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Newcastle 1 - 1 Benfica - 11/04/13 (2 - 4 on agg) - post-match reaction from p60


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They are a really good team, but we showed what we could do tonight in and around the Cisse goal. Not saying we'd have gone through but if we'd played that way earlier and had made the subs sooner then who knows?

 

We didn't give ourselves our best chance of going through. It's easy to say "if we'd gone gung-ho for 90 they'd have shredded us on the counter", but to have as little midfield creativity as we did (ie. no Marv) for the first half did not work in our favour. It was essentially just 45 minutes of time-wasting on their behalf. Time-wasting in which they could have put the tie to bed earlier but for Krul.

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Are people really saying if we'd adopted more attacking strategy we'd have gone through tonight? Don't see it.

 

I think we'd have had a better chance.  We had them on the ropes for 10 minutes, that's it - because we thought that was the pinnacle of what we were capable of.  Went out with a whimper IMO.

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absolutely gutted.  What a fucking atmosphere.  Best I've experienced in a while.  In a weird way I'm happy they got their goal.  Would've felt much more sick if we'd have won that 1-0, knowing we quite hadn't done enough.

 

Can't help but feel it was too little, too late.  Over both legs, sloppy mistakes cost us and they nearly did again tonight.  The introduction of Ben Arfa however gave both fans and players a lift.  Everyone thought that ball was lost in the build-up to Cisse's goal.

 

Also got a little bit snap-happy tonight.  Here's two I took.

 

As mentioned in the pre-match thread, some of their lot outside Bar Loco

 

BHmITqUCQAA3tZd.jpg:large

 

 

Waffa Cup Thursday's panoramic view from the Gallowgate

 

BHmJpr6CAAAeMJY.jpg:large

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I felt we needed an early goal to push on and win this match, and sadly it didn't happen  :sad:

First half was about as enjoyable to watch as root canal surgery, but fair play to the lads for upping their game and really going for it in the second. I really believed we could do it for a while there. So great to see Ben Arfa back  :smitten:

Good luck Benfica, hope you go all the way now.

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In the end, whatever the gameplan, I thought it was valiant effort by the players 2nd half.

Don't think they'll be too down and they've a great match to look forward too.

Reckon they might really turn it on for us on sunday.

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Guest icemanblue

So unlucky. Very proud of that performance. After our first goal, in that atmosphere, I thought it was just a case of waiting until the 93rd minute for Cisse's winner. Was proper calm about it, bizarrely. The clearance off the line in the first half had given me the confidence it was going to be our night. :lol:

 

Thought we played it perfectly, so I'll have to avoid the Pardew thread I bet. No shame in losing to this team, and I hope that they go on to win it. Their fans were some of the best European fans we've had over here, nice to see a proper flare.

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It was a 'valiant effort' in the second half tonight, but fact is we had four halves to get it right.

 

We had a good 15-20 mins. (Since HBA came on until we lost a bit of momentum towards the end)

 

Not even one good half.

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Just returned from the game. First of all, tonight's atmosphere was phenomenal - it really made your hairs stand up. It was such an amazing night and our players were heroic. The 2nd half was unlike anything I've ever experienced, we had them on the ropes for a spell.

 

Ben Arfa came on and changed the game, he's definitely ready for the mackems. The place got such a lift when he came on and he was fantastic. Don't really know what else to say, the match is still a blur. But it was a magical night.

 

Good luck to Benfica, hope they win this thing. Europe: you were a laugh, we'll see you soon!

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Got back to the hotel. Great atmosphere in the second half, shame we couldn't score another. Disappointed on the result but we played well and thought Pardew had the right tactics considering Simpson and Williamson haven't played a lot and would've got killed on the counter. Both did well today.

 

Hard to go out like this knowing we could easily be waiting for the semi-final draw now. We really shot ourselves in the foot in the first leg.

 

Can't wait to see HBA on Sunday, we are gonna destroy the mackems.

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