In what was indicative of the incompetence at Newcastle this season Coloccini picked up a calf injury over three weeks ago in La Manga when we beat Lillestrom 2-1 but Colo didn’t play in the game but still managed to pick up the injury during a warm down.
We now have a new fitness coach with Rafa and his men in now so we are hoping that we can get players returning from injury and staying fit – for a chance.
Chancel Mbemba – what’s his status?
Coloccini is returning to training this week and we need him at the back if only for his experience, but we think he will start playing well under the guidance and tutelage of Benitez.
Benitez was asked about the fitness of the captain Coloccini:
“We have to check during the week.” “It’s difficult when a player has been out for one or two weeks.”
“We need to train and maybe on Thursday we will have a clear idea.”
Coloccini can play well when he has a mind to – and the other key player out injured is Chancel Mbemba who has probably been the best performing new signing for us this season.
He has been very steady at the back, but it’s unlikely he will be fit for the Sunderland game, but with two weeks before the next game at Norwich because of the International break he could be back for that next vital game in our survival struggle.
Chancel was injured at Everton on Wednesday 3rd February in the first half of the 3-0 disaster – and was said to be out for up to four weeks on the initial prognosis of his ankle injury.
He’s been out now six weeks tomorrow and on Physioroom.com he is said to be returning to training on March 20th – next week.
Having Chancel back in the defense would be very positive.
It would be good to get an update from Rafa on Chancel’s official status.
Comments welcome.
48 comments so far
GeordieTwo
Mar 15, 2016 at 5:44 PM
Comment #1What is happening with Doumbia? Why only 4 minutes yesterday? Is he fit to play or not? If not why did they bring him in? Bizarre.
GeordieTwo
Mar 15, 2016 at 5:50 PM
Comment #2Mackems and Norwich. The 2 most crucial matches of the season. If we take the six points we should be all right.
21st Century Schizoid Man
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:03 PM
Comment #3Both Unwashed and Canaries are is the same boat, and will be equally determined. I’d say we need an early goal Sunday to settle the lads.
I suspect we may even end up with two draws. Be down to which other sides take points off each other then.
If we want to escape under our own steam though we need the wins.
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:10 PM
Comment #4man city rearranged for tuesday 19th of april
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:11 PM
Comment #5i see sunderland another player on charges….rape this time!!!…unbelievable
toon kk
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:14 PM
Comment #6For all Rafa is/will improve our play, we still lack quality in front of goal, so inevitably it will take us doon.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:21 PM
Comment #7I liked the shape we had by the end of the night with Shelvey and Wijnaldum in the middle with De Jong might be a bit open for against Sunderland who will try to bully us with Cattermole and Kirchov
Would like to see Doumbia get longer than 5 minutes as he is rapid especially against O ‘ Shea and Kaboul
Nervous but if we can get some confidence in going forward we can beat them
Lascalles has not done anything wrong I would be dropping Taylor for either Mbemba or Colo
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:26 PM
Comment #8LCBP
i think mitro will get battered about on sat,kaboul kone and the german are all big buggers and clattermole is a dirty shite plus mvila is a big dirty sod so maybe playing pace and pull these lumps all over the pitch….cant see mitro keeping hold of the ball much with this lot.
21st Century Schizoid Man
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:31 PM
Comment #9Mitro just needs to take a couple of dives clutching various parts of his anatomy if Clattermole is about.
toon kk
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:31 PM
Comment #10The down side of the Sunderland game, they are far stronger than us in front of goal and the game means more to there players.
I forecast another defeat.
sparky55
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:33 PM
Comment #11we need intelligence on sunday…not Hoofball up to Mitrovic cos he’ll not get a sniff.
I would go with either Cisse or Dombia up front with De Jong in behind….drop Sissoko for Townsend…keep the rest of team the same as Monday unless Mbemba is back then drop Saylor who’s officially as bad a Colo.
mad-serb
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:35 PM
Comment #12@toon kk
Its to early to say we our going down. Rafa had 3 days and the first problem was to shore us up at the back and make us more difficult to beat, which is exactly what he did. He made the right subs and we looked more threatening in the second half, on another day we could have score a goal but it was not to be.
He has 6 days to work on the things that was not going so well so I believe we will be more of a threat against the Scum and there will be more time spent on that defence as well. We made it very difficult for them ad they only had 1 shot on target, that’s already a huge improvement and we played for long portion of the second half with shelve as our defensive midfielder. he was employed as 10 in our last game and 2 DM behind him.
There was enough encouraging signs there and I also liked siem in the 10. with him shelvey and gini in our midfield we have a combination of chance creators and guys that can pass a ball, which will allow us more possession and the more possession the more chance you have of creating goals. Then add in Perez and townsend and that adds even more creative and goal threat.
The final piece of the jigsaw then is the striker and here we can agree or not, we have different options. Mitro is strong and people can play of him but how many times have those players mentioned played in 1 team. Answer 0. we always had 2 dm that can ju break up play and that’s about it.
With Cisse returning we have a goalscorerwhen he has had the chances, How many real chances was created for Mitro of late not much. The service in an attacking area has been shocking, but the positive side of it is that it can only improve and with that midfield playing together more we can only improve our chances created.
Then we will see who can put them away. Doumbia is still an unknown so he is another options.
That’s how I see it.
Jib
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:43 PM
Comment #13By the time we play Man City on Tuesday19th April we’ll have played the mackems
Then
Sat 2-AprNorwichCity(a)
Sat 9-Apr Southampton(a) Sat 16-Apr Swansea City (h)
We’ll be well clear of the RZ
mad-serb
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:46 PM
Comment #14@Jib
Would tend to agree with you. About 7 point gap on the Scum I would say.
Bambams
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:46 PM
Comment #15Doumbia must play, try Mitro with Cisse first half then give one of them the hook for second half for Doumbia. Townsend was ok but still thought he gave up the ghost too easily.
I can’t keep up is Aarons injured ?
Mbabu must be doing something wrong in training or is injured – only a couple of matches but I thought he did well at LB
toon kk
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:47 PM
Comment #16mad-serb
I’m not being negative, just realistic but I think our lack of quality in front of goal is a disaster. We really miss someone like Demba Ba for example. We’re poor mate, hence the total lack of goals.
dok - the horrid colonial
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:47 PM
Comment #17jib,
I hope you are right…
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:48 PM
Comment #18theres confidence for you,jib!….unless ya pished like!!lol
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:51 PM
Comment #19bam bam
aarons just has’nt looked interested when he’s come on lately so think he’s down the pecking order…and mbabu has been injured till about now so probs lacking game time.
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:54 PM
Comment #20bambam
not sure how accurate this is but might help……
http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php#c16
Bambams
Mar 15, 2016 at 6:59 PM
Comment #21Springy
Cheers for that
I do agree Aarons hasn’t been as explosive as he was initially. Just feel Sissoko has had so many chances and to have him dropped with possibly Townsend and Aarons…Wini as a 10….Shelvey spraying cross field passes – mind you my team will have to have 15 players !
Got to attack the Mackems from the off and the more chances we create puts them further back.
Humongous game…Must win
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:00 PM
Comment #22We need a ref who will take action on their players like Clatter-Mole.
A penalty decision or two for once from a non member of the refs secret cabal would be helpful.
I would have thought that pure law of averages would work in our favour for once as well.
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:04 PM
Comment #23bambam
been hoping for a couple of weeks that defoe would pick up an injury coz i cant shift it out my heed that our defence wont be able to keep him quiet…bloody sickening feeling
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:06 PM
Comment #24essex
a strong ref who’s willing to pull people for holding at corners and shit…..looks like rugby sometimes on mitro!
Jib
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:07 PM
Comment #25Because of the amount of money at stake and the difficulty of getting out of the Championship these days – it could be argued that this is the most important derby match since WWll.
Thank god it’s at SJP !
damma99
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:08 PM
Comment #26Surely getting Adam Armstrong back would be worth a shout.
Jib
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:10 PM
Comment #27Springy
There was an occasion when Huth simply threw big Al to the floor about 5 yards away from the ref and he just waved play on !
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:12 PM
Comment #28question;
stop sunderland getting the magnificent 7 or the 3 points…..whats more important?lol….i’ll never like to hear that music again!!
sing in the corner
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:12 PM
Comment #29I can see, ok maybe hope, that even if the worst were to happen, we have a chance of persuading Rafa to stay and mastermind our rebuild and bounce back. All depends on Ashley’s stomach for putting trust, power and a great wedge of cash in Rafa’s hands..
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:14 PM
Comment #30jib
its ridiculous some the challenges that have been dished out to him and a few of our other players this season…..refs doing there part to get us sent down….colo at the mackems comes to mind!!
Ian Toon
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:23 PM
Comment #31Sing- We need him more than he needs us. Though he strikes me as a guy who wants to be loved, a more emotionally intelligent KK. The achievement of keeping us up could ineffect be reward enough and he would buy into the root and branch project review of the club that would seriously appeal to him.
It would require Ashley’s commitment but this time next season we could be a serious player.
There are many of the less imaginative nature who can do the flip side.
As jib rightly said Sunday’s game is serious stuff.
SPRINGY
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:24 PM
Comment #32sing
if we go down..
rafa may see us as a big project,he may want to stay get things in place,sort the youth training,recruiting and sort then under 21’s….he could do that at championship level alot easier then in the premier this summer trying to do all that aswell as sell and buy premier league quality players for the first team….so he may stay but the club may not want to pay premier wage at championship level?
Lindisfarne
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:28 PM
Comment #33NUFC get a prominent feature:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2016/mar/15/david-squires-on-manchester-united-v-liverpool-europa-league
Ian Toon
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:40 PM
Comment #34Lind- Interesting articles. Benitez recognised the need to address the key players by singling out the dressing room’s two obvious leaders for priority chats. “I’ve been talking with Shelvey, Coloccini,” Benítez said. “We had some meetings together, talking about tactics and other things. Unlike Macca who frequently allowed such matters to fester.
sing in the corner
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:45 PM
Comment #35Ian …springy..
The whole of Tyneside needs to go on a 3 month charm-offensive-Rafa love-in. You know it makes sense Rafa lad!
Ian Toon
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:47 PM
Comment #36You know it makes sense.
welshgeordie9
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:57 PM
Comment #37Kompany already off the pitch with an injury, feel sorry for him always getting injured, what kompany will get now is good company.
martoon
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:58 PM
Comment #38toon kk – You really are a miserable s*d – howay man we’ve just got a world class manager. Alright we got beat yesterday but you could see a marked improvement after 3 days work. As I keep saying we only need to get 2 points more than the makems and Norwich and as we play them both as well as Villa this is not impossible especially with Rafa at the helm.
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 15, 2016 at 7:59 PM
Comment #39So 70% of the blog thought we’d get at least a point from Leicester. And what was the basis for such optimism? Beats me.
We’ve got Sunderland and Norwich next up. We have to be the underdogs. I can’t recall any bigger mismanagement at this club than what we have under Charnley and Carr. Pathetic.
martoon
Mar 15, 2016 at 8:00 PM
Comment #40welshgeordie9 @37 – Are you sure it’s not Bad Company 🙂