Scout Scribbles – Blue Day at the Bridge

Fernando Torres is at the double as Chelsea win 6-1 but the Blues drop down to the Europa League after finishing third in Group E. Sir Alex Ferguson rings the changes for United as they slump to a home loss to CFR Cluj. Gareth Bale is out of Spurs’ weekend trip to Everton, Steve Clarke intends to rotate his squad over Christmas, while illness rules Steven Gerrard out of Liverpool’s Italian job….

Chelsea 6 FC Nordsjælland 1
Rafa Benitez made two changes from the side that slipped to defeat at West Ham last weekend. Cesar Azpilicueta dropped out, with David Luiz partnering Gary Cahill at centre-half and Branislav Ivanovic moving to right-back – an indication that the Spaniard’s role as a first-team regular is far from certain, after a recent run of starts.

John Obi Mikel was the other to lose his place as Oriol Romeu was preferred in the double-pivot alongside Ramires, while Victor Moses kept his role on the right flank with Juan Mata tucking in behind Fernando Torres and Eden Hazard on the left. Mata was again sublime for the Blues and found the net once more and while Torres done his confidence good with a brace, Hazard may have slipped down the spot-kick pecking order after a poorly taken penalty. The hosts were awarded a second penalty, which Luiz stepped up to hammer home, suggesting he could now become the current first-choice in light of Frank Lampard’s absence. Lampard could, of course, return to the reckoning very soon, however.

Inevitably, all the talk post-match centred around the form of Torres, with Benitez quick to heap praise on his compatriot to underline his faith in the striker…

“The team played well and I said before if the team plays well Torres will score goals. Yesterday I was watching him in the training session and he was little bit sharp with more confidence, and today he was fine and the rest of team was also helping because we were playing good football with intensity. Torres showed his desire and his quality and if we can play at this level he can score more goals.”

Chelsea Starting XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole (Bertrand 61); Ramires (Oscar 65), Romeu; Moses, Mata (Ferreira 74), Hazard; Torres

Man United 0 CFR Cluj 1
With his side through as group winners and the Manchester derby on the horizon this Sunday, Sir Alex Ferguson could afford to rest and rotate last night. The United boss made 10 changes from the weekend win at Reading – only Wayne Rooney kept his place as his manager looks to build up the forward’s fitness. According to his manager, Tom Cleverley was replaced by Paul Scholes after the break having picked up a calf injury, though a insipid display from most of last night’s starters will hardly have boosted their chances of featuring at the weekend. Cleverley’s calf injury will be assessed with Ferguson sounding pessimistic on his chances of being in contention on Sunday…

“We’ll assess Tom in the morning…He felt his calf a little but it’s not good news. We’ll see what he’s like in the morning.”

Ferguson’s post-match were mainly reserved for highlighting the positives from the night’s performance, namely the displays of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling…

“We gave players game time and brought young players back in. The more game time Chris Smalling and Phil Jones get can only help us. I thought Phil was outstanding tonight. Getting him and Chris back is a big plus-point. I think all our defenders did their job pretty well. Scott Wootton’s only had a few games with the first-team, Jones and Smalling have been out a long time and Büttner’s only played three games for us. Considering that, I was pleased with their composure.”

Rafael’s Fantasy owners will be encouraged by their man’s absence from last night’s starting XI, whilst remaining wary that both Jones and Smalling will be pushing for inclusion, particularly once Nemanja Vidic is fit to claim one of the centre-back roles. This will surely leave Rafael open to rotation with Jones and Smalling at right-back – it’s hard to imagine that Ferguson will go the entire season without handing the pairing some further league starts, with the right-back position the obvious role. Rafael was replaced in the first-half at Reading having been booked and handed a torrid time by Jobi McAnuff.

Man United Starting XI: De Gea; Jones, Smalling, Wootton, Buttner; Giggs (Fletcher 86), Cleverley (Scholes 46); Welbeck, Rooney, Powell (Macheda 73); Hernandez

In Other News
Gareth Bale’s Fantasy owners were left with a dilemma after an article on Spurs’ official website suggested he could be out until the Gameweek 18 home game with Stoke on December 22. Initially, reports had suggested Andre Villas-Boas had only ruled the Welshman out of Sunday’s trip to Everton, with the Spurs boss apparently revealing at yesterday’s press conference:

He will not make Everton but could be back for next weekend. But I have other options and I have excellent players.”

The Spurs site, however, have more on the situation from Villas-Boas which indicates a more pessimistic prognosis on the winger’s hamstring problem. Having revealed Michael Dawson has also picked up a similar complaint, the Portuguese manager said of Bale:

“We have to be a little more cautious with Gareth and wait and see, but hopefully he’s not that bad. We might see him available for the Stoke game.”

Going by the official source, it certainly seems Bale has been ruled out of the next two now and the Times have also speculated that, even if available for the Stoke trip on December 22, he may be preserved in what could be a bruising encounter. In addition, Bale is just one booking away from a ban – putting him on the pitch to renew his acquaintance with Charlie Adam may be unwise.

Huge numbers of Fantasy managers have already parted company with the Welshman this week – many may see it as a chance to take advantage of double Gameweek 16 and take a punt on the likes of Stephane Sessegnon or Adam Johnson, with Sunderland handed two home matches.

Tottenham’s strong upcoming schedule from next weekend (SWA, STO, avl, sun, RDQ, qpr) could be enough to persuade others to hold – those who decide to sell will already be pencilling in plans to draft Bale straight back in again, with the potential of points in those upcoming fixtures hard to ignore.

Villas-Boas also issued an injury update on Scott Parker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto. Parker has failed to feature this season due to an Achilles injury, while Assou-Ekotto last played in Gameweek 3 before sustaining a knee injury, but it seems that both are now on the verge of a return:

“It is ever so close for them. Maybe not this week, but maybe next Sunday against Swansea. During the next few weeks, they might be available for the Swansea game. But they have both been out for some time but we have to be sensible with the situation.”

Assou-Ekotto’s return will be of particular interest to Fantasy managers ahead of the above-mentioned schedule. While the likes of Michael Dawson and Steven Caulker have offered cut-price routes into the Spurs backline, the Cameroon international’s return will likely see Jan Vertonghen shift back into the centre, with Dawson and Caulker vying with William Gallas for the right to partner the Belgian. Much still depend on Villas-Boas’ penchant for rotation, but we may finally get an idea as to what his first-choice back-four could be over the next few weeks.

Steve Clarke is set to frustrate Fantasy owners of West Brom players over the festive period after admitting he plans to rest and rotate as the fixture list picks up pace:

“This is when the squad will be tested. They will all be asked to step forward and make their contribution, that up until now, they have all made. We have got a good squad with good depth and over the coming weeks it will be used and tested to the maximum. There is a group that have played a third of the playing time or upwards and we’re in good shape in terms of where we are fitness-wise and availability and having people ready to play.”

Last weekend saw the Baggies boss omit the likes of James Morrison, Chris Brunt and Liam Ridgewell from his starting against Stoke – a clear indication of his intentions. With Shane Long bothered by an ongoing hamstring complaint, it’s likely Clarke’s tinkering could affect all areas of his side as he looks to take advantage of a three home fixtures (WHM, NOR, FUL) and a trip to QPR after this weekend.

Brendan Rodgers omitted three of his first-team regulars from Liverpool’s Europa League squad to face Udinese on Thursday evening. Steven Gerrard, Lucas and Daniel Agger will stay behind in Merseyside but their manager allayed fears of any possible absence for the weekend trip to West Ham, by revealing the decision was no more than precautionary, with the trio all returning for the Hammers clash:

“Steven has been ill for the last couple of days. He only really started to jog around on the field this morning. To not have Steven here certainly weakens the squad because he is a world-class player. So it’s unfortunate that he is ill but it was just too much of a risk for him to travel and then not be available to play. We have been managing Agger throughout the games [this season] so that he is at his optimum level for every performance. Likewise with Lucas – he’s just come back from a long-term injury. He did fantastic at the weekend but it’s too early for him to play two games in one week. The three will come back into the squad for Sunday’s game. But we’re still strong.”

Gaston Ramirez is reportedly a doubt for Southampton this weekend due to a family matter. The Uruguayan was given permission to fly to his native country after the 1-0 defeat by Liverpool on Saturday – Saints face a crucial home clash against fellow strugglers Reading at St Mary’s and with Nigel Adkins desperate for the playmaker’s return, today’s upcoming press conference will hopefully shed some more light on the situation.