Newcastle are currently four injuries clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League injuries list, and we currently have a total of 13 injuries, and we’ve been top of that particular league almost all season.
What’s going on?
Alan Pardew – willing to play players with knocks
And it was so bad on Wednesday night at Tottenham in the Capital One Cup, that six of our seven subs had an average age of just over 18, and four of them on the bench had never played for the Newcastle first team.
We were hammered at White Hart Lane, and let in four goals for the second game running – and that’s not a great way to prepare for the game against Sunderland on Sunday afternoon at St. James’ Park.
Sunderland have won the last three meetings between the clubs.
21-year-old third string goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, who used to be at the Sunderland Academy, is fit enough to play on Sunday.
The shoulder injury he picked up at Tottenham was assessed at the club yesterday, and because he’s deemed fit to play, no request was made for an emergency goalkeeper to come in on loan.
This is what Alan Pardew has said about the Sunderland game, as he bemoans all the injuries we have:
“I have as many players to choose from as possible,” “Even if you have a slight knock, you have to put yourself at risk.”
But it’s never good to play players who are not fully fit, and that only leads to even worse problems down the road, and maybe that’s one reason we have so many more injuries than any other club in the Premier League this season?
Rob Elliot played when he was injured, after Tim Krul injured his ankle ligaments in training, and Rob played until his thigh finally went against Chelsea just before half time, and now he’s out until mid-January at the earliest.
And it could be that Jak Alnwick is playing injured on Sunday and if he gets injured, we only have 17 year-old goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to call on – but then we would also have a good case to get an emergency goalkeeper in.
Here’s the extent of Newcastle’s injury problems we have right now taken from the Physioroom.com web-site:
Player Injury Return Date (est) S Ameobi Knock 21st 14th Dec 14 J Alnwick Shoulder Injury 21st Dec 14 C Tiote Muscular Injury 21st Dec 14 P Cisse Illness 21st Dec 14 R Elliott Hip/Thigh Injury 10th Jan 15 M Abeid Ankle/Foot Injury 21st Dec 14 T Krul Ankle/Foot Injury 10th Jan 15 R Taylor Knee Injury 1st Jan 15 R Aarons Hamstring Injury no return date G Obertan Hip/Thigh Injury no return date S De Jong Thigh Muscle Strain 10th Jan 15 D Santon Knee Injury 10th Jan 15 C Good Groin/Pelvis Injury no return date
When you play players who are injured, it’s a short term gain but can lead to long term problems.
We’ve had a long term problem with injuries at Newcastle all season.
Comments welcome.
You can follow us on our three social media sites below:
9 comments so far
MacToon
Dec 19, 2014 at 9:53 AM
Comment #1“Even if you have a slight knock, you have to put yourself at risk.” ? Shouldn’t he be learning from his mistakes…… nah, daft idea that one!
Ibizatoon
Dec 19, 2014 at 9:55 AM
Comment #2Anyone else think our injuries are just a case of the club wanting to top some form of league?
We’ve given a go at topping the poorest and best form in the league, but finally have settled on injuries. Yes, we can keep this momentum up!
I know we’re short on players Alan, but please let’s not do anything silly.
Ibizatoon
Dec 19, 2014 at 9:56 AM
Comment #3Mac…Winners don’t learn from mistakes, mistakes learn from winners.
mag92
Dec 19, 2014 at 9:59 AM
Comment #4Alnwick, Williamson, and Gouffran, look as if they are all carrying knocks, judging by their performance, at Arsenal, and Spurs.
Rotonda heights
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:06 AM
Comment #5“Even if you have a slight knock, you have to put yourself at risk.”
Honestly this guy can seriously damage the health of your club. Sports science has moved on so much since Pardew’s dark age nonsense.
Rotonda heights
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:08 AM
Comment #6It’s funny when KK was here first time around the sickbay was almost intantly cleared!
Average_Contents
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:16 AM
Comment #7Mactoon
Learning from mistakes? lol, he doesn’t think he makes any and I think that’s the major issue with the king.
Yet when things are going ok like our little run he starts tinkering with the formation and personel because he can. Obviously we have lots injured but we still have the players when played in their correct positions to cause teams problems. Take dummett. Shit left back but when played with colo at CB he’s done really well (far better than willo) yet he’ll play him at LB on Sunday. Goofy will be deployed as a secondary lb to protect him and offer fcukall going forward. None of this shite 4-2-3-1 bollox please king.
4-3-3
————–Alnwick——————
Janmaat—-Colo—-Dummett—-Hairdryer
——Abeid—-Sissoko—-Colback——
—–Cabella—-Perez—-Rivvy———
That would be my lineup for Sunday. With Sissoko being the box to box midfielder. If Abeid isn’t available then tiote or Anita.
If Cabella/Rivvy ain’t doing it then bring sammy on for either, bring Cisse on and have a forward line of:
Perez—-Cisse—-Sammy.
Easily interchangeable.
We need to go for it and stun them early on. No doubt it’ll be softly softly cautious bollox until the 70 minute mark but by which time it could be all over. Holding out hope the inept one gets his shit together and sorts out this terrible record against them. Wishful thinking I know.
BeeGuy
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:22 AM
Comment #8One thing that wins games is speed, and AP cannot teach that (as well as other aspects of the game) But AP can abuse that speed and break it down so the player loses a step or two, if or when they come back “:fit”. Sounds like he is ready to destroy more careers by dragging in lads not ready to go..
pawl250
Dec 19, 2014 at 10:24 AM
Comment #9Ibiza
I understand what you are saying, but as seen in the past young players may not necessarily become a problem until they have the money to do so.
When you are young, virtually have nothing you are eager to improve, and impress to get more and become a star.
When the initial influx of cash comes your way, some people cannot handle it. Sterling was a prime example, you can find articles relating to his issues on his initial pay rise.
This is because they have the money, and are aware they do so for several year. The prime example is Michael Johnson at Man City. The supposed “Next Steven Gerrard” who bascially got the extra money then wasted it on drugs, started becoming overweight etc. whilst injured. Those options became available due to the extra money made available for youth players.
Its why likes of Whickham flopped at Sunderland until he needed a new deal he start improving.
We should not offer our youth mass amounts of money. I generally believe the youth of today cannot handle it. Abit like winning the lottery, the stat is scary.
Its something like more than half wish they never did as it ruined their leaves leaving them in mass debt etc.
Its because they spend far too much, too quickly and end up destroying the principles they once had.