Return of the Zog: Charles bagged two on his return to SJP

Latics’ victory over Wolves earlier this month was a fantastic mood-lifter, especially as we’ve been able to dwell on it for a whole two weeks. The latest international break was a great opportunity to digest the opening months of the league season, taking in the lows of August and relative highs of September along with all the usual conjecture and politics that generally surrounds any club at the highest level of English football.

Had we lost out to Wanderers at the beginning of October, the whole atmosphere behind the scenes would have been quite different. As it happened, we were left reminiscing upon an okay start to 2010-11, as save from a couple of poor performances at the very beginning of proceedings we could so easily have been sitting pretty in the top half of the Premier League table. Just about. Whilst Latics aren’t exactly riding the crest of a wave at this time, we can safely claim things are looking a bit rosier than they were just six weeks ago.

There was no time for quiet reflection today, however, with Martinez and co. facing a trip across the Pennines to the hostile St James’ Park, a difficult place to visit at the best of times. The Toon Army reserved a special ironic cheer for Charles Insomnia nee N’Zogbia, whose off-the-field antics haven’t really endeared him to very many in recent times.

How appropriate, then, that Tyne and Wear’s very own fallen son should head past Tim Krul on 22 minutes for his first league goal of the season. Another chorus of boos met the official announcement of his putting the visitors ahead, but things were eerily quiet for some time after.

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