Magpies are on glory trail

[Scottish Mag 3]

Philippe Albert believes Newcastle United can end the season with a flourish for the second year running - but only by taking a very different approach to the side he played in.

 

In his five years on Tyneside the Belgian was emblematic of Kevin Keegan's entertainers, a rampaging central defender whose first instincts were attacking.

 

And while he stopped short of tipping the Magpies to land a long-awaited trophy, something he and his team-mates came so close to, the 39-year-old believes the current side are well equipped for a lengthy Uefa Cup run and a late push in the league because of their defensive solidity.

 

United welcome Belgian outfit SV Zulte-Waregem in the Uefa Cup last-16 tomorrow with a seemingly impregnable 3-1 first-leg lead. They are ninth in the Premiership, seven points outside the Uefa Cup places, and seemingly well placed to emulate the run which saw them finish high enough to reach the 2006 Intertoto Cup.

 

"I was at St James's Park for the games against Liverpool and Manchester United and I see them a lot on television," said Albert, now a TV pundit in his homeland. "They were two great games and great results for Newcastle. They've had lots of injuries and suspensions this season but they've coped really well.

 

"They're not far from the top six (in the Premiership) and could go a long way in Europe this season, so who knows what could happen in the next few months?"

 

The defensive set-up provides the main source of Albert's optimism. Karel D'Haene's strike in Ghent last week was only the fourth United have conceded in 11 games in this season's Uefa and Intertoto Cups. And the Belgian argued: "They'll go very far in Europe this season because they have a good team and seem to be playing really well away from home especially.

 

"With the fans behind them at home they will be really hard to beat. I've been very impressed with their defence. When you don't concede many goals away you always have a good chance."

 

Having watched him at Standard Liege, Albert is also impressed by the loan signing of centre-back Oguchi Onyewu, who is ineligible in this season's Uefa Cup. And, perhaps inevitably, he would like to see the giant American improve the attacking side of his game.

 

"Defensively he's very solid," explained Albert. "He's very strong physically, he just needs to improve with the ball at his feet and be a bit more offensive. But he can be a good player for Newcastle for years to come."

 

And another advantage Albert feels the current United side have over Keegan's is the quality of its youngsters. It is something the former Anderlecht, Mechelen and Charleroi player believes Newcastle must exploit to close the gap on big-spending Chelsea.

 

"When you have injuries and suspensions it's up to younger players to come in and prove they're worth a place in the team," he said. "Newcastle's have shown that long-term they should have no problems. In my time, that side of the club wasn't very strong because Kevin wanted players with lots of experience. But Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United have all shown it can work. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a good team, Newcastle understand that now."

 

Neverthless, Glenn Roeder's search for summer signings seems to have stepped up a gear after the United boss and chief scout David Mills watched left-back Gareth Bale play for Southampton at Coventry City last night.

 

The Londoner spoke this week of wanting to bring young talent to the club and the highly-rated Wales international fits the bill. Such is the 17-year-old's reputation, however, the Magpies can expect stiff competition from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for the dead-ball specialist, who last night helped the Saints score in their 2-1 defeat at Coventry.

 

On Saturday Roeder watched West Bromwich Albion's 21-year-old centre-back Curtis Davies face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup.

[Sima 0]

Lip up fatty tbh

[Jusoda Kid 1]

defensive solidity. Aye right!

[manc-mag 1]

Philippe Albert believes Newcastle United can end the season with a flourish for the second year running - but only by taking a very different approach to the side he played in.

 

In his five years on Tyneside the Belgian was emblematic of Kevin Keegan's entertainers, a rampaging central defender whose first instincts were attacking.

 

And while he stopped short of tipping the Magpies to land a long-awaited trophy, something he and his team-mates came so close to, the 39-year-old believes the current side are well equipped for a lengthy Uefa Cup run and a late push in the league because of their defensive solidity.

 

United welcome Belgian outfit SV Zulte-Waregem in the Uefa Cup last-16 tomorrow with a seemingly impregnable 3-1 first-leg lead. They are ninth in the Premiership, seven points outside the Uefa Cup places, and seemingly well placed to emulate the run which saw them finish high enough to reach the 2006 Intertoto Cup.

 

"I was at St James's Park for the games against Liverpool and Manchester United and I see them a lot on television," said Albert, now a TV pundit in his homeland. "They were two great games and great results for Newcastle. They've had lots of injuries and suspensions this season but they've coped really well.

 

"They're not far from the top six (in the Premiership) and could go a long way in Europe this season, so who knows what could happen in the next few months?"

 

The defensive set-up provides the main source of Albert's optimism. Karel D'Haene's strike in Ghent last week was only the fourth United have conceded in 11 games in this season's Uefa and Intertoto Cups. And the Belgian argued: "They'll go very far in Europe this season because they have a good team and seem to be playing really well away from home especially.

 

"With the fans behind them at home they will be really hard to beat. I've been very impressed with their defence. When you don't concede many goals away you always have a good chance."

 

Having watched him at Standard Liege, Albert is also impressed by the loan signing of centre-back Oguchi Onyewu, who is ineligible in this season's Uefa Cup. And, perhaps inevitably, he would like to see the giant American improve the attacking side of his game.

 

"Defensively he's very solid," explained Albert. "He's very strong physically, he just needs to improve with the ball at his feet and be a bit more offensive. But he can be a good player for Newcastle for years to come."

 

And another advantage Albert feels the current United side have over Keegan's is the quality of its youngsters. It is something the former Anderlecht, Mechelen and Charleroi player believes Newcastle must exploit to close the gap on big-spending Chelsea.

 

"When you have injuries and suspensions it's up to younger players to come in and prove they're worth a place in the team," he said. "Newcastle's have shown that long-term they should have no problems. In my time, that side of the club wasn't very strong because Kevin wanted players with lots of experience. But Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United have all shown it can work. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a good team, Newcastle understand that now."

 

Neverthless, Glenn Roeder's search for summer signings seems to have stepped up a gear after the United boss and chief scout David Mills watched left-back Gareth Bale play for Southampton at Coventry City last night.

 

The Londoner spoke this week of wanting to bring young talent to the club and the highly-rated Wales international fits the bill. Such is the 17-year-old's reputation, however, the Magpies can expect stiff competition from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for the dead-ball specialist, who last night helped the Saints score in their 2-1 defeat at Coventry.

 

On Saturday Roeder watched West Bromwich Albion's 21-year-old centre-back Curtis Davies face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup.

 

[Guest alex]

Talking shite tbh. We were far more solid defensively under KK.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Talking shite tbh. We were far more solid defensively under KK.

 

Being modest tbh

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Talking shite tbh. We were far more solid defensively under KK.

 

But the media and experts continually said we were shite defensivle under KK so that must have been true, i mean they never get anything worng do they!

 

You can't go letting facts, like the amount of goals being conceded be taken into consideration when universally decalring KK's team as crap at defending!

 

Strangely though in the UEFA cup we are coneding hardly any goals, especially away from home, and long may it continue! People may say some of the opposition has been crap, but so are plenty of teams in the prem and domestic cups and we've let in plenty there! There's something about the UEFA that suits our team and we manage some of our better football as well as being tighter at the back.

[tinofbeans 91]

slower pace of football tbh.

 

we were hardly sloppy at the back under kk, our centrebacks lacked pace but apart from that we did everything quite well.

Edited February 21, 2007 by canofbeans

[Papa Lazaru 0]

slower pace of football tbh.

 

Also i think they probably deliver less high balls into the box, both long and as crosses and we struggle with that alot. And alot of teams in europe seem to have that style of being pretty decent enough at football technically without offering that much of a direct threat.