Roeder: 'We Didn't Want This Tie'

It is the FA Cup tie that nobody seriously believes Newcastle United can win, but Glenn Roeder has played it down as 'just another game' and a match either team can win.

Roeder: 'I just see it as another game with a fantastic prize at the end of it. It's the game no-one wanted, we've accepted it because we had to accept it and we're looking forward to the trip. We'll see what happens. If we all knew what the result in a football match was going to be, nobody would turn up to watch it.

'It's not hard to raise the players for this game, away, at the best team in the country. We've lost a couple of battles recently, but we've not lost the war.

'The thing about the English is we love an underdog. We aren't going there even-stevens, we're the underdogs and I'm sure we'll have more support than our own on Wednesday night. I've been told that I was part of the Newcastle side which last won at Stamford Bridge, but I don't remember that far back!

'Only people in our dressing room and people in Newcastle believe we can win, but just because we've not won there for a long time, it doesn't effect how we will get on against them on Wednesday. I've been there in the sixth round as a young player at Orient and we won 1-0. We were massive underdogs on that occasion, far more than Newcastle United are going there.

'That was a quarter final in the FA Cup as well, we drew 1-1 all at Brisbane Road and everyone expected us to be knocked out. That didn't happen, Peter Kitchen scored for Orient and a young defender, whose name escapes me for the time being, was outstanding at the back. Apparently, it was that performance which led to me joining Queens Park Rangers in the summer. That match is one of my favourite cup memories.

'You never know if it's a good time to play them, their defeat on Sunday won't make any difference. Going out of the Champions League really irritated them because that's the one they wanted. The FA Cup is very important for them now.

'Lots of teams before us have found it very difficult against Chelsea, but as Fulham showed at the weekend, it's not impossible to beat them. If we aren't prepared to go down there and look them in the eye and stand up to them, it's going to be a very difficult evening.

'They are a very good, flowing football side when they get going, but the one thing they always make sure of first of all is that they win their personal battles all over the pitch. That's what we've got to be ready for, we've got to win more battles than they do.'

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