Routledge: Back for the Smoggies game?News has come in from Newcastle United’s official website that right winger, Wayne Routledge, will be back in training on Thursday, and could even be in line for a return for Newcastle United’s next trip to the dystopian land that is Middlesborough.
Routledge, 25, who has so far made a significant impression in his handful of games for the Magpies so far, picked up a strained calf in our 4-1 victory over Coventry City. Until then though, he seemed to have added some much needed balance on the right hand side since his arrival from QPR, though it can hardly be said that he hasn’t been desperately missed in the wake of some emphatic victories and excellent team performances since that time. Nontheless, it would be great to see him back to improve the squad even more.
Taylor: Out for a while.News has come in that it could be as long two or three months until first choice centre back, Steven Taylor, returns to the squad.
Taylor sustained a sprain in his medial ligament during Newcastle United’s Championship draw with West Bromwich Albion, and is one of several members of the first team backline to sustain injuries in Newcastle’s last few games. With right back, Danny Simpson (ankle) and left back, Jose Enrique (hamstring), also being crocked, and finally versatile right mid / right back, Ryan Taylor, suspended for a ridiculous sending off in the Magpies’s FA Cup away match with West Bromwich Albion, this created a huge problem in the Toon’s defensive ranks.
Since that time however, manager, Chris Hughton has brought in reinforcements for the back four in the shape of centre back, Mike Williamson from Portsmouth, centre back, Fitz Hall from Queen’s Park Rangers and finally, left back, Patrick van Aanholt from Chelsea. (more…)
Hughton: "Lady Luck plays a massive part".Chris Hughton has been talking about the issue which has been one of Newcastle United’s biggest bugbears in recent times, injuries.
So far, with a few exeptions, Hughton has managed to largely buck the trend, despite playing a longer season in a supposedly more ‘physical’ league. However, despite some clever rotational policies and the use of loan players by the Cockney Colossus, there have been some players who have proved to be indispensible to the cause this season, players such as Jose Enrique, Fabricio Coloccini, Alan Smith and leading goalscorer, Kevin Nolan.
Hughton said on the challenge:
“It’s about keeping players fit.
“When you look at the squad, we’ve got a lot of players who have played a lot of games.
Sho or no-sho on Satda?Newcastle United’s usually mild mannered supremo, Chris Hughton, has come out with some fighting talk in the run up to Toon’s home clash with Swansea City on Saturday. In the interview, he spoke of Swansea’s fine defensive record this season (second only to Hughton’s own), and vowed to go in with all guns blazing in an attempt to break down their defensive fortress. Speaking to the Sand Dancer’s Gazette, he roared:
“Their record speaks for itself, they’re a tough team with a good shape, and they’re difficult to play against.
“We’re the home side, and we’ve got to force the issue. We can’t afford to take them lightly – they are where they are on merit.
“They’ve played some good teams, and come up trumps with some good results. We’ve got to make sure we’re on our game.”
Meanwhile, on the return of Fenham hitman, Shola Ameobi, Hughton told the club’s official website:
“We’ll make our mind up over the next couple of days but we’re fortunate that we’re on a good run at the moment and there’s not that pressure to bring him back.” adding: (more…)
Kadar - on standbySteven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini face late tests to prove their fitness for Newcastle United’s game against Forest this weekend.
Both players have been hit by hamstring injuries – Colocinni’s a few weeks ago and Taylor’s just recently – and Hughton has this to say about their chances of playing on the weekend:
“Steven has a hamstring problem, but we’re refusing to rule him out. We’ll see if we can get him involved with the main group first, and get him up and running before we rule him out of Saturday.
“Coloccini is probably up to about 90 per cent in the work he has been doing and is another one we are not prepared to rule out. Hopefully we will get him on the training pitch on Friday.”
Tamas Kadar is on standby in case he’s needed, with Hughton commenting thusly on the lad:
“Tamas has done very well for us,” Hughton told the Gazette. “He hasn’t had the opportunities he’d have liked, but he’s developing with each training session with the first team, and he’s very much part of that group now. He gives us valuable cover at centre-half and left-back.” (more…)
