[DylanPresman]

Probably not, but it is fun to read:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...pr-championshi p/print


Marlon Harewood may be unloved and unwanted by Martin O'Neill at Aston Villa but he came off the substitutes' bench to transform Newcastle United's fortunes tonight. Villa Park's forgotten striker marked his home debut on loan for Chris Hughton's side with a second-half equaliser to secure a draw that extends Newcastle's lead at the top of the Championship to three points.

In the process, though, they received a timely reminder that this division might not quite be a cakewalk after all. Jim Magilton's enterprising, easy on the eye and, above all, classy QPR ensemble were comfortably the best team to have visited Tyneside this season and certainly did not deserve to depart empty-handed.

"Very pleasing," reflected Magilton, whose side boasted, in Martin Rowlands, the game's best midfielder. "There was no doubt that for a time QPR were the better side," said Hughton. "We allowed them too much possession."

The caretaker arranged Newcastle in a diamond formation featuring Alan Smith at the base and Kevin Nolan at the apex. So far so fashionable but this swiftly proved a less than practical configuration as the natural tendency of Danny Guthrie and, particularly, Nicky Butt to drift infield left Newcastle both exposed and thrustless down the flanks.

Butt's evident unease at his left-sided deployment manifested itself as early as the seventh minute. Unfortunately for Newcastle this coincided with QPR taking the lead. When José Enrique fluffed a clearance he should really have booted into row X, there was no Newcastle left- winger around to help his full-back out and the ball fell conveniently to Ben Watson.

The midfielder, on loan from Wigan, had space and time to advance unchecked before picking his spot and placing a shot, which took a slight deflection off Steven Taylor, beyond Steve Harper's grasp.

Suitably stung, Newcastle almost immediately won a slightly dubious penalty for handball. Guthrie stepped forward but his execution was poor, enabling Radek Cerny to make a surprisingly comfortable save.

Magilton's side continued frequently to out-pass and out-move their hosts as Wayne Routledge on the right wing and Rowlands and Watson in central midfield began posing Enrique, Smith and company the sort of questions they have rarely been asked this term.

Nonetheless QPR's defence were finding Andy Carroll and Nile Ranger bother-some and Gary Borrowdale reacted smartly to clear Carroll's header off the line. Sensing that Magilton's men were vulnerable in the air Newcastle treated them to a barrage of high balls and, from yet another header, Nolan had Cerny saving at full stretch.

As they poured forward in numbers – black and white shirts were queuing up to score when Guthrie inexplicably opted to shoot straight at Cerny rather than cross low after, for once, reaching the byline – they needed to be mindful of being caught on the counter-attack. On one occasion Akos Buzsaky, with no marker in sight, was only inches away from extending the visitors' lead with an adroit 30-yard chip.

Hughton, realising that lack of width was undermining his side's efforts, replaced Butt with Jonas Gutiérrez at half-time. Ditching the diamond, Newcastle reverted to a more orthodox 4-4-2.

Initially it made little difference. Indeed Rowan Vine's fine cross almost prefaced QPR extending their lead but the unattended Stewart nodded the ball fractionally wide. Slick, quick and sharp passing, Magilton's men were playing some seriously good stuff.

Hughton looked increasingly stressed and on the hour opted to challenge QPR's growing composure by introducing Harewood in Ranger's stead. Within nine minutes of that entrance Harewood, who was without a goal for a year and had not scored in the league for 18 months, opened his Geordie account. Danny Simpson crossed, Carroll flicked on and the Harewood was ideally positioned to lash in a close-range shot at the far post.

Rapture for Harewood was relief for Hughton. "Tonight has been a big reminder," said the latter. "This division is not going to be easy."

[Atouk]

Very nice. Let's hope this run of form lasts and results in 3 points more often than not!