In a ***** kind of way it marks progress when the spanner in the works I mention is nothing to do with Mike Ashley!
Instead I’m talking about injuries, and in particular injuries to certain players, which will leave our squad exposed and could jeopardise the hard work that has been put in by the players so far.
Injuries are starting to mount up. Shola Ameobi is out for 4-6 weeks whilst Cheik Tiote and Steven Taylor look set to miss the game tonight and face a race against time to be fit for Stoke on Monday evening.
Now remember what I said about injuries to certain players? Of that list of three I reckon we could get away with losing Shola providing nobody else in the striking department falls over, and I even believe that Cheik Tiote can be covered. Not to his usual standards of course such is the quality of the man, but we do at least have some able backup in the central midfield area.
Steven Taylor is the one that worries me the most and highlights just how threadbare our defence is. Whilst many were irked over the summer over the lack of a new striker at St James’, I, along with a few others, was more concerned about the lack of cover in the centre of defence. Even more so with Mike Williamson struggling to return to fitness.
To me getting a defender in during the winter transfer window is an absolute must. In an ideal world we’d bring in someone like Liam Ridgewell or Erik Pieters who can cover a number of positions in the back line. Bringing in just one of them would add some much needed depth to the defence.
I’m not doom mongering or anything like that. This is a real concern for me and I’m sure it’s not the first time that it will have crossed the minds of many either. Yes we can always wait and see if we get any injuries in positions where we are light, but law of averages would seem to suggest that at some point we’ll get an injury in a position which could really hurt us.
Thankfully this current spate of injuries seems to be nothing really to worry and will only affect us for the game this evening,and I dare say that there was a chance of both Tiote and Taylor being rested anyway. However it should serve as a warning that highlights just how vulnerable we are to an injury or two.
Then again, is it any different to 90% of Premier League teams?
Good article; It highlights our lack of cover really or experienced cover. Saw yesterday we were linked with ridgewell of brum again for january.
Our back up defence is okay; Santon, willo, Perch and Fergie with kadar, dummett and tavernier there its not the numbers its the experience.
If tiote or cabaye were out for a long period would effect our play quite heavily
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
I think the pecking order for CDs is
Colo
Saylor – injured
Willo – Injured
Perch
Kadar
Whilst I would love to supplement that with experience eg Samba that ain’t going to happen unless Colo is out. I’m not sure who is better than Perch / Willo but happy to be no 3
Full backs is even more problematic
Simpson
Raylor
Santon
Ferguson
Tavernier – on loan
We need Pieters ASAP
As you say elsewhere we do have bodies, but I still think we are 2 players short in terms of experienced strength, eg wide midfield as we only have Marveaux, so Barnetta please, and Striker eg Maiga.
please note terms and conditions apply other players are available 😆
Premandup(Quote)
Can we afford not to have cabaye in the lineup tonight, chucking in 2 that havnt played together, after all we want to ensure this is a game we win.
Matty(Quote)
Toonsy, the fringe player article is in the pending pile mate 🙂
Good read btw, shows Saylor and Colo really are key players for us. Touch wood they hold it together until Willo and Kadar are fighting fit… 😯
Shamrock(Quote)
Premand up – Like that thought; IF in big if land we were to get peiters in, maiga and one other we could be a very very good outfit
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Have to say the most important person right now is colo; if he got injured it would be nightmare
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Liam, I’d rather not have Maiga de to concerns about the African Nations depleting us up front every 2 minutes, but looks like he is coming… Pieters could and would be a great signing though… 🙂
Shamrock(Quote)
Toonsy I agree that we could be in trouble if we have any longer term injuries, but I think we can cope with 2-3 game injuries.
I think we can cope better with injuries to MF and Strikers, it the defence that worries me.
I reall y think we need to strengthing our cover, but then the problem is who that is good cover would be prepared to sit on the bench.
Big Dave(Quote)
“when the spanner in the works I mention is nothing to do with Mike Ashley!”…………not so sure about that bit, we all knew the defence needed strengthening over the summer and it wasn’t. 😕
richietoon(Quote)
Id hardly say injuries were starting to pile up. Also isnt implying that injuries to key players will cause us problems kind of just stating the obvious?
Toon Stew(Quote)
good read toonsy you doom monger 🙂 i agree with rich @9
batty(Quote)
Exactly Richie, the fact that we’re thin on the ground is the fault of one person only, fatty-tight-****. It’s been bloody obvious to all how short of numbers we’ve been at the back for quite some time, and we’ve only done a bit of the old one-in one-out defender hokey-cokey since last year.
Every team suffers when their first choice centre backs go missing. Just look at Spuds, and dare I say it Manure!!! Johnny Evans is cack.
I’d like to think Ridgewell and/or Pieters are still on our radar for January.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Campbell left and wasn’t replaced.
Willo was out injured in late August (I think it was Scunthorpe).
They had plenty of time to get in at least one CB.
The late bid for Ridgewell … was it a Llambias special?
Llambias Special: – Bid for a player you have no chance of getting at the price you offer or within the time available for medicals and negotiations.
geoff777(Quote)
Pardieu did confirm that they went for a CB in the summer and it fell through due to the club deciding not to sell late on. So the club are aware, and right now I feel no reason not to trust them to sort it. Being a couple of bodies short of a decent squad is something I didn’t expect to see for years yet.
I’d be interested to know the story with Kadar. I’ve watched him close up a couple of times and he looked excellent. Something’s happened this season, though – doesn’t seem to be on the radar right now.
Whumpie(Quote)
Be honest: we don’t know the truth about their hunt for defenders. I suspect they held the purse strings a bit too tight, but I’d much rather they did that than the previous option – just spend out some unsustainable amount on a huge contract for some dumb-*** who comes here just to collect his huge wages.
If the club can’t get the right player on the right terms, we make do without. So far that strategy has served us very nicely, thanks. It’s a risk, yes – but better that risk than the certain failure of the previous approach.
I think the days of attacking the bosses over everything have to be gone now, don’t they? How can you argue with the track record since the strategy was introduced? It clearly works, so put the knives away and enjoy it!
Whumpie(Quote)
Whumpie I agree I ‘m sure we will get in at least 1 extra defender come January. Pardew has mentioned it a lot, and the board seem to be listening to him at the moment.Also if we keep getting the results we have of late we will probably have more players to choose from in the transfer window,with the ,dare I say it ,the chance of Europe beckoning.
Mick G(Quote)
As collo and saylor are our number 1+2 who out there is good enough to be back up but will be happy enough to sit on the bench? hhhhhmmmmmmm 😕
tough one!
it could be worse though… our centre backs could be racist 😉
Nobby(Quote)
I know I’m being picky, but that’s just because as Whumpie says, we’re only a couple of bodies short of a decent squad – I’d even go so far as to say ‘fantastic’ squad! I feel like a broken record saying it, but to keep the squad we have AND bring in a LB, CB and CF would probably cauterise my whinge glands, and pretty much almost halt my ability to moan about NUFC.
…well, er, probably not actually.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Nobby, but Coloccini has politically incorrect hair.
Rodzilla(Quote)
😆 😆 😆 @ Rod
Nobby(Quote)
Whumpie…It’s not a case of getting the knives out, we’re doing well and I’m loving it and I give praise when it’s due whether it be Pardew, the players or Ashley but I’ll also say if I think somethings wrong and not getting at least 1 defender and another striker was a mistake in my opinion. 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Does Adil Rami @ valencia play at CB? I know he’s a defender just not sure where. I think he’s french so he’d slot straight in! 😛
Nobby(Quote)
I’ve just googled Rami and he is a CB… maybe get him for about £8m? not sure how long is on his contract though! 😎 he’d be class with collo and saylor can then be our number 3
Nobby(Quote)
Likewise on the knives front. We just missed an opportunity in the last window. Although mildly disappointed I’m currently fully sheathed. 😎
Rodzilla(Quote)
Rod…me too, I couldn’t be more “sheathed” up if I tried 😉
richietoon(Quote)
I don’t think Ashley would pay 8m for a CB Nobby. 4 or 5 maybe. Wasn’t it price that stalled the Pieters move (?)
Rodzilla(Quote)
Richie 😆
Rodzilla(Quote)
Nobby…I wouldn’t try and sign a Valencia CB as they’ve been linked with Colo in the past and may want him as part of any deal…..best not take the risk imo 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Do agree with this .. essentially reason why finishing 8th this season will be an excellent result ..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Toonpipe…..aye, top half is my expectation but top 8 is my hope 😀
richietoon(Quote)
Richie .. hopefully we can make it 8th with mebs a semi in one of the cups .. but i agree that expect top half with a quarter final in a cup ..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Stoke away isn’t a game you want to be missing one of your centre backs.
Stuart79(Quote)
Shamrock – Nice one. Just on way home from work now so will get it up when I get in 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
This was my main criticism close season and I was very vocal about signing crocked players at our club which has an awful record with crocked players. Fingers crossed eh?
Lacedaemonian(Quote)
Good article. Very worried about cover at the back. I think we have capable fullbacks (Santon, Simpson, Fergie, Raylor) plus probably 1-2 that could play there in an emergency (Gosling, Kadar, Dummet, Jonas), but CB is a real concern. We really have to rely on perch at the moment. I am buoyed by his Forest performance (didn’t see it, but trust those who did) but can he handle Prem clubs? We are so reliant on Collo right now it is scary
MDS(Quote)
MDS – I would not worry too much. Willo is back sooner than expected (in next 10 days) and Kadar is ready to go at last. Be nice to have gotten somebody in during the sumer with a bit of proven ability instead of having to fall back on Perch, but all in all we will be OK provided somebody comes in in January… 🙂
Shamrock(Quote)
Chuffed to bits… got me cheap season ticket
Nobby(Quote)
Surprised Stardy hasn’t been on to say we would be better off if Saylor was to get injured.
Big Dave(Quote)
MDS – I would not worry too much.
———————-
Too late- Toonsy scared the hell out of me with this article. 😉
I’ve always rated Kadar but until I see him perform consistently over a period of time agaist good compeition I will worry about him a bit. Willo’s still out for 6 more weeks and, tbh, I though he was poor before the injury.
Agree with those who want yus to move for Pieters or a Pieters-like player that has played CB and FB against top competition.
MDS(Quote)
There’s a couple of links there for the overseas lads but looks like commentary only 🙁
http://www.footballstreaming.info/streams/todays-links/
richietoon(Quote)
If we can hold our decent position in the league into January It must make it easier attracting players better than it did in the summer window.Lets hope!!
nutmag(Quote)