Cabaye out until New Year

Newcastle United, last season's "surprise package" are struggling to replicate the trick this season. They're down in twelfth position after consecutive defeats and are suffering from a bit of an injury crisis.

The latest concern is that their midfield ace, Yohan Cabaye is going to miss significant time.

Yohan Cabaye faces a six-week lay-off with groin injury - NUFC News - NUFC - JournalLive
NEWCASTLE United may be without Yohan Cabaye until the New Year after it was revealed he is likely to require surgery to repair a groin injury.

Six weeks, is the expected timeline. And those are an important six weeks for the club. The fixture list reads Martimo (Europa League), at Southampton, at Stoke City, Wigan, Bordeaux (Europa League), at Fulham. That's a reasonable chance for progress in Europe and points in the League before it gets really hectic for the Magpies. Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers, at Manchester United, and at Arsenal comprise the opposition in last two weeks December.

For fantasy purposes then, it looks wise to get in on Newcastle over the next few weeks. Hatem Ben Arfa will inherit Cabaye's creative burden, and already looks to have stepped up against Swansea. Demba Ba, who has been a fantasy stud this season, and Papiss Demba Cisse, who has been a bust so far, will need to pick up the goal-scoring slack as well. Both look ripe for investment, with Cisse being the higher risk/reward play at this point.

The Ameobi brothers, especially Sammy Ameobi, offer a differential possibility.

One good bit of injury news for Newcastle is that Jonas is likely back, as Pardew announced:

"[T]hat squad is going to be added by Jonas Gutierrez."

I would expect Shane Ferguson to find himself back on the substitute's bench then, ending his brief, and unspectacular career as a fantasy enabler.