LAURENT Robert has sensationally slammed Newcastle's UEFA Cup hopes by claiming that the club is now in a worse state than when Sir Bobby Robson's side crashed out of the competition last season.

The French winger, who is never afraid to speak his mind, delivered a damning verdict of his side's current form ahead of this evening's crucial quarter-final second leg clash with Sporting Lisbon.

Robert was part of the side that lost tamely to Marseille in the last four of last season's UEFA Cup and, with a win or a draw tonight guaranteeing a semi-final with either AZ Alkmaar or Villarreal, there are hopes that the Magpies can go one stage further this term.

But, after recent domestic defeats to Aston Villa and Tottenham revealed glaring weakness in Newcastle's side, Robert has admitted that things will need to improve massively if this evening's game is not to end in more disappointment.

"Are we better this year than last year? No, I don't think so," said the French international. "Are we the same? No. Probably worse.

"I don't think we are playing as well this season as last. We have not played well in the last three games.

"We have been very, very bad. We were awful against Aston Villa and we lost at Tottenham and were not playing good football.

"It is difficult to explain why we are playing so badly but we have to get out of it quickly."

Robert's ire has not been directed solely at his team-mates, as the 28-year-old has also launched a stinging broadside at Magpies' manager Graeme Souness.

The Scot has not always seen eye-to-eye with the Reunion Islander since moving to Tyneside in September.

He kept the mercurial midfielder on the bench for most of the opening two months of his reign and repeatedly pilloried him for his questionable work-rate and lack of defensive discipline.

But, after being hauled off before the hour mark in Sunday's defeat at Spurs and going straight to the dressing room, Robert has accused his manager of failing to talk to him and refusing to praise him when he has played well.

"It is difficult for me at the moment," he revealed. "In the last three games I have been taken off after 55 or 60 minutes and I don't like that.

"I don't like it when the team plays bad football. I have not been happy when I have been brought off. I think everyone has seen that - it is very depressing.

"There is no communication and the manager does not speak to me face to face to tell me when I am playing badly, and neither does his staff.

"I read that he does not feel that I do enough but I feel like I have proved myself to him last month. You will have to ask him what he means by that."

Robert has admitted that his own form has dipped in recent weeks, as Newcastle have embarked on a run of domestic defeats that have seen them tumble back into the bottom half of the Premiership.

But, after struggling to get into the game at White Hart Lane, the winger does not feel he is being allowed to play to his strengths.

"When everyone said I was playing well, I was getting many balls down the left," said Robert. "I have not been seeing so much of the ball recently.

"The team has not been playing well and I have not been playing well, but it is not just down to me.

"I have tried to get crosses in to the strikers and I have tried to do my best with free-kicks. But it has been difficult.

"It is not about me when I am playing well, it is about the team playing well too. It is not about me when I play badly, it is about the team playing badly. It is not just about Laurent Robert."

Souness' reaction to Robert's comments remains to be seen but, with Kieron Dyer likely to drop back into midfield if Patrick Kluivert is passed fit tonight, it would be no surprise to see the Frenchman left on the bench.

His long-term future is equally uncertain but, despite his latest blast, the former Paris St Germain star insists he remains keen to extend his current contract beyond the end of next season.

"I still hope to stay at Newcastle," he claimed. "Last month there were discussions between my agent and the chairman. Nothing has happened since. I don't know why, but I think it will have to wait until the end of the season. It is okay because I have another year left and, if Newcastle don't want to give me another contract, I will go after that. I would prefer to stay because I like the club very much."

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