Again, Newcastle United is having a winable game against lower team from different division last night, but failed to manage the win as the lucky Stoke side fought back bravely in second-half.

As always, the Cup romance is producing numbers of shock and sad stories, especially for the Premiership teams. Year after year, the lower division teams give difficult times for any team above them and for us, it’s looking worst because we are being under achievements so far in our own League.

It could have been better if we are the Liverpool side perhaps? I don’t think so, or maybe you feel that we were not the better team than Everton, Blackburn or Birmingham who are being knock-out. The Arsenal’s team must give all the hard working efforts until the last ten minutes before taming the stubborn Burnley side.

Newcastle United is always have its own romance, and as many have seen, the Toon Army and United Club is a pair of lovers who hate each other but cannot live without it. We are unique and that’s why the press are also fell in love with us and always be there to create something to tell the world about our love affairs.

Yesterday, I saw another Sam’s experience, and to put Rozehnal as right-back automatically raised the eyebrows, as well as Damien Duff playing as right midfielder. But, no matter what Sam Allardyce have to make decisions and start the game with the usual players in that position are both in no match fit condition.

The same thing is happens with Alan Smith. Frankly, I didn’t know if he is in fit condition after the colision with Faye that hit him the most, with hospital treatment needed after that. He is having the most quiet game he ever been involved this season, and that will surely bring attentions to those with negative mindsets.

I feel sorry for Big Sam. It seems that every decisions he made and every style of game and players choice he made are always be wrong in the eyes of some Toon Army. Upset is ok, but we need to give ballance and see why he did that, are there no other better options so he should go with that tactics etc.

I think the Britannia’s result is a good one for us regarding to what Allardyce have as options in our team. Without Martins, Beye and Milner, we are even more less in options. We are not in good shape and thanks to Faye he is still be able to make appearance, I will surely miss him at Old Trafford next Sunday.

The good point from Stoke’s game is we are be able to see another academy product breaking through the first squad appearance. Kazenga Lua-lua make his debut to replace Damien Duff, and he’s doing great, more lively than some of Toon midifelder yesterday. Big Andy is also tasted his first United’s FA Cup with senior team.

This Monday we will have the fourth round draw, and with a reply against the Potters in ten days, I’m hoping we will get a good draw result and be able to playing at home.

After 10mins tooing and froing, we had a decent 20 minutes spell where we kept the ball and probed for openings. We created only one, which Owen bottled with the keeper closing on him. Stoke seemed to realise they had little to fear, and gradually took control.

From our perspective, the 2nd half was an abomination: we were truly appalling. While I’m not really feeling charitable, it looked to me as though fatigue may have contributed to our latest horror show.

Viduka, Enrique, Rozehnal, and Smith were a disgrace to their shirts. I’ll excuse Owen from that s**t list as he is obviously nowhere near being match fit.

Taylor and Faye were outstanding, and almost single-handedly kept us in the FA Cup, at least until the replay. Nicky Butt’s distribution was generally poor, but he put in helluva shift, and I’d excuse him from the heavy criticism. I have no idea wtf was wrong with Alan Smith today, but he had an absolute nightmare.

Zog was our most creative influence - indeed our only creative influence. Duff flattered to deceive, althought to be fair to him when he did manage get the ball in it was generally into an empty penalty area. Viduka may be capable of holding up the ball, but his lack of mobility is a serious problem. He and Owen have no understanding at all.

We basically had nothing in midfield, and up front. We lost any semblance of control in midfield on the half hour, and never got it back. For large parts of the 2nd half we were under siege, and simply clinging on, conceding corner after corner.

Watching that cr@p, it’s difficult to know what the Manager can do to bring about an improvement, especially looking at the upcoming fixtures - and we are about to lose two (Beye and Faye) of our best three defenders to the ACoN.

Rozehnal, Geremi, Smith, Barton and Enrique, and possibly Viduka, look like busted flushes to me, and the harsh reality is that this reputedly “good playing squad” we have is illusory. The truth is we have too much overpaid cr@p in the squad, and I doubt any Manager could produce a decent team from it.

We’re still in the hat, just. However, inmy honest opinion we’re lucky to be so. It was sheer bloody agony to watch yet another shambolic performance.

PS: Once again, the Toon Army were fantastic.

Big Sam is again making changes on his team and it was quite surprising me to see Rozehnal and Duff playing on the right hand side of Newcastle team.

Eneique making appearance in left-back and Allardyce pushed N’Zogbia to field in Duff position. Faye and Taylor guard the heart of United defence today. Big Sam is look to forcing a win as he came up with 4-3-3 formation using Alan Smith operating just behind the two target men Owen and Viduka.

The home side, although unbeaten in Championships league, with 5 wins and 5 draws so far, they never had any win against any team from higher level for the last 43 years. While playing against Newcastle team, Stoke only can manage two draws and beaten four times from their last six meetings.

The game start with United team attacking, but the chance was come for the home side in four minutes when Ricardo Fuller managed to shot on goal, but not much trouble for Given to save his effort.

Soon after that early threat, United team dominated the game and the travelling Toon Army starts to singing to give the support for United team. But from all the United attacking effort, there’s only one real chance on goal, it was in the 25 minutes Viduka tries to get Owen away one-on-one with Simonsen.

Owen attempted to lob the ball but Potters goal keeper manage to hosts clear. Soon after United best chance so far, the Stoke breaks in.

Fuller’s run the clear ball on the left-wing, skip the challenge from Taylor and the sliding tackle of Alan Smith, he races towards the Newcastle box but Faye who playing his best today block Fuller’s shot for a corner.

Nicky Butt receive his tenth yellow cards today after going in sliding challenge to Lawrence who tries to work an angle for a shot 25 yards out. Nicky Butt will have to serve a two-match ban which means he will be absent on Toon visit to Old Trafford next week.

The second-half action was a table turns for United, as the home side is having the greater chance and wins the most of corner kick.

On the 67 minutes, after Tony Pulis making changes to take off Simide and bring in Parkin. His first ball on the game was immediately causing trouble for Toon defence. His passing to Jamaican striker Ricardo Fuller gets the better of Taylor and Given.

He is then pulls the ball back for the supporting Parkin, who sees an empty net but somehow a combination of Taylor and Faye manages to block on the goal-line. The delivery was dangerous and Eustace wins it at the back post before Shawcross tries to volley it inside the six-yard box that force Given to make a save. A breathtaking moments.

Big Sam making changes in 74 minutes with Damien Duff making the way for 17 years-old Kazenga Lua-lua to make his first team debut. From what I saw, Kazenga is making several good movements, and daring to run with the ball more often than any other United players today.

With three minutes left, Sam Allardyce call off Mark Viduka, who is below the par today and give the chance to Andy Carroll who is just return from his loan at Preston North End. A replay is needed to decide who is going through the fourth round which will be drawn tomorrow.

Stoke City FC:
Simonsen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Cort, Dickinson, Lawrence, Eustace (Pulis 90), Pugh, Cresswell, Sidibe (Parkin 66), Fuller
Subs: Hoult, Zakuani, Pericard

Newcastle United FC:
Given, Rozehnal, Faye, Taylor, Enrique, Smith, Butt, N’Zogbia, Duff (LuaLua 76), Viduka (Carroll 87), Owen
Subs: Harper, Cacapa, Edgar

Referee: Steve Bennett
Attendance: 22,861