Instant Reaction: Swansea City 2 - 2 Newcastle United

Newcastle United managed to avoid conceding in the first 5 minutes of the match versus Swansea, which felt like a minor victory (although they did concede in the first 5 minutes of the second, so...), yet exhibited many of the same tendencies that have set this season up to be a long, joyless season for the club.  Doubtless on an emotional high from not being behind early, Newcastle were feeling pretty good about themselves - perhaps a little "fat and happy" kind of attitude - which showed when a nice bit of passing put Wilfried Bony easily behind Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini.  The Ivorian made no mistake and put the Swans predictably and deservedly on top.  The bright spots were few and far between for Newcastle, but Tim Krul found something close to his best to keep Bony from adding a second while Gabriel Obertan was doing exiting things from time to time on the other end.  In fact, it was Obertan who would do a little dance with the ball in the right corner, gain the touchline and put in a good ball for in-form Papiss Cisse who got a leg on the ball from a tight angle.  Oddly, Lukasz Fabianski was going to ground for no good reason at all and Cisse's touch went over him and into the net for the first equalizer.

Motivational Master Alan Pardew went to work at half time and worked his magic as Newcastle conceded a second just after half time with another Premier League level session of standing around by the center backs allowing Wayne Routledge to chip easily over an advancing Tim Krul.  In fairness, Alan Pardew did introduce Sammy Ameobi into the fray for an ineffectual Yoan Gouffran and Sammy immediately became the best player on the pitch for the Magpies.  He would provide the cross for Cisse's second equalizer of the match with a cross that looked to take a deflection in order to reach it's ultimate goal.  For the positives provided recently by Papiss Cisse and today by Sammy Ameobi, there are 4 or 5 negatives.  Paul Dummett was reguarly torn up by Nathan Dyer, Mike Williamson and Coloccini were at their revolving door best, Tiote was spotty at best and Sissoko was largely disinterested...  but hey, FIGHTING SPIRIT AND THEY REALLY STOOD IN THERE IT'S GREAT TO GET A POINT SWANSEA IS A TOUGH PLACE TO GO and all.

Fighting spirt is well and good, but the problems are still the same and are not getting better.  If we keep the FIGHTING SPIRIT and draw every match from here out, we'll still go down.