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FROM ONE UNITED TO THE NEXT 8-3-07
Tom Warnock
As the away coach pulled away from St. James Park on Saturday evening, it did so with a team inside who had just completed an undefeated season against the Geordies. It wasn't the double we dreamt for, and it was far from spectacular, but it was satisfying nonetheless when the whistle blew and the ever-disgruntled Geordie boos rang round the stadium.
Discussion of the game is probably best left alone, but it has to be said that although Newcastle had the lion's share of possession and the better chances, we seemed to have done a job on them. It was almost as if our total concentration was on getting a clean sheet and if we could grab a goal then it was a bonus. The strikers weren't in typically potent form but they would argue a lack of service.
Just when it seemed Gareth had found his starting eleven, maybe he needs to make a few tweaks? Cattermole was ineffective out wide, and Morrison hasn't been given the chance to improve. His constant dropping and recalling has prevented him finding a rhythm, however Stuart Downing was allowed to remain in the team even after a poor run of form. Whenever Morrison has a bad game, he's relegated to the bench. If we stick with him, he will come good, just as Downing did. As you can gather I'm calling for Morrison to start against Manchester United.
It's a massive game, it really is. It's our only chance of silverware, and to be honest it's the only chance for something to happen this season, unless we mount an incredible run in the league and banish the away hoodoo.
To be fair to the club, amongst all the debate on ticket pricing, we really have done well with the prices for an FA Cup quarter-final against the soon to be champions. It will be a sell out crowd, and the importance of the crowd can't be underestimated. We know that when the Riverside is full and the occasion is there, the atmosphere can be incredibly hard to play against - just ask the likes of Basle and Steaua Bucharest.
Credit to Boro fans, we get stick for not turning up, but we're not daft and won't pay for overpriced yet poor games, but on the other side of the coin when we feel were getting value for money we will turn up in numbers. The fans have responded to a combination of good pricing and a decent run of form stretching back to the turn of the year. There seems to be a feeling that this could be our year, but we're keeping that quiet for now.
A draw would be a difficult situation. We need to take the game to them and go for the win from the first whistle, and we don't want to find ourselves in the position of Reading and having to come from three goals behind, although we're not bad at comebacks. A replay would probably signal our exit, and so we must use our home advantage to its fullest.
If we do manage to progress then we have a serious chance of reaching the final. What a spectacle that would be, and of course if we faced Chelsea in the final it would provide a route into the UEFA Cup for next season.
Gareth has talked up the game and appealed for the fans to turn up and thankfully they have responded. For Boro fans and players alike there's nothing like a full Riverside and there's nothing like beating the best team in the country. Wouldn't it be nice to go and do it...
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE NEW HOLGATE MESSAGE BOARD
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