FA Cup Semi-Final Preview: NUFC Vs MUFC
Full
Match Preview: NUFC Vs Man Utd
An in depth look ahead to the Cardiff showdown with likely team line
up, Newcastle and Man Utd team/injury news and pre-match reaction
from the two camps.
Manchester
United's Squad Strengths & Weaknesses
An in depth look at Manchester United's squad, assessing their strengths
and weaknesses, key danger men and ways to combat their players ahead
of the big match.
Behind
Enemy Lines: Pre-Match Chat With 2 Man Utd Fans
We caught up with two Manchester United fans, Chris O'Brien the editor
of ManUtdWeb.com a MUFC fan site and David Redditch, a personal friend
of Newcastle-online and a contributor to various MUFC Fanzines, to
get their views on NUFC, their club, the game and other things ahead
of Sunday's FA Cup Semi Final.
FA
Cup History: NUFC Vs Manchester United
We take an in depth look at the three previous meetings between the
two sides in the FA Cup.
Au Revoir Laurent Robert?
Having criticised the manager and the team in the build up to last
night's UEFA Cup Quarter-Final, Laurent Robert was subsequently dropped
all together and his future at Newcastle now looks to be over.
Robert quotes:
"It is difficult for me at the moment.
In the last three games I have been taken off after 55 or 60 minutes.
I don't like that and I don't like it when the team plays bad football.
I've not been happy when I've been brought off, I think everyone has
seen that, it is very depressing.
"There is no communication. The manager doesn't speak to me face-to-face
to tell me why he keeps taking me off. He does not tell me when I'm
playing well and he doesn't tell me when I'm playing badly. Neither
do his staff.
"The team has not been playing well and I've not been playing well,
but it isn't just down to me. I've tried to get crosses in to the
strikers and I've tried to do my best with free-kicks, but it has
been difficult.
"It is not just about me when I'm playing well, it is about the team
playing well. And it is not just about me when I'm playing badly,
it's about the team playing badly. It's not always about Laurent Robert.
"I still hope to stay. Last month there were discussions between my
agent and the chairman, but nothing has happened since.
"I would prefer to stay because I like the club very much. The chairman
is a good man and I trust him, the fans are great and I like the city.
"But I have to forget all about the uncertainty about my future. These
two games against Lisbon and Manchester United are very important
games for the club and they are very important games for me.
"I don't think we are better this year than last year. We have not
played very well in our last three games.
"We were awful against Aston Villa, we lost at Tottenham and we did
not play any good football. It is difficult to explain why we are
playing so badly, but we have to get out of it (the rut) quickly.
"Sporting are not as good as Marseille. But, like last year, we are
getting injuries and suspensions at the wrong time. We will have to
work very hard and hope our form returns."
Quotes that prompted Graeme Souness to say:
"Once
again, we have had to take our eyes off the ball because of the selfish
attitude of one of our own players.
"We have been sidetracked by a selfish player at a time when this
club is playing its two most important games for 35 years, and that
is totally unacceptable, not only for the management team of Newcastle
United and its players, but also the supporters.
"These two games are not about Laurent Robert, they are not about
Alan Shearer or Graeme Souness either, they are about the cause, and
that cause is Newcastle United.
"When Laurent Robert plays like that (Spurs away), he always seems
to blame someone else.
"I mean, was it my fault he played so poorly at Spurs?
"What Laurent Robert has to do is to look at himself first and if
he is not playing well, he should try harder."
Toon Player Ratings Vs Sporting Lisbon
Player ratings and analysis from last
night's 4-1 defeat against Sporting Lisbon which dumped us out of
the UEFA Cup.
Click
For Ratings!
UEFA Cup Result: Sporting Lisbon 4-1 NUFC
Toon lose 4-2 on aggregate
Newcastle were dumped out of the UEFA Cup last night at the Jose Alvalade
Stadium, losing 4-1 to Sporting Lisbon. Kieron Dyer put United ahead
after only 20 minutes but a goal just before the break from Niculae
put the home side level.
Despite creating numerous chances, excellent play from Sporting and
defensive aberrations saw to it that Graeme Souness' men will not
be making a return to Lisbon for the UEFA Cup Final. Sa Pinto, Beto
and Rochemback added to the home side's tally.
Teams
Sporting: Ricardo, Anderson Polga, Rogerio, Rui Jorge, Beto,
Carlos Martins (Pedro Barbosa 67), Rochemback, Joao Moutinho, Sa Pinto
(Custodio 89), Niculae (Pinilla 75), Douala. Subs not used: Nelson,
Tello, Miguel Garcia, Mota.
Booked: Beto, Anderson Polga.
Goals: Niculae 40, Sa Pinto 71, Beto 77, Rochemback 90.
United: Given, Carr, Bramble (Andrew O'Brien 57), Taylor, Babayaro,
Jenas (Milner 46), Faye, Bowyer, N'Zogbia, Dyer (Kluivert 60), Shearer.
Subs not used: Harper, Ameobi, Ambrose, Butt.
Booked: Bowyer, Taylor.
Goals: Dyer 20.
Agg: (4-2)
Att: 45,000
Ref: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden) |
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