Varadi

Exactly - don't give them even a sniff of hope, get at them fast and early and crush them. Hatem and Shola can add the finishing touches.

Definitely hope Benfica go on to win this now.

Why play Marveaux on the right and Sissoko in the middle, instead of the other way around? They'll probably interchange, just think that's the personnel we'll see starting.

Looking at the comments from Pardew, think it could be: Debuchy – Taylor – Mbiwa – Haidara Cabaye – Tiote Marv – Sissoko – Jonas Cisse Harsh on Gouffran but can't see either Tiote or Jonas left out if they're fit.

Even the papers picking up on the "Combined XI" trend: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2307886/Newcastle-v-Sunderland--Best-XI-sides.html 8 mags, 3 mackems (one of which doesn't even belong to them, and the keeper call is highly debatable IMO)

Looks in decent nick - if Haidara is going to play in the derby would be tempted to use Jonas in the middle alongside Cabaye - he's just a fair bit steadier and more predicable than Tiote...

Much prefer Marveaux's corners like. Or Ben Arfa's.

Definitely. We should have far too much for them and it's been ages since I felt so confident ahead of a derby. Which is really worrying!

Haidara

Really hope that's true - need him for the derby.

Aye - you would have to think there's a better plan for him next season.

I'd normally agree. But he had the tactics spot on. Would've got murdered pressing for the goals the whole 90 Bingo. I've slated Pardew for most of the season for the negative stuff but I can completely understand how we played tonight. Any Benfica goal killed the tie stone dead, going hell for leather from the off would have left too much space at the back. We clearly got the first and threw everything at them to get the second and had Benfica on the ropes. We just couldn't quite finish the job and get the second goal. We were forced to show a bit of restraint due to being 2 goals down from the first leg, it wasn't like we started the tie at 0-0 tonight. No blame attached to Pardew tonight from me. I have defended Pardew more than most, certainly you in recent weeks, but I just can't understand this way of thinking at all. This was a game in which we needed a convincing win, a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to the semis in a European competition against a very beatable opponent, as we saw last week. Since we were two goals down we essentially had nothing to lose at the start of the match, and all to gain. Just go at them from the off, put them under pressure and try to get an early goal. Yes, you may not get the early goal, tire badly and get picked off later in the match as you run out of steam, but I don't think anybody would have complained if at least we would have tried. As it is, we tried to calculate our way to the semis, sat back for far too long, looked nervous and unsure what to do for the entire first half and gave them the initiative, resulting in a good number of chances for them that could, and arguably should, have seen them through well before the "planned" point in the game when we finally spurred into action. It was all very reasoned, and counter intuitive to any football player, and that showed through in our performance. In the last half an hour we showed we were capable of hurting them, partly through bringing on our creative players. I would much rather have seen at least one of them (Marv) from the off to get Benfica on the back foot early on. In short: the fact that the gameplan nearly worked should not be mistaken for it being a good gameplan. That's fair enough, I just think his hands were tied a bit due to needing 2 goals without conceding. I think had we gone for it and opened up then we'd eventually have been picked off and the tie would have been dead. I can understand those who wanted us to go for it from the off and get at them early, there's logic to it - you need 2 goals, try and get them asap. That makes sense. I just think tonight was the time to be cautious, try to keep it tight and shorten the game. I'm not begging people to agree with me but I can see logic in Pardew's approach tonight. It was frustrating to see it develop in the first half but a break here or there in the last 5 minutes could have got that second goal and sent us through. I can see both sides of it but I can understand Pardew's gameplan tonight as frustrating as it was. Agree with that.

The margins between awesome Cisse and disappointing Cisse are so small - we're 2 post widths and a narrow offside away from a Europa semi. It'll all come together soon I reckon - hopefully Sunday...

People forgetting about Gouffran? I would start: Krul Debuchy - Taylor - MYM - Jonas Cabaye - Tiote Ben Arfa - Sissoko - Gouffran Cisse

Did OK tonight - knows his limitations and stuck to them. Not bad a s a 4th choice.

Definite highlight of the night - hope he starts Sunday...

So unlucky tonight I thought - was handicapped by the 2 disastrous errors from the first leg and a long list of key injuries but almost masterminded the perfect game.

He was a key part of the team that finished 5th to qualify for this competition so he's nowhere near as bad as reading this thread would have you believe! Hope the crowd in the ground are patient tonight mind - 0-0 after 70 with attacking subs to come on would be a decent position to be in IMO.

That's what I thought like - Perch for Willo (not exactly a huge difference) and Marv playing probably the only real options. All very well saying we should go all out attack but lose an early goal or 2 and it's finished...

Looking forward to this now - expect to go out so anything else is a bonus, just want a good performance and no key injuries...

That's the spirit!

Think that's all it is - not even definitely out of this one yet according to this: "Steven Taylor's got a knock this morning so he's a doubt for the game tomorrow, which is a bit of a shame." http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20130410/ben-arfas-back-for-benfica_2281670_3139405?

Bullying the ginger kid in training: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/10/article-2306828-193808B0000005DC-493_634x696.jpg

Perch.

News has gone down well on the SMB: