A genial head-nod to all Arselings out there. Things are usually pretty quiet on the disquiet front after a win, and it has expectedly been all shush-and-silence in the wake of us playing Blackburn like a set of drums last week. But just like the draw at Bolton didn't mean that the team was on a one-way trip to Hades, a rout over ten-man relegation fodder doesn't a summer make.

It looks like it's going to be a lot longer than six weeks that Leon Best is out for, and indeed it seems he will not return this season. Leon Best tackled by Warnock out for the season Leon Best damaged his knee ligaments when he was tackled by Stephen Warnock in Sunday's 2-1 [...]

Newcastle have just confirmed on their web-site, that striker Leon Best will be out several weeks, as he recovers from a knee ligament injury. Leon Best will be out several weeks with knee injury The 25-year-old Ireland International striker damaged his left knee after only 12 minutes of the game on Sunday, after a [.

For some reason we thought that Sylvain Marveaux would be back in training at the end of this month. Sylvain Marveaux still out about two months This is what 25 year-old Sylvain Marveaux has said on the Newcastle web-site today: "I've been working hard. I've been doing strength work for my legs and upper body as [.

There's been an update on the injury situation with Ryan Taylor and Leon Best today. Ryan Taylor goes down just before Demba Ba scored yesterday The Newcastle medical team have further assessed the two players this morning, but Leon Best seems to have suffered some medial ligament damage in his left knee, and as Alan Pardew mentioned yesterday, that's usually a six week layoff.

An update on the two Newcastle injured players, Ryan Taylor and Leon Best after the game, is that the prognosis will not be fully known for a day or two. Ryan Taylor tumbles over after tackle with Stephen Warner The loose ball went to Demba Ba who smashed it into the net Ryan Taylor [...]

By Chris Wright

I'm willing to bet your gut reaction to the news that Sergio Busquets got well and truly knobbled in a challenge with Real Sociedad's Carlos Martinez during the home side's 2-1 win at the Nou Camp last night was somewhere along the lines of 'what goes around, comes around' but that doesn't make the deep laceration that the Barca midfielder suffered any less grotesque.

Steven Taylor was in the best form of his career earlier in the season, when he formed a tremendous partnership with Fab Coloccini at the back for Newcastle. Steven Taylor a broken nose didn't stop this local lad from playing And it was Steven's excellent form that allowed Newcastle to go the first 11 games unbeaten, and only concede 8 goals during that time.

By Chris Wright

Remember on Tuesday evening? When Benoit Assou-Ekotto very nearly carved Franco Di Santo's leg in twain with a disgusting, over-the-ball leg-breaker of a horror tackle?

A tackle, it's perhaps worth noting, that apparently didn't merit any form of punishment for BAE from either the referee at the time (as the blood sopped through the Argentine's sock) or the FA's disciplinary committee?

Football is a funny game. When you predict like a master pundit (read-Carlton Palmer) every thing goes topsy turvy and it actually ends up even more interesting. The past week was no exception and it had everything, I mean everything. For a guy like me the premier league is the only source of joy in what can be called an uneventful life (Yes, what can you do when you are an engineer with a long and winding road ahead).

Wayne Rooney and Nani have trained for the last two days and will be in the squad for Chelsea. Ashley Young should also be included and there is the possibility that Tom Cleverley will be too. It is more likely that Tom will next play for the Reserves against Chelsea on Monday but he will travel with the squad this weekend.

Wayne Rooney and Nani have trained for the last two days and will be in the squad for Chelsea. Ashley Young should also be included and there is the possibility that Tom Cleverley will be too. It is more likely that Tom will next play for the Reserves against Chelsea on Monday but he will travel with the squad this weekend.

Rafael Da Silva has made just three league appearances this season after bad luck with injuries have kept him out of the team. Even when he does get on the pitch, there are plenty of tongue in cheek sweepstakes amongst United fans predicting what time he will be subbed off with an injury.

Rafael has reflected on this bad luck but wonders whether his style of play has an influence on it.

Just a couple of weeks ago Arsene Wenger had a full team of players on the treatment table, but ahead of tonights game against Bolton the Arsenal injury list has reduced by half. Bacary Sagna may have only played a few minutes on Sunday, but it was a relief to see him back after three [...]

Yup he has suffered another stress fracture... to the same BLEEPING ankle!!

This news has only just broken in the last few minutes, and I'm sure there will be plenty more to follow throughout the day.

Don't blame me.... just the messenger.

I can see where this is going to go now, if we suffer a poor result tonight at the Reebok it's going to be Wenger's fault for not buying a player to cover for Jack.

By Chris Wright

During his side's 4-3 win over Nautico in the Campeonato fifth round, Sport midfielder Marcelinho Paraiba had one of his pearly whites knocked out when he collided with an opponent.

Marcelinho understandably lost sight of the tooth as it pinged from his gums and has since offered a $1,000 (£635) reward to the stadium's grounds staff for it's safe return, seeing as though a replacement denture will cost him nearly four times as much.

By Chris Wright

Ladies and Gentlewinkles, I give you the "Future of Sport", ULTIMATE TAZER BALL which is, essentially, just 4-a-side football match but with the added jeopardy of suffering a massive, tazer-induced heart attack...

The future is here people, and just in time for the Olympics too!

By Chris Wright

Ladies and Gentlewinkles, I give you the "Future of Sport", ULTIMATE TAZER BALL which is, essentially, just 4-a-side football match but with the added jeopardy of suffering a massive, tazer-induced heart attack...

The future is here people, and just in time for the Olympics too!

By Chris Wright

In which Carlos Vela, formerly of the Arsenal reserves and now on loan at Real Sociedad, is shunted over on the touchline by Sporting Gijon's Alejandro Galvez during the former club's 5-1 routing of the latter on Sunday evening which, all-in-all, wouldn't have been too much of an issue had the linesman not been 'keeping up with the play' quite so admirably.

By Chris Wright

In which Carlos Vela, formerly of the Arsenal reserves and now on loan at Real Sociedad, is shunted over on the touchline by Sporting Gijon's Alejandro Galvez during the former club's 5-1 routing of the latter on Sunday evening which, all-in-all, wouldn't have been too much of an issue had the linesman not been 'keeping up with the play' quite so admirably.

Alan Pardew has stated that Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini would play through the pain barrier at Brighton and Hove Albion tonight, but that doesn't sound good to us. Fabricio Coloccini don't play him if he's not 100% fit It's true that Coloccini played with back pain at Bolton Wanderers in Newcastle's 2-0 win and [.

By Chris Wright

It's not often you find yourself left in the unenviable position of having to sympathise with Mark van Bommel, but during AC Milan's 3-1 Coppa Italia victory over Lazio last night one such instance occurred.

With Lazio 2-1 down and defending a late corner, Brazilian centre-back Dias took an almighty swing at Van Bommel's temples and caught the Milan midfielder with a cowardly blow to the side of the head that left him sprawled on the turf for a couple of minutes.

By Chris Wright

It's not often you find yourself left in the unenviable position of having to sympathise with Mark van Bommel, but during AC Milan's 3-1 Coppa Italia victory over Lazio last night one such instance occurred.

With Lazio 2-1 down and defending a late corner, Brazilian centre-back Dias took an almighty swing at Van Bommel's temples and caught the Milan midfielder with a cowardly blow to the side of the head that left him sprawled on the turf for a couple of minutes.

By Chris Wright

Hands up. We've been a bit lapse with our coverage of the African Nations so far. That's going to change as soon as the group stages are over but, for now, you'll have to make do with dribs and drabs including this startling piece of cheatery spotted during co-host nation Equatorial Guinea's dramatic late win to send much-fancied Senegal tumbling out of the tournament yesterday.

By Chris Wright

In which, during a training session yesterday, Boca Juniors striker Dario Cvitanich runs into and then through the pain barrier in quite the most literal sense largely courtesy of a helpful shove from an over-zealous teammate.

(Warning: there's a wee bit of spilt claret in the video, so if you're of a squeamish disposition it's perhaps better to stare at this picture of kittens for the next few minutes instead.

Phil Jones was subbed off after 20 minutes in Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Arsenal, needing a stretcher to take him off the field. Reports from the touchline suggested he had just twisted his ankle but the following day there were claims he had ligament damage.

However, Mike Phelan has given us hope that Jones could be available for our FA Cup clash at Anfield.

By Chris Wright

Just a quickie to keep you abreast of the fact that Peter Crouch has reportedly escaped a three-game game ban and, indeed, will be allowed to get away scot free for his sneak-attack 'finger of doom' eye-poke assault on West Brom centre-back Jonas Olsson's corneas at the Britannia at the weekend a crime that would almost certainly land you with a six-match ban at the very least in a game as uncivilised as rugby.

By Chris Wright

In which, shortly before scoring the winning penalty in Man City's at-the-buzzer victory over Tottenham yesterday afternoon, Mario Balotelli for reasons unknown quite obviously rakes his studs down Scott Parker's Tibetan Fox face...

Not our Mario's finest moment.

The Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta was bought in the last minutes of the summer transfer window, along with Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Yossi Benayoun and Ju Young Park, in the days following the 8-2 defeat to Man Utd, and although Wenger denies that he was "panic-buying" Arteta believes this was the reason he was brought [.

We were hoping that Yohan Cabaye would be fit for the game tomorrow at Craven Cottage, but that doesn't look like being the case. This Shaun Derry tackle probably keeps Cabaye out of team tomorrow But the news today is that Yohan is said to be really struggling to be fit for Newcastle United's important game [.

By Chris Wright

Hallelujah! Saint Pepe has apologised for crushing Lionel Messi's fingers on Wednesday night and guess what? He didn't mean it, honest guv...

Here it is again in good ol' fashioned 'written down' format for posterity's sake using the PA's translation:

"I wish to say yesterday's incident with Leo Messi was unintentional, but I nevertheless want to apologise to him if he was offended because all I do is defend my team and this institution.

Woolwich Arsenal, the club that changed football. Have your name in the book as an official sponsor. Updated information here

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Untold Injury Index – Gameweek 21 & Half-Season Review

By Dale Higginbottom

Gameweek 21 and we're back into our weekly round-ups of injuries of the big six teams.

By Chris Wright

In which, during last night's Copa del Rey quarter-final first-leg El Clasico in Madrid, Real Madrid's in-house butcher Pepe indulged in a spot of what he loves to do the bestest stamping on Lionel Messi's hand as the Barca tyke sat on the turf after being barrelled over by Jose Callejon.

By Chris Wright

It's not often we get to share 'highlights' from Indian football, but this little gem from the I-League merits a mention. East Bengal spanked Pailan Arrows 4-1 last Tuesday, with the home side's third goal of the afternoon being well worth another look.

By Chris Wright

In which brave John Terry has his plums express-ripened thanks to a point-blank, crotch-seeking missile from a diligent pupil during a charitable visit to The Abbey, a special school for kids with learning difficulties in Farnham, Surrey.

Skip to the 1:38 mark for the moment of magic.

One thing we were really worried about at half time in Sunday's game against QPR was how long Yohan Cabaye would be out. Yohan Cabaye still gesticulating as he's being stretchered off Cabaye was the target of a rather brutal lunging tackle from Shaun Derry, but referee Chris Foy only gave the QPR defender a yellow card, but it ended up in Cabaye being stretchered [.

One thing we were really worried about at half time in Sunday's game against QPR was how long Yohan Cabaye would be out. Yohan Cabaye still gesticulating as he's being stretchered off Cabaye was the target of a rather brutal lunging tackle from Shaun Derry, but referee Chris Foy only gave the QPR defender a yellow card, but it ended up in Cabaye being stretchered [.

The really good news after the game today is that the Yohan Cabaye injury is not too bad, and Alan Pardew thinks he should be fit for our next game at Craven Cottage next Saturday. Shaun Derry puts in crude tackle on Yohan Cabaye this afternopon This is what Alan said about the Yohan Cabaye tackle on him: "It was a bad challenge and [.

By Chris Wright

You've been Frimponged...

Video: 101GG

Two of Newcastle's top local youngsters will be out of action for a while, after picking up injuries recently. Michael Richardson out for three months with ankle injury 19 year-old Michael Richardson has an ankle injury, and he will be out of action for up to three months. And our other 19 year-old local lad Sammy [.