Toon need a cure for travel sickness
PAULO Sousa was undeniably right – his team played Newcastle United off the park.
And had it not been for Andy Carroll's prowess in the air three minutes from time, Swansea City would have deservedly taken all three points at the Liberty Stadium.
As it was, the point was enough to edge Chris Hughton's side back to the top of the Championship.
However, Newcastle have looked anything but champions in their last two outings, Saturday's draw following a disappointing loss at Derby County.
United were again second-best all over the park, and especially in midfield, at Swansea, a team who, thankfully, doesn't have the cutting edge to match their patient passing game.
Had the home side, which moved up to fourth place after the game, possessed a striker of Carroll's calibre, it would have undoubtedly been all over well before substitute Leon Best took advantage of a hesitant defence to float in a superb cross for the 21-year-old, who took his tally for the season to nine goals with the headed strike.
United were outpassed and outclassed, and Kevin Nolan and Alan Smith lost possession time and again, while Danny Guthrie struggled in an unfamiliar left-wing role.
On the opposite flank, Wayne Routledge was pegged back in his own half, and his team-mates couldn't get him on the ball in the final third, where he is most dangerous.
David Cotterill – whose superb opener had seemingly given Sousa's team the points – gave Danny Simpson a tough afternoon, and, up to his equaliser, Carroll had not been on his game.
Lovenkrands, meanwhile, was largely anonymous, and it was only the introduction of Best in his place that perked up the visitors, who had gone into the game looking for their first away league goal since the Boxing Day visit to struggling Sheffield Wednesday.
Carroll's intervention ensured the afternoon was no disaster, not least because of third-placed Nottingham Forest's defeat at Doncaster Rovers, Billy Davies's side losing 1-0.
However, even the result from the Keepmoat Stadium wouldn't have cheered up the 1,000 or so travelling fans who had made one of the longest trips of the season in hope, and expectation, of a return to winning ways.
West Bromwich Albion's 2-2 draw with Reading in the FA Cup's fifth round at the Madejski Stadium, of course, also played into Newcastle's hands.
The result means an unwanted replay for Roberto Di Matteo's side, who are a point adrift of United.
Still, they can't rely on too many more favours. And what they've got to do is play like they did against Cardiff City in their last home game, shrugging off their cautious reputation by sweeping aside one of their promotion rivals in what had looked an ominous display of attacking intent.
So on Wednesday night, when Coventry City are the visitors to St James's Park, which Newcastle side will turn up?
SWANSEA CITY: De Vries; Tate, Monk, Williams, Bessone (Rangel, 7); Dyer (Butler, 80), Orlandi, Pratley, Allen, Cotterill; Kuqi (Pintado, 74). Subs not used: Cornell, Gower, Trundle, Richards.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Harper; Simpson, Coloccini, Hall, van Aanholt; Routledge, Nolan, Smith Guthrie; Lovenkrands (Best, 66), Carroll. Subs not used: Krul, Williamson, R Taylor, Pancrate, Kadar, Ranger.
Goals: Cotterill 56, Carroll 87
Bookings: Coloccini 33, Orlandi 58, Carroll 82
Sent off: None
Attendance: 15,188
Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire)
* Will Andy Carroll be Newcastle's top scorer this season? Take part in Today's Vote >
Email to a friend
Print this page- Newcastle target Barnetta to quit Bayer Leverkusen
- Demba Ba insists Newcastle United contract talks ongoing
- Transfer Rumours update May 22: Sunderland, Newcastle United, Liverpool, West Ham United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and QPR.
- Transfer Rumours May 25: Sunderland, Newcastle, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal
- Millionaire was close to buying Newcastle United
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for South Shields
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
