Newcastle: How Exactly Does Injury Record Show Ashley Is Fighting?!

Greeting the news that Ryan Taylor and Rolando Aarons were back in contention for the Spurs game tomorrow, Alan Pardew has come out with a very odd statement, suggesting that their recoveries somehow indicate the club are committed to fighting for survival.

"It just shows that we are fighting on all fronts from the chairman downwards. We tried to emphasise to the players it€™s very, very important that we get ourselves up the league and try to put a run of wins together."

Talking endlessly about fight and graft is inevitable, and not unwelcome - though it means little if it isn't translated on the pitch - but it's baffling how the recovery of a player who has been out for two years, and of another who was only out short-term indicate that Mike Ashley is fighting. Does that mean that while he's going into the dressing room to cheer on mediocre victories, he's stopping by the treatment rooms to shout at everyone and "inspire" them back to full health? Probably not. The truth is that the manager is grasping on to anything he can to indicate that the club is on an upward turn, and the harsh reality of that is that he has now pretty much over-hyped both Aarons and Taylor. Which could make them believe they're ready for more first-team football than they actually are. And you know where that ends: back in the treatment room.