Cronky

Owen is not so good that he can't be left out.

O'Neill is quoted on the Sky website to the effect that Agbonlohor doesn't want any charges brought, but the FA have still invited Villa to make their observations. They have a week to decide whether to do so. I don't think it's right to drag this out. Villa should make their minds up by tomorrow at the latest.

Well, clearly scoring goals hasn't been the problem. We're creating chances and looking good going forward. Shola is doing a particular job for the side, and Martins has been doing another. The fact that they are both labelled 'strikers' doesn't alter that. Now the job that Owen can do for us is similar to the one that Martins has been doing, so the person whose place should be seen as under threat is Martins. As he scored twice and played reasonably well last time out, I don't think Martins should be dropped. Owen will get his chance soon enough, through injuries or loss of form or whatever.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7707627.stm I stand corrected on that point, but he still needs to be more careful.

I'd imagine that Steve Bennett actually saw the incident, and decided to deal with it by a talking-to, in which case there is no room for further punishment. Yes, Barton is being singled out for special attention here, but the fact is that his hand made contact with an opponent's face in an off the ball incident. You can argue that more harm is done by a dangerous tackle, but these sort of incidents do attract heavier punishments. It bothers me that this has happened in only his second game back, after what looks like only minor provocation. He has got to be more disciplined.

The one thing that might save Barton is that he barely touched him. If a precedent is set that a player can be cited after the game for that sort of contact, then the number of suspensions would double. But to tell the truth, I fear the worst. If you raise your hands into an opponent's face, you're asking for trouble. What Barton needs to learn is that sort of petulance is actually selfish. Regardless of who is in the right, he has to act with consideration for his team mates. He's an international class player, but he often acts with the mentality of an amateur.

I wouldn't make any changes. Shola and Martins have been effective, and it's important that the players get the message that if they play well, they keep their place. I certainly wouldn't change the formation to bring in Owen, because the players need to develop a better understanding and confidence in one another. There's a good balance to the team going forward at the moment, and we can actually get better.

Did better tonight because he got closer to his man, but I'm afraid that his lack of ability on the ball is going to hold him back. There was an incident ten minutes before the end when he fluffled a clearance in the goal area and we were quite lucky that the ball ended up with Given.

I actually think the comparison with Fashanu is a bit misleading. Yes, they're both target men, but Fashanu was just a thug who wouldn't have survived in the Premiership of today. Refs are a lot stricter and Fash the Bash was pretty useless with the ball on the deck. Shola will conjure up one or two situations every game that you don't really expect from a tall, gangly striker. He'll go past someone or produce a really imaginative pass. That's what separates him from Fashanu. Not so much the skill set but more the body type. I do think Kinnear has got Shola doing a bettr job of competing for aerial balls without fouling the defender everytime and also of just holding the ball up by shielding it with his body. Shola has been doing a much better job of these two things recently than ever before, and these are the things we have always needed him to do a much better job of. Yeah, true. He's winning more in the air than he used to.

The team had been badly affected by injuries, suspensions, Keegan's walk-out and the general pressure and loss of confidence that comes with being in the relegation zone. But despite what's been said, Wise and co did an okay job on the recruitment front, and this is a better side than last season's. So I don't think what Kinnear has done is a miracle, but he's earned the respect of the players in difficult circumstances. I'd be quite happy for him to be given a contract till the end of the season, and if he continues to do well, offer him a longer one.

I actually think the comparison with Fashanu is a bit misleading. Yes, they're both target men, but Fashanu was just a thug who wouldn't have survived in the Premiership of today. Refs are a lot stricter and Fash the Bash was pretty useless with the ball on the deck. Shola will conjure up one or two situations every game that you don't really expect from a tall, gangly striker. He'll go past someone or produce a really imaginative pass. That's what separates him from Fashanu.

Barton was very good, always looking to get the ball forward. He created the goal, which really turned the game around. But that little flick in Agbonlohor's face was really stupid. All it needs is for the opponent to clutch his face and no matter how softly you've hit him, you're off. The foot up was also unnecessary. If a player gets sent off after a last ditch tackle in the cause of the team, you accept that. But that sort of petulance is potentially letting the team down.

The encouraging thing is I think we can play better, once the players develop a bit more understanding. In the second half, we took control.

Jonas looks shagged. Guthrie on for him, I think. Well I can't be right all the time, can I?

Jonas looks shagged. Guthrie on for him, I think.

Dare I say it, we look in control.

Yep. We badly need fresh legs and new ideas. We're losing it at the moment. Guthrie for Butt.

Taylor is getting tighter to his man - he seems to be following Kinnear's advice there. We're getting hammered down our left though.

Duff is getting involved all over the pitch. He's lost it a few times, but I'd keep him on until he tires.

We've wasted some good situations. It's a matter of having a bit more confidence in the final third. We do need to score because our defence is so shaky. It doesn't take a particularly good ball to expose us.

It's a tough one. Our defence isn't good enough for us to play a containing game, so we'll have to have a go at them. Our best hope is Jonas. He's a player that I don't think they can subdue. As long as he's fit, we're in with a chance.

I don't get the fuss about this. If you're in the middle of negotiations over a business deal, you don't give a blow by blow account to the media about what's going on at each stage. That's basic. On the Keegan issue, Ashley has already found that any statement from him tends to be inflammatory, no matter what the content. A large number of fans aren't open to the idea that Keegan may be at fault, and so it's best to say nothing.

A lot of people - including JK - seem to be talking as though it was entirely in our hands whether Owen stayed or not. The player will have his own agenda. It was very obvious from that documentary a few months back that Owen is very committed to that horse racing business of his, in the Chester area, and that region is where both his and his wife's families are from. It came across to me loud and clear that that is where his heart is. A decent offer from Man City and he'll be gone.

I doubt if the release of statements is going to change matters. Anything that's anti-Keegan can always be dismissed as a smear if you've a mind to do that. It's unusual for a manager to be talking about what's going on behind the scenes like this. Clearly Ashley doesn't mind him doing this, in that a particular message is coming from a voice that many fans find more acceptable. I don't think Kinnear is acting to a pre-arranged plan, but clearly it suits him for Ashley to remain in place.

It may depend on how the next few results go. If a feel-good atmosphere develops among the crowd, Ashley may feel that the hysteria that initially drove him out has died down sufficiently to make the club manageable. I think Ashley made the best decision at the time when he decided to sell. A kind of civil war was starting to develop which would have dragged the team and the club downhill fast. I'm commenting from a distance here, but things now seem a bit more stable. A lot of people seem a bit fed up of all the conflict now and just want to get on with supporting the club.