Colo’s knock shows desperate need for defensive reinforcements

toonsy

Colo injury a blow
Fabricio Coloccini is rated as ‘doubtful’ by manager Alan Pardew as he prepares his side for an FA Cup 4th Round encounter against Brighton.

Our Argentinian Captain is carrying a groin strain and will undergo tests before it’s decided whether he’ll play at the Amex Stadium tomorrow evening, although personally if there is any doubt I’d prefer him to be left out.

Which is a problem as we have nobody to replace him with which, in turn, could put our FA Cup participation in jeopardy. To counter that, if we play and he aggravates the injury further we could be without him for a run of league games, which would pose a serious risk to our decent season and our chance of chasing a European place.

Put simply we need a defender and we need one before the end of the window. According to the local hacks we’ve tabled a take it or leave it offer to Watford for Adrian Mariappa which would offer us cover, but it would be cover that is untested at Premier League level, or indeed at any top level.

Of course it’s going to be hard to balance. We need defenders, but we also need to consider what is going to happen when Steven Taylor returns. It’s all well and good getting an international centre-back through the doors, but once everyone is fit again I very much doubt any of them will be happy sitting on the bench.

The counter-argument is of course squad depth, but I don’t think we are in a position to be able to keep international players on the bench for too long. We don’t have European competition to offer like other clubs do for example, and will an international player like Jan Vertonghen for example, be happy to fill in for injuries? Or will our current centre-backs be happy to take a back seat for a new player?

As I said, it’s a balancing act, but it’s one that needs to be balanced pretty **** soon. We have just four days of the transfer window remaining or else we’re going to have to cross our fingers for the rest of the season and hope we don’t pick up any injuries in defence.

It would be a shame to see our bright first half of the season fade away because of a lack of defensive options but I can see it happening if we fail to bring in a defender. Bringing in Papiss Demba Cisse is all well and good, but it won’t matter if we have nothing at the other end to stop the goals being conceded.

As ever, time will tell…

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

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97 thoughts on “Colo’s knock shows desperate need for defensive reinforcements”

  3. Fake strain. He’s as fit as a lop and the Toon don’t want to scupper the sale to Liverpool. 😯

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  4. Jeez troy why put ideas in the heads of many 😯

    You see my comment on other thread?

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  6. Really dont want mariappa one step forward two steps back.
    Hes only ever back up IMO but we will see

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  7. ABout someone using your phrase fenwicks window in .com?
    You have an alter ego :mrgreen:

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  8. Spending money on a player who is only ever going to be back up is just a complete waste of money.

    Players who come into a club should be to improve the team, then it automatically improves the squad.

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  9. No I never saw your comment but the saying is a well known one anyway so I’ve got no copyrights to it. 😆

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  10. Samba still wants out and his comments today are a come and get me plea.
    In my opinion he is the most suitable CB we have been linked with and could be put straight in there. He and Colo would be solid.

    Let’s spend the cash now and get him in.

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  11. Troy, ya fekkin’ wummer. 😆

    I hate to say it, but I think we’ll see Perch and Williamson in the middle. Both have done ok with Colo next to them, but the lack of leadership there – especially without Tiote shielding them – is scary.

    Good point about the kind of player we need in, though. Dare I say it – we need another older player on short-term loan. Someone at the other end of their career, who has the experience and command, but not necessarily the stamina or speed.

    Otherwise, a player bench-warming at a top team. Bassong’s been mentioned, but not really a back line general.

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  13. @Stu

    I agree. The signing has to be brought in as first choice in my opinion. It’s down to the current players to fight for their place back.
    That’s how you improve.

    So any centre back coming in, should be a replacement for Colo, Willo or Saylor.

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  14. I thought pards said the signing will be first team challenging or otherwise pointless

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  15. Aye, players coming in should be good enough to challenge for a starting place….this kid from Watford may well be, but I have my doubts.

    Colo will play v Brighton anyway, nowt wrong wi him………maybe 😕

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  16. This is going to be an interesting weekend.
    The fans are gonna be jumping with rage or delight.

    Talking of jumping. Where’s Tigger Mark bounced off to? Havent seem him for a few days. 😯

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  17. Is Colo cup-tied already?
    He needs to be slotting straight into the Liverpool side if they beat Manure in the cup. You say what you, Whumpie? 😆

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  18. we are leavn this center half signing very late!! samba wants out of rovers … why dont we get him in hes a beast!! we are wasting our tym putn bids in for mariappa as watford want more than we can offer!!

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  20. Just for perspective–I don’t know jack **** about Mariappa, but somebody posted a link to a Watford board and their fans really seem to think he’s a good player and worth way more than our valuation. They wanted to keep him very badly from what I saw.

    Don’t we have some youngsters in the reserves? We’d have to play a very, very defensive midfield two in front of them, I guess.

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  22. Samba will want first team football which isnt guranteed. Next 😀

    Mariappa may be titus brambles cousin. Next 😀

    Vertonguen is a german fantasy. Next. 😀

    Mbvia is class. Bring him in 😀

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  23. TOONSY your reet he wont be comeing,loan move must be the way at the mo,get the ajax lad in come summer to replace colo who will be going imo,30+ jabba wont move on contract,shame but there you go

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  29. I hope this latest news stirs Chubby up a bit.
    I see Samba is pretty much screaming “COME AND GET ME!” on Sky Sports News now.

    …also, slightly off topic, but just to carry forward the chimp debate from the last thread:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue2NENnPMbE

    (fully grown man in a chimp suit, riding a horse in a dog suit?) 😯

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  30. Can Santon not play centre back? I know its not his no.1 position and its not ideal, but he is at least pacey which we do miss at centre back. That means bringing raylor back in at left back and making Jonas the workhorse again….I’d prefer that to using perch or risking Colo to be honest.

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  31. 2 interesting comments on that Watford board:

    “Williamson went for £2m when we urgently needed to sell. Mariappa is far superior to Williamson and therefore his value should be at least double.”

    “Watford’s valuation of Mapps in the close season was £2 million. This is what they said to Swansea and Rogers jogged on. I think Mapps has improved since then though, so a figure approaching £3m or more would be more in line.” -> Maybe our scouting team sense a late bloomer?

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  32. “Mapps does a hell of a lot of tidy up work at the back that others are not capable of. He is a vital cog.”

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  33. I noticed an interesting comment on that Watford forum:

    “Have had word and it’s not good, will be a Newcastle player by Tuesday. We’ve not actually accepted an offer but Aidy’s pushing the deal through himself – hope we still get the funds we deserve. Expect a flurry of activity from ourselves before Tuesday though, lots of late bids – starting with a PL centre back.”
    http://www.wfcforums.com/showthread.php?40945-Pardew-targets-Mapps&p=664820&viewfull=1#post664820

    Could be just another WUM, but a couple of people on that forum seem to think the guy who posted it is genuine:

    “Oh, and Kane is on the inside”
    http://www.wfcforums.com/showthread.php?40945-Pardew-targets-Mapps&p=664880&viewfull=1#post664880

    and

    “whoevere it was that doubted kanewfc and his sources….dont………….”
    http://www.wfcforums.com/showthread.php?40945-Pardew-targets-Mapps&p=664895&viewfull=1#post664895

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  34. Newkie @ 30… if santon can play as centre half then i see that as a very good stand in solution.

    for tomorrow…. what about after that.

    Mike and LambARSE… get a centre halve in…stop pissing about. I believe a centre halve should have been here by now. 4 days to go… prices are going to shoot up now!!! 👿

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  35. Nobby-Yeah I think I’ve heard it mentioned, he’s certainly got the attributes for it anyway….I agree it should only be for the next match and that we need another defender in but I’m not convinced we’ll bring anyone in unless we also sell someone, and I’d rather stick with what we’ve got rather than say sell Tiote or Ba to fund the signing of a defender..

    If Colo did get put out for the season and we brought nobody in I’d still rather have Santon at centre back than Perch, allowing Raylor back in at left back..not ideal but hey.

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  36. Chris G, I never believe anything from anyone who claims to be a club insider. The people who know generally won’t say owt as it’s highly confidential information. Having said that, Phil Thompson seemed to know Enrique was off, unless it was speculation on his part.

    On Samba, I think we can write him off as Blackburn rate him as £12-14m. I think he’s nearer 7 or 8 personally.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2087035/Chris-Samba-strike-Blackburn.html

    Who will it be? You decide…..

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  37. If we manage to get ahead tomorrow and HBA is on the wing… maybe we should then stick obertan on as he’s got better defensive qualities to his game than HBA.

    I know all the Obertan haters will disagree as they love ripping into him to make their sh*t lives seem bearable… but you can’t whack him when we need to defend. ❓ 😉

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  38. There some absolute morons on other blogs… all their interested in is bashing ashley, lambias, obertan, perch and simpson.

    I’m sure they don’t actually watch a lot of the football played.. they see people slagging them off on the site and as soon as someone does one mistake they jump all over them to try and make themselves seem intelligent about the subject.

    That’s how it comes across anyway. 👿

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  39. Nobby-but if we take the lead then put Obertan on, what happens if we concede? Not too much chance of him scoring or creating really…although I’d be alright with putting Obertan on the right and taking off Shola assuming he starts and slotting benny back up front..

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  41. I wouldn’t have Shola starting. I’d rather see Vuckic with Best, and Shola on for the last 20mins.

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  42. We should have enoughh to beat Brighton tomorrow, they’ve definitely gone off the boil but do try to play football and on thier day look a decent side.

    Should be a good game, I’ll be in S1C row U and prob having a few beers in the Duke of Wellington beforehand

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  43. @Rofz

    The little monkey is clearly real but the fake sheepdog spoils it.
    If you analyse the footage, you can see the aerial on its back and the monkey has the remote control.

    Clever stuff like. 😆

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  45. Do you reckon there’s any truth in us getting a bid in for the defender Douglas from FC Twente? ❓ ❓

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  46. Douglas would be my first choice, get him and I could handle losing colo in the summer or even a free the season after.

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  47. Nobby @ 46 , I dont think we can rule anyone in or out with the current board! There is always a surprise around the corner , some bad some good! We shall wait and see!

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  48. Troy 😯 …well spotted! 😆
    A remote-controlled robot horse in a dog suit, what will they think of next!!

    Batty 😆 – at least it wouldn’t take him half an hour to get back on his feet.

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  50. Watford take on Spurs later today – should be interesting to see if

    a) Mariappa starts
    and b) if he does, how he gets on against a top PL team

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  55. To Anyone

    I’ll just be watching the match in the pergraine tomorrow at chapel house so if you end up there just shout ‘Nobby’ and i’ll come running. 😉

    And then you can buy me a pint. 😉

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  56. Wow. Curry and a couple of pints at lunchtime. Huge analysis paper to finish. What a combination. 😯

    Can we just talk ***** about football instead please? 🙁

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  57. @THS

    Do you understand the pain I’m in?! 😯

    I’m making more by posting on here than work. 35p per post cant be sniffed at. 😆

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  60. @Nobby

    You mean The Peregrine?

    Is that the one with the statue of a bird outside?

    What bird is it? I thought it was an eagle but my mate says a falcon. 😯

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  62. ****. Nowt left to do but post sick jokes.

    Apparently divers found two more survivors trapped in the Costa Concordia – two Glaswegians in the bar area. They told the divers to **** off because they were all inclusive.

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  63. yes… peregraine… and i’m not sure if that’s a bite or not but i’ll give you the benfit of the doubt… it’s a peregraine outside, that’s a type of bird.

    The peregraine is actually the fastest animal in the world topping 200 mph when it goes into a dive!!!! 😯 😯 😯

    Beat that sucka!!!!!

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  65. We definitely need another first choice cb. Williamson’s not up to the PL really and Saylor could be missing for another year and come back half as good. Nowt like a bit of optimism.

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  67. @Nobby

    Learn to spell the name of your local pub! 😆

    I was fishing. A Peregrine falcon is also good at fishing. 😆

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  70. wooo hoo hoo

    go on Nobby son, totally dusted Troyore there.

    @Nobby You go to the Perry and u consider that a night out 😯 I’d rather stick a cacti up me hoop while popping a Bhut Jolokia doon me jappa 😆

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  71. Will be mighty miffed if no cover comes in .Loan or purchase i don’t care which ,just stop mucking about and get someone good in.Christ this should of been sorted yonks ago, all this faffin about putting umpteen offers in for players who don’t even seem proven at PL from clubs who won’t play ball just gets my goat. Didn’t we do this last time with Miaga and erdinc and Peiters and how many did we end up with. All that time wasted could go on doing a deal with A .a club willing to sale and B . a player who wants to join us, i mean other clubs seem to manage it o.k.

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  73. @The Butterfly

    Wahey! How you doing fella. I’ve missed you.
    You are my new Tinpoops. 😆

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  74. I have the last say in wor house when it comes to tidying up, wor lass is put in her place.. If I want to do the hoovering before the Ironing.. I bloody will 😯 🙄

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