Joey Barton Shows Maturity in Battle with Wolves

Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Wolves on Saturday was enough to ensure both teams remained in the top half heading into the international break. The two headline makers from this game were arguably former England international Joey Barton (1 game at least) and a player whom many are touting for an England call up, Andy Carroll.

Victim

Joey Barton was on the wrong end of a number of ferocious tackles from the Wolves midfield on Saturday, that under a stronger referee may have resulted in a red card. Karl Henry in particular was the fortunate party on the Wolves side to finish the game on just a single yellow card.

Reckless to say the least was Karl Henry, who seemed to have been instructed by Mick McCarthy to irritate and wind up Joey Barton in the Newcastle midfielder. From strong and two-footed tackles in the first half to clouting through the former Manchester City player, Joe Barton was the victim of Karl Henry’s mean streak.

Tactical?

Back in Mick McCarthy’s playing days, this type of play was part and parcel of football. But in the modern game, it is has generally been stamped down and prevented with yellow and red cards produced for the tackles Henry was making at Molineux on Saturday.

Credit must go to Joey Barton, whom in a previous season would have almost-certainly retaliated and got himself sent off in the process. A more mature and shaven Barton was on the field this weekend. But for one bad tackle (that earned him a yellow card), he kept himself under control. It was his delivery from a set piece that Andy Carroll nodded home Newcastle’s equaliser. A double blow for Mick McCarthy and his Wolves side who were presumably hoping for Joey Barton to get himself sent off from which Wolves would take advantage of their numerical advantage. It didn’t happen and both parties seemed happy with a point at the end of a game that could have gone either way.