Match Day Thread Toon vs Burnley

We seem to have our confidence back in the last few games, makes a huge difference to the likes of Lascelles, Perez and even Manquillo!! Different players all of a sudden

 

Or Perez he puts in such work off the ball its unrivalled and doesn't get much credit imo.

Fans have been ****s to him while hes battled like **** in a system that didn't flatter him or anyone.

 

It's not often id say this but we look 2 or 3 playets away from a top 8 side imo, but sadly we'll struggle to keep our best players this summer at this rate.

Im still hopeful of a takeover ashley will buckle as soon as big bids come in.

 

Don't know why you think that - one thing about Ashley is he doesn't seem to put pressure on Managers to sell. He would rather stick with what he has then buy and sell. Certainly wouldn't be any fire sale. I suspect if Rafa stays the line up will not change dramatically.

 

Na itll be daft money for longstaff at this rate.nlt many of our players have been of interest to the big clubs for a few years that's all.

 

We will sell our best players and get relegated.

 

We have the basis of a top 8 side. Replace Yedlin, Manquillo, Joselu, Dummett, Atsu

 

Id look 3 top players that can fit in the system and compete for places with our best players

If rondon longstaff perez Almiron or ritchie got injured were back to being **** overnight .

 

Hopefully this run of form can only be good for the prospect of being sold. We are close to being sure of staying up now and there is some good feeling around the place again.

 

So add another 100million on the price thinks Ashley.

 

200 million knowing Ashley.

 

Legitimate question; why has it taken us so long to play like this and pick up wins? 8 losses at home, the personnel is pretty much identical barring of course Almiron, suddenly now 4 wins on the bounce and defeating Man City.

Almiron has of course made a difference, but hasn't actually scored or set one up. I'm just a little confused as to why it has taken this long to play well? Matches against Fulham, Brighton and Palace (plus many more!) were utter dirge.

 

There's other teams on the pitch, confidence , the central partnership of hayden and longstaff snd 22 million.

We had the toughest start ever and we werebt being turned over abd our confidence was shot to bits. We were on the end of bad decisions too.

Would you still prefer Steve Bruce btw?

 

I

You really are a Glass Half Empty type of chappy aren't you. When your Mrs turns up in sexy dress, with her hair and make up spot on, having lost a few pounds in the gym and looking generally stunning do you ask her why it took her so long to make the changes?
Think Chaos has it spot on though. We had an extremely tough start to the season and the modus operandi was to avoid getting beaten heavily which made it very difficult to change gears when we played the lesser sides. We have had a run of easier games now and its given us a chance to start playing more and we are now reaping the benefits. Hopefully it will continue at the weekend.

 

I agree, I think this has a hell of a lot to do with it. Earlier in the season we were playing 4-5-1 week in week out with Shelvey/Ki/Diame/Ritchie/Kenedy/Perez all featuring. Since Ki ****ed off to the Asia Cup, Shelvey/Diame got injured I think Rafa has been forced to mix it up with the formation initially to offer a bit of protection around Hayden and Longstaff....it has worked a treat so he's stuck with it. We haven't been THAT bad earlier on in the season, our away form was better than our home form but we weren't getting battered even by the top 4/6. Almiron gives us a completely different dimension to our play but also gives the opposition a bit more to think about as well. Confidence breeds confidence and the City win was a big turning point. Since the turn of the year we've only lost to ManYoo, Chelski and Spurs, all 3 of those games we could have quite easily come away with a point from on another day and as I eluded to earlier we haven't disgraced oursevles. The next games can't come quick enough for me now.

 

Cynical ****. I've always quite liked your club, and you know the score with Rafa. If you're safe, you'll be under strict orders to down tools, if it still matters, of course

 

Anyway, another good result

 

**** that, you cattled our title run in one year with a 4-3, we're gonna do the same to your lot

Joking aside tho mate, I'd rather you bin dippers won it than them manc ****s. I like Klopp and i've got a lot of time for him.

 

To be fair all teams have peaks and troughs. I mean the Rafa knob polishers would say he has targeted this run. He has but lets not pretend we were just writing off games all that time. That would be grade A bollocks. Rafa got tactics wrong in some, players underperformed, negative atmosphere's generally due to the manager not being backed. A multitude of reasons. Plus when we were out of form, some other teams might have been in form. Thats football. Plus lets face it we are just full of confidence. It doesn't mean we're a great side. I thought we were a lower mid table side who should avoid relegation quite comfortably. I think that's where we will end up. Look at Burnley they looked garbage for ages but then found form and won games you would not think they could.

I think you have to credit Rafa too. Managers who are willing to learn from mistakes, look to improve themselves rather than just looking for scapegoats, as well as improve the players are not plentiful. Look at Mourinho. His inability to acknowledge his own faults and weaknesses, then improve, probably hindered him as much as any player power (though some of the behaviour was a disgrace). Its why I never understand our fans who cannot accept criticism of Rafa in some sort of weird hero worship. It was the same with Keegan. Our fans have always been that way though, and its not just our fans. Its amazing how fickle fans are in terms of treatment of players/managers. Once they like you, you can do know wrong. Once they doubt you its a very long road back. Almiron looks good, but did he really deserve a standing ovation last night? Probably not but it wasn't a bad thing because you could see the impact it had on him as he walked over. That confidence it gives is the thing unknown factor for me which is hard to put a price on. So there is a big upside too.

You weren't wrong to criticise Rafa in my eyes. He made a lot of mistakes. Some his own doing, some as a result of how he was treated by fat boy. I just think those that were wanting him sacked were wrong. That was never the solution. Patience has shown it would have been a very very bad decision. Rafa has not been perfect or even as good as some like to believe, but he has done a very good job when you look at the overall package.