In his press conference today for the game at Manchester City tomorrow night, Newcastle’s head coach Eddie Howe gave an injury update on our first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope.
We have really missed Pope since he dislocated his shoulder way back in December, and he’s one of our long-term injuries that has really impacted Newcastle this season.
Howe hopes to see Pope back late next month but he emphasizes there are still some hurdles ahead for the 31-year-old England International goalkeeper:
“April is his target, but I think that will be more towards the end of April than the beginning but he’s making good, solid progress.”
“He’s out on the grass but not necessarily diving.”
“That will be a big test for his shoulder and it’s the next stage. Then, of course, he will have to get his sharpness back.”
“He’s entering into the final furlong in terms of his comeback, but he’s still got a lot of hurdles to go through.”
It will be good if Nick can play before the end of the season but that is probably touch and go at the moment.
What do you think?
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72 comments so far
Saratoga
Mar 15, 2024 at 2:22 PM
Comment #41Budget yes.
That Man City Goalie might have been a free.
Probs on big wages though so still a big commitment.
Priorities. Goalkeeper is a key position.
Munster Mag
Mar 15, 2024 at 2:24 PM
Comment #42TS there was a guy highlighted for us called Wieffer from Holland too. Big rangey mid. Must have a peep later.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 15, 2024 at 2:28 PM
Comment #43Some foo#in rewriting of history here like, wasn’t over critical, dear Gawd, it was relentless, starting with his first game in charge away at league leaders Leicester.
Munster Mag
Mar 15, 2024 at 2:29 PM
Comment #44Saratoga I just felt the No Criticism of Rafa campaign was a bit simplistic although when I dug the heels it I just got more grief. My own fault too but a guy is entitled to his point of view.
Eddie and the owners and club direction is brilliant but if I see something negative I will say it, especially when the good stuff is so obvious
Gives a better more rounded picture in my opinion.
No doubt 10 guys will jump up and down now but hey ho.
Munster Mag
Mar 15, 2024 at 2:31 PM
Comment #45Right on q. Thankfully I have a meeting soon with the top brass in the US Govt so I’d better go.
onmeedsun
Mar 15, 2024 at 2:32 PM
Comment #46Amanda is good with her numbers but I suspect she’s not so good in managing what she says. We all applauded her comments but it wouldn’t be a good look for one of our senior directors to be up in court for slander. I think she would have a reasonable chance of winning that case, but it becomes a huge distraction. Perhaps she made her comments in full knowledge that she would then apologise, so it’s at least out there. You can’t undo stuff like that.
WLtoon
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Comment #47Gold Cup winner Monkfish 25-1
Mister Tuff
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:02 PM
Comment #48Eddie Howes’ latest interview (reported earlier on here) with the Chronicle/Lee Ryder explains simply why we have had problems this season. No weird/ fanciful tosh – just we had too many injuries and not enough back up.
Ya hystericals, blog loons, Flat Earthers and Space Cadets will be disappointed there are no other reasons for some of our displays this season given what EH has reported.
Their theories hoyed straight oot the window.
Amanda Staveley perhaps should not have commented upon Brucie in public the way she didbut by God she was right, 100% spot on.
Adamn_92
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:03 PM
Comment #49Munster
I strongly believe had Barnes not got that injury, we’d have seen Gordon on the right a lot more. He’s not played there as much, but a decent amount of time in his career with very similar stats. So think we’d have seen him out there, giving us Gordon, Miggy, Murphy as options on the right. So think Barnes, if he stayed injury free, would have had the same impact as us signing a right winger, if you get what I mean.
So don’t think Tonali and Barnes were risky signings in the slightest, just bitterly unlucky one got banned and one got a freak toe injury.
I’m sure with both back next season, areas like right wing, striker and a young center half will get addressed in the summer.
Mister Tuff
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:05 PM
Comment #50Tomorrows match – think we are going to get a good tonking. Our slow players (basically all the defence) against the likes of Foden makes me shudder. Whilst I would like to be positive I think reality dictates otherwise.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:06 PM
Comment #51Munster’s claim that his criticism was always fair and balanced, it wasn’t at all, it was petty and spiteful. Massively critical of a few of the summer signings he was in his element when we lost our first two, he actually stopped posting as we went on a decent winning streak. Getting towards the end of that year we were one game short of breaking our consecutive win record, he literally hadn’t posted for months. We faced Blackburn days before a quarter final against Hull and he made about six changes, we lost, a real pi$$er, we then went on to lose against Hull on pens, who came out from under his rock, the criticism was unrelenting, not a peep for months and one defeat. That was never fair and balanced.
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:09 PM
Comment #52Saratoga
It’s only libel if it isn’t true.
I think Amanda could count on at least 22 players to say Bruce rarely showed up more than 2 days a week and did the absolute bare minimum regarding training. Even then they had to ship Jones in.
Adamn_92
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:11 PM
Comment #53Anything is possible tomorrow.
Whilst unlikely, I still have a small glimmer of belief we can get a result. As unlikely as that may be.
I just hope we leave everything out on the pitch.
Europe looks to be escaping us, so this should be seen as a match we go all out in to try get a result and advance in the competition. Especially with a 2 week break afterwards.
Be disappointed if we don’t put a shift in with lots of fight and effort.
Fat Basta*d
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:15 PM
Comment #54“Chunk of Swiss Cheese” 😀
Fat kunt 810 Bellies salivating again
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:18 PM
Comment #55We’ve got to go there with belief which we will of course, Brentford and Palace have caught them off guard before and won there, it’s not impossible, a one off tie with 7.5K of us in the crowd, we’ll certainly be making more noise than them.
Davas
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:27 PM
Comment #56Adamn
To reinforce your point at 49, EH said in his press conference today that one of the reasons they bought AG was because he could play left and right side.
Davas
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:31 PM
Comment #57I’m also not sure we’ll buy a specialist DM. Tonali will be back (depending on the FA) so I think it will be similar to the start of this season.
Transfer Sage
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:32 PM
Comment #58Tuff
I’d agree the majority of the problems are down to injuries. The only criticism comes more recently where we showed we can play deeper and counter attack against Wolves, but against Chelsea we pressed high and got played through so many times.
I’d like to see us play that little deeper with Pope still out as Dubs just doesn’t suit being a sweeper keeper.
Transfer Sage
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:34 PM
Comment #59Davas
I don’t think we’ll go for a specialist DM which I think is a mistake. All the successful teams in the league have a proper DM. I think it’s a mistake not having one but With Tonali, Joelinton and Willock fit next season, I’d not be too worried for Howe to try what he wants to do. Especially when we’ll likely add more quality around them.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:38 PM
Comment #60Interesting Prog on tonight on The Beeb (I think) with Susan Calman and the Newcastle witch trials, wonder if the Gollowgate end will get a mention!
As one of the blogs Loony’s/ Flat Earthers it probably helps the theory that we are cursed!
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:41 PM
Comment #61Tuff
Tino will give us some pace and hopefully we’ll have a game plan to protect burn v foden.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:46 PM
Comment #62Tino instead of Longstaff and Krafth in for Trips. I predict that Tino will become our Beckenbaur type number 6. Althought he will have strong competition from Miley!
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:48 PM
Comment #63RH
Burn into the centre with a proper LB ie Targett/Hall or A Murphy.
lesh
Mar 15, 2024 at 3:58 PM
Comment #64Munster
If you really are meeting the US government top brass, it’s highly you’ll bump into Fenham. He’ll have had yet another offer he couldn’t refuse and when he’s had his brief from Biden, he’ll be off to report in to Tr*mp then off to Israel offer advice to Netanyahu!
WLtoon
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:00 PM
Comment #65If the Gallowgate doesn`t get a mention on the show tonight i will eat my hat
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:02 PM
Comment #66EGB
Tino was exceptional in shoring us up v villa sweeping in front of the back 4. Very Beckenbauer -ish. Closest we’ve come to effectively playing with a 6.
My mate a Bookmaker rang & told me to back these today:
He’s given me 3 tips for the gold cup
Sunshine 4/1
Moonlight 10/1
Good Times 6/1
If they lose, don’t blame it on the Sunshine, don’t blame it on the Moonlight, don’t blame it on the Good Times, blame it on the Bookie?
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:03 PM
Comment #67Off X but made me smile
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:06 PM
Comment #68RH
Very good, the bookies always win! 🙂
Rotonda heights
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:08 PM
Comment #69EGB
”RH
Burn into the centre with a proper LB ie Targett/Hall or A Murphy.”
– – – – –
Would love to see that coz you know they’ll target burn from the off. A Murphy looked v composed as a CB, not sure about his speed as a LB, not that I know if he’s rapid or not.
Would love to see Hall as a LWB if we deviate from 433.
Targett could maybe do a half.
In future if BDB plays it has to be as CB.
Mister Tuff
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:22 PM
Comment #70Rotonda – I think it was the Luton game and Livramento tried to match a run by their winger and could not keep up. Whilst not a slow coach he can be outrun by a speed merchant.
Mister Tuff
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Comment #71It is not a full moon for 10 ten days, so I do not expect the blog loons and howlers to be out for the City game.
magscar
Mar 15, 2024 at 4:57 PM
Comment #72I’m glad Eddie has finally opened up on the situation re Longstaff and the impact of injuries in general as I don’t think press ,pundits and especially some fans have been as alive to it( or dismissed it) as i would have hoped
If there isn’t a negative bias towards us then i am sure there isn’t a positive one when we have had bad results
Our injury list given our quality and squad depth is far worse than thos ewho get more sympathetic mentions at times like Chelsea, Man U etc with poor and expensive misfits
It’s the worst that I can recall in nearly 60 years of supporting
WE have had so many key injuries (and an unforeseen ban) to contend with from early season to now
Missing for large parts of the season with many overlaps have ( and still are in some cases) been in no particular order
Tonalli
Barnes
Wilson
Isak
Willock
Anderson
Joelinton
Pope
Murphy
Burn
Krafth
These aren’t due directly to the “Intensity is our Identity” mantra as some fans suggest as many are freak rather tahn soft tissue /muscle ones – again off top of my head
Barnes
Pope
Murphy
Burn
As i said last night ( and in all seriousness) it will be like having the proverbial new signings in Barnes and Tonali cases if they manage a preseason
I have been disappointed , annoyed and angry after certain games this season but have tried to keep perspective and acknowledge that this unprecedented and prolonged injury crisis has to have had an impact that even the Klopps and Guardiolas would have struggled with ( Arteteta would have had a melt down and screaming fit)
It’s mentioned but not always given its proper due by Press, pundits and even some fans
Although lesser problems for likes of Chelsea, Man U are given more credence by some
The season has been a disappointment and even if we don’t retrieve something over next few weeks there have been some genuine high spots
PSG in CL
2 great wins and performances against Villa
Wins and performances at home V Arsenal and Man U
Knocking Man U and City out of Carabaou cups with fringe squads
Emergence of Lewis Miley as genuine talent
Gordon and Tino
OK lots of downs as well but i trust Eddie and co have taken those lessons on board and with a decent transfer window and fewer injuries get us back on course next season – hopefully competing in Europe albeit at a lower level than CL
Although there are questions raised over Eddie in media ( and on social media) and accepting that there is little if no sentimentatlity in football i hope Eddie is allowed a chance to lead us forward next season
He was definately the right man to start the rebuild ( even more so than alleged first choice Emery who has had a great start at Villa)
Although we can’t be sure whether or not he has reached the limit of his managerial abilities I’d like to think he hasn’t yet finished his own development and can grow with us and take us on
Big stakes though and Owners in general aren’t always patient so we’ll have to await a close season post mortem I suspect