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Having set them the target of two wins from successive home games in four days, Alan Pardew's side came up short at the second time of asking - and shorn of yet another full back, making it three casualties in quick succession since we tempted fate by opting not to strengthen in that area.

Losing the hamstrung Danny Simpson after the knock to James Perch and the more serious injury to Ryan Taylor meant that Vurnon Anita was quickly called upon to demonstrate his positional versatility (and justify the sniggers caused by the comment in his first interview about coming here to play midfield. That's what they told you, bonny lad....) 

That forced alteration though may have upped his contribution to proceedings, with the Dutchman looking happier in a wider role and perhaps benefiting from having slightly more time on the ball as he continues to make the transition from the slightly less frantic pace of the Eredivisie.

He and Davide Santon on the opposite flank were among our better performers on a day when too many of our big hitters failed to find form and our pattern of play suffered accordingly: a lack of movement accompanied by some artless upfield hoofs conjuring up unpleasant flashbacks of Jack Charlton's Whitehurst/Cunningham misadventure of the 1980s. Tiote continues to be much missed.   

And as acknowledged later by the manager, our set pieces also left much to be desired, with corners invariably failing to clear the first defender or being hoofed way beyond the far post. However in amongst the swine there was a pearl - or an absolute pearler to be precise.        

Before Ben Arfa's latest exocet, our match highlight had been the half time rendition of Morrissey's miserablist anthem "Everyday is Like Sunday", as two disjointed sides struggled to make an impression and largely fluffed what chances they conjured up. 

The referee meanwhile did little to prevent a typical Paul Lambert side from leaving their foot in and tapping ankles, while seemingly instructing his linesmen to restrict themselves to indicating offsides and throw-ins.

Aside from the new/old role for Anita, the enforced reshuffle brought a top-flight bow for Gael Bigirimana rather more quickly than he - and we - might have expected. Whether it proves to be a bold decision that will fast track the teenager's career remains to be seen, but we were just worried on his behalf in case he made an error that irked the crowd and knocked his confidence (David Beharall, anyone?).    

Needing to adjust to the pace of the top flight game, Bigi did show flashes of the passing prowess that we've already seen, while he also made one timely intervention late on to deny ex-mackem Darren Bent. Like Adam Campbell, it's important to keep some perspective. Nurture is the word.  

In one of too few memorable moments, Bent was the victim of a stinging assault by Ben Arfa - our man finding Bent's hooter with stunning accuracy when hoofing the ball at him from close range. It earned an unexpected corner and left Bent dazed and in need of treatment. Cheered us up though. 

Lambert meanwhile introduced Charles N'Zogbia from the bench and his arrival was greeted with the inevitable "greedy" chants from home supporters. And with Shay Given dropped to the bench, the only other ex-Magpie in evidence was former loanee/shirker Stephen Ireland - who maintained the form that has taken him to the edge of obscurity by missing the target late on when well-placed.  

Sylvain Marveaux and Gabriel Obertan appeared as substitutes for the closing stages, but deliveries from both never looked likely to produce a late winner; even if the latter did almost live up to his billing as an impact substitute down the right flank and looked to have some fire in his belly, for once.

Demba Ba was withdrawn despite looking far more threatening than fellow striker Papiss Cisse (it did occur to us that Pardew took the view that Ba was wasting his time staying on, with Probert intent refusing to give anything in his favour). 

And salvation so nearly came in the final seconds of five added minutes, when Guzan clawed away Yohan Cabaye's seemingly perfect 30-yard free-kick. Had Given been between the posts, then it's doubtful that he would have reached it.

Four points from the first three games is certainly no disaster, even if the overall performance today was as dispiriting as Thursday's stumble into the Group Stages. Our progress in 12 months means that we risk becoming the victims of raised expectations, but it's important to retain a sense of proportion round these parts, even if clowns elsewhere are quick to leap to conclusions and rubbish the same set of players they fawned over last season. 

A year ago, ten of the fourteen players on show here today played out the most mediocre of 0-0 draws at QPR. That result may have extended our unbeaten start to the season, but came amid a sombre atmosphere prompted  by an unsatisfactory end to the transfer window and some genuine gloom as to our future prospects. That all seems like a long time ago, thankfully.  

Looking for positives in 2012, the spirit which was manifest in the whole team taking to the field clad in tracksuit tops emblazoned with "Ryan Taylor Over the Wall" (Captain Colo's idea) has seen us twice recover from conceding a goal at home to get back on level terms. Not playing well but not losing is an attribute we've possessed on far too few occasions round these parts over the years.

We'll never know whether, as alleged, United turned down big money for their stars (if so, obviously not big enough to meet our price tags). Whatever the whys or wherefores though, the hysteria and hyperbole of the transfer window is now behind us again. High time for an outbreak of football.

Biffa