I'll leave it to someone else to do the full bells and whistle analysis but for me, we did what we had to do and no more. Which is, I suppose, as much as you can ask for in the Cup.

The lads deserve their first week off in ages.

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2002

Answers

However, big credit to Big Al: what a roll he's on.

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2002

Now there is a difference between being entertained during a 38 match season and all Cup matches. You have to win Cup matches, and we did, don't need much more.

Same team as at Man U except Bernard on the left and Dyer in the middle with Lee out injured.

Never really felt worried, although never totally entertained either. We could have had a hatful if Bellamy could either centre accurately or just finish for himself.

Save of the game came from their goalie who chased a ball out to the corner flag at Dyer's feet, Dyer held him off, centred, Bernard took two goes to control, hit a fair shot that the goalie dived to push away. (Highly entertaining moment).

Bernard looked a biy non-plussed by having red haired Hopkins so close to him and maybe should have gone off for a clown Lua2 to come on, but somehow survived the whole game.

Defence looked okay but not special, Morrison being quite fast and tricky, but on his ownsome.

Dyer and Solano linked nicely enough, Speed worked hard but it didn't seem to work somehow.

Bellamy got away a couple of times, centred poorly at the end of the runs though.

Shearer's goal went through a hole in the wall (as the Pink picture so nicely shows), but may have killed somebody if they'd got in the way.

Palace came out more up for it than us in the second half, had a free header from a corner that Shay saved nicely, and looked the keener side.

Speed went up for a header and somehow got injured inthe process, eventually going off for Acuna. Acuna looked lost to me, or the midfield deteriorated when he was on. Of course he then scores (his first of the season the announcer said, carefully ignoring the goal at Chelsea).

We had a walk it in chance with Bellamy that ended up being given off side.

SOlano and Dyer went off ofr the last 10 and Lua2 came on to entertain the kids in the crowd with his tricks, and O'brien on too. This meant Hughes into midfield, three centre halves, one of whom, O'Brien, was a sort of right back. Technically known as a dog's bollox of a formation.

An okay day, Isla enjoyed her first game, wants to go again, trying to persuade me she's a lucky charm.

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2002

And the goal at Everton for Acuna MacB.

Basically agree with what was said, we did what we had to without going into top gear. Could have easily been more with a bit of luck, but I still reckon their offside goal was onside. Shearer's goal as well seemed onside but that was also ruled out.

Defence seemed comfortable but there was still a worrying tendancy to play it long when simple passes seemed so obvious.

I'm happy with it though, although we'll need to play better to stop Leeds getting anything off us on Saturday.

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2002

Isn't the pitch a disgrace?

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2002

A deserved if unconvincing win played out in virtual silence: a crowd that was about as inspiring to the team as the "60,000 Muppets" at OT on Wednesday.

Out MOTM was undoubtedly Captain Marvel who cajoled, organised and inspired his team; a 31 yr-old bionic man who, despite being written off by the armchair critics as suitable raw material for Evostik, seems able to maintain his level of performance while his 22-25 yr- old colleagues are apparently running around on their knees; he scored the best goal of the match and made the best tackle of the match, and did just about everything in between.

We inevitably lost our most influential central m/f player to an ankle injury that he incurred against Chelsea, but played with against ManU, and yet again yesterday. Let's hope the result of this latest crass decision is not a lengthy absence for Gary Speed - we need him.

Hopefully breaking our short losing sequence will lift the spirits and confidence ahead of some more tough PL games, and the full week break will reinvigorate the weary and infirm.

Perhaps the most telling comment on a hard-won and undoubtedly deserved victory over a distinctly average 1st Div team was in the Sunday Times match report - "In the first half Newcastle's defence was as arthritic as Dolly the sheep!"

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

but in a sheep like way, you'd still happily clone another Shearer

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

Your Dyer-tinted spectacles deceived you Macbeth, it was Bellamy who broke down the right and evaded the keeper. Dyer seemed to be playing in the withdrawn role (presumably only played through lack of options since he is clearly knackered) so Speed was under orders to get forward in support. I would love to have seen that extraordinary nonsense when Bellamy and Dyer were desperately laying the ball off to one another to avoid the responsibility of shooting only to leave it for Bernard who duly scored only for it to be ruled offside since the others were still head of him.

Robbie Elliott stank.

Mullins is a cheating get. So is Hopkin, but you already knew that.

The few occasions when our players didn't lie down appealing for fouls, Riley perversely blew the whistle anyway so I don't recall more than four passes ever being strung together all afternoon. The linesmen were simply disgraceful, looking to the players to tell them who was offside. The only quick flag was against Morrison, it took 2 seconds for some of the others to be given.

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

........baaaaaaah, humbug. ;-{I

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

yes, it was Bellamy, just a typo on my behalf

the flag for offside in the second half was so late it was unbelievable, I think if I'd set off from the Leazes end ran the length of the pitch, grabbed a spare flag from the dugout I would still have beaten the guy to the draw, just amazing

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

Clarky, I'd have to disagree re MOTM. Al did well but Bellamy had them cacking their pants.

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

"baaaah", "sheep", "Shearer" and I've just got back from New Zealand, ewe lot certainly make me chuckle!

Please don't lambaste (*groan*) me.

;7)

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

Sheare is used as a battering ram up front ?

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

....and apparently (according to the lasses), he's horny.

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002

Lets hope he fleeces Leeds on Saturday

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2002