Yassin Out For A Month

Last updated : 23 August 2007 By Paul Crisp
The French Under-21 captain had impressed during pre-season and the opening day draw against Scunthorpe but picked up the ankle injury in the second half of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Stoke.

Boss Alan Pardew confirmed "We have lost Yassin for four or five weeks at least, and that is perhaps a bigger blow to come out of the Stoke game than the defeat,"

"He was just settling into the side, and we were just starting to balance the team, with Yassin raiding down that right side. Now we are going to have a different shape to the team immediately.

"I'm not sure whether I am going to bring a loan player in or I'm going to play one of the squad, such as Semedo, at right-back.

"I'm reluctant to move Semedo because he has shown that he is just getting used to that central midfield role, and to take him out would be a little bit disruptive for both him and the side, so I don't want to do that."