There is more bad news for Newcastle today, with left-back Massadio Haidara likely to be out for an extended period with his bad knee.
Massadio Haidara being taken off on a stretcher against Villa
Massadio suffered the injury in the 1-0 home win against Aston Villa on 28th February, but after the game the head coach (and even the player himself) said he was expected to be available for the game at home to Manchester United four days later.
But he hasn’t been back since then, and an injection has failed to settle the knee.
Head coach John Carver has said this on injuries:
“The good news is that I’ve not got a selection problem because I’ve only got 13 fit senior players, plus two keepers, so that won’t be too difficult.”
“There’s no sign of anyone coming back in the near future other than Mehdi, who is a week or so away.” “We’re working on Rolando, everyone else is more or less long-term.”
So that statement puts Massadio in the long term injured bracket, and Newcastle must be kicking themselves for letting specialist left-back Davide Santon leave for Inter-Milan in January.
If they’re not they should be.
Now we have no recognized left back available and only one recognized center back for the next three games at least.
But it could even be that Massadio is out for the season with that knee injury.
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86 comments so far
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 8:49 AM
Comment #1Sissoko takes captains armband. Like for like, one player who doesn’t want to be here and has little appetite for the challenge or any consistency to his game for another.
Let’s see if this gives him the kick up the backside he requires. Maybe it will lift his game as 99% of the time he is ineffectual doing anything other than running from the halfway line with the ball.
martoon
Mar 20, 2015 at 8:49 AM
Comment #2Well at least it shouldn’t be too diffcult to predict tomorrow’s stating eleven 🙂
martoon
Mar 20, 2015 at 8:49 AM
Comment #3*starting
Average_Contents
Mar 20, 2015 at 8:52 AM
Comment #4Said it’d most probably be Moussa a few days ago. Hopefully he sorts his shit out and hits some sort of form
http://mobile.newsnow.co.uk/A/764206510?-11058:809
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 8:54 AM
Comment #5BDG,
Why is that the problem? If they are planning for the summer already, then it is either Carer taking us forward, or they have no interest in the players a new head coach would want.
This sort of collapse, for the second year running is hardly likely to inspire a good vibe around the club, or attract a good calibre of players this summer. We may not have made a lot more cash by finishing a few places higher, but it may save us cash when it comes to attracting good players.
Why would a top player come to a club that has performed like ours? Extra cash is the answer. So it costs us more to get them. Alternatively, we don’t get them and the cycle continues with an understrength squad and lesser quality players.
If the club really did consider the long term, then those couple of signings would have been hugely beneficial.
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Comment #6*Carver
Harley
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:02 AM
Comment #7From last post.
Lilongwe
Completely agree with your first post. I don’t think there are many fans who expect silly money signings (there are a few mind). Most sensible fans just want the club to do as they said they would and invest the clubs money back in.
As you pointed out there has most likely been 50m available over the last 2 windows. Now I’m even fussed about the amount of money they spend as long as the squad has sufficient quality and depth, which it’s glaringly obvious it hasn’t.
It’s disgusting that with 50m sitting in the bank, they would allow this to happen. We are the only in in the league who have done this and we are supposedly the 19th biggest club in the world.
Harley
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:05 AM
Comment #8Nice to see Merson has been quite complimentary about us and only stuck us down for a 3-0 loss.
Rotonda heights
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:06 AM
Comment #9Instead of endless whingeing maybe Carver should have a thorough look at why we get so many injuries. Are the players fit enough to avoid injuries and what on earth goes on in training sessions.
It’s funny when you have an inspirational guy in charge like KK first time round that the sickbay was cleared almost from the day he arrived and people wanted to play for him.
Also don’t like how carver is having a go at the fans again, a la pardew. We all support the team before and during the game bit it’s the fans right to complain at the end of matches after the usual rubbish served up.
ToonTiger
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:11 AM
Comment #10Personally I’d have given the armband to Colback or Raylor.
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Comment #11Harley,
It is ridiculous and verging on negligence that with that cash sat there, and places available within the squad that they didn’t see fit to improve the squad in Jan particularly with the injuries we had and have long suffered from. Not only did they not see fit to improve, they decided to weaken it further.
They said the Santon deal wouldn’t be there in the summer which is why they let him go (see fans forum minutes). They didn’t think they could pick up £2.8million for a young player who has in the past represented Italy? Do me a favour, I didn’t think he was great, but we had a lack of defensive cover all round, and he has played both full backs and at centre half for us.
tequilamag
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Comment #12RH nothing worse than endless whinging is there
Rotonda heights
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:15 AM
Comment #13i can’t stand ashley for his appalling managerial and staff appointments.
However, whose fault is it that 6M Riviere, 12M Cabella, 6M Anita, 6M Siem De Jong, 6M MYM etc have all bombed.
Is it bad coaching , is it bad scouting. That’s the best part of 40M on 5 players who for various reasons have all done next to zilch
Thing is if ash won’t appoint top line people to develop his ”investments” he only has himself to blame, yet refuses to see that.
Toon Tang
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:16 AM
Comment #14Coaches must be throwing a bag of wrenches at them like “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball”
Cheers coach.
Rotonda heights
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:17 AM
Comment #15tequila
And good morning to you
with that unnecesarily aggressive opening salvo I guess you would be the guy to ask
ToonTiger
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:20 AM
Comment #16Shame they changed the fitness coach because when ‘she’ was there it was minimal injuries (forgot her name) more recently. We’re seriously lacking strength & depth and have been since the 5th finish season. All in the name of profit? – probably…….
There’s some serious work to do in the summer – I hope they step up.
New management and squad rebuild needed. Marquee signings are a luxury we cannot afford so it’s exploiting untapped potential, rough diamonds and Graham Carr’s sales pitch.
St James Park needs to be a fortress again
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:20 AM
Comment #17RH,
I wouldn’t say SDJ has bombed just yet. He may come good. Same for Cabella.
Anita has been a disappointment, but has never really had a settled run and been given a chance to adapt. He should be offloaded this summer, but we haven’t given him the best environment. I’d say his is a case of the difference between what the scout wants and how he wants the side to play and a manager and coaches who aren’t sure how to use him.
Riviere was distinctly average in France, which equates to poor here. Bad scouting to recommend him, although he could have been 7th/8th on the list for all we know.
tequilamag
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:22 AM
Comment #18RH maybe if I repeated the same post endlessly you would have a point on the whinging aspect.
Nice to see the penny is finally dropping and you have opened your mind to the possibility Ash has left us short. It was all Pardews fault not so longer as Ash had provided such a good squad for him
Rotonda heights
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:24 AM
Comment #19lilo
under proper modern technical coaches who embraced ”pass and move” football, as opposed to solely containment, yes i can see cabella and de jong coming good
tequilamag
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:25 AM
Comment #20Lilo on the recruitment front we like all clubs have had good and bad buys. The problem as has been stated many times is the timing of replacements which always seems to be at least 6 months later than they should be
Ibizatoon
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:25 AM
Comment #21Toon Tang…Then add the classic of dodging traffic. Beautiful stuff.
Rotonda heights
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:26 AM
Comment #22tequila
sorry mate it’s too early to get involved. Can you just pass on me today and entertain the other good folk on here. Much appreciated.
Reyantoon
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:27 AM
Comment #23Lil
. “How come the other clubs can spend more money than us without being in breach of FFP rules?”
By other clubs:
If u mean minnows like Southampton, Swansea,they spend more than us bcoz they made significant profits from player sales.
If u mean bigger fishes,they have better merchandise sale around the world,gained more TV money than us for many years,and have expensive ticket sales.
obvioysly It will take us time to compete like this ones.
And
haven’t we spend all the money that we gained last season? something like 30,35
hibbit
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:29 AM
Comment #24teq thats the problem on here a lot focus on one aspect of the problem and just cannot see the next link carver-carr- charnley- ASHLEY
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:33 AM
Comment #25Tequila,
If at all! Of course we have good and bad buys, all clubs do. I said this in an earlier post, I think to Ron Knee. However, it is made harder by the restrictions placed on the scout, and the lack of willingness to spend that little extra for a bit more quality.
AS I said, it isn’t easy to judge Graham Carr as we don’t know who else he recommended.
As for bad timing, yes, there is an element of that. However our recruitment policy is largely based on value, not what we need to balance the squad. That is why we have an overload in midfield, and not enough in a lot of other positions.
tequilamag
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:36 AM
Comment #26Hibbit Thats the nub of it. I feel a bit sorry for Carver ..Pardew was a willing lightening rod for the fans frustrations but Carver has been thrust into a situation for which I think he is ill equipped to deal. I don`t blame him for wanting the job and don`t hate him for his lack of guile.
The responsibility is 100% MA
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:36 AM
Comment #27Reyan,
Did you read the full post? In the last 5 years, how many Prem clubs do you think have a negative spend?
Also, you mention we no longer sign duds like Luque and Xisco. Compared to Riviere, Xisco was prolific in the Prem for us. Only a few more games and even Luque 1 in 21 league matches will be better than Riviere.
No, we didn’t spend all the money we made last season. That is the profit that is due to be announced, expected to be £40million+, as explained in my last post. We spent what came in in transfer fees, nothing more.
bladeuser
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:38 AM
Comment #28We all know arsenal will win tom.As long as they do not get three players sent off sorry i meant five.we are S###. S### players
Coach
owner
atmosphere
everything so i could not give a toss if they put ten past us even then some will clap them off i will be doing something much more exciting painting my living room then watching it dry the cost of a few tins of paint and a bit of work for me
much better than forking out much more money to watch millionairs who could not give a damm as long as they pick up there thousands for ninety minutes of dross
Good luck to probably another 50 thou plus crowd my god its laughable
Lindisfarne
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:39 AM
Comment #29The club or rather MA is in a win win situation, the transfer process dictates that only high caliber players are sought at the cheapest possible price but in no circumstances is the clubs ‘valuation’ exceeded. But the only way these high caliber players will be attracted to the poorly performing club is by paying above other buyers, substantial increasing the cost above what the club want to pay. Therefore lesser quality players then become transfer targets, who are cheaper and only with potential, some are massive hits and some do not improve / are not coached well enough.
tequilamag
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:42 AM
Comment #30Lilo Midfield is the one area we have decent options but all the talk is of Ayew at the moment. I would be happy to have him but I think it illustrates the point that our most talked about target is yet another winger/forward who just happens to be free.Again value before need
beermonkey
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:45 AM
Comment #31RH
its hard to say if the 40 mil worth of players has failed not one of them for what ever reason has not had a decent run in there best position, I think you have to look at where these have come from and how those clubs played I don’t think our style if you can call it that helps
on the fitness and injury front compared to other teams our team is miles behind and even our own players have complained about the lack of fitness work we do
we bring players back to early and we never rotate players they play till they break
been impressed with spurs second half of the season pochitino has had the spurs squad on double training sessions for the first half of the season
for a squad we are miles away in the fitness stakes and to me you might not be one of the best but there is no reason we cant be one of the fittest
Jeff from Benwell
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:45 AM
Comment #32tequilamag
RH nothing worse than endless whinging is there
Made me laugh over my chucky eggs and soldiers
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:47 AM
Comment #33Tequila,
I think a good winger is required. Aarons could become one, but too early to say. Cabella doesn’t strike me as an out and out winger, Sammi could be anything at the minute, but time is running out for him and the club to make a decision. Obertan, well, does it need saying? Gouffran is an okay squad player, nothing more.
But a winger isn’t the most crucial requirement. I guess that as he is on a free, we can do the deal now publicly. There are much more pressing needs that hopefully are being worked on, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
hibbit
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Comment #34tequila… we never buy what we need…… my mates a youth scout at boro and he explained the system boro use the watch at lest 6 players for each position they need each player then go’s into 1 of 4 groups …… 1st team ready…….needs time…..prospect…….price… i think with nufc price comes first
tequilamag
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Comment #35Bladeuser do you have Sky. or TV ? Do you watch any of the games in the pub on Sky or TV. If yes then you are still contributing to MA.
I understand why people think boycotts are a good idea but I think the most impact can be made by the crowd who turn up making their feelings heard rather than slagging off fellow supporters on a blog.
This is so obvious it should not have to be said but when you have posters calling you a moron or worse for going to games they are not likely to be very sympathetic to joining your boycott
Lindisfarne
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:49 AM
Comment #36I meant to say this before today, any protest should focus on the need of the club and distinguish the priorities that the club requires to regain positive support. Rather than falling into Ashleys trap of distraction and making him a lightening rod of blame and mistrust. By clearly and concisely presenting the issues that the club needs to resolve, individual responsibility and singular problems are subsumed by a Mission Statement scenario that gives direction and motivation without requiring retribution for the past.
hibbit
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:54 AM
Comment #37the fans of this club are in more pieces then a broken glass and that’s what ashley wants
Novocastrian66
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:56 AM
Comment #38tequilamag; spot on mate.
Jeff from Benwell
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:57 AM
Comment #39Lindisfarne
I’ve rarely seen a person use so many words to say so little
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 20, 2015 at 9:59 AM
Comment #40Tequila @ 35.
Fully agree, vocal dissent at the ground, vocal protest marches to the ground (similar to the regular Liverpool protests), demonstrations at ground will all have a far bigger impact in my opinion. None of these have been tried effectively as too many of the more vocal and dissenting support gave up their tickets and stay home/in the pub.
A boycott is one of the few options left, but it is impossible to organise without a group that can organise and persuade, rather than people just throwing insults at those who disagree.
Away fans refusing to leave grounds is one option. It will cost the home side extra in policing and will lead to pressure from both the Premier league, opposition clubs and police forces. Appreciated that these will be difficult due to the methods of transport to away games and missing trains etc.
Sit ins at SJP could have the same affect, but mainly from police pressure on NUFC. Would also increase club costs having to keep stewards and police around longer as well as increasing the profile.