Claudio Ranieri reacts to Newcastle 1 Watford 1 – “I am happy…but it’s half and half” | OneFootball

Claudio Ranieri changed more than half his team today, bringing in six different platers to his starting eleven.

However, when it came to his reaction at the final whistle to his Watford team’s performance, it was a case of “I am happy…but it’s half and half.”

Claudio Ranieri saying he was ‘satisfied’ with what he had seen at St James Park but still wants more from his players.

Newcastle were marginally the better team in the first half but struggled to create many clear chances, the best two falling to Joelinton, who hit the woodwork and volleyed a great opportunity wide from a cross.

When Allan Saint-Maximin put United one up with a great solo goal four minutes after the break, it gave hope that this could be the second win of the season, in the twenty second game.

For a time it looked as though Newcastle would see out the win but as Claudio Ranieri says, Watford were the better team in the later stages. Plenty of hard work from NUFC but very little creativity or goal threat and some shocking defending.

Lascelles in particular looking a liability, giving the ball away, lacking pace, then beaten in the air for the 88th minute equaliser.

“I am satisfied…but I want more from my players.

“We played our football in the last 30 minutes.

“We conceded too many chances with set pieces and in the second half they only created the goal and we created more chances.

“I am happy because we drew the match but I am not happy because we didn’t play as well as we used to do.

“I understand my players, after six defeats in a row maybe you are a little anxious but they have to play.

“They were fantastic, all three [new signings]. They gave us more personality and quality. I want to say thank you to the club for signing these good players very early for us.

“I saw some players were tired and had to do something. Cucho is a very good player, a fantastic character and Kiko and Cleverley also. I had a very good team at my disposal.

“I think we showed very good character, after we conceded the goal our reaction was much better. We have to show this from the beginning.

“They understood when we were desperate, we tried to combine more. These players can do more.

“I’m very happy because my players had very good combinations, but I want more from my players, because I know what they can do.

“I am happy…but it’s half and half.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 1 Watford 1 – Saturday 15 January 3pm

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Goals:

Watford:

Pedro 88

Newcastle:

Saint-Maximin 49

Possession was Watford 48% Newcastle 52%

Total shots were Watford 12 Newcastle 18

Shots on target were Watford 5 Newcastle 1

Corners were Watford 4 Newcastle 6

Crowd: 52,223 (1,200 Watford)

Referee: Paul Tierney

Newcastle United:

Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Dummett, Shelvey, Sean Longstaff, Fraser (Murphy 74), Joelinton, Saint-Maximin (Almiron 86), Wood

Unused Subs:

Gillespie, Darlow, Anderson, Lewis, Krafth, Willock, Ritchie