Newcastle U 2 WBA 3:ROY HODGSON always looks as if he could double as a professor and here West Bromwich Albion's manager devised the perfect formula for frustrating a Newcastle United side whose early season momentum is ebbing slowly away.
With Chris Brunt drawing Newcastle’s sting by slowing things down in midfield, Alan Pardew’s side struggled to maintain a ferocious tempo.
A rare concession of possession on the part of Cheik Tiote in central midfield led indirectly to West Brom taking the lead. As the visitors counter-attacked, Brunt played a sublime, beautifully weighted through pass with the outside of his left boot which dropped just in front of Odemwingie.
After sidestepping Fabricio Coloccini as he advanced just inside the area, Odemwingie retained sufficient composure to place his shot beyond Tim Krul’s grasp. Almost immediately, Demba Ba had the ball in the back of Ben Foster’s net but Leon Best had strayed offside and that effort was ruled out.
No matter, when Gabriel Obertan won a free-kick outside the area, Ba stepped forward to take it, sending the ball swerving imperiously in the top corner.
Just before half-time a curving Brunt free-kick floated towards the far post was redirected back across the box courtesy of Paul Scharner’s flick before the unmarked Gareth McAuley thumped a header beyond Krul.
Newcastle mustered a decent riposte; Haris Vuckic seeing an eye-catching long-range left-foot shot rebound off the underside of Foster’s bar.
Newcastle began the second period in much more dynamic mode. Ba chested down a long ball and exchanged passes with Ben Arfa before powering his second.
Foster performed wonders to deny Vuckic from 35 yards but, unfazed, West Bromwich reasserted themselves on the break. Shane Long crossed, Odemwingie headed on and the ball dropped for Scharner to direct it into the bottom corner.
There was still time for Foster to save brilliantly from Tiote but, for the moment, the Newcastle manager Pardew is all out of luck.
NEWCASTLE UTD: Krul, Simpson, Perch, Coloccini, Santon (Ryan Taylor 46), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 72), Vuckic, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 61), Ba. Subs not used: Elliot, Williamson, Abeid, Sammy Ameobi. Booked: Coloccini.
WEST BROM: Foster, Reid (Jones 6), McAuley, Olsson, Shorey, Thomas (Dorrans 68), Mulumbu (Thorne 76), Scharner, Brunt, Odemwingie, Long. Subs not used: Fulop, Dawson, Cox, Fortune.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
