Bolton Wanderers 2 Newcastle United 0: Newcastle United need the goals that come with Michael Owen, but does Michael Owen need the grief that comes with Newcastle United? When Owen hears of how Newcastle last night were comfortably beaten by Bolton Wanderers his reluctance to move to St James' Park will surely be enhanced.
Newcastle may have been boosted by their morning declaration of a club-record bid for Owen but by early in the second half their players were visibly demoralised. It is now one point from nine to start the season - and no Newcastle goals.
When Stelios Giannakopoulos knocked in Bolton's second five minutes after the interval, the travelling fans chanted "sack the board". It is Manchester United at home on Sunday.
Again missing guile Newcastle could not hold Bolton. The home side began slowly but once El Hadji Diouf had given them a 37th-minute lead, Bolton's play developed. The creative movement offered by Stelios, Gary Speed, Jay-Jay Okocha and Diouf contrasted with Newcastle's pedestrian passing.
With Ricardo Gardner having strained a hamstring, Bolton had no recognised fit left-back. Sam Allardyce looked around his squad and plumped for Henrik Pedersen, the bustling striker.
Midway through the first half Bolton lost another defender, Radhi Jaidi, but gradually the home side built some forward momentum.
Diouf was beginning to make small differences across the line and it was no surprise when he showed the desire to beat a colleague to Nicky Hunt's inviting 37th-minute centre.
With the ball curling over the visiting defence, Diouf arrived at the far post and made solid contact with the head. The ball was going toward goal but Shay Given would have been expected to save it. But the ball took a deflection off Stephen Carr's back and beat Given at his near post.
Having started brightly, Newcastle were now spending a lot of time on the back foot. Bowyer's fifth-minute effort was their only shot on target in the half.
Souness's half-time team talk will have stressed the need for more creativity but things were about to get worse for Newcastle.
An example of what they were lacking came from Okocha, who delivered a marvellous, improvised volleyed pass to Ginnakoplous to send the Greek free.
Stelios supplied Hunt, whose cross was too deep. But Diouf kept the ball in and returned it to the middle, where Speed met it with a flick of his head. Ginnakopolous had made his way into the six-yard box and he met Speed's touch and increased his market value with a two-yard tap-in.
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Jaidi (Diagne-Faye 23), Ben Haim, Pedersen, Nolan, Speed, Okocha, Giannakopoulos, Davies (Campo 70), Diouf (Borgetti 87). Subs Not Used: Walker, Vaz Te. Goals: Diouf 37, Giannakopoulos 50.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Taylor, Babayaro, Jenas, Faye (Clark 60), Parker, Bowyer (Milner 67), Shearer, Ameobi. Subs Not Used: Elliott, Harper, N'Zogbia. Booked: Taylor.
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).
