United's big guns end up misfiring

Apr 28 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

LIKE a fading rock band reunited for one last crack at the big time, Newcastle United’s three-pronged attack failed to hit the right notes on Alan Shearer’s big night.

The combination of Mark Viduka (pictured right), Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins had been the magic combination that saved United from relegation under Kevin Keegan last season – but 12 months on, the heavyweight trio looked decidedly powder puff as they failed to pull their weight.

This was Shearer’s massive gamble – harness the attacking power of three established internationals, sit back and watch the fireworks that would inevitably follow.

But when the big chances dropped – and all three of United’s marquee names had good opportunities to prove their worth – they each took a turn to fluff their lines. First Martins, the man who had blazed over from close range at Spurs, snatched horribly at a chance that he would have easily gobbled in training. Then Viduka got the ball tangled in his feet after Danny Guthrie’s long-range drive found its way to the big Aussie with the goal gaping at his mercy.

Finally Owen, presented with a glorious chance to stick it to his growing band of critics, missed the biggest chance of the lot – and possibly hammered a nail in United’s Premier League coffin. Shearer (pictured above) grimaced horribly as his former England team-mate, freed by Viduka tenaciously winning the ball and then skilfully chipping it into his path, rolled the ball meekly into David James’ arms on 63 minutes.

As well he might. The Newcastle boss, while privately worrying about whether his star striker still has it, has publicly offered strong support to the under-fire Owen.

And he modelled this front three around the team’s biggest name – giving Owen the freedom to play in the hole in front of a midfield three constructed to win the ball and supply it to the strikers.

Neither Owen, the other strikers or the midfield did much of that but when it did work, the three forwards could not conjure the finish that would have offered United some Premier League salvation.

It typified a night when none of Shearer and Iain Dowie’s high-stakes gambles paid off.

Sure, they had no luck or good fortune once again – but the managerial duo must admit that they made miscalculations, too, on another deeply frustrating night for United’s raucous home crowd.