Alan Shearer: We must not lose at Stoke City

Apr 8 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United have been told they cannot afford to lose at Stoke City on Saturday – or in any of their last seven games this season.

Failing to win games, rather than losing them, has been the Magpies’ biggest problem this term, but caretaker manager Alan Shearer has told his team they must travel to the Potteries with a dogged mindset.

Tony Pulis’ side have based their own survival bid on making the Britannia Stadium as intimidating and uncomfortable a venue as possible for visiting teams.

It has worked well, with 28 of the 35 points gathered this season coming at home.

Stoke’s game plan is no secret. They will test United’s bottle by launching long balls at their defence while generating maximum noise from the stands.

And when the ball goes out for a throw-in, former Sunderland player Rory Delap will take advantage of the wide spaces between the touchline and the terraces to propel it as far back into play as possible.

Against a side whose character has not always matched its talent, and whose aerial ability was exposed by Chelsea last week, Stoke will be firm favourites.

That is why Shearer wants a defiant showing.

“We know what type of game to expect down there on Saturday, but knowing what you are going to face and handling it are two entirely different things,” he conceded.

“Stoke have a fantastic home record this season and they will be confident after winning at the weekend.

“It’s a must-not-lose game for us, but we have seven games like that between now and the end of the season.”

Shearer is experiencing the frustration that comes with managing his home-town team – the absence of large numbers of players from training.

But he has been more concerned with repairing the mental scars which Chelsea inflicted at the weekend.

“We’ve still got a couple of lads who are missing so I’m still not in a position where I can work with everyone just yet,” said Shearer, whose team have drawn more Premier League games (11) than anyone this term.

“We’ve got a full week ahead of us and we’ll be working on confidence.

“We’ve sat down and watched parts of Saturday’s game again and looked at the positives we could try to take from it.

“But we also know we have got to eradicate the sort of mistakes that we

made.” Something that will have boosted morale was the sight of 7,500 supporters at yesterday’s open training session.

“I said to the boys, ‘Where else would you get thousands of fans turning up to watch training when the team is third bottom?’” said Shearer.

“It’s unique and you’ve got to appreciate it, and the players loved it.”

Meanwhile, Australian League club Gold Coast United have rubbished claims they will repatriate Mark Viduka when the injury-plagued United striker’s contract expires this summer.

The A-League newcomers have made a brash arrival on the football scene, with outspoken owner Clive Palmer laughing off suggestions they should be nicknamed “the Millionaires” – and suggesting “Billionaires” instead.

But he has no plans to recruit one of Australia’s most famous footballing exports.

“He would be a great addition, but I don’t know where we would put him in,” he said. “If you look through our team it is hard to find a weakness.”

Viduka has been linked as a “guest player” – an ageing star signed on a short-term contract with a view to him becoming a “marquee” player exempt from the salary cap.

“Someone has made that up,” Palmer said. “We are talking to some really top guest players which we will announce later on but Mark is not one of them. I assure you of that.

“The last time I heard he was injured.”