The upcoming three-week international break has probably come at the perfect time for Newcastle United.
It gives the nine players out injured a chance to get back fit before Premier League football returns, it gives Matthias Jaissle an excellent window to further instill his ideologies in his players but, perhaps most importantly, it gives the mass of new players an opportunity to continue bedding in and getting used to what it means to be Newcastle United.
Of those new players, there are a few who probably need this period more than others and, to me, it feels as though the most prominent of them is Aladji Bamba.
Perfect period for Aladji Bamba
Aladji Bamba has been somewhat on the periphery so far this season, only playing 27 minutes across three Premier League appearances.
Matthias Jaissle has been open about the fact that it will take time for both him and Bazoumana Toure and that they will be given the chances when the time is right.
Bamba has actually looked quite handy when coming off the bench, but, with all of the current midfield injuries and Lewis Miley having to fill in at right-back yesterday, it has become more than clear that Bamba isn't one of Jaissle's go-to men.
It doesn't seem to be a question of his ability, but more an indication that he may still be naive tactically and in the phase of bedding in to a completely new country and culture on Tyneside.
That is exactly why these next three weeks could be so important for the Frenchman.
With no competitive football, Bamba has an excellent opportunity to work with Jaissle and his coaching staff, learning exacty what is wanted of him and his fellow midfielders whilst continuing to adapt to the demands of the English game.
A three-week period on the training ground isn't likely to see him magically force his way into the starting XI every week, but simply becoming more comfortable with his positioning and proving he understands how to handle his responsibilities could go a long way towards forcing himself into Jaissle's thinking going forward.
If he can do that, and injuries continue to plague the Magpies, then it could create a much bigger opportunity for him than we realise.
It is no secret that, among the injuries to Jacob Ramsey, Joelinton and Nico Gonzalez (who will be back by the end of the break), Newcastle haven't yet figured out exactly what their best midfield structure and personnel looks like.
So, if there are still absentees upon the return to Premier League action, and Jaissle is looking for players he can trust who understand the system and have shown him as much, who is to say Bamba can't be one of those guys?
What Bamba can offer
Bamba is actually quite an interesting profile for the Newcastle midfield, mainly because he can do a little bit of everything.
The top attribute that may endear him as the season progresses is his defensive capabilities. Thus far, he has been brought on in those parts of the game where Newcastle are ahead or holding on toward the back-end of the game.
That is due to his ability to protect the back line and be disciplined in his work, something which the Magpies have lacked in central areas at times, often being bypassed too easily by opposition build-up.
But Bamba also has the ability to progress the play too and, if his pre-season showings are anything to go by, he isn't afraid to put the ball at risk - even if it does lead to giving the ball away needlessly at times.
If Jaissle is going to continue using a double pivot in the main, despite how well Steur worked in a single pivot yesterday, Bamba actually has a decent shout of being the man who can provide the needed balance to shore up the central areas.
That is perhaps the biggest reason why this break could be so valuable for Bamba.
Newcastle don't need him to suddenly become one of the first names on the teamsheet, but they do need more players capable of stepping into the midfield and understanding exactly what Jaissle wants from them.
If Bamba can use these next three weeks to close the tactical gap, then the Frenchman could return to Premier League action in a very different position to the one he left it.
The opportunity is there for him. Now it is simply about whether he can take it.
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