OPINION
When Matt Ritchie was ruled out of action for Newcastle United, fans will have been fearing the worst at St James’ Park.
Summer signing, Jetro Willems hadn’t exactly gotten off to the best start in the Premier League, especially when he struggled in the opening day defeat to Arsenal, being at fault for the goal.
Ritchie had been one of the most reliable players for the Magpies in the past couple of seasons, and Steve Bruce will have been looking forward to utilising his experience in the side this season.
When Leicester City’s Hamza Choudhary put in a terrible tackle in the Carabao Cup defeat, Ritchie picked up an ankle injury and was instantly sidelined.
The Scotsman was reported by the Chronicle to be pushing for the chance to prove his fitness before the Wolves game but missed that and the recent trip to West Ham United.
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Newcastle star, with Bruce confirming that he will miss Saturday’s clash against Bournemouth with another setback.
“Matt Ritchie and Fab Schar haven’t made it,” he said, as quoted by the Chronicle.
“Matt was going along very nicely but he’s had a reaction to training.
“We thought he was back 10 days ago. He pulled up sore in training.”
Ritchie is surely getting frustrated on the sidelines, as Willems continues to shine every single week and further cement his spot at St James’ Park.
The Dutch international has already scored and delivered two assists in his eight appearances and has been exceptional on the left-hand side when coming in.
The longer Ritchie is absent from the first-team, the more chances Willems has to prove his worth to Bruce, who may need to find a new position for the experienced Premier League man.
Ritchie is surely getting more frustrated as times goes on, and the games continue to pass by, as Bruce confirms he will be missing until after the international break.
