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Season 2002-03
W
olves (a) FA Cup Third Round
   
Date:
Sunday 5th January 2003, 4.00pm
Live on Sky Sports

Venue: Molineux

Conditions: Icy cold but dry.
 



 

Wolves 3 - 2 Newcastle United
Teams
 

Goals

6 mins  We'd already looked a bit shaky from crosses but when Kennedy sent over the
ball, Butler easily headed back for Ince to make a decent contact and fire past a static
Given. Acuna was at fault for not marking Ince but the defending in general was a
taste of things to come. 0-1

28 mins
  Their keeper threw the ball long and our lot were seemingly taking their
afternoon doze. Newton found Cameron and there in acres of space on the left side
of the box was Kennedy who side-footed firmly from 15 yards inside the far post. 0-2

40 mins
  Bellamy was sent scampering down the right and he accelerated away from
the Wolves defence with ease. Often he makes the wrong decision having got to the
byline but this time he picked out Shearer perfectly and Al's side-foot may have found
the net had it not been blocked by Butler. The ball spooned up and Jenas was able
to head into the empty net. 1-2

43 mins
  Watch the TV replays if you're in doubt about this one. The ball had been
won by Lescott fairly but then for no good reason he pulled back Bellamy. Did he go
down too easily? Perhaps, but was Bellers going to struggle to keep his balance and
then go and politely ask the ref to award the kick? Wolves fans would do better to
boo their own moronic, overrated centre-back for such a senseless foul. Mind, anyone
sporting such a poor beardy chin-strap is suspect in my book. Shearer converted without further ado from the spot 2-2

Half time:  Wolves 2 Newcastle 2

49 mins  Summed the day up. If you could run this sequence again and airbrush out
the Newcastle players it couldn't have been any easier for Wolves to score. Unopposed
cross from the left by Kennedy, unchallenged header across the goal by Newton and Ndah prodded past Griffin on the line with Given having already followed the cross. Shambolic.. 2-3

Full time:  Wolves 3 Newcastle 2

We Said

Sir Bobby fumed:

"I think we completely wasted 45 minutes of football in the first half and went in at 2-2 and were lucky to do so - we got out of jail.

"At half-time there was only one team that was favourite to win that match in principle - and it wasn't Wolves.

"We lost the second half 1-0, yet we played better second half than in first half.

"You have to give them a bit of credit - they ran their hearts out and played better than they have done for a number of matches. They were up for it and they got a mammoth victory.

"I am not just disappointed - I am sick. We have lost a gigantic game. I am cross, but I am trying to keep cool. The FA Cup is gone for us - it is history.

"I hope some of them (the players) are as sick as I am. Again we have conceded three goals away from home and it is really unexplainable - we are not defending as well as we do at home.

"Whether the players don't give their all I don't know. We have had words, cross words, we have been angry with each other.

"This was a cruel defeat for this club. Nothing hurts more than the defeat.

"We were poor in the first half. We never hurt anybody, we never got close to anybody, we weren't full of verve.

"We though the result would just come our way because we are in the Premiership and they are not, and in principle we have better players than Wolverhampton - but we didn't have better players than them.

"It's hurt us and I hope the players don't sleep tonight like I won't."

They Said

Dave Jones said:

"I had some great times at Stockport and Southampton - and some since I've been here - but that certainly ranks up there. I just try and do the business and when they perform as well as that it's great."

"It was end to end and both teams had a really good go," he added. "We rode our luck second half but they did as well. They frightened us but we frightened them.

"We said all week we would get opportunities and if we got them we had to take them. We didn't think we'd get as many as we did and I don't think anyone can complain.

"(For) their first goal we got caught. We knew they had pace and we had to be fully concentrated but we weren't.

"People have said Joleon was hard done by but (on TV) they still felt it was a penalty.

"When we came in at half-time the lads were still upbeat which made my job easier and we said 'go and do it all again.'

"We showed good ability and determination not to give the ball away and to win it. People were sticking heads and feet in at the end."

"If you'd seen us against Norwich and Portsmouth you wouldn't have said that. What we've not been able to do is score goals.

"All we've done (here) is show what we're capable of. When we reach our peak that's what we're capable of but we haven't done it enough this season. That's the standard we set and that's the standard I want us to reach.

"There are no grey areas at this football club. We were up for the Derby game and had loads of chances and if we'd put one away then everything's hunky dory.

"We aren't at their (Newcastle's) level but we still had enough pace."

"Against a Premiership side, if you get chances you have to take them, and that is what we did," he said. And that's not what we've been doing in recent games.

"I do not think anyone can fault the performance from the players. Recently we have not had a level of consistency that we need to score goals - we should be beating the likes of Bradford and we know that.

"But against Newcastle we have shown what we are capable of. That is the standard I set and expect us to reach."

Sir Jack Hayward gushed:

It was wonderful, absolutely terrific. It was no fluke, we were on top of them for much of the game, and it could have been more. The players were absolutely terrific, every single one of them."

Match Stats

Our last victory on this ground in a competitive match came in April 1990 thanks to a Kevin Scott effort in front of the away fans on the now-demolished massive terrace. 19,507 were there to see it and we remained 3rd in Division Two, eventually perishing in playoff purgatory to them lot down the road.

We also faced Wolves in the FA Cup when a 4th round tie at SJP in January 1979 finished 1-1 (Withe) and we lost the replay.

Last 11 trips to Wolves (all league unless stated):

2002-03
Lost 2-3 Jenas, Shearer (pen) (FA Cup)
1992-93
Lost 0-1 No scorer
1991-92 Lost 2-6 Quinn, Peacock
1990-91 Lost 1-2 Clark
1989-90 Won 1-0 Scott
1982-83 Drew 2-2 Varadi, McDonald
1978-79 Lost 0-1 No scorer (FA Cup)
1977-78 Lost 0-1 No scorer
1975-76 Lost 0-5 No scorer
1974-75 Lost 2-4 Tudor 2
1973-74 Lost 0-1 No scorer

This was our first 3rd round defeat at the first time of asking (i.e. not requiring a replay) since a 3-0 home defeat by Brighton in season 1985/86. We have tumbled out at this stage since, but only after a replay (to Watford, Bournemouth, Chelsea & Villa).

A suitably memorable (for him anyway) 100th game in charge of Wolves for Dave Jones.

Noisy home crowd? It was the sound of them choking on their own hypocrisy. "Where were you when you were sh*t...?" they asked us. Errrrr, the Molineux. Where were they?

08.03.1986 D4 Rotherham (h) 2,838
11.03.1986
D4 Plymouth (h) 2,367
18.03.1986
D4 Bury (h) 2,205
      (
Season average: 4,019)

31.01.1987
D4 Crewe (h) 3,759
07.02.1987 D4 Stockport (h) 3,238
17.02.1987 D4 Aldershot (h) 3,357
      (
Season average: 5,754)

 

Wondered what their shirt logo was all about? A tangy, crispy snack ideal for dips? No, it's an acronym: DORITOS - Division One Rubbish In Tatty Orange Shirts....

Waffle

After the Liverpool win, Alan Shearer was first out of the changing rooms and up in the Sky box while the others were probably still fishing for their expensive watches which they'd stuffed into their shoes, (behind their rolled-up socks, of course).

Apart from a few words about the Premiership win, he hammered home the point (possibly a bit too forcefully) that Newcastle United fans would rather win the FA Cup than the Premiership. Hmmmmm, I'm not too sure about that one, Alan. This reminds me of Bob Wilson (I think) saying on Football Focus twenty years ago how us Geordies would rather see a fantastic 2-2 draw than a boring 1-0 win. 

It all fits into the cosy, romantic notion the world has of us North Easterners, who are passionate but simple folk and are easily pleased. It's a bit patronising but be honest, we've all had a drink and a friendly handshake on the back of this notion, as the world and his wife think we all have a little Robson Green charm about us (I'm struggling for the female equivalent here - certainly NOT Jayne bloody Middlemiss).

Having said that, the Cup is special and if we were ever to win the damn thing then Cardiff or the new Wembley would be treated to celebrations the like of which hadn't been seen since 1951 (I'm assuming in 1952 & 1955 we had started to get a bit complacent). 

But if the Devil had appeared before kick-off (and Molineux is obviously one of our pointy-eared friend's residences) and offered us the choice of three points at West Ham or a place in the 4th Round, I know which one I would have taken and that's not because I'd get some pleasure in seeing the hypocritical Roeder sacked (although I would).

Going to Molineux was a step back in time for a few of us. We were there ten years ago - not Molineux but First (or Second) Division obscurity and frustration. Listening to callers to Radio WM saying, "If only we could perform like that in the league", "other league teams play at Wolves like it was their Cup Final", "our ground and fans deserve Premiership football" etc. etc. It could have been the Metro radio moan in back in 1981, just after we'd beaten Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup or given Manchester United a fright in the same competition almost a decade later.

Now, as much as I love Bobby and Alan to bits, they were saying what most of us wanted to hear and certainly what the cameras and scribes expected to hear in their post-match interviews. As controversial and unpalatable as he or his gesture may have been, Craig Bellamy got it spot-on by pointing at his Premiership badge as he left the pitch. And he, unlike most of his colleagues deserved the right to have his say by spilling his guts on the pitch and showing he cared, despite knowing that the FA Cup is not our priority.

We are light years away from where Wolves find themselves now. Even given a play-off miracle they will not be fourth in the Premiership or in the second phase of the Champions League in ten year's time. No way. 


Big bang theory - view from the away section of...balloons.

Thankfully, we always seemed to distance ourselves from the sort of things that scream "wannabee big club" - even in our darkest of days. But when you see fireworks (I don't think this is a SKY thing...yet...), goading furry mascots (ours are awful but still don't do this), balloons and music to get the fans going, you know that you are at a small club. Oh, and of course a snatch of Song 2 by Blur when their goals go in - the mark of no-marks everywhere. 

The laughable thing is that Wolves think they are anything but. Even if they do go up (God forbid with some of the vermin that supports them) they'd still be firmly in the Bolton, Charlton, Fulham category - they all have a bit of history and "Billy Wright's too.... No, Sunday was a stark reminder of a former existence and one best left forgotten.

However, none of this excuses the ineptitude of the black and white performance we had to endure. The white shorts & socks theory can't be blamed anymore - Feyenoord put paid to that. No, this was a rotten effort from THE WHOLE TEAM, although some did deserve to be singled out for their couldn't-care-less demeanours:

Given - made some decent stops to keep the score at 3-2 but less than commanding on crosses and could do with learning some Schmeichel teammate-bollocking techniques. Might have done more than just watch Ince's shot speed past him - he was almost limply waving at his defenders before the ball went in. And yet again were we the only ones to see him visibly wince when he kicked the ball out? He is carrying an injury and has been for at least six games. 

Griffin - usually difficult to criticise but didn't seem as up for it as he usually is. No crunching tackles that I can remember and didn't fancy hurling himself (bomb-hero style) at Ndah to prevent the third. Part of a rotten defence that was all at sea.

Bernard - worst I've seen him. Pulled out of tackles, disappeared upfield to no great effect and was skinned like the proverbial rabbit numerous times. Deserves to be further castigated for talking to Robert as if he's his mate.

Hughes - possible to excuse him for being a trier and a seemingly nice lad? Maybe but still culpable in that he was as guilty as any of the back four for not dealing with crosses, attacking the second ball or having any positional sense whatsoever.

O'Brien - similar to the above but only half as guilty due to the number of minutes played.

Jenas - shame that his deserved first Toon goal seemed to get lost in all of this mess. However, still recovering from his Old Trafford nightmare in my book and less of a physical force than we need at the moment. I do like the lad, though.

Solano - a disgrace. Probably no less inept than Robert but seems able to take criticism and respond positively and with some humility. In which case, Nobby you were rotten.

Acuna - praised to the heavens by Robert (and others) for his Liverpool performance. Nothing short of awful in this game. Passing was appalling and his "ability" to stop the opposition deserted him, especially when he was ambling about yards behind Ince for the first goal. Seems to look worse against poor opposition.

Robert - aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I've said my piece already but the most annoying thing is, he obviously genuinely thinks he's playing well and trying hard. You get the feeling that his arrogance would transcend any amount of face-slapping or relieving of cups of tea. I blame his parents. Doesn't seem to have any concept of what is right or wrong. Dribbling the ball into three opponents - WRONG. Losing possession in general - WRONG. Taking 40 yard pot-shots - WRONG. Letting a considerably weaker opponent knock you off the ball - WRONG. Standing admiring an opponent heading the ball - WRONG. Ambling across to take corners deep into injury time - WRONG. Whipping in crosses for non-existent 6'6" strikers - WRONG.

Bellamy - almost beyond reproach but not quite. Still way too gobby - not just with the ref or opponents but with his own team mates. A few times he stood shouting at the nearest animate object when his energies were better served running and chasing the ball. The world is not against you yet Craig, just Coventry and Kevin Muscat.

Shearer - can't let him get away without some words about his vocal abilities. On the pitch not a great captain in my book. Yes, he has the respect of everyone in the Beardsley-as-captain mould but his words of encouragement or chastisement seem few and far between. Some of our lot need more than just a "come on" and clap of the hands as we kick-off after conceding yet another goal. Seems to be saving his voice for the post-match interviews which may not be going down too well in his own dressing room. Perhaps an indication that his future may lie in punditry not management...?

Subs:

Dabizas - mixed bag as usual. Some horrendous blunders but some fantastic last ditch tackles that none of the others were prepared to make.

LuaLua - didn't just stand about like the colleagues he criticised afterwards. However, still showed absolutely no intelligence about his play with wayward passes and impossible dribbles spoiling the good stuff. But that's what you get from players when they are thrown on to save the day. He has a point in feeling he should start a game.

Ameobi - had a weak shot or two when a dramatic late equaliser seemed possible. Didn't really add to our attacking presence and got in the way of Shearer a couple of times.

Niall MacKenzie  - tried hard to give vocal encouragement but needs others around to initiate chants - never managed to start one yet. Got distracted for large parts of the game by a gibbering fool who wouldn't shut up (NB not Biffa.) Drunk, one assumes and hopes.

Right, that feels better. 

Let's hope this is a watershed in that we don't end up looking back on this game and seeing it as the point in the season when things started to go belly-up. Onwards to the Boleyn with stout hearts and clean slates - lessons must be learnt. 

PS: We don't normally preserve the front page bit we write before the report, but purely so we can look back and chuckle as the open top bus does a second lap of the city (one per trophy) here it is:

United's away day bottlers did it again.  After getting out of jail, we managed to wave the white flag of surrender to all but ensure another season without silverware on Tyneside.

The performance at Molineux was nothing short of a disgrace with players pulling out of tackles, some not even bothering to put a foot in at all and a defensive performance that was a complete embarrassment.

Once again we contrived to make workmanlike pros look like megastars while our arrogant and overpaid rabble took complacency to new found heights. 

The Wolves players wanted the victory so much more than our lot and fought tooth and nail for every ball and thoroughly deserved the victory. In fact, the scoreline almost flattered us, regardless of whether LuaLua's first touch crossed the line or not.

Craig Bellamy (or was it really the Journal) issued a recent "leave Robert alone" plea. Errr, sorry Craig, not after paying good money to sit and watch that.

If Alan Oliver had taken things further over recent incidents then submitting this tape as 'Exhibit A' would have left no case to answer. A more lazy, half-arsed, uninterested and cowardly performance is difficult to imagine. Were justice to be done then said journalist would have gone into the Newcastle dressing room and smacked him in the gob, saying, "I told you so"

Doesn't know what it means to play for Newcastle? I'm more than happy to sit down and catalogue at least 20 incidents where this egotistical waster disgraced the black and white shirt. It's difficult to remember when a Newcastle player (ok, Silvio Maric excluded) has been less willing to take a kick for the cause.

Paired down the left with Olivier Bernard we become sitting ducks. By no stretch of the imagination is Bernard a left-back. He's not usually one to shirk responsibilities but, he too, pulled out of a number of 50-50 tackles and went AWOL from his allotted slot on numerous occasions.

Other midfielders were culpable in leaving our defence exposed but this excuse looks a little lame after examining the way our back four failed to function as a unit for large parts of the game. 

Wolves, a team struggling to make the top half of Division One, held at home by mighty Derby days previously and missing most of their first choice attackers, tore our defence apart at will.

Will we take advantage of the transfer window? We need more than a bit of double-glazing to plug some of the three-quarter inch gaps in our back four. But let's hope Bobby doesn't go looking to buy some ornate French Windows....

If there was a (Hi-ho) silver lining, it's that five decades of FA Cup failure seem to have made winning the damn thing so unlikely that for many of us the competition is a distraction from the real business of the Premiership. 

Not so Sir Bobby though, who in the post-match interviews gave a fair impression of a man reaching the end of his tether - i'm sure Claire Tomlinson stood back at one point and warned the camera crew "he's about to blow."

One can only imagine the dressing room carnage when he did erupt, with the captain similarly simmering. God knows what either of them can say to sort out a side who keep imploding - we keep raving on about the magic night in Rotterdam, but it's easy to forget that we almost ****ed that up as well through our own failings.   

We now face a trip to Upton Park next weekend, giving the players ample opportunity to prove to the fans and the manager that they are capable of going to an away ground and reproducing their home form.

Whether they'll do so remains to be seen. 

Having said that, the silent majority of the 3,500 Newcastle fans got what they deserved for their lack of support. Nowt. 

In fairness some of them appeared to have been rendered speechless by the farce that unfolded in front of them.....we may have regained our crown of The Entertainers in the eyes of the TV mob, but seemingly at the expense of our own supporters.

The worst thing though, the bloody worst thing is trying to defend our defence against slack-jawed pundits and opposing fans as they trot out those oh-so familiar lines. Then we go and do this. Again. 

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