiculous that Rafa still doesn’t have any notion of what transfer funds are available.
Maybe Mike Ashley needs to meet face to face with Rafa soon, but not before tomorrow’s important game.
Ashley could helicopter up to Newcastle and have a one-on-one meeting at Benton to sort out what’s going on in the transfer window with Rafa and get some agreements in place. – he could do that early next week.
It wouldn’t hurt.
Comments welcome.
37 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:44 PM
Comment #1Oh dear, what a complete shambles. What bizarre logic, he spent 30M on a shite manager because he looked like taking us down rather than sacking him and letting a good manager choose who to buy, now he’s not going to spend anything on a good manager in the hope that he’ll keep us up. What have we done to deserve such a toss pot of an owner.
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:44 PM
Comment #21st
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:45 PM
Comment #3Damn
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:46 PM
Comment #4Agree Jail
First time in years we have had a decent manager and he is being played a fool in the transfer windows
Why get him in the first place if you don’t want to back his opinion ??
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:48 PM
Comment #5It’s like buying a guard dog for a homeless guy
Markaccus
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:50 PM
Comment #6Is there not some kind of law against this deliberate miss managing of a business?
He is damaging the premierships brand, do they have a claim against him. Disrepute is too gentle a word for what Mash is doing.
ashleysmate
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:52 PM
Comment #7Wouldn’t it be something if, us as supporters could “persuade ” mashley to sell up pronto?
If you know what I mean….
Belfast
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:53 PM
Comment #8He sounds like he knows as much as me and you. The whole thing is just a farce. You’d think Mr Bean was in charge. He’ll probably crack at next Fridays presser.
I’d like to believe he’s bluffing. But 12 days in and nothing is happening. We’re trying to sign a Chelsea fringe player on loan and trying to swap a center back for a West Ham fringe player. Join the dots. Meh!
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:53 PM
Comment #9But your his mate ?
hibbit
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:56 PM
Comment #10what IF it’s the EPL dragging their heels with the fit & proper test ??????
just a thought !!!
Sultan of Broonale
Jan 12, 2018 at 2:58 PM
Comment #11There’s still no excuse for Ashley not facilitating funds to bridge the gap.
hibbit
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:01 PM
Comment #12Sultan
Ashley doesn’t need an excuse it’s his way or no way !!!!
Rob1971
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:03 PM
Comment #13Hibbitt would the press have not got wind of any news of the EPL looking at new owners? they all seem 100% convinced the price has not been approved yet
SecretSausage
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:09 PM
Comment #14All info we have is that it is done. All circumstantial evidence is that it is done. Everyday brings more depression, but I have to keep looking at what we are told from the scraps of info we have and it is honestly clear to me it is done. So for the next hour I will be positive before I start having doubts again.
Theres never been a point where theyve said it isnt happening.
All ITK’s have given positive updates.
Rafa is still here and does not appear to be getting upset. He must know.
Absolutely no transfer dealings in or out. That is also a clue.
The CURRY. That is the big one.
The worry for me is who is taking over. Im told it is unlimited funds. And the evidence on that is that who in their right mind would buy us for 300m knowing they are so far behind the decent teams that it will be a relegation fight each year without serious investment. And its already proven that it doesnt work not investing or actually withdrawing profits.
Happy Days are on their way. Im sure of it now. Ive just typed my way into believing it.
Sultan of Broonale
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:09 PM
Comment #15That’s why this is so hard to understand. Ashley is a loose cannon, a renegade who doesn’t follow the normal rules.
Hopefully that modus operandi will be his undoing in the future.
Ron Knee
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:10 PM
Comment #16Lee Ryder
Chelsea have asked #nufc for more time on the Kenedy loan deal. Player was expected this week but Antonio Conte wants a player in first. #cfc
Rob1971
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:15 PM
Comment #17Secretsausage so why has Ashley pulled this stunt with the rumour of another bidder if the deal is already done and signed off? that indicates nothing has been agreed and he is trying to get PCP to up the bid?
Rob1971
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:17 PM
Comment #18Secretsausage so why has Ashley pulled this stunt with the rumour of another bidder if the deal is already done and signed off? that indicates nothing has been agreed.
Rob1971
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:17 PM
Comment #19Secretsausage why has Ashley pulled this stunt with the rumour of another bidder then if the deal is already signed off? that indicates nothing has been agreed.
Rob1971
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:19 PM
Comment #20With Ashley pulling this stunt last night with another bidder it looks like nothing is agreed and done with PCP and they are still in talks over the price, it looks like he has done this to get her to up the bid
kimbo
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:20 PM
Comment #21Well those are saying the deal is done, where is your information coming from. We are being lead up the garden path, Rafa will not get any new players in and Ashley is hanging us out to dry. As Trump would say “It is all fake news”. Tomorrow is probably the biggest in the Clubs recent history, Ashley hang your head in shame if we lose tomorrow.
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:21 PM
Comment #22Secret sausage – I think in all honesty they are still in negotiations
There isn’t any media outlet hinting it’s done
That’s because of the NDA – I hear you say ????
If the NDA was that super tight how do all the ITK , twitter , Facebook , all of Dubai , people find out its a done deal ??
Yet no one in the media has contacts ??
Jail for Ashley
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:24 PM
Comment #23It’s making me ill 😮
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:27 PM
Comment #24I think a lot of the frame work is in place and all set to go should it be Agreed?
Like the new company, the Ashley share thing etc etc
But the price / our position in the league is making it hard to Agree a price
Plus Ashley is a greedy Toss pot
Frank pingles come sock
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:28 PM
Comment #25It’s like a never ending maze
manxpie
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:30 PM
Comment #26Secretsausage why has Ashley pulled this stunt with the rumour of another bidder then if the deal is already signed off? that indicates nothing has been agreed.
manxpie
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:30 PM
Comment #27Secretsausage why has Ashley pulled this stunt with the rumour of another bidder then if the deal is already signed off? that indicates nothing has been agreed..
Rotonda heights
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:31 PM
Comment #28kimbo
you say ” being hung out to dry”, yet you and others don’t appreciate what rafa has to deal with on a daily basis where he can’t even bring in loans because we can’t afford the wages. desperate stuff. if we somehow stop us this season with this squad it will rank alongside rafa’s greatest achievements yet.
manxpie
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:31 PM
Comment #29Secretsausage, why has Ashley pulled this stunt with the rumour of another bidder then if the deal is already signed off? that indicates nothing has been agreed.
geordiemark
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:38 PM
Comment #30Ashley comes off holiday flies home all of a sudden theres another bid in the papers for the club, this stinks of Ashley this and we all know it is to get pcp to up there money offer, if I was pcp id say no deal and walk away and leave him to it, the fans will have the last say on Ashley that’s for sure he has many shops in the north east and all of them will be targeted by the supporters, just watch his tacky direct sales go down the pan, tacky direct shares drop lower, shares in the other companies hes paid with the clubs money if he hasn’t then where the hell is all the clubs money over the past 10 years gone on top of his tacky direrect free advertising even if he owns 61% I bet hes charged them for it, ive lost my patients with this numb nuts
dig-n-dig22
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:39 PM
Comment #31I think reality should have kicked in by now that the Cavalry aren’t going to show in the form of a buyout. I think the poor run of results upto Christmas caused the Stavely group to ditch the bid, after all who in their right mind would purchase an asset of £ 300Mill that could see the value reduced by more than half by May?. I still think we could survive the drop but our home form needs to vastly improve, only 1pt from our last 5 home games. We need to win our so called bankers if we aim to survive. If weekend results go our way and we get 3pts Saturday, we could be half way up the table, that gives us breathing space on 25pts we need to dig out another 4 wins and scrape a couple of draws and that should see us safe, the only saving grace I think, is in our favour is all the bottom half of the table will be in one hell of a dog fight and I don’t think that will favour the bottom three.
bladeuser
Jan 12, 2018 at 3:59 PM
Comment #32No takeover
Maybe a loan signing
ASH finally p@@### of rafa for the last time
The writing is on the wall
ASH OUT
bladeuser
Jan 12, 2018 at 4:08 PM
Comment #33Dig n dig
Explain to me what you mean by a banker
Just give me the names of the teams
ASH OUT
DubaiMicky
Jan 12, 2018 at 4:25 PM
Comment #34Maybe the “new Bidder” is just trying to big himself up…. No-one thought of that one? Company registered in a PO Box?
toonluvva
Jan 12, 2018 at 5:53 PM
Comment #35Sorry, but even if Rafa has been given a specific amount of funds, I wouldn’t want to shout it from the rooftops.
Better to keep quiet and just get on with it.
Moonraker15
Jan 12, 2018 at 6:59 PM
Comment #36If the deal was dead Rafa would not be so calm. He would know Ashley won’t be able to sell if Amanda’s deal can’t be done and he would be screaming from the rooftops at the owner!
xfer
Jan 13, 2018 at 2:40 AM
Comment #37Karlow didnt play against Luton.