Richard Dunne is full of praise for the new Aston Villa regime. Shaun Wright-Phillips promises QPR fans there’s plenty more to come, while Sir Alex Ferguson reassures Dimitar Berbatov over future game time. Owen Coyle looks to ring the changes ahead of the game with Norwich and Martin Jol admits starting Bryan Ruiz against Blackburn was a big mistake. Here’s some Scribbles for this morning, folks:
Sir Alex Ferguson has promised Dimitar Berbatov he will get his fair share of playing time this season. Fergie rang the changes last night for Man United’s trip to Benfica but chose to play Wayne Rooney as a lone forward, before introducing Javier Hernandez to the proceedings. The Bulgarian was left on the bench throughout but the United boss promised he will feature:
It is hard because of the number of strikers we have. Michael Owen is there, Federico Macheda, Mame Biram Diouf. Danny Welbeck won’t be back next week but probably the week after. It is not easy. Dimitar has been training terrific. His attitude is spot on. He will get his game time as the season wears on. There is no question about that.
Bolton’s Stuart Holden moved another step closer to his return to first-team football last night. The midfielder played 90 minutes for Bolton’s reserves as he recovers from a serious knee injury sustained in March.
Owen Coyle has hinted he’s ready to make a few changes to the Bolton side this weekend. With the Trotters 5-0 home hammering by Man United still fresh in the memory, Coyle is desperate to bounce back in the upcoming home game with Norwich and admitted he may freshen things up, particularly at the back:
We made a few changes against United but time will tell whether we need more. We do have players now we know can step into the breach, so that’s what we’ll look to do.
In an attacking sense we were fine. It was against the ball, and it was rare for us because we are usually good against the ball. We didn’t do that well enough. We have to look at that game and know we can defend better than that.
Steve Kean has been talking up Blackburn new boy Scott Dann. The former Birmingham player made his Rovers debut last weekend at Fulham and his new boss is delighted with the qualities he has brought to the back-line:
Scotty does what it says on the tin. He heads it, he kicks it, he talks, he’s a leader and I think he has got a willingness to win. I thought for his first game for us he was excellent, he showed all the qualities he’s got.
Richard Dunne claims Aston Villa have rediscovered their spirit since the departure of Gerard Houllier. The Irishman was one of a number of Villa players who clashed with Houllier last season and reckons the place is a far better place this term under Alex McLeish.
Last season wasn’t a good one. I didn’t enjoy the season and I didn’t enjoy coming into the place. I didn’t enjoy the atmosphere around the whole club and I think it showed on the weekends.
Coming back and working with a new manager and a different atmosphere has given some people a new lease of life.There is an enthusiasm around the place. I think you can see from the team already that we are not the soft touch who roll over in games that maybe we were last year.
Villa will have to make do without Emile Heskey for the next three weeks or so- the striker suffered a hamstring injury at Everton last weekend. Heskey has started every league game so far for Villa and although Alex McLeish sees his loss as a significant blow, he’s challenged others to step up and grab the opportunity:
Emile’s got a nick in his hamstring and that’s not an overnight job, so it will be a few weeks – two to three, maybe even longer. Whether he’s a quick healer, I don’t know his history. We could ill afford to lose vital members from the squad but it’s a challenge for somebody else.
Shaun Wright-Phillips has promised there’s plenty more to come from him as he edges near match-fitness. The winger has a strong QPR debut on Monday and, speaking to the club’s official website, is filled with confidence for the season ahead:
I feel I am a bit off (the pace) at the moment. I need a few more games under my belt to get my match-fitness and sharpness back. With the team playing the way they did and helping me settle in very quickly, that made it pretty easy.
It’s the first game that we’ve all played together. As long as we keep playing like that and the better we get to know each other, then the better we’re going to do.
Martin Jol has admitted he erred in starting Bryan Ruiz last weekend. The Costa Rican made his first start for Fulham following his big-money move from FC Twente but looked completely ill at ease with the pace of the game and had to be replaced at half time.
In hindsight, I would have started Moussa and then brought him on because he’s good when there’s a lot of pressure on the goal, space in the box, and Bryan Ruiz probably would have given us a lot second half.
It’s always difficult – if you come to the Premier League – your first game. I wouldn’t say it’s a gamble but you have to start somewhere and that was a decision we had to make and I made the decision to play him.
