Newcastle got nothing out of the game at Old Trafford on Saturday after playing so well for 70 minutes.
But we can say that about a number of the defeats we’ve had this season – like the losses to Spurs, Chelsea, and Manchester City.
We have only 2 points in 8 games and we know that’s the worst start in our long history.
However, you wouldn’t think the way Newcastle played in that first half on Saturday we were in the bottom three in the league.
So that’s one of the positives coming out of what was a heartbreaking loss.
Rafa Benitez – confident we can start winning soon
Rafa is quick to point out that the lads must take the unlucky loss in stride and keep working hard in training.
This is some of what Rafa said after the game when asked if he had enough experienced players in the side:
“Tonight is not the night to complain about the players.”
“They did great, it’s just something we need to learn for the future.”
“The team was in control of the game for a while, but perhaps we have to manage the situation a little bit better if we can.”
“You have to give credit to Man United.”
“It was the players they had on the pitch and the pace, the size, the ability, the power, everything.
“It was very difficult to stop them playing.” “We did it, and we played very well for a while.”
“We cannot complain about the players – we just have to learn for the future and carry on with the same team spirit and way to play.”
“We have to stay calm and be sure we continue working in this way because we will win games if we play like that.”
Benitez is confident about the future, and he seems certain we will soon be picking up some wins.
Hope he’s right on that.
Here are the next five league games coming up.
Date Fixture KO time
Sat 20 Oct Newcastle vs Brighton 3:00pm
Sat 27 Oct Southampton vs Newcastle 3:00pm
Sat 03 Nov Newcastle vs Watford 3:00pm
Sat 10 Nov Newcastle vs Bournemouth 3:00pm
Mon 26 Nov Burnley vs Newcastle 8:00pm
Comments welcome.
119 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:17 PM
Comment #1Looking at those fixtures above they are games we should be getting something out of. That first half display on Saturday should give us heart. I’m in the Leazes for the Brighton game, not my favourite spot but it makes a change.
hibbit
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:18 PM
Comment #2as the days roll by catchy the wum’s agenda becomes more and more apparent bore every to death with his repetitive preaching and close the blog,
” but hey he’s tolerant of others opinions ”
i must have missed that !!!!
hibbit
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:20 PM
Comment #3*everyone*
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:21 PM
Comment #4hibbit,
If he’s charging 8M for Atsu he must have Gayle and Ritchie as 15M each, stick a million on top of every 5M player and you get 140M. And don’t forget every single penny was wasted.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:21 PM
Comment #5Have to agree with Shearer…if Ashley did offer a holiday to millionaire footballers if they beat relegation then it’s a big insults to the players, to Rafa and us fans!
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:23 PM
Comment #6Jail for Ashley
I’m in the Leazes for the Brighton game, not my favourite spot
It doesn’t matter where you sit.
You’ll still barely comprehend what unfolds
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:25 PM
Comment #7“jesperfuglsang – capt’n awesome of the lemon crew
it’s a big insults to the players, to Rafa and us fans!”
I take it the end of your sentence refers to fans in America
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:25 PM
Comment #8Jib,
That was unnecessary and can only create bad feeling on the blog. Why are you such a tw@t?
toon22
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:31 PM
Comment #9So after 11years MA has suddenly learned some kind of lesson ,again,and will change his ways?
You really couldn’t make that up
beermonkey
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:39 PM
Comment #10jail
think we will need 8 points from those games
bettyswallocks
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:41 PM
Comment #11https://farm1.staticflickr.com/479/32014266656_fdea9f4255_b.jpg
Jib…… Wind yer neck in and give Jane a chance!
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:41 PM
Comment #12Jail for Ashley
Does it matter ?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:44 PM
Comment #13beer,
If we don’t get eight from those we’ll go down, no two ways about it. I hope Rondon is just injured and not playing silly buggers. No matter what happens with us he’s going back to WBA on 40/80K a week, he’s not even playing for a place in our plans or to put himself in the shop window. Not ideal, too early to say but Slimani doesn’t bode well, he obviously sussed out early he wouldn’t be here this season.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:47 PM
Comment #14The former taxi driver and autograph collector of the stars and prominent professionals has been on the sauce again. Ha ha Spain my ar$e, he disappears when his data is up and he’s waiting for his giro. Ha ha
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:48 PM
Comment #15Ha ha ha
Belfast
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:49 PM
Comment #16Think we need 11-12 points from that five.
We probably won’t have another run of games like that.
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:49 PM
Comment #17Jail
Faz Deen sends his love
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:51 PM
Comment #18Who?
beermonkey
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:54 PM
Comment #19jail
i think he is injured if he had a suss attitude rafa wouldnt want him
but the situation wont have been helped with what come out in the forum mins if he thought he had a chance of staying
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:57 PM
Comment #20beer,
He signed a new deal increasing his buy out clause, he must surely know that if we weren’t going to pay 16.5M then we’re not going to pay the new one.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 5:59 PM
Comment #2160K a week he’s on beer, guaranteed next season no matter what he does for us.
Pain in the Blog
Oct 8, 2018 at 6:01 PM
Comment #22So the big question is what exactly is Ashley up to? i.e.
1. What made him suddenly change his intransigent stance?
2. Is he going to give Rafa assurances in his new contract that he will supply the necessary funds for improvements to the squad, the academy and the training facilities?
3. How much money is he willing to put up?
4. Will this change of attitude be permanent?
My guess at the answers.
1. He has changed his stance because pressure from the fans, MPs and parts of the media are in danger of negatively affecting his reputation in the business world to the point that it will be a significant constraint in his retail empire building. Or, alternatively, he has decided that we are heading for another relegation and he needs to protect his SD billboard.
2. I don’t think Rafa will sign unless there are watertight guarantees of funding. Once bitten… He will also want assurances that player purchases will be completed early in the window. If Ashley really believes that he must retain the services of Rafa then he must accede to most of these demands. Otherwise Rafa may walk.
3. Ashley will obviously try to keep the expenditure to the bare minimum, as always. Rafa is likely to be satisfied with a not too onerous financial commitment in January provided subsequent transfer windows are also funded reasonably and some money is thrown at the training facilities.
4. This is the big one. I believe that Ashley’s current behaviour is completely selfish. He has not suddenly become a benefactor of the club. He is not the prodigal son requesting forgiveness. To him, imho, NUFC is still an advertising medium, not a football club. So he may be forced to commit to expenditure over the lifetime of Rafa’s new contract – maybe three years – but it is not permanent by any means. This leopard has not changed its spots.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 6:14 PM
Comment #23Pain in the Blog,
It’s because he’s realised we’re in grave danger of going down again and is trying to quell the protests by insinuating he’s going to be doing things in a positive manner. He’s full of shite again.
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 6:23 PM
Comment #24Interesting
beermonkey
Oct 8, 2018 at 6:25 PM
Comment #25jail
good luck to him glad we havent siigning on a perm basis, the then you dont get a lot for the fee that was being touted for him
glad to see what muto can do thought he did well shame we didnt bring him earlier we might not have had to have waited so long
is ki sung injured
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 6:57 PM
Comment #26beer,
I’ve got absolutely no idea what’s happened to him, when did he play last, was it against Chelsea?
Black and white armpit
Oct 8, 2018 at 6:59 PM
Comment #27Well I’ve avoided the blog at the weekend, Catchy is just too unbearable.
Good signs first half Saturday, couple of additions in January and we should be ok (Injuries taken into account of course) Muto will hopefully come on leaps and bounds from here.
Martin O’Neil… H ah a ha ha ha
Black and white armpit
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:01 PM
Comment #28Scratchy from nowhere:
“C dog
get it right mate,, Joselu gets points for jogging around for 90 mins
It’s great. the really smart ones like me, realise there is a huge problem”
beermonkey
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:28 PM
Comment #29jail
i cant remember when sung played
while i never expected him to set the world alight i thought he would make half decent back up but he seems to have vanished
we could have done with him on sat shelvey was done after 70 mins
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:43 PM
Comment #30Ki will be fit after the international break
I think the ManYoo game was Diamé’s
last chance saloon time.
I fully expect Ki and Shelvey to be together
versus Brighton.
For me the team on Oct 20 will be
Dubravka
Yedlin Lascelles Fernandez Dummett
Shelvey Ki
Ritchie Perez Kenedy
Muto
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:46 PM
Comment #31Jiblets,
Let’s face it here, you haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about have you?
lochinvar
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:47 PM
Comment #32Job – team for Saturday,
you might well be right, for once
and in the meantime lets see if the translators who did for Shelvey last season will do the same to Mourinho
Comments made by Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho to a television camera after Saturday’s comeback win over Newcastle are being investigated by the Football Association.Mourinho’s remarks were made in Portuguese and have been interpreted as being offensive. The FA will check the footage and then get an official translation before deciding what course of action to take.
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:49 PM
Comment #33Same old Ashley. He’s running in fear that we will get relegated again so he’s making nice for the team and the media. It’s all bollocks of course. He may spend in January but only in hopes of saving us for one more season and getting Rafa to commit. I think the time has come for Rafa to make up his mind. I would agree if Ashley puts a specific spending amount in Rafa’s contract for the length of the contract that Rafa may stay. Otherwise it will be over once the window shuts and if no written guarantees have been given.
jazzyp
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:50 PM
Comment #34Sports Direct have 536,970,000 shares.
Mike Ashley owns about 327,552,000 of them.
The share price on 18th July 2018 was 436.10p, worth £1,428,454,272 to Ashley.
Today’s share price is 316.90p, worth £1,038,012,288 to Ashley.
He’s lost over £390 million in 12 weeks.
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:51 PM
Comment #35In other words, a bit of spending in January ain’t gonna cut it Mikey.
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:52 PM
Comment #36Well researched jazzy. Easy come, easy go, right Mikey?
jazzyp
Oct 8, 2018 at 8:01 PM
Comment #37G2
Anyone thinks Ashley is gonna commit to a mass splurge come the transfer window best stop window licking now
RobLeenio
Oct 8, 2018 at 8:02 PM
Comment #38Jazzy 12 weeks takes us roughly back to mid July which is when his and Rafa’s relationship started to really fracture.
I wonder if an unintended consequence of using NUFC as an advertising vehicle for Sports Direct is that people are starting to associate the brands.
If so, when people see NUFC struggling they will translate that to Sports Direct and assume that is also struggling.
Wouldn’t it be hilarious if the chubby one has realised that he needs to spend on NUFC to support the Sports Direct share price?
Bladey
Oct 8, 2018 at 8:03 PM
Comment #39None of you Rafa twits has the foggiest what your talking about you repeat the same old crap day in day out
We must win this game
Will we get funds in January
Will I buy a mince or a steak pie at Greggs
Most of you Rafa fans are like him past there sell by date your demented and deluded
Your fat ashes gutless sheep
Brighton and Chris h will p@@@ on rafas tactics there will be no money in January
As for mince or steak pie any will do for rafas fat waiter fans
ASH OUT RAFA OUT MUGS OUT
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 8:05 PM
Comment #40I’ll believe it when I see it Rob. Nice thought though. He’s definitely got to do something. If we go into January with 15 points or less it will require big spending. Otherwise he is admitting he has given up (Ashley that is, not Rafa necessarily). Of course if 3 other clubs get even fewer than 15 points it will give us hope.