You can never accuse Rafa Benitez of being over-confident or resting on his laurels.
Rafa has been down to the Championship with Newcastle, and he was respectful of every team during that promotion season.
Not many world-class managers would have stayed with Newcastle when we were relegated, but that’s what he did, and that’s one reason the Geordie fans love him so much.
Even though he has won three European Championships Rafa’s feet are always firmly on the ground.
Rafa Benitez – at a previous press conference
And that’s what he wants from his players – that they do the job and don’t get cocky, carried or over-confident.
Like some of us fans.
🙂
At his press conference earlier today – Rafa sent out a clear message to both fans and players alike:
“Too many teams are still around (relegation zone). If you play top six twice in a row you may be back in a relegation battle.”
“We are doing well and fine. It’s a game that can change a lot of things. If we win this, we can push on without fear.”
“If we don’t win, we must keep on fighting.” “I think 38 points will be enough. After that, we can go for 40.” (maybe 45?)
“We have to be careful. The job is not done. Every game is a Cup final for us. On our day we can compete with anyone.
“No new injuries. Lascelles still feeling his knee so won’t be risked. Clark back.”
The fans seem confident enough about tomorrow’s game, but Bournemouth are always a difficult side to play.
Comments welcome.
68 comments so far
Jib
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:15 PM
Comment #41I’m nothing but a bullshitting charlatan
uncovered by the brilliant Jail for Ashley
oh dear
Mister Tuff
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:19 PM
Comment #42C’est le vieux pervers !
Vous êtes un vieux pervers.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:21 PM
Comment #43Jib
Seriously, what bit don’t you get, I highlighted your piece about Iniesta just to show that a: that you plagiarise any knowledge you do know and b: you just make up any other other bits that you hope this blog of know nowts won’t be able to challenge you on
welshgeordie9
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:23 PM
Comment #44Don’t think jails like Sherlock Holmes, more like miss marple.
Ha ha ha
Mister Tuff
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:27 PM
Comment #45welshie – honestly lucky escape.
You could have been haunted by those chilling words –
“YOU ARE OWNED”
just before the long nosed gimp mask was put on.
My God a terrible thought.
welshgeordie9
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:30 PM
Comment #46Mister Tuff
Thanks to you I’m now going to be sick.
Ha ha ha
Jail for Ashley
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:33 PM
Comment #47Jib:
Tim Krul made six appearances in a row for the Ditch, that’s why Fraser Firster got footed off
Ligongwe Geordie
No he didn’t Jib, the most he made was one then a couple of sub appearences spread over a multitude of games.
Your litany of bullshit is legendary, I challenge the blog to find it.
beermonkey
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:35 PM
Comment #48mr tuff
i would applaud jib if he threw the welsh wum into a hole whilst demanding he rubs the lotion on it skin or else it gets the hose again
it would seem a fitting end
welshgeordie9
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:48 PM
Comment #49You would
welshgeordie9
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:50 PM
Comment #50Who’s Fraser Firster
Jib
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:50 PM
Comment #51Jail for Ashley
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating
Either
A
I extract info from the web and present it
as my own like a charlatan
OR
B
I’m a bullshitter that knows nowt
and constantly gets stuff wrong
Which is it – it cannot be both surely
Jib
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:52 PM
Comment #52Welshie
It’s Fraser the fister
an old boyfriend of Jail
😀
welshgeordie9
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:52 PM
Comment #53Jib
I go for C
one fine day
Mar 15, 2019 at 10:53 PM
Comment #54Bit off what ever the topic even is here tonight …but looking at the draw and can’t helping how much I want Ajax to win it this year .
Just to see the big spenders humbled for once by a club that has always just tried to do football the right way .
stan anderson
Mar 15, 2019 at 11:40 PM
Comment #55Sad how this Blog has sunk to the depths of name calling and arguing its at now.
ASHLEY OOT
Nicky the ball tosser
Mar 16, 2019 at 12:30 AM
Comment #56…………………………Dubravka..
Yedlin…Fernandez..Lejeune..Dummett..Ritchie.
………………………..Hayden..Ki.
………..Perez……….Rondon…….Almiron.
Can see us starting this way, and then maybe bringing on Shelvey and going 4 at the back if we are chasing. Decent side away from home, certainly solid defensively, but we will miss those long crossfield passes from Schar and Lejeune, and also the way the pair carry the ball forward out of defence.
beermonkey
Mar 16, 2019 at 12:39 AM
Comment #57Nicky
I reckon back to 4231 and shelvey in for ki
Big Archie
Mar 16, 2019 at 12:49 AM
Comment #58While we’re shouting about what a world class manager he is let’s not forget how much he was getting paid when he stayed with us in the Championship
Nicky the ball tosser
Mar 16, 2019 at 12:53 AM
Comment #59…………………Dubravka..
Manquillo…Fernandez..Lejeune..Dummett.
………………Hayden..Shelvey
..…Almiron………Perez…..….Kenedy.
…………………………Rondon.
Yeah, 4231 looks pretty good. I marginally prefer Manquillo to Yedlin in a back four, and probably all together, and think Ritchie is better at wing back than winger and so would go for Kenedy on the left who could well return to form now that we are a bit more open.
Nicky the ball tosser
Mar 16, 2019 at 1:00 AM
Comment #60Ritchie will start of course either way I suppose though, particularly as it’s away to Bournemouth.
Nicky the ball tosser
Mar 16, 2019 at 1:52 AM
Comment #61I’d been suggesting for a while that Rafa would get Ashley to straighten his bat, before losing some faith over the last summer window with its yet another zero net spend, leaving us with too little up top, and also of course by the distraction of the “sale”.
However, I’ve become more optimistic again that Ashley will do enough to keep him. We aren’t a bad squad now, and there must be more money available, after spending so little and being back up two seasons, so an Almiron size type signing each window and gradual improvements to infrastructure is affordable and sustainable from here on.
If Ashley delivers this time, you’d have to say ok fair play to him finally, because we’d be going in the right direction and in a sound financial position to press on steadily.
If not, well, surely he could no longer be tolerated, and the fans should be on the pitch in protest.
Nicky the ball tosser
Mar 16, 2019 at 2:10 AM
Comment #62…….@59 an ominous rustling breeze, @60 the constant ebb of crickets chirping, and @61 a lone tumbleweed rolls lightly across an eerily desolate blog landscape.
Goodnight.
ilovetoon8788
Mar 16, 2019 at 4:32 AM
Comment #63Our away form is crap and it will continue that way. They have far too much in callum Wilson.
Bournemouth 3 Newcastle 1
cyprus
Mar 16, 2019 at 6:24 AM
Comment #64Clark in a cb position is not a worry, at all. You may point to a small error but show me a faultless defender of ours. Or anyone, actually.
Should he play, watch him score. Minute for minute, he’s our most efficient goalscorer
Jib
Mar 16, 2019 at 7:25 AM
Comment #65The only worry about Clark is his match fitness
Bournemouth at home are very high-tempo
Jib
Mar 16, 2019 at 7:41 AM
Comment #66I see the pressure as being much more on
Eddie Howe than Rafa Benitez.
We are just 3 points (with a better gd) behind
Bournemouth who only have Fulham at home
out of their remaining games as a banker.
This game is a bit of a gimme to us
Jib
Mar 16, 2019 at 7:53 AM
Comment #67You have to tip your hat to the fans who will make the 700+ mile
roundtrip today.
If a poll was taken of those fans
“what would you prefer – a dull game going for the points
or a toe to toe mix-up”
I wonder what the vote would be ?
Lindisfarne
Mar 16, 2019 at 8:01 AM
Comment #68As expected, Rafa dismisses speculation about potential new nufc manager.
“My experience is that they can talk about managers because it is an opportunity, and they will talk about teams for me because I didn’t sign the extension. That is football.”