By Matthew Jones
October 28 2003

Newcastle United midfielder Lee Bowyer has revealed how crunch talks with manager Sir Bobby Robson helped him recapture his old form. Newcastle United midfielder Lee Bowyer has revealed how crunch talks with manager Sir Bobby Robson helped him recapture his old form.

He said: "I spoke to the manager and he asked me why I wasn't going into tackles so much. I told him that, when I do, I keep getting booked.

"It wasn't that I was trying to clean up my act as such. But bookings bring suspensions and I don't want to miss any games. I don't want to be in trouble with the FA so I have been trying to control my aggression.

"The manager told me that I had lost part of my game. I have got around to thinking that maybe he doesn't mind me getting booked, but I'm still trying to control myself.

"I was out for a long time through injury and, when you lose your fitness, it's a major struggle to play at this level of football. But since I came to Newcastle I have been made very welcome and I'm starting to feel good again now. People have started to see the real Lee Bowyer in the last week or so. I think I played well at Middlesbrough and Fulham and now I have done it at home against Portsmouth.

"A big part of that is because I am playing all the time, that is the only way to get your fitness back properly. I feel in these last three games that I have been getting back to my old self.

"I feel my game is really starting to come together now but I still haven't scored a goal for Newcastle yet. When the goals start to come, maybe then I can consider myself to be back in that kind of form.

"That is all I'm missing now. I'm aware that it has been 12 months since I scored and I need a goal. I will continue to get into the positions, I know the goals will come."

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