Newcastle United have been without so many players due to injury this season, but even the ones that are deemed fit to play might not be at 100%.
Eddie Howe has had a crazy amount of long-term injuries, with Jamaal Lascelles the latest to go down. He suffered an ACL injury last month, and could now be out for nine months. It is the same issue that Sven Botman is suffering from, while the likes of Joelinton and Nick Pope are still out of action.
So many players have missed large parts of the season, with the Newcastle squad being stretched beyond belief. That has resulted in some players being rushed back or playing through the pain barrier.
Dan Burn came back too quick from a back problem and took a long time to regain his form, while Callum Wilson broke down again after rushing back from a hamstring issue.
Newcastle United midfielder has carried on despite multiple injuries
Newcastle have been the walking wounded all season, and no one epitomises that more than Sean Longstaff.
The 26-year-old has played 39 times this season, but there have not been many occasions in which he has been fully fit.
It was recently reported that Longstaff was playing through an injury, and now he has told the Athletic that he has actually barely been fully fit since towards the end of last season.
Sean Longstaff playing through the pain for Newcastle United
Longstaff has told the Athletic that he pretty much broke his foot against Everton on April 27th 2023, and that kicked off a chain of events that he is still suffering from today.
“We played at Everton last April and I basically broke my foot,” he said.
“I played in the last home game of the season when it was still pretty much broken and then, because of that, it didn’t heal properly.
“We came back for pre-season and we bring Sandro in and it’s like … well, you don’t want to lose your spot in the team. I did lose it because I wasn’t fully fit and then went through a spell where it got better and I got back into the team and thought I was playing really well. Then I got injured again at Bournemouth in November.
“It was a 10-week ankle injury and I came back in four. It’s hard enough playing with one bad foot, but when you’ve got a left foot that’s sore and a right ankle that doesn’t move properly, it’s never going to be the easiest, especially at this level. It is what it is. I’ll always put the team ahead of myself and people will either see that and appreciate it or they won’t.”
That explains Longstaff’s struggling form this season
Longstaff’s comments explain why he has not looked like himself this season.
He was a key player during the 2022/23 campaign, with his relentless energy and pressing leading Newcastle into the Champions League.
But he has been a shadow of his former self during the 2023/24 campaign, leading to a lot of criticism from fans. His form as of late has been really poor, and now it is easy to understand why.
While he has received a lot of flack, Longstaff should be praised for what he has done this season. Newcastle have needed bodies, and he has continuously made himself available despite struggling for fitness.
As he says, he has put the team ahead of himself, which is admirable. His commitment is unwavering, and it sums up the spirit that Eddie Howe has created at the club.
The post 'Basically': 26-year-old Newcastle player now explains he has barely been fully fit for almost a year appeared first on Geordie Boot Boys.