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England: Lame ducks worry Newcastle's Souness [Fri Sep 16th, 2005]
Newcastle (AFP) - Graeme Souness, who spent 38.5 million pounds on new players in the summer, has 21.5 million pounds of talent either in the sick bay or suspended as Newcastle try to climb off the foot of the table.
Spanish striker Albert Luque, a 9.5 million pound signing from Deportivo La Coruna, could be out for 10 weeks after tearing a hamstring in last week's 1-1 draw with Fulham.
Turkey midfielder Emre, a 3.8 million pound signing from Inter Milan, is also battling to shake off a hamstring problem, Nolberto Solano struggling with a thigh strain and 6.5-million-pound Scott Parker is banned after being sent off against Fulham.
With Kieron Dyer still to recover from the hamstring strain he suffered against Manchester United, Souness will barely be able to muster a midfield quartet, and certainly not one to provide an adequate service for Alan Shearer and 16 million-pound Michael Owen.
And he must be hoping former Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy, who left St James' Park in a storm, will not embarrass him when Newcastle travel to Blackburn on Sunday.
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