It’s unfortunate that Miguel Almiron is out for three weeks with a slight hamstring problem, but that means he will not be available again for us this season.
But he will be able to play for Paraguay in the Copa America tournament to take place in Brazil from 14th June through 7th July.
And Rafa had some good news today as training started up again for the game at Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
Fabian Schar – back in training
Both Fabian Schar and Isaac Hayden, who were taken off in the second half against Southampton with slight injuries, are back in training today.
The two in-form players will almost certainly start at Brighton in the late Saturday kickoff game since Rafa wants as many points as possible to finish as high up the table as possible.
It also means we get some decent money again from the Premier League if we can finish just below half-way in the league table.
Here are the current standings.
[table “76” not found /]Brighton are in a poor run of form at the moment and haven’t scored a goal in their last seven Premier League games.
They have picked up only a single point with a 0-0 draw at Wolves last Saturday but were beaten last night 1-0 at Tottenham with the goal coming with just two minutes to play.
Let’s hope we can get our 12th win of the season on the south coast on Saturday.
That will equal the number of wins for last season and also the number of points – 44.
Comments welcome.
106 comments so far
JohnJ
Apr 24, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Comment #1I always want Newcastle United to win but I do feel for Chris Houghton at Brighton!
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:07 PM
Comment #2Training today
Pain in the Blog
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:08 PM
Comment #3I agree John. A good manager who did us proud and one of nicest men in football. A true gent.
Pain in the Blog
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:12 PM
Comment #4Jail from earlier,
‘Fair and balanced’. You don’t read those words very often on this blog. Cheers.
Lindisfarne
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:24 PM
Comment #5Lets smash ’em!
No room for sentiment, our players need to show what they are about and continue to produce good performances on the pitch. Not just for the sake of more points, but to highlight the desire and quality of the manager. There can be no slip ups before the end of the season and no opportunity given to those that may want to see Rafa slip away quitely.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:35 PM
Comment #6Biffa over at .com is asking anyone who has had Fulham tickets cancelled to e mail asap. Bang out of order to be honest.
Nostradamus the Geordie
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:36 PM
Comment #7Miggy out, so Mr Muto, here’s your chance to play in Miggy’s role.
Let Muto play in that position as it adds the pace Miggy offers, hope he gets a chance so we don’t revert back to no support for Ronnie.
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:37 PM
Comment #8Rafa invited the foodbank lads to training today – good lad Rafa
Lindisfarne
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:40 PM
Comment #9https://twitter.com/ChronicleNUFC
New Podcast with Luke Edwards, uncovers the reoccurring theme of Rafa and transfers.
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:43 PM
Comment #10https://twitter.com/EliasFritjof/status/1120788223301758976
jane
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:51 PM
Comment #11“You need help to be sure that you can compete where this club needs to be, and deserves to be.”
“For me, that is to be seventh, or close to seventh. At the moment, that would be the ideal situation.”
this is comments by Rafa posted in one of Ed’s articles today. this reiterates Rafa’s target for next season which is achievable with the funds available so i am 95% sure now he will stay.
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:57 PM
Comment #12I wish I were as sure Jane
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 5:58 PM
Comment #13I’m probably 35/65 sure he will stay
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:01 PM
Comment #14The big thing we have in our favour is his
girls Agata and Claudia love the Toon (city and club)
apparently
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:04 PM
Comment #15The brummy Andre Marriner is the ref for
the Manchester derby
Tsunki
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Comment #16He looks a bit nerdy to me though.
DubaiMicky
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:38 PM
Comment #17I’d be leaving Schar and Hayden on the bench for Brighton, bring them on if we need them, keep them for the bindippers.
I’d start Diame.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:41 PM
Comment #18Lindisfarne,
I haven’t listened to the podcast but I’m getting a bit sick of hearing from that Luke Edwards
Lindisfarne
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:41 PM
Comment #19Thats Diame for Hayden, but what about Schar and Almiron?
Do we keep the same formation or risk changing a winning team and style?
I would guess that Rafa will only put Atsu in and keep the rest the same.
Lindisfarne
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:42 PM
Comment #20Why is that Jail?
Worried that the owner may actually do something right for once?!!!!!!!!!
😉
Jail for Ashley
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:43 PM
Comment #21Why did you feel the need to name his daughters Jib, their names are irrelevant to whether they like the club or not?
Lindisfarne
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:46 PM
Comment #22It is an interesting take on events, but I treat it like a chat in the pub rather than inside information. Although there is the odd little interesting snippet.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:48 PM
Comment #23Lindisfarne,
I hope he does, it’s going to be devastating if he doesn’t. No, didn’t like that big article on April fools day that seemed to suggest he had inside info that Rafa was staying, when days later Rafa rubbished the claim, his sharing the blame with Rafa on the mess at the moment and his contradictory tweets he’s been posting.
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Comment #24I didn’t feel the need
I once had a long felt want
but I binned it
the felt was the wrong colour
Ron Knee
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:54 PM
Comment #25Rafa’s signings rated:
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitezs-28-signings-rated-16176124
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 24, 2019 at 6:57 PM
Comment #26Love Hughton but Brighton fans have been a bit fannyish towards us since the championship plus when they had all the bunting ready for the league win and then we took it off them…..
Would like them to have a bit of a nail biting last few games by beating them !!
I think we are not the kind of team you want to play against at the moment when confidence is low and you are struggling to break teams down just a shame Almiron is injured but its a chance for Muto or Atsu to step up they both are rapid and should be able to play similar to Almiron !! Atsu is very frustrating has lots of skill and pace but never uses it the way he should hopefully hes been watching Almiron and seeing how to do it!!
DubaiMicky
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:00 PM
Comment #27I reckon the only reason we want Brighton to stay up is because of Chris Houghton.
Other than that we don’t give a toss.
Jib
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:02 PM
Comment #28Lee Charnley Bunga Party
I think Miggy
(sorry for naming him Jail
I should have just said the number 24)
will be a bigger miss than you believe
carltoon
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:05 PM
Comment #29Newcastle being investigated re Mitrovic signing. Mentioned on Total Sport.
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:05 PM
Comment #30Rafa, give Jonjo a game, you know you want to!
Mag52
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:06 PM
Comment #31AO.
carltoon
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:07 PM
Comment #32Anderlecht helping with the enquiries. No comment from NUFC. Well no change there then.
carltoon
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:11 PM
Comment #33Police raid confirmed at both clubs. What’s Ashley done now.
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:11 PM
Comment #343 super classy games could still get him player of the season! 😉
Mag52
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:13 PM
Comment #35Jib.
Earlier today you asked me how I knew that Ashley was not in communication with Rafa.
Following Saturday’s game, Rafa was talking about where the team should expect to compete in the PL, towards the top of the league or near the bottom. He answered, “ I have not had any answers, so I want to know what their answers are. If I have the answers then I can decide.”
You don’t need to be employed by GCHQ to work that one out.
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:14 PM
Comment #36I would think that most top clubs have a few skeletons in their cupboards with regard to transfers.
ronaldo aarons
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:18 PM
Comment #37Money laundering. Lee Charnley to take the hit I guess since it’s never Mike Ashley’s fault.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:19 PM
Comment #38@Jib
Yeah Almiron has been excellent but its up to the others to step up and show what they can do !!
lesh
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:19 PM
Comment #39carltoon
It appears that Ashley’s got a thing about being implicated in dubious activities.
The Frog’ll love the news that the club may have been involved in irrgularities relating to Mitro’s move and he’ll add that to the Grant Thornton judgement and not forgetting HMRC’s ongoing investigations into the club’s activities.
Add to that NY Mag’s find that SD only paid £1m for advertising and we can see that Ashley doesn’t care tuppence about the club.
When will the media pick up on Ashley’s dubious business practices?
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 24, 2019 at 7:19 PM
Comment #40I’m pretty sure that the likes of Len Shackleton, Ivor Broadis and Hughie Gallagher probably had some nice under the counter sweetners in any transfer deals.