Sticking together is all that Matt-ers right now
RITCHIE URGES HIS MAGPIE TEAM-MATES TO KEEP BELIEVING IN THEIR BID FOR SURVIVAL
MATT Ritchie feels Newcastle United players gave up after slipping behind in their Premier League game against Manchester United and has now called for the team and fans to show more belief.
The winger says now is the time for Newcastle to take stock and remind themselves this is pretty much the same group of players which finished 10th last season.
United have just one point less than this time last season and Ritchie was unhappy by the levels of acceptance the game was over after Romelu Lukaku bundled in the first goal of the 2-0 victory.
When asked about his feelings on a lack of belief in the team, Ritchie said: “I am talking about the Man United game in this instance.
“Last season we were fantastic. When we played Man United we were in the bottom three and there is not much difference.
“The feeling in the stadium (against United this week) was we went one behind and it was done.”
The Magpies battled hard for an hour against the
Red Devils but wasted good chances through Christian Atsu and Salomon Rondon.
Ritchie added: “We are disappointed - against the bigger teams you have to stay in the game and I thought we did well in the first half. “We had a few chances and could have gone one up.
“It was not to be in the first half but again we started well up until the hour and conceded.
“The whole place just lacks belief. We have to keep believing.
“We have a game plan and we had chances to score and the players on the pitch need more belief and the fans as well.
“We create chances and we got into good positions.
“We need to go again now. We are in a fight and while we knew it would be tough this season we need to roll our sleeves up and get on with it.
“This is where we find out if we have the characters and the belief and the determination to achieve what we did last season. “Hopefully we can come together and really pull through.” Ritchie feels Newcastle do have the quality to get out of trouble this season despite their bad home form and inconsistent results.
He reflected: “Rondon has been fantastic since he came in and if we keep putting balls into good areas he will score goals.
“We need to be together - everybody at the football club.
“Belief is the main thing, confidence and desire too.
“We do not lack effort from the lads and at times we play one-twos and we get out into good areas.
“At times we become frustrated (as players) but that is football, not every pass will be right every time.
“You are not going to do the right thing every time.
“When there are mistakes we have to react.
“It is about reaction and we need to react better because we do have that threat.”
Although Ritchie admits the current crop of players does have limitations, he said: “Maybe we will nott go on and win 3-1 or beat teams 4-0 - we are not that sort of team.
“We are a solid outfit and if we believe we can achieve what we did last season we can do it.” Other teams have spent big money this term but Ritchie refuses to use that as an excuse, adding: “This season is not too different to last season.
“We are in a similar position and we have a similar amount of points. “It was around this time last season we pushed on but all the teams fighting for the title and in and around us, we can compete with them.
“We showed that last season and we need to start showing it again now.
““I have looked at the table and it is the bottom six in there together.
“There is a gap but one weekend can change it.
“We were clear not so long ago and now it is back down to three points so it changes very quickly.
“Two or three wins are hard to come by but we have done it this season and we can do it again.”
We need to be together - everybody at the football club. Belief is the main thing, confidence and desire too Matt Ritchie