Uefa Cup Semi-final, second leg: Newcastle United reached the Mediterranean coast yesterday afternoon knowing that their season has reached the stage where it is make or break, all or nothing, or, more appropriately, black or white.
Any scoring draw against Marseille this evening would mean an aggregate victory after the 0-0 draw at St James' and take Newcastle through to their second European final, in Gothenburg in a fortnight. When they get back from France, Newcastle then face three Premiership games in six days which will determine whether they have a qualifying match for the Champions League again next season, or are even in Europe at all.
"What's in front of us is huge," said Alan Shearer. "We now have a great chance to win a trophy - we've always said that's what we're in this competition for and that hasn't changed - and a chance to make this season a great one.
"But we're aware, too, that it could be bitterly disappointing and a huge let-down. There can't be any middle ground now, there can't be anything in between - it's either great or nothing.
Tonight's game will also define the future of this Newcastle team, their sense of themselves and their direction. A lot has rightly been made of the spate of injuries over the last few weeks, but the Newcastle team that lost to Manchester City on Saturday still cost more than the Arsenal side that started against Birmingham City the same day.
The away dressing-room at the City of Manchester stadium was a noisy place on Saturday tea-time and Shearer's voice, rather than Bobby Robson's, was most prominent. The angry debriefing carried on at the training ground on Monday, after which the phrase "frank exchange of views" emerged. Shay Given called Newcastle "soft touches".
The Jekyll and Hyde nature of Newcastle's away form has perplexed all. They have not won at any of the bottom eight clubs in the Premiership this season. Both Leeds and Leicester have won away more than Newcastle.
And yet in Europe Newcastle have not lost on foreign soil since a 3-1 defeat at Barcelona in the Champions League 17 months ago. One has to go two months further back to see the last time Newcastle did not score away in Europe, at Juventus. That was 11 European trips ago and so there is logic as well as moderate optimism about Newcastle scoring in the Stade Velodrome.
Yet the prevailing feeling is that it is at the back where Newcastle will win or lose this semi-final - and the three league games after it.
The Marseille manager Jose Anigo made special mention of Jonathan Woodgate after the first leg, but his absence means that Andy O'Brien will partner Titus Bramble for the 24th time this season. Their reputation as a couple is not great yet only six of the previous 23 games have been lost - 12 were won.
Whether Anigo or his efficient striker Didier Drogba will pay any attention to such statistics is open to some debate. Only Given's woodwork denied Drogba at St James' Park and the striker has scored in all of Marseille's three home games in the UEFA Cup since they exited the Champions League.Robson looked ahead and said tonight will be "an ordeal".
Guardian Service
