Shearer grateful for Carroll’s small mercy

THE truth is neither hurtful or an exact match to the fairytale but for all the gushing that followed the equaliser for Alan Shearer’s Newcastle against Stoke, it should be remembered that this was still just a draw at the Britannia Stadium — and a fortunate one at that.

It would be unfair to dismiss Shearer’s chances of pulling Newcastle out of trouble but, two matches into his eight-game reign, it would be equally absurd to become carried away by this performance. After all, a draw at Stoke in the FA Cup last season was the result that persuaded the Newcastle hierarchy to ditch Sam Allardyce.

There is so much goodwill towards Shearer that it is easy to cloud the current situation at St James’ Park and the clamour for the former England captain after the game meant that Tony Pulis was largely ignored. However, the Stoke manager was accurate and cutting when he said: “Don’t anyone kid themselves. We were the better team.”

A week after shocking defending saw Newcastle, who are two points from safety and only above Middlesbrough on goal difference, beaten 2-0 by Chelsea in Shearer’s first match, the same problems were replicated at Stoke, where the hosts repeatedly failed to take advantage of slack marking. Rory Delap’s throw caused Newcastle few problems but corners and crosses were enough to spark panic.

Abdoulaye Faye’s goal from Liam Lawrence’s corner, which came after Shola Ameobi failed to track his peeling run, was just one example of Newcastle failing to do the simple things defensively.

Yet after Andy Carroll’s late equaliser, Newcastle’s players were throwing their shirts into the crowd and all the talk was upbeat.

“The players have shown me that there’s enough, not only against Stoke but against Chelsea as well,” Shearer said. “We’ve got to carry that on now. They’ve shown they can play and we’ve come away from Stoke, which is a very difficult place, with a point.

“It’s going to be tight but I believe in my players and they believe they can get this club out of trouble.”

Shearer was partly forced into changing his formation by the fact that Newcastle’s only left-back, Jose Enrique, and the centre-back, Steven Taylor, were injured. The new manager went with what was in effect a back three of David Edgar, Sebastien Bassong and Habib Beye. Ryan Taylor and Damien Duff were deployed as flexible wing-backs, with the Irishman occupying the more advanced position.

A midfield three of Nicky Butt, Kevin Nolan and Danny Guthrie lacked creativity and arguably Stoke had the stronger bench on Saturday.

Shearer can not be held responsible for the mess Newcastle find themselves in but how much can he improve a squad that has won once in 16 league matches and has managed just six victories all season?

Maybe just enough to keep them up, but the idea that they will beat Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Fulham in their three remaining home games is unrealistic on present form.

Figuring prominently on the list of why Newcastle are too good to go down are Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins but while Owen was again a passenger here, Shearer had to do without Martins after the striker cried off on the day of the game with a groin problem.

The manager is said to be less than impressed, although he ruled out the possibility of disciplinary action against his errant player last night.

Owen continues to look sluggish. The disappearance of his pace is one thing but everything else seems to have slowed down too and despite never looking more muscular, he was brushed off time and again by Stoke’s Faye and Ryan Shawcross.

Carroll’s equaliser, however, was a goal of real quality, the local boy showing strength and poise to head Duff’s cross back across goal and over Thomas Sorensen with 10 minutes remaining.

Six points clear of the bottom three, Stoke do have the right to talk about home bankers — with Blackburn, West Ham and Wigan still to visit the Britannia — and Pulis, whether or not he required a jolt from Giovanni Trapattoni, is reaping the benefits of finally giving Glenn Whelan an extended run.

REFEREE: Chris Foy (Merseyside) 6: It was the linesman’s fault that Stoke were wrongly awarded a corner before their goal and it was an otherwise steady performance.

MATCH RATING: **** Newcastle may be low on quality but their six remaining matches will be compelling.