IT WOULD be easy to see, in Newcastle United's heroic last stand at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, a stronger case this time for the championship going to St James' Park. Judgement, however, still needs to be reserved.
In keeping out Chelsea's Italian oriented attack, to force a 1-1 draw after David Batty had been dismissed for elbowing Mark Hughes in the face early in the second hall, Newcastle appeared to confound those critics who argue that poor defending will always be their downfall. For once Kevin Keegan's players did not protect their goal with the discipline and organisation of the Frank Spencer formation dancing team.
Pavel Srnicek, Newcastle's often erratic Czech goalkeeper, made a series of excellent saves, the best to fingertip a close range header from Dan Petrescu over the bar. Nobody panicked, least of all Phillipe Albert, whose calm presence at the heart of the defence was complemented by an unusually competent display from Darren Peacock.
As an example of backs to the wall defending it could hardly have been bettered, yet there are a number of reasons why it would be unwise to read into this aspect of Saturday's match fresh evidence of Newcastle's championship credentials.
To begin with, one of the reasons why Newcastle survived was Chelsea's continuing lack of a consistent taker of chances in the penalty area. The addition of a third Italian, Gianfranco Zola, to the side has opened up a fresh avenue of approach and some of the little man's passing was delightful, but they still do not have the means to finish off opponents who find themselves in Newcastle's situation.
Memories of the firmly driven, dipping free kick from Zola which the finest touch of Gianluca Vialli's shaven head glanced into the far corner of the net midway through the first half should have set Chelsea up for victory once Newcastle had been reduced to 10 men. True, Dennis Wise did hit the bar with a 30 yard shot late in the game but from closer range Chelsea's finishing lacked the necessary incisiveness.
The intervention of Rudd Gull it, Chelsea's player manager for the last half hour brought added skill and stability to their attacks without sharpening its cutting edge.
No, if the championship does find its way to Tyneside the prime reason will surely be Alan Shearer, who at Stamford Bridge reminded Chelsea of the natural goal scorer's art. Returning to the Premier league after a month's absence following a groin operation, the England centre forward brought the scores level four minutes before half time with a marvellous piece of improvisation.
Kept onside by the fine angle of Fastino Asprilla's pass and the timing of his own run, Shearer appeared to have been thwarted by the bravery of Grodas, the Norwegian goalkeeper Chelsea have signed on loan from Lillestroem. But even after Grodas had knocked the ball away from his feet Shearer still had the balance, strength and timing to regain possession, make space for himself, and as a defenders converged on all sides score with a fierce shot on the turn.
Batty was sent off after 52 minutes when, Hughes having jabbed at him twice from behind as he was laying off a short ball to Robert Lee, he gave the Welshman the elbow. Batty must have had many such brushes with Hughes in the past, this time his patience snapped.
The Newcastle midfielder did not complain at his dismissal but Keegan felt it was another case of the guy who starts it walks off scot free and the guy who reacts to it, wrongly, gets a red card. Certainly the referee could have given a free kick against Hughes a second before Batty retaliated.
