Newcastle United Fan View: Magpies hoping for a Cup run

Newcastle United face League 2 leaders Luton Town in the third round of the FA Cup at St. James’ Park on Saturday and the Magpies will be hoping to put an end to their dismal cup record under owner Mike Ashley.

This could be, and Magpies’ fans hope it will be, the last season that Newcastle United compete in the FA Cup under Ashley’s ownership. The cups have never been a priority under his reign; the club has always been focused on the league and given we have been relegated from the Premier League twice in the last decade, this plan clearly has some gaping holes in it. In the last 10 years, Newcastle United have won a third-round tie once at the first attempt. ONCE!

16/17 Birmingham City (a) drew 1-1 (won replay)
15/16 Watford (a) lost 0-1
14/15 Leicester (a) lost 0-1
13/14 Cardiff City (h) lost 1-2
12/13 Brighton (a) lost 0-2
11/12 Blackburn (h) won 2-1
10/11 Stevenage (a) lost 1-3
09/10 Plymouth (a) drew 0-0 (won replay)
08/09 Hull City (a) drew 0-0 (lost replay)
07/08 Stoke City (a) drew 0-0 (won replay)

On paper, we should beat Luton Town; they may be flying high in their league and they will most definitely come to Newcastle full of confidence and with a nothing-to-lose attitude, but under Rafa’s guidance, we should be able to weather the inevitable storm and do a professional job.

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There is no doubt that Rafa will want to rotate the side that won so well away at Stoke City last weekend. The week after the Luton tie, we have a must-win home game against Swansea, and whilst all eyes and focus will be on the Hatters tomorrow, I am sure the team selection will reflect we have a huge game just seven days later.

However, whilst the squad will be rotated for sure, due to a combination of injuries and a simple lack of depth in the squad, it is unlikely that Rafa will be able to select a “cup starting eleven” in the same way the top six often do against so-called lesser opposition.

One interesting change could be to give young English keeper Freddie Woodman a run out. With Rob Elliot injured and Darlow being the only senior goalkeeper fit, it is very likely that Woodman will start and, for me, this is a huge positive. Woodman, although young, has shone when playing for the younger England sides and whilst out on loan. At 20, he is young for a keeper, but I am sure he looks at the likes of ex-Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with some envy. Pickford got his chance at Sunderland and took it.

Freddie Woodman will be hoping for a similar path, starting tomorrow (but hopefully for us not a path that ends up at a different club!). I also expect the likes of Rolando Aarons and Henri Saivet to get a game, both of whom have been given time in recent Premier League matches and have more than held their own.

Aarons has been plagued by injuries during the last three-to-four years but when he has played, he has looked very promising indeed. As well as injuries, he has had some off-field issues that have put his name in the papers for the wrong reasons but, like Woodman, Aarons should be looking at tomorrow’s game as a huge opportunity to showcase exactly what he can do.

We have had a few matches like these over the years and I have always said pretty much what I have said above; give the young players a chance, mix them in with some seniors and hope they grab their chance with both hands. Unfortunately, this rarely happens and we under-perform, scrape a draw or get beaten. What odds on one, or both, of Rob Lee’s sons scoring though? You know it is going to happen! I am truly hoping this is not the case tomorrow, as the FA Cup has brought me some of my happiest NUFC-related memories and I am hoping we can get a good Cup run going.