Newcastle: 5 Things Really To Blame For Shocking Season

4. Injuries

Of course, injuries have also played a huge role in Newcastle's decline this season. Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa (above) were both instrumental in the club's successes last season and both have been plagued by injury this campaign. Cabaye spent a long stint on the sidelines from November through to January after undergoing a second operation on his groin injury while Ben Arfa has only played twice since December due to a recurrence of a hamstring injury. Both have been badly missed by the Magpies this season and their midfield has at times looked incredibly lightweight as a result, as was evident when their makeshift engine room was swamped by Arsenal in the crushing 7-3 defeat at the Emirates back in December. If Newcastle can avoid injury to key players next season and if their new signings begin to mature, fans should be able to hope for more success in the next campaign.