Faint hope for Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas is a major doubt for the weekend clash with Villa although Wenger is still clinging to a faint hope that he’ll prove his fitness [source]. Fabregas suffered a hamstring injury in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Sevilla and the Arsenal medical staff don’t seem to share Wenger’s optimistic view of the injury. The midfielder will undergo a fitness test on Friday but it is suggested that he will be absent for around 10-days which would see him miss Arsenal’s forthcoming matches against Villa, Newcastle and Boro.
That will be a major blow to a huge amount of Fantasy Managers lining the Spanish midfielder up as their Fantasy Premier League captain in a double gameweek for the Gunners.
Meanwhile Hleb and Clichy are also rated as having a “slight chance” of making the weekend, while Van Persie has been ruled out by Wenger. Flamini is the only bit of bright news from the Arsenal camp. He should return to the Gunners midfield for the Villa game.
Bugger.
[Reply]
I’ll probably swap Fab for another Arsenal midfielder just for a week. But which one… Rosicky, Flamini, Gilberto, Denilson? None of them make great points scoring appeal to be honest, but there’s no other midfielder (can’t afford Lamps or Stevie G) out there screaming ‘pick me’ now that Elano’s gone down. Arteta I suppose, but I already have Cahill.
[Reply]
If you could afford Lamps or Stevie G to replace Fabregas who would you go for?
[Reply]
I’d say said Rosicky would be the best Arsenal midfielder to draft in, although he doesn’t seem particularly consistent for the long run. He should have a say in plenty of their attacking moves.
Good news on Cesc having still having a chance. Won’t risk the captaincy on him though. Might bestow that on Tevez.
[Reply]
My heart says Stevie, my head says Fat Frank. And I never play FF with my heart…
I reckon Fab’s got two chances of making either game - slim and none. I’ll happily be proved wrong, though.
[Reply]
Even if there is a chance that he may be just about fit enough to play Villa and Castle why risk it? Especially with Chelsea and Tottenham coming up in succession after next week. Just wouldn’t make sense to rush him back if not 100%. I’ll be very surprised if he plays.
Saying that i’ll put him in my starting eleven just in case. But have a good sub waiting if he doesn’t.
[Reply]
From Arsenal.com:
“Gael Clichy and Alex Hleb face late fitness tests ahead of the game at Aston Villa on Saturday but Cesc Fabregas is now definitely out.”
[Reply]