A Monday afternoon Scribbles brings reports of a return to training for Sergio Aguero. Joey Barton has harsh words for new team mate Adel Taarabt, Harry Redknapp admits he maybe should have started Jermaine Defoe at Newcastle and the PFA offer to intervene in the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra row:
While the FA are set to investigate Patrice Evra’s claims of racist remarks allegedly made by Luis Suarez on Saturday afternoon, Suarez took to twitter last night to vehemently deny abusing the Frenchman during the 1-1 draw at Anfield. Today saw the PFA offer to mediate between the two, with chief executive Gordon Taylor keen to sort out the ongoing row:
It’s very disappointing to have two of our players from different countries at odds over a very serious issue. Only by having a full inquiry on such matters can we get to the bottom of it and try to make sure that such problems don’t arise again in the future. We need to try to cool down and reflect on what happened and to contact the FA and see what form their inquiry will take. It’s good to get this put behind us as quickly as possible instead of letting these things fester and become blown up again.
Arsene Wenger’s injury problems show no sign of letting up. Aaron Ramsey was ruled out of yesterday’s match against Sunderland due to a hamstring strain, while Kieron Gibbs was subbed off just minutes into the second half. Ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Marseille, the Gunners boss admitted:
Gibbs has an inflammation of his stomach muscles. He has a small chance of playing on Wednesday. Ramsey has a small chance of being in the squad. He had fatigue of his hamstring. I wanted to give him a breather – it would have been a gamble to play him.
With his first start for seven months marked by a goal in the draw against Man United, Steven Gerrard announced his return in typical style. The Liverpool skipper spoke of his satisfaction at being back amongst the starters and looks back to his old self ahead of the weekend home clash with Norwich:
It’s been a frustrating six months watching from the stands. I didn’t realise what I had until it was taken away from me for so long. I’m just delighted to be back, experiencing the emotions of big games again.
Man United have named their squad for this week’s Champions League clash with Romanian side Otelul Galati. Sir Alex Ferguson has left out Rio Ferdinand, Tom Cleverley and Rafael, with Nemanja Vidic back in the reckoning for the first time since the opening day of the season win at West Brom.
Reports today suggest Sergio Aguero trained ahead of the Champions League clash with Villarreal tomorrow evening. Micah Richards is also said to have returned to training- the right-back was subbed off in Saturday’s 4-1 over Aston Villa with a head knock but is expected to make the match, with City desperate for all three points.
Joey Barton has been more than a little candid when discussing Adel Taarabt over the weekend. Though Neil Warnock admitted he sometimes gives the Moroccan preferential treatment, Taarabt was benched on Saturday following his Craven Cottage walkout in Gameweek seven, and Barton didn’t mince his words when discussing the player’s contribution to the QPR team cause and subsequent disappearing act at Fulham:
I came here and was told he was a genius. But I’m yet to see it and I don’t know whether it is because he does not work hard enough, or whether he tends to sulk. This is the top level of world football and if you’re not prepared to work hard you will come up massively short. If I had Adel’s ability, I would not want to be coming up short having not worked hard enough….I don’t know if he got a lot of stick. He deserved some if he didn’t. It would have been nice if he had come in and apologised to the group for doing that, but he didn’t think he needed to. As one of the senior players, maybe he should have.
Harry Redknapp admitted he may have erred when announcing his starting XI for the game at Newcastle yesterday. The Spurs boss fielded Rafael Van der Vaart but despite the Dutchman’s goal, it was his replacement Jermain Defoe who caught his manager’s eye, with a brilliantly taken goal outside the Newcastle box:
It was a great finish. They’ll say I’m a clever manager- if I had been that clever maybe I should have started him. It is difficult, I have him and Rafa. Rafa didn’t look sharp today and looked a bit tired having been away with his country. I decided Jermain might give us a bit of sharpness.
Still on the subject of Spurs, Ledley King is set to be sidelined for “a while“ according to Redknapp, after picking up an abductor strain at Newcastle yesterday. The centre half departed the proceedings just before the half-hour mark and Spurs looked defensively shaky with replacement Sebastien Bassong alongside Younes Kaboul. With Michael Dawson and William Gallas still recovering from Achilles and calf problems respectively, Spurs options in central defence are thin on the ground right now.
Alex McLeish is hoping James Collins will overcome a groin problem ahead of next weekend’s home game with West Brom. The centre-half was an ever-present in the Villa starting XI up until last weekend’s trip to Man City and was sorely missed, with his side’s unbeaten record crumbling in the 4-1 Etihad loss.
After five straight losses, Mick McCarthy hardly has his troubles to seek but this afternoon brought bad news on the injury front for the Wolves boss. Steven Fletcher could be out for a month with a torn calf and McCarthy, having reverted to a 4-5-1 in his absence at West Brom yesterday, admitted his side lack a cutting edge without the Scotsman in the ranks. With Sylvan Ebanks-Blake also currently unavailable, Wolves’ striking options are thin on the ground right now.
