1. Newcastle narrowly beat Manchester City 1-0 on Sunday which means you've gone through to the quarter finals of the Cup.

Yes, that's the important thing. I have to say that they had a great side, managed by Kevin Keegan, and we didn't really show our superiority but despite that, we deserved to go through.

2. How did the game go for you personally?

In the first half it was great, I saw a lot of the ball and I made a lovely chance for myself from the left. After half time, I didn't do so much as I wasn't getting the ball..after City went down to ten men, they tightened up and we didn't create as much. We managed to score and after that, managed to close the game down.

3. Manchester City made some chances in the second half, though...

Yes, they made some chances but, unlike us, they didn't put them away.

4. Sylvain Distin had a good match.

He was made Man of the Match. He was in central defence and he had a great game. He's doing really well, even when he plays at left back, which is really great for him.

5. You face Arsenal in the next round.

Yes, this will be a hard game. We are already playing them in the Championship next weekend. Our diary is very full, with Sunderland away followed by Arsebal, Liverpool, and the Gunners in the Cup again.

6. This is a key period for you.

Absolutely. There are some big games in the Championship, starting with Sunderland on Saturday. It's a derby and we really have to get three points. The manager has given me some days off so I'm at Disneyland to take a breather to be ready for the huge tests that are coming up. I'm back in training on Friday.

7. Anything to add?

Well, there are rumours that Liverpool aren't happy with Anelka. I;m going to talk to him and get his news. We play at Liverpool soon, and it would be good to catch up before we meet on the pitch.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Answers

First I'd heard about Anelka. Surely it's too soon even for him to be unhappy.

Ta Dougal, as ever

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Thanks Doug - does he actually call them 'the Gunners'?

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Disneyland? Cheers Doug.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

I've never been meself. I hear it's a bit Mickey Mouse....

Not even pausing to collect coat -

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Wait....he's got most of the week off, comes back on Friday to train... Any wonder the other players tend to forget he's there on a matchday? Don't get me wrong, I love the guy and want him to do well. But I don't see how the other players are going to fully accept him as part of the squad when he's swanning off to Disneyland while they spend the week training.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

I think they are all getting some days off although I'm not sure they are getting three days (Lolo was in training with the rest of them yesterday). The problem is, Alan doesn't tell us when he is availing himself of the villa in Spain, Aaron doesn't tell us when he's off to his mam and dad in Northern Ireland, Craig never lets slip when he's away in South Wales...we hear about Lolo's expeditions.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

2. How did the game go for you personally? In the first half it was great, I saw a lot of the ball and I made a lovely chance for myself from the left. After half time, I didn't do so much as I wasn't getting the ball...

You might get more of it if you CHASED THE FUCKER.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

I think Robert was already half way to Disneyland on Sunday night, especially in the second half!

I too am a bit suspicious of player's committements when they are always flying off home at the first opportunity. It doesn't seem like he's settling in. Hughes and Shearer, to use Dougals' examples, probably do take time off but at least they live in the area. Robert doesn't really do that either.

He needs to bond with the rest of the team, it would help his game. A good night out on the Quayside should do it! Then again........

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Hasn't his bairn been ill? Maybe that's why he's getting the time off and going to Disneyland.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Dan, you sound like a man who needs a drink

Robert's game will develop given a bit of time. Solano never used to tackle back half as much as he does now. Mind, he sweats like a pig when he raises his workrate. He was tightly marked on Sunday and City forced him inside to his weaker foot. Fair enough. Ginola used to get the same treatment when he was at his best for us (e.g. Lee Dixon at Arsenal). OK, his overall work rate (esp 2nd half) could have been a lot better. It will come.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

True, Dougal. I just figured they'd be training all week. I thought they only got 1 or 2 days off.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

HTNOTHIMHO Dan.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

I don't think Dyer was playing Dan.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Robert used to get criticised when he was with PSG for always going back to Montpellier to see his parents. It really isn't just about being in Newcastle. Robert's kids do go to a school in Newcastle so I think we are exaggerating the "not a resident" thing. NTG spent most of last season in Greece, preferring Greek doctors and the climate while he was getting over an injury. Did anyone give a flying one?

I think we have to remember how terminally shite we thought Solano was until about the Christmas of Bobby's first season. In fact, it's only in the last six weeks that Solano has been beyond criticism for his defensive work.

Ciara, I think I read that because the players have so many games coming up, YBR is giving them a slightly extended rest but I don't know how many days he was talking about.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

I'm with you Dougs....LoLo is a class act....end of story :))

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Dougal - there was rather a large difference between NTG's circumstances than Lolo's. NTG had undergone major knee surgery and was recuperating. Robert is supposed to be playing in a team. Once or twice (especially if the bairn is ill) is OK. But I have to say, it's becomming a bit of a regular thing. I can understand why the other players might feel anti. They get their R&R down the uayside and get hounded by the press, coppers and silly little school girls. He swans off to the Sooth of Frogland. Where's the bonding???

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Sorry, Screach - I disagree. NTG was away for most of last season, preferring to be in Greece than in Newcastle. He wasn't there to "bond" with the team, was he? End of story, whether he was injured or not. The fact that Lolo isn't out with Bellamy et al isn't relevant - neither were about 32 other members of our squad. If they weren't all out together, then it doesn't matter whether the absent parties were in Greece, Ponteland or Montpellier. We were told when we bought him that he was a major family man: his family lives in Montpellier. He

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

I wonder how his kids manage to get so much time off school?

He is undoubtedly being handled with kid gloves by Bobby Robson, and as I've suggested in the past, this is almost certainly the only approach he can take to avoid switching this temperamental guy off completely, and effectively 'losing him'. Nevertheless, in a team environment this is not ideal, and will almost inevitably create some degree of animosity among his colleagues, some of who will resent him receiving such preferential treatment.

Hopefully, his team-mates will understand that him receiving privileges is worth accepting to ensure his maximum contribution to the collective effort - and imo this demands that he unequivocally does the business on the field, or there will inevitably be problems.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

The difference with NTG is that he demonstrates his determination on the pitch. He was mullahed (sp) by the fans early on - most of us would have been quite happy to see the back of him - but stuck at it. Robert's absences remind me more of Gullit's - granted his boy's been ill, but it still feels like he's commuting from abroad.

These website interviews are not helping his cause - he seems unable to be self-critical, blaming anything other than a sparkling performance on team tactics or a lack of service, and spends the rest of his time bigging up Distin.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Nope, give up Nick - HTNOTH?

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Dougal - I disagree. NTG's injury was long-term. He was an establihed member of the team/squad already. Same as Shearer. He had a long time off and spent some of it having R&R away from Ponteland (and the Quayside, which BTW was very much TIC in my earlier posting). LKD goes back to Ipswich quite often when he's injured.

I really do think Lolo has to look at himself a bit more closely. If he can swan off to MOP, then why not Distin and Bernard to Gay Paris? Nobby to Peru, Lua x2 to the Congo and Farcelino to Spain (ah, I see my argument falls somewhat here)?

As Clarky says, YBR seems to be treating him with kid gloves. I trust his judgement, but he's got a helluva job on his hands to keep the rest of the squad from distancing him (litterally!). Special cases can be made, but when they become the norm, then resentment sets in. I'm not sure Lolo is doing enough elsewhere to avoid such resentment, and as Dan says, a number of his comments on his website could be taken as being more critical of every other bu99er than himself.

Mind, if anybody can bring him in line, it's YBR.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

How do we know Lolo isn't just trying to throw the press off his trail by saying he's at Disney? Perhaps he's really stumbling around Osborne Rd with a floozy on each arm. ;-))

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Generally agree Screacher, but look at Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham a couple of seasons ago at Manure. They both openly admitted that they weren't on speaking terms, yet formed a formidable partnership that led them to the title.

If the players are professional and focussed, then it should only be a minor problem.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Screacher, we'll have to agree to disagree. I think what you're saying smacks of double standards. You obviously don't. Can I point out that Bernard and Distin may be in Paris. They don't have websites to let us know. NTG is at a funeral in Greece and Peru is a bit further than France and Nobby has had one or two breaks in South America (eg. Maradona's testimonial).

Clarky, the kids are about 3 and 2 so I'm fairly sure the nursery truant officers aren't after him..

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Equally, while he may criticise other players, did anyone read his lovely comments about Alan and Craig in this weekend's programme? Has anyone seen his comment about Alan being le boss de Newcastle?

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

PPS.He's obviously the victim of his own honesty: if Al and Gary and Aaron et al had their own sites, we could slag off their leisure pursuits too. "Playing the guitar, Aaron? Isn't that a bit solitary. Get yourself down to the Baja and get bladdered with Craig".

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

You also have to remember that he is French. The French mentality is being open and speaking your mind - look at Anelka, Petit and even Vieira at Arsenal, Domi and Goma at Newcastle and Henry after the Newcastle game with Graham Poll, no restrain, just pure mind speak (if that's a phrase)

I'm sure some of the other Newcastle players would be critical or certain players if they were French.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

it the Nick on the hand

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Paul, you're absolutely right about the cultural dissonance. The French think we are a hypocritical race because of our squeamishness about calling a spade a spade and in fact, on his site, Lolo lists hypocrisy as a pet hate. Having said that, you'd have thought someone one would have pointed out the way his words are interpreted if they were perceived as a problem by the club.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

i'm sure if we heard the real opinions on all subjects of our players we'd either be very bored or completely shocked and would probably have a different view of them completely. right now Aarons' probably picking his way through the foster and allen songbook, but openly telling people that he's just learnt another Van Halen riff...

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

I reckon this is a storm in a teacup of our own brewing (..see what Ive done there teacup, brewing...Forget it). It seems to me that team moral is at its highest. We were concerned about the after effects of bellamy's misdemeanours, but we won. I just think that we are so close to achieving a trophy this season that we are making big issues of news from NUFC. Just relax, take the valium and make sure you have your seat belt on as what ever happens there are still going to be some highs and lows and a hellavalot of loop the loops. AM

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

But if we don't brew up storms in teacups, what's left to talk about? ;-))

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Could always talk about hatching eggs from unborn chickens (is that how it goes?)

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

The Weather...Weather or not we win the league...doh!!

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002