It’s been easy for us all to get enmeshed in Newcastle’s injuries this season with Ryan Taylor, Danny Simpson, Cheick Tiote, Fab Coloccini and now Tim Krul all injured in the first three weeks of the season.
We need Shola Ameobi back banging in the goals
But there’s some good news on the injury front too, with the two Ameobi bothers, Shane Ferguson and possibly Cheick Tiote all being fit for the game next Monday at Everton, and reports that James Perch is recovering nicely from his neck injury – so we could have as many as five players back for selection for the Everton game.
We know that Danny Simpson and Ryan Taylor will not make that game, and it could even be that Ryan is out for the season with his ACL injury, but Newcastle have not yet put any time estimate on his recovery yet.
One lad’s that’s really glad to be back in training is Sammy Ameobi, who has this to say in the Evening Chronicle today:
“This is an unprecedented opportunity for us younger players.” “With the players we’ve got now, they’re top young players that are coming through.” “I appreciate the fact the manager has put his faith in us since he took over and now it is up to us to start repaying him.”
“We have games to come where we will get chances that previously wouldn’t have come our way – and I can’t wait.” “The Ameobi family hasn’t been a great place to be!” “Luckily I’m back now and I don’t think Shola is very far away from being ready either so it will be great to have us both back.”
“It has been frustrating but I can see the end of it now.”
Ameobi has now fully recovered from the knee injury he picked up in early January, which put an end to his season, after he had looked so good for Newcastle during the first half of last term.
We also need Shola to come on and make an impact and score some goals, as we cannot rely on Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba to do everything up front this season either, and we still haven’t seen the two Senegal strikers combine well in a 4-4-2 formation.
Why we didn’t bring in another striker in the summer we have no idea, but given that we didn’t, why doesn’t Alan Pardew give 17 year-old Adam Campbell a chance – he’s looking great in the new Newcastle U21 side, and was simply unbelievable when he came on at Cardiff City in early August.
What do you think?
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and +1 us on Google+
You can also reach Ed at admin@nufcblog.com
=============================================
135 comments so far
Dannyo
Sep 10, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Comment #41So, are we still going on about how we’re gonna struggle finish in the top half of the table?
check the toastie
Sep 10, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Comment #42Ibiza – not sure, during sunday morning footy once when i was playing and managing the side, we did name somebody on the bench even though we only had eleven, that was pretty funny.
Actually think we may play better with ten men:)
Pushy Pardew
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Comment #43check the toastie
Coaches can’t always get it right until they know how opposition are to play. It made sense when Bigi came on
to switch from 4-4-2. When Tiote is fit 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 is the answer. Simpson is a good squad player.
transfer sage 2
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Comment #44if pardew want attacking football play this
…………..krul……………..
….santon..collo…taylor
..cabaye……tiote…….jonas..
……………marvuex……………………
.ba…………cisse………..ben10
and with that formation we could swap to 433 come on pardew ano most of you would disagree but that looks like are best side
Pushy Pardew
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:09 PM
Comment #45When it comes to a change in formation Pardew goes to Guti. Hes really seen by me as a CM as well as a full back. He will start against Everton but in which position?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Comment #46Transfer Sage 2
I don’t mean to have a go but that’s a terrible formation. HBA LW and Ba RW? Santon in CB as part of a 3 man defence? Marv in a No 10 role?
I appreciate the premise of playing more attacking football but I would sooner play 4-4-2 then ever see us playing that formation.
Pushy Pardew
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Comment #47check the toastie
Sunday morning football. Phoning around seeing who was home, sober or just not.too drunk. A great leveller.
Super Magpie
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Comment #48Check
Cabaye RW?
I don’t see Jonas as a full back or a winger. As good at defending he is.
I see him as more of Defensive Midfielder. So maybe we could line up with this so we can save Williamson for Europe.
—————Krul——————
Anita—Saylor— Perch –Santon
————Tiote—Jonas———–
HBA ——-Cabaye——Marveaux
——————-Ba———————
That is assuming Krul and Tiote are fit.
We NEED Krul to be fit, or our chances are very slim.
Pushy Pardew
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:14 PM
Comment #49Transfer Sage 2
Are you related to Transfer Sage?
transfer sage 2
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:15 PM
Comment #50Ruddy Marveaux-lous
yeah my bad about ben arfa lw and ba rw switch that around and have u seen santon for the u21 hes great and marvuex has great vision and passing
Pushy Pardew
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:18 PM
Comment #51Cabaye was lost on the right when Bigi came on. Problem is that HBA and Cabaye both like the central
midfield slot behind Cisse/Ba.
Pushy Pardew
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:22 PM
Comment #52Rudy
How are you ? I have to go soon so just as well your on board.
Pushy Pardew
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:27 PM
Comment #53Rudy
Keep up the positivity?
ppb
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:37 PM
Comment #54@pushy its all rather positive atm
check the toastie
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:39 PM
Comment #55Pushy – sunday morning footy used to be good standard, it is totally shit now, now 39 yearsold and would walk into every team in the town, it is pathetic, loads of fat lads who would sooner do bit of MMA on the pitch rather than play.
Might play over 40’s in a couple of years, but that standard is shit as well, probably just stick to having a mid life crisis and continuing with Triathlon.
Super – Cabaye wouldnt be right wing as such, Jonas and Santon offer the width everybody else keeps the ball and slips balls into Cisse, Tiote and Anita cover when the Full Backs are bombing on, Simple really, dont know why Pardoo hasnt embraced it.
ppb
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:44 PM
Comment #56@ctt slips balls into cisse? scary for him lol
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:48 PM
Comment #57and now I’m behind the pace….sorry If I missed anything
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:52 PM
Comment #58Oh yeah, that’s right. Ibiza’s back, so let’s all stop chatting. Very mature guys 🙂
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:57 PM
Comment #59I have a real soft spot for Shola, like many other bloggers and also have enjoyed Sammy and Fergies occasional cameos in the first team. I particularly want to see Sammy do well, but collectively those guys would have a transfer value of under 10 mill whereas Colo, Timmy and Tiote would be worth around 60 and for good reason. I’m afraid I don’t take great comfort from the article. but hey, it’s still the Mighty Toon, so bring it on!
Super Magpie
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:57 PM
Comment #60Quick, everyone change threads while isn’t looking. 😀
Ibiza
Repost from before regarding 4-4-2:
Ibiza
Exactly, Pardew totally contradicts himself by saying we need control the midfield. If he wants to do that, play 4-5-1. We have one of the best midfields in the league.
As a team we should play to our strengths which is our midfield.
Accommodating Ba and Cisse should not be a problem, we have European games and would both play as much as each other.
I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. We as fans can say what we think ( although a lot don’t have a clue 🙂 ), but have no control over what happens.
ppb
Sep 10, 2012 at 5:57 PM
Comment #61ibiza go away so we can chat freely without your wild positivity
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Comment #62ppb….I’ll respond to you first as you require the most energy….p*ss off! 🙂
Super….I personally agree 100%. It would seem best to me (from my armchair holding a ps3 controller), that 5 in the midfield and rotating Ba and Cisse is the best way forward. My only hopes are that we’re not persevering with the 4-4-2 to keep Ba happy or that if that is the case, Pardew notices it’s not working and has a chat with him pretty soon. They have enough games this season if it’s planned out properly. I’d rather have one of them every game than both in some…but that’s me.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:14 PM
Comment #63So, those posts were just some false hope? Get me interested again and then drop me from a height?
beefman13
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:19 PM
Comment #64Lads lets not be to harsh on rob elliot, he pulled off a string of real top drawer saves the first time i saw him v liverpool reserves last season, and everytime i have seen him since he has been very solid.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Comment #65beefman…Tbh, I’ve only seen him a couple of times and he didn’t seem too convincing. But I shall take the word of someone who has seen him on more occasions than me 🙂
Who would you prefer, Elliot or Harper?
Super Magpie
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Comment #66Ibiza
It seems the most logical thing to do.
Also it’s been awhile since kets was last seen posting on here, did we all drive him off by not taking him seriously? 🙂
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:23 PM
Comment #67Super…Well, he promised not to post again until we were active in the market….although I have seen some occasional posts from him since. I think I may have been inclined to drive someone off for taking him seriously. 😉
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:28 PM
Comment #68I once had a season coaching a pretty good group of 16 year old lads and it was one of the most disheartening experiences because I tried to play an innovative attacking set up I felt would suit the players we had. The players really couldn’t begin to get their heads around the new shape and just kept wanting to naturally revert back to what they new, 442, and needless to say we had a long hard season with myself something of the villain of the piece in the eyes of a number of parents and players. My point is, that it’s not easy playing around with shape and formation and very often unsuccessful when you do. I suppose finding the right shape to suit your players is key particularly at this level, but I doubt there’s any silver bullet formation and I’d assume they are working really hard on their shape on the training ground, just not seeing it work so well on game day as yet.
Super Magpie
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:28 PM
Comment #69Ibiza
Was that not Beattie?
Taking Kets seriously!?!?!?!?!? 😆
Bless his soul… 🙂
Tsunki
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:30 PM
Comment #70I am but a shadow, a suggestion of a dream, a fleeting spectral figure momentarily caught in the periphery of vision. No I don’t get on here these days much, Ibiza. Reality makes such demands!
Yeah what happened to Ketsy? Do you think the realisation that Scharner definitely wasn’t coming made him pack his bags? Whats happened to Beattie? did he actually go into exile because of transfer inactivity as he said? Do I ask too many questions? Film at 11.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:32 PM
Comment #71jawballsaswallwell….So it’s not as simple as just telling them? I think a lot of people underestimate what is involved in management, well, I don’t just think it, I know they do.
Super….Beattie as well. Seems a lot of people found it hard to cope with the window.
As for taking Kets seriously, even if his content improved, after the association with Zed from police academy it was game over for me 🙂
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:33 PM
Comment #72Tsunki….A shadow whose presence I feel is always lurking 🙂
Beattie seems to have gone, well, at least as Beattie anyway.
What film?
beefman13
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:34 PM
Comment #73Ibiza, my view is harper is on the way out but has been very good for us, but i would pick rob elliot i would give him as much playing time as possible,
i have faith in our scouting system ,and from what i have seen from him, i cannot understand the negativity.
Ian Toon
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:36 PM
Comment #74Ibiza- Good to return to find your discussing formations. I feel we need to be fair to Pardew whom I firmly believe wants to play 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 before posters comment on subtle difference . He just has not had the personnel fit or fully fit to play it so he resorts to the tired 4-4-2. It’s a moot point whether it’s merely to accommodate Ba. Tiote is essential and I had Anita in the 2 but that was in the expectation that Debuchy signed- Simpson can’t operate in this system. But given the players we do have then I favour Anita and Santon bombing forward with Tiote and Jonas in the 2. It requires much more movement than we’ve seen to date. In the 3 I would have HBA, Cabaye and Marve and a rejuvenated Cisse up front.
Super Magpie
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:37 PM
Comment #75Jawball
They’re 16year old teenagers.
We’re talking about Premier League Footballers. We actually play better when we play 4-5-1/4-3-3 anyway.
But that story shows everything that’s wrong with the way Football is being taught to Kids. No wonder we can’t win anything.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:37 PM
Comment #76Beefman…..I suppose on the basis that Elliot will be with us longer than Harper will now, it makes sense to give him more playing time. He doesn’t seem to be making the first team bench anymore, whereas last season then seemed to alternate. Not sure if there is anything in that, or if it’s a case of us putting two and two together.
Most people don’t catch the reserves games and as I said, from his few first team games I’ve seen, he looked a little shaky….that’s why he needs game time I suppose
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:40 PM
Comment #77Super…Is it fair to assume you blame jawball for the state of the UK’s youth system? 🙂
Ian…..Yes, formations. It’s not like we haven’t beaten it to death in the past 🙂 Did Simmo not feature when we played the 4-3-3 or variation last season? Is it his lack of ability getting forward that makes him not suited? I agree on your midfield and attacking line. Seems the best option we have…..and it isn’t exactly shabby either 😉
Ian Toon
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:42 PM
Comment #78Beefman- Haven’t seen him for sometime and he was in the settling in stage so unfair to comment. Harper’s best days are clearly behind him but he could still do a job. I agree with your point that far to many people form a view on players without seeing them or not seeing them very often. When you consider how often Carr looks at a player before recommending them it’s farcical.
Super Magpie
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:43 PM
Comment #79Ibiza
On the subject of Elliot.
It’s the reserve league tbf. There is little pressure on him so maybe that’s why he looks better.
Obviously he rarely gets a game for the first team, so when he does. He will be nervous and make mistakes. He dosent strike confidence into me when I’ve saw him play. But he could totally prove me wrong if given the chance.
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 10, 2012 at 6:45 PM
Comment #80Ibiza, yeah I was extremely naive regarding how difficult it would be to get these kids to take on board a new way of playing, obviously lots of drills and mini games. I just wonder how tough it is to get pros to adopt a different shape, still pretty tough I’d say, take Liverpool under Rodgers, as an example – doesn’t happen overnight.