Rafa unhappy at Toon slump since ‘safety’
RAFA Benitez admits that even he has been left shocked by the dip in performance levels of his Newcastle United side.
After mustering up displays that sent Manchester United and Arsenal away from St James’ Park with nothing to show for their efforts, Benitez was rightly scratching his head as West Bromwich Albion picked up a 1-0 victory against the Magpies.
Remember, this was the game many had deemed as a home banker but as the season begins to unravel, it will be the games against the big guns that ultimately helped steer the club to survival.
Benitez said after the game: “We tried to do it, but I’m not happy with our performance on the ball, without the ball.
“Everything we did in the last few games, we didn’t do.
“We wanted to get more points to finish higher in the table, but we didn’t do well today, we made a lot of mistakes, and we weren’t good enough.”
Benitez said afterwards his side doesn’t lack motivation and doesn’t think it’s a case of job done. Yet he felt the need to re-adjust the target ahead of the last three matches. He said: “We didn’t think the job was done, but it’s a pity because we’ve had a good season, but we want to finish better, too. “I congratulate the players for a good season, but we need to be better than today. “The target was to stay up, but if we can finish ninth, we want to do that.
“It was the kind of game you don’t want to see from your team.
“Especially when you are playing to avoid relegation, you don’t want to see these performances, but when you are safe, also you don’t want to see that.
“But sometimes your players are a little bit relaxed, but they were playing with anxiety, but anxiety at this stage of the season when we have done so well is something you cannot understand.”
Benitez’s opposite number Darren Moore has now emerged from games against the former Real Madrid boss, Man United chief José Mourinho, and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp unbeaten – something unthinkable under Alan Pardew.
Moore told Match of the Day: “We did everything that was asked of us. We came to a tough arena, against a good team, and we needed to perform well to come away with a result.
“I was pleased with the result, it was a good, solid performance.
“We could have scored more goals, we had plenty of chances, and after we scored, our defence was resolute too.”
We tried to do it, but I’m not happy with our performance on the ball, without the ball. Rafa Benitez