The story of our season...
Not a problem. We are well stocked in the goalkeeper area and have plenty of cover. We are also well stocked in the central midfield area and have plenty of cover. Oh, hang on, that last bit is wrong. We are well stocked in the central midfield area and have very little cover. It’s a strange one isn’t it?
For the majority of the season we’ve all highlighted just how unbalanced the squad is. In some areas we are weak and have only one senior player to fill the role. In others, such as central midfield, we’ve bemoaned the fact that we have so many on our books. Where are they now though?
Injured, that’s where they are now!
Currently our central midfield injury list contains Dan Gosling, Kevin Nolan and Danny Guthrie while Alan Smith has not long returned to training after five months on the sidelines. That leaves us only Cheik Tiote and Joey Barton as fit, recognised, first-team central midfielders which is pretty poor in all honesty. We could call on some kids for Chelsea, but call on too many and I fear we could get our backsides kicked at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Injuries happen, but they happen a lot more to our players for some reason. How can arguably our strongest area on the pitch be decimated by such a string of injuries?
In fact our whole squad has been ripped apart through injury for the bulk of the campaign. Hatem Ben Arfa has been out for most of the season, Steve Harper has missed a lot of football, likewise Steven Taylor, and we missed Andy Carroll for a month before he became Judas Carroll and trotted off to Liverpool where he remained injured for a further six weeks. Jose, Shola and Barton have all been missing for a few weeks and then there is Stephen Ireland who popped his head in the door to use our treatment facilities.
When you look at all that it does kind of make you wonder how we have managed at times during this season. It also leaves me wondering what could have been had we had even half of those players available for the majority of the campaign. I’m under no illusion that we’d have more points on the board. How many though is the question, albeit a redundant one.
So whilst it’s the midfield injuries that are currently hurting hurting us I guess it’s not exactly out of kilter with the rest of the season. We’ll cope, because we have to, much like we’ve done for the rest of the season.
As I said, it makes you wonder just what could have been. Either that or it makes what we’ve achieved this season that little bit more special. « Two more friendlies added. | Orange call up for Krul. »
Toon News 24/7
RSS
E Mail
Twitter
Facebook
101 Comments
Off topic but have just seen that Tim Krul has been called up for Holland he is in their squad for 2 friendly’s against Brazil and Uraquay .
Not relating to the current woes of the midfield but here’s a question..
If we could get him for a reasonable price, would you want DJ Campbell for next season?
No DJG I wouldnt.
Bobby – had to be the one to get your back up
I think Lua Lua could play on the RW. I dont think that much of Donaldson, but if Vuckic can get a game then great. He did say he will be trying youngans and new formations which does boad for a little bit of a beasting but ne bother IMHO
I would think;
Krul
Simpson S.Taylor Coloccini Enrique
Jonas R.Taylor Barton Ferguson
Ameobi Ranger.
Subs; Soderberg, Tavernier, Tiote, Smith, Richardson, Lovenkrands, Kuqi.
The thing is Donaldson can be hit and miss, some games he looks quick and the next big thing and other games he just go’s missing.
Just to add on.
Tiote is set for early season break.
Pardew will not play him for the last two games.
AOD at 1st I thought that we should let Tiote sit out the last 2 games but by doing that its the same as him playing and getting another yellow card and a 2 game ban, the only difference is atm we are struggling for CM’s and could do with him, but if he doe’s get banned will then we shouldn’t have problems getting another player to take his place at the start of the new season as we should have a fully fit squad to choose from.
I know its the end of the season, but can’t understand how we can have so many central midfielders injured at one time, but not a lot we can do about it now, at least we are safe, but the prize money is important, so can’t afford to drop many points. I know it’s a risk, but I’d still play Tiote, need the best out there to try and get the points, trouble is, it’s his rep rather than bad challenges, so no doubt will get booked. Lets see that ginger haird kid out, not sure of his name, but good by all accounts, give him a try next to Barton.
How did the test go Toonsy?
I was thinking along the same lines Dave.
I honestly think we should take our chances and play him against Chelski. If he picks up a yellow then WBA will be his 1st missed game so only 2 missed at start of next season, when we will have more players available to cover.
I think its worth the risk, POSSIBLY.
Glad its not my decision to make tho lol
Get Smith in the middle along side Barton and a young un. Shoala up top on his own. Jonas and fergie on the flanks
I hope for a midfield of
Jonas – Barton – Smith – McLaughlin – Loven
with Ameobi as lone striker
Toby-that’s kind of what I’d be hoping for but can’t see Smith lasting 90mins really. Maybe a half and then raylor a half? So they can both pick up a yellow.
Would rather see a bairn than Smith. And I mean one of the mascots.
How about Richardson on lw and jonas in the CAM role?
I could live with Smith playing as he is essentially our backup DM, but would also much prefer a youngun in the squad.
My Team:
Shola-Ranger
Fergie-Barton-(youngun)-Jonas
Enrique-Collo-Staylor-Simpson
My fear:
Shola-Lovenkrands-Jonas-Smith-Barton-Taylor
Enrique-Collo-Staylor-Simpson
It would be nice to see some younguns on the pitch and seeing as I doubt smith will make the full 90 despite Carver going on about his fitness I’m sure there will be a youngun in the centre at some point. Problem is, Smith does at least have some notable leadership qualities, and with Nolan/Harps out and Barton still a bit mental sometimes then I’d feel safer with Smith in the middle.
Smith is definitely not ready to start a game against Chelsea. Probably for the west brom game though if whoever plays this weekend doesn’t really perform.
Personally, I’d like to see one of the reserves lads get a run out. Sub him at half time if necessary
I think and hope Smith will start. Him being missing has cost us a definite top ten finish. No way will he last ninety but hopefully we will be two up by the time he exits
Does anyone really think you could play Smith after he has been out for near 6 mths as I dont even think he has had a ressie game or owt, I dont think its a game to through him in.
and I do think the further up the table we finish the better players we can get, which is why I think we should play Tiote
I do think that smith should be on the bench though
DAVE wouldnt play smith at any point m8,like butt wish we could get him off the wage bill,hopefully leeds will come in for him in the summer
Ice
and if he plays sunday and gets injuried because he rushed back too soon there will be no chance of shifting him.
DAVE,thats very true mate,lets wrap him in cotton wool and hope for the best
i do think chelsea wont be as hot as normal,,they only have pride to play for,(have they any)
But if he scored a screamer against Chelski…. Just saying, he owes us some
I really hope Torres starts against us
There’s one player we won’t have to worry about
Ice I always knew you were a wise man
Simon – Passed it mate. 100% on the first part of the test. Only one minor on the driving part of the test. Aced it
As a reward I get a 5:25am start on Monday and get to go to Worcester, Bristol and London
The joys
Congrats Toonsy! Now you can truly see the world…
Well done Toonsy!!! Bet you can’t wait for those warly startsm better than nights tho
Well done Toonsy
Toonsy- well done mate
. No need to be a smartarse like 
Fuk I hate driving I use to do a Brum run 3 times a week it done my heed in
Jobey – I was always confident mate. If there are two things I’m good it’s tests and driving. I’m better than most which is why I’ve passed so many driving tests and got the classes on my licence to show for it. Many finger in pies mate and I’ll never be out of work because of it
Bit of a pisstake really as I should have had zero minors but he marked me down for braking when the ciach we used has harsh brakes anyway. He even said it was harsh of him but he had to do something.
So there we go, job done. Coach driver here I am. 30k a year will do
Aye not bad mate.
Coach to all off our games, kind of ya like
‘Jobey – I was always confident mate. If there are two things I’m good it’s tests and driving.’
Is that why your writing is average.
Im just kidding.
Dave – Not really. I’m not a cocky person until it comes to driving as I know I can do it better than most. Not saying I am the best, just better than the vast majority
DJG
Posted May 13, 2011 at 8:48 PM
“Is that why your writing is average.”
Average is better than the level of your wit
how many times / minors for your car test toonsy?
Toonsy…that means you can drive the bus when the blog has there next away day….
‘Average is better than the level of your wit’
Bite taken.
@40, thats a compliment for DJG
DJG
Posted May 13, 2011 at 8:50 PM
“how many times / minors for your car test toonsy?”
Car – First time – 3 minors
HGV 2 – First time – 3 minors
HGV 1 – First time – 2 minors
PCV – First time – 1 minor
DJG
Posted May 13, 2011 at 8:51 PM
“Bite taken”
Stating a fact is not biting
Thats what I always found with most people they think the’re the best drivers or bike riders on the road
until you get them on a track then you find the’re very average 
Car – first time, 2 minors
Thats all I’ve done so far but I wanna do my Bike test this year.
Big Dave
Posted May 13, 2011 at 9:01 PM
“Thats what I always found with most people they think the’re the best drivers or bike riders on the road
until you get them on a track then you find the’re very average”
Aye but when you have the tickets and results to prove otherwise it says something
Dave – I’ve also done advanced driving. first time
DJG they are going to make the bike test a lot harder come sept or oct so you should get in before then if you can
Big D
Will do if I’ve got the coin, cheers for the heads up.
Dave – DJG will be fecked anyway as he’ll have to take his stabilisers off
Toonsy you dont notice how bad most drivers are until your on a motorbike
toonsy,
Congratulations mate, well done
Are you working for National Express
Dave – I agree. Same as when you’re driving a large vehicle. It’s just the same. I really don’t understand how some people passed their tests like. I’m all for retesting every few years as the state of some people on the road is shocking.
Dave I notice it in the car, some are really dangerous.
To be honest without trying to sound cocky driving came really naturally to me. Im expecting the bike to be a lot harder. It doesn’t come naturally to me. And on a bike if you make a mistake it can mean game over, (more so than in one of toonsy’s trucks anyway).
TGS – Nah, Megabus.com. National Express are struggling at the minute
I have nowt against OAP’s driving but I do believe that they should be tested every 2 yr or so, not a full test or owt just that an instructer has to go for a drive with them or something as some are wild. My nextdoor neighboor is fuking crazy when he is on the road and he can hardly see and is cornbeef
DJG
Posted May 13, 2011 at 9:14 PM
“And on a bike if you make a mistake it can mean game over, (more so than in one of toonsy’s trucks anyway).”
You say that as though driving a large vehicle is easy. It isn’t, mainly because drivers of large vehicles are acutely aware of the damage they can cause and most (not all because there are still arseholes about) understand that one slip and you take out whoever is in a car/van/bike etc.
You have to think for other road users and make the decision for them sometimes.
Dave – Agree about OAP’s. Just a competency test or something to see if they can still drive safely.
This is getting onto a pet hates of driving now, but feck it it’s Friday
People who drive slower than the speed limit piss me off. If it’s 30 do 30. If it’s 40 do 40 and so on. You get marked down on your test for going too slow so in my view people who do that aren’t at the relevant standard/competency and shouldn’t be on the road.
Im not saying driving a truck is easy, Im saying you are a lot safer in a truck than on a moterbike.
My cousin was in hospital recently when a woman pulled out of a side road and knocked him off his scooter. He was lucky to not get his leg crushed. If you were driving a bus, the woman would be the one in hospital.
DJG racing bike’s on tracks and road racing is less dangerous than on the open road’s, I have had a few minor crash’s on circuits, but a few times I was real lucky not to get wiped out on the open road
‘You have to think for other road users and make the decision for them sometimes.’
A poor driver is poor, an average driver has good basic skills, a good driver drives for himself and others around him, anticipating what other people are going to do and allowing for poor drivers. Thats the way I look at it, no accidents in 6 years touch wood.
toonsy,
I was asking cos my father in law works as a driver trainer for National Express based in Hereford.
He is a retired bank manager and bloody loves his job
Pet Hates
mine is private taxi drivers 90% think they own the fuking road
DJG
Posted May 13, 2011 at 9:22 PM
“My cousin was in hospital recently when a woman pulled out of a side road and knocked him off his scooter. He was lucky to not get his leg crushed. If you were driving a bus, the woman would be the one in hospital.”
I agree. My cousin was wiped out in those exact circumstances and died, which is why I’ll never get on a motorbike to this day. Can’t stand them.
We’re both singing the same song here, from different sides of the room though. I think we mainly agree that the problem is car drivers?
TGS – I’ll be close to Hereford on Monday morn mate
I reckon I’m gonna love it aswell to be honest. I wouldn’t have done it I didn’t think I’d enjoy it.
TGS
I guess atleast he gets job satisfaction and is one of the few that actually enjoy their job 
Evening lads, Dave wor lass couldn’t believe it when she got her Uk licence and found out it was valid til 70 without any further testing
dave @66 agreed.
Most of them drive far too fast aswell, knowing where all the speed cameras are and slowing down.
It’s a false sense of ability and entitlement. Most of them cannot drive for s### either.
Regarding collisions involving motorcyclists, it is seldom the motorcyclist who is at fault
Would love to do me bike test but the wife has lost 2 friends who were killed on motorcycles
Dave @ 66 – Cyclists
They use rules to back themselves up, but they won’t think twice about whipping through a red light on a pedestrian crossing
Earlier on in the week, before my test, I was coming up to a roundabout. Now I never give any room for anything to creep up the nearside but feck me there was this determined cyclist who was that desperate to get past he used his bike as a sccoter to get up the side of me and stop me pulling away. I overtook him again 10 seconds later. Twat
Big Dave,
Aye mate at 69yrs he loves it, no performance targets. Just drive the customers safely to there destination and be professional,
‘I think we mainly agree that the problem is car drivers?’
I think that it’s anybody who cannot drive or has no principles of safety, or old people who refuse to hang up the keys, boy racers ect ect.
Cars just happen to make up the majority of road users. Truck drivers are highly trained, my grandad was a truck drive and he was a true gentleman. Bikers, some are idiots, but I think the ones commuting to work ect are usually quite sensible and trying to keep themselves in one piece, thats what I’ll be doing.
Toonsy’s a bus driver now? Does that mean you have to start wearing glases, put vaseline in your hair and start smoking roll ups?
TonyGreenSupreme
Posted May 13, 2011 at 9:32 PM
“no performance targets. Just drive the customers safely to there destination and be professional”
Bingo. Hit the nail on the head there for me
DJG
Posted May 13, 2011 at 9:35 PM
“Truck drivers are highly trained”
I used to think that before I started my PCV. Feck me wat truck drivers go through is nowt compared to the PCV. I’ve had to do six tests in total to get the licence.
toonsy,
We sing from the same sheet
toonsy,
“I’ll get you Butler”
Toonsy, thats coz they don’t want any old t##t driving a bus full of school kids.
TGS @ 72 I rarely use my bike now because its too dangerous and my Lass worries too much but saying that early some sunday mornings I would go out for a blast
Richie its a joke mate some of them can hardly see the road never mind drive on it
Toonsy @ 73 yeah I agree
DJG,
Love the avatar
DJG
Posted May 13, 2011 at 9:42 PM
“Toonsy, thats coz they don’t want any old t##t driving a bus full of school kids”
Funnily enough, you get checked for all of that aswell nowadays
TGS
I agree with TGS @ 83
TGS @ 74 there is a lot to be had from job satisfaction mate.
There is loads of times i’ll work an extra half hr or more on someone and I dont charge for it cause I enjoyed what I was doing
DJG divent worry toonsy wont be driving your school bus
bloody removal men were gonna be coming tomorrow to pick up boxes to go into storage in Madrid, now they re coming about midnight to night……what sort of a fecked up country have I moved to!!!
DJG
Toonsy should change his to butler
well Richie no one forced you to turn your back on your homeland
I know Dave, I did it willingly
Just watching Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal on Sky+
Awesome!!!
Richie atleast you have the balls to admit that you done it willingly and didn’t try to tell us you were forced
Captain Tugboat almost snatching it at the end. Classic game!
Love it
TC – I’ve still got in on my Sky+. I may watch it again tomorrow myself
Dave @ 90 – Funny you should mention that…..
New thread up anyway
TC if only he didn’t snatch it what a victory that would have been, but as you say it still was a classic
Dave…
40,000 are going to that festival in Carlisle, presumingly quite a few through the A69. That will be interesting, I remember that road couldn’t cope with last years pre-season friendly.
« Two more friendlies added. | Orange call up for Krul. »