ToonNews

A nervy win on the pitch, a mixture of instability and mild relief off it – just a typical few days in the life of Newcastle United.

Wednesday’s win over Leeds was vital to our chances of staying in the running for the fourth Champions’ League spot, but it was far from comfortable. We controlled the match and carved out chance after chance following Shearer’s 4th minute strike, which proved the winner – Jenas and Dyer went close, Speed hit a post, Shearer uncharacteristically missed a sitter – and yet despite only leading by one goal the players started getting complacent in the second half and allowed Leeds back into the game. In the end we could have found ourselves gifting a priceless away point to relegation fodder, and a better team would have punished our slackness. Still, at least it was a win, at least we look more watertight at the back following Woodgate’s return to the side, and at least we’re still creating chances.

However, creating chances might become more of a problem if, as seems increasingly likely, Solano is allowed to leave the club during the transfer window. Sir Bobby has effectively put Nobby up for sale by publicly inviting bids, and there are sure to be no shortage of interested clubs, not least Villa. The whole situation strikes me as bizarre. Although he can, like our other forward players, have quiet games, not only is Solano a creative asset on the pitch and a useful option to have on the bench, but he’s also (like Dabizas) one of the few recent imports to have worn his heart on his sleeve and played his heart out for the club, one of Kenny Dalglish’s best signings (along with Given and Speed). He also chips in with a few goals every season – always helpful from a midfielder. Who’s going to replace him on the right side of midfield? Bowyer’s been poor there this season, and like Dyer he prefers a central role, while I’m yet to be convinced that Ambrose is ready for regular first-team football. I can imagine he might have left sooner had we beaten Blackburn to the signature of Brett Emerton in the summer, but as it is he’s the best right-sided player we have. I doubt I’m alone among Newcastle fans in hoping he doesn’t leave, and certainly not for a rival Premiership side for the paltry £3m that’s currently being bandied about – it’s not so long ago that Real Madrid were allegedly sniffing around…

Meanwhile, how to react to the news that the Premiership players accused of the Grosvenor Hotel “rape” in September (including our own Titus Bramble) have been let off the hook, it having been decided that there was insufficient evidence? I don’t know. Let’s just hope all our young tearaways learn to curb their libidos, grow up and act like the highly-paid responsible professionals they supposedly are.