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Opinion

No defenders but standing room only in midfield – The madness of Newcastle United

8 years ago
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Newcastle United’s Dutch international Vurnon Anita has now declared himself fit once again and ready for action.

After two months out injured, Anita says that the trip to La Manga has been ideal in helping to progress his return within the group.

However, with the latest transfer window helping to produce an even more unbalanced squad at Newcastle, the question is, where does Vurnon Anita fit in?

It is all a bit mad that with the club not having a single Premier League quality left-back and only Chancel Mbemba good enough to play in the middle of defence, Newcastle instead decide to keep on accumulating players across the middle of the pitch.

In January they bought in three players and whilst the obvious needs were to find players who could score more goals and concede less, they didn’t buy a single striker or defender.

Chancel Mbemba’s injury has left Newcastle looking desperate at the back, whilst the Mitrovic injury leaves you wondering just who they will play in that role against Stoke and possibly beyond – Perez doesn’t really suit playing as the main striker, Riviere is hopeless and nobody has a clue what to make of Seydou Doumbia.

Meanwhile it is standing room only in midfield.

In the centre of the pitch I make it that Newcastle could have a choice at Stoke between; Vurnon Anita, Cheick Tiote, Henri Saivet, Jack Colback, Gini Wijnaldum, Jonjo Shelvey and Siem de Jong.

It isn’t what you would call an embarrassment of riches, more a lot of players with various strengths and weaknesses. Jonjo Shelvey is the possible exception as even Gini Wijnaldum is totally anonymous in away matches.

Vurnon Anita speaking to the official club website:

“It has been a good camp (at La Manga) for me, I have been out for seven and a half weeks.

“That is way too long for me, and the longest I have ever been out, but I am back training with the group for the first time and my hamstring feels good.

“I hope to get back on the pitch very soon to help the team because it is hard watching at any time, though even more so when results aren’t going our way.

“You want to help but you cannot do anything other than offering support to your team-mates, which is what I have done, but now I’m getting closer to playing again and that will be a good moment for me.

“You get everybody together for a few days (at La Manga) with no other surroundings and no distractions, so it means everyone is completely focussed.

“A change of scenery from being at the same training ground every day of the season is also nice.

“The weather is better than at home, we are able to work hard in it with two sessions a day, and the team will benefit from this.”

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