1. You beat Southampton 3-1 at the weekend and you opened the scoring with a formidable free kick. For you and the Magpies, it was a great day at Saint James' Park?

As usual it was very good but the goal I scored made it even better. I hadn't scored since the beginning of December and the goal gave me enormous pleasure. I feel better and better in this team but I know I have to work harder to bring more to the team.

2. What was going through your head when you lined up the kick?

As I was thirty metres out, I didn't have that many options. I had to hit it hard but get it on target, too. The ball left my foot like a cannon ball and the keeper must have seen it coming towards him at some speed (laughs)

3. How did the match go?

It was very tight. We went in at half time 3-1 up but I didn't think we'd been that strong in defence or in midfield. In the second half, we held the score and controlled the game to the end.

4. Apparently your understanding with Distin wasn't quite as good as the previous game?

No, it wasn't that. It was just that a lot of the game was on the right and me and Sylvain didn't get much of the ball. He did a good job defensively.

5. You are still 2 points off Man Utd. At this point, you could say that the title fight will be between you, Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool?

It's true that Leeds and Chelsea have fallen behind but we don't work like that. We play for ourselves without worrying about what anyone else is doing. We try to take points from every match and that's what we will try to do until the end of the season.

6. You play Man City in the Cup on Sunday. What are you doing for training?

We are training one day in two until Friday when we will take up normal training.

7. Bellamy has had a few problems. Is he in Newcastle?

No, he is away with his national team. He is apparently being fined - the press are talking about 100,000 pounds but I don't know what happened. If he's done something stupid and been fined, that's fair enough. In any case, it's his problem. See you Thursday.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

Answers

I feel better and better in this team but I know I have to work harder to bring more to the team.

Probably the most positive thing he's said to date. Thanks once again Dougal.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

I disagree that much of the game was on the right. I thought that both Robert and Distin were given quite alot of the ball on Saturday. However they were not as assured with it as Nobby and Hughes. Distin was shaky, although he was out of position.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

I thought Distin looked abit shaky/unfit in the first half, but he impressed me more in the second half

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

There definitely were a few occasions where the telling ball would have been out to the left where Robert was on his own in acres of space, but they fannied around short passing until the ball ended up either in a crowd on the right or in touch.

No excuse IMO, and I even had the impression the guys with the ball (not sure who) new exactly where Robert was and chose to ignore him.

About the only benefit of being up on level 7 is that that sort of thing stands out like a sore thumb.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

Aye I noticed Robert in acres on a few occasions, although it's also a two sided coin. Robert, it could be argued, should really come inside a bit and help to get the ball rather than stand out wide waiting to be passed to.

A couple of times I saw Robert in acres, but to be fair it would have taken some pass to actually pick him out as the right side was often crowded.

However, we will learn to use all sides eventually. (I hope)

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

IMHO, Robert spent a lot of time (too much??) cutting inside. Maybe that was partly due to the ball not getting to him??

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002