MX23RW : Saturday, November 30 09:14:53| >> :120:46904:46904:
[monks data]
Attendance: 51,791
Newcastle logo
Premier League | Gameweek 3
Aug 26, 2018 at 4pm UK
 
Chelsea logo

1-2

Joselu (83')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Hazard (76' pen.), Yedlin (87' og.)

Jamie Carragher questions Rafael Benitez's pragmatic approach

Carragher questions Benitez's approach
© Reuters
Jamie Carragher wonders whether Rafael Benitez's pragmatic approach is harming his reputation as a manager.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has questioned Rafael Benitez's pragmatic approach to Newcastle United's meeting with Chelsea.

The Spaniard set out his team in a 4-5-1 formation to restrict the Blues' attacking players, only for his side to lose the match 2-1 on home soil with a possession count of 19%.

Carragher feels that Benitez, who he played under at Liverpool, possibly adopted the wrong mindset, comparing Newcastle's performance unfavourably to Wolverhampton Wanderers' in their 1-1 draw with Manchester City 24 hours beforehand.

"I keep hearing people say you've got to have a go. What does have a go mean? Having a go to me means pressing the ball and being aggressive," he told Sky Sports News. "You may not have the quality when you get the ball and the runners might not make the right runs to cause a team problems, but that was my problem with Newcastle last season and the difference with Wolves [against Man City].

"It's not a massive difference, just the mentality of how to press the ball and doing it a lot higher. If you do that you might have more opportunities to go forward. The thing about Rafa, who I had as a manager for six years and is probably my biggest influence in football, I actually look at where the game is going and how people perceive you as a coach.

"We spoke last week about how Unai Emery wants to play and it's fine, that's how the top teams play and the top coaches want to play. But someone like Rafael Benitez with his actual CV of what he has done, winning two La Liga titles, the European Cup, a European trophy with Chelsea and trophies pretty much everywhere.

"Why wasn't he actually in the running or interviewed for the Arsenal job with his great experience of the Premier League? It may be along the lines of where the game's going and how it's perceived."

Newcastle registered six shots across the 90 minutes, two of which were on target.

ID:334490: cacheID:334490:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3111:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Rafael Benitez in charge of Newcastle United on May 13, 2018
Read Next:
Salomon Rondon backs Newcastle tactics
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton136522217523
4Chelsea126422314922
5Arsenal126422112922
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton1312101025-155


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!