Newcastle United Fan View: The injuries are mounting...

This season has been unlike any other for Newcastle United in recent times and I am not talking about how many games we are winning, the amount goals we are scoring, the clean sheets we are keeping, the positive goal difference or indeed the league placing at the top. No, the one major change this season, which has most definitely been a factor in all of the positive points above, has been the lack of injuries. Until now.

For as long as I remember, Newcastle United have consistently topped the injury table that www.physioroom.com keep – without exaggeration, we normally top that league from the very first week of the season to the last, season in, season out. Numerous articles have been written about our injuries from both local and national press, every theory under the sun has been discussed, training pitches have been changed, new surfaces fitted, fitness coaches have come and gone, new techniques have been used; but we remained at the top of the injury table.

My theory is unfortunately a more cynical one – in seasons gone by we have been dreadful, we have been perennial losers, we have hosted players who have no feeling for the club, no affinity to the city, no desire to do well for the side, they simply want to catch the eye of a “big club” and move on. I suspect an injury is an easy way out, a bit of a rest, getting away from the pressure of a failing club. The crucial point is that the players had no competition so they could have a match or two off and stroll back in to the side uncontested – there was never, ever any pressure on them to perform.

This season, as we all know, is very, very different. Rafa is of course a big driving force behind that but for the first time in a long time, we have players who want to play for us. They do not see us as a stepping stone club on to bigger things (or if they do, they are certainly not going public with it!). There is competition for places, something which has been sadly lacking for the last decade. Players know they must play well, and consistently well at that, to keep their place in the side. Yes, we have had some injuries; Jesus Gamez, Rob Elliot and Rolando Aarons are the main ones but we have so far kept relatively injury free up until now.

The victory against Brentford took it’s toll though with 3 injuries occurring during the game and news this morning has confirmed that Vurnon Anita will be out for 2-3 months and Dwight Gayle for a few weeks. Add those injuries in to the current long term absentees, as well as the missing players at the AFCON and of course Alexandar Mitrovic, the squad is looking threadbare right now. On a positive note, we have a run of 4 home games over the space of 3 weeks coming up. This should allow some of the players with lesser injuries to return and the FA Cup 3rd round replay tomorrow night against Birmingham City should give some of the youngsters in the squad a chance to impress.

I have written a lot about the January transfer window being crucial to how our second half of the season pans out and the injuries suffered over the last couple of weeks, as well as the AFCON players, only goes to highlight the fact that we need more players. I wrote last week that this is a tough window to compete in – most teams won’t want to sell their players mid-way through the season and are asking for massively inflated fees if they are willing to sell. For me, the loan market is the way to go and it is crucial we get a few bodies in before the window shuts in a couple of weeks.

Finally, I am not going to be drawn in to discussing the report that came from The Mirror this week stating that Ashley is unhappy and wants us to revert back to the old transfer blueprint. I think it was a lazy article designed to spark panic amongst the Newcastle United fans’ ranks and in fairness, it has achieved that to a certain extent. What you have to remember is Rafa has full control over the transfers but Graham Carr has always had input; he is the head scout, of course he has an input. Signing young players with a sell on value is the policy of every single club in world football – it is a good policy to have but in recent years when it has been our only policy, that is when it has failed. Mike Ashley will want the club back in the Premier League and he will want us to stay in the Premier League; he might be many things but he is not a fool and he will be aware of his mistakes that have led to two relegations. We are top of the league, odds on favourites for promotion, he won’t want to upset that. I hope…