Benitez’s players looked ill-equipped for the pace of Championship football at Craven Cottage, leaving a frustrated Benitez wishing that the experience gets through to the players so that it does not happen again.
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“We didn’t play at the level we were expecting”, said Benitez, whose side take on Huddersfield at St James’s Park a week today.
“We were not keeping the ball properly, that’s clear”. We were not concentrating.
“It’s a wake-up call”.
“The only positive is that it is the beginning of the season and we have to make sure we are ready for the next game”. At least everyone has to realise it has to be like this for the rest of the season.
Newcastle would feel aggrieved that it had two clear-cut penalty chances waved away by the referee.
“From the bench they seemed like they were both penalties, especially the first one”, Benitez said.
He said: “We will keep working on signings”.
Mbemba could be still feeling that ankle injury that kept him out last Saturday and the sharper eyed of you may well have noticed that this is the exact same team that took on Vitesse Arnhem. We just need to manage the situation better.
‘I thought my team worked very well in pre-season. He has great vision, wonderful technique and is improving defensively season on season, not to mention the fact he created the second most goal scoring opportunities in the Championship last season.
Benitez said: “We knew and we said before that it would be like this”.
Jokanovic revealed that he will be handed the proceeds of Ross McCormack’s recent £12 million sale to Aston Villa to bring in new players.
The Cottagers were heavy favourites to make an immediate return to the Premier League following their relegation in 2014; however they are now facing their third season at this level.
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You can spend all the money you want, but some things never change – and Newcastle’s fortunes in London are high on the list.
