Source: FOOTYMAD
Toon 1 Spurs 1
With one week remaining of the transfer market, Alan Pardew was again reminded how much we are in need of a quality striker. NEWCASTLE 1 SPURS 1 NEWCASTLE: Harper, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Barton, Guthrie (Perch 74), Nolan, Gutierrez, Best (Lovenkrands 65), Ameobi (Ranger 88).Subs Not Used: Krul, Campbell, Xisco, Ferguson. SPURS: Cudicini, Hutton, Dawson, Gallas, Bale (Bassong 11), Lennon, Modric, Jenas (Crouch 71), Pienaar (Kranjcar 83), Van der Vaart, Defoe.Subs Not Used: Pletikosa, Kaboul, Corluka, Sandro. Att: 51,010 Right from the start of Pardew's reign as manager he built his system around young Andy Carroll, and boy has the Toon number 9 been missed in recent games. Did Leon Best just strike it lucky with his hat-trick against West Ham ... because I'm starting to believe that purple patch of 70 minutes against the Hammers flattered him in the extreme. Is Best lacking the qualities to be a top Premiership striker? Is Shola Ameobi missing his Geordie buddy (Carroll) to feed off? Is Lovenkrands past his best? Sadly I'd have to say "yes" to all three. Don't get me wrong - I thought the patched up Toon side put up a brave fight against a side pushing for Champions League glory - and all credit to them for coming so close to the three points. But not since the days of Alan Shearer, have we depended so much on one player the way we depend on Carroll. Aaron Lennon broke Newcastle's hearts at the death, as once again as (just like at the Stadium of Shite) we couldn't close out a game with a 1-0 lead. Lennon struck a minute into injury time just when it looked as though Fabricio Coloccini's 59th-minute strike had handed the Magpies all three points. Spurs would argue that they deserved at least a point after dominating for long periods, but Pardew will argue "we blew it - again!" Leon Best and Luka Modric both hit the bar and the Magpies were indebted to goalkeeper Steve Harper for two fine saves. The visitors started at a high tempo and lone striker Jermain Defoe whipped a third-minute shot across Harper's goal after keeper Carlo Cudicini, deputising for the injured Heurelho Gomes, sparked a lightning attack with an early throw to Lennon. Defoe was to prove a thorn in the Newcastle side for much of the opening 45 minutes, although without troubling Harper unduly until the dying seconds of injury time. Spurs dominated possession, but as the Magpies got men behind the ball, they struggled to break their hosts down. Man-of-the moment Gareth Bale, who lined up at left-back with new signing Steven Pienaar taking over ahead of him, lasted just 11 minutes before limping off to be replaced by Tyneside old boy Sebastien Bassong, and that removed one potential problem for Pardew's men. There were plenty of others, however, although the Newcastle boss will have been reasonably satisfied with the way those challenges were met by his players. Indeed, they started to make an impression themselves and after Shola Ameobi had failed to hit the target with two half-chances, they almost took the lead with 28 minutes gone. Jose Enrique, who was largely occupied by Lennon, got forward well to send an inviting cross to the far post, where Best slid in to divert the ball on to the crossbar. Spurs finished the half with a flurry, and almost went in front in injury time when they put together their best move of the half. Rafael van der Vaart flicked Pienaar's pass into the path of Defoe, who seemed certain to score before Harper spread himself to make a vital block. Newcastle returned in determined mood with Best proving a handful in the opening minutes of the second half, heading wide from a Jonas Gutierrez cross and seeing a shot blocked as he caused problems on the edge of the box. But as the home side pushed men forward, the visitors started to exploit the space they left behind, although Pienaar in particular was unable to make the most of several promising openings. However, it was the home side who took the lead in stunning fashion with 59 minutes gone when Coloccini controlled Danny Guthrie's cross on his chest before smashing a shot past Cudicini. Tottenham would have been level within six minutes had it not been for another crucial intervention by Harper, who turned Lennon's well-struck shot around the post with the visitors responding. Harry Redknapp sent on striker Peter Crouch for midfielder Jermaine Jenas with 19 minutes remaining, but Newcastle could have been 2-0 up within seconds when Joey Barton split the Spurs defence and substitute Peter Lovenkrands saw his first-time shot blocked by Cudicini. Harper had his crossbar to thank for denying Modric a 76th-minute equaliser with a fine right-foot drive, but substitute Nile Ranger wasted a glorious opportunity to secure victory in the final minute of normal time. The miss proved costly in injury time when Lennon cut inside and blasted a right-foot shot past Harper to snatch a point.
