Newcastle United Vs Tottenham Hotspur |
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Date:
Sunday 13th March 2005
Kick Off: 4.00pm BST
Venue: St. James' Park
Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire)
Comp: FA Cup Quarter-Final |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
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By
Ally Campbell
It's now six wins a row for the lads as they continue to produce excellent
results. Thursday's 3-1 win in Greece came in unusual circumstances
but to score 3 away goals against a good team like Olympiakos puts
us in a brilliant position for the second leg and progression to the
Quarter-Finals. A Cup double is still on the cards but no one is counting
any chickens yet!
When the draw was made for the FA Cup I was desperate for a home tie.
Obviously we wanted to avoid Man Utd and Arsenal but even if we were
against them at home we'd have a good chance. Instead we got Spurs
or Nottingham Forest. I'd have loved it for Forest to have won as
it would have been a much easier game, instead we're up against an
impressive, but inconsistent Spurs side.
You'll remember we lost to Spurs 1-0 at St. James's back in August
but we've both had new managers since then and play differently now.
Spurs under Santini were ultra defensive with full-backs unwilling
to cross the half-way line. Martin Jol has made them a more attacking
team with Defoe in excellent form spearheading their attack. Its going
to be a tough game as both teams are very evenly matched all over
the pitch. Yet I feel under our current run that we're in a great
position to beat them, although runs have to end somewhere!
On Thursday Souness played with a solid central midfield of Faye and
Butt. This was a wise decision at a tough away game and its a tactic
I can see being used more frequently in the future. Against Spurs
though its highly unlikely we'll pursue this and I fully expect Lee
Bowyer to return to central midfield, probably at the expense of Nicky
Butt. Spurs have a lively midfield of Carrick and Brown/Davis so we
need the energy and runs of Bowyer to counter-act this. Laurent Robert
is in great form at the minute and has shown it with two terrific
free-kicks this week. His deliveries will need to be good again if
we want to win this one, but he's playing with confidence so should
be lively.
Jean-Alain Boumsong will return to the side in place of Andy O'Brien,
who, incidentally looked quite good in Athens, except for the penalty.
But Bramble and Boumsong have looked very impressive so far and will
need to be on the top of their game to keep Defoe and Mido quiet.
Defoe would have loved it if OB was playing, he gets turned by strikers
so easily and that is one of Defoe's strengths. Incidentally, Babayaro
is back in the squad for this game and although he's rated as doubtful
I reckon he'll play, if not Hughes will again deputise.
Patrick Kluivert looked a bit short of fitness against the Greeks.
He scored a good goal (excellent contribution from Milner) but never
really got into it other than that. He played a few heavy through
balls but I expect him to play against Spurs. He's shown what he can
do on the big occasions, so we need another fully committed performance
from him, hopefully topped off with another goal. While I'm talking
about strikers, again this game has the potential to be Alan Shearer's
final FA Cup performance. No one wants this, especially Al and I fully
expect him to be up for this one 110%. His influence will be vital
and if anyone wants to win this Cup its Alan Shearer.
I'm really looking forward to this one and I'm confident of a win.
Its not going to be easy but it promises to be an action packed game.
More...
Behind
Enemy Lines: The View From An Spurs Fan
Given |
Carr |
Boumsong |
Bramble |
Babayaro |
Dyer |
Bowyer |
Faye |
Robert |
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Shearer
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Kluivert
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Newcastle - Robert: As I mentioned, he's in great
form right now and for us to score against Spurs we need our creative
players to be on top of their game. He terrorised them last season
here and if the interviews I've read are anything to go by he's up
for a repeat performance. They have a good defence but if he's at
his best we needn't worry.
Spurs - Defoe: I've been so impressed with Jermaine
Defoe over the past couple of seasons. When Spurs signed him my first
thought was that they had paid over the odds but he's proving more
than value for money with 20 goals this season. Souness has come out
and spoken of his admiration for him and said he's the level of striker
he's after in the Summer. Its highly unlikely we'll get him but I'd
be delighted! Boumsong and Bramble need to be at their best to stop
him scoring.
| NUFC Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Manager Graeme Souness on the match:
"The games are coming thick and fast for us at
the moment in all competitions.
"That's what happens to successful clubs though, you go further and
further in cup competitions and try to progress as far as you can.
"It's all about the momentum and keeping things going, and with six
wins in a row under their belts now the players are quite naturally
looking forward to the next game.
"It's a big game, but it's a big game for Spurs as well. It's their
only chance of winning something this season, so they'll be well up
for it.
"We've had a tough game in Athens and they've had a free week, but
as I've said for a while now the confidence is high and we're looking
forward to the game.
"The way the game panned out in Greece meant Ihad the luxury
of taking Laurent and Kieron off after an hour.
"That was done with Sunday in mind. I said before the game that my
team for Olympiakos would be slightly different for the side you see
against Spurs, and that will be the case.
"We have a good squad, and there is competition for places all over
the park so if it is a problem, then I guess it's a nice one for me."
Patrick Kluivert on the FA Cup:
"Martin Jol is a great trainer and has done very well at Tottenham,
building a solid team who will give us a difficult game.
"But we are at home and with the crowd behind us we have a very good
chance.
"Can we go further in both cups? Why not? We have very good potential
in this team but it's important we just take one game at a time and
don't jump too far ahead."
United
squad:
Given, Harper, Carr, Hughes, Babayaro, Boumsong, Bramble, O'Brien,
Taylor, Ramage, Dyer, Robert, Faye, Bowyer, Jenas, Butt, N'Zogbia,
Milner, Shearer, Ameobi, Kluivert.
| Tottenham Squad News
& Pre-Match Reaction |
Spurs manager Martin Jol on the match:
"Newcastle have a strong, physical side with new players bought
in during the transfer window.
"They had a good result the other day against Liverpool and I think
they are a better team now than in August.
"It was still a good win for us though, they should have been
ahead at half-time, but after that we were pretty confident.
"Thimothee Atouba scored his first goal and hopefully we can
do it again."
Michael Carrick on returning home:
"I know it is a big game but I don't want to build it up too much.
I believe we can go there and win, it is as simple as that really
and I don't want to get too carried away with any other business.
"Obviously it is a good draw from that side of things. All my pals
and family will probably be more excited than me. It is a special
game for me, don't get me wrong, but it is one I am trying to play
down a bit and get on with the job.
"They are desperate to win something up there, they are still
in the UEFA Cup, but I would have thought they look at the FA Cup
as being their best chance of success. We feel the same thing so it
is going to be a battle up there and we hope to come out on top.
"The biggest game of the season for me was always watching the FA
Cup final, it always had that something special about it - especially
when it was at Wembley. It has taken a bit of stick over the last
few years, but is coming back strongly again and is something that
everyone wants to win.
"I think even the neutrals are hoping that Shearer can win something
at Newcastle. There has been a big thing made of it over the last
couple of years and, from my point of view, it would be great to see
him do it. Obviously I would prefer him to win the UEFA Cup."
Spurs squad:
Robinson, Cerny, Kelly, Pamarot, Gardner, King, Naybet, Edman, Atouba,
Davies, Davis, Ziegler, Brown, Carrick, Defoe, Keane, Kanoute, Mido,
Bunjevcevic.
An entertaining game with both teams desperate to win. Our current
form probably makes us favourites and I'm going for a 2-0
win. |
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