It was probably the worst thing that could happen for Newcastle that Rob Elliot has sustained a serious knee injury playing for Ireland last night against Slovakia.
It looks very likely that the injury is very serious will keep him out of the Euro 2106 Championships in France in June and will almost certainly mean he will miss the last eight games of the season for Newcastle.
Since the season ends six weeks on Sunday when we will have played those eight games, this is a terrible blow to Newcastle’s survival chances as it looks like Rob has suffered ligament damage to the knee – maybe a similar injury suffered by Tom Krul when he played for the Netherlands last October and has missed the rest of the season.
Rob Elliot lies injured after 14 minutes of the game against Slovakia
Ireland manager Martin O’Neill was hardly upbeat when he said the initial prognosis on Rob was not promising:
“He’s not great. He’s got a serious knee injury. It’s a real disappointment and obviously a dampener on the evening, particularly when he is getting his career together.
“He was going really well at Newcastle and looking forward to the game and coming here into the squad with a lot of confidence.
“I have just spoken to the doctor and he’s not happy.”
“It might be too early for me to be making those assumptions. I was asking the doctor before I came out.”
“I hope to see Rob – I think he’s coming back to the hotel later on – but I don’t think it’s good.”
There will be more debate now on these International friendlies that they take too much of a toll on players who are asked to play far too many games in a season, when they are regular International players and it means we have lost our top two goalkeepers this season in International games.
The incompetence of those running Newcastle – Mike Ashley and the Board of Directors – Lee Charnley, Graham Carr and Bob Moncur – have made things difficult this season, but once again the squad has been devastated by injuries – which happens every single season at Newcastle.
Our survival chances of being a Premier League club at the end of the season are now not good.
Comments welcome.
20 comments so far
firebug666
Mar 30, 2016 at 6:50 AM
Comment #1Well Now we are in serious trouble, Rob made some excellent stops behind a poor defence…he had to because at times the defence just ceased to exist.
I don’t think Darlow has either the experience or confidence for a relegation run in, so unless he can get some protection from our defence we are down.
This is all down to the incompetent idiots allegedly running the club, who have failed us on every level, but especially on recruitment.
Now will we truly pay the price for their stupidity.
cyprus
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:00 AM
Comment #2Bad luck for Rob. Just when it was all coming together. The guy must be devastated.
As for Darlow, I remember how upset I was at his terrible performance. But I was assured that he’s class by people who have watched him.
No excuses. It’s up to the players, Rafa and that lady
Blofal
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:01 AM
Comment #3Darlow is a good keeper. He was good for Forest. He just needs some confidence. We need to get behind him and do our part as fans.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:04 AM
Comment #4Injuries – couldn’t make it up!!!!!!!!
People say you make your own luck – hell we need bucket loads
Elliot
Has been my player of the season for the TOON – if not for him we would of already been relegated – got us three points at Bournemouth and kept us in the game at Spurs to go on and win – plus a point against the Mackems
firebug666
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:06 AM
Comment #5cyprus
I agree with you on Darlow, he never looked confident, so I hope we get a couple of good games with positive results to give his confidence a boost.
Personally I think he will continue to flap at balls into the box as he never seem very decisive and is slow to come off his line to collect.
G
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:12 AM
Comment #6Barry White!
cyprus
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:13 AM
Comment #7I notice this word creeping up everywhere in our posts: hope.
You know I’ve been watching football a while now. The other key word is pure blind erratic : luck!
G
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:29 AM
Comment #8Well, Darlow is what we have, and theres nothing we can do about it. Hope the lad comes good.
martoon
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:40 AM
Comment #9If Darlow doesn’t look too good after the first couple of games – I’d be tempted to give Woodman a try. I have to admit I’ve never seen him play but he always seems to get good reports.
kimbo
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:46 AM
Comment #10An injury was coming for a long time so I was not surprised when it happened. Rob has been our best player this season so we are now stuffed but we were relegated the day we appointed the Wally. Luck has nothing to do with our situation.
firebug666
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:46 AM
Comment #11martoon
It the level of football they are playing though, good reports from the Championship for Darlow, and was it league 2 for Woodman?
Can they produce in the premiership, I have to say I was not overly impressed with Darlow, but we have to “hope” (there’s that word again Cyprus 😀 ), that under Benitez he has learned enough to improve his command in the box.
Santon03
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:03 AM
Comment #12Darlow or Woodman confident or not, it’s different ball game now with Rafa, he has lifted players confidence.
The answer is limit opponent shooting chance make them off target, we might see 3-5-2 formation saturday since we have no LB anyway and have to win this game.
Unless sissoko playing LB then we go 4 at the back, definitely has to be strong midfield. Hopefully SDJ instead Shelvey with 2 or 3 defensive midfield.
I believe Rafa will come up with something and gk problem won’t be an issue.
Toon_Tom
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:20 AM
Comment #13Pray For Rob
In Darlo We Trust
Tsunki
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:23 AM
Comment #14Well when Ashley said we would make our own luck, to be fair to him he didn’t specify what type 🙁
I know we can’t have three top goalies hanging around in case two get injured, but surely in the situation we are in, the club should have been excused sending Rob out for a friendly. it’s not like we have an injury hoodoo is it? With goalkeepers? We haven’t helped ourselves one little bit. it’s a slow painful death this one.
Toon_Tom
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:25 AM
Comment #15dont we have grounds for an emergency loan?
Get Valdes in 😉
Goldmbemba
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:31 AM
Comment #16Valdes was my first thought, but he;s with Standard Liege now…
Goldmbemba
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:34 AM
Comment #17Pity about Valdes, looks like he has 3 arms which would be a particular help in our situation:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/FC_Barcelona_World_Champions_2011.jpg/1024px-FC_Barcelona_World_Champions_2011.jpg
Toon_Tom
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:45 AM
Comment #18Can Given still catch a ball?
martoon
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:46 AM
Comment #19Toon_Tom @15 – somebody said last night you had to have 3 senior keepers injured before you were eligible for an emergency loan – not sure if this is true but maybe we could give Darlow a kick 🙂
Maybe we could loan Steve Harper from the makems 🙂
asl123
Mar 30, 2016 at 9:06 AM
Comment #20Darlow should have not get the place automatically because of his seniority, if this is the case. In this moment, Rafa must choose who is better goalie between Darlow and Woodman. Keep aside their other credits.