Panionios Vs Newcastle United |
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Date:
Thursday 21 October 2004
Kick Off: 7.30pm BST
Venue: Nea Smyrni Stadium
Ref: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Comp: UEFA Cup Group D |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
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Here For Newcastle-Online's Panionios Fact File!
Once again Newcastle go into a match on the back of controversy and
none footballing headlines but if there is one thing that can vanquish
tales of "Toon Woe" (for a few days anyway...) it is a thumping
win on foreign soil and that will be at the forefront of Souness'
mind as he leads his United team out in Athens against the unknowns
of Panionios at the Nea Smyrni Stadium.
Souness must put confrontations and personal grudges aside and select
a team to go out, do a job and get back hyem intact, ready for the
visit of a former Toon legend on Sunday. Indeed his players must also
share the same bullish attitude because this match has humdinger written
all over it.
Little is known of Panionios but any side that dumps out an Italian
outfit in Europe must be encountered with respect and caution. Newcastle
can just as easily thrash the Greek team or be on the end of a shock
home win. Selection will play a significant role in the outcome and
Souness will have a few posers to mull over.
Does he start with Craig Bellamy given what has went on since Sunday
or does he pick Shola Ameobi? If he was deciding on dropping the Welshman
he may have to alter those plans as Ameobi is struggling for fitness
according to reports so that may be one decision that makes itself.
And what of Laurent Robert, does he continue to ignore the Frenchman
and let Darren Ambrose keep his place or does he unleash that balance,
creativity and crossing precision that we lack when he sits on the
bench? Barring injuries prior to the match the back-four will pick
itself and only the news of a little Shay entering the world can keep
the Irishman out it seems. In midfield Jermaine Jenas and Bowyer will
almost certainly play in the centre leaving the two flanks as the
two positions open.
Love or hate Souness' selections, it beats knowing that the same players
week in week out will play regardless of form and in some instances
under Sir Bobby, fitness. It will be interesting and intriguing as
to future events that may or may not take place as to just which 11
Souness does put out.
Either way, if we play to our strengths, work hard and maintain a
level of composure and discipline, nothing less than a win should
prevail. Good luck Souey and the lads.
Given |
Carr |
O'Brien |
Elliott |
Bernard |
Milner |
Jenas |
Bowyer |
Robert |
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Shearer
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Bellamy
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Panionios
Player:
Mario Breska
Position: Striker
Shirt:
No. 28
Nationality: Slovakia
Age: 25
Small pacey forward, Breska is the man Panionios rely on to get goals.
Recently capped by his country Slovakia after a few years in the wilderness
where he failed to live up to his early promise that saw him titled
Slovakia's 'Talent of the Year' back in 2001. The equivalent of the
PFA Young player of the year award. With Panionios however he has
developed into somewhat of a dangerous attacker and a cult hero on
the stands. Apparently he is attracting the attention of a "host
of European clubs" and he will relish the opportunity to score
against Newcastle. Panionios' best and most dangerous player and one
to watch.
For The Toon: Craig Bellamy
After
all that has went on in Craig world these past few days the best way
to patch things up with team-mates, fans and Souness alike is by going
out onto the pitch and doing what he does best - creating havoc, creating
chances and scaring the life out of the opposition. Bellamy doesn't
need fired up at the best of times but you can bet your life he will
be fired up for this one and that can only mean bad news for the Greeks,
and good news for us. Providing he gets selected that is...
| NUFC Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Manager Graeme Souness on the match:
"We have to expect the worst. We're going to go
there and I'm sure it won't be a pitch that we will like.
"The word is that it's a bobbly old pitch but we'll have to
deal with that.
"We'll be playing against players who offer something different
to the Premiership, but I expect us to deal with it and deal with
it well.
"We have to respect everybody we play. We've had them watched.
We must give them the utmost respect, we've all be down that road.
If you have been in football five minutes you have been down that
road.
"What we must not do is go to Athens thinking it will be an easy game.
I don't think if we go there and win 3-0 we will have a stranglehold
on the group - I've been in the game too long.
"Nothing will be settled after tomorrow - win, lose or draw.
It's what happens in the coming games in this group.
"We're looking forward to it but we're not taking it for granted.
"We must do what we did in Israel. We didn't get involved in
what they wanted. We played football and scored our goals.
"I'm told that they are not as physical as the Israeli team. All 10
of their outfield players wanted to leave their feet in and be quite
mischievous.
"This time we're confronted with a different challenge."
United squad:
Given, Harper, Carr, Hughes, Elliott, O'Brien, Bramble, Taylor, Bernard,
Ambrose, Jenas, Bowyer, Robert, Milner, Brittain, Shearer, Bellamy,
Ameobi.
| Panionios Squad
News & Pre-Match Reaction |
Panionios manager Carol Pecze said:
"Newcastle are a very strong team, especially in midfield
and attack, though maybe they have some weakness in defence.
"We're going to have to play a strong game. It's the first match of
this round so we want to get off to a good start. Each point is important.
"I believe Newcastle will play as they did on Sunday and attack from
the first moment. It's certainly a difficult match.
"They have good players, like Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy."
Panionios squad:
Colcaeg, Vlcek, Giannopoulos, Markos, Dodd, Zimonjic, Lagonikakis,
Tziolis, Spiropoulos, Parodi, Breska, Sotiriou, Domoraud, Tsiolis,
Goundoulakis, Mitrou, Meszaros, Mantzios.
 Roberto
Rosetti
Notoriously difficult, fussy and melodramatic referee from Italy who
seems to be at the centre of most controversial moments in Serie A.
Not the greatest ref we could have been giving for this game but if
we don't do nothing silly we should be OK. What concerns me however
is diving and cheating from the home side, with a similar temperament
to the Greeks and used to this kind of gamesmanship back home in Italy,
Rosetti could let a lot of things go unpunished. Lets hope he has
a good, quiet game.
A hard game to call given what very little is actually known about
the opposition but Newcastle seem to be more at ease against European
teams and are a match for anyone, never mind a small Greek team. A
close, 1-0 victory for our lot with Craig Bellamy scoring the winner.
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