Off-field talk cannot be allowed to affect squad
PUT TAKEOVER HYPE ON HOLD FOR VISIT OF REVIVED PALACE
AS we await Mike Ashley’s divorce with a quickening pulse, Rafa Benitez – the man who sees them all off – plots his latest defiance and threepoint push up the Premier League.
Ashley, he tells us, wants out by Christmas, which for most Geordies is the best present ever and would complete an amazing reversal of fortunes at the very top of NUFC.
Everyone said Benitez would not stay after relegation, he would walk away when repeatedly restricted in the transfer market, he would never escape the influence of chief scout Graham Carr, -but above all would never beat his ultimate controller Mike Ashley. Well, what is the betting now . . . In his last two public pronouncements, Ashley has informed all, amid many apologies, he “wanted to win something” before leaving, adding he would not stand in the way of any substantial buyer,but did not expect one to emerge and so he would be with us “for a considerable time yet.” Does he ever mean what he says? We must hope so this time. Meanwhile United, ninth in the table against all odds, go head to head with Crystal Palace and a couple of old boys tomorrow. Just as a ragged and marooned Palace were about to set out for Tyneside, torrential rain turned into bright sunshine. Palace gained their first points after seven successive losses and scored their first goal in 731 barren minutes – against champions Chelsea to boot! New boss Roy Hodgson, scarred by his England exit, significantly had Wilfried Zaha fit again and unleashed him down the middle. With powerful forward Christian Benteke unavailable, it was Zaha’s trickery which caused chaos. Football is full of knee-jerk reactions and, just as Jonjo Shelvey’s rapier-like pass against Liverpool had everyone talking of England, the returning speedster sparked off a riot of plaudits.
TV pundit Jamie Redknapp thinks Zaha will take Palace to safety while ex-United and Palace boss Alan Pardew called Zaha “unplayable at times”.
The new-found genius was more than ably supported by two former Magpies Andros Townsend and Yohan Cabaye, who will relish coming up to their one-time home. Just our luck!
Let us not despair. Not at all. United can see off Palace. That is clear.
They are at home backed by 50,000 loyal fans and a manager who knows his way round a tactics board.
Football is what is important tomorrow and we need to concentrate on that before resuming the rampant takeover speculation. Florian Lejeune (pictured below) deserves another chance despite his penalty giveaway at Southampton, which cost two points, though Ciaran Clark has done little wrong. The newcomer looks assured with good feet and an unflustered brain which sees the bigger picture. The bigger decision for Benitez is who to play in front of Lejeune. How does he utilise both Jonjo Shelvey and Mikel Merino (his best two passers along with Matt Ritchie) yet retain the defensive snap of Isaac Hayden? Ritchie has suggested that, away at least, the answer may be to play Shelvey as a No 10 but at home Benitez may revert to his two passers in tandem with Hayden missing out. Whichever way he goes, it is clear someone is going to miss out somewhere. Times have been good of late. While we wait for the long goodbye let Benitez engineer United another three points and another leg-up.
Football is what is important and we need to concentrate on that before resuming the rampant takeover speculation