The Road To Amsterdam ArenA (UEFA Europa League 2013) - THE END

[McFaul 35]

Fucking Fenerbahce. If that doesn't sum up this shit club and it's cursed bad luck then I don't know what does.

[Gemmill 46020]

The Butterfly Effect dictates the we wouldn't necessarily have got them in the draw. So chill out fight fans.

[Howmanheyman 33827]

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!

The sooner Rangers get back up to the SPL the better.

 

What I don't understand about this pride in losing business is this. If we lost to Tottenham or Arsenal, who in my view have better squads than Benfica, and who are certainly infinitely richer, would you go home thinking, fuck me I was so proud of that? We played a tactical game first half with what we had, but we also played like rabbits in the headlights. We played against a side who Celtic put out of the Champions League and with a baying crowd (although no where near our European crowds of a decade ago) couldn't really muster one meaningful shot in the first hour. Well people can be as proud as they like, but I'll never be proud of losing to a team who make £30m a year less money than us, who we should've put out of the tie in the first half in Lisbon.

 

You can look at the details like our injury problems, but statements like "they're unbeaten since October". What? In the Portuguese League? So fuckin what? I repeat they're a canny side but CELTIC put them out of the Champions League. The day I'm proud of defeat where we only had a go for 25 minutes against a club we should consider no more than our equals is a day, I'll stop watching NUFC. It's modern life. People see we're in the Europa League QF, eeeh haven't we done well. It epitomises for me the ever increasing small time mentality of our fans that this is a major achievement. In the last 10 years Celtic, Rangers, Fulham and Middlesbrough have got to the FINAL of this competition, yet our fans are proud we made it to the last eight having faced ONE decent side to get there. Well I'm not proud. They can fuck off. We didn't under achieve, we didn't overachieve, we did what I expected and for that they deserve no undue praise.

If it was over two legs Benfica would've got through against Celtic. 2-1 win at home and 0-0 in front of the plastic supporters wasn't it?

[McFaul 35]

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!

What are you laughing at? I tell you the difference in importance between Newcastle and Celtic. No one would give a fuck if here if you went out, no one would care. You small time bell end. Hope you end up in hospital with buckfast poisoning, you little jock rent boy

[Renton 21983]

The team of 1997 that beat Barcelona contained Barton, Watson, Beresford, Batty, Tomasson and Barnes. The bench contained Rush, Pinas, Peacock, Howey and Ketsbaia.

 

This massive club that should be spanking Champions League teams never existed. We challenged for the title in the days before oligarch owners and £100million sponsorship deals. It was nearer to being an even playing field and although we had some class players under Keegan we had some shite too that wouldn't get in our current team.

 

The likes of Krul, Cabaye, Jonas, Colo, Ben Arfa, Tiote and Cisse will join Pav, Nobby and Asprilla in the future as adopted Geordies. They give as much effort and passion as any of the home grown lads, more effort even when you look at the clip of Shola strolling around some games.

 

Benfica are the most in form team in Europe, unbeaten in 30 games in the league and one of the favourites to win the Europa League.

 

Am I fuck going to apologise for being proud of my team last night Stevie, they did the whole city proud. The sooner you accept we aren't the size of Man United, Barcelona or Juventus you will enjoy the ride a whole lot more. You're dangerously close to personifying the ridiculous stereotype the press spouts out about Geordies demanding unrealistic expectations from our team.

 

We have had a nightmare season with injuries and a lack of investment last summer. Regardless we currently have a cracking first XI and, for a change, players on the bench who can actually change a game. Oh, and we are turning a profit, soon to be a much bigger profit with the new tv deal and the biggest sponsorship deal in the clubs history. Add a decent striker this summer and we will

be challenging for Europe again next season.

 

The whole city is pulling in the right direction at the minute and you only need to look ten miles down the road to remember what sort of state we were in 4 or 5 years ago

 

My favourite ever J69 post.

[Happy Face 29]

I was praying that we didnt score an early goal. Anyone who thinks that going into an early lead last night would have been good for us hasnt understood a single fucking thing about their experiences at St James park.

 

In fact 2-0 up at half time would have been the most dangerous score as it would have guaranteed Williamson would have had his arse handed to him in the second half. At 1-3 on aggregate early goals against a dangerous attack will lead this team into to a 'backs to the wall' second half, i dont think you have to have watched us that much to know that.

 

Pardew was about 2 centimetres away from getting it absolutely spot on. Thats the distance between where Ben Arfa hit the ball and where he needed to hit it for it to go lower and slightly to the side of the keeper. Small margins indeed.

 

Exactly what I said to CT in the mackem thread.

 

Whether anyone thinks we should have gone at them from the start, or that Pardew was spot on to try an nick it in the last 20 minutes (and he was), what was also clear is that whenever we scored first, they had class on the bench themselves to bring on and force the issue.

 

We scored on 71, Cardozo came on on 72. Moreno on 76. Both scorers in the first leg.

 

It was only a run out for them until it got serious...and it could have got serious a lot sooner if they wanted.

[Patch 0]

I just do not get how people are upset. In my opinion our best player Ben Arfa has played 2 games since November. Taylor and Colocini and santon out and first choice right back could not play.

 

We lost a goal going all for it at the end because we were too stretched and if that had happened in the first half we would have to had scored 3 goals, leaving us even more stretched and we would have been battered, not come anywhere near close to going through and we would be deflated for Sunday.

[McFaul 35]

Exactly what I said to CT in the mackem thread.

 

Whether anyone thinks we should have gone at them from the start, or that Pardew was spot on to try an nick it in the last 20 minutes (and he was), what was also clear is that whenever we scored first, they had class on the bench themselves to bring on and force the issue.

 

We scored on 71, Cardozo came on on 72. Moreno on 76. Both scorers in the first leg.

 

It was only a run out for them until it got serious...and it could have got serious a lot sooner if they wanted.

Rubbish. They were shit scared of conceding, if they'd have got "serious" as you put it we'd have scored more goals, that's a fact. When we got serious even with their 10 behind the ball policy, they utterly shit themselves. It was fuck all to do with them that game, and everything to do with us.

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3962]

I just do not get how people are upset. In my opinion our best player Ben Arfa has played 2 games since November. Taylor and Colocini and santon out and first choice right back could not play.

 

We lost a goal going all for it at the end because we were too stretched and if that had happened in the first half we would have to had scored 3 goals, leaving us even more stretched and we would have been battered, not come anywhere near close to going through and we would be deflated for Sunday.

 

Some people understand tactics others just like the orange ones.

[Tom 14013]

I'm quite satisfied with last night, tactics fairly spot on, the line up was the best we could do. With a bit more luck we could have had the result but we didn't get it & obviously when you're 424 (I think we were) and going gung ho to get a second you'll be more likely to concede. Benfica were shitting themselves in that last 20 minutes mind - the first leg (obviously) is what knacked us and not many teams have luck as bad as that.

 

I'm glad that people stayed back and clapped them off. It's been a decent ride & I've enjoyed it. Fair play to the club for sticking to their ticket policy, I've been to all this years Europa games at home & I haven't spent more than £20 on a ticket.

 

Williamson at that level is terrifying mind, though I think Yanga-Mbiwa might have been more accountable for their goal in the end, haven't seen any replays.

[Kid Dynamite 7169]

It was Sissoko in the box for their goal

[Tooj 17]

It was Sissoko not Yanga-Mbiwa.

[Tom 14013]

 

(I'm not racist my eyes are just shite)

[Ayatollah Hermione 14047]

I made the same mistake, Tom. Though, tbf, I am a racist.

[David Kelly 1260]

I'm quite satisfied with last night, tactics fairly spot on, the line up was the best we could do. With a bit more luck we could have had the result but we didn't get it & obviously when you're 424 (I think we were) and going gung ho to get a second you'll be more likely to concede. Benfica were shitting themselves in that last 20 minutes mind - the first leg (obviously) is what knacked us and not many teams have luck as bad as that.

 

I'm glad that people stayed back and clapped them off. It's been a decent ride & I've enjoyed it. Fair play to the club for sticking to their ticket policy, I've been to all this years Europa games at home & I haven't spent more than £20 on a ticket.

 

Williamson at that level is terrifying mind, though I think Yanga-Mbiwa might have been more accountable for their goal in the end, haven't seen any replays.

Agree with that totally (even thought it was Mbiwa too!). I can't understand the negativity. We were missing a lot of first teamers, Ben Arfa clearly wasn't up to starting and neither was Marveaux imo. We were so close to beating one of the best teams in Europe at minute so we have every reason to hold our heads up.

The makems would be terrified playing us if they had any sense (which we all know they don't). Ben Arfa, Cisse, Cabaye, Sissoko and Marveaux will tear them a new one on Sunday. I'm as confident as I've ever been tbh!

[RobH 0]

Settings manage ignore prefs.

 

Just done it myself.

Thanks

[Kid Dynamite 7169]

Snap. I'd advise the rest of the board to do the same

[Aeris 0]

Still, if Ben Arfa and perhaps Marveaux came on a bit earlier, maybe at half time, we would have created enough chances to score two...? Shola was impressive aswell though, did a lot after he came on, but we should've put Ben Arfa or Marve along with him.

Edited April 12, 2013 by Aeris

[RedfernMag 0]

I was praying that we didnt score an early goal. Anyone who thinks that going into an early lead last night would have been good for us hasnt understood a single fucking thing about their experiences at St James park.

 

Nail on the head mate, when we went in at half time without conceeding I suddenly thought we could win this.

[Kid Dynamite 7169]

Uefa have announced from 2015 winners of the Europa League will get a Champions League spot

[Tom 14013]

A nicer parachute payment so the clubs that fall from the Champions League into the Europa league don't lose out or an incentive for the teams already in it.

 

Could it be possible to have six English teams in there - If two teams won the europa/CL but magically weren't in the top 4 ?

[Tooj 17]

Shame that the Champions League drop-out teams will still be allowed in though.

 

Perhaps if they stopped that happening and increased the revenue pot for that then it wouldn't be as de-valued as it is? Or just get rid of the horrible group stages and bring it back as a purely knockout competition.

[PaddockLad 17643]

You need to stop that shit Tooj, thinking about football as a sport....what will the sponsor-driven tv compnies do if you were to drop the group stages ffs? get a grip man..

[Tooj 17]

You need to stop that shit Tooj, thinking about football as a sport....what will the sponsor-driven tv compnies do if you were to drop the group stages ffs? get a grip man..

 

I know I know.