Coverage for the week of the 10th - 16th October

I don’t know about you but it’s starting to wear thin now.  The whole injury situation, the barrage of excuses that go with it and the general lack of ideas on the pitch.  We are so much better than this.  Or at least we should be.  Even with the absentees we should have a team to be pressing on in a weak Premiership this year.  Yet as ever it is 2 steps forward and 2 back.  Returning, naturally, with a pulled hamstring.

We began the week with yet more injury talk.  Saunders and Souness hoping that those on international duty retuned unharmed.  (Article) (Article)  It’s a peculiar position given the current circumstances at the club.  But surely this is and indeed always has been a risk.  We may not agree with it but there’s nowt we can do about it so why not just get on with things and not make a meal of it?  Of course we had then to have an injury scare.  After receiving yet more deserved praise for an excellent display for The Republic of Ireland (Article) Given limped out of training following a freak accident.  (Article) Only for Lazarus to walk yet again the next day!  (Article)  Emre meanwhile was under increasing pressure to turn out for Turkey despite the noises coming from within St James’.  (Article)  Twitchy bums all round on that one.

On the home front Robbie Elliott has been well quoted this week following a return to the side because of, you guessed it, injuries.  (Article)  In my opinion it’s the players who are available we should be concentrating on and we all know Robbie’s limitations, pretty much like Clarkie’s as we discussed last week, and we know he’ll give it his best shot and if built up and supported correctly, instead of whinging about who can’t play you never know, it may just help him raise his game.  Just a thought like!  Shola Ameobi was also quoted again and once again he’s talking big.  (Article)  I know you’re probably thinking what I’m thinking.  I just wonder what planet this lad is on these days.  Another one quick with the mouth!  Why not try just doing it rather than talking about it.  Something that seems to be as contagious as Geordie Hamstring at SJP these days!

Wednesday brought rave reviews for Steven Taylor following 2 goals in the midweek U-21 International.  (Article) (Article)  (Article)  And that saw him desperate to open his account at NUFC.  (Article)  For that we’ll need better quality into the box.  All the more reason to make getting Emre and Nobby firing on all cylinders ASAP a priority!

Wednesday saw what I think are perhaps the earliest excuses for a poor weekend performance being made.  Amazing.  On the eve of the internationals we get this “injuries are killing us” diatribe from the manager.  (Article) (Article)  Add to this the moaning about how little preparation time we will have with “so many” players away on international duty (who may be tired/injured/have a poorly tummy) and an early kick off on Saturday and it gave me the feeling that this weekend could easily be one to forget.  By the way didn’t Wigan kick off at the same time as us?  And if you look at it, including U-21 call-ups, Wigan actually had more players away than we did.  Puts some of the comments into perspective.

Emre eventually was played and retuned OK that evening.  (Article)  And for that matter so did all our internationals on duty, some having had more success than others.  With Ireland going out I can sympathise if Carr and Given who were in need of having their spirits lifted.  (Article)  Perhaps that’s why it was left to our captain to try and do the motivational speeches this week.  (Article) (Article) (Article)  Also in the build up to the Wigan fixture we got the usual don’t rest on your laurels type comments (Article) warning us to be wary of them along with stuff like this which borders on the patronising from a Wigan perspective.  (Article)  Personally I think they are due their praise for how they have performed.  It will take a season to assess whether they are truly good enough.  Remember Carlisle when they got to the old First Division, for example.  However I think they typify everything that is wrong about today’s Premiership.  Riding on the back of one man’s personal fortune, they are club backed by Soccer-AM wannabe supporters who will drift back to Rugby League once their bubble bursts.  They play kick and rush overly physical football that is not pretty to watch (not that I’m saying ours is either mind you!) on a terrible pitch in a half filled stadium.  And no, Patrick Barclay, I don’t think the addition of a pedestrian crossing anywhere near the JJB would do anything to remedy that.  (Article)  Pillock.  Good luck to them but not my cup of tea, thanks.

And so the match came and went along with the 3 points.  (Article) (Article) (Article)  A thoroughly depressing result!  Yes we don’t get any benefit of any doubt from the officials.  But we really should have had enough on that pitch to beat Wigan on the day.  Worrying that we had so much possession and really didn’t test their keeper.  We can call for video technology and the like as much as we want (Article) (Article)  and bemoan our luck (Article) the bottom line is we were just not good enough on the day.  It left Souness speechless for fear of another fine, much to his wife’s chagrin (Article) and Shay Given, obviously low after the midweek internationals, lamenting “one of those days.”  (Article)  I know how you feel mate.

The transfer rumour mill has most definitely started turning yet again.  This week’s improbable candidates are; Anelka (again) (Article), Aldo Duscher (Article), Albert Lopo (que?) (Article), and a “dramatic double swoop” for Gallas and Gudjonsen  (Article).  The scattergun transfer rumour tactic never fails does it?  I’m only amazed The Journal haven’t been at it

Mind you they have pissed the club off enough this week.  Or should I say the Chairman at least.  They ran a story on Wednesday that he had been refused entry to the training ground by “The Match” production team’s security. (Article)  You’ll notice the link no longer takes you to the story it promises.  That’s because it seems that it was a load of shite!  This grovelling apology appeared the next day.  (Article)  Glad to see The Journal speaking with an independent voice as ever.

NM