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In the aftermath of Newcastle’s defeat home defeat at the hands of Chelsea, Rafa Benitez is likely to have been more concerned by the result, than by the media storm that followed.

Jamie Redknapp in particular delivered a stinging appraisal of the Magpies’ tactics, against a Chelsea side well equipped to hurt almost any side in the top flight, labelling the decision to play with a five-man defence on home soil as ‘embarrassing’. But he was far from the only pundit to put the boot in.

But, as he prepares his Nottingham Forest team to face Newcastle in the EFL Cup, Benitez’ fellow Spaniard, Aitor Karanka, does have some sympathy for his opposite number.

Not that he wants his team to show any of that, at the City Ground.

Karanka went through a similar top flight experience in the north-east, during his spell in charge of Middlesbrough, when his resources often meant he had to be more pragmatic in his side’s approach.

“I agree with him (Benitez) 100 per cent. It is easy to say it, but it is harder to do it. When I was with Middlesbrough in the Premier League and you had to compete against teams like Chelsea, we were the ones with the lower budget,” said Karanka.

“Everyone said that I was defensive. So I understand Rafa and his frustration. I don’t think he needs to show his CV, because he has won a lot of trophies… If you are defensive, it is impossible to achieve success.

“I do not know what is happening there though, at Newcastle. But I do know what is happening here and, for that reason, I am really calm.

“I do not know him, I have never met him. He was Real Madrid under-19 coach when I was in that role at Bilbao. But we never played against each other.

“The main memory I have is when I played against Newcastle almost 30 years ago. It was an amazing game. I was playing for Bilbao. Newcastle had Andy Cole, Peter Beardsley… that is the only memory I had from playing against them.

“Kevin Keegan was the manager – but we got through to the following round, I remember that. It was the UEFA Cup (Bilbao lost 3-2 in England but went through on away goals following a 1-0 win in the first leg).

“Now I am here and Newcastle is another level for us. This is a good game to show that we are a good team.”

Maintaining the theme, Karanka is less concerned about Newcastle than he is about his own side.

After a couple of below-par performances, Karanka wants Forest to find themselves; to find their own identity, when they take on their Premier League opposition in the EFL Cup.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

“I expect them to play their strongest team. They will want to win,” said Karanka. “And I prefer that they come here with their strongest team, that is because they respect us.

“We have to play in our style; we have to play compact and we have to try to forget that we are playing against a Premier League team.

“We need to win games; we need to win one game and need to be ourselves. We need to play in the same way as we train; we need to be that team, if we want to win.

“For me, both cups are really important because we were playing against Bury in the last round, we are playing against Newcastle tomorrow and, if we progress, maybe we can play another big club.

“It is good to rotate the players; to keep people motivated. Because the chance to play against a team like Newcastle is good for everyone.”

Karanka wants his players to believe that they can repeat the result they secured last season, at the same stage of the competition, when they claimed a dramatic extra-time win at St James’ Park.

“They have a very good, experienced manager and they are a big club with very good players,” he said. “But even when we play against Bury or Newcastle, the important thing is for us to be ourselves.

“If we are ourselves; we will compete against anyone, even Premier League teams.

“We need to be intelligent, we need to manage the game in the right way, with and without the ball. They are a very good team and we have to focus on being ourselves.

“I need to think very carefully, because we do have a few injuries and I don’t know if a few players will be available or not.

(Image: Ritchie Sumpter @ JMS Photography)

“I do not know if Lewis Grabban (Achilles) will be ready, there is Michael Dawson (calf) and Hillal Soudani finished the game with a little pain in his knee.

“So we do have three or four players who will need to check on. They are all minor problems.”

Karanka showed that he is not afraid to make big decisions when he subbed club skipper Ben Watson shortly after half time against Birmingham on Saturday.

“The main thing is the team. When I have to pick the team, I forget their names and what they have achieved in the past,” said Karanka.

“When one player is on the pitch and I think – rightly or wrongly - that he is not playing well, I need to take him off. I need to think about the team and improve the team.

“In the last two or three games the players who went on to the pitch from the bench scored goals and they helped us to equalise games. They have given us good things.”

While he might well have sympathy with him, Karanka will also hope that, come the final whistle tomorrow night, it is Benitez’ tactics that are coming under the spotlight again, following a defeat to Championship opposition.