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
Reilly
Oct 8, 2018 at 9:48 PM
Comment #81As soon as bladey used greggs(nonces lovers luv using it to have a dig at newcastle fans,fk knows why like) he outed himself.
Toon&oot
Oct 8, 2018 at 9:55 PM
Comment #82Jib
You sows ear silk purse analogy was comical. Keep up the good work and remember pantomime work is available in December.
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:02 PM
Comment #83How did we finish 10th last year if Rafa doesn’t have a clue how to win? I’ll stay tuned for your brilliant answer bladey. And there is the small matter of many the many cups and titles Rafa has won over the years. How many titles has your prospective manager won? You’re probably thinking of Carver or worse so you won’t have to use many fingers to do the counting.
Mister Tuff
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:03 PM
Comment #84Pantomime DAME good shout – he’ll not need any costumes or make up assistant.
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:04 PM
Comment #85*the small matter of the many cups and titles. I hate this vertical word field.
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:05 PM
Comment #86Toon&oot
Jib
You sows ear silk purse analogy was comical
The quote was from Stephen Gosson’s satirical play
The Ephimerides of Phiallo (1597) which I can guarantee
you’ve never heard of.
😛
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:06 PM
Comment #87Don’t mention demented clowns to Bobby, it’s behind the sofa time when they are on his telly. 🙂
posada
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:09 PM
Comment #88jazzyp
Oct 8, 2018 at 7:50 PM
Comment #34
Sports 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.
***********************************************
Well worked out. However he only owns 60% of Sports Direct so his personal loss is only 234 million.
Also, the number of shares x the share price does not always give an accurate figure for the value of a company. If there is a take over it normally gets done at a higher price.
Also, does he not have previous for getting the share price down so he can buy them back cheaper.
Who knows.
Are we linked to the success or failure of his wider business interests. I think we are.
He was confident when he bought NUFC. Some months later after the financial crash very much less so.
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:09 PM
Comment #89Hahaha Essex!
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:10 PM
Comment #90Ashley owns 67% of SD
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:11 PM
Comment #91Sorry has 67% of the issued shares
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:12 PM
Comment #92The big operators always have an answer. If share prices go down they are deliberately doing it to reduce the cost of buying them up. If share prices go up then Ash is a brilliant owner. It’s a no lose until he actually parts with the company (or the club) at a reduced price. At that point it’s a lot more difficult to claim business genius at work.
GeordieTwo
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:13 PM
Comment #93Quiet please. Footclub club owner and donkey at work. Give this man enough time and we’ll be in Division Two.
jane
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:14 PM
Comment #94Essex Geordie Bill apologies for spelling Dunston wrong yesterday they have done brilliantly and are the lowest ranking team left in the FA cup. did you see they’ve drawn Gateshead?
https://twitter.com/dunstonutsfc?lang=en
Jib
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:31 PM
Comment #95Got to love the away support
https://twitter.com/NUFC/status/1049330180735610881
jane
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:42 PM
Comment #96Trent Alexander-Arnold v Magnus Carlsen
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/45786786
dig-n-dig22
Oct 8, 2018 at 10:52 PM
Comment #97EGB 87
EGB are you a Dunston lad ? I was brought up there, I moved away when I left school in the mid 60s. I used to watch DUNSTON S C on the middle pitch up at the park, those were the day’s !
Pain in the Blog
Oct 8, 2018 at 11:14 PM
Comment #98Dondatatta (that’s difficult t get past spellchecker),
Agree wholeheartedly.
Just a fan
Oct 8, 2018 at 11:31 PM
Comment #99I like a game of chess but I think Carlson would beat me in less than seventeen moves.
RobLeenio
Oct 8, 2018 at 11:36 PM
Comment #100It is interesting reading all the theories as to what we all think Ashley could possibly be up to with his erratic behaviour and apparent changes in attitudes. It’s quite clear that none of us really has a clue (and I do include myself in this, so please no-one get on their high horses)
The one thing we all seem to agree on is that whatever he’s doing he’s following his own agenda, rather than acting in the best interests of the club or acting to support Rafa and the lads.
This is the real tragedy here, when if he was just to re-evaluate his options, listen to his World class manager and come up with a sensible business plan he would have a self-sustaining, healthy football club with 50,000 of the loyalist football supporters the world has ever seen lifting the rafters at St James’ Park every fortnight.
Even if he was to do that now, I think we’d all be waiting for him to revert to type and screw it all up again.
Mike, your tenure of NUFC is well and truly FUBAR – please do the decent thing and get out of our club before you break it permanently.
Thank you.
jane
Oct 8, 2018 at 11:50 PM
Comment #101i don’t blame him for looking after his own interests to an extent however you would think the success of the club would be in his best interests so maybe he is realising this, you never know!
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 9, 2018 at 12:37 AM
Comment #102Dig
Aye I was at the Dunston Board School near the soap works and the slag heap, left in 1959.
I used to watch Dunston when they were a Sunday league team, no prisoners taken in those games.
The slag heap by the way was coal waste taken from the pit when Dunston had one, nowt to do with Sharon and Tracey.
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 9, 2018 at 12:38 AM
Comment #103Jib what a brilliant tie, i’d love to gan and see it but doubt if I would be able to. Don’t suppose it’ll be on Sky! 😉
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 9, 2018 at 12:42 AM
Comment #104Jane apology accepted, Dunston was always a bit of a one horse town and that belonged to the milk lady who drove her cart like a chariot, probably was a big fan of Wagner.
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 9, 2018 at 12:45 AM
Comment #105One thing I do remember about the slag heap which was right next to the Keel public house, one of my many watering holes. Was that there were hundreds of fossils in the slates, mainly fern leaves, if I knew what I know now I’d have collected them.
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 9, 2018 at 12:54 AM
Comment #106Sorry comment 103, meant Jane.
Lindisfarne
Oct 9, 2018 at 5:38 AM
Comment #107The owner of nufc is a proven and consistent liar, who’s only mode of operation is to exploit. He will not change and does not deserve to own our club.
lochinvar
Oct 9, 2018 at 6:39 AM
Comment #108Talking of shares Mike may have another battle on his hands. French Connection is now up for sale and he owns 27% of that business so may be thinking of finding more cash for a bid.
#wheresthemoneygoingtopleaseanswersonapostcard
Lindisfarne
Oct 9, 2018 at 6:43 AM
Comment #109I can only imagine that at the team meal, if the players are not too gullible, that his attempt to ingratiate himself had a very limited effect. The offer of a holiday is unbelievably illconceived, a stupid distraction and completely at odds with what actually is needed.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 9, 2018 at 6:45 AM
Comment #110Lindisfarne,
Try dat!
Jail for Ashley
Oct 9, 2018 at 6:46 AM
Comment #111French Connection has been shite since it done that Gerald Ratner stunt with its initials.
Lindisfarne
Oct 9, 2018 at 7:06 AM
Comment #1127) Benítez left frustrated
If Newcastle’s defeat was a seismic result for Manchester United, it leaves Rafael Benítez’s side second?bottom with two points after eight games. The visitors were 2-0 up after 10 minutes in a 3-2 reverse. Their manager, naturally, was left frustrated. “I said if we score the third goal then fine, good, but if they score I don’t want anyone giving up. The timing of the goal [Juan Mata on 70 minutes] and the way they were pushing was difficult for us. Still we had two or three counterattacks which we could have scored from. And then we gave them too much time to attack.” The crumb of comfort was the performance before the break. “We have to keep playing like in the first half,” said Benítez, who believes by January the team’s fate will be clearer. “We will have a better idea [then]. In December last year we were in the bottom five and and we finished 10th.” Jamie Jackson
Lindisfarne
Oct 9, 2018 at 7:08 AM
Comment #113I thought this article would get some coverage by Ed as it is by the ghost writer of KKs new book:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/oct/07/will-newcastle-ever-truly-be-set-alight-under-the-mike-ashley-regime
toon22
Oct 9, 2018 at 7:27 AM
Comment #114Yep Jane
It’s never MAs fault
LoL
RobLeenio
Oct 9, 2018 at 7:39 AM
Comment #115Toon22 I’ve noticed you’ve toned down your repetitive posts in recent days. Your content it’s the same but the lack of spam is welcome.
I don’t necessarily agree with your targeting of individual posters but you’re not dominating the blog and i appreciate that.
DubaiMicky
Oct 9, 2018 at 7:48 AM
Comment #116Re The Guardian article, I think the last paragraph sums up The Club very succinctly:-
“At the Sage last week, a giant banner was unfurled showing Keegan in that iconic black and white strip and emblazoned with one word: “Honesty.” It was taken to the last home game, along with a similar banner for Benítez bearing its own message: “Hope.” The stewards pulled them both down and that, more than anything, probably sums up Newcastle United in the Mike Ashley years. A football club that could do with some honesty and hope”.
No honesty from The Club, and certainly no hope. 🙁
Jib
Oct 9, 2018 at 7:59 AM
Comment #117They actually only pulled the Keegan one down
Didn’t touch the Benitez one (the one they had permission for)
Jib
Oct 9, 2018 at 8:06 AM
Comment #118Not much honesty from the club it
is true
However if you are combatting
dishonesty you have to be above
reproach .
(Like the Untouchables fighting the mob)
NUST and other groupings deal as much
in half – truths as Ashley does , that’s why
the majority of the real support look at
them askance
toon22
Oct 9, 2018 at 8:56 AM
Comment #119It’s never MAs fault JIB