Bobby Robson said:

"Since I've taken over we've got organisation back in the side, the work ethic is up and the players playing to their potential. We've lost just one match in 11."

 

George Graham said: 

"It's better to be facing a replay than to be knocked out but in the end the result was very disappointing because we dominated the first half."

To all students of Newcastle United, here's today's examination question: 

"compare and contrast the Spurs away game of 9.8.99 with the Spurs away game of 12.12.99."

I'm sure that even the most ill-prepared black and white scholar wouldn't have much difficulty in constructing a satisfactory reply. It's now surely obvious to everyone, even the London-based media, that to paraphrase Fatboy Slim, "You've come a Long, Long, Way Geordies..." 

What was an early season mess and clear indication that Rudi's Newcastle was built on sand and liable to flooding, has become a safe haven for Magpies..a House of the Rising Rob-son if you will.....(not even John Gibson would have dared use that one.....)

But before we all start doing the Resurrection Shuffle and booking APEX tickets to Kings Cross, it would seem prudent to exercise some caution. Spurs in general and Ginola 'n' Georgie in particular are slippery buggers, and a home replay isn't necessarily the gimme that some might think. 

On the evidence of the White Hart Lane cup tie there isn't much daylight between the two sides. And as was proved by the earlier league games, the team that retains its composure and unity invariably comes out on top. Witness our abject surrender at the first signs of a Spurs fight back in August and the indiscipline that followed our winning goal at SJP less than a month ago.

This cup game was harder to call, partly because of a noticeable lack of bad challenges and associated ref-baiting malarkey (not unconnected to the absence of Leonhardsen and Taricco), and also what in effect was a midfield stalemate for at least the first hour. 

Playing each other four times since April seems finally to have had some effect on both sides, and it was noticeable that Ginola made many similar runs in the semi-final i.e. sideways. Mr Fox of course, was Mr Fox; getting £4.2m for him still being the second best thing Ossie Ardiles ever did (after saying "win the cup for Tottingham" on that record, obviously.)

Those United fans who made their way to N17 and parted with sizeable portions of wedge (£27 and £32) were quick to remind their neighbours that they weren't able to "sell all their tickets", and wide expanses of shiny blue seats were in evidence, a scene repeated all over the country as the footballing public for once said "enough." 

Not content with messing about with the draw and elongating the fixture schedule, it seems finally that scheduling the 3rd round before Xmas has blown apart the myth of manna from the FA Cup in the form of thousands of wide-eyed fans waving their wads. 

Greed seems to be the word, greed that takes the cup holders off to play some circus teams on the other side of the world; Greed that tries to shoehorn outrageous amounts of money from people to pay for moderate players to indulge passions for fast cars, horrible ties and stupid women. A small thumbs up then in the direction of NUFC for the blanket £20 cup ticket policy, long may it continue.

Of course, having complimented the club on one aspect of their ticketing policy, I'm duty bound to weigh in a barbed comment about the increasing corporate mentality that pervades the thinking in the "box office" as it's now called (you try getting two for the stalls and some popcorn though....) 

Shying away from the home tickets row, it must be recorded that those who paid £180 for their executive day out at Spurs undoubtedly help to balance the books, but in a purely fiscal (i.e. non-supporting) sense buy their way to the front of the queue when such small trifles as cup final tickets are dispensed. 

Had our brave boys fought past Roma and somehow got to the UEFA Cup final (held in Sweden) next May, by my calculations we would have got around 5,000 tickets for the man/woman in the street to fight over, once the corporate hangers-on had been "rewarded." There were would have been blood on the carpet then, I'll wager.

Before Las Vegas hi-rollers come to take my seat then, I'll confirm that Harper continued his overdue return to form in this match, and that in front of him the defence stuck to their task with only the odd mishap, principally hesitation from Dabizas for the goal and a Helder backpass that nearly caught the 'keeper out. 

In front of them however, a certain lack of creativity was evident, especially in the opening 45 minutes when caution was undoubtedly the watchword for Bobby's boys. Not a criticism you understand, just an observation.

The absent Solano may have added some incisiveness to the cause that Dyer wasn't physically able to provide at this stage in his comeback, but when the time was right for a change in personnel, Robson waded straight in and saw the benefits. 

Some observers felt that he waited too long before mixing things up against Roma, but the introduction of Glass and especially Gallacher coincided with the best spell of attacking pressure United mustered all afternoon. 

The corner that led to the equaliser came from Glass - his second meaningful touch since the perfect cross in the Villa home game last season, (the other one being his header against Spurs in the league) while Gallacher made Spurs look worried and start to mass men behind the ball. The Georgian came on but never got sufficiently wound up to wreak his customary havoc and mayhem.

The jury remains out on Duncan Ferguson, although he will look back at the replays and wonder how he didn't get his first FA Cup goal for United with a second half header. When he's fit enough to train between games we may see something approaching an understanding between him and Shearer, but at present there is little more than a physical presence.

Full marks to the team for sticking to their task, especially after their exertions of the previous Thursday, and to the away fans who gave the lads good support throughout most of the game. 

There were quiet bits during the second half after the Spurs goal, but one or two people kept initiating the songs and chants that built steadily, in contrast to the moribund home fans. A quick five minutes of post-goal clapping and a spot of Shearer-baiting is the sort of piss-poor effort one comes to expect from this lot of tarts. In much the same way the exertions of getting up to Old Trafford for the semi-final rendered them mute, so a shortage of gloves in North London yesterday presumably accounted for a mass bout of hand sitting. 

Sad to say also, post-match skirmishing on the Seven Sisters Road seen in previous years was again evident. Young away fans wearing colours walking in ones and twos being kicked and punched by local tossers. Of course, despite the fact this has gone on for years, the boys in blue turned up 10 minutes later when the instigators were long gone. Bad losers, and it was only a draw.....

Finally, it would seem appropriate to float the idea I've carried for a few weeks that Robson is a "lucky" boss in the same way that Kevin Keegan had talismanic qualities when he was in command. 

Maybe it's just fate, or something equally as ethereal and spiritual that defies logical examination, but his very presence seems to exert a calming influence on players, without him seemingly doing a great deal. Contrast his periodic ambling to the touchline and handwaving with the jack-in-the box stupidity of say, John Gregory. 

Should Bobby manage to mastermind a victory over Spurs via a penalty shootout, rehabilitate or sell Howey and Ferguson, and teach Pistone to pass the ball, for one will be putting him forward as a candidate for the next Pope. There are some things beyond science............

Biffa