The first thing Kenedy, Slimani, and Dubravka will bring to the squad is increased competition and hopefully, the effect of that will be other players starting to play well to try to get a first-team place.
Jacob Murphy didn’t start last night but he did well when he came on in the second half – and maybe Murphy will start at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The major loan signing is Islam Slimani and if he can take half the good chances to score then as Newcastle’s new center forward then he will score lots of goals for Newcastle in the remaining games of the season.
He seems to have everything, he’s powerful, skillful, good in the air, and a hard worker so why he failed at Leicester City is a bit of a mystery.
Martin Dubravka – delighted to sign for Newcastle United
In 46 games for Leicester he scored 13 goals and had 7 assists – which isn’t terrible but he can do much better at Newcastle.
When the Algerian recovers from his slight thigh injury he will probably walk straight into the side and that’s likely to be against Manchester United at home on February 11th – a game we can win!
We saw last night how good and skillful and classy Kenedy is on that left wing.
He’s a great signing for us and now we know what we missed in the first half of the season by failing on August 31st to get him in on loan.
Kenedy can create goals and he can also score them and it’s good that Rafa is using him on the left wing where he can do the most damage.
Kenedy is a lad we’d like to see sign for Newcastle in the future – but he could be good enough to make it at Chelsea.
He’s a great lad and seems to already love it at Newcastle.
Rafa has wanted an experienced and all around goalkeeper in the side last summer – a goalie who is in command of the box.
He finally got the man he was after when Sparta Prague and Slovakian (I think I’ve finally got the right country) International Martin Dubravka was signed on loan last night.
It’s expected that the 29-year-old will sign permanently for us for around £4M in the summer but he has to earn that contract this season,.
That will put pressure on both Karl Darlow and Rob Elliott but maybe Darlow will keep his place on Sunday at Crystal Palace as he gets acclimatized to things at Newcastle.
If Karl players a stormer in London on Sunday he will keep his place and he knows that.
So again bringing in Dubravka will hopefully have Karl play at his very best for the Magpies.
Given where we were on Tuesday night, Newcastle pulled the frying pan out of the fire (that’s an old saying) and did well in those circumstances to get Slimani and Dubravka on loan so late in the window.
But why wait until the last minute and why not bother looking until more than halfway through the window?
Only owner Mike Ashley can answer that one and it will not be a satisfactory answer.
Comments welcome.
238 comments so far
Chancel be a fine thing
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:04 PM
Comment #81Does vile=bile
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:07 PM
Comment #82And now that we’ve brought it up why didn’t we re-sign Shefki Kuqi? He would give the Hose Man a run (or possibly a slow walk) for his money. And I totally agree about Slimani. Given Hose Man’s chances Slimani would have 10 or 12 by now over the season so far.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:09 PM
Comment #83Many things to consider when managing a club but I’m sure by now Rafa is totally convinced that Joselu can’t do the job. That’s why he’s not at Stoke and why he’ll be out of English football in the summer. Sad to say he doesn’t even look like a striker on the pitch. Not predatory at all. Could be made into a number 10 possibly in a poor side in Europe somewhere.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:10 PM
Comment #84Shefki Kuqi as with Phil Pencilcock is a club legend. Let nobody forget it…… Harrumph.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:11 PM
Comment #85I hope I’ve made my point reasonably well by now. And we will finish with 35 to 39 points. It’s in the cards. My crystal sphere has spoken as well.
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:13 PM
Comment #86G2
35-39 will be enough for 18th 🙁
ShirebrookToon
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:14 PM
Comment #8738 will see us safe!
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:17 PM
Comment #88Lad where I work basically thinks Joselu will single handedly relegate us. He has to be dropped now. I think Perez might be the one to get the nod to play along side, or behind Slimani. Gayle doesn’t look like scoring and doesn’t bring anything else to the table. Whereas perez has a little bit of hard work and (when up for it) a bit of creativity.
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:18 PM
Comment #89Shire
Hope you’re right. It is prettt tight at the bottom. Last nights point moved us up 2 places. You can throw a blaket over 10-20th
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:18 PM
Comment #90I hope you’re wrong Markaccus. And 38 will see us safe Shire! Huzzah!!! There is some dreadful footy being played in the Prem these days and we’ve seen a lot of it! It’s time to break out the fongbats and head for home, fighting and clawing for points. I’ve always said Rafa carries luck with him. Like the way Liverpool won that Champions League and the way we won the Champo. Typical examples. Bring it on lads!
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:19 PM
Comment #91Correct Markaccus mate and look at wor lovely goal difference as well. That’s nearly as good as an extra point. Beautiful…..
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:20 PM
Comment #92Well said at 88 Marcus Ohreallyus…..
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:21 PM
Comment #93Peruse that table enough and you can become convinced that we’re already safe in fact. Back in the barn and cooling off.
fairscup
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:21 PM
Comment #94As I said last week – big Mo could become a cult hero like John McNamee.
He was my man of the match, closely followed by Kenedy.
New keeper looks good on his highlights, lets hope Slimani can convert a few.
Tsunki
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:21 PM
Comment #95We definitely are in trouble for goals when our CB is one of the top scorers and with headers. 🙂
It’s all right blaming Rafa for playing Joselu every week but really it’s not like he’s stocked with options. Just have to hope our loan lads can boost the quality sufficiently to give us more of an attacking threat so we can get out of our half more.
Until then I can’t see the point in singling out the manager for not choosing other players it’s like youre handing him a can of soup and asking him to cook a steak out of it. That’s basically what Ashley has done.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:23 PM
Comment #96Does anybody else remember Marcus Aurelius? Used to come on here quite a bit and say vi vidi vici a lot? Wonderful way with words that man had.
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:25 PM
Comment #97Tsunki
Thats exactly the point me and others have been trying to make re available players. But it’s like flogging a dead horse, or a dead Horsalu.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:25 PM
Comment #98Looked at another way we’re just tremendously deep having a CB scoring goals for fun along with the forwards Tsunki. How much fun the forwards are having I’m not sure but lets put a brave face on it! Let’s say we’re a well rounded offensive team with potential goal scorers all through the lineup.
Nufc-83
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:25 PM
Comment #99Chancel ?? you got it
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:26 PM
Comment #100G2
Wasn’t it Julius Ceasar who said veni vidi vici?
I came, I saw, and I won at conkers.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:26 PM
Comment #101I like that analogy a lot Tsunki. We are a can of soup in the hands of the owner. He wants paying as if we are a steak and Amanda has offered the price of a can of soup. Well done Amanda. Called his bluff.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:27 PM
Comment #102That is correct Markaccus but Marcus Aurelius kept saying it after our matches as well. Wonderful sense of history that man has.
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:27 PM
Comment #103I think all the available forwards should have a conkers tournament. The winner plays on saturday.
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:28 PM
Comment #104G2
And wonderful conkers.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:29 PM
Comment #105What other club has a CB that is second in scoring? I ask you that! And those headers are absolutely thunderous. If Hose Bandit could head like that we would be about 6 points further up the standings.
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:29 PM
Comment #106Our current top scorer is a Horselu Chestnut
Thankyou. I’m here all week.
GeordieTwo
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:30 PM
Comment #107I’ve not examined his conkers closely Markaccus mate but I’m certainly prepared to take your word for it…. Harrumph!
Jail for Ashley
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:30 PM
Comment #108The problem is with catchy is that you are trying to debate with a man who is trying to get a manager with a fans 97% approval rate sacked out of pure hatred for him. If you didn’t think that made him look foolish, the fact that he backed Steve Mclaren and banged the OLG drum for eternity while being in full denial that Mike Ashley is/was responsible at all should make you understand that the bloke is stark raving mad. Apparently the football under Mclaren was better, how we managed to play this good football while racking up the worst GD in the clubs history is another matter.
Tinman thinks that if we get relegated then it’s one man and one man only’s fault. Rafa Benitez,. Was it purely the fault of KK, CH, JfK, CH and alan Shearer when we got relegated in 2009, was it purely Pardews fault when Ashley refused to invest and nearly got relegated in 2013. Was it purely down to Pardew that the team of mercenary’s Ashley and Carr had assembled downed tools after getting forty points and seen us go on the worst run in our history in 2014. Was it purely down to Pardew and Carver when the team of mercenary’s thought they had done in enough by January and downed tools breaking our previous worst run in history avoiding relegation on the last day of the season, being saved by a man who the club had tried to sack for getting cancer. Was it purely down to Mclaren and Rafa that we finally got relegated in 2016 after the team of mercenary’s finally had enough and decided they’d be gone anyway. Here we are again in 2018 and nothing has changed, yet the goon who goes by the name of Tinman wants to blame Rafa, I think The scarecrow would be more appropiate.
There has been one constant in this sorry state of affairs over the last eleven years and it hasn’t been the managers, Dennis Wise, Tony Jiminez, Dirk Llambias or Graham Carr. He is just one man.
Average_Contents
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:33 PM
Comment #109Just typed a lengthy post regarding CnutyMcCnutface
Can’t be arsed re-doing it but it basically said he’s a bit of…..can anyone guess?
Correct.
FCC
Nufc-83
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:34 PM
Comment #110Bloody hell this phone. That was not meant to be ? It was 🙂
Toonces
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:36 PM
Comment #111Catchy @ 12 and a few other spots
I actually share many of your frustrations that you listed – strange subs and the timing, preference for some players over others, identifying our best 11, inconsistency and a lack of aggression at times.
I think we all like attacking football but I prefer winning football. I think Rafa has a formula to build our character over time and give us an identity as tough defensively with a strong counter attack. Especially given our level of talent. This hasn’t always gone to plan but even in the Champ last season, he was trying to build and develop this trait. We all knew who Rafa was when we came in. He is who he is. The game plan reflects this. Problem is as well our team is very young and this brings inconsistency so the game plan doesn’t always come off.
In regards to players out of position and our new additions – I’m pretty sure I know where Dubravka will play, I’m pretty sure where Slimani will play, and I think we just saw where Kenedy will play 🙂 Agree Atsu isn’t best on the right but he was there for pace. Murphy should have started but likely didn’t because he played Sunday. Same for Shelvey on the bench. Atsu could come on for Kenedy. Ritchie for Murphy.
I thought we were pretty good overall yesterday. We were punished for the poor striker up front. Gayle might have done better. Mitro probably would have but I already agree with you on that point. But Gayle against Chelsea was terrible as well. He didn’t deserve a start.
As for why he brought in Manquillo and Joselu, we needed players, they were cheap, but I think he was hoping that their Real (or Atletico?) Madrid academy years could be coached up and they’d find their confidence. Unfortunately I think that they are just plain broken players.
Average_Contents
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:37 PM
Comment #112If anyone is in any doubt as to CnutyMcCnutfaces state of mind then read jfa’s post above.
There’s not much we’ve agreed on in the recent past but that was bang on the fcuking money mate.
Fat slug out!
Hwtl
Hwtf
Essex Geordie Bill
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:40 PM
Comment #113I still maintain that any one of the 4 kids, Armstrong, Toney, Heardman or Charman would have scored more than Joselu or Gayle if Rafa had taken a chance with any of them.
And by the way to prove I.m not into some Rafa cult, I do go out to his shrine in the garden and shout at it after we’ve lost points we should have taken.
toon kk
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:48 PM
Comment #114Our season depends on Slimani hitting the ground running and banging in goals also keeping injury free. Otherwise we’ll be relying on other results, which will probably be the case anyway.
I thought Kenedy had a great game last night, proved most of our players are championship quality compared.
Rafa is getting stick off some, although he has to take responsibility for Joselu, he’s his favourite player.
Our season is down to MA although like alot on here probably thought we had a top ten team. (Wishful thinking probably).
Essex Geordie Bill
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:50 PM
Comment #115G2
Comment 105
That’s why I (a bit tongue in cheek) suggested we should play Captain Braveheart as a striker.
And whilst I’m thinking about it perhaps he needs to give Joselu a kick up the backside similar to what he did to the new version Big Mo. Notice I’ve dropped the HT nickname.
Toonces
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:50 PM
Comment #116As for best 11, I think this is it now, but doesn’t mean Rafa agrees 🙂
Yedlin/Mbemba Lascelles Clark/Mbemba Dummett
Diame
Merino Shelvey
Murphy Slimani Kenedy
Toonces
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:52 PM
Comment #117And it will be Dubravka in goal.
Bambams
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:54 PM
Comment #118Driving along Stamfordham Rd this morning about 11am and as I was sat at the lights a 4×4 was waiting in the opposite lane. I am sure it was Steve Mcmahon (former Liverpool player)
Might be just a bloke that looked very similar but I am sure it was him.
Just got me thinking……
toon kk
Feb 1, 2018 at 7:57 PM
Comment #119Rafa is a great manager but he keeps making mistakes, (he’s only human) obviously set in his ways and not sure what’s the best way to play our team with the lack of quality it can’t be easy. He does get frustrated with the errors but again all down to quality issues.
Jail for Ashley
Feb 1, 2018 at 8:00 PM
Comment #120I mentioned Jaap Staam earlier who Ferguson immediately sold after he said things in a book. He also got rid of Ruud Van Nistlerooy who:
”Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed that Ruud van Nistelrooy called him a “—-” during the 2006 Carling Cup final after his failure to bring him on as a substitute”
Tinman claims that it is bitterness that has kept Mitro outof the side. Tinman, like me and everyone else on this blog has absolutely no idea what has happened between Mitro and the manager. Demba Ba refused to play on the left and threatened to leave unless he was played as a CF, so Pardew played Cisse on the left. Demba Ba scarpered anyway and we very nearly got relegated. When players start doing what they want and get away with it because the manager is desperate the whole team start playing up and anarchy ensues.