http://tinyurl.com/2bvupw 文章標題我為了不要超過，所以改了一下:Q 雖然這場比賽依舊讓人失望，但不妨用另外一些觀點去看一下搞不好會 稍微欣慰一點 XD Hope can sometimes be found in the most unlikely places. At first glance it may have seemed in short supply for Sam Allardyce at Stoke last night where, amid driving rain, his Newcastle United side spent much of the second half firmly on the back foot but, nonetheless, there were shreds of optimism amid the icy gloom. They came in the form of a first-half United performance which suggested that their manager has listened to criticism about the direct, percentage- based style of Boltonesque football he has introduced at St James' Park, and has accepted that men such as Sir Bobby Robson and Rob Lee might just have a point. The club's former manager and the former England midfielder were on BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday where Robson urged Allardyce to play "carpet football" and "pass it short" if he wanted to survive as manager at St James' Park, while Lee described much of the stuff produced by Newcastle this season as "awful". If only Allardyce was not still refusing to speak to the BBC he could have answered back on air but, instead, he went one better and instructed his players to keep the ball down and, at times in the first half, they played some neat little passing triangles against a Stoke side defensively equipped to cope with an aerial barrage but not a ground assault. Unfortunately Michael Owen, making his first start since November, proved he is not yet sharp enough to polish off half-chances with his customary gusto and, panicking at their lack of post- interval progress, Allardyce's players allowed their initially considered game- plan to fall apart. The resultant draw left Newcastle without a win in five games but afterwards the manager described their display as "neater". "It was an awful night, weather wise, but it was a good performance from both sides, and we were neater," said Allardyce whose side were cheered on by Mike Ashley, the club's owner, newly returned from a break abroad. "It was nice to see Mike looking so well after his holiday," enthused Newcastle's manager before refusing to divulge details of their post-match conversation. Instead he preferred to reflect on what might have been. "We should have won it, we had better chances," he insisted. "We controlled the game for long periods but unfortunately we didn't find a cutting edge. We need more cutting edge in every department in the final third and to get Michael Owen fitter. Even though the game opened up in the second half and we defended desperately for a spell, I don't quite know how we didn't score today. "We could have done without the replay, especially with four players away at the African Cup of Nations. But we haven't been knocked out." Progress in both Cup and league will surely require Allardyce to deploy a more creative figure in central midfield. He could do worse than shift Charles N'Zogbia - impressive down the left in the first half - into that role, thus letting Damien Duff operate on his preferred left wing. Yet if Newcastle are still malfunctioning going forward they at least kept a rare clean sheet here and Tony Pulis was hugely complimentary of their defending. "You can spin this result any way you want but you have to give Newcastle credit for some great defending," said Stoke's manager. Even so, Pulis was disappointed not to have won. "We've had great opportunities and not taken them but that's maybe the bit of luck Sam needs to turn it round at Newcastle. Sam picked his best team but our second-half performance warranted us going through. "I'm pleased with my players but we stood off Newcastle a bit in the first half. We were a little bit in awe of them at first, which was a little disappointing, but they've got a smashing team with players like Owen, [Mark] Viduka and Duff. On another day we could have scored two or three goals, we had plenty of good chances." One of the best fell to Stoke's substitute striker Jon Parkin and he admitted: "We're a little disappointed not to be through to the next round without a replay. Newcastle are obviously having a bit of a sticky time. I think they are relieved to still be in the competition but we've done fantastic." Allardyce's team failed to hit such personal heights but at least he indicated a welcome willingness to compromise stylistically. Perhaps he could offer Sir Bobby a senior advisory role and make Rob Lee his technical director. --

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