Steve McClaren said at the beginning of the season that he thought Newcastle were in good hands with the goalkeepers at the club this season – Tim Krul, Karl Darlow, Rob Elliot and 18 year-old Freddie Woodman and that will now be put to the test with the tragic news that Tim Krul has sustained an ACL knee injury playing for the Netherlands on Saturday night and he will be out for the rest of the season.
Rob Elliot – will start against Norwich
Newcastle have taken swift action in recalling Freddie Woodman from his loan spell at Crawley Town after the young player made 11 appearances for the first team and with Karl Darlow injured at the moment Rob will be in goal on Sunday against Norwich and Freddie will be on the bench.
Rob Elliot will be returning today from his duty with the Republic of Ireland in the Euro 2016 qualifying competition and he becomes an important player for Newcastle again.
Goalkeeper coach Simon Smith will now have to prepare Rob and the other goalkeepers, although Newcastle seem well off with 17 year-old England youth goalkeeper Paul Woolston also at Newcastle.
Simon has been an England Youth coach for the last two years and has already worked with Freddie and Paul.
This is what Rob Elliot has said:
“Simon has been around the building in the last couple of years because he looks after the young England lads.”
“We are fortunate to have good young lads around the goalkeeping department.
“I get on really with Simon. He comes in and just wants to do goalkeeping coaching. He has a great relationship with everybody and it has increased the competition, with Simon and Karl Darlow coming in.”
“It was unfortunate Karl got injured in training.” “At the end of the day you have to be at your best and do all you can to get in the team.”
“It is nice to have that healthy competition.” “You need to have strength in numbers and in depth.” “We definitely have that this year.”
“Tim started the season well despite us not starting well as a group.” “He has played really well. All we can do is push each other every day.”
“Simon Smith helps us do that.” “We had a good chat after Chelsea.” “It is a good starting point for where we need to be.”
“You can go from highs to lows in a short space of time and vice versa.” “We went from receiving loads of criticism before Chelsea to being clapped off the pitch.”
“We take it in our stride, we just try to give everything and that is all people ask of you.”
This adversity will hopefully help to bring the club together and certainly Rob will get a good response from the fans on Sunday – and he´s been a good goalkeeper when he´s played for the first team at Newcastle and only recently said he wanted to stay at the club and fight for his place on Tyneside.
This is a big chance for Rob with Darlow currently on the sidelines and it´s a big test for the club given the position we are currently in at the bottom of the league table.
Comments welcome.
14 comments so far
sing in the corner
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:10 AM
Comment #1Yes krul has had a below par time of late. But my worry is that losing him for the season is slicing off a big chunk of experience. Experience we badly need for the next few months. Only a short time ago some were talking about him in terms of captaincy…
Elliot is no Jak Alnwick, but I cringe when I think back to our last 2 goalkeeper injured crisis.
banjax
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:11 AM
Comment #2I wish Tim a very speedy recovery and we will no doubt miss him. Of course we need this injury like a hole in the head with the leaky defence we have. But Tim or no Tim, we’ll struggle even greater with the next three game which will bring our great club even closer to the brink.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:19 AM
Comment #3Jimmy Smith,
You are one of the most frustrating posters I read on here, “The policy can work but we need to keep our better players”
What is that supposed to mean, the flawed policy in place us designed to get rid of the best players, the only reason nobody was sold last summer was the near miss last season !
posada
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:22 AM
Comment #4This could only happen to us.
The Dutch play a meaningless game on an artificial pitch. Their first choice keeper does not fancy it so he pulls a sickie. Up steps Krul who does not normally get a game.
Then he’s out for the season.
I hope they are paying serious compo for his wages while he is out.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Comment #5Jesper,
Sack the board and manager ???
Who do you think will take their place, do you think Mikey will place an advert in the Sporting life asking for applicants, no, it will be another one of his personality lacking goons from his trusted circle who will hire another desperate yes man according to his wishes.
Catchy,
LC is the problem.
See above for my thoughts on that.
jimmysmith
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:24 AM
Comment #6Where is the evidence that the policy is “DESIGNED” to get rid of the better players. We have failed to keep our better players because they have wanted to go, suggesting we hadn’t done enough to hold on to them. Surely there is a significant difference.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:30 AM
Comment #7Jimmy,
They are targeting young players with sell on value to be sold later ???
Jib
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:35 AM
Comment #8The club prefers younger players because 23 year olds are fitter than 33 year olds and will have a longer career at NUFC , the guy in question has been here since he was 17 years old !
BandB
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:35 AM
Comment #9Our stated club olicy of buying playing with a sell-on value and then selling them would be sound if only we didn’t sell them.
Honestly man……….
Mag52
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:37 AM
Comment #10Jesper.
I really can’t get what you are on about.
To say that any manager we employ is an opportunist makes no sense whatsoever. Of course anyone who applies for any position anywhere sees an opportunity to improve himself. That’s a normal thing and certainly nothing to be disparaged.
The fact that we have been unable to attract one of the ‘top’ managers in recent years has to be down to how the club is run, and Ashley is the guy who decides that.
jimmysmith
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:42 AM
Comment #11Stated club policy to buy young players to sell them? I must have missed that. If the policy can’t work, then explain Porto’s success. Now there is a selling club, not Newcastle. All clubs lose players by the way.My argument is essentially that Ashley is committed to the policy, and so we are stuck with it, but it can work with the necessary adjustments.
BandB
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:48 AM
Comment #12well, jimmy you have missed it.
It was in Charnley’s statements. We buy players with a sell-on value.
That is rather like a farmer saint he is buying s pig “for bacon.”
The implication being that the pig won’t be around long.
Or can you think of another connotation for the words “sell-on value” that doesn’t imply an intention to sell-on?
jimmysmith
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:51 AM
Comment #13Again, does that mean we buy players to sell. It makes perfect sense to buy players with sell on value. Would you prefer we didn’t? Or would you prefer we continued to do so, and did more to keep them, when they come good?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 12, 2015 at 8:53 AM
Comment #14Jeff,
Clutching at straws when you have to go to the polar opposite end of the scale