I wont try to write one but I feel really positive about our team. In all these three matches we have fought hard all the time even if we were down a couple of goals.

Robert have gotten his fair share of critism since Wednesday, it was fair I think, he was kinda crap. But today he showed us that he could work hard too. Dixon had a hard time with him tonight. He even talked Dix on time. Dix remained sitting on the grass looking like "wtf was that".
The most positive is to see how Robert reacted against the critism. He showed everyone that he had listened to it and also cared about what teammates, fans and prolly Robson has said to him. He has a bright future.

Also I would like to single out Acuna. Great match! He kept Vieria out of the game and worked his socks of.

Again the goal was Dabz fault, but also Obrien stod in a strange position doing notting really.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

Answers

You were lucky yet again................................................................. ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ...................................................................... ..................Well maybe not!

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

Rather unlucky

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

Just got back from SJP and I'm over the moon with that performance. I expected us to get beat deep down and thought f we get anything it'll be because we cleared a few of theirs off the line and relied on Given. I didn'texpect us to dominate as we did. (WTF is SuperKev n about!?)

Robert was exceptional. He won lots of free kicks, I can remember at least 2 good runs and put in some superb balls. And of course he scored. At times he also came back. I can remember him heading a ball clear whih was going straight to an Arsenal player that would hae scored. He was my man of the match. Today he prooved he had the talent which I had started to doubt. He cetainly prooved he can do it against the best opposition. Really he shuld be tearing apart the likes of Ipswitch. (lets hope so.) Whatever BR has said to him worked. Long may it continue. Acuna and Mclen were exceptional when you consider who we were up gainst. I never found myself "Where is the midfield?" Which seems to be a rather frequent comment I make these days. Shearer did his same old reliable performance. Cort/Ameobi were poor. Defence did very well except for a couple of sloppy moments. Solano was great again.

Class performance. We Always were the better team and tackled back superbly. This was probably the worst result Wenger could have hoped for. I hope we ruin his Fa Cup AND Champions league prospects.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

BR did the right thing in not playing Dyer. He should be back to his best for Highbury. But the best thing about tonights performance is that I'd feel optomistic if the same 11 went down to London next week. Whereas before today, most of us were pretty downbeat and the media "football focus and on the ball" had almost written us off.

There's only one Bobby Robson.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

We started brightly, and remained dominant for most of the game.

From the off, it was clear Robert was really up for it, but I had a suspicion he would get sent off for a rash tackle. Thankfully it never happened. He was involved in all our early moves and showed that he CAN tackle, something I thought was beyond him. The fans' reaction to him was great, now he knows that he'll be adored if he puts in the graft. (Apart from one sad tosser behind me, who called him a "useless French bastard" for most of the game, and refused to stand up when he scored.)

In midfield, I've never seen Acuna tackle so much outside of the penalty area. He was magnificent and tidy on the ball too. McClen was pretty good too, but a couple of risky passes were still there in his game. Solano was positive as well, and recognised his defensive duties.

At the back, we were pretty solid, but the goal was disappointing. We failed to clear the ball and then they ended up passing it around our defence too easily. Never mind, it got the team playing well and from there I felt we would only let another in if we made a mistake at the back. Without Pires, our high-up-the-pitch defending worked a treat.

Hughes looked a bit nervous in the first half, but was better in the second. Distin was solid at the back and pretty good going forward, although his customary cross out of play was also there, but this aspect of his game will surely progress over time. He is a must buy!

Shearer did OK without being spectacular. People will point at Cort for missing some chances, but Shearer also missed two that he would normally test the 'keeper with. Probably tiredness more than anything. Cort still isn't match fit, but he's getting there. A couple of misses that reminded me of Bradford away last season.

Ameobi was pretty lively when he came on. He turned their centre back (not sure who) quickly but didn't accelerate to get the ball on the other side. It's the first time I've seen him think quicker than the defender for a long time.

Man of the match: Laurent Robert. Some people were STILL criticising him as we walked out of the ground which I still can't understand. Fair enough for criticising him when he plays badly, but if that wasn't a good game then I don't know what was. He can do things like take a long ball down to a stop instantly, something that we take for granted with him, but watch Carl Cort try it and it bounces out of play.

Before the game I said I'd rather we lost than had a replay, to ease the load of matches, but now I am glad we managed to pull one back.

I just wish we could have beaten them, just to shove the arrogance of leaving Bergkamp and Pires on the bench right down their throats. Hopefully (and probably) we'll have Dyer and Bellamy back to play then, as they would have ripped Arsenal apart today.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

I only saw the game on telly but i'd like to doff my hat to Robert.

THAT is what we want every week, bonny lad. Heart, soul and blinding skill.

Keep that sort of effort going till May and a) we'll be at least 9 points better off and b) you'll be a bloody hero on Tyneside

Top marks.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

I hope Robert has noticed the difference in the crowd's reaction to him. We all knew he had the talent from his early showings (and other cameos) but today he reminded us that he still knows how to turn it on.

If he wants to be a legend here, he knows how to go about it. If he doesn't then he also knows how to go about it. Unless he has a long term fitness or stamina problem, then his future is in his hands. I just hope he does us proud on Saturday against Ipswich.

He could have had a hat-trick today. I am still p*issed off that we aren't through, especially against Arsenal.

It was nice to see that there was no hatred between the fans though (except the arsehole behind me who wouldn't get off Robert's back throughout the game). Arsenal fans walking in the crowd of Newcastle fans and having a nice friendly chat. That's what football is about, not lobbing bricks at passing coaches carrying the "scum".

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

Great great game and great performance. Really enjoyable, the fastest 90 mins I've experienced this season.

Robert - well done. I take it all back!

I know it means a replay but it was the performance that counted for alot. We'll have players back and we're not scared of London anymore.

Nice to shut those stupid Gooners up who thought the Arsenal reserves only had to turn up and they'd win.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

Fantastic Result and performance. Robert - take a bow. Clarence and Jamie - Magnificent. Everyone else - Well done. I'm still mystified by the ceefax report - the two teams deservedly drew after an end to end contest. - What????? - Even your own pundits, Hansen and Lawro said Newcastle deserved to win!

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

A Liverpool supporter phoned in to 606 whinging about how the media is suddenly crawling up Newcastle backside before he wished Arsenal well in the replay. Dunno where he was earlier in the week when they couldn't write us off fast enough. Still funny to hear.

Paul, did anyone ask that bloke behind you if he'd rather we'd just lost today than have that 'useless' French b'stard earn us a replay? ;-))

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

what a difference three days make! Well done Monsiuer Robert! More where that came from please....

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2002

I was exchanging strong opinions on Robert throughout the match with 2 fellas on my right. Between them was another bloke of the same opinion as me. Every time Robert was taken on in a 3 to 1 and lost the ball they both stood up shouting the odds at him and every time he pulled off yet another piece of magic the other guy and me leaped up and shouted our lungs out. When he scored the two Alan Oliver fans put their hands over their eyes as we did the full Homer Simpson "In your face" routine. The blokes behind us said it was worth the entrance money for us lot alone.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

LOL! That's a great image Softie!

Robert was great yesterday (but I stand by everything I said about him after the Liverpoll game!) ... with the exception of still screwing up several free kicks/corners/crosses where he can't get it past the first man.

I never have a go at any of our players during a game and can't understand the mentality of folk that do... as always we can slag them off on here afterwards if necessary.

1-0 to the Softie

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

The following was sent me by a turncort at NUFC

ATTENTION CATERING AND OTHER STAFF
PROCEDURES FOR CARL CORT TURNS

In the following document CCT stands for Carl Cort Turn

1. A Klaxon will sound when a CCT is likely to happen.
2. Extra staff will go to the bars and food outlets.
3. Leaflets will be distributed to the crowd indicating that there will be delay in the game and that the catering facilities are fully manned.
4. Once the CCT is estimated to be nearing completion a further Klaxon will sound and the crowd invited back to their seats.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Ciara, I shouted "not so useless now, is he?" after we scored, in fact it was the first thing I shouted after we scored. Probably didn't hear it though as it was so loud, and he probably had his hands over his ears to stop the noise getting in.

Overall though the vast majority fully appreciated his contribution - hopefully Robert realises this now and will continue to work hard. I even noticed that he was working hard in the warm up, something that I don't normally notice.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Spot on Geordie.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

This was a rare Cup tie where the performance was almost more important than the result. Befores the match, I'd have been OTM with a draw and it shows how good the performance was that we are a bit disappointed with a draw.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Excellent, Softie and Paul!

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

what was the crowd rection to him like Paul? Robert that is, not the idiot behind you.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Generally he was appreciated. I think a lot thought his good start to the game would tail off and he'd end up back to what we got used to recently.

However, he was encouraged forward by the crowd, and when he came back and shirked Ljungberg off the ball as well as win a defensive header, he was given a standing ovation by many (including me).

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002