After the game on Saturday Newcastle manager, Rafa Benitez stated that a draw was the worst result possible.
But the way Newcastle played we didn’t deserve to win and were lucky to draw when an 85th minute Matt Ritchie penalty saved Newcastle’s blushes.
With the takeover starting to look like another circus, Newcastle having just failed to win a home game against a Championship club, and with the club only 2 points above the drop zone – things do not look too good right now.
Mike Ashley – no success under his barren ownership – it’s been painful
And it doesn’t help that we play Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham during our next four league games.
Our home form is becoming alarming, having only two wins and two draws in our 12 home games this season.
We are a week into 2019, but things do not look positive at the moment for Newcastle.
There seems no appetite from Rafa for an extended FA Cup run, and we are deep in relegation trouble after only collecting 3 points from our first 10 Premier League games.
It seems we are at a tipping point in the season.
Benitez was asked whether his famous “miracle” comment has had a negative impact on his players:
“You are insisting on that, but the players know exactly what we were talking about, and then we have to keep going,”
“It is quite obvious we are working so hard, we have this situation and the players are working hard, and trying their best.”
“We have some ideas about how to improve things, and you can see the reaction to falling behind against Blackburn, and that is a positive.”
“It’s young players as well and we have to keep going and trying.”
There now needs to be a rapid turnaround in both results and form if we are to pull away from the relegation zone like we did last season at this time.
The disaster scenario for Newcastle this season is that we are relegated for the third time under Ashley.
He made his billions by cutting costs at Sports Direct at every opportunity.
But that same strategy just does not work in football, and he hasn’t spent enough money to keep Newcastle as a consistent Premier League club over the last 12 years; never mind fighting for a top six position.
It’s been a disaster.
Comments welcome.
18 comments so far
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:24 AM
Comment #1At least kudos to Perez…but of course it’s always just easier to assume he was poor!
It seems to be the mantra on here! At least Diame has a lot of tackles…he most be good then!
Better if it’s sliding tackles then you’re really good!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:25 AM
Comment #2Oh year that lovely miracle comment!
…probably just shouldn’t have used that remark! It sort of just got worse then I tried to explain himself!
Jail for Ashley
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Comment #3If Caulkin and Staveley were to be believed three perfectly reasonable bids were tabled but she was dismissed as a tyre kicker. Now we have a former chairman of a company that Ashley has almost 10% shares in who can’t quite raise the funds but is the preferred consortium. I hope to gawd this isn’t a scheme drawn up by him where by he keeps all his tat and we’re sold to some secret consortium being ran on his blueprint.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Comment #4I never really thought relegation was a scenario this season, but then again I never thought we would play football like this…style, lineup or overall philosophy!
I will say though that Rondon has been better than expected but at the same time those players who carried the weight last season has been more or less dreadful this season…
Could be different reasons for that…the way we play doesn’t seem to help much.
We are truly lacking Perez’ goals, Richie and Lascelles consistency and Shelvey presence!
Jail for Ashley
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Comment #5A repost but I don’t care
Jail for Ashley
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:32 AM
Comment #6Jesper,
If we don’t sign any players then it will be a miracle indeed. The hope has been sucked out of the place, we seen it in 2014 and we’re seeing it again now, we can’t keep running on fumes.
dee em
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:39 AM
Comment #7What sane player or agent would agree to join a club so toxic, up for sale, the manager may well be gone in five months, fan protests, hovering near relegation and team morale so low. If Kenyons team do succeed how much cash will it take just to cement mid table each year let alone try to compete with the top flight? Some commentators say it would serve Ashley right if he was forced to sell the club as a championship company for far less than now – by then he will have taken out every penny he is owed and will still walk away smiling. No such animal as a stupid billionaire.
ilovetoon8788
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:40 AM
Comment #8You know we are screwed when even the rags have given up linking us with a million players which was normal a few years ago during each transfer window.
Everyone knows the fat b*std isn’t signing anyone even for a penny as it’d be too expensive.
Lol
ilovetoon8788
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:42 AM
Comment #9This club has turned completely toxic on and off the pitch. A lifeless club without any soul left.
Essex Geordie Bill
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:54 AM
Comment #10The blog is sounding just like The Soothsayer in Up Pompeii!! 😉
NezzaNUFC
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:56 AM
Comment #11Fortunately for us Newcastle can make money on its own and doesn’t have substantial debt like many if not every club in the PL, new owners will know investments is much needed here and they also know unlike what Mike didn’t do is invest enough to keep us in the PL.
For instant Mike didn’t invest when we came 5th that season, instead thought we could pull of another top 6 to keep the funds running and the same squad, new owners will know not to do this as we all know the further up the table we are the more cash we will receive and be reinvested into the club and players.
Also lets not forget the new sponsors the new owners can bring in which could generate more than 6 million a year.
Optimistic Panda
Jan 7, 2019 at 9:57 AM
Comment #12Jesper
You didn’t think we would play football like that.
It’s the same as last season, no different!
Perez goals, aye another 3 goals would make all the difference, we’d be challenging for errrrrr..
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 7, 2019 at 10:01 AM
Comment #13All Rafa has to do is say to Ashley is I am an honourable man who doesn’t renege on his promises and doesn’t tell lies.I have saved this club’s from relegation on a nil budget. You must think I’m the man for the job or you wouldn’t be offering me a £6M a year contract renewal. Therefore fund the transfers we desperately need and I’ll sign the contract 1st February.Then hit him with the bombshell if not I’ll walk out now and leave your “plans ” in tatters.
NezzaNUFC
Jan 7, 2019 at 10:01 AM
Comment #14Personally I think Perez would be a better player along side another striker with a number 10 behind them in a 3412 formation with Shelvey or Atsu sitting in the number 10 role with Perez and Rondon the two upfront?
Nufc 4ever
Jan 7, 2019 at 10:06 AM
Comment #15I was very dissapointed in murphy on saturday if he had showed the same aggression on the pitch as he did shouting at rafa he might have done something. He wasnt the only one but the others did not cost 10 million. Why did a scout go to america to talk with almiron when it was obvious we were never going to buy him. We will always be a joke under the fat man and as for the so called fakeover im with the frog not going to happen some time soon
Geordie-john
Jan 7, 2019 at 10:12 AM
Comment #16It’s almost time for the parasite to sell NUFC as he has taken everything that was once good, From us including total support for the club. Then to add insult to injury he has stripped all profits from almost every transfer window and salted it away somewhere between here and the USA which he seems to spend an awful amount of time in at the moment allegedly on holiday and when he isn’t over there hiding his wealth he seems to make a point of stating that he likes to spend time and money in casinos.
All part of his cover story no doubt.
This knobhead has truly had our pants down and enjoyed every second of it.
He has even managed to get ownership of HOF at the expense of NUFC in a cash deal as well.
We need him gone as we are almost gone now in my opinion and I think Rafa will walk unless he knows something we don’t. I’m surprised he is still here now.
geordietom
Jan 7, 2019 at 10:48 AM
Comment #17day 7 …
no players in ,,,
no takeover news …
same old same old …
toonluvva
Jan 7, 2019 at 7:06 PM
Comment #18The dangerous place that the Toon is in is Ashley’s ownership!