Newcastle United v Sheff Weds

[adios 717]

We may be arguing semantics too, @@Howay.  In that grit is having the bollocks to stand up and be counted when things are tough.

[adios 717]

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11678/10830948/watch-jonjo-shelvey-hits-bar-from-inside-his-own-half

[The Fish 10870]

All this shite I read on Twitter about hash tag #nufc can fuck off, calm down well get promotion etc.

 

So what, we're supposed to accept shite and the only player that grafted today was Jonjo? Oh OK.

 

Far too much cryarsing after any game we don't win. We're not down in the Championship for a laugh, we're down here because we weren't good enough to stay up. We've also come down with a squad that's hugely inferior to the one that enjoyed the previous Championship adventure. Name for me the players from this squad that would get into that one?

 

I get being pissed off at a poor result from a poor performance, but honestly, do you think we're now not going up? Do you think Benitez isn't aware that the squad needs significant investment?

 

Fuck me man, Shelvey wasn't the only one who grafted, it's just that he was the only one that was any good. Gouffran, Diame, Dummet all had really bad games imo. The two centrebacks played like strangers as well. We needed better control of the centre of the park, to get Shelvey on the ball more and we needed some presence on our left flank.

 

It's fine to criticise and be disappointed, but honestly, the amount of toys that are now out the pram, I'd be amazed if there were any left inside it.

 

What happens if we batter Leeds, will these same players be class? No because we know full well most of them are poor players, the people on Twitter are rightly trying to go against an over reaction to the result like Noelies. We're 10 points clear of Huddersfield, even if we lose all our remaining games they will need to win 4 out of 6, that's how big the margin is man.

We know we need an improvement in the summer but there's no point whining on now, players like Anita, Gouff etc will more than likely be gone. Teams have off games and as usual it's been jumped on by some as if it's an example of some over arching theme that we are utter shite. We have won as many games as 4 out of the last 5 champions with 5 left to play, we are a team with a top manager and a few classy players with a good heap of average championship talent but we're far from poor and we're far from being at a stage where worrying about automatic promotion is anything but bed wetting.

It's also worth remembering the team are shattered by this point. Liverpool started Coutinho and Firminho on the bench today because they were too tired to start, our lot have played more games than them.

 

True dat homes.

[Dr Gloom 21959]

The football this season has been functional, to put it politely. It has been effective though. We have no divine right to go up as champions or to do it with style and panache. We clearly have a top manager capable of getting the best out of a group of limited players. Huddersfield arguably play more attractive football than we do but there's every chance they won't be playing in the top flight next season. We are going up. I'd take Rafa's pragmatic approach and the odd shit result or performance every day so we can get out of this god forsaken league.

[Rayvin 5223]

As long as we go up, I don't care how it's done. People like Noelie do have a point though, and this team will struggle in its current form, in the PL. That's not Rafa's fault, but it does mean we have cause for concern next year as things stand.

[strawb 4270]

Not like football fans to over react after a bad game.

[The Fish 10870]

The football this season has been functional, to put it politely. It has been effective though. We have no divine right to go up as champions or to do it with style and panache. We clearly have a top manager capable of getting the best out of a group of limited players. Huddersfield arguably play more attractive football than we do but there's every chance they won't be playing in the top flight next season. We are going up. I'd take Rafa's pragmatic approach and the odd shit result or performance every day so we can get out of this god forsaken league.

 

Spot on. 

 

Brighton don't play expansive football, it's pragmatic, focussed on a solid defence and efficient attacking play. Same as Hughton's Newcastle side played. I don't remember coming away from many games in that season thinking we were dazzling, I do remember complaints about a pedestrian midfield, complaints about a Simpson's ability as a right back and concerns about how the team would fair in the top flight. I remember people talking positively about how other teams were playing, how they played better football.

 

Well, they didn't play better football, they might have tried to play more open football, but that's likely as much to do with the players they had available, rather than anything else. Fulham have played some lovely stuff this year and deservedly beat us at home, but I'd take Benitez's pragmatism over a Play Off spot any day of the week.

 

 

 

As long as we go up, I don't care how it's done. People like Noelie do have a point though, and this team will struggle in its current form, in the PL. That's not Rafa's fault, but it does mean we have cause for concern next year as things stand.

 

I'm hoping that our "struggles" strengthen Rafa's hand in conversations about summer recruitment. We clearly need a good number of positions improved; Centre back, Left back*, centre mid, centre forward. But I trust Rafa to not only know these weaknesses, but also to recruit the right players for them. I know that every optimistic prediction must come with the "Aye but Mike Ashley" caveat, but I see enough frustration from Benitez when his solid tactics and systems are let down by low quality individuals like Jack Colback and Jamaal Lascelles. 

 

If we'd been more fortunate with injuries and suspensions to key players I honestly we'd be first by a few points. We're a much better side with Clark, Gayle, Hayden, and Yedlin and any team would stutter without 4 of their first team available. I also think that bad refereeing has seriously disrupted our season. Would we have lost at Forest with 11 men on the pitch? Would we have won yesterday had Bannan seen red? Probably.

 

fwiw I thought Mitrovic looked more dangerous than Murphy when he came on for his brief cameo and if Gayle is going to miss a few games I'd happily give the big dafty more game time.

[trooper 940]

What we have at the moment is a team fit for purpose (a championship team) will this team win promotion ? yes. Would this team survive in the premiership ? probably not. Obviously people are worried regarding Rafa staying if hes backed financialy & is allowed to run the club without any meddling i can see a bright future for the club. Let him do what he does best if not we may as well stay down here.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13887]

We bottled it tbh, lads.

 

It was fucking boiling in Sheffield yesterday and the preceding 4 hours of drinking in the sun was far better than that shower of shit.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Ayatollah Hermione

[NJS 4389]

If we "fail" and limp over the line behind Brighton it can go two ways - a wake up call you mention that we need a lot of work or if the story in January about the fat cunt not thinking Rafa has done well enough is true then he could passively piss him off enough for him to quit.

 

I was also thinking last night that if they had signed Townsend and a midfielder when they should have done we'd already be promoted.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13887]

I never thought the words "Mind, we miss Ciaran Clark" would come out of my mouth but we really do. Lascelles and Mbemba looked like they'd been plucked from the non-league to give it a go. Steven Fletcher had the pair of them battered all game.

[rogerbarton 24]

I just can't wait for next season when hopefully the whingers will be realistic enough to know we won't win every game. I think most of us here appreciate we don't have a brilliant squad. Rafa has wrung the most out of them and we are almost guaranteed to go up. Can you imagine where we'd be right now if McClaren were in charge?

 

There will need to be some very astute signings this summer but I've got faith in Rafa to do that. It'd be disappointing to finish 2nd, but I think a good way to view it is as 1st at 100%, 2nd 99% and 3rd 40% satisfaction.

[Dr Gloom 21959]

I think Rafa could keep this current group of players in the premier league. It'd be a struggle though. Clearly we need at least 5-6 players capable of improving the first team if we don't want it to be a massive slog - we all know from experience that the likes of colback, Anita, gouffran, Dummet et al aren't good enough to be starting the same number of games again next season.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Dr Gloom

[Dr Gloom 21959]

I never thought the words "Mind, we miss Ciaran Clark" would come out of my mouth but we really do. Lascelles and Mbemba looked like they'd been plucked from the non-league to give it a go. Steven Fletcher had the pair of them battered all game.

I like Clarke's no nonsense approach to defending. Mbemba almost let them in for a goal, pissing about on the touchline when he should have just knocked it out for a throw or corner.

[Howmanheyman 33270]

Mbemba is obviously doing something wrong not to get picked and judging from this season's showings it's a deserved absence.

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Yesterday was a great chance to effectively seal promotion, instead they were absolutely shite.

[Haydnator 45]

All this "this team would struggle in the PL" patter is fucking tedious, like. Yes, it would. But we're not in the PL. The current squad was amassed for this league and it's got the job done. The starting XI that we put out first game next season in the PL in August will be completely different to the one that played yesterday and the one that will play against Barnsley in May. Provided Rafa gets backing off of the fat man, which I think he will, we have one of the best footballing minds in the world assembling a squad for next season. 

 

Some need to quit the whining, and I'm talking about our fanbase as a whole. We're gan up. Stop being so fucking miserable.

[StoneColdStephenIreland 74]

Huddersfields football has been shite all season. If it was any good they'd have a much better goals for but they don't because they grinded out 1-0s for alot of the season. The whole Championship is shit and no one plays good football. No one. The 3 top teams are functional teams who get the job done. We didn't yesterday but move the fuck on, were going up anyway.

[wykikitoon 20210]

 

Far too much cryarsing after any game we don't win. We're not down in the Championship for a laugh, we're down here because we weren't good enough to stay up. We've also come down with a squad that's hugely inferior to the one that enjoyed the previous Championship adventure. Name for me the players from this squad that would get into that one?

 

I get being pissed off at a poor result from a poor performance, but honestly, do you think we're now not going up? Do you think Benitez isn't aware that the squad needs significant investment?

 

Fuck me man, Shelvey wasn't the only one who grafted, it's just that he was the only one that was any good. Gouffran, Diame, Dummet all had really bad games imo. The two centrebacks played like strangers as well. We needed better control of the centre of the park, to get Shelvey on the ball more and we needed some presence on our left flank.

 

It's fine to criticise and be disappointed, but honestly, the amount of toys that are now out the pram, I'd be amazed if there were any left inside it.

 

 

True dat homes.

 

I maybe harsh on the likes of Gouff who also grafted yesterday.

 

I just feel like we arent allowed to criticise wank performaces just because we are gonna get promoted.  That was my beef yesterday.

 

I know teams set up differently against us and that's proving difficult for us.  So honestly the batter Leeds comment is just silly.  When was the last time we battered anyone?  I see another very tough game against Leeds and in all honesty, I would be happy with a point.

 

Gayle seems like he has lost the fight and balls.  The other night how many chances did he have?

 

Frustration that's all yesterday.  But some serious investment is needed when we go up.  I dont get this Perez will be better in the Prem bollocks too.  He's lightweight trick pony with very little that comes off.  He should be one of the first out the door.

[PaddockLad 17286]

We need Hayden, Clark and Yedlin back desperately like.

This is it like, and we're likely to be without Gayle for the rest of the season, meaning we'll have been without him for about 3 months of what is almost certainly a promotion season. Am utterly pissed off with the "if we're not utterly brilliant we're shite" brigade. No nuance, no time for legitimate explanations e.g. injuries as outlined above, no fuckin clue. Rafa is properly building the club from the empty husk it was last season, it's a pity a lot of our lot can't see it.

 

Good day out yesterday,in spite of Wednesday being the better side for 80% of the game. Personally it's the first time I've been to Hillsborough since Boxing Day 1988, four months before the disaster. My mate said of all the stands that should've been redeveloped as a direct result of what happened then you'd have thought the leppings lane stand would've been a major priority. But it looks the same as it did 30 years ago, which in 2017 is shabby, scruffy and delapidated. It's frankly a disgrace iyam, and it's also more than a bit eerie to see Wednesday supporters in there yesterday. Rafa and some supporters groups left floral tributes at the memorial, really good of them.

 

We had a few in town after the game then got the train back to Chesterfield where we were staying, a town with more than a touch of Royston Vasey about it

[Howay 12496]

So honestly the batter Leeds comment is just silly. When was the last time we battered anyone? I see another very tough game against Leeds and in all honesty, I would be happy with a point.

 

Gayle seems like he has lost the fight and balls.

Missing my point but never mind.

I'd say this is more of a silly comment about Gayle than the point I was making about when we play Leeds, the lad has been having a hamstring issue it's fuck all to do with fight and balls.

[wykikitoon 20210]

Missing my point but never mind.

I'd say this is more of a silly comment about Gayle than the point I was making about when we play Leeds, the lad has been having a hamstring issue it's fuck all to do with fight and balls.

Aye maybe it's bugging him or worrying him which is leading to him looking frustrated.

 

I know what you're saying about if we beat Leeds everything will be roses again. I would like to think people don't see me as a 'Rafa oot' supporter everytime we lose or have a poor game. I know we don't have the right to walk this league. There is some tough games here and the focus on us as a scalp is big. But it's frustrating at times. I suppose that's what teams set up against us aim to do.

 

Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk

[Howay 12496]

Aye maybe it's bugging him or worrying him which is leading to him looking frustrated.

 

I know what you're saying about if we beat Leeds everything will be roses again. I would like to think people don't see me as a 'Rafa oot' supporter everytime we lose or have a poor game. I know we don't have the right to walk this league. There is some tough games here and the focus on us as a scalp is big. But it's frustrating at times. I suppose that's what teams set up against us aim to do.

 

Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk

I think the "we're getting promoted" lot aren't aimed at people like you Wykiki, it's aimed at the people that have been pissing and moaning all season win,lose, or draw. I didn't mean to sound like I was having a pop at you, I get your frustration as the team were shit for most the game yesterday at least until Shelvey dragged a decent finish of the game out of them.

As you say we're a bit of a scalp down here, the reaction from the Wednesday fans showed as much and teams play is far different to other sides which has lead to some labouring performances.

 

My worry is more funds in the summer than current performances as I highly doubt players like Gouffran will be around. Sorry if I came off as grumpy, bit of a shit day.

 

My worry with Gayle is what I think you mentioned before, it's if he's going to be up to leading the line of a PL side for a season. The way he has broken down a couple of times this season is a little worrying.

[Lackie92 1]

I never thought the words "Mind, we miss Ciaran Clark" would come out of my mouth but we really do. Lascelles and Mbemba looked like they'd been plucked from the non-league to give it a go. Steven Fletcher had the pair of them battered all game.

Thought the exact same. The only guy who should be anywhere near our back 4 next season.

[Dr Gloom 21959]

Yedlin?