One of the (many) pleasing aspects of Newcastle’s play this season is when new players come into the side they seem to fit right in and know exactly what’s expected of them.
Ciaran Clark came in for Chancel Mbemba last night at center-back and he looked extremely solid and comfortable alongside captain Jamaal Lascelles.
Two goalscorers – center-backs Grant Hanley and Ciaran Clark
In addition the former Aston Villa player scored his first goal for the club, as did our other new center-back signing – former Blackburn Rovers defender Grant Hanley – who came on as a sub in the second half.
After the game this is what Ciaran told the local press:
“I was buzzing to score.” “I wasn’t too worried about Mitro in front of me.”
“I just tried to keep my eye on the ball and make sure I got a good connection, and thankfully it went in.”
“With the quality of the set-pieces coming in, we’ve always got a chance of getting on the end of them.”
“Jonjo and Matty are brilliant with corners and free-kicks and we are a real threat from them now.”
“We practice it in training and thankfully it came off out there and I managed to get my head on one.”
“We knew it was going to be a tough game but we managed to get off to a good start and it just went from there.”
“We looked dangerous, we created a lot of chances and we could have scored more, but more importantly, we managed to keep another clean sheet, which is something we really wanted to do.”
“We knew that at 2-0, if QPR had got one back it would have been a totally different game.”
“Thankfully we came out after half-time and got a couple more which did seal the game – and then it was all about concentration and making the right decisions, which I felt we did.”
“Keeping a clean sheet was massive. It’s something we have been working on and something we want to continue to do.”
“That’s your foundations to build from, as if you can keep a clean sheet then you’ve got a chance in any game.” “We are just as happy with the clean sheet as we are with all the goals.”
And we are scoring so many goals these days from set plays – from corners and from free kicks and as Ciaran says the lads practice it during training and it shows.
Practice makes perfect.
Under Alan Pardew didn’t we go seven years without scoring from a corner – or so it seemed – yes – maybe a slight exaggeration there.
🙂
Rafa certainly has our players well schooled in their outlook on the game and concentration is certainly key to getting the wins that can take us straight back to the Premier League.
And our lads have been concentrating extremely well during our six game winning streak – and we are hoping we can extend it by a few more games yet.
Howay The Lads!!
79 comments so far
Veltman
Sep 14, 2016 at 3:28 PM
Comment #1Aye swemag, have you just mentioned Sissoko?
You shouldn’t done that as his bashers will come out now and feed us with the Sissoko drums.
Spoof
Sep 14, 2016 at 3:28 PM
Comment #2Confidence in football is vital, at the start of the season we looked nervous, dis-organised and Rafa had too many defensive players on the pitch.
Fulham we had Anita, Hayden and Colback in midfield and against Huddersfield we had Anita, Hayden and Shelvey in midfield.
At that point I was pleading with Rafa to stop playing a side which looked as if it was designed to protect a 2 goal lead in the second leg of a 2 legged cup tie and drop one of the 3 anchor men and have another attack minded player instead.
From that point onwards Anita has been played at RB leaving two DM’s and we have had another attack minded player in their replacing Janmaat, and what a difference it has made, a few wins on the spin confidence sky high and we really do look a good side.
How long did MacClaren persevere with Anita and Colback as a pairing, they were dreadful but McClaren insisted on keeping them together as a pairing, Rafa also got it wrong, but come the 3rd game he changed it around and we have benefited greatly.
That is the difference between a good manager and a poor one, a good manager will see that he has got it wrong and change it quickly, whereas McClaren didn’t change it at all.
Markaccus
Sep 14, 2016 at 3:52 PM
Comment #3I must say, it is nice to have a defence worthy of note. I don’t think it’s been anywhere near this in my lifetime. It still makes mistakes, but it gets better every game.
Essex Geordie Bill
Sep 14, 2016 at 3:54 PM
Comment #4With regard to the mild if Shelvey gets injured paranoia, if that was enough to derail our promotion hopes then we probably wouldn’t deserve promotion.
Markaccus
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:00 PM
Comment #5Spoof
Massive difference, isn’t it?. Rafa basically just kept tweaking until he found the right balance and team chemistry. Wally just kept it the same thinking it had to work eventually.
swemag
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:03 PM
Comment #6Sissoko.
swemag
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:04 PM
Comment #7I just thought I’d mention it.
swemag
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:04 PM
Comment #8Anyway, moving on is not for me.
Spoof
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:15 PM
Comment #9Mark
Exactly mate, it was if McClaren believed that getting it wrong would make him a poor manager, it doesn’t, it means you’ve made a mistake, all manager make them and I believe that Rafa did, but I also feel that Rafa is a good manager and he quickly saw that he was getting it wrong so he done what good manager’s do, he changed it, but how often do we see manager’s make the same mistake time and time again.
Markaccus
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:24 PM
Comment #10Spoof
Our last 3 managers always struggled to learn from mistakes.
Mistakes are actually needed. You can’t fix it if you don’t know whats broken. You’re right about McClaren, he seemed to think it was a point of pride to stand by his selections no matter what.
Bambams
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:31 PM
Comment #11Look how far we have come since relegation.
None of us really thought Rafa would stay, we all thought either Pearson or Clarky or the ilk.
I am so very optimistic for the short and long term futures
firebug666
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:35 PM
Comment #12Having seen Newcastle win five games on the bounce, most recently their 6-0 thrashing of QPR, bookmakers Ladbrokes are offering odds on the Magpies breaking their Championship record points tally.
During their last spell in the second tier, Newcastle won 102 points on their way to promotion, and Ladbrokes have given Rafael Benitez’s side a price of 9/2 to score 103 points or more.
Ketsbaia9
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:38 PM
Comment #13I think we’ll get 117 points and Mitrovic will score 63 goals.
Wayayman
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:39 PM
Comment #14In other news: Spurs reckon they have 90K fans going tonight to wembley? They must literally be giving tickets away, surely?
Oldgit1
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:41 PM
Comment #15@ Bambams – hopefully the long term.
Jail for Ashley
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:46 PM
Comment #16Although it was never mentioned after Llambias infamous statement the eleven purples policy was very much in place. McCardew accepted this as part of the job and don’t deserve any sympathy for failing by it. A few on here like to spring to the managers defence by saying it was the policy in place that was the fault of our demise. No doubt it was but Mcardew I, II and III were all willing to accept those policies when signing their lucrative contracts.
lochinvar
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:47 PM
Comment #17If Spurs think they have 90K fans going to Wembley they are deluded.
What they might have is some of their own fans and a load of opposition supporters and a load of bored overseas tourists in London thinking that a night at a English football match would be fun….then again Spurs might have recruited some new supporters from QPR, Palace and even Arsenal if they want to see he who can’t be named here play……
Spoof
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:52 PM
Comment #18firebug
My brother has a bet placed pre-season that we would win the league with a Championship points record, we wouldn’t say how much or what odds but I believe that 106 points by Reading is the record, knowing my brother he will stand to win a few grand if it comes off, I just have tiddly little bets for fun, I have a tenner on us to win the league at 12/5 in a double with the unwashed to go down at 5/2, the odds are now us at evens with the sad ones at 6/4, if I cash in now I would more than double my stake, but the cumulative odds work out at nearly 11/1, so do I cash in or carry on and go for it.
hibbit
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:52 PM
Comment #19lad’s i am over the moon Rafa decided to stay but let’s not get to carried away
Rafa has been able to carry out a quick fix with the first team squad which we are now seeing the benefits of
but the rest of footballing side of the club needs more the a quick fix it could take years to bring in line with top clubs after years of neglect
bringing the whole footballing side of the club up to an acceptable level could be a long job but probably just as important as getting us back in the prem
lesh
Sep 14, 2016 at 4:54 PM
Comment #20Wayayman
What’s Sperz doing playing at Wembley? Is White Hart Lane not big enough for them these days?
90k spectators? We’ll see.
Jail for Ashley
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:01 PM
Comment #21hibbitt,
What in the name of gawd did Ashley turn to Dennis Wise for to help him run his new 200M investment?
Jail for Ashley
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:07 PM
Comment #22It will also puzzle me for the rest of my days as to why Ashley took on KK when it is clear that he had no intention of carrying out whatever they had talked about to make us successful. I just can’t see any sense in hiring a manager that you know will go pear shaped when you don’t live up to your promises.
Ian Toon
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:16 PM
Comment #23Spurs have sold more than 80,000 tickets for their first Champions League game at Wembley against Monaco tonight. Their new stadium is due to open at the start of the 2018-19 season.
P
EllaGuru
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:16 PM
Comment #24Hibbit: I feel that the process of rejuvenating our club, under the watchful eye of Rafa, will be the most exciting. It will be great to see progress in all areas of the club. Communication, medical, scouting, performances.
Those on here who keep rattling on that this team would not compete in the PL need to get a grip. We can only beat what is in front of us. We are a Championship team. Rafa has bought as such, however most recruits will be able to step up to PL, even as squad players.
Novocastrian66
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:17 PM
Comment #25Lesh; They’ve supposedly sold out for tonight’s game. Like you say we’ll see.
Mister Tuff
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:22 PM
Comment #26White Hart Lane has a capacity of 36,000.
They currently have a season ticket waiting list of over 50,000.
So a massive crowd tonight is not out of the question.
Posted about this a couple of weeks ago.
Novocastrian66
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:22 PM
Comment #27JFA; Keegan walked out in his first spell in charge when Sir John held the purse strings. It was his way of getting what he wanted. He did it again, to try again to get his own way. Regrettably, Ashley backed the wrong man, however you cannot keep running home with the ball because you don’t always get what you want.
Trouble was both Ashley and Keegan were too stubborn to back down and the club ultimately suffered.
Ian Toon
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:38 PM
Comment #28Pochettino, has admitted that his side will have to “adapt their game” in preparation for Wembley. At 105 metres by 69 metres, compared with 100 metres by 67 metres, it has a larger playing surface than their regular home.
“It’s a good chance to play on a big pitch, but we need to feel good at Wembley,” Pochettino said, revealing that he has had two pitches designed at Tottenham’s Enfield training ground with the same dimensions as Wembley.
GeordieTwo
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:45 PM
Comment #29We’re just rounding into form now. A lot of goals in the side. I’m surprised by Shelvey. He is now back in form and scoring for fun. If we get Mitro and Perez scoring regularly we will get goals from the midfield as well. We scored 90 last time in this division. I think we can break that.
Bambams
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:47 PM
Comment #30I think even the stubborn Ash realised that his blueprint buy cheap, sell at a profit was never going to work all the time. I just wonder what Wise was telling him for him to side with him rather than KK. To be honest what is Dennis Wise doing these days, has he been employed in a role again similar to what he had at ours ?
I agree with HIBBITT and yes we have started something but we are years behind the clubs in the top eight of PL. I do genuinely believe with Rafa we will have a better chance of gaining ground quickly ‘IF’ Ash is happy to fund him.
Rafa has a three year contract, no more and to be fair none of us genuinely believe if we do get promoted this year will Ash definately back him or will Rafa have to do a type of ‘Keegan Roulette’.
I try not to get carried away with a few good results, but after our recent years of utter chaos it is difficult NOT to get carried away.
The same thing happened in the early 90’s and what i would give for similar days to return
hibbit
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:50 PM
Comment #31who’s cares what spurs have done or not done we have our own club to think about
me i hope Monaco kicks their butt out of the champions league and shitoko never kicks a ball in it
but that’s just me
GeordieTwo
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:50 PM
Comment #32Getting us into the top 8 of the Prem will be difficult, even for Rafa. The spending now is obscene. The managers at that level are tremendous. Players good enough in quality to make a difference are very expensive. I think we can get up to around 8th when we get back but our best chances are the domestic cups. Anything more will take absolute genius from Rafa.
GeordieTwo
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:54 PM
Comment #33How about a 7th or 8th place team in the Prem with regular decent cup runs and solid youngsters coming up from the youth teams? Would people be happy with that? I know I would.
Ibizatoon
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:58 PM
Comment #34G2…It really is as simple as “a club that tries for me”. Constant attempt at progression. Surely that’s what it’s about. A bit of entertainment along the way perhaps…
Markaccus
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:58 PM
Comment #35G2
I think 8th max and a chance at a cup are realistic in the short term. If rafa stays beyond that, there is no reason why he cant take us higher than that.
JamesToon
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:58 PM
Comment #36G2
Please don’t start talking about premier league. It’s just cocky really.
Not having a go, but just don’t want us to get complacent, I’m enjoying this league anyway!
Bambams
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:58 PM
Comment #37GeordieTwo
I agree it will be very difficult to get anywhere near the top eight,
Leicester were a fluke and i cant see that happening again. Where i do see us having to improve is the commercial side, lets face it Wonga?SD are not exactly loved by all…..
An american sponsor or….well i dont know but something better than Wonga and a company that can offer excellent funds is just what we need, knowing how Ash works he will ask for Greggs to sponsor as long as he has three mince pies thrown in each day.
JamesToon
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:59 PM
Comment #38Ibiza
I agree with that statement. Just want to have a club to be proud of
JamesToon
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:59 PM
Comment #39Which I am at the moment
Markaccus
Sep 14, 2016 at 5:59 PM
Comment #40James
We can be as complacent as we want…. as long as the team don’t 😀