Roeder looks on the bright side

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder came out fighting after seeing his UEFA Cup dreams fall apart in Holland.

The 51-year-old was left to pick up the pieces of another season which will end with no tangible success after the Magpies surrendered a 4-2 aggregate lead as AZ Alkmaar ran out 2-0 winners on the night to progress on the away goals rule.

Roeder admitted his side had simply not been good enough at the DSB Stadium, but refused to pronounce their season dead.

He said: “It is too easy to say it is another season of failure for Newcastle.

“That is just too easy. You know the problems we have had. The squad has been decimated for six months by injuries.

“We have got a few back now, but we have had to pick up points during the season with a team that was minus a dozen senior players.

“There are nine games left now and we need to pick up as many points as we can to make sure we finish as high up the Premiership as we can.”

Shota Arveladze fired the home side ahead within 14 minutes and Danny Koevermans sent a crowd of 16,401 into ecstasy with what proved to be the tie-winning goal 11 minutes after the break.

Scott Parker saw what would have been an 88th-minute winner chalked off by French referee Bertrand Layec, but with Kieron Dyer and Obafemi Martins both passing up glorious opportunities, there were few arguments about the outcome.

Asked where the tie had been lost, Roeder replied: “Conceding two goals. We needed to score one and we did not. It is as straightforward as that.

“From our point of view, the two goals were poorly defended. Considering how well we played last week, we played very poorly tonight.

“We had too many players off form, experienced players who I would have expected to do better.”

AZ coach Louis van Gaal was delighted with the application of his team, who progressed to the last 16 after a 5-5 aggregate victory over Fenerbahce despite trailing 2-0 at home in the second leg.

He said: “I have to give my players a compliment for this massive performance.

“It is tough mentally when you are trailing 4-2, we we have proved before we can do it.

“I have to give a particular compliment to my two defenders, especially Ryan Donk, who is only 19 and has not played many games.

“The triangle of Donk, Kew Jaliens and Demy de Zeeuw was the key to our success in this game.

“It was difficult for us because we did not succeed in scoring more than two goals, so Newcastle kept trying.

“There was a big chance for Kieron Dyer when Obafemi Martins was completely free in the middle of the goal, but we are here and I am relieved.”

Van Gaal got his tactics spot on as winger Julian Jenner gave 19-year-old emergency full-back Paul Huntington a torrid time.

“In the first game, we left Nolberto Solano in a free role and he took advantage of that fact,” Van Gaal said.

“Tonight, we played with Julian Jenner and Maarten Martens in wide positions and therefore Scott Parker and Nicky Butt were swimming.”