Rafa's tactics tonight

[Zippity]

I thought he got them spot on, tbh.

I know they had more quality on the ball but a few hundred million will do that.

But, we had the chances, albeit they fell to Atsu who couldn't hit a banjo with a cow's arse...and I mean it that way round! They didn't really create clear cut chances and I think we panicked their defence at times.

And the plan was working right up to the. er, flaw in the plan...and that is the quality of the players. Dubravka made a shocking mistake-it happens- and the defending for the second was comical right from Hayden losing it to the lack of challenges. Atsu worked really hard to get in some very good positions but lacked the footballing ability to make the most of them or the footballing brain to create a chance for someone else.

The game showed our season-or more or less our time under Ashley-in microcosm. Rafa's plan would have worked if he had a squad fit for purpose...which he doesn't...and that is entirely down to one man. Rafa is good enough, the players aren't and if fatso doesn't allow Rafa to spend this team, as it is now, will go down.

[tooslomofo]

I thought he got them spot on, tbh.

I know they had more quality on the ball but a few hundred million will do that.

But, we had the chances, albeit they fell to Atsu who couldn't hit a banjo with a cow's arse...and I mean it that way round! They didn't really create clear cut chances and I think we panicked their defence at times.

And the plan was working right up to the. er, flaw in the plan...and that is the quality of the players. Dubravka made a shocking mistake-it happens- and the defending for the second was comical right from Hayden losing it to the lack of challenges. Atsu worked really hard to get in some very good positions but lacked the footballing ability to make the most of them or the footballing brain to create a chance for someone else.

The game showed our season-or more or less our time under Ashley-in microcosm. Rafa's plan would have worked if he had a squad fit for purpose...which he doesn't...and that is entirely down to one man. Rafa is good enough, the players aren't and if fatso doesn't allow Rafa to spend this team, as it is now, will go down.

We can close this thread now...
Hit the nail on the head zip
What more can we say??

I concur

[trinitoon]

Didn't think we'd be getting much change out of Manure, especially with Frodo Baggins at the helm.

[Zippity]

No...the result wasn't a surprise but the manner of it was a huge disappointment. It was very evenly poised until Dubravka's howler.

[Jammy89]

I didn't think we'd get anything and i'm not surprised we didn't but i thought despite the loss we actually did decently. As Zip said you could see the plan and it was working but we don't have the quality.

As Zip said.

All in all, great post and perfectly summed up our situation.

[Zippity]

The fallout from tonight's match could make it worse yet...

Diame has done his groin and Yedlin needed treatment at the end of the game; Schar was crocked too. And the way the FA are with us, I'd put a lot of money on there being more than a few there lobbying for Shelvey to face a charge for his challenge on Pogba.

Gonna be a long 4 weeks with Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham to play in the next 4 League games.

**** me, this is grim, man.

[toonlegend]

they got a free kick. so shelvey can't face a charge as it was dealt with at the time.


now pogba's stamp..........

[Zippity]

:O Didn't know there was one? What happened?

[Scott Kirkland]

We should have had signings lined up to join on the 1st. Our squad is far too weak no strength in depth. Atsu ****s himself when he gets a chance. Perez knows we have no one else to replace him. Hayden and Diame championship players. What happened to that having 2 purple players for every position. Derek Lambias & Lee Charnley know **** all about football. Did Mike appoint Dip ****s like these in Sports Direct?

[TheBigSausage]

While we sat back and gave them 75% possession until they scored , we made them look better than they were.
Their defence was shaky and slow and when we started attacking they looked dodgy .
Benitez must tell the team you ain't good enough to play possession and not good enough to attack so we defend for 90% of the game .
This was a lack lustre manure team and certainly didn't justify giving them 77% possession for long spells.
The tactics of writing off any hope of playing football against better teams will bite us on the arse as we need points . Waiting to pick points v the lower teams , who may well strengthen in Jan and put up more fight could well backfire.

[toptoon]

I agree with the OP - I thought Rafa’s tactics were right. Unfortunately the life of a toon supporter these days is going to games and hoping for an upset. All of their bench would be the first names on a Newcastle team sheet every week.
Last night was a bit like sitting down at Hampden to watch Scotland v France - a huge gulf in class but just hoping the crowd can give a advantage, that the visitors play badly and that we get some luck.
No ctiticism to Atsu who was one of our best players but how different it could’ve been if he could shoot?

This has got to stop.

[waalsendmick]

While we sat back and gave them 75% possession until they scored , we made them look better than they were.
Their defence was shaky and slow and when we started attacking they looked dodgy .
Benitez must tell the team you ain't good enough to play possession and not good enough to attack so we defend for 90% of the game .
This was a lack lustre manure team and certainly didn't justify giving them 77% possession for long spells.
The tactics of writing off any hope of playing football against better teams will bite us on the arse as we need points . Waiting to pick points v the lower teams , who may well strengthen in Jan and put up more fight could well backfire.

What on earth are you hoping for, from the shower of Shiite we call a premier league squad?

[TheBigSausage]

I agree with the OP - I thought Rafa’s tactics were right. Unfortunately the life of a toon supporter these days is going to games and hoping for an upset. All of their bench would be the first names on a Newcastle team sheet every week.
Last night was a bit like sitting down at Hampden to watch Scotland v France - a huge gulf in class but just hoping the crowd can give a advantage, that the visitors play badly and that we get some luck.
No ctiticism to Atsu who was one of our best players but how different it could’ve been if he could shoot?

This has got to stop.

Waiting for them to score then chase the game is tactics? If lukaku and Sanchez had of started instead of the woeful Mata and Martial, they would have scored a few more.
I've seen milk turn quicker than Jones .. We needed to go at them .. This was by no stretch of the imagination a good man Utd team , they have struggled at the back all season , and did so when we attacked also.
We simply have no chance of scoring when we left them stroll around with 75% possession.

[TheBigSausage]

What on earth are you hoping for, from the shower of Shiite we call a premier league squad?
When we attacked we caused them problems .. When we sat back with 10 defenders we didn't .. writing off any attacking play against the top 12 , even at home , will not keep us up .
Goals will keep us up .. Not vague hopes of a clean sheet .

[Zippity]

While we sat back and gave them 75% possession until they scored , we made them look better than they were.
Their defence was shaky and slow and when we started attacking they looked dodgy .
Benitez must tell the team you ain't good enough to play possession and not good enough to attack so we defend for 90% of the game .
This was a lack lustre manure team and certainly didn't justify giving them 77% possession for long spells.
The tactics of writing off any hope of playing football against better teams will bite us on the arse as we need points . Waiting to pick points v the lower teams , who may well strengthen in Jan and put up more fight could well backfire.

Lacklustre? I disagree-some of their movement and passing was very good. But I also disagree with the whole premise behind your post-I've seen us sit back a lot more than that...we actually had a go at them last night and in parts, especially on the left, played some decent stuff of our own at times. Rafa came up with a plan to get something out of the game and it was working...sadly, our players were/are too sh!t to carry it out. Then they brought £120 million worth of talent off the bench and onto a pitch where 8 of the starting 11 were in the Chimpo with us. Howay, man.

[waalsendmick]

When we attacked we caused them problems .. When we sat back with 10 defenders we didn't .. writing off any attacking play against the top 12 , even at home , will not keep us up .
Goals will keep us up .. Not vague hopes of a clean sheet .

It is sitting back that allows us to attack... it is how counter attacking football works. The problem is, our whole midfield is awful, so possession football is completely out of the question (we simply cannot break teams down - Brighton and Fulham games) but our lack of quality in the opposition half means most of our counter attacks come to nothing.

Rafa has his hands tied and most can see this

[waalsendmick]

Lacklustre? I disagree-some of their movement and passing was very good. But I also disagree with the whole premise behind your post-I've seen us sit back a lot more than that...we actually had a go at them last night and in parts, especially on the left, played some decent stuff of our own at times. Rafa came up with a plan to get something out of the game and it was working...sadly, our players were/are too sh!t to carry it out. Then they brought £120 million worth of talent off the bench and onto a pitch where 8 of the starting 11 were in the Chimpo with us. Howay, man.

In a nutshell.

[Geordie_Jacko]

Sorry but I just don't agree Rafa got it right again, we got beat again that's not getting it right weather we are against United or not. We got nilled at home and like somebody else said that was a lackluster ManU last night. Yeah if Atsu could shoot we may have done better but we may well not have either. People talking like he had loads of clear cut chances he didn't, yeah he should be working the keeper but not necessarily scoring from them opportunity's. I know we were in it until Dubravka Fu(ked up. But that's just it with these tactics we are in games for so long, never luck like winning just in the game until we either make a mistake or just eventually get broken down. The tactics for any team playing us must be "look lads there gonna sit back but just play your game and the goal will come". And it often does even against the lesser teams. We need to start having more of a Fu(king go not even necessarily attacking but at least try hold onto the ball for a while. The possession we give teams across the 90 minutes week in week out is appalling.

[Geordie_Jacko]

Lacklustre? I disagree-some of their movement and passing was very good. But I also disagree with the whole premise behind your post-I've seen us sit back a lot more than that...we actually had a go at them last night and in parts, especially on the left, played some decent stuff of our own at times. Rafa came up with a plan to get something out of the game and it was working...sadly, our players were/are too sh!t to carry it out. Then they brought £120 million worth of talent off the bench and onto a pitch where 8 of the starting 11 were in the Chimpo with us. Howay, man.
There always gonna play some decent football but there overall performance wasn't all that imo. We need to forget about how much teams are worth and what there benches are worth that's just a given. I wouldn't really say we had a go at the either. We had a few decent breaks but that's far from actually having a go at them. I don't know I'm just fed up with it all. Regardless who we play the way we are playing with the lack of possession we are there for the taking every week.

[toonlegend]

we had the chances to win - but none of our players can hit a barn door at 2 yards - or if they do it trickles into the goalies hands the shot is so weak.

don't know about rafa telling them they aren't good enough to play but whenever they were pissing about with the ball just outside the penalty area - i was screaming at them that they aren't good enough to piss about and get it upfield

[Jammy89]

The fallout from tonight's match could make it worse yet...

Diame has done his groin and Yedlin needed treatment at the end of the game; Schar was crocked too. And the way the FA are with us, I'd put a lot of money on there being more than a few there lobbying for Shelvey to face a charge for his challenge on Pogba.

Gonna be a long 4 weeks with Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham to play in the next 4 League games.

**** me, this is grim, man.

**** sakes, we'll be in massive trouble if we lose Diame, Yedlin and Schar. Not cos there decent XD :( cos we have nobody else.

[waalsendmick]

**** sakes, we'll be in massive trouble if we lose Diame, Yedlin and Schar. Not cos there decent XD :( cos we have nobody else.

That is when the quality of your squad (or lack of) is there for all to see.

When 2 or 3 average players get injured and you have o suitable replacements, and very few unsuitable ones.

[Zippity]

That is when the quality of your squad (or lack of) is there for all to see.

When 2 or 3 average players get injured and you have o suitable replacements, and very few unsuitable ones.

Watching Hayden drag his lumbering arse across the pitch last night was like watching a National League player gamely but ultimately fruitlessly struggling in the 3rd round of the FA Cup against a big team. The way he lost the ball for their second goal was like when a water buffalo gets pounced on by a pair of lions...even David Attenbrough would have winced and turned away.

[Zippity]

And I hadn't realised Shelvey's challenge was as bad as it was. I know he's short of match fitness and was trying yo get up to speed in a fast-flowing game...but that challenge was beyond clumsy and should probably have been a red. Because the ref gave a free kick for it, Shelvey can't be done retrospectively.

Unless, as the writer in the Chronic put it, there are "accentuating" circumstances!!

XDXDXD ffs, man...is it bring your child to work day? That's shocking man....people are paid to write like that???

[TheBigSausage]

Watching Hayden drag his lumbering arse across the pitch last night was like watching a National League player gamely but ultimately fruitlessly struggling in the 3rd round of the FA Cup against a big team. The way he lost the ball for their second goal was like when a water buffalo gets pounced on by a pair of lions...even David Attenbrough would have winced and turned away.
Yet Hayden was voted our man of the match by Fotmob :)

[TheBigSausage]

And I hadn't realised Shelvey's challenge was as bad as it was. I know he's short of match fitness and was trying yo get up to speed in a fast-flowing game...but that challenge was beyond clumsy and should probably have been a red. Because the ref gave a free kick for it, Shelvey can't be done retrospectively.

Unless, as the writer in the Chronic put it, there are "accentuating" circumstances!!

XDXDXD ffs, man...is it bring your child to work day? That's shocking man....people are paid to write like that???
Shelveys challenge was a disgrace .. Another one missed by all these biased refs eh ? Was def a red carder .. But as I was shouted down for saying refs bad decisions even themselves out .. I won't say it.

[toonfalifekevbrown]

Spot on and it nearly worked ,we gave them a game .

[Jammy89]

Shelveys challenge was a disgrace .. Another one missed by all these biased refs eh ? Was def a red carder .. But as I was shouted down for saying refs bad decisions even themselves out .. I won't say it.

1 decision doesn't even things out over 5 seasons XD So you have nothing to say XD

You were shouted down as you put it (i'd say just everybody disagreed with you myself) because looking at the stats provided we don't get the rub of the green and we do get alot of decisions against us.

[waalsendmick]

I fail to how shelvey not getting a red in a game we lost anyway can even go close to cancelling out wolves not getting a red which went a long way towards us losing a game we could have won....

And that is just one example

[Zippity]

Or the handball in the box at 2-0 at Old Trafford...or the Salah dive for the pen (wouldn't have changed the end result but that's not the point here) or the 148 games since we had a player sent off against us....

[andyj73]

Or the handball in the box at 2-0 at Old Trafford...or the Salah dive for the pen (wouldn't have changed the end result but that's not the point here) or the 148 games since we had a player sent off against us....

.. Should try one of our refs Zippity mate XD ..

[ronandtet]

I fail to how shelvey not getting a red in a game we lost anyway can even go close to cancelling out wolves not getting a red which went a long way towards us losing a game we could have won....

And that is just one example

i must of been seeing things at one time in the second half nowhere near the ball shelvey " fell over" and podga was nearby ????

[Zippity]

.. Should try one of our refs Zippity mate XD ..

Happy New Year, Andy

Aye, the Refs in the Chimpo were shocking so I'd imagine yours are even worse.

[andyj73]

Happy New Year, Andy

Aye, the Refs in the Chimpo were shocking so I'd imagine yours are even worse.

.. They have been, though in the last two games I can't fault them XD .. All the best mate ..

[toptoon]

If only we had a manager with a bit more experience, then he would surely know to tell the players to ‘go for it’ more and we’d win all our games at home..........