Premiership Suspension News
City suspend Barton for the season
Joey Barton has been suspended by City for their final two games of the season after a training ground bust-up. Barton was allegedly involved in an “incident” involving fellow City player Ousmane Dabo and City have taken immediate action with an “internal investigation” to follow. Barton’s absence for the games against United and Spurs will go to either Michael Johnson or Sun Jihai.
ContinuedLita facing 3-match ban
Leroy Lita is facing a ban after the FA found him guilty of violent conduct after his little encounter with Charlton’s El Karkouri in Monday’s game. Graham Poll missed the little clash but, having reviewed the incident, has indicated that it warranted a red card and therefore Lita now faces a 3-match ban. Lita has until Friday to deny or admit the charge. The latter seems more likely and a ban appears to be on its way. This latest incident clears up the rotation between Kitson, Doyle and Lita rather nicely and will prompt more than a few Fantasy Managers to get rid in the next few days.
ContinuedThe 10 booking curfew is up…
After Sunday, players will now have to earn themselves 15 yellow cards before they face an automatic suspension. This weekend saw the FA’s 10 booking curfew pass, which means Fantasy Managers with the likes of Didier Drogba who was sitting on 9 bookings, can now breathe a sigh of relief. Joey Barton meanwhile, managed to escape a 2-match ban by just 24 hours after picking up his 10th booking in Monday’s game against Fulham. The race is on now to see if any player can notch up the 15 bookings, with West Ham’s Reo-Coker currently leading the field on 11.
ContinuedMcCann picks up a ban
Villa’s Gavin McCann has just been booked against Everton - his tenth booking this season which will mean that he’ll be available for the Blackburn game on Saturday but will miss the games against Wigan and Boro. Steven Davis looks likely to benefit as a result of McCann’s absence for those two games.
ContinuedSuspension update
Just a quick heads-up on a couple of bans following this weekend’s games. Both Bolton’s Nolan and Boro’s Pogatetz picked up the tenth bookings of the season and will both miss the next two games. Pogatetz is the third Boro player out banned along with Cattermole and Morisson who will all miss the Watford game next weekend. Pogatetz’s absence is eased somewhat by the return to fitness of Robert Huth, so you can expect the big German to slot in alongside Woodgate for the next 2 and perhaps the rest of the season. Nolan meanwhile will have to sit out the next two games which could mean a recall for Tal or Andranik in midfield for the Trotters.
In addition you may have noticed that the Suspension Tightrope table in the right-hand menu shows that Joey Barton is just one booking away from a ban. This is particularly important since Barton will be on many Fantasy Managers shopping list as City and Arsenal are the only clubs to play 3 matches over gameweeks 33 and 34. Barton is certainly worth a punt but not before the Charlton game. If he picks up a booking in this match, then he’ll be banned for both games in gameweek 34 when City play Arsenal and Liverpool.
ContinuedThe Suspension Tightrope
I’ve just added some new stats to the site which you may find useful. If you scroll down the the stat-packed right hand menu, you’ll see the “Suspension Tightrope” table lists those players nearing suspension through the accumulation of bookings. Players earning 10 bookings by Sunday April 15 will earn a 2-match suspension. After this date, players will need to accumulate 15 cards by the end of the season to earn a suspension of 3 matches. So far, only West Ham’s Reo-Coker has be handed 10 bookings and has already completed his 2-match ban.
It’s worth monitoring this table before selecting new signings, at least until the April deadline is reached. On average, clubs will play 5 Premiership/Cup matches before April 15.
ContinuedAdebayor gets a further ban
More bad news for Arsenal - The FA have handed Adebayor a further 1-match suspension after being charged of “reacting aggressively and failing to leave the field of play immediately” following the Carling Cup Final brawl with Chelsea [source]. Adebayor was due to miss the Villa game in midweek and return for the Everton game next weekend. He will now miss this and won’t return until Arsenal face Liverpool at the end of March. Time for Walcott to step up.
ContinuedEboue gets 3-match ban
Emmanuel Eboue’s appeal against his FA charge of violent conduct has failed and, as a result, he’s been handed a 3-match ban. Eboue joins Adebayor and Toure on Arsenal’s list of suspended players and will now miss the game on Saturday against Reading, followed by the games against Villa and Everton.
Arsenal will now hope that Justin Hoyte recovers from injury to fill the right-back berth. If he does then he could be a potential bargain, although you have to question just how solid Arsenal’s defence will be without Toure.
ContinuedKeane’s dismissal stands
Spurs are the latest to be disapointed by the FA, having had Robbie Keane’s appeal against his red-card on Sunday, rejected. It look for all the world that Campo’s header hit his chest initially and then his arm on the way down, but the FA, like Graham Poll, clearly saw it differently. Honestly, these FA appeals seem like a complete waste of time. The London club representatives don’t even get a day’s shopping out of the trip.
Keane will now miss the game at West Ham on Saturday.
ContinuedAdebayor and Obi Mikel appeals fail
The appeal against the red cards dished out to Adebayor and Obi Mikel have be thrown out by the FA. Mikel will now serve a 4-match suspension as it is his second sending off the season. Adebayor meanwhile, will automatically miss 3 games – including the Cup replay with Blackburn tomorrow night, the Reading game on Saturday and, maybe, the Cup Quarter Final with City the week after, if Arsenal progress. However, having been charged earlier today, Adebayor also faces an extension of his ban, which could mean a further 2 or more matches are added to his suspension.
For Fantasy Managers, the absence of Obi Mikel is not a major blow. Adebayor’s prolonged suspension is an interesting one though. With Van Persie still out for 4-8 weeks, it ensures Henry will be ever present and also that either Baptista or Aliadiere will appear in at least 2-3 games each, if not more.
Earlier today, Eboue was also charged and is also likely to be handed a 3-match absence. Fantasy Managers will now be monitoring the progress of Hoyte, who when fit, will slot into the right-back spot for the next 3 matches at least. Hoyte is currently struggling with a hamstring injury.
ContinuedEboue and Adebayor charged by FA
Arsenal’s Eboue has been charged with violent conduct for striking Wayne Bridge. Athough this seems to confirm Adebayor’s sending off as a case of mistaken identity, the Arsenal striker has also been charged for “reacting aggressively and failing to leave the field of play immediatelyâ€. Eboue is now facing at least a 3-match ban while Adebayor could now face an additional ban on top of his existing 3 match ban, if his appeal against the red card, later today, fails.
Both players have until 6pm tomorrow to appeal. It appears that Chelsea’s Drogba and Essien will come out of the “incident†without any retribution.
The existing appeals against the red cards handed out to both Adebayor and Chelsea’s Obi Mikel, will be held later this afternoon.
ContinuedDrogba and Essien risk suspension?
A story over at Tribal Football this morning suggests that both Drogba and Essien will be sweating over the outcome of today’s Carling Cup Final disciplinary appeal at the FA. It seems that video evidence points to Essien and Drogba striking out at opponents - acts which could see them both face 3 match bans. Such a decision would surely be contested by Chelsea, but even the suggestion of such a measure, will have many Fantasy Managers rather nervous this morning.
ContinuedThe Carling appeal is in
As widely expected, both Arsenal and Chelsea have submitted their appeals to the FA over the dismissal of their players in Sunday’s Carling Cup Final [source]. Adebayor and Obi Mikel are the affected players, with Toure’s red card seemingly accepted by Arsenal. The worry with Adebayor of course is that he could face a further ban, on top of the standard 3 matches for a red card, for refusing to leave the field of play. This could see the striker miss 2 additional games at a time when Arsenal are already without Van Persie. Significantly, it now appears to be widely accepted that Adebayor’s red card was a case of mistaken identity, with Eboue identified as the player who threw the blow that struck Bridge. You just never know with FA appeals though, this may not be enough to get Adebayor off the hook and could land Eboue in hot water.
Toure will miss the Cup replay against Blackburn on Wednesday and, depending on the outcome of tomorrow’s appeal, Adebayor and even Eboue, may join him on the sidelines.
ContinuedSpurs in Keane appeal
Not surprisingly, Spurs have appealed against Robbie Keane’s red card handed out in Sunday’s game against Bolton [source]. Keane was given his marching orders after being seen by Graham Poll, to have handled Campo’s goal bound effort. Replays showed that the ball appeared to strike Keane on the chest which should mean that Spurs will have Keane’s 1-match ban overturned. However, they may get the same panel that judged Wigan’s appeal of Fitz Hall’s red card against Watford. In which case Keane will probably be handed an extra match ban for a “frivolous” appeal.
Continued
