I am of course referring to our spate of defensive injuries which have decided to make an appearance, just days after the closure of the transfer window when nothing can actually be done about it.
Of course the counter-argument regarding the lack of defensive depth is that something should have been done about it whilst the window was open. I know that, you know that, I think we all know that, but it wasn’t and now we are faced with the situation we now find ourselves in.
That situation includes a lengthly lay-off for Ryan Taylor who has done some damage to his Achilles and is out for a case of months rather than weeks. Now we have an injury to Danny Simpson to contend with along with an injury to Fabricio Coloccini to consider. Simpson is likely to be out for a month whilst the seriousness of Captain Colo’s injury is as yet unknown although the fact that Argentina haven’t sent him home fills me with a small piece of hope.
As we all know injuries are part and parcel of the game, but it’s just Newcastle United’s luck that they all happen at once in a position where we should have been looking to add numbers over the summer regardless. Still it is what it is and now we have to hope the squad can cope with these absentees.
Realistically it is only the injuries to Coloccini and Simpson that should cause the most concern. Ryan Taylor is a valuable squad player of course, but the other two are two of our regular starting back four which is what we need to patch up before heading to Everton next weekend.
Amazingly we are still alright, just. Mike Williamson will come in (and more than likely be the scapegoat for EVERYTHING that goes wrong) for Coloccini whilst I’d imagine that Vurnon Anita will fill in for Simpson, especially with Cheik Tiote hoping to be fit for the game at Goodison a week on Monday.
We can get by, just, but if someone else gets injured in defence we are screwed. Of course it’s just something that must be dealt with, but I can’t help but feeling that all of this could have been averted had we added another defender over the summer.
Onwards, upwards and all that…
MDS @ 70 I know what your saying but getting ahead of Willo isn’t exactly a glowing reference 😆 but maybe it shows how weak we are 😉 so I take it your happy enough with having Perch and Willo as back up CBs ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
MDS – I disagree mate, I think Pardew views him as cover for DCM or FB first but will use him at CB if needed. I think the main reason Perch started against Spurs is because Defoe was upfront as a lone striker. He is obviously more of a pace threat over an aerial threat, so Willo would probably have got ran raged. I think had Adebayor been upfront as a sole striker, I think we might have seen Willo instead.
I like Perch and respect him for putting 100% in everytime whatever position, but it’s down to the club not Perch. We need quality in depth and 2 quality CBs isn’t enough.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The new generation Dutch have won 2-0 Krul has come unscathed out of the game ,kept a clean sheet . His overall performance i would give a 8out of 10 .Missed 2 high balls and 1 of his defenders caused him a problem but don’t know weather Krul called its his ball or not .
Axel(Quote)
Axel – really pleased for Krul, cracking player and great ambassador for NUFC.
Was Anita in the squad mate?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good to see Krul getting game time for the national team, hopefully this will put him ahead of Stekelburg in the pecking order.
Andymag(Quote)
Dave I wanted a cb as much as anyone this window. I even said I wanted one more than i wanted debuchy or another striker. But I believed then, as a I believe now, that getting or not getting one wasn’t going to make or break our season. I wasnt enamored with any if the ones we were linked with to be honest and I think our depth is adequate if not great. Readdress it in January if someone good becomes available or if perch and willo can’t do the job.
MDS(Quote)
I hear ya sharply, but if pards preferred perch at dm he would have had no need to spend a good bit on Anita and instead would have spent on defense IMO.
MDS(Quote)
I guess my point is after perch started against spurs and with the Anita and bigi signings I figured that pards now views perch as defensive cover since he is no longer really needed in midfield
MDS(Quote)
MDS – this is a difficult one because I genuinely respect Perch and don’t want it to sound like I’m slagging him off. But maybe Anita was signed because Pardew sees Perch as jack of all trades and master of none. He may have signed Anita as main back up to Tiote but Perch would always be an option.
I think the point I’m trying to make is that he’s only ever fill in, as is Willo. Neither are going to keep a fit Saylor or Colo out the team, regardless of how well they play when called upon. When at team sheet is revealed I would predict that the vast majority of us believe we are vulnerable at the back if either S. Taylor or F. Coloccini is missing, and that needs to be addressed.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy17 no Anita was not in the squad
ANDYMAG the fact Krul played this game while stekelenburg was fit means he is now Netherlands no1. Van Gaal has with this game showed everyone what his team is and the new generation dutch stood up tonight and got the result .
Axel(Quote)
Sharpy I agree mate and even Jabba agreed that we needed a CB, my way of thinking is that we got Anita because he fitted the bill in how much he was and how much wages he wanted, Douglas etc didn’t fit the bill not because they weren’t good enough or we didn’t need them badly enough, but because his fee or wages didn’t fit the bill, the same as Debuchy. I suspect we are going to try to wait for Pieters because he will be a cheaper option 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Axel
That’s good to hear. Who were they playing?
Andymag(Quote)
ANDYMAG Turkey and their captain is Emre , we should never of let him go .
Axel(Quote)
I hope we get pieters. I’ve wanted him for three years and prefer him to douglass
Doubt the others were down to wages as we pay loads more than Dutch or french clubs. Usually you only get to talk wages once a fees agreed.
You make good points sharpy. I guess I just rate perch at cb more than most others
MDS(Quote)
BIG DAVE we just like a few other clubs did not sign Douglas because he has more than 1 agent and they all want a fee . Pieters is still not fit and wont be until at least january .
Axel(Quote)
MDS – thanks mate, as do you. For the record, like I said earlier, I like Perch but I do think we need better if we are serious about either maintaining our position or progressing it. I would have rather had Yanga and I think he’d challenge Saylors place, Douglas would have just been better back up that Willo. I would be happy to see us add Pieters to the squad as well tho.
Dave – I don’t think the main problem with Douglas was his fee or wages necessarily but the number of representatives he has around him that were all claiming a fee for his move. I think that is why Pardew has been so vocal about his dislike of agents, because they made an affordable player for us become unaffordable.
I think he’s a free agent at the end of this season though (unless Twente offer him a new contract) so who knows, he may yet end up at the toon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I never really liked the look of Pieters much, good cover given that CB and left back are requirements but he always seemed the shittest in what was a very poor dutch defence. Never saw him play at club level though bar the odd european match so maybe he’s not that bad.
Maybe Marv can get a start as a full back now…though think he might be a little lightweight for the PL 😆
Newkie(Quote)
NEWKIE he did not play in the last Euros he was injured , so i don’t know which dutch team you saw him in then ? the last finals before the euros was the world cup, where Holland with a tight defence which Pieters did not play in , got too the final . Get your fact’s straight mate .
Axel(Quote)
I saw Pieters playing with a badger once.
(if that counts) 😳
…admittedly it was during one of my episodes.
No.4 Series 11
I played the eager stoat. 😎
Rodzilla(Quote)
I saw Martin Peters play once or twice.
brisvegas(Quote)
I saw parking meters made for mice.
Rodzilla(Quote)
…city of tiny lights.
Rodzilla(Quote)
I used to own a Peters guitar as well. Prefered my Fender, though.
brisvegas(Quote)
…I used to own a Peters anlee guitar 😎 . **** knows where that went. 😕
Rodzilla(Quote)
I had a copy Gibson flying v back in the 70s. The guy I lived with nicked it when he moved out. *****. Never saw him again.
brisvegas(Quote)
anlee? What the hell’s that?
brisvegas(Quote)
and lee!!! Get it. 🙄 😳
brisvegas(Quote)
I dusted off my guitar the a few weeks back. First time in about 20 years. Found my fingers were as slow as a Mark Viduka sprint. Resorted to the deft fingering style of Kevin Coyne.
My guitar days are as numbered as my fooball playing days.
brisvegas(Quote)
Bored. Depressed cos there’s no football tonight. Off to Brisbane Writers festival.
brisvegas(Quote)
Thought I might do some jamming with ya, Rodz, but you seem to have gone. 😡
brisvegas(Quote)
…always one eye open 😉
Rodzilla(Quote)
That was a Public Service Announcement for the Gravy Marketing Board.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Axel-I saw him play against England in the 3-2 match, pretty sure that’s a straight fact buddy 😉
Newkie(Quote)
I feel fine! 🙂 😯
…I lost 3 weeks on the **** CHUTE PLAN tm. 😎
Me too! I subscribed to the P.C.P 3 years ago, and I still appreciate it!
Pavement x road = Mr. Baah said.”yeah, obviously my stock photo face doesn’t fit, but what the ****. 😛
….yeah, you knows it Mickey J was on it, MC Hammer, Bruce Springsteen, you name it. 😯
THE **** CHUTE PLAN.
(Terms and Conditions Apply)
Rodzilla(Quote)
PCP
Heh
All credit to you rod, when you’re pissed you become a funny man. When I’m pissed I become less funny, which may or may not be noticable, and an all round **** in general.
Tell me, what’s your secret?
PCP?
Newkie(Quote)
Also how is it that a Montengro side with players in the second polish division and other such leagues managed to provide dangerous set pieces at every opportunity and our world/european class players can’t. What’s up with that yo.
Newkie(Quote)
I’d say lack of a question mark could start a mass debate.
😳
Rodzilla(Quote)
Peter’s beard lease ran oot yistaday like. 😐
Rodzilla(Quote)
From The Journal:
“The Journal can reveal that United, who consciously avoided being drawn into the hunt for a centre-back over the summer, have begun scouting options for that position, some four months before the transfer window opens at the turn of the year.”
Yeah, right. 🙄
brisvegas(Quote)