Half time:  Newcastle 2 Birmingham 0

64 mins  As is usual these days, we conceded a second-half goal, this time from Emile Heskey.

With a finish reminiscent of one he served up at the other end of this ground during his Leicester days, the striker grabbed his fourth goal in as many games, shooting low past Shay Given after good linkup play between Gray and Morrison had bisected our backline. 2-1

Full time: Newcastle 2 Birmingham 1

Graeme Souness said:

"We have some really, really talented players here and the thing that separates the really talented players from the great players is consistency.

"It is my aim to try to take them to the next level, and I think the biggest challenge in doing that is having a team that is solid, whose confidence is not knocked every week or every other week.

"Instead of losing games, you draw them, games that you would draw, you would win, and just try to be a bit more difficult to play against.

"I would never criticise the previous manager because we all see the job differently. I just think we have a squad here that is full of flair players and the challenge for me is to try to keep the flair and the free-flowing football, but be a little bit more difficult to play against.

"I think that is how we become more consistent. That is the aim.

"Basically, I'm a 4-4-2 man but I'm not big on systems and tactics. 

"Systems are for schoolteachers. I'm big on great players working their socks off. If you have that, you don't have to say too much to them."

On Bellamy's knee problems, which saw him limp from the field:

"It's a worry. I don't think he got a bang on it, but the pain came on as he went on."

On Shearer:

"Alan trained, but felt his calf. He's been out for a period with one injury, so there's a danger he will damage something else." 

On Dyer:

"Kieron realises he made an almighty rick but as long as he keeps showing that determination he will be all right. These supporters aren't daft and will see what he is doing.

"Kieron is an exceptionally talented attacking midfielder but we still haven't seen him in his best position. We have to get him nearer the opposition's goal than his own."

On Ameobi:

"Shola is a young player and nobody knows how good he will be until he has a run in the team.

"He is playing in the most difficult position - up front is the hardest place to play - but he's a big, powerful young man."

Goalscorer Lee Bowyer commented:

"It has been very hard. Not to win games that we should have won time and time again is very hard to take, but when you have got young lads in the team like Steven Taylor, you cannot be seen to let it affect you.

"We have got a lot of experienced players here and we have managed to keep the confidence up. It has been hard, but hopefully we can put all that behind us now."

"The defence in the last two games has looked very solid. You take the rough with the smooth.

"If we are not scoring goals, then the forwards get the blame. If we are leaking goals, the defenders get the blame. But it is actually about the 11 players out there. People are quick to criticise the defence, they are not so quick to praise them."

"It has been a long time coming - again, we should have finished them off long before half-time. That has been a failing for us this season and if anything, it was probably my fault.

"I should have had a hat-trick. I was pleased to get one, but I should have had a hat-trick.

"Even after we did not take our chances, we kept plugging away. I do not think you can ever doubt the commitment and spirit of this team even when results have not being going well for us.

"This new formation seems to be working - It worked against Arsenal and it worked against Birmingham. It is similar to the formation Chelsea play, a sort of 4-3-3 formation. I cannot see there being a more energetic or dynamic midfield trio in the country than Kieron, JJ and myself.

“The formation suits us. The manager has switched to that and I think it is working. All three of us can get up and down all day and press the game.

“It is definitely an area we are very strong in, particularly when you consider the players we have out injured. All three of us enjoy playing in that system.

“JJ is supposed be the defensive midfielder, but we interchange and I think teams struggle to cope with that. JJ and Kieron are extremely fast and people cannot live with their pace.

“I am a bit slower – but then I got the goal.

“The important thing now is the West Brom game. We have won one, but it will mean nothing if we do not go there and get a good result. Realistically, we have to be looking to win.

“Having had our little sticky patch, it is now about building a long run. That is what we need to get us back up the table. We have the first win, now we have to keep it going.”

About having another game so quickly after this one:

"We are all in the same boat, In an ideal world, no, because of what we have on the treatment table, but I am not going whinge about that. I will never whinge about injuries to you."

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce said:

"We were awful in the first half when Newcastle ripped us to pieces. But we showed a bit of resilience and character after the break.

"Julian (Gray) did very, very well against Newcastle and gave us a little bit of a threat. In the second half, we were far, far, far better, but we needed to be."

The problem was everywhere in the first half. To be fair, they got off to a wonderful start and we all know they have got excellent players when their tails are up like they were.

"We found it very, very difficult to combat the system which they played with Bellamy out wide and three midfield players, especially with the energy that Dyer and Jenas and Bowyer have got. They gave us a tough time.

"Clinton and Emile caused them a few problems in the second half. We were starved of a bit of possession in the first half.

"They can harp on as much as they like but Robbie (Savage) is not for sale unless Blackburn meet my valuation. It would be like me offering Ł1m for Kieron Dyer." 

Graeme Souness's decision to arrange his available forces in a so-called "Christmas Tree" formation provided a belated yuletide gift for the citizens of St.James' as 2005 was welcomed in.

However, while Steve Bruce would be described by few people as a tall dark stranger and would never be welcome at our front door, we couldn't have picked a more suitable - and obliging - first foot to usher in 2005. 

Quite simply his Birmingham team were woeful, looking as if they'd spent the previous day (and night) celebrating their Corbridge-born manager's 44th birthday. Bruce may not have arrived clutching a lucky piece of coal, but he had plenty nuggets to choose from....

Thankfully the arrival of a disorganised and directionless side at Gallowgate coincided with our mob reprising some of the effort, urgency and diligence of the Arsenal game. 

Combine that with another improved defensive display and an average backline to get past at the other end and hey presto - a goal for Shola, one of three opportunities bagged by Bowyer and a two-goal advantage at the interval that could easily have been double that.

No doubt Souness is aware of netty gossip that links the Birmingham boss with the Newcastle hotseat, should the present occupant fail to satisfy the powers-that-be. And if he wasn't, then Blues pornographer-in-chief David Gold was on hand to remind him via the papers this week.

Hopefully then he will have gained as much satisfaction from taking three points from this lot as we did in seeing the likes of Heskey and Savage bleating and moaning away and Upson vainly trying to organise his defensive colleagues at a venue that he himself turned down the chance to call his home pitch. One run from Dyer that saw him sidestep past the latter player in the box was especially enjoyable - even if the failure to go for goal wasn't.  

But while the former Leicester striker at least kept up his goalscoring record against us and provided for a nervy final half hour, the ex-Leicester midfielder and terminally tasteless TV show subject didn't even do enough to warrant any Lily Savage catcalls from the stands.

Having apparently decided that Birmingham isn't a worthy place to showcase his talents, Savage's game plan here appeared to be limited to picking up a booking, then having a cast-iron excuse for doing nowt afterwards for fear of taking an early bath.

As a result, the sort of tenacious (and dirty) display we've seen in the past from the Welshman which has disrupted our midfield was conspicuous by its absence.

That allowed the central trio of Jenas, Dyer and especially Bowyer to funnel forward almost at will to support Shola the solo striker, flanked by widemen Robert and Bellamy, who were by no means in lethal mood, but both laid on a goal.

Half-time came to deserved applause, which was repeated at the end of ninety minutes - but with added relief from all quarters - players, staff, spectators and half-drowned ballboys/girls....who could finally get out of the rain.

We lost our way when attacking the Leazes end, but with the efforts of leading the line twice this week (and with another to come) catching up with Ameobi, the conditions didn't help him or his colleagues.

And while Robert was brought off and Bellamy hopped off, there was no such luxury for Shola.

City improved - partly because they could hardly get any worse, but we finished the stronger and could have scored twice in the closing moments, Dyer cracking the crossbar after a stirring run and Bowyer shaving the post. Purists may question some of the passing selections of those in action, but the likes of N'Zogbia and Milner certainly couldn't be faulted for their efforts.    

The opportunity to turn round our season now presents itself with visits to West Brom, that non-league team and then beleaguered Southampton back in toon, before the next searching examination at Highbury.

By then our two new signings will be available (at least), plus a few of the injured players that have dictated the selections and tactics employed by the manager.

But unless we're to have unexpected riches thrust upon us in the shape of world-class talent, the burden of creating goalscoring opportunities will remain with the familiar faces already in toon, principally Robert and Dyer.

Assuming no fairy godfather appears with bags of riches to take them to pastures new, coaxing decent performances from one or both remains as important to our future (and that of the manager) as signing new players. This isn't Chelsea. 

In that respect, Souness's post-match comments today were a fair appraisal of the task he faces if he's to turn this club around. 

We've not always been able to say that we shared the view of our manager in past times, but at least he seems to be aware of the task he faces here - his quotes showing an appreciation of our situation that he perhaps didn't have when he arrived and made noises about only minor alterations being required to Bobby's squad.

A start, something to build on, but no more than that - for now.         

Biffa

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