Scout Scribbles – Sturridge Close to Reds Start
Filed under: Scout Notes - Posted by: Paul
Brendan Rodgers may be set to start Daniel Sturridge against Norwich tomorrow. John Terry is unlikely to make Chelsea’s first XI for the visit of Arsenal. Sir Alex Ferguson calls for United to improve their spot-kick conversion rate. Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz return for Fulham after midweek rests, while Andy Wilkinson remains a doubt for Stoke’s trip to Swansea on Saturday afternoon…
Brendan Rodgers revealed Daniel Sturridge is ”very, very close” to starting for the first time in the league for Liverpool tomorrow afternoon. The Reds boss spoke of his new signing’s progress yesterday:
“He is fitting into the group really well. It’s been difficult and perhaps frustrating for him because he hasn’t been at the top level of his fitness yet, which is why we had to put him on the bench and bring him into the game [against United]. But his performance in the second half – and his 55 minutes at Mansfield – showed he can be a very, very good player for us. He’ll be very close for the weekend. It’s just a case of making sure he’s prepared well and right. He’s enjoying every minute of being here and if I feel he’s fit and in good condition for the weekend, then he’ll play.”
Having score on his debut against Mansfield in the FA Cup, Sturridge took just 12 minutes to net at United last Sunday after being sent on as a sub after the break. His introduction saw Luis Suarez drop deeper and allowed the former Chelsea man to catch the eye as the most advanced forward, turning in a display brimming with attacking intent. Having scored twice in 100 minutes for the Merseysiders, he looks a potential bargain at just 7.3 in FPL and has been pencilled in for many a wildcard team as a far more budget friendly Liverpool option than either Suarez and Steven Gerrard. While the latter two have racked up the points this season, Sturridge seems set to be a key first-team player under Rodgers in the second half of the campaign– a start against the Canaries tomorrow will get the bandwagon rapidly underway, although upcoming trips to Arsenal and City may cause many to hold back on his acquisition. The Reds’ schedule from Gameweek 26 onwards, however, will surely earn Sturridge significant investment – in the eight subsequent Gameweeks from that point on, they welcome West Brom, Swansea and West Ham to Anfield and also face trips to four of the current bottom six.
Rafa Benitez has admitted John Terry is unlikely to start for Chelsea in Sunday’s showdown with Arsenal at the Bridge. The Blues skipper returned to the squad for last Saturday’s trip to Stoke and managed just 12 minutes in the 4-0 win, giving away a penalty which Jon Walters subsequently missed. Terry played no part in Wednesday’s draw with Southampton and his manager revealed afterwards:
“Terry has no match fitness. It’s one thing to be match fit to play 90 minutes and another for him to play some minutes. It will be difficult for him to start on Sunday. We will see how he trains with his team-mates, but it’s not easy. For match fitness, you have to play games, but it has to be the right time. The other day, we were winning and I gave him the opportunity to play some minutes and that was fine, but today we had to play high and when he doesn’t have this match fitness, it could have been a risk. I will try not to take any risks with the team selection.”
Wednesday’s game saw Benitez drop Branislav Ivanovic from the starting line-up for the first time since taking charge in Gameweek 13 and with Gary Cahill playing just one of the two matches of the double, it meant only three defenders – Cesar Azpilicueta, Ashley Cole and David Luiz – were named in both fixtures last week. While a weekend omission for Terry would lessen the likelihood of rest and rotation to a certain extent, owners of Luiz and Azpilicueta will be a little concerned if Ivanovic returns to the starting line-up – the Serbian’s versatility means he could cover at right-back or centre-half, offering Benitez an alternative if he decides to utilise his squad once again. With options at his disposal, the interim-manager is quickly becoming a Fantasy manager’s nightmare – it’s little wonder that four Chelsea defenders have already been seen 8,000+ transfers out following their double, with the Spaniard’s tinkering frustrating many best-laid Fantasy plans.
Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to address United’s poor spot-kick record after Wayne Rooney’s miss in Wednesday’s FA Cup win over West Ham took their record to five converted penalties from a possible nine this term. The Red Devils boss spoke to the club’s official tv station yesterday:
“I don’t think it is just one of those things. I think we have to improve at that. If you get a penalty kick, really… there has been talk about (the good penalty record of) Rickie Lambert at Southampton. That is what taking penalty kicks is about. There have been several great examples over the years – Matthew Le Tissier scoring 47 out of 48. A penalty kick is your opportunity to take advantage of a foul or a handball or whatever and score a goal.”
Rooney has been particularly culpable from the spot – he has missed two of his last four and his record in the Premier League stands at seven failures in 21 attempts. While Robin Van Persie has also missed one earlier in the season (in Rooney’s Gameweek 3 absence at Southampton) the Dutchman’s owners will be hoping Ferguson chooses to change the pecking order – at present, he still remains behind Rooney but the latter is certainly affording the United boss plenty reason to shake things up. Given his incredible form since joining in the summer, Van Persie could barely do much more to persuade us to snap up his services – Rooney’s latest miss may well have just boosted his strike partner’s appeal even further.
Tony Pulis rolled out an injury update yesterday ahead of Stoke’s trip to Swansea. The Potters boss is still uncertain whether Andy Wilkinson will take part in the Liberty match after he was forced off in the first-half of Tuesday’s 4-1 FA Cup Third Round replay win over Crystal Palace due to a recurrence of a back problem:
“We won’t know whether Andy is going to be ok or not until tomorrow, so we will wait and then assess things. He felt his back go in the first half of the game in the week, and we aren’t sure what has caused it. It was a concern for us so we took him off as soon as he felt it. We are hoping he will be fit, but if not we have options. Ryan Shotton missed the game against Palace with a hamstring injury, but he comes back into consideration for the game.”
Wilkinson’s 4.4 FPL price tag has afforded Fantasy manager a budget route into the Stoke backline in recent matches, though a lack of defensive resolve has seen Pulis’ side concede 10 times in the last three Gameweeks. With Wigan, Reading and West Ham rolling up to the Britannia in the next six, clean sheets could well be on the horizon once again and with regular left-back Marc Wilson now expected to be out of action until late February, Wilkinson could still be set to prosper.
Martin Jol will welcome back Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz to the Fulham fold after both were omitted from the squad that edged past Blackpool in a Third Round FA Cup replay on Tuesday night. The Bulgarian was rested in midweek due to fatigue, while Jol had revealed Ruiz wasn’t risked after another hamstring twinge but the Costa Rican seems to have recovered in time for tomorrow’s tricky trip to City. Perhaps just as significantly, Jol will also welcome back Steve Sidwell to the squad. Sidwell’s omission from last week’s game against Wigan proved detrimental to both Jol’s star forwards; Ruiz dropped out of “the hole” and into central midfield to cover his absence, while Berbatov slotted into the space vacated by Ruiz as Mladen Petric led the line against the Latics. With the former Chelsea and Reading man now available, both are set to return to their regular berths once again.
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paul
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nice move! Hernandez is a brilliant pick. »
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Got RVP but was sticking 5 in midfield Lennon Bale Walcott Michu Nolan » -
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you meant you're captaining or you just have him? »
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maybe?!?!?!?!??!?!! »
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January 18 at 1:21 pm
Ricky smokes lets go says:
i know this has been said this morning. but southampton getting a new manager may mean puncheon may not play as a winger or even start. maybe a sign to go with the power 5
also. the daily star saying rooney has been took off pens with van persie now having them
January 18 at 1:27 pm
Where'syourhairgone? says:
“the daily star saying rooney has been took off pens with van persie now having them”.
Ahhh damn it!! I was hoping RVP would get them now. The fact the Daily Star (it pains me to even type it) say this means Rooney is probably still on them.
How many pairs of tits was this article sandwiched between????
January 18 at 1:28 pm
Ricky smokes lets go says:
oooo. moody. just read the back page. the only tit is you
January 18 at 1:31 pm
Where'syourhairgone? says:
I doubt you can read if you made a conscious decision to part with your money in return for this comic!
January 18 at 1:38 pm
DH1982 says:
just to make you aware, the daily star were the ONLY paper in today’s gossip column to have picked up on Southampton sacking Adkins and getting Pochettino in. agree with Ricky Smokes, you are a tit
January 18 at 1:48 pm
Where'syourhairgone? says:
I agree with 99% of the population with a brain that The Daily Star is embarrasing.
January 18 at 1:49 pm
Where'syourhairgone? says:
Throw enough shit at a page and something will eventually stick.
January 18 at 1:23 pm
Chrissy Waddle - Luca Modric: The Gail Tilsley of Madrid says:
WC attacking 8 options I’m wrestling with:
A.
Michu Felliani Bale Walcott Mata
RVP Aguero Pog
B.
Michu Felliani Bale Maloney Mata
RVP Aguero Sturridge
B. allows for Zaba JEvans Gibbs in defence, while with A. its just Zaba JEvans.
January 18 at 1:24 pm
drunken_mess says:
J Evans injured
January 18 at 1:29 pm
Chrissy Waddle - Luca Modric: The Gail Tilsley of Madrid says:
WC for next week.
January 18 at 1:38 pm
DH1982 says:
Rio & Vidic first choice. pointless to waste that cash on a huge rotation risk.
January 18 at 2:01 pm
benzieyeah says:
swap Jevans for Raf and B looks immense
January 18 at 1:23 pm
Jack(off)Attack says:
So…who’s keeping Ba?
January 18 at 1:25 pm
Fratboy says:
not me
January 18 at 1:26 pm
Jack(off)Attack says:
If he doesn’t start vs Arsenal you’d think he plays Reading next week. Then Newcastle his old club the week after.
January 18 at 1:28 pm
The Dago says:
then Wigan the week after, KEEP.
January 18 at 1:25 pm
Tommyboy says:
Really unsure at the moment. I think Podolski seems the best replacement but even with 2 games he isnt guaranteed 90 mins…
January 18 at 1:26 pm
Fratboy says:
Been subbed 18 times this season. More than any other player in Europe by quite a way.
January 18 at 1:25 pm
drunken_mess says:
wish Giroud knew how to score
make this week so much easier
January 18 at 2:31 pm
JUNITED says:
Keep Ba!!
Well I have Ba since 7.7 So i will keep him until end of season (Unless He stop scoring for 4 games in a row)
January 18 at 1:24 pm
Dial Square says:
RMWCT – will activate next GW. Thanks
Mignolet, Fed
Zaba, Gibbs, Davies, Demel, Clyne
Bale, Hazard, Walcott, Fellaini, Puncheon
Rooney, Aguero, Sturridge
??
January 18 at 1:25 pm
Round and Round says:
Sturridge to Ruiz, Hazard to Mata, Gibbs to Luiz
January 18 at 8:22 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
keep sturridge and gibbs, hazard to mata seems resonable though.. he doesnt know what hes on about.
January 18 at 1:24 pm
lfcserg says:
Quiz
Name the film where this quote is from
“Kick the Tree”
“You want me to break my leg?”
January 18 at 1:28 pm
vanrooney says:
kickboxer
January 18 at 1:28 pm
Putherover says:
kickboxer, the real Van the man
January 18 at 1:28 pm
Jack Frost / Old Man Winter says:
Snakes on a plane
January 18 at 1:25 pm
Tom-Dwan says:
lads its a new post http://www.fantasyfootballscou.....nt-4928282
January 18 at 1:26 pm
Mind over Mata says:
Fantasy gurus, please RMT for this week:
Mignolet
Baines, Demel, Gibbs
Fellaini, Bale, Mata, Walcott (c), Michu
RVP (vc), Ba
3.9; Pog, Davies, Wilson
January 18 at 1:28 pm
rvp786 says:
virtually identical to mine
January 18 at 1:27 pm
Triggalicious says:
Fellaini, Fedirici and Ben Davies, if you could just all not rise tonight ….
January 18 at 1:32 pm
potatoace says:
“its one for the money and the free rides,
its two for the lies that you denied……”
January 18 at 1:27 pm
Roger Milla says:
Podolski, Dzeko or Suarez… who would be your first pick?
I think it will be a tough match at Anfield, but Aguero’s return will mix the City front. At the end, Podolski to play 180 min in 4 days is a doubtful thought.
January 18 at 1:29 pm
vanrooney says:
Easy – Suarez
January 18 at 1:28 pm
NO ASSOCIATION Bergkamp is Legend says:
Bego > Jussi for another hit? most probably WCing next week.
January 18 at 1:28 pm
potatoace says:
Scholes
684 mins and 7 cards
equates to pretty much a card a match.
Unprecedented even by his standards.
January 18 at 1:29 pm
rvp786 says:
he gets away with 4-5 tackles before he gets booked lol
January 18 at 1:38 pm
Where'syourhairgone? says:
There were 10 clean sheets in GW22. The most in any gameweek so far this season!
January 18 at 1:38 pm
Gr3g says:
Bit of help required… I’m confused with my starting 11 and bench for this week! :/
Bego
Evra-Demel-Zaba
Mata-Walcott(C)-Noble-Bale-Afro
RVP-Podolski(V)
Bench: Federici, Lambert, Azpi, Cameron
All in order or should I change anything?
Bank: 0.6 – 0 FT
January 18 at 1:43 pm
Pap Le Cissier says:
For those stuck in with nothing to do, check these guys videos out, hilarious!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....i_k-7EvPqg
January 18 at 1:44 pm
DirtyRandy says:
Would you rather have City defensive cover i.e. Nasty or attacking cover in the like of Aguero who gets rotated?
January 18 at 1:47 pm
Where'syourhairgone? says:
Todays news about Adkins being sacked has just bersuaded me to play Pog over Puncheon this weekend!
January 18 at 8:35 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
idiotic move by their board
January 18 at 1:56 pm
Gareth Bale's stunt double says:
anyone captaining a west ham player this week?
January 18 at 5:17 pm
Audriano says:
Sturridge or Džeko?? Help
January 18 at 8:27 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
Sturridge no rotation!
January 18 at 8:32 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
My WC team for GW 24. Anything need changing??
Bego Bunn
Gibbs Rafael Dawson Davies Demel
Fellaini Bale Walcott Mata Michu
Van Persie Sturridge
Playing with the possibility of Sacrificing Van Purse-e for a stronger defence and security money.
January 18 at 8:34 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
i.e
RVP > Aguero/Rooney
Dawson > Zabaleta/evra