After a draw with Swansea, when we virtually did everything but put the ball in the net more times than they did, we then had a game against Bristol City where the roles were reversed. They did everything but put the ball in the net more times than we did.

Unfortunately it's also been the week where we have lost yet another player for the season – Paul Green and his metatarsal. A few years ago, no-one would have known what the word metatarsal meant but thanks to Beckham, we are now only too familiar. Beckham broke his second metatarsal while Green broke his fifth – that is, the outer bone, which apparently is more complicated than the other four and takes longer to heal.

There are several articles around the technicalities of such an injury along with theories of why it happens – and how to counter them. Apparently one way is to jump up and down on a concrete surface to improve bone density. To help recovery, some - as David Nugent did - drink plenty of milk to improve calcium levels.

But Green's injury also raises the question of why we have so many injuries (two more left the field early on Saturday – Porter and McEveley) and if they are long term, that means we are approaching a full team out – Addison, Green, Commons, Davies, Leacock, and Pearson.

Is it just bad luck or is it something else? Certainly when Souness was at Newcastle – there was a long catalogue of injuries and apparently he once ordered an investigation into the reasons why which included examining the training ground. Also it was reported that the Toon players thought there was a curse – along the lines of the famed and fabled Baseball Ground's gypsy curse.

I am not suggesting for one moment that Clough is responsible as, after all, the injuries started well before he arrived. For what it's worth, I feel that Billy Davies and Paul Jewell both have to bear some responsibility for buying players with a history - Claude Davis had a series of injuries prior to joining us, and Commons too, for all his talents, has often been out injured at his previous clubs.

Top clubs don't usually buy players that have a record of injuries – it makes no sense to invest in players that are liable to break down at crucial moments. Indeed, if at all possible, they buy in sufficient quantities to ensure that when players do break down as they invariably do in this day and age of high octane speed, they have sufficient back-up to compensate for any injuries.

Which leads me to my next point, which is that although Jewell bought unwisely at times and didn't clear enough people out, he left us with a sizeable squad. It at least has ensured that we have had enough bodies if not always adequate or where really needed - such as central midfield. Clough obviously feels that we need an extra central midfielder with the loan signing of Eustace from Watford.

But what was in evidence on Saturday was, compared to many other clubs, we do have enough people in the squad. For example Sterjovski stepped in for Green, and then Todd for Porter followed by Kazmierczak for McEveley. Regardless of what fans may think of their respective abilities, they are at least established footballers who know the score and are able to perform. For example, Sterjovski made the first goal while Todd calmed the defence down in the second half and Kazmierczak made some crucial interventions as Savage tired. Certainly all well capable of carrying out a job in the coming weeks if need be, and we also have Ellington in reserve, another seasoned professional.

For that reason, we are infinitely better off than many other Championship teams and while there is a lot of work to be done before we become serious contenders for the title, we at least have some foundations. The time for wholesale changes is – I think – past. Some credit has to go to the Board for backing Jewell in this. It just remains for the current management team to bring out the best of those not injured to secure survival for this season and to continue the good habits developed over the past few weeks.

Photo: Action Images

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