Newcastle will jet off for their four-day training camp in Spain today as they get some warm weather training in.
It will not be a joy-ride with Rafa having double training sessions as he attempts to get the very best out of the squad he has available.
We are in some good form at the moment, and our last two home games against Manchester United and Southampton have netted us 6 points.
The team also put in two of their best performances of the season, so things are starting to look up a little.
A smiling and confident Rafa Benitez
We are 5 points above the drop zone, and that’s probably 6 points because of our goal difference being better than the other teams fighting relegation.
This is what Rafa has said to BBC Sport today:
“Five points is good but there is still plenty to do. I have confidence in the team that we can do it.”
“We knew it was a massive game for us, against a team close to us in the table.”
“We needed to do well. The players approached it well, the intensity they showed, the way they moved the ball, it was very pleasing.”
“When you see the players working so hard, as a manager you have to be pleased.”
“We know Southampton have most of the possession in their games, and after the goal, they had to take the risk and attack.”
“When you play against a team who have possession and pass a lot, you have to defend well and counter-attack.”
Rafa is becoming more confident that we can do it and stay up and certainly the team has looked very good in our last two home games.
It was an excellent game plan against the Saints and very well executed by our players.
We need the same again against Huddersfield Town, and if we can win that game, Newcastle will have 35 points from 31 games.
We will then need 5 points in the final 7 games to reach the 40 points mark, and that should see us safe.
Comments welcome.
5 comments so far
lesh
Mar 15, 2018 at 9:29 AM
Comment #1Bean Rafa, keep us up and show Ashley what you’re made of. A damn good coach and an astute politician too who’s slowly walking Ashley into a corner.
lesh
Mar 15, 2018 at 9:31 AM
Comment #2Bean Rafa, keep…… = G’wan Rafa…..
Bally spell check!
DaveD1000
Mar 15, 2018 at 9:36 AM
Comment #3had to read that 3 times glad you cleared up the beans
Mattroge
Mar 15, 2018 at 9:42 AM
Comment #4In relation to previous thread re Slimani…………….maybe I need to take my tinfoil hat off but is anyone else suspicious as to why he hasn’t played for us? Maybe there’s some sort of payment due if he makes a certain amount of appearances?
Or it could be his injury was more serious than first thought. Just throwing it out there!
geordietom
Mar 15, 2018 at 12:13 PM
Comment #5sorry iam going over old ground but i have to put this on …. its about mackem fans … a few years ago i was in benidorm with my wife a mate of ours and his wife .we were in a bar ( tommys bar ) . there was a mackem in with his woman … got chatting to him he was ok . then i asked him what did he think of the manager at that time ( paulo di canio ) … he flew off the handle for no reason called us horse beaters slagged us off said he was gonna kill us ect ect . very strange bloke he went on and would not let it rest never met a dick like him in my life . i could understand it if i was having a go about his team. point is do i hate the mackems i did’nt till that night …