Scout Scribbles – City on the Verge

City scrape a home draw with Ajax thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure but now remain perilously close to crashing out of Europe altogether. Arsenal throw away a two-goal lead in Schalke to earn a point, with Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud both finding the net…

Man City 2 Ajax 2
Sergio Aguero came back into the first XI, having been afforded a brief sub role at West Ham last Saturday. Pablo Zabaleta also returned at right-back, with Kolo Toure dropping out, while Javi Garcia was also handed a place in the starting line-up after a recent injury. Maicon was fit enough to return to the bench. In what Roberto Mancini described as a “must-win” game, City managed a draw after clawing back a two-goal deficit – Aguero and Yaya Toure found the net, with Mario Balotelli and Samir Nasri supplying the assists. While Aguero was given the full 90 minutes ahead of Sunday’s game with Spurs, Carlos Tevez’s owners will be happy with his 66th minute withdrawal, as the latter made way for Edin Dzeko.

City remain bottom of Group D and are in real danger of missing out on European progress altogether – six points behind top of the table Dortmund and five behind second placed Real Madrid, Mancini’s side are two points adrift of Ajax, with games against the top two remaining. Post-match, Mancini was in a defiant mood…

“If we win two games, get eight points and go through, we can win the Champions League, it’s simple – if our destiny is this then we should win the Champions League.”

While City’s failure to progress even to the Europa League would be seen as disastrous around the Etihad, from a Fantasy perspective it makes their assets far more appealing – City are also out of the Capital One Cup and would surely be set for far less rotation, with Mancini’s main focus the Premier League if his side do indeed crash out altogether at the first hurdle.

City Starting XI: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy, Garcia (Balotelli 46), Barry (Kolarov 85), Yaya Toure, Nasri, Tevez (Dzeko 66), Aguero

Schalke 2 Arsenal 2
With Gervinho still unavailable due to an ankle injury, Theo Walcott was handed a rare start on the Arsenal right and vindicated Arsene Wenger’s faith by opening the scoring for the visitors. Olivier Giroud kept the lone striker role and notched the Gunners’ second thanks to a Lukas Podolski assist, while in a defensive reshuffle, Thomas Vermaelen moved to left-back and Laurent Koscielny returned to the heart of the back-four; the much-maligned Andre Santos dropped out. Bacary Sagna started yet again at the expense of Carl Jenkinson at right-back; the fit-again Frenchman is clearly well ahead of the former Charlton man in the pecking order.

Arsenal Starting XI: Mannone, Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Arteta, Wilshere, Walcott, Cazorla (Coquelin 90), Podolski (Santos 90), Giroud

Prior to the match, Wenger revealed he has been utilising Walcott sparingly due to an illnness but with Aaron Ramsey – if fit – set to fill in for the suspended Jack Wilshere in central midfield against Fulham this weekend, Walcott’s display last night will surely have nailed-down a starting role on the right against the Cottagers. Wenger had this to say on Walcott’s display last night…

“He did well, very well. He had a positive attitude and was fresh as well. He was the only one you always felt could make a difference and it was no coincidence he had the chance in the final minute”.

Walcott himself has no doubt that his recent performances warrant regular starts….

“I just want to play – hopefully now I can get a run in the team because I feel I fully deserve it”

However, when questioned on Walcott’s potential role as a striker, Wenger indicated that he is likely to continue to utilise Walcott in a flanking role, with Podolski also playing wide of Olivier Giroud up front…

“Well, a winger is a striker. Not for you? Giroud has Walcott and Podolski with him. We scored two goals. We had more chances and played with three offensive midfielders as well. At some stage, we have to put one or two defenders in the team as well.”

Giroud spoke to the press before last night’s match, giving an indication of his self-belief heading into the Schalke encounter:

“Scoring goals is an obsession for me, and probably for all strikers. I must admit, I’ve had a little bit of a difficult start but the boss and the coaches trust in me and just say, ‘Don’t worry, the goals will come soon. Continue to work hard in training – you have the right qualities’. I’m keeping confident and continuing to work hard. I scored many goals early on in my career, and when you score it obviously makes you feel better.
But I’m happy at the moment, and I feel I did well when I came on against Reading in the League Cup. So everything is OK, I just need to keep working hard.”

Slated by many after managing a single goal in the opening 10 Gameweeks of the domestic season, the Frenchman’s goal will perhaps persuade Fantasy managers of his abilities ahead of a strong upcoming run of fixtures. A glance at the season ticker shows Wenger’s side have just one decidedly tricky match to navigate (away to Everton in Gameweek 14) between now and Gameweek 21. If he can continue in the same vein, it’s good news for Santi Cazorla’s owners, too; the playmaker has laid on a multitude of chances for his team-mates this term but has so far picked up just two assists due to inept finishing by others.

In Other News
Matt Taylor could be set for a quick return to action for West Ham this weekend. The former Bolton man had started four of the Hammers’ first five but has been bothered by a calf injury in recent matches – with major question marks still hanging over the likes of James Collins, Guy Demel and James Tomkins, Taylor’s possible return is something of a relief for Sam Allardyce as West Ham brace themselves for a run of fixtures that pits them against seven of the top 10 in the next nine Gameweeks.

Richard Dunne has edged towards a comeback for Villa after returning to training earlier this week. The centre-half has yet to feature under new boss Paul Lambert this season after undergoing two operations to resolve a groin injury sustained at Euro 2012, though Lambert was understandably cautious when asked whether the Irishman will be back in the first-team anytime soon:

“Richard is back in training and it’s his first time since the European Championships, really. Will he be back soon? I’m not sure really because he’s got to get up to speed with training and get some games under his belt. He’s still a wee bit away”

Swansea’s Chico Flores is hoping to be fit to face Southampton at the weekend. The Spaniard missed the 1-1 draw with Chelsea with a hamstring injury and Michael Laudrup is being cautious of his chances of being in contention…

“I don’t know yet whether Chico will make it, but I think from my experience that his injury would normally keep you out for seven days…Hopefully he will train on Wednesday or Thursday. We can never know for sure, but I hope he has a good chance to make it.”

Reading’s young stopper, Alex McCarthy, has emerged as a definite doubt for their crucial home clash with Norwich at the weekend, having suffered a shoulder injury in his sprawling dive to Djibril Cisse’s late effort on Sunday’s draw with QPR. McCarthy tweeted an update only yesterday…

“Shoulder is feeling better today, but results didn’t come back as I wanted. Going to see shoulder specialist tonight to see what outcome is!”

With Adam Federici fit to return, this could now hand the Australian a lifeline and deny McCarthy a continued run in the side. McCarthy was listed as a 4.0 keeper prospect in the Fantasy Premier League game and has attracted enough interest to rise to 4.1. His new owners now face an anxious wait to see if he can make the weekend clash.