Fans may laugh at the irony of a Dwight Gayle in “tip top shape” limping off against Crewe Alexandra yesterday, but it is no laughing matter – it only emphasises the clubs biggest problem and must act as a massive wake-up call to Steve Bruce.
The forward came off in the 63rd minute with another injury, having only spent 15 minutes on the pitch – a scenario which occurred far too many times last season.
This is our most evident issue. We don’t have a reliable striker and Bruce can’t keep acting like we do.
Rather worryingly, Bruce began to talk up Gayle just yesterday when asked if he’d bring in a new striker this summer, but news that Dwight’s injury “doesn’t look good” after a hyper-extension of his knee could force us into some serious moves for a proven goalscorer over the coming fortnight.
After all, Gayle and Carroll simply cannot be trusted injury wise (or in front of goal for that matter). The latter may have scored a brilliant goal yesterday, but how long until he is once again sidelined for an extended period of time? We can’t pin our hopes
Joelinton may have potential for the future, but he only managed TWO league goals this season and we cannot pressure him once again to by isolating him to be our main threat in front of goal.
As for Yoshinori Muto, he has become a forgotten man on Tyneside and The Mail’s Craig Hope claims we’ve been trying to move him on this summer, rather than include him in our York-based training camp over the past week. Even if he stays, I wouldn’t expect him to make anymore than a handful of cameo appearances once again this year.
Joelinton isn’t a number 9, Gayle can’t stay fit and may be out for some time and, even if Carroll improved his fitness levels, there’s no way we can be relying on a striker who hasn’t scored a Premier League goal for 29 months!
Gayle latest injury – the seriousness of which is not yet fully known but it doesn’t look great – will surely stop Bruce from fantasising that the 30-year-old will be like a ‘new signing’ this season.
If he will once again be absent for an extended period, it may just force Mike Ashley’s hand and make Bruce realise AT LEAST one goalscorer must be brought to the club over the coming month.
Our options up top are extremely limited once again and it’s crisis time regarding our need for a proven goalscorer.
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Yet again we’re screaming out for a striker but back in January Bruce thought there was nobody out there better than what we have. Well if he still thinks like that now and doesn’t see the need to get at least one in, we’re in big trouble and he could well be adding another relegation to his managerial career.
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