What Rafa has shown in the almost three years he’s been at Newcastle United is that the players he brings in must have the right character and temperament – and they must want to come to play for Newcastle.
Rafa has signed a lot of good players with those characteristics since he arrived – like Matt Ritchie, DeAndre Yedlin, Mo Diame, Isaac Hayden, Ciaran Clark, Florian Lejeune, Joselu, Ki Sung-yueng, Federico Fernandez, and Fabian Schar to name a few.
You cannot accuse any of these players of not giving 100% in every game they play for the club, and another great example is our star goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
Martin has recently been interviewed in the local press, and he has said how great it was to get on the winning track at home with our massive 3-0 win against fellow relegation-threatened Cardiff City last Saturday.
Martin Dubravka – excellent goalkeeper – great guy
This is some of what the Slovakian International goalkeeper, who turned 30 just over a week ago, has said:
“We need to keep going from one game to the next game. We need to collect more points at home.”
“The opponents have quality, so we need to be clever. In the last 10 minute,s against Cardiff we were trying to go forward.”
“And you could see the spaces in behind, so we need to be a little bit more focused in the last 10 minutes. It was a great job from the team.”
“It was a very important win for us. It was a massive three points, and finally we won at home. We really needed that.”
“I think the effort was very good. The players were amazing. I don’t think they even had a shot on goal, so that’s how we should play at home.”
“Hopefully, there will be many more games like this,”
“I have to say thank you for the best birthday present for 3-0 at home, a clean sheet, and a great effort – I couldn’t wish for more.”
“This was the first game since I turned 30. My friends were here and they enjoyed the game.”
“I have to say it was one of the best games we’ve played at home.”
It’s certainly true that if we can register home wins against Huddersfield, Burnley, Crystal Palace, and Southampton we will stay up.
That’s 12 points there, and that alone would take us up to 34 points; we’d need a couple of away wins to be safe.
Newcastle play Fulham at Craven Cottage on the final day of the season on May 12th.
Rafa has always won the last game of the season at Newcastle although they have all been at St. James’ Park.
The total score of those 3 games has been 11-1 for Newcastle with wins against Tottenham (5-1), Barnsley (3-0) and Chelsea (3-0).
🙂
Here are the three main goals of the season:
- To avoid relegation
- To keep Rafa past this June
- To have the club sold by Mike Ashley
It doesn’t look like the last one will happen now, and it seems Rafa is not at all sure he will be at Newcastle when the season starts next August.
Oh well – we’ll have to wait and see – Newcastle can still have a good last 15 games of this season if we can get three decent players in on loan.
Comments welcome.
62 comments so far
geordietom
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:42 PM
Comment #1one top character i think we all want at the club is a certain RAFA BENITEZ…
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:43 PM
Comment #2It’s beginning to sound like January deja’ve ! WE tried very hard to get quality players over the line but sadly failed at the last hurdle. However the statement this season may also read : We tried very hard to get our manager to sign a new contract but sadly he accepted a much better offer and moved on.
Why are we making yet another winger in Martins our priority? Haven’t we got enough wingers . Surely good back up for Rondon is our priority. If he gets a long term injury or suspension we are well and truly stuffed. I think we will get loanee cover at left back but I think Rafa’s future hinges on what happens with Almiron.
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:47 PM
Comment #3“West Lancs Geordie
Why are we making yet another winger in Martins our priority”
We aren’t
It’s paper talk
Calm down dear
bettyswallocks
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:48 PM
Comment #4NY…….. Don’t worry I’m sure he knows I’m only pulling his leg.
If they were going to install anyone as PR for the club I’m sure they would choose someone with more subtlety than Jib.
toon22
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:48 PM
Comment #5JIB
It’s never MAs fault
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:51 PM
Comment #6betty
What !!!!
I’m as subtle as fcuk me like
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:55 PM
Comment #7Toon22
The Finnish Line
RobLeenio
Jan 23, 2019 at 3:57 PM
Comment #8West Lancs “why are we making yet another winger in Martins our priority”
Because this one has the potential to make our side better.
Pretty sure he has played number 10 too.
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:01 PM
Comment #9toon22 is frantically calling the early shift operative
to ask what the reference to Finnish Line is
😛
R.I.P Magpie
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:02 PM
Comment #10Jib, lets put some perspective on what’s actually happening at our club.
From the previous thread, you seem to be worried that the Magpie on my avatar was from Australia and not European. Firstly I would like to give my heartfelt apologies to anyone I offending on the blog with the use of an Australian Magpie sitting on the cross in a graveyard.
Is was not my intention to offend, it was also not my intention to open up a conversation about where the fcuking magpie is from, let’s just say he visited Newcastle United last year.
Let’s just way up what is happening at our club at the moment and let’s see which one seems to be more important. Hold On News In from IMA Geordie.
Ima has reported that although the club looks certain to die soon that there is controversy with the birthright of a magpie. It now seems that this Magpie birthright may be part of a discussion within the house of lords this afternoon. This is IMA Geordie reporting.
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:06 PM
Comment #11Rob – It’s more fake news!
In any case Rob how is he better than what we’ve got?
As an exciting YOUNG PROSPECT, he was picked up by Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2018, but has struggled to cement a place in the Spanish capital, managing just ONE start all season.
Martins may not be the perfect candidate to do it for us.
Martins is managing just 1.85 crosses per 90 mines with an average success rate of just 30.3%. In comparison, Ritchie is achieving an average of 5.03 crosses per 90 minutes with an average success rate of 31.6%.
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:08 PM
Comment #12R.I.P.
Ha ha ha v.good
😀
carltoon
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:09 PM
Comment #13Geordie tom. Ah I’m so sorry my bonny lad. Well you will know how that dad feels.
carltoon
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:10 PM
Comment #14R.I.P mag great post
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:10 PM
Comment #15Jib . Please Don’t tell me to calm down. I’m certainly not getting excited as I see this January window being no better than previous ones – in fact a bl…y sight worse!!!
bettyswallocks
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:13 PM
Comment #16Jib ……Your subtlety is applied with a trowel.
RobLeenio
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:16 PM
Comment #17West Lancs, I don’t have a sufficiently in-depth knowledge of Spanish football and Gelson Martins to argue with you too hard, but I will say be careful when you use stats.
For eg, do we know that Atletico like to use width in their team? If not, is that why Martins has been used less and his cross numbers and success percentages are low? If they prefer to play with small strikers through the middle, that would be a logical explanation for all your stats but have no reflection on the player.
Also, I never said he would be an upgrade on Ritchie specifically, but he may well be over Kenedy or Atsu.
It could be fake news, but I dunno – if you don’t have hope, what else do you have?
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:18 PM
Comment #18Toon 22 .
We all know whose bleeding fault all this is and you reiterate this about 25 times over each time you come on the Blog.
If reports are right about Rafa today saying Ashlie must sanction two signings HE (RAFA) wants by Saturday or he’s off, it’s something he should have said January 1st and not waited till now just 7/8 days before the window shuts especially in view of Toxic Ash’s record of being uneconomical with the truth.
toon22
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:19 PM
Comment #19JIB
Is blatant PR
It’s his job to make sure we don’t blame MA and not protest against him
He uses any thing he can to achieve this
I’m sure your time working for MA will look exelent on your cv
😉
bettyswallocks
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:20 PM
Comment #20Does anyone know the air speed velocity of an Australian Magpie compared to a European Magpie?
Dondatta13
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:20 PM
Comment #21Are we now Spraff United FC?
Going cap in hand around the British Isles and across the Continent, for player to put into our first 11!?!
All this in an era of unprecedented cash in the EPL.
Why oh why have the PL not invited Ashley to explain what he is doing at NUFC?
RobLeenio
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:24 PM
Comment #22Dondatta – because the EPL is a private members club run by the owners of the various clubs for the benefit of the owners of the various clubs. They’ll not cr@p on one of their own, otherwise they’ll all be under more scrutiny.
And the FA don’t have the balls to stand up to them.
geordietom
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:26 PM
Comment #23carltoon thanks pet …
geordietom
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:27 PM
Comment #24carltoon…
i do know how his dad feels its something you never get over …
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:29 PM
Comment #25Rob – I don’t know the lad either but do know from information I have read that he has only made one start for Athletico this season . It is not a priority position we are in need of strengthening & therefore hope that Jib is right and it is just yet more fake news.
Geordietom is right in all this the main concern is the retention of Rafa and unless Toxic Mike starts talking and agreeing a plan with Rafa, there is no doubt about it that our Manager will be off and perhaps sooner than a lot may think.
Can’t believe that a supposedly successful businessman/entrepreneur would not want to work closely and in harmony with an employee who has made him millions over the past 2/3 seasons. He must not be right in the heed if he is prepared to see him walk away and leave himself in a very deep pit of sh1t.
Tsunki
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:30 PM
Comment #26R.I.P. hmm I’m not sure – you come across as a bit graveyardist to me.
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:32 PM
Comment #27toon 22’s # 19
Read it a few times
Oh dear
geordietom
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:44 PM
Comment #28not getting in to the toon22 thing again … but your SPEALINGS GONE TO POT … i’ll get wrong off my arch nemesis again …
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:44 PM
Comment #29I blame our Canadian friend for the green one
In the middle of geordie2’s usual stream of nonsense
this occurred
toon22
Jun 15, 2017 at 7:54 PM
Comment #26
If MA thinks he can muck Rafa about the same way he has every other manager he is go to find himself sadly mistaken.
GeordieTwo
Jun 15, 2017 at 7:58 PM
Comment #27
Well said toon22. There’ll be no mucking about with Rafa Mike. We’re watching you. You won’t see us, but we’re definitely lurking in the shrubbery.
So geordie2 patted toon22 on the head who thinks repeating drivel
is good blogging
Unless of course
Geordie 2 not too dissimilar to toon22
mmmmmmmmm
geordietom
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:45 PM
Comment #30put SPEALING IN TO MAKE A POINT …
BlacknWhiteBarmy
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:45 PM
Comment #31Its amazing how other clubs, linked with our top target, seem to assess the player – for example the season changing Martins …….
“I do not see why you want to help Atletico Madrid find minutes for a player who neither represents a game changer nor a long term help. Martins’ averaged 7 goals and 8.5 assists per season in two years in the Portuguese league before coming to Atletico, and is certainly an alright young player, but for only six months and with the player currently out with a hamstring injury, I do not see how it does us any real good to take him on”
how desperate does that make us?
Optimistic Panda
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:50 PM
Comment #32Rob
I watched his YouTube videos and it’s the first thing I noticed, he carries the ball well he’s quick and a good carrier of the ball but his passing and crossing are average at best and his shooting isn’t that great.
I was frustrated just watching his videos.
Optimistic Panda
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:51 PM
Comment #33I’m on about Martins
Lindisfarne
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:53 PM
Comment #34Totally disgusted with the way Talksport 4at4 handled the debate they just had on Rafa at NUFC.
Optimistic Panda
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:53 PM
Comment #35I’m Toon22
Lets have a Spartacus moment.
Jib
Jan 23, 2019 at 4:55 PM
Comment #36BlacknWhiteBarmy
Opinions the stuff of blogs
https://twitter.com/EvG_Football/status/1088083798443610112
Optimistic Panda
Jan 23, 2019 at 5:01 PM
Comment #37Anything not to spend.
Martins will be Ashleys idea of a compromise instead of Almiron you can have this guy on loan because you won’t sign a contract.
Question is why the fcuk send the head of recruitment to the states?
toon22
Jan 23, 2019 at 5:02 PM
Comment #38He’s the kind of player we pretend to sign when the season ticket are up for renewal
It’s not like it’s happened for the last 11years or anything
We’re being made mugs of
bettyswallocks
Jan 23, 2019 at 5:03 PM
Comment #39West lancs Geordie……. Calm down.
toon22
Jan 23, 2019 at 5:03 PM
Comment #40You send head of recruitment to the states so we won’t sign anyone
Next season they might as well send him to the North Pole