Newcastle United (3) Vs Olympiakos (1) |
 |
Date:
Wednesday March 16 2005
Kick Off: 7.45pm BST
Venue: St. James' Park
Ref: Konrad Plautz (Austria)
Comp: UEFA Cup 4th Round 2nd Leg |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
|
By
Ally
An excellent result at the weekend extends our winning run to seven
games and we'll certainly hope to add to it with a win against Olympiakos.
A 3-1 win in the first game puts us in a great position to go through,
they'll need to win 3-0 to go through and although anything is possible
in the crazy world of NUFC, its highly unlikely. In the first leg
I was anticipating a tight game and I'd have been delighted with a
score draw, but the early sending off changed all that and the game
became ours for the taking. We should have really scored more but
Graeme Souness was (rightly) more concerned about keeping 11 men on
the field than winning 4/5/6-1. In the 2nd leg we still need to be
careful. They showed glimpses of a good team and as Alan Shearer says,
to lose it now would be 'criminal'.
Sunday's victory was great, but the gloss has been well and truly
taken off by the injuries to Patrick Kluivert and more notably Titus
Bramble. Bramble has been immense since January and our defence has
looked really solid with him and Boumsong on top form. However he's
now out for at least a month and we're going to have to really hope
he'll be back for the Semi-Final.
Taylor, O'Brien and Babayaro were also injured for the game on Sunday
leaving us rather short. Souness has said that Taylor and OB will
be alright for this game so the situation isn't quite as bad as first
thought. We'll miss Bramble but hopefully either Taylor or O'Brien
can step in and perform well. O'Brien was good alongside Woodgate
so hopefully he'll impress next Boumsong in the up coming League games.
Its possible we'll continue with Butt and Faye in central midfield
like we saw in the first leg. Those two are going to be very useful
for us, but in a home game like this one I'd personally play Bowyer
but Souness obviously doesn't want to risk anything. An early goal
will kill this game off and we need our midfield to attack from the
very start. In previous games at home we've taken our foot off the
pedal (so to speak) after we've wrapped it up, and I can see this
happening again tomorrow. Its not very good entertainment for the
fans but if it means winning the game then so be it.
Selection problems continue with the strikers. The Chronicle reports
that Kluivert is a doubt after his knee injury and Ameobi still has
a hip problem. Kluivert will be a miss but hopefully he'll be fit
for the Portsmouth game at the weekend. I'd give Milner a go playing
off Shearer, he's not the finished article but he shows great purpose
and ambition when he gets the ball which is more than I can say for
Shola.
Progression tomorrow will take us into the Quarter-Finals. The FA
Cup draw wasn't kind to us so we need to give everything to try and
win the UEFA Cup as the FA Cup is no forgone conclusion - I'd take
both but one would be nice enough! The rest of the sides in the UEFA
Cup don't frighten me. A Viana inspired Sporting Lisbon impressed
me against Boro last week but we were the better team in our group
stage game as far as I was concerned.
More...
Behind Enemy Lines: The View From An Olympiakos Fan (again)
NUFC's
European Opposition Guide: Olympiakos
Given |
Carr |
Taylor |
O'Briend |
Hughes |
Dyer |
Faye |
Bowyer |
Robert |
| |
Shearer |
Milner |
|
| NUFC Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Alan Shearer on the match:
"The job should be done and hopefully the job will
be done, but it will only be done if we go out and approach the game
in the right manner.
"I know what they will be saying
in their dressing room, they will be saying, 'We have got to go out
and give it a right good go and try to get an early goal'.
"But they have got to come out and they have got to score goals,
and hopefully in doing that, they will leave one or two areas at the
back which we can exploit.
"But I think the game is
all about us. We know we have the ability, we know we have the belief
and the confidence and we are on a great run, and we have got to keep
that going.
"The games are coming thick and fast, but
when you are successful and when you are doing well, that is what
happens, so we are all enjoying it.
"The spirit is fantastic
at the moment," said Shearer. "That is always going to be mentioned
when results are going for you.
United squad:
Given, Harper, Carr, Hughes, Taylor, Ramage, O'Brien, Dyer, Milner,
Faye, Jenas, Butt, Bowyer, N'Zogbia, Robert, Shearer, Ameobi.
| Olympiakos Squad News
& Pre-Match Reaction |
Olympiakos' manager on the match:
To follow...
Olympiakos squad:
To follow...
 Konrad
Plautz
The 40 year-old Austrian is no stranger to United, having refereed
Newcastle's 3-0 win in Mallorca last season. He's also in the top
30 of UEFA's referees.
I think we'll win 2-1. It won't be easy, but Rivaldo
is injured for them and the two sent off players are suspended, and
the confidence in the team should put us through. I really can't see
them scoring three goals at St. James' Park. Howay the lads, keep
the dream alive! |
 |
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
|
