Newcastle United are having to adapt to a mounting injury crisis.
Indeed, Eddie Howe’s rotten run of luck on the injury front even continued on Saturday night during the rather drab defeat away at Bournemouth.
Miguel Almiron was forced off in the first half with a hamstring injury Howe has since confirmed the club are concerned about. Newcastle simply cannot catch a break right now.
That, in turn, brought Matt Ritchie onto the pitch against his former club.
Something of a relic of the Rafa Benitez and Steve Bruce eras at Newcastle, Ritchie had a rather instant demand of his teammates.
Matt Ritchie: What Newcastle player was urging teammates to do vs Bournemouth
According to The Chronicle, the 34-year-old could be heard urging his tired teammates up the pitch to try and stem the tide.
Clearly, it did not work as the Cherries scored two second-half goals through Dominic Solanke but it is interesting to hear the demands such an experienced player was trying to set.
Matt Ritchie: Newcastle need veteran
Ritchie surely wouldn’t be getting into the team were it not for the ridiculous crisis on the injury front.
Still, that’s not to say he’s not important to the cause. Hailed as being “amazing” behind the scenes by captain Jamaal Lascelles, his kind of experience will be needed with so many young players needing to be trusted.
Howe spoke of Ritchie’s diligence after the win over Arsenal, so its clearly something he rates.
When the chips are down, players need to step up. In Ritchie, Newcastle at least have an older head to pair alongside the likes of Lewis Miley and Ben Parkinson.
The decision to keep him at the club might have seemed strange given his lack of action in recent years.
Newcastle, however, must be glad they did decide to extend his stay at the club.
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