Newcastle United 2-1 SC Heerenveen UEFA Cup 2nd Leg (4-2 agg) |
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Date:
Thursday 24th February 2005
Kick Off: 7.45pm GMT
Venue: St. James' Park
Att: 26,156
Ref: Dejan Delevic
Comp: UEFA Cup 3rd Round 2nd Leg |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
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The Cup March Goes On
A week ago Newcastle's season was on the verge of collapse and Souness'
job was very much dangling by a quickly unraveling thread. Today our
season is very much alive and kicking. Still in two Cup competitions
heading into March for the first time in our 125 year history, one
defeat in 10, the ghost of Craig Bellamy locked away in Glasgow and
3 wins off the spin all make it a very satisfying week for everyone
connected with the club.
Not least of all the manager who despite his broad shoulders and chiseled
exterior (and counter-claims), will have been feeling the pinch leading
up to what was certainly a make or break week for him and our hopes
of salvaging something from an awful season definitely. A week in
which many questions were being asked and many demands for his head
from the stands and internet forums, even after the 2-1 win in Holland.
There still is.
But what a difference a week makes in Toon-world.
Although the Souness out brigade still have a voice, their calls for
change NOW, have been tempered by what can only be described as 3
brilliant and very significant results which have gagged even his
fiercest of critics (for the time being at least). Given the Scot
room to breathe and fans reason to be optimistic, only slightly mind.
Three results largely owed to a player ironically in which the manager
hasn't exactly had the best of relationships with nor the crowd -
Laurent Robert - who privately Souness must be mighty pleased with
because his recent contributions have all been of the game turning
and match winning variety.
Especially in this match where his alround performance was conducive
to the win. Having a hand in both goals as he did in the first leg,
the Frenchman simply carried on where he left off just 7 days previous,
but with a bigger canvas to work with. A rare 90 minutes.
With just 10 minutes into that 90 the No.32 collected a sublime lay
off from Shearer, ran at the Heerenveen full-back and whipped in a
low hard cross which just evaded the 'keepers reach, but not the boot
of Breuer who sliced the ball into the back of his own net. 1-0 up
and 3-1 on aggregate, the Frisian club's hopes of causing a shock
and reaching the last 16 disappeared into the ethos there and then.
Despite a bright start from the away side who drew a save from Given
moments earlier when O'Brien allowed Huntelaar to roll him, getting
in a low hard shot which Shay did well to parry to safety - their
only meaningful effort of the half, their heads dropped after the
goal and so did their tempo.
Lifted by the early breakthrough United's midfield (with Dyer and
Robert in particular) upped theirs and started finding room to operate
in and at times it looked like we could cut open their defence at
will.
And that's what Shearer did on 25 minutes - cutting right through
their defence with a low power driver of a shot. Probing away in midfield
the excellent Dyer was fouled 25-yards out, pretty much centre (slightly
to the left of the Leazes End) and when Robert rolled it to the No.9
there was only ever going to be one destination (the net) and one
outcome (a bulge). 2-0 and coasting. Game over!
But not quite good night.
Dyer's energy, pace and penetrating runs and Shearer's presence up
front were replaced after the break by Jenas (45) and Milner (65)
respectively and with their departure went any chance of extending
our lead.
Not with Ameobi on the field as our only out and out striker anyway.
Despite working hard the 23 year-old demonstrated just why he will
never be a goalscorer and with it a regular for Newcastle. His finishing
was poor in this game - twice the keeper saved at his feet and in
the dying moments when United had men up over Heerenveen, his movement
was static, forcing the Robert twice and Milner to opt for other options.
Had he been more aware of the space in which he had to operate and
made it obvious for his man to play the ball to him, he could easily
have had 2 one on ones. Not that he'd have finished them anyway...
He was just as sloppy in his own penalty area too, blatantly handling
a Heerenveen corner on 80 minutes which the ref, amid some confusion,
eventually awarded to the away side. Up stepped Bruggink to smash
it home, given Shay no chance. 2-1 but a mere consolation for the
away side and their excellent traveling fans. Although not as vocal
as their fellow country men NAC Breda fans who visited last season,
the 2,000 plus Frisians who traveled did stick with their side throughout
and were good craic before and after the match. Top lads (and lasses).
So the European adventure marches on and the dream of emulating the
class of '69 is still alive. Was it ever in doubt? Not in this game
it wasn't. Over in Heerenveen it could have been another story had
Souness not reshuffled the pack to a 4-4-2 formation and introduced
Robert however. Thankfully he did and he needs to stick with 4-4-2
for the remainder of the season. And Robert? He needs to stick to
the game plan.
Well played lads and well done Souness.
More..
Toon
Player Ratings Vs Heerenveen
A
Heerenveen Fans' View on SJP, Toon Fans, Our City & The Game
| Newcastle
4-4-2 |
Heerenveen
4-3-3 |
Match
Facts & Stats
Half-Time: 2-0
Full-Time: 2-1
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Goalscorers: Breuer (og 10), Shearer (25)
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 3
Jenas (Dyer 45), Milner (Shearer 65), Taylor (O'Brien
78)
Injuries: None
Goalscorers: Buggink
(80 pen)
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 3
Samaras (Huntelaar 68), Seip (Breuer 74), Sikora (Bruggink 80)
Injuries: N/A |
| Given |
Vandenbussche |
| Carr |
Bakkati |
| O'Brien |
Breuer |
| Bramble |
Hansson |
| Hughes |
Rzasa |
| Dyer |
Hestad |
| Butt |
Radomski |
| Faye |
Vayrynen |
| Robert |
Yildrim |
| Shearer |
Huntelaar |
| Ameobi |
Bruggink |
| Substitutes
Bench |
| Caig |
Waterman |
| Taylor |
Haarala |
| Ramage |
Seip |
|
Jenas |
Rose |
| N'Zogbia |
Prager |
| Ambrose |
Samaras |
| Milner |
Sikora |
A European Toon home debut for Amdy Faye. Second successive season
in which we have reached the Quarter-Final's of the UEFA Cup. Alan
Shearer's 15th goal of the season (7 in Europe). 1 defeat in 20 UEFA
Cup matches for Newcastle. Lowest attendance of the season.
| How The Goals Were
Scored |
Newcastle Goal 15 Minutes: Michel Breuer (own goal)
Robert got to the byeline after a great flick on from Shearer and
whipped in a low hard cross that evaded the 'keepers' reach, only
to be sliced into the back of his own net by Breuer.
Newcastle Goal 25 Minutes: Alan Shearer
Dyer was fouled 25-yards out and when Robert rolled the ball to Shearer
from the resulting free-kick, the No.9 blasted home a low hard drive
from 22-yards for a screamer of a goal.
Newcastle Goal 80 Minutes: Arnold Bruggink (penalty)
A Heerenveen corner was handled in the area by Ameobi resulting in
a spot-kick for the away side which Bruggink slotted him without fuss.
| Match Reaction From
Graeme Souness |
Souness said:
"We did what we had to do tonight, the two early goals effectively
killed the tie off.
"Some of the players were a bit complacent I felt at half-time as
we had to see out the second half.
"I am always looking for more from the side and wished we could
have scored a few more goals for the crowd but that's life.
"The conditions were a bit blustery but we are through and that
is the important thing.
"The last quarter of the game was played more like a five a-side match,
with both side's giving away posession. Like I said we are through
against Olympiakos although I was not interested in that result until
after the match as we had to concentrate on our own fixture."
Souness on Robert:
"In the first half I thought he did really well tonight - more
of the same in the future please."
Robert on his performance:
"It has been a long time without playing but I had 90 minutes
on Sunday and I feel much better after another full game.
"I've had four years at Newcastle now and every game is important
to me. When I play and the team wins then I am happy.
"The manager is the manager and he chooses the team every week. He
has given me the chance in these games and I think I have proved again
that I am 100% for Newcastle.
"I think I can still have a future here. I love it, the fans are great,
we have a nice stadium and it's a very good club. For me, I would
prefer to finish my career at Newcastle.
"The manager has a very strong mentality, the same as me. I didn't
like the situation before, but now I am playing and I work hard defensively
and going forward. We scored two goals in the game and that's good
for everybody.
"It's magnificent for me to hear the supporters singing my name, and
I think they are happy now."
| Match Reaction
From Gertjan Verbeek |
Verbeek on Shearer & NUFC's chance of lifting the UEFA
Cup:
"If
he wants to play on a lower level, he can come to Heerenveen. He does
not have to train so much - we will spare him for the games.
"He's a great player and very important for Newcastle still. At his
age, it is fantastic.
"I do not know the other teams Newcastle will play, but they have
a very good team, so why not?
"Three years back, Feyenoord won the UEFA Cup and I do not think they
then had a better team than Newcastle now." |
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