A goalless draw was poor reward for braving a bliddy freezing night to get a sight of the new lads. Nevertheless, it was a point gained against the league leaders, so was fairly creditable.

It was a lively, if error-strewn game. We started brightly, but Pool gradually took a grip on the game and ended the 1st half well on top.

We started the 2nd half well, having a 20 minute period on top, during which we created a couple of  half chances, with Baheng narrowly missing our best chance. However, Pool once again got a hold of the game and in the final 20 mins or so created a whole string of good chances but contrived to miss them all. Some of their misses were actually comical.

Wor giant keeper, Forster, made a few good saves, but has an awful propensity for punching everything rather than using his height to catch the ball. Not sure about him overall.

We defended quite well but a lack of control in midfield enabled Pool to use runners from deep to create a good number of chances. Kadar looks a decent CB, and perhaps shaded Edgar. Tozer puzzled me. He started well, strong in the tackle and used the ball well.

However, he took a knock and after that just didn’t seem to fancy it. For those of a certain age, I thought he looks remarkably like Stewart Barrowcolough!

As with the 1st team, our major problems on the night were a real weakness in central m/f and careless passing that repeatedly conceded possession. The wide men did ok. Brian Marwood’s lad, James, looks a useful player. Johnny Godsmark I really like. He is an absolute midget, but is brave and all-action, and makes really intelligent runs.

Up front we started with our up-and-coming Academy star, Ryan Donaldson, and Wesley Baheng. However, with Pool playing 5 in midfield Baheng had to drop deep, leaving young Donaldson up on his own. He certainly looks a player, but found it difficult against two giant CBs, and never really got into the game. Behang did ok, worked hard and looked lively.

Interestingly, despite not having a single recognisable name in the squad, Liverpool had 11 foreigners in their 16 man squad.

TEAM LINE UP

NUFC: Forster, Morris, Kadar, Doninger, Edgar, Tozer, Godsmark, Troisi, Donaldson, Baheng, Marwood.
Subs: Lough, Soderberg, McLaughlin, Taylor, McCrudden.

LFC: Gulacsi, Darby, Insua, Dominguez, Huth, Plessis, Crowther, Flynn, Brouwer, Nemeth, Putterill.
Subs: Bruna, Bouzanis, Kelly, Ayala, Simon.

Joey Barton and Emre have been recalled by King Kev for today’s North East derby match. Today’s match is also Barton’s second game since before Christmas as a starter.

Emre, missed the last three matches following the red card against Stoke. This is his first Newcastle game under Kevin Keegan and he is determined to repay the glowing praise from Keegan yesterday. While James Milner and Mark Viduka were dropped to the bench.

Newcastle in search for the first goal for King Kev immediately attacking the visitor and in just three minutes we should have been lead by one goal.

First Barton got the chance to open the scoreline, he gets the ball to feet inside the six yards but his shot is deflected away for a corner. And here comes the controversy when Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer claim the ball from Emre’s corner and fumbles it.

Then he falls into Owen, who is toe-poking the loose ball into the net. It should be a goal but the referee Mike Dean inexplicably blows for a foul.

And for the visitor side, they have David Wheater booked for a terrible sliding tackle from behind on Smith. Emre who took it, blasts the ball and have deflected by Pogatetz for a corner. This time, the delivery wasn’t good as the previous one and bounces out for a goal kick.

Newcastle have another goal been disallowed inside the 20 minutes, but this time I think it was the right decision as the ball is unfortunately drifted out of play from Emre’s corner, poor Owen who is heading the ball home at the far post.

After that terrible corner, Newcastle are beginning to pile on the pressure and The Magpies have two corners in quick succession. One of them worked short to N’Zogbia and darts into the box past Young but cannot past the challenge from Downing who gives the visitors a chance to breath.

And again inside the half hour mark, we have a penalty claim being turn down by the almighty referee Mike Dean. The ball strikes Pogatetz’s arm in the Boro box. Boro who is escape once again, suddenly getting the chance to counter attacking United side with Aliadiere, Young and Rochemback. Thanks to Steven Taylor who is blocked a shot from Rochemback.

Then it was rather bit dissapointing minutes as the visitors have couple of good chances to attack our side and the clearance was little awfull and nearly cost us bad. Taylor almost turns the ball into his own net after slicing Pogatetz’s low, near post cross, luckily we have Shay Given in the right place to save.

The Magpies have couple chances near the end of the first half with Damien Duff running down the left before sending a high far post cross for Stephen Carr, but Pogatetz challenged the ball and get it first before Carr to flick it clear.

Goalles half-time at St. James’ Park.

TEAMS LINE UP:

NEWCASTLE UNITED FC:
Shay Given, Stephen Carr, Charles N’Zogbia, Steven Taylor, Claudio Cacapa, Damien Duff, Nicky Butt, Emre, Joey Barton, Michael Owen (c), Alan Smith
Subs: James Milner, Shola Ameobi, David Edgar, Fraser Forster, Mark Viduka

MIDDLESBROUGH FC:
Mark Schwarzer, Luke Young, Julio Arca (c), Gary O’Neil, Robert Huth, Stewart Downing, Lee Catermole, David Wheater, Emanuel Pogatetz, Fabio Rochemback, Jeremie Aliadiere
Subs: Ross Turnbull, Dong-Gook Lee, George Boateng, Adam Johnson, Jonathan Grounds

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: tbc

Kevin Keegan’s side finally surrender by a one man show Emmanuel Adebayor. They must have been doing some diplomacy with the FA to secure their lethal striker still available for today’s match.

It would have been a different result if the FA put the charges to both Adebayor and Bendtner for their violent conduct while they play in the League Cup against Spurs. But for Newcastle United, it was clear that we still far from being the same class with King Kev’s 1990’s squad.

For the first 45 minutes, I think we have played quite good, with couple of decent chances to score against them. Alan Smith could have scored his first goal for Newcastle in the 14th minute, but his first time volley was not headed clear by Gael Clichy from the goal-line.

Steven Taylor’s great chance on the half hour mark when he found himself clear from Arsenal’s defender but his header was gone a bit high over Lehmann’s crossbar.

Damien Duff and James Milner both working hard to create some good crosses into the home side penalty area, with one of them found Owen’s left footed effort but the ball was going wide off the goal.

The home side almost took the lead on the injury time when Abou Diaby’s dipping 20-yard strike over the woodwork by Given’s fingertips.

On the second half, the home team change their tactic by playing wide to open the United’s defence. It was prove to be the key of their success today. Newcastle’s defence was being separated after working almost perfect in the first half.

If we haven’t got Cacapa excellent performance, we may have suffered more goals. He is just unlucky to receive the only one yellow card on this game.

Adenayor scores his first after adavncing from the rebound of Eduardo’s effort who hit the far post. It should have been off-cleared the danger zone if the United defenders are not looking at the same ball but do nothing to it. His second was a brilliant effort and it was a well taken goal. Taylor couldn’t stop it, as the shot was in full speed.

Newcastle United rarely have the chance on this half period, Owen and Smith was almost unemployed for most of the rests of 30 minutes after Adebayor’s first goal. And the nightmare is completed with Nicky Butt’s own goal in the dying minutes.

Kevin Keegan made all the substitutions in the last quarter of the game. Keegan Brings in Rozehnal to replace Enrique and Kazenga Lua-lua in for Damien Duff.

TEAM LINE UP:

Arsenal FC:
Jens Lehmann, Abou Diaby (Gilberto, 76), Cesc Fabregas, Philippe Senderos, Tomas Rosicky (Eduardo, 9), William Gallas (c), Mathieu Flamini, Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Adebayor, Justin Hoyte, Theo Walcott (Alexander Hleb, 76)
Subs: Lukasz Fabianski, Nicklas Bendtner

Newcastle United FC:
Shay Given, Stephen Carr, Jose Enrique (David Rozehnal, 76), Claudio Cacapa, Steven Taylor, Nicky Butt, Charles N’Zogbia, James Milner, Damien Duff (Kazenga LuaLua, 82), Michael Owen (c), Alan Smith
Subs: Steve Harper, David Edgar, Andy Carroll

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 60, 046