Christian Atsu is a player who could improve a lot this season during his loan spell.
And if he manages to stay at Newcastle permanently for the long term, we think Rafa can make him into a great player, because he has loads of natural speed and great skills.
Christian was simply delighted to score after just 3 minutes on Saturday against Cardiff and he had talked last week about wanting to score in a sold-out St. James’ Park – and he did that.
But he also missed a golden opportunity to add to his tally early in the second half when his shot was deflected over the bar.
Christian Atsu congratulated after scoring first goal
Here’s the interview he gave on the Newcastle web-site after the game and the 24 year-old makes some very good points:
“I said I wanted to score at home, and I was very happy to celebrate my goal.” “The feeling was great.”
“In the first-half, we played really well. We pressed them high, we created a lot of chances and we could have killed the game.”
“But in football, it is not that easy. They scored one, and we then fought hard to keep it at 2-1.”
“We know that no team in the Championship is easy, so we tried to work hard. We worked hard for 90 minutes and we deserved the win.”
“We have the winning mentality, and everyone will take that with them going into the break,”
“We are in front at the top of the table now, but we know it is difficult. You can’t predict any game.”
“We need to keep fighting, keep working hard and keep that winning mentality.” “If we do, we will go far.”
“I’m very happy that there is good competition in the team – it keeps us going.” “I will need to continue to work hard.”
“Of course, I want to keep starting and helping the team.”
You can almost hear some of the things that Rafa is drumming into his players on the training field in those comments from Atsu – we must win every game, no team will be easy, we have to work hard, we can take nothing for granted.
And Rafa really seems to be getting his points through to his players and Newcastle are now a team that can win every game – they really are starting to have that winning mentality and are finding a way to win these games.
Winning all 6 games in the last batch of games over the previous three weeks was simply terrific.
Now we have 10 games though January 2nd in a short 43 days once the International break is over; we play Leeds United in the next game at Elland Road on Sunday, November 20th.
We do play some of the lower placed teams in the next batch of games, such as Blackburn twice, Nottingham Forest twice, Wigan and Burton and we have a League Cup quarter-final tie at Hull City.
Maybe we could put another good win streak together – with the emphasis on could.
That’s what we need to do and an in-form Christian Atsu can help us to do just that.
Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
28 comments so far
Spoof
Nov 6, 2016 at 8:59 PM
Comment #1Top of the league, quarter finals of the league cup, fans ecstatic, top scorer in the league (dropped, what a squad ), phenomenal manager, an owner who appears to be supporting the manager, this is what NUFC are, what a time to be a fan, is this really happening or am I about to be woken up from this dream, the best dream that I have ever had, long may this continue, what makes it better is that the manager will not feel that this is success, he will want more, much more, what a great feeling this is, long may it last
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 6, 2016 at 8:59 PM
Comment #2Here we go Merry Go Round starting up! 🙂
Time for a break methinks.
Clematis
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:02 PM
Comment #3Agreed from previous post (and I’m sure there’ll another one in the next 10 seconds) that Clark was MOM. Totally composed and allows us to play from the back with ease.
Mitro was a close second. But he should have buried that cross into the box.
Well done Hull and Brom for keeping the pressure on the scum 🙂
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:03 PM
Comment #4Jib
sing
surely not one African American , Hispanic , Muslim or woman will vote for DT !
Watching the Trump rallies I wouldn’t be so sure, they make sheep look like intelligent free thinking beings.
This is not a sheep joke I hasten to add.
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:08 PM
Comment #5Any way as I said earlier time for a break.
Jib
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:08 PM
Comment #6Next Saturday Wales play Serbia in a world cup qualifier at the Cardiff City Stadium .
Paul Dummett has been called up for the squad but is unlikely to actually play against Mitro who I would guess will be a definite starter.
sing in the corner
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:14 PM
Comment #7Essex
They elected Nixon, Reagan… Anything is possible with Americans.
Did you see that ‘Trumper’ woman with the Clinton voodoo doll??
A Voodoo doll, could also be described as a dummy. Dummy is a nickname for our Geordie Welsh left back, so this is a football related post. kind of.
Jail for Ashley
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:27 PM
Comment #8Spoof,
Life is certainly good as a toon fan right now.
BandB,
What have 20th century clowns got to do with a football blog?
BandB
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:29 PM
Comment #9I dunno Jail.
Do you want to tell me what I ought to write?
You are a vile fellow.
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:30 PM
Comment #10Sing
The American NWO also cheated Henry A Wallace out of his nomination for vice president for the democratic party under Roosevelt. The world has suffered since that time as Truman got in and he was a real corporate puppet.
Bit like a former Toon manager now managing a second rate London Club.
See how I got the football aspect in.
And Spoof
Yes you are in a dream, NUFC are actually in the National League North. I would continue to dream if I were you.
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:33 PM
Comment #11And it is finally time for a break, later.
sing in the corner
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:36 PM
Comment #12Essex
Saw what you did there! Good work!
bettyswallocks
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:37 PM
Comment #13Clinton email probe over. That should swing it back her way.
BandB
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:38 PM
Comment #14Jail
Jib has never told me what to write. Jeff From Benwell never told me what to write.
You sound more and more like Ian Toon. Except that Ian at least tries to explain.
Don’t talk to me again.
BandB
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:42 PM
Comment #15You utter creep.
BandB
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:46 PM
Comment #16Well I think that was clear enough. Getting it off your chest.
Goodnight posters.
bettyswallocks
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:47 PM
Comment #17To do is to bee. – Nietzche
To bee is to do. – Sartre
daniel2526
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:48 PM
Comment #18Hi guys!
Off topic, I am new to posting on the blog, although I have been reading Ed’s articles long long ago. Have been a die hard Toon fan since young and I am from Singapore. I will be dropping by Newcastle at the end of the year for a trip since I am in Sweden for my exchange studies. Just wanted to ask based on the experiences, will it be difficult to get tickets for the Nufc games on both 26th December and 30th Dec?
It will be a dream come through for me to catch Newcastle in action and I can’t wait to be in Tyneside 🙂
Howay the lads!
bettyswallocks
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:49 PM
Comment #19To bee or not to bee. – Shakespeare.
Jib
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:50 PM
Comment #20Yeah !
Jail stop telling folk what to write !
You
you
tellingpeoplewhattowrite
you !
You’ll be telling people what to think next !
BandB
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:51 PM
Comment #21Though to bee fair betty, if you post for a thousand years, you will never come up to Jails’ ankles.
bettyswallocks
Nov 6, 2016 at 9:58 PM
Comment #22My beeloved………. There can be no words to describe how you feel about me then beecause the vitriol you just stung Jail with would bee hard to surpass. However I can assure you that I have never disliked anyone in my life as much as I dislike you.
one fine day
Nov 6, 2016 at 10:41 PM
Comment #23https://goo.gl/images/Hu2Ehf
Love this
Sums things up to perfection
Jail for Ashley
Nov 6, 2016 at 11:10 PM
Comment #24BandB,
Glad that’s off your chest I can go back to not telling you what to write.
daniel,
Half Season Ticket sales are on sale now so getting two tickets together will be impossible and single tickets will probably be for members only. Look out on NUFC.com for ticket sales updates.
expatmag
Nov 6, 2016 at 11:16 PM
Comment #25JFA
And ghats you told
expatmag
Nov 6, 2016 at 11:16 PM
Comment #26Thats
lochinvar
Nov 6, 2016 at 11:23 PM
Comment #27bettyswallocks // Nov 6, 2016 at 9:47 PM
To do is to bee. – Nietzche
To bee is to do. – Sartre
you’re missing:
Do be do be do – Frank Sinatra
and on that note it’s goodnight from him and it’s goodnight from me !
daniel2526
Nov 7, 2016 at 10:41 AM
Comment #28Hi Jail,
Thanks for the reply! I am an online member of nufc.co.uk though, hopefully I can get single tickets separately for both games as I really want to watch them live. I will lookout for the tickets on nufc.com also then.