It Is Newcastle's And Andy Carroll's To Throw Away
If Alan Smith owned a handbag - and I cannot say for certain that he doesn't - he would have hit Mike Williamson with it at Watford. To describe the altercation between them as a fight is like describing Great Britain as a heavyweight contender at the Winter Olympics.
However, the sight of two Newcastle players screaming at each other after conceding a goal in injury time in a comfortable away win is refreshing in its own way.
To coin one of Chris Hughton's favourite phrases - no not Re: - it shows this "group of lads" don't just care about what happens at Newcastle this season, they have professional pride in the way they do it.
Losing a clean sheet hurt them so Williamson and Smith took it out on each other, briefly.
It didn't distract them, it just ensured they were both alert for the remaining few seconds as the Magpies extended their lead in the automatic promotion places to a healthy eight points with a game in hand.
The win also removed the one serious flaw in United's promotion push. By winning away from home, Newcastle have stopped people like me going on about the poor form on the road and the lack of wins since the start of December.
Newcastle's fixtures all look winnable on the road between now and May and promotion really is theirs to throw away now. West Brom and Nottingham Forest are both stumbling and while I don't want to tempt fate, I can't see them screwing this up now.
Hughton managed to strengthen the squad just in time in January - there were seven players missing through injury at the weekend - and that decision to invest in the transfer market looks like being the one which secures an immediate return to the top flight.
Had United gambled and not added bodies to the squad at the start of the year - particularly in defence - these injuries could have derailed things in spectacular fashion.
I hope I'm not reading this back in a few weeks time wondering why I was so stupid, but promotion beckons. I just think Newcastle have too much ability and too much experience to slip up enough to allow Forest and WBA back into it.
Of course, it's alright for me to say these things. What can't be allowed to happen is for anyone inside the Newcastle camp to start believing it is already certain, but I'm sure Hughton won't allow that having guarded so well against complacency all season.
Finally, I've been critical of Andy Carroll in the past and worried about whether he could manage to control himself off the pitch long enough to ensure he became a success on it.
But he has done superbly since that nightclub incident before Christmas and although he still has a Crown Court case to get through, I hope he has learned his lesson.
The 21-year-old has scored 11 goals this season - his first as a frontline striker - and is starting to be talked about as a genuine successor to Alan Shearer's mantle.
He has a long way to go still, but the signs are extremely encouraging. He has got better and better this season and Newcastle might just have found someone capable of filling the vacant number nine shirt long term. Just don't throw it all away Andy!
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Luke Edwards - is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.
Andy Caroll reminds me of a young Duncan Ferguson when he was at Dundee United, mainly this man is a monster in the air. Evrything in the box he wins and scores or flicks on. I have to admit I've been surprised by his progress these last few months and long may it continue. (I hear he has a Scottish grandparent, so hopefully he'll end up in dark blue). As for the Toon, yes the PL beckons but we cannot think like that, every game should now be treated as a cup final, we're beginning to pull away again but cannot become complacent. Saturdays win was massive, lets keep it up against Barnsley then stuff Boro!
Luke,
I know that its dangerous to speculate, but with Andy Carroll’s case going to the Crown Court, do we know:
1) When the case will come to court, and when we may know the outcome?
2) What are the chances of him being jailed, in the event that he is found guilty?
The court case is next month at Crown Court but that is all I'd like to say at this stage due to legal reasons.
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