In mid-December, Jonjo Shelvey picked up his second red card of the season.
It was our home game against Everton, and it was way into stoppage time when he managed to pick up a second yellow card and was dismissed.
His discipline has always been a problem, but Rafa came out and said the club would get help for Jonjo in anger management.
And since then Jonjo Shelvey has not only played his best football for Newcastle and helped our survival this year, but he’s been quite disciplined.
Of course, he’s walking a thin line, and the next red card and the papers will be full of it again.
Jonjo Shelvey – celebrates Ayoze Perez’ second goal for Newcastle
Let’s hope he can continue to curb his demons on the pitch and if he can do that he has a much better chance of playing again for England.
His ability has never been in question.
He’s our Man of the Match with 37% of the vote followed by his central midfield partner Mo Diame, who had another sterling game in the middle of the park.
Perez got a brace and finished top scorer for the season with 10 goals – 8 of which came in the Premier League.
In the last two seasons, Perez has 12 goals and 10 goals under Rafa – the best he has done at Newcastle since he arrived from Tenerife back in 2014 for €2M.
Next in the voting is goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and we have to thank the Slovakian INternational for two excellent saves in the second half to keep us in the game and preserve the clean sheet.
It’s the sign of a good goalkeeper when he can come up with two terrific saves when he has had little to do.
Expect Rafa to move quickly to sign Dubravka to a permanent deal.
Our understanding is the fee is €4M, and that’s in addition to the €2M loan deal.
It was a terrific win yesterday, and also the performance was excellent to end the season on a high.
Great stuff!
Comments welcome.
184 comments so far
RobLeenio
May 15, 2018 at 12:20 AM
Comment #161Thanks dingo, much appreciated. And yes to everything George Caulkin has written. We don’t want or need extravagant promises of broken transfer records or assurances that we will buy x number of players or spend x amount of money. Why would we when we know for sure that given the right kind of player, Rafa can coax and cajole a team performance which is more than the sum of its parts. All we want is for the manager to be given assurances that when he says ‘we need this player and he will cost us this much’ that the club will make it happen more often than not and when it doesn’t happen it’s not because we dithered, dallied and let the fish slip off the hook. In short, we want the club to show the same faith and trust in Rafa that we show him. It’s not too much to ask.
RobLeenio
May 15, 2018 at 12:21 AM
Comment #162dingo, I haven’t seen you post before. If I have overlooked you previously, I apologise. If you’re a new or returning poster, welcome (back) to the blog
lesh
May 15, 2018 at 2:28 AM
Comment #163Robleenio
Don’t worry about the accounts being late. The club can afford the few hundred quid fine.
But don’t you remember the report that Charnley had explained the delay as being because they were trying to make fully clear the financial impact of relegation.
In other words, trying to explain why there was supposedly little money for transfers in the last three windows. Oh, and any charges that may have been to the club’s parent and SD for services such as accounting.
Worry not, we’ll all be relieved to know the club’s in safe hands.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
May 15, 2018 at 5:35 AM
Comment #164Rob…Dingo has probably been here since the blog started…
…not everyone re-invents themselves on here every once in a while!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
May 15, 2018 at 5:40 AM
Comment #165Lesh…I do find it rich that Mr. Ashley thinks he need to explain the financial impact of relegation…a relegation he has costed us twice!
…isn’t suppose to be the other way around? Us explaining him the impact on our club?
Jail for Ashley
May 15, 2018 at 6:14 AM
Comment #166So good ole Mikey was away on holiday when his goodwill statement was released. I wonder how little input he had in writing it.
Jail for Ashley
May 15, 2018 at 6:16 AM
Comment #167Every penny the generates is absolute bollix, by the time Mikey’s pro league accounts have been through the books it leaves Rafa looking for Joselus and Manquillo’s.
jazzyp
May 15, 2018 at 6:28 AM
Comment #168These Areola rumours are gathering pace.Surely Dubravka has more than earnt a starting birth and a transfer to Nufc for the form he has shown in his loan spell here
chicousa
May 15, 2018 at 6:31 AM
Comment #169Gotta say, I’m so tired of parsing Ashley’s statements looking for clues as to this or that or how much he might make available to Rafa, etc, etc. Been there. Done that! All I want now is to hear that he has sold the club….period!
Ashley Out!!!
Lindisfarne
May 15, 2018 at 6:46 AM
Comment #170If debt really interest you:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/01/premier-league-finances-club-by-club
Accounts for 2015-16 season prior to NUFC relegation.
DubaiMicky
May 15, 2018 at 7:09 AM
Comment #171So Lindisfarne, if we read these as correct:-
Ownership Mike Ashley owns Newcastle United via his company, MASH Holdings Limited, registered in the UK.
Accounts for the year to June 30 2016
Turnover £126m (9th highest in the league)
Wages £75m (16th highest, 60% of turnover)
Profit before tax £4m (down from £36m in 2015)
Gate and matchday £25m
TV and broadcasting £73m
Commercial and other income £28m
Net debt Not stated; £129m loans from Mike Ashley and his companies; no bank debt
Interest payable £0.008m
Highest-paid director Unnamed, £150,000 (Lee Charnley was the managing director)
State they’re in The figures look reasonable but a little penny-pinching, to Mike Ashley’s great cost. The decision to retain loyal club servant John Carver as the manager after Alan Pardew left in 2015 almost ended in relegation then, but last season the late appointment of Rafael Benítez to replace Steve McClaren was made too late. Newcastle had actually spent a net £80m on players in the summer of 2015 and January 2016, but their wage bill was the 16th highest in the league, despite income putting the club in the top 10, which managing director Charnley had fatefully suggested was the club’s footballing aspiration.
Then out turnover should have gone up by £50m, (difference in TV money), so keeping everything else the same we should turnover around £175m, keeping the wage bill the same (we’ve got rid of some big hitters and taken on some less paid, that makes and addition of £50m to profit, so surely we’ll clear £55-60m profit this year?
All of the above doesn’t include player sales i see.
Every Penny!!!!
Average_Contents
May 15, 2018 at 7:13 AM
Comment #172Jane
I don’t see the point in you. Full stop.
Happy blogging.
lochinvar
May 15, 2018 at 7:26 AM
Comment #173Looks like the rumours are that Shelvey won’t get a place at the World Cup because of concerns over risk of his disciplinary behaviour. Nothing to do then with those in power at the FA pulling Southgates strings in the interests of them being seen to be politically correct and protecting their own backsides when there was no substantiated evidence against Shelvey in one of his bans.
And Rooney , how did his disciplinary record compare ?
Jib
May 15, 2018 at 7:31 AM
Comment #174Dingo has posted on and off since 2007
Jib
May 15, 2018 at 8:06 AM
Comment #175https://www.francefootball.fr/news/Mercato-newcastle-relance-alphonse-areola-paris-sg/901175
Jib
May 15, 2018 at 8:23 AM
Comment #176While on loan at Villarreal for a season, Areola broke the club record
for the longest period of play without conceding a goal, remaining
unbeaten for a period of 620 minutes.
DubaiMicky
May 15, 2018 at 8:34 AM
Comment #177if we had fun with Quincy, we’re going to have a field day with Areola.
Jib
May 15, 2018 at 8:46 AM
Comment #178Micky do you know the Swedish Pharmacist joke ?
Jib
May 15, 2018 at 8:47 AM
Comment #179https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6IBiR9m3vY
Jib
May 15, 2018 at 8:48 AM
Comment #180The name Areola reminded me of it
😛
Ron Knee
May 15, 2018 at 8:51 AM
Comment #181“Creative tension has been a theme over the past two years …”
Destructive rather than creative, I would have thought.
OneAlanShearer
May 15, 2018 at 8:55 AM
Comment #182The periods in which he and other teams have had the best goal keeping are when you have two good keepers fighting it out to start.
Given and Harper – we could rely on both.
Shaka Hislop and Pav.
Obviously your style of play and who is in front of them will influence how well that works overall but it’s the same at the most successful clubs. Chelsea do it, man Utd, spurs all have 2 good or great keepers. Rafa aiming for that is a very good sign.
RobLeenio
May 15, 2018 at 9:11 AM
Comment #183It does raise questions about Karl Darlow, however – if this is true then he, Rob Elliott and Matz Sels could all be moving on this Summer. Not that bothered about Elliott who seems injury prone, but I thought Darlow was a decent keeper.
Either that or he’ll take Areola over Dubravka, which would be harsh on the lad.
OneAlanShearer
May 15, 2018 at 9:33 AM
Comment #184I think darlow is possibly a level below Dubravka. Never exudes confidence and nowhere near the all round game of Dubravka.
We have to sign Dubravka whatever happens. However for me darlow and sels can leave. Happy to keep Elliot as 3rd choice and loan out woodman again.