Caldwell Out Injured Now!!

The Clarets have been dealt yet another injury blow. This time it's skipper Steven Caldwell who will be sidelined for the next six weeks. He joins Besart Berisha and Michael Duff on the injured list . These two players are both out of action for the rest of the season with cruciate ligament injuries. It might not be as serious as that but six weeks out of action when you already have a back-four player (Michael Duff) out of the team on a long term injury is dreadful news and its reducing our options significantly in the back four.

Caldwell was forced to leave the field after just 10 minutes of last weekend's home defeat to Southampton.

It has now been confirmed he has a torn tendon and questions will be raised as to whether he was fit enough to even start the Saints match.

The gaffer said:

'Steven has torn the tendon at the top of his thigh,'

'He's going to be missing for about six weeks now and then will be rescanned in 10 days' time.

'It's a blow because with losing Michael Duff as well, we're now without two defenders who would both be in my first-choice starting XI.'

It looks like we will have to rely on Jordan or Harley at left back, Alexander at right back and Unsworth in the back four with Carlisle. The gaffer may be looking to bring in loans but has again stated he wont bring in any players for the sake of it. There will be no panic loans and there will be no players brought to Turf Moor unless they can play an immediate part in the proceedings.

'People are not now always willing to loan players. They want to loan them with a view to you buying them and yet you might only want a loan because they are not necessarily better than what you've got' re-iterated Steve Cotterill.

Boy do we need some luck at the moment, some fans were openly critical of the gaffer at one point for seemingingly bringing in far too many centre half-type players who could play right back! Well with the loss of Duff and now Caldwell, it is a good job he did. Our defence has looked far too shaky though in recent matches and somehow we need to tighten up and play with more confidence. Not easy when you start losing the services of players like Duff and an influential player and captain like Caldwell.

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