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Opinion

Finance comments come back to haunt Rafa Benitez

5 years ago
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Rafa Benitez watched on as his side largely controlled the game against Crystal Palace.

The bare statistics showed more possession (54%) for the Magpies, a lot more shots (18 v 3) and Corners (9 v 4), as well as the visitors scoring with their only effort on target (compared to Newcastle’s five).

It was a strange one as Newcastle regularly looked like scoring, but never really did (look like scoring) at the same time.

The fact remains that nobody outside the relegation zone has scored less goals than the 31 Newcastle have managed in their 33 games.

Though whilst they lost for a second game in succession, it would be unfair to point the finger of blame at a defence which has conceded more goals (43) than only Wolves and Everton outside the top five.

Rafa Benitez will feel his words six days ago coming back to haunt him, after losing at Arsenal the manger rued the lack of investment he had been allowed in the attacking third: ‘The final third we have been speaking all season…the final third you have to spend £40m, £50m, £75m.’

A purple patch of 12 goals in the previous five home games and managed to paper over some cracks and pretty grim reading when you consider that now it means NUFC have only scored 19 goals in their other 28 PL matches this season.

After that Arsenal game Rafa Benitez was frustrated that his players didn’t have the quality to make the most of a small handful of decent attacking situations going forward, you can only wonder how he felt yesterday as Newcastle dominated territory but at the same time the visiting keeper had hardly a serious save to make.

Guiata in the Palace goal looked a bundle of nerves when Newcastle managed to put in one or two half-decent crosses in open play but we never discovered what that could lead to, as the home side lacked the quality to put him under the pressure he should have been subjected to.

There was a lot to like about Newcastle’s play, that us until…the final third.

When you are talking about the final third you are not just talking about the quality of strikers.

With Rafa’s preferred system of three centre-backs, you are putting a lot of emphasis on the quality of the wing-backs, especially putting crosses in.

Yedlin is shocking, his pace can sometimes be an asset in defending and getting Newcastle up the pitch but he can’t cross a ball to save his life, which as a wing-back is a ‘little’ bit of a weakness.

As for Matt Ritchie, he is capable of excellent crosses but just not very often, against Palace it was woeful. It didn’t help either when he was consistently throughout the game trying to monopolise set-pieces, Ki didn’t have a great game but he is much more reliable than Ritchie.

As for our attacking trio, Rondon is just confirming really what his four years in the Premier League tell us. A good striker who is very good at holding the ball up and bringing others into the game…but not a very good goalscorer. At Arsenal he wasted the one great choice Newcastle had and fluffed the next best one when failing to control a long ball that bisected the centre-backs, against Palace he wasted at least two great opportunities.

Ayoze Perez showed some nice touches but now where it matters, most games he creates almost zero threat in the opposition box. Whilst Palace didn’t get into the Newcastle box too often, the likes of Townsend and especially Zaha always looked dangerous when they did so.

Miguel Almiron played ok but he is wasted being asked to play so deep and ends up having to run from inside his own half when getting the ball. If played up near Rondon and receiving the ball to feet, it would mean that when he got a pass and turned and ran at the opposition he would cause real problems. His impact is blunted in the job he is currently asked to do.

People might think Hayden and Ki didn’t have poor games but when you have a team without a load of goals or creativity elsewhere, having central midfielders who don’t create chances or look like scoring, it is yet another barrier to getting enough goals. I have a feeling Sean Longstaff could potentially be part of the answer when back to fitness, as he has an excellent record of scoring goals, often from distance, when out on loan at lower levels.

So looking at the picture overall, it is not all doom and gloom, but it is a harsh reminder that Rafa Benitez was on the mark with his comments after Arsenal.

The team is decent up to a point but without a sprinkling of much better quality added going forward, Newcastle will continue to be threatened by relegation.

If/when Rafa agrees to stay, he will have to be guaranteed the cash to bring in two decent wing-backs and at least another three better quality players (or two plus buying Rondon) to provide more of a threat in midfield and up front.

Rafa Benitez speaking after losing at Arsenal on Monday (1 April 2019):

“We tried to attack but they are a good team at home and they play and pressed.

“We were pushing at 1-0 and they need to score that second goal…both of their goals were scrappy goals.

“The final third we have been speaking all season…the final third you have to spend £40m, £50m, £75m.

“We have to try to get three points against Palace.

“The next match is the most important.

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 0 Crystal Palace 1

Goals:

Palace:

Milivojevic 81 (Pen)

Possession was Palace 46% Newcastle 54%

Total shots were Palace 3 Newcastle 18

Shots on target were Palace 1 Newcastle 5

Corners were Palace 4 Newcastle 9

Referee: Stuart Attwell

Newcastle United:

Dubravka, Yedlin, Schar, Lascelles, Lejeune (Dummett 65), Ritchie (Atsu 90),  Hayden, Ki (Shelvey 76), Almiron, Perez, Rondon

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Fernandez, Muto, Manquillo

Crowd: 51,926 (Palace 1,400)

(Read instant NUFC fan/writer reaction to Newcastle’s defeat to Palace HERE)

(After the defeat Rafa Benitez revealed he is nowhere near agreeing a new contract with Mike Ashley – read HERE)

(Dubious Roy Hodgson comments HERE after beating Newcastle United)

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