Oba Martins talked today about the game last night and he is very disappointed for the Newcastle fans.
Oba believes it’s a game Newcastle could have still won and admits he did miss a few chances. But he comes across with great honesty and he is now concentrating on the next game at Manchester on Saturday.
We need Oba operating at his very best – because we know he can get the job done in Owen’s absence.
Oba Martins – ready to produce on Saturday
Martins said today:
“I feel really, really sorry for our fans.†“It was disappointing for all of us, but especially me after having some good chances.â€â€œThe fans wanted us to win this cup and they were really good for us last night. They tried everything to help us to win, but we couldn’t do it for them.†“Last night is very disappointing for them, especially as we had a lot of good chances to score and change the game.â€
“We did our very best, but we just couldn’t do it on the night.†“We wanted to go far in this cup and we felt we could beat Arsenal, but it wasn’t to be and I feel very sad today.â€
Martins had his first chance from a great Jose Enrique’s cross was headed goalwards powerfully by the Nigerian but debutant Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski made a wonderful save. Quite a start for the Polish goalkeeper.
Then Martins had a half chance which he blazed over the crossbar when a little composure surely would have produced a goal. Then in the second half within 30 seconds of the first Arsenal goal he brilliantly rounded the keeper on the left hand side, steadied himself and pushed the ball towards goal – but amazingly Senderos got back to clear off the line. With this particular chance Oba didn’t do much wrong at all – but maybe he should have put his foot throught the ball more. But he will score more of these than he will miss and his great ability is in the speed of mind and foot. At times last night he was just too quick for Senderos who we thought may have been Arsenal’s achilles heel.
Oba continued:
“I feel very unlucky.†“With my first chance, the keeper had to pull off a good save.†“You have to try to forget it when you miss, though.†“I had a second chance to score, but for me, the chance after Arsenal had scored upset me most.â€â€œI heard the fans celebrating and I really thought the ball was going in.â€
Martins is going to be a very important player for us in the next few weeks as he will play in every game. We just hope that he doesn’t dwell on those misses too much but we are very impressed with his truthfulness in this interview – he doesn’t duck having missed the chances. That must be good because we know he’s a good player and he can score goals. But we’re sure that Sam will have Oba and the rest of the squad ready for Saturday. It’s clear we need the 3 points and it’s very possible we can get the job done – especially if we can get one of Oba’s better performances.
Oba added:
“As a striker I have to accept it wasn’t my day, it was hard luck.†“After the game I thought ‘Oh my god’ but I have to recover.†“It’s over now, so I have to focus on the next game against Manchester City.â€
Well said Oba – but always remember the fans are behind you – and want you to succeed. Because if you succeed Newcastle United succeed and our fans our back in Newcastle’s very rosy garden  😀
Comments always welcome.
20 comments so far
Steve K
Sep 26, 2007 at 5:37 PM
Comment #1Allardyce put it best when he said “Oba always seems to finish the hard ones”.
Ivan
Sep 26, 2007 at 6:04 PM
Comment #2come on martins!
we are all behind you!
i hope we win on saturday, gonna watch the match on tv.
martins had great positioning and reflexes during arsenal’s match. we were just unlucky!
Hadji
Sep 26, 2007 at 6:17 PM
Comment #3Well too bad i wont be here at Saturday cause i’m packing my bags now and i’m heading to Miami tomorow.I feel little down cause i won’t be able to watch Epl there from the reason that they only show Spanish and Italian league.
I work on a cruise line called Carnival Cruise Line as a Headwaiter.
I wont watch Epl till mid April,and i just wanna thank the fans on this site for the great 4 months of joy.
And i would like to thank to Ed Harrison for making this site so enjoyable.
All the best for Newcastle from the bottom of my heart.
HOWAY THE TOON.
Rasko Hadji from Skopje-Macedonia
Arthur Prince
Sep 26, 2007 at 6:23 PM
Comment #4good luck Hadji !!
when you come back we will be in the top 6 just you watch !!!!!
Arthur Prince
Sep 26, 2007 at 6:27 PM
Comment #5Team for Sat :-
Given
Beye Taylor Rozenhal Enrique
Milner Geremi Emre (if fit ) or Smith Nzogbia
Viduka Martins
Away win
Hammy
Sep 26, 2007 at 6:35 PM
Comment #6Yeah, see you Hadji……have enjoyed some of your posts….let us know what Miami’s like, remember us lot freezing our bollocks off in the North East.
Johann
Sep 26, 2007 at 6:55 PM
Comment #7best team for sat:
Harper
Beye Taylor Roz Enrique
Martins Butt Zogbia Milner
Smith Viduka
hadrian
Sep 26, 2007 at 7:05 PM
Comment #8feel bad for oba , but for a young lad he’s performed well , knocked in goals and then been dropped …..
he’s bound to feel pressure when he’s being told there is a striker who is going to always start infront of you , even tho he’s done bugger all for us on the pitch and only scored against mediocre teams .
im not knocking owen , im sure he’ll come good like he did for england , but here lies my point , he’s only come good for england and we’ve dropped a young lad who was playing well for us .
this will bite us in the backside when both owen and martins leaves us , i know which one seems the most loyal .
hope oba comes thru this , lets not all pile the pressure on him as he was performing great before all the owen crap .
Doctapaul
Sep 26, 2007 at 7:23 PM
Comment #9Bon Voyage Hadji. I’ll be flying the Toon Flag from Las Vegas, celebrating my wife and my 10th Wedding Anniversary.
10 happiest years of my life and none more so that when Kevin Keegan was manager!
Doctapaul
Sep 26, 2007 at 7:25 PM
Comment #10OOPS – KK was manager afore we were married!
ToonNorway
Sep 26, 2007 at 7:49 PM
Comment #11“We need Oba operating at his very best – because we know he can get the job done in Owen’s absence.”
To me, it sounds like you just want Martins as a supersub, and Owen as our main striker. I say f#%k that. Let Owen sit on the bench, he’s the one that gets injured every freekin’ time he starts a game. Oba is never (never say never) injured, and I think he can produce much better than Owen can.
We can use Owen as a supersub, it’s Martins who’s our number 9. He is our main striker. Last year showed that.
Martins will produce, no wonder he hasn’t since he isn’t trusted to do so. We as fans must get behind him, as we usually do, and show him what a great player we think our little number 9 is.
21 or 28? Oba Oba Obafemi Martins!!!!
Just look at him after a few games, he will put away the chances:)
In Martins I trust.
Regards
/Bjørn – Norway
Graham
Sep 26, 2007 at 9:18 PM
Comment #12All the best Hadji – hope to here from you in April.
And Doctapaul, we’ve got a better chance of building a stronger squad to challenge for trophy’s than when Keegan was in charge. The flowing football will come and i think we are on course for far happier times… and to think that I did not want Allardyce at our club at any cost!
big pea ov the weab
Sep 26, 2007 at 11:29 PM
Comment #13bye bye hadji good luck for future
Ashton
Sep 26, 2007 at 11:34 PM
Comment #14hey guys i have a good news
ameobi is injured !
http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php?SKEY=61a37b473813191c1a61dabf22d41209
what a jackass !
George@NUFC
Sep 26, 2007 at 11:52 PM
Comment #15I reackon BS has got somehting a little wrong with our training methods or there is a curse on us as in the treatment room we have four players and only two other clubs in the EPL have one each, we are definately doing something wrong or as I say we are cursed in the bollocks area lol
azza jones
Sep 27, 2007 at 12:04 AM
Comment #16I definately think Oba should be our main starter with Viduka you can tell by his comments that he is committed to our cause. I cant believe that BS with all his psychologist cant see this…..
Im soooooo sick of hearing Michael Owen is out for england. F*ck Newcastle who pay that little mugs wages. Put him on his horse (he owns a few) and send him to whoever will take him. Maybe West Ham ha ha ha He doesnt sound committed and he will leave us in the future im certain!
I would rather a promising youngster of even defoe on the bench. Owens injury problems are a joke. He might as well be made of glass……
Lamesley Mag
Sep 27, 2007 at 7:18 AM
Comment #17All the best Hadji and confident you’ll find some English/Irish type bars in Miami to watch EPL and Newcastle Utd of course…….
Martins is a match winner and with regular football will improve; hopefully starting against Man City this weekend. Looks like a score draw to me though!
Dingo
Sep 27, 2007 at 9:10 AM
Comment #18Take it easy Hadji lad…. you may no get the footy on ya cruise ship.. but as head waiter i will wager you will get a fair bit of poonani. To summise, you can still score for the toon mate. Good luck and have fun 😛
Ed Harrison
Sep 27, 2007 at 10:07 AM
Comment #19Hadji – thanks – and very good luck to you.
David M
Sep 27, 2007 at 2:03 PM
Comment #20Ashton – you’ve made my day with that bit of news. Now we can play with eleven men, not ten and a pillar of salt. I posted weeks ago that we should recall Carrol and get rid of Ameobi, and his apallingly lacklustre and disinterested performances this season have only reinforced my view. Get rid!
If Carrol is away for the season or if it is still too early in his career(which it may well be) then maybe we can use some of the promised money in January to buy a decent striker who can actually trap the ball and not let it bounce of his shin to one of the opposition every time!