Newcastle’s Lack of Depth is Now a Major Problem

It sure was a nice surprise when Newcastle resided in the top four of the Premier League standings earlier this season. Those days are now over and they may not be coming back anytime soon. The injuries are piling up for Newcastle and there just isn’t enough depth to compensate.

Taylor Likely Out for the Season

Newcastle will have to find a way to win without centre-half Steven Taylor who is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to a ruptured Achilles. Newcastle are also missing captain Fabricio Coloccini who has a thigh strain. The loss of both Taylor and Coloccini is crushing to the back five. Manager Alan Pardew has put in a very good defensive system but without Taylor and Coloccini it won’t work as well. Pardew said a couple of months ago that the Magpies had no depth at the back and he is being proven correct. Newcastle have been without Tiote since the middle of October and he probably won’t play on Saturday at Norwich City. Mike Williamson has been out hurt as well and he has been very slow to come back from his ankle injury.

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Newcastle were looking to add at least one player during the January transfer window and with Taylor now likely out for the year it could be they look to add two players. For now though, the Magpies will have to survive with the players they have. That might be difficult as injuries can often wreck a season for a team as has been evidenced this year with Sunderland.

Ameobi Still Believes

Even with all of the injuries, striker Shola Ameobi believes Newcastle can survive and still win their league matches. “We just have to stay together as a team,” Ameobi said, “You will lose games, that’s a given. It’s how we come back and how we respond.”

Next Four Matches

If Newcastle are going to stay in the top half of the table and have any chance at gaining ground on the top four they have to get some points from the next four games. They play at Norwich City on Saturday in Premier English League betting odds and then host Swansea City and West Brom before visiting Bolton. Newcastle simply have to come away with at least three wins in the next four games to stay in contention.