It’s far from ideal at the moment as what is already a thin squad in terms of quality is being stretched to the limit even further by injury to key players such as Jose Enrique, Jonas Gutierrez and Joey Barton. Losing one of them is bad enough, but losing all three of them is disastrous as the squad try and limp over the line towards Premier League safety.
Whilst none of those three players have been officially ruled out for the visit to The Britannia, Alan Pardew has given his strongest indication yet with regard to just how likely all three are to feature on Saturday afternoon. Speaking to Sky Sports, Pardew talked about the fitness fortunes of the trio:
“Jose and Jonas, we have just got to see after training tomorrow, really. You are pitching them in without training after 10 to 14 days in a Premier League game where it is almost like warfare at times at their place, so I will be careful what I do.”
“I would have to be 100% sure they are right. We think Joey has got a good chance – he did the warm-up today. Jose looks very doubtful; Jonas did the warm-up today, but he looks a bit doubtful.”
So the message in that seems to be Jose doesn’t have a chance, neither does Jonas but we could possibly have Barton back to boost the numbers. That means that we effectively have no left side of midfield so part of the problem will be trying to address that. Will Ferguson get a start? Will Simpson play left back? Will James Perch get a recall? I certainly don’t know, and neither does Pardew, or at least he says he doesn’t know anyway! Pardew continued:
“I don’t know who will get the nod. My selection will be based around being strong enough to cope with what they do. They don’t really carve you open with inter-play, it is set-plays and second phases and aggression and forceful play, and you have got to be able to cope with that. That’s something I will think about when I select the team.”
Well we’ll just have to wait and see I guess, but being honest there isn’t an awful lot to pick from. Hopefully Steven Taylor won’t get picked to play at right-back again, although to be fair The Britannia has a lot of empty space behind it so it would give him some space to back off the attacker some more! Mind you, he had a shocker so he can only improve from his showing against Everton.
It’s been said a million times now and it will be said another million times from now until the end of the season no doubt, but injuries in certain positions are killing us. It’s something we all know so I won’t dwell on it. I just hope the lads who do deputise can step up to the plate and force their way in to the team. I’ll be there amongst a sell out away crowd backing them to, hopefully, do just that.
Howay the lads!
Ferguson has to go left wing with Simpson/Perch at left back. If Fergie goes left back, who goes left wing?
We don’t even have a right side to the midfield at the moment nevermind cover for the left. It’s a joke.
funkyjesus(Quote)
If Perch starts…I can say now Stoke will score.
Lets hope Barton can start, he’s the type of player we need against Stoke, someone willing to get stuck in and pass.
Jonas won’t be a miss obviously Jose will.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
nowt on lreland like?
icedog(Quote)
Haven’t nee left side is a serious worry, I think we are right not to get our hopes up in this game. Stoke are also coming off the back of securing a wembley visit so they will be buzzing.
Moreno(Quote)
You know I’ve actually heard or read nothing at all about Ireland 😕
toonsy(Quote)
I think Jonas and Barton will make it, don’t think Jose will.
dan4toon(Quote)
A few days after the Everton game Pardew said Ireland wouldn’t feature vs Stoke but will alright for Wolves.
dan4toon(Quote)
maybe away buying another car,or maybe his granny is ill (again) 😛
icedog(Quote)
aye dan,
but Pardew talks a load of ***** 😉
Moreno(Quote)
MORENO,you mean like judas will only be oot 2/3wks.
love avatar m8,good!n
icedog(Quote)
The managers selection at Newcastle is just whatever team he can scrape together. Would be nice if at the start of next season we had a few lads competing in different positions.
DJG(Quote)
Moreno – Yeah you never know what to believe when it comes to Pardew and injuries but how many times I’ve heard in the last few weeks a player for a big team i.e. Nani is going to be out for a month and he’s back a week later.
Ours seem to go the other other way, say there out for a few weeks turns out to be months 🙄
dan4toon(Quote)
With Carroll Pardew was saying he was gunna be back for the next game every single week almost. Then when he left he said he was 6 weeks away, why didn’t he just say that when he was with us rather than making it up?
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Give away Friday tomorrow.
A small token of my appreciation to you all 😉
Credit to davidtoon4life again, but you’ll all see tomorrow anyway 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
ice,
Pardew would sell you a car without the engine mate. He’s not to be trusted
Moreno(Quote)
sounds good toonsy!
Moreno(Quote)
to what he used to be j.cole looks like a little boy lost 😐
icedog(Quote)
Moreno – I’d temper you’re excitement a little 😆
toonsy(Quote)
MORENO,thats one of the reasons i call him,”the snide”
icedog(Quote)
when you have two kids and live in Dundee….you grasp at any excitement you can get mate 🙄 😆
Moreno(Quote)
he reminds me of cyril sneer with his beguiling grin
Moreno(Quote)
Ice hows you mate 😉
Toonsy your a good Lad 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Well Man C oot and Liverpool oot as it stands. Poor show that like not even the quarter-finals, although I know liverpool could still go through. ( I hope they don’t 😈 )
DJG(Quote)
Moreno – It’s some pictures that people can use for desktop backgrounds. That is all, Mind you, they are all crackers to be fair.
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy – If it’s what I think it is from David, I’ve seen 😉
dan4toon(Quote)
I need one for work like, got the bridges on my desktop in all their glory!
Moreno(Quote)
Ahh toonsy, the ones he was putting up on facebook? There all class pictures, good idea.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Dan/Andrew – The very same ones. I said to him to do a few more and he did. They are all cracking. I saw £££ signs when I first saw them 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Three centre halves and two full backs on saturday. Frustrate the life out of Stoke. Best up front on his own. Hopefully Lovenkrands will pick up an injury before Saturday. Not the bravest of players has a heart the size of a pea not what you need against them beasts
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
I would play Shola. Think he could go back and haunt them. 😉
DJG(Quote)
😆 There really good like.
dan4toon(Quote)
I see worky had to get a RACE rant in his latest thread.What is it with him and racism when there was fuk all to do with Race in it
Big Dave(Quote)
Dan – I was thinking of making them into posters with a 50/50 split 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Lens had a good first half, have to say I really like the look of him.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Toby le Rhone
Posted March 17, 2011 at 9:05 PM
“Not the bravest of players has a heart the size of a pea not what you need against them beasts”
Not sure about that mind. The fact he played through the death of his father and continued scoring for us last season would suggest different.
toonsy(Quote)
because he’s so correct Dave didn’t you know. Other people are racists apparently but not him. He never makes any mistakes therefore he doesn’t have to apologize to anybody.
DJG(Quote)
Well if i can ever get higher res pictures then they can be streched without pixilating, but these ones are still areet.
Davidtoon4life(Quote)
David’s a tight tw@t and will want better than that 😉 😆
dan4toon(Quote)
DJG oh right sorry then 😆 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
dan4toon
Posted March 17, 2011 at 9:12 PM
“David’s a tight tw@t and will want better than that”
He’ll get what he’s foking given and like it 😈 😆 😉
toonsy(Quote)
dave you better watch yaself paultoon will be after you 😆
batty(Quote)
batty
paultoon 😆
mrs brown is more scary than paultoon. 😆
DJG(Quote)
dave hows you and your fam m8 ❓
batty(Quote)
djg have you watched them all on iplayer ❓
batty(Quote)
😆 I see Postman Pats there watching Carroll. Can’t remember him coming to St James to watch him…
dan4toon(Quote)
Dan he’s never been to St James before, never.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
It only lets me watch one. Im gonna try and watch it on the tv catch up.
DJG(Quote)
Right, I’m off to work. Catch you all in a bit 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
haha, aye tight, i think you know dan what im like with money. i said before not to worry about things like that anyway. id just buy sweets and buscuits with it anyway.
anyway aye postman pat is there and it pisses me off that he will go see people who he know and how the play but he wont come to the NE to watch the likes of “simpson, nolan,barton,williamson”!!!
Davidtoon4life(Quote)
Later toonsy.
Andrew – I know! Not that I care about them but he never went/goes to Sunderland either. Must be too cold for him…
dan4toon(Quote)
Batty I only have this weeks to watch.
As for Paultoon keyboard bullies never bothered me I have threw harder people out of the way just to get into a scrap 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newcastle-united/nufc-news//tm_headline=jonas-gutierrez-happy-to-help-at-left-back%26method=full%26objectid=28353023%26siteid=72703-name_page.html
Looks like Jonas will be fit for the weekend….but please not at left back !!..
Munich Mag(Quote)
Big Dave,
Regarding the other site I have posted a comment in support of your observation. 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Just a quick one……
Big Dave the internut is on the rampage 😆
Laters 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
david divent trust toonsy with cash,he had us all of on org , him worky and paultoon 😆
batty(Quote)
I heard toonsy takes donations to pay for his boradband like. 😆
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
TGS…thats 2 posts more than normal…the place is dead…nowt going on there.. 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
David – Like your out-of-date chocolate 😉 😆
But yeah can’t stand anything about England now!
dan4toon(Quote)
Oh my, did someone here really doubt Lovenkrands commitment to this club?
I guess they are only 9 months old then because if last season didn’t say all about Lovenkrands integrity, then I have no idea what some people want.
That’s an incredible comment. I am almost shocked, which takes some doing.
funkyjesus(Quote)
that’s the guiness gone, away to the shop, be back soon
Moreno(Quote)
Munich…only one man to blame for that, you reap what you sow ❗
richietoon(Quote)
DAN- i have you know that was the finest swiss chocolate made by professional chocolatiers 😎
Davidtoon4life(Quote)
rich you got your cash yet ❓ 😆 😆 😆
batty(Quote)
TGS I seen it mate they guy accuses others of trying to ruin the blog, But as I said to him he dosn’t need anybody else to do that as he is doing a mighty fine job himself.
Toonsy the Internut 😆 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
FJ your not as big a knob as you use too try make out are you 😆 😆
batty(Quote)
batty…aye, got mesel a ton..ish, cheers 😀
richietoon(Quote)
David – Your going to be taking like 10 bars with you on Saturday I bet 😆
dan4toon(Quote)
DAVE got the 60p,batty took the rest in tax 😀
icedog(Quote)
I have no idea what you mean batty….
funkyjesus(Quote)
Funkyjesus
Five times this year he has been the worsst player out of all 26. Now you cannot pllay well all the time but to have the a record like that says everything. Plus three times out of three he has failed to convert one on ones with the keeper. Pulls out of challenges against big centre halves. You will see he is not my favourite player. I have a total dislike for him. Only signed for us twice because nobody else wanted him
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
TSG…..worky/pauls after ya on the other side 😉
richietoon(Quote)
poor fj just wanted to come on and have a fresh start and batty was like a cat that could smell a rat. 😛
DJG(Quote)
Dave’s away bullying again 😆
richietoon(Quote)
richietoon,
Reply has been submitted 😈
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
TSG…seen, is he just trying to stop people using it all together ‘cos he’s doing a fine job like.
richietoon(Quote)