11/09/2009 Newcastle 0 Chelsea 1 Bobby Robson is the fourth Messiah in seven years to try to work the miracle for Newcastle United. And while it seemed the whole of Tyneside gathered around the white-haired one for his first match in charge at Stamford Bridge today, there are a lot more prayers to be offered before Newcastle emerge from their season of gloom. Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf slotted home the first-half penalty which gave the southerners the points to keep up the pressure on Manchester United. At the end Newcastle were left still rooted to the bottom with just one solitary point for their season's efforts, though there were at least signs that Robson had brought much-needed passion and steel to the Geordie cause. At last in this traumatic and turbulent season there was a sense of organisation and commitment about Newcastle which was never evident in the dying embers of the Gullit regime. True, there has always been a touch of absent-minded eccentricity about Robson. When asked once what he would have done if he hadn't been a football manager he replied: "I'd have given my right arm to be a pianist." This past week he has mistaken Newcastle full-back Warren Barton for 'Warren Bradley' - a member of Newcastle's 1952 amateur cup final side. At 66, like any pensioner, he has also struggled with the pronunciation of Temuri Ketsbaia - but there is no doubting his commitment to his beloved Newcastle. Robson fairly jogged down the tunnel on to Stamford Bridge an hour and a half before kick-off to supervise his players in the pre-match warm-up. He signed autographs alongside England captain Alan Shearer and imparted his cosy brand of avuncular football knowledge to a band of Newcastle fans eager to know his thoughts on survival. And there can have been no bigger cheer in London today than when the Chelsea tannoy announced: "Please welcome Bobby Robson back to English football." For the next 90 minutes he alternated from his dug-out seat to his place on the touchline in an impression of the most energetic pensioner in Britain. His frantic touchline deliberations only highlighted the severity of the problems ahead. And his biggest and most pressing task is what to do with England captain Alan Shearer. The England captain may be able to fill his boots against the cooks and plumbers of Luxembourg, but against World Cup-winning defenders such as Marcel Desailly and Leboeuf he looked distinctly short of ideas and desperately lacking in the speed of thought and the athleticism of body necessary to deal with the Premiership's elite. "Shearer, you're off the pace," was the most common shout from the stand - and that was from the Newcastle following. He could not be faulted for industry - though try as he might his partnership with Ferguson does not promise the riches for which Tyneside had hoped. Ferguson's battle with Leboeuf - an abrasive, niggly encounter which left the Frenchman flat out as early as the 17th minute from an apparent flying arm, was perhaps the uglier side of English football. By the time Ferguson was taken off in the 74th minute to be replaced by Paul Robinson he had done little to justify his £8m transfer fee. To their credit, however, Newcastle had given almost as good as they had got for 36 minutes in a game in which they were never outclassed or overwhelmed but from which they never really threatened to take anything. When the breakthrough came it was no surprise that Gianfranco Zola was the instigator. The little Italian, such an imaginative and enterprising cog at the fulcrum of this Chelsea side, had received his club Player of the Year award for last season on the pitch just before kick-off. It's a fair bet he will be doing the same around the same time next season. It was Zola's curling free-kick which picked out Celestine Babayaro right in front of goal in the Newcastle penalty area. As the Chelsea defender flung himself for the header his shirt was tugged back by Gary Speed and referee Graham Poll had no alternative but to point to the spot. Leboeuf stood up to crash the ball home and all Newcastle's early resolve was in danger of dissipating. In the Gullit era the heads would certainly have slumped. But, while Robson may have only been at St James' Park for a week, the one thing which was not lacking today was spirit. Robson began with seven British-based players, Rob Lee continuing his pardon from his Gullit-induced exile and Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson forming Tyneside's preferred strikeforce. What was missing was creation and imagination, though Robson operated with a crowded five-man midfield and just three at the back. Considering Newcastle's recent defensive frailties that was perhaps the bravest decision of the day - though there was no doubt it added a solidity to Newcastle's formation which they have not enjoyed all season. But it takes more than seven days to right the obvious wrongs of the last three years under Kenny Dalglish and Gullit - and Chelsea, even in muted form before their European clash with AC Milan, are not the side to face in transition. Still, Ferguson managed one brilliant looping header from Lee's cross in the first half which was expertly saved by the fingertips of Chelsea goalkeeper Ed De Goey. A Speed header also curled just wide and Shearer had furious appeals for a penalty turned down when it seemed he was pulled down by De Goey. But that was Newcastle's attacking lot. And the only reason Robson was spared a more embarrassing scoreline was the form of Newcastle Tommy Wright - the one Toon player not to put a foot wrong. Wright produced two fantastic late saves, first from Zola after the little midfielder squirmed his way through after 85 minutes. And then an even better stop from substitute Tore Andre Flo a minute from time, when he stuck out a leg to deny the striker when he looked certain to score. There were five bookings - Wise, inevitably, for a kick at Shearer and Leboeuf for Chelsea while Solano, Barton and Dyer were yellow carded for Newcastle. It was never pretty - but at least Robson will contend that this battling performance was a bridgehead on which he can rally the Toon army. Only time will tell.