Rafa relieved but wants new blood
NEWCASTLE UNITED lifted some of the gloom that was threatening to settle on Tyneside with a thumping victory to leave West Ham at rock bottom.
Three goals and three points were exactly what was needed for Rafa Benitez’s side to get their Premier League season up and running after opening with successive defeats following promotion.
But Benitez won’t be fooled. This was a step in the right direction, but the Spaniard still expects to be busy before the transfer window shuts on Thursday as he knows his squad needs reinforcements.
“It was a great team effort with a lot of good performances, so that was really positive,” he said.
“Two games is not too many, but it is important to start winning and then you don’t need to worry about getting the first goal or the first win.
“But nothing has changed regarding transfers. We have a clear idea of what we want and we’ll try to do it.
“I don’t know if we can do everything, but at least we will try to do the main things.
“The owner knows what we are talking about in terms of targets and players that we have to move out, and, hopefully, we can achieve what we want.”
However, a heavy loss was the last thing Slaven Bilic needed. The Croatian will be a very unhappy Hammer as his team props up the Premier League table heading into
the international break after a third straight away defeat.
Omens are not good either. The last time West Ham United began a season with no points from their first three games, they were relegated under Avram Grant in 2010/11. But Bilic insisted he could turn it round.
“I’m worried, but I’m not panicking,” he stated. “I was positive despite losing at Southampton last week, but this was different.
“Newcastle were better than us in every aspect. They had more power and more determination.
“Every club has its ups and downs but no one will take us out of this situation except ourselves. I’m the manager. It’s my job to be confident and to believe in good and bad times. And, in bad times, you need to believe more in yourselves. Then you see the importance of the job, more than in the good times.”
With both sides desperate to get points on the board, commitment was there from the off with tackles flying in and Clarets pair Pablo Zabaleta and Andre Ayew were both spilling blood for the cause.
Real chances had been at a premium in the opening half-hour but there was relief around St James’ when their team managed their first league goal of the season.
Youngster Declan Rice lost possession in his own half and that error allowed Mikel Merino to slide in a clever pass to Christian Atsu.
The winger had the presence of mind to square it past the advancing Joe Hart for Newcastle’s new £ 5 million Spanish striker Joselu to force home from six yards for a goal on his first start.
Confidence started to flow through the home ranks and Atsu forced a save out of Hart, but the under-fire England goalkeeper made a better one just after the restart to keep out Ayoze Perez’s shot.
Opposite number Rob Elliot was then called upon for the first time to make a crucial double stop from Aaron Cresswell and Javier Hernandez with Ciaran Clark on hand to scramble the ball out for a corner as the visitors tried to respond.
But Newcastle still looked more likely to grab a second as Hart denied Matt Ritchie with Zabaleta preventing Joselu from knocking in the rebound.
But it wasn’t long in coming as Ritchie delivered a pinpoint cross with his right foot for Clark, who was still forward from an earlier free-kick to head in via a post.
The result was decided, but substitute Aleksandar Mitrovic rounded Hart late on to wrap up the scoring, although the Serbian may find himself in trouble for an alleged elbow on West Ham sub Manuel Lanzini.