Scout Scribbles – Costa Pulls out of Spain Squad

In this morning’s topics, we muse on the impact of Diego Costa’s fresh hamstring injury and the merits of Christian Benteke’s imminent return to full fitness. Elsewhere, Nigel Pearson is adamant that Kasper Schmeichel shouldn’t rest on his laurels, while Brown Ideye is closing in on a return for West Brom.

Spain Confirm Costa hamstring injury

Diego Costa sustained a grade 1 hamstring tear and will play no part in Spain’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Ukraine. The Chelsea striker picked up the injury in the second half of the Blues’ clash against Hull City and will return to London to undergo treatment. Spain’s Football Federation released a statement as follows:

“Diego Costa left the premises of the Spanish Football Federation this morning after undergoing several tests with the medical services of the RFEF. The striker has suffered a level 1 hamstring tear on the biceps femoris of the left thigh, which was previously already noted by the medical services of his club. Diego Costa will return to Chelsea FC where he will undergo the corresponding medical treatment.”

Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque told a local radio station that Costa only travelled to the national side’s training camp so he could be examined by their doctors and dispel any suspicion surrounding the timing of his knock:

“He has a muscle tear and he wasn’t going to play but the lad wanted to come and be examined by our doctors, to make himself available and so that nobody was suspicious. As far as I am concerned he didn’t have to come because there is maximum confidence in the player and the logical thing would have been not to come but he wanted to be with us. He says he has bad luck and that it seems like someone has jinxed him. That’s what people say when they really want to come and I hope he is able to join us again soon.”

The Scout Says: Although reports of a hamstring injury usually sets alarm bells ringing for Fantasy managers, Costa has suffered from a similar complaint on four other occasions this term, yet the Blues marksman has only missed two league matches in spite of such travails – as compared to four absences through suspension. Allied to this, Jose Mourinho’s comments on the situation suggest it’s a familiar occurrence that’s symptomatic of an innate weakness in Costa’s physiology. His latest setback obviously renders him a doubt for Chelsea’s Gameweek 31 home clash against Stoke, which is followed by match-ups with QPR and Manchester United prior to the Blues’ double Gameweek 34. With Chelsea’s two most influential midfielders sitting one yellow shy of a two-match ban and thus restricted in their ability to put in challenges, Costa’s absence could further reduce their capacity to compete on a physical level with the Potters. If Costa does indeed miss the Stoke clash, Didier Drogba certainly offers a more robust option than Loic Remy, though the latter’s goal off the bench against Hull may well be enough to earn him the nod against Mark Hughes side.

Benteke primed for Belgium qualifiers

Christian Benteke is said to be nearing full fitness ahead of Belgium’s Euro 2016 qualifiers against Cyprus (Saturday) and Israel (Tuesday). The Aston Villa frontman is yet to join up with his national side but is thought to have already notified manager Marc Wilmots of his availability.

The Scout Says: Following a toilsome campaign under the stewardship of former boss Paul Lambert, Christian Benteke has rediscovered his scoring touch in recent Gameweeks, bagging three goals in as many starts. Positive news on the Belgian hitman’s fitness will be music to the ears of Villains boss Tim Sherwood, as the Midlanders gear up for an unforgiving quintet of league fixtures (mun, QPR, tot, mci, EVE) after the international break. With a tricky trip to Southampton capping off Villa’s road matches for the season, Sherwood will be desperate to secure maximum points at home against the R’s. On that note – subject to his fitness – Benteke (7.5) remains a differential option for the more adventurous Fantasy manager in Villa’s double Gameweek 31 against United and QPR, given his recent form and spot-kick duties. As does the 5.3-priced Gabriel Agbonlahor, who’s partnered Benteke up front in recent encounters and has also notched a trio of goals in his previous three starts.

Schmeichel faces fight for Foxes’ goalkeeper berth

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has insisted that Kasper Schmeichel will have to fight off competition from Mark Schwarzer and Ben Hamer if he wishes to be handed the goalkeeping berth on a regular basis. Pearson suggested that he’ll choose his shot-stopper depending on how each player’s skill-set relates to the unique match-up each Gameweek:

“It was a difficult decision to leave Mark Schwarzer out to be honest, because I think he’s been very, very good. It’s not a case of Kasper’s back in and he’s an automatic choice, that’s not the case. But when you’re playing a counter-attacking style with pace like we did against Spurs, you need that extra distance with the distribution that Kasper has. So that was the thinking behind that, but he will have the same rules applied to him in terms of selection. I’ll always pick the team that I think is right for any given date. Nobody has a divine right to be out there, but I don’t think his performance deserved to concede four goals.”

The Scout Says: Considering no Premier League side has recorded fewer clean sheets (five) than the Foxes this campaign, the 4.4-priced Kasper Schmeichel was unlikely to be on the shopping list of many Fantasy enthusiasts upon his return from a metatarsal injury. That being said, beyond home ties against Chelsea and Southampton, Leicester’s run-in serves up a bevy of decent match-ups (WHU, SWA, bur, NEW, sun, QPR) that harbour the potential for shut-outs, so the Foxes’ budget keeper could be an option if he nails down a regular role. Given that Schmeichel featured in all but one of the fixtures before he sustained the foot complaint, you’d fancy Pearson to retain him in the starting line-up despite suggestions that he’ll rotate between the sticks for tactical reasons. The East Midlands outfit need consistency in their back line if they are to stand any chance of mounting an unlikely charge up the table, strengthening the notion that Pearson will resist shuffling his No. 1 in the final stretch of the campaign.

Ideye Closing in on Baggies Return

West Brom’s in-form forward Brown Ideye is optimistic he could return in time for the Gameweek 31 home clash with QPR. The Nigerian missed the Baggies’ 3-0 loss at City due to a knock and rolled out an update on his progress via the club’s official website:

“I am in rehab now so hopefully I will be better before the QPR game. I just have to work with the doctors and the physios and hopefully things will get better in time. Somebody kicked me from behind in the Stoke game and since then I’ve been getting pain. I spoke with the gaffer and said I didn’t think I could play so I just have to rest it and get good treatment. I just have to rest. The pain is still there but with the doctors and physios we have doing their best the should make sure I’m fit for the game.”

The Scout Says: With Saido Berahino pulling out of England Under 21 duties due to a foot problem, Tony Pulis will be desperate for Ideye’s return to the fold. Over his last six appearances, the summer signing has equaled Berahino for goals (three) and FPL bonus points (six) and has also chipped in with an assist, with his form improving dramatically since the new manager arrived at the Hawthorns. West Brom sit eight points clear of the drop zone and Pulis will be pinpointing the next three fixtures (QPR, LEI, cpl) to go on the attack and help secure his side’s safety before the schedule turns nasty from Gameweek 34 onwards, with West Brom set to face Liverpool, United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the final five rounds of fixtures.