THE POSSIBLY PROFOUND MEANING OF A MEANINGLESS MATCH

Chelsea-Newcastle on Sunday had all the trappings of a friendly: missing regulars, experimental substitutions, pristine new kits, and a home crowd that showed about the same enthusiasm for a goal as opera-goers after a nicely sung aria. After all, the match didn't mean anything, right?

So when was the last time you saw a scorer get carded for excessive celebration in a meaningless match? When the resurgent Steven Taylor equalized late in extra time, Alan Pardew showed more emotion than Roberto Mancini a day earlier when Man City purchased won the FA Cup. And Mancini is Italian.

There's reason to be excited about this ostensibly redundant day. The vigor Pardew's youth brigade injected into Newcastle's effort was positively Faustian. Kaz LuaLua was a threat from the instant he appeared, and he merits an unofficial assist on the climactic goal because his wicked fall-away cross set up that corner. Maybe you knew Sammy Ameobi had that much pace; I didn't. Nile Ranger looked like he was actually enjoying himself, and while he didn't break his PL scoring jinx, he got a sweet assist on the winner and had various promising runs. Shane Ferguson, once again, was a flying ball of focused energy. Watching all that promise all over the pitch, one might almost have been forgiven for wondering if Newcastle really needs to throw millions of pounds around the market this summer - but let's hope Mike Ashley isn't thinking the same thing.

Speaking of the market, the point against Chelsea puts a No. 10 finish within reach of a draw in the finale next Sunday at St. James' with West Brom, and a potentially stupefying No. 8 finish within reach of a victory. If you don't think that matters, listen to all the summer targets talk about the Champions League. It'll be a lot easier to make the Europe case this summer from the top half of the table.

And even easier with video of the young players in black and white blazing across the pitch Sunday at Stamford Bridge. With youth maturing, wounded returning, and summer reinforcements arriving, one day the Toon Army might just look back on a meaningless late-season draw against Chelsea and think, that's the day it all started.