It's traditional for Newcastle first team players to come down with everything from the ebola virus to Amazon swamp rat disease when the League Cup gets a mention.
During Alan Pardew's reign, look at the Premier League team prior (and after) League Cup ties, and the cup tie team bares little resemblance.
Players NEVER get dropped ... oh no ... they are "injured".
Which brings us to Cheik Tiote.
Cheik still looking for a move?
He is out of Newcastle United’s games against Manchester City and Liverpool, allegedly injured. And considering the midfielder missed the club’s wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City, it is accepted it really is an injury.
BUT, come the international break, he manages to get off his death bed and play for his country.
Now that suggests to me (and many other Newcastle fans) that things are not right between player and manager.
Alan Pardew (talking to the Chronicle): “I don’t see those two (Papiss Cisse or Tiote) playing in the next two.
“It was important that we got a win (against Tottenham) to prove we can do it without them.”
A strange comment to make about two players who tried to get away in the summer.
Will they both go in the January transfer window? I think one ... at least ... will.