Newcastle have been missing the vocal, combative contribution of Matt Ritchie over the last few weeks, regardless of results, as he still tries to recover from injury.
After a dismal performance on Monday at Aston Villa, his loss from the team is noticeable, and with the latest update from the specialist, according to the Chronicle, it seems he is set to be out for a while longer.
Having been close to a return at one stage, Ritchie suffered a setback in training, such was his determination and rush to get back into contention.
Following surgery, he has had the problem reassessed, with Bruce confirming the news is not too good, when speaking to the media after the game.
He said: “Unfortunately he is not near fitness at the moment. He seen a specialist last week and he said to give him another rest and see if that does it.
“We will see what happens in the next couple of weeks but at the moment he is still not ready to return.”
The side clearly need his leadership ability on the field, and had he been playing at Villa Park, there is no doubt he would have been demanding better from his teammates.
Jonjo Shelvey was named captain for the Villa game, and at no point did he display any of the qualities needed from a skipper. He did not lead by example, he was not constantly talking to players and he did not even seem interested in the game, if we are being honest.
It is a complete contrast to what a player like Ritchie brings to the team, and is also why Shelvey was simply the wrong choice to lead the team.
Ritchie’s setback is big blow for Newcastle who need him on the pitch
Ritchie’s loss to the side should not be over-estimated, and his return to action cannot come soon enough.
Despite Jetro Willems’ good form for the majority of the time Ritchie has been missing, he just does not bring the complete package that the former Bournemouth player does.
It still rankles that this was all caused from an absolute shocker of a challenge, for which the referee failed to show a red card. Even more annoying, is that it happened in a League Cup game, where the influential Ritchie was one of just a handful of first team regulars to play.
Newcastle fans often dislike managers playing weakened teams in cup ties, and while it is understandable, given they represent the best way for the team to challenge for any trophies, Ritchie’s injury highlights why they do so.
It will be interesting to see what Bruce does in the FA Cup in January, given that he will want to play a strong side, but will be wary of a similar outcome happening to someone like Allan Saint-Maximin or any other important player.
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