One of the things Rafa keeps reminding us of with his team is they are young, and they lack experience in the Premier League.
It’s one thing Rafa was well aware of last summer, but Mike Ashley didn’t help Rafa to bring in some experienced players by cutting down on the available money the manager had to spend.
Some of that lack of experience showed up at Bournemouth last Saturday when we failed to hold onto a two-goal lead.
But in the previous match, our lads were magnificent in keeping a clean sheet against the Red Devils.
With Rafa’s guidance, we are hoping the side will improve and before the end of this season too.
A happy looking Rafa Benitez last Saturday – it was before the game
United States International DeAndre Yedlin has been playing well for us of late, and he has nailed down the right-back spot this season.
His improvement since joining Newcastle from Tottenham is there for all to see.
DeAndre has talked about that lack of experience in the side, as reported in the Chronicle today:
“I think if you were to tell us to take four points from these last two games, it would have been a pretty reasonable result for us,”
“We could have got six, and that’s what’s disappointing. But we go on, and we’ll keep pushing forward and fighting.”
“It’s something that comes with experience, so obviously we’re all disappointed about it. In no way are we happy with the point.”
“We thought we deserved three, but at the end of the day, we got a point out of it and now we have to go to Liverpool next week and do a job.”
“When we go to Anfield, we just have to play like we did for 70 minutes here.”
“Hopefully, we will take the positives and the team will do the same things they did for most of this game.”
“You are talking about teams who have players who can make the difference, and you cannot lose your concentration, even for one second because you pay for that.”
“The team has played a lot of good games in terms of organization and understanding.”
“There have been times where we have lacked a bit of quality and experience in the final third, and we haven’t always managed things well enough.”
“But that is what happens when you are at this level and you play against very good players.:
“Our team is a young team and we need a little bit more experience in how to manage situations like this.”
“The team was doing well against Manchester United, but we have done that in quite a few games and we did again in the first half here.”
“We have had situations where we have created chances, but we have missed out because of a lack of quality or experience.”
Rafa will be looking to bring more quality and more experienced players into the squad during this summer’s transfer window – the level of that will depend on how much money he gets from Mike Ashley.
We hope it’s a lot, but Rafa will be selling players like Jack Colback, Chancel Mbemba, and Aleksandar Mitrovic whom he doesn’t use in the team.
So Rafa can also create some transfer funds for himself that way.
It’s certainly not doom and gloom if only we can survive relegation.
Rafa will get more money to spend this summer than he’s ever had at Newcastle and that’s one reason he wants to finish as high up in the league as possible.
That will maximize the money we get from the Premier League.
Comments welcome.
67 comments so far
fresh sarnie
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:20 PM
Comment #41Everybody I have ever heard or read about in politics are/become lying scum (maybe there are rare exceptions), this is a football blog though so let’s all talk football.
Has anyone seen anything of Arma’s past few games? Know he’s scored a couple but has he played well?
ronaldo aarons
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:22 PM
Comment #42I reckon most are still frustrated with us throwing away two points this weekend. Yes before Man Utd it would have been great to get 4 points from these two matches but considering we failed to beat Swansea, burnley and crystal palace, I think the lost points in these fixtures could go against us. Since the burnley match in particular I’ve been quite negative about our chances of survival. Man Utd match obviously raised the hopes again but the final result v Bournemouth is back down.
RobLeenio
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:46 PM
Comment #43Ronaldo nee bosh all good mate ?
RobLeenio
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:47 PM
Comment #44? = 🙂
RobLeenio
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:49 PM
Comment #4540 points will be more than enough. We’ll be comfortable but no more than 38 will be sufficient this season
RobLeenio
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:53 PM
Comment #46Beer I’ve been considering your question, giving it the thought that such a weighty query demands and I’ve come to the only logical conclusion. Space Gerbils
RobLeenio
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:58 PM
Comment #47Think about it. The run off is caught in funnels and the space gerbils run round in their massive space wheels which power pumps to drive the water back up. I had to put myself in beefman’s head to get to this answer so I hope it’s right. I don’t want to go back
lesh
Feb 26, 2018 at 8:59 PM
Comment #48We’ll, it looks as though the early editions of the Mail and Express have published early. It’s comforting to know that we have some in our midst whose political insight is such that they’ll be offered a jib at the Beeb….. Or Brightbart!
lesh
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:16 PM
Comment #49* offered a jib at the Beeb. ????”
A Jib at the Beeb? Heaven help us!
bettyswallocks
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:19 PM
Comment #50Leah…….. Which newspaper would you recommend for a good balanced view of current events?
Nicky the ball tosser
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:22 PM
Comment #51Slimani really needed to be fit and in form to get out of his unhappy situation at Leicester by earning a move to Newcastle. He’s gonna be 30 in June, he’s on decent money and came in on a big transfer so a permanent deal would have been unlikely regardless, but now it looks a total non starter, even if he contributes for the last half dozen games that he’s likely to be available for. Shame, as he does look a good fit football wise, but fitness and contract issues will conspire to rule a permanent move out, meaning the search goes on.
Jib
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:23 PM
Comment #52Leah
Ha ha ha
or Princess Lesh
Nicky the ball tosser
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:28 PM
Comment #53http://www.politics.co.uk/
This is a good one for those who might prefer to get their politics from somewhere other than here.
bettyswallocks
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:30 PM
Comment #54Me and the missus had words. Didn’t get much chance to use mine though. I told her I was a fool when I married her . She replied that she was in love at the time and didn’t realise. She did introduce me to religion though, I didn’t believe in hell until I met her.
Jib
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:32 PM
Comment #55We paid £3m for a 32 year old Daryl Murphy
His 5 championship goals were considered
good value for money and we got £2m for him
at 33.
Net £200,000 per goal plus wages.
jane
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:48 PM
Comment #56“did Yasin Ben El-Mhanni play”
Under-23s team v Colchester (1pm) Huuhtanen; Spooner, Bailey, Good, Newberry; Barlaser, Hunter; Roberts, Sangare, Fernández; Charman.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-u23s-vs-colchester-u23s-14338588
jane
Feb 26, 2018 at 9:51 PM
Comment #57“Rebecca Welsh referees Newcastle United U23’s 3-0 victory over Colchester United U23s”
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/rebecca-welsh-referees-newcastle-united-14340674
ronaldo aarons
Feb 26, 2018 at 10:13 PM
Comment #58I thought we loaned out barlaser. He needs the games.
ronaldo aarons
Feb 26, 2018 at 10:15 PM
Comment #59One thing in our favour is we are one a decent run in terms of being hard to beat. Think it’s 2 defeats in 10 and both were to Man City. Just need to keep picking up points and turn draws to wins.
jane
Feb 26, 2018 at 10:25 PM
Comment #60seems to be on loan at Crewe
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniel-barlaser/profil/spieler/256773
RobLeenio
Feb 26, 2018 at 10:31 PM
Comment #61Ron you’re right. There’s been a real evolution in our team this season from open and predictable before Christmas to tight and difficult to beat now. I hoped Slimani would be the piece of the jigsaw that gave us wins not draws. While that may not happen now we still have enough to stay up
jane
Feb 26, 2018 at 10:33 PM
Comment #62only 3 appearances for Crewe all from the bench and only for a few minutes each time and unused sub in Crewe’s last 3 matches.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniel-barlaser/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/256773/saison/2017/verein/1042/liga/0/wettbewerb/GB4/pos/0/trainer_id/0/plus/1
JohnJ
Feb 26, 2018 at 11:33 PM
Comment #63I wish folk on here would stick to Newcastle United & football related maters – I’m pig sick of reading about politics! Don’t say I can skip by the comments as it all takes more time!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Feb 27, 2018 at 5:51 AM
Comment #64Jeff…we pay £4M for Daryl Murphy after his promotion clause was triggered! But you’re right we did give him away at a measly £2M!
lesh
Feb 27, 2018 at 6:32 AM
Comment #65Bettyswollocks
Which paper do I read to try to get a balanced view of events?
To answer your question without offering any reasons for my choice, it’s generally The Guardian. I am therefore a bearded, sandal wearing tree hugger. Oh, and male too! 🙂
Jib
Feb 27, 2018 at 6:56 AM
Comment #66I thought £2 million for a 34 year old
(he’s 35 next month)
who only played 15 times for us in the Championship
was pretty good business by Rafa or Charnley
whoever negotiated it.
Jib
Feb 27, 2018 at 7:10 AM
Comment #67Rafa
“We have 10 cup finals left”
Which is great
because Sen. Benitez
has won 10 cup finals
in his illustrious
career !