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Sometimes Press conferences do not always discuss the topics they are held for.

When Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez spoke to the media after his side’s 2-2 draw with Queens Park Rangers, even such a dramatic match was almost an irrelevance.

The reason was it was the first time the journalists in the room had been able to question him about the events of the night before.

It was only Tuesday lunchtime when they had last been together, ostensibly to discuss the match against QPR. Naturally, though, all the talk was about what the club might do in the coming hours, the last opportunity for the club to buy or loan players for the rest of the season. After the 11pm transfer deadline, no further business was permitted.

Then, he had cut a confident figure, seemingly believing that a deal for his top target, Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend, could be secured.

So when the winger failed to St James’ Park, the media were unsurprisingly more interested in why that and other deals did not materialise than the 90 minutes of football they had just witnessed.

Benitez’s answers were often brief and occasionally cryptic. Here, in full, is what he said in the main post-match Press conference. The initial answers (TVA) were made on camera, the rest to print journalists once the cameras had been switched off:

(Image: Newcastle United)

Benitez: Good evening.

Q: Rafa, obviously very disappointing the way that finished, what’s your overall verdict on that game?

TVA: I think that it’s very clear that we had the goal at the beginning (scored by Jonjo Shelvey after 38 seconds) and we were doing well for some minutes. After we lose the control, but the second half, we started again really well, we had a lot of chances. We didn’t take our chances and we conceded with an own goal, the worst thing that can happen at the end. So, disappointed with the way that we concede – a deflection and an own goal, pleased with goal we scored and the chances that we created in the second half, but overall disappointed because we couldn’t get three points.

Q: Were you frustrated that there maybe wasn’t consistency in your performance?

TVA: Yeah. Obviously the other team was working very hard trying to do his (its) job, so credit to them. For a while they were pushing and playing good counter-attacks so we needed to score the third goal and finish the game. We didn’t do it and we couldn’t get the three points.

Q: How much does it hurt, that moment at the end (when Ciaran Clark scored a 90th-minute own goal)?

TVA: You have to be disappointed but at the same time be sure that we are ready for the next game (at home to Derby County on Saturday), that will be in a few days.

Q: Does it make it more frustrating that the club couldn’t make the transfer breakthrough (in January) when you get a result like that?

TVA: Obviously.

Q: How disappointing was it, Rafa, that you didn’t get that breakthrough yesterday (on Tuesday’s deadline day)?

TVA: (Pause.) Obviously I cannot change things now so I have to concentrate on bringing the best (out of) my players.

Q: Was the own goal a lack of understanding, a miscommunication between defender and goalkeeper?

TVA: Yeah, obviously it was very difficult because it was a flat ball and you have to decide quickly if you head the ball, if you leave the ball for the keeper. It sometimes can happen. The main thing is we couldn’t take the chances we had, or we didn’t need to be thinking about conceding in the last minutes.

Q: Would a wide player have made the difference?

A: We knew what we needed, and we knew what we have, so we have to bring the best (out of) the players that we have. I’m happy with them and we have to try to maintain the same level that we saw in the second half.

Q: Can you just tell us what did happen yesterday (Tuesday) in the end with the transfer deadline?

A: No, because I don’t know.

Q: How disappointed are you that the squad has not changed in January?

A: I said before I’m disappointed but at the same time I have to concentrate on the players that we have and try to improve them as much as I can.

Q: Were you surprised you didn’t get any signings?

A: Yes.

Q: Is there a chance this could be a turning point in the season in a negative way?

A: Hopefully not and hopefully we can get three points in the next game and then we start doing things in the same way that we did in the first half and the first part of the season.

Q: Ayoze Perez had a couple of good chances...

A: Obviously the strikers normally they will have more chances and it was a a pity because it was clear chances but it’s something we have to keep doing, creating chances, and then improving taking our chances.

Q: Did you speak to Lee (Charnley) or Mike Ashley (on Tuesday or Wednesday)?

A: No, I was in communication with Lee all the time so I know more or less what we have done. But still I do not know what happened.

Q: With the Cup defeat, the disappointment of missing out on the transfers and obviously the disappointment with the last-minute goal tonight, is this the toughest week of the season so far?

A: Ah, I don’t know. I think that it’s a long season so hopefully if that is the word it means that the others will be better. What we have to do now and I want to be clear also is that... stick together, so we have the fans, they have to realise they need to support the team, they have to be behind the team. The players, they have to realise that the style of play that we have, they can be very important players for this club so if we promote (are promoted to the Premier League), they will be there, they will famous, they will be heroes, they will be very important, so stick together, work hard together and see if we can achieve what we want to achieve.

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Q: Is the squad still strong enough to get promoted?

A: Yeah, I think so. Obviously we need to do better, to do... to win games so it’s something that we cannot change today (the lack of recruitment) so we have to be sure that against Derby the team will be ready and will be focused with the confidence that we have had during the whole season.

Q: You were the team that put the club into a good position, it would be very sad if anything was allowed to destabilise that.

A: I am confident that we will win against Derby and then everything will be fine.

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Press officer: Thank you very much.