Our pre-Friday dinnertime regular looks at three of the crucial tussles ahead in gameweek ten. Gervinho will be looking to maintain his recent impressive showings as he’s pitted against Jose Bosingwa, Aaron Lennon’s pace could be the undoing of QPR’s problematic left-back slot, while an injury to Dedryk Boyata could allow Gretar Steinsson to prove his worth to Bolton in a Liberty Stadium encounter with Scott Sinclair…
Gervinho vs Jose Bosingwa
The Arsenal winger is starting to look like the rampaging force of nature that helped Lille to the Ligue 1 crown last season. Gervinho has endured a tentative start to his Gunners career, hardly helped by his dismissal in the season opener at Newcastle, but the last couple of gameweeks have seen him explode into form with an average of 10 points per game in the last two fixtures. With form and confidence his allies, he’ll fancy his chances at the Bridge tomorrow lunchtime.
Caught out by the pace of Shaun Wright-Phillips at Loftus Road last weekend, Jose Bosingwa’s dismissal proved significant in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat. Having served his one-match ban in the midweek Carling Cup tie at Everton, the Portuguese right-back returns to the first-team fold against the Gunners and while his attacking forays down the flank have impressed, a lack of defensive awareness leaves him liable to counter-attacks. Gervinho will be looking to expose his frailties at the back and he’ll have a task on his hands against the speedy Ivorian.
Aaron Lennon vs Clint Hill
A return to action at Ewood Park ended a five-game league absence for Aaron Lennon. Hampered by a groin injury for much of the campaign, his inclusion in the Spurs first-team affords the side a natural width down the right flank that had been missing over the previous few weeks. His explosive pace and direct running, backed by the adventure of Kyle Walker from right-back, adds an extra element to Tottenham’s play.
Hill was recalled from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest last weekend with Armand Traore missing out due to a strained abductor muscle. While Traore’s pace will be ideal in coping with Lennon, doubts still hang over his fitness and Hill could be called into action once again. Two red cards for Chelsea last week meant he was never truly tested but at White Hart Lane, against a red-hot Tottenham, he may well be wishing he was still back at the City Ground.
Scott Sinclair vs Gretar Steinsson
Spot-kicks aside, the Swansea flier has proved pivotal to his side’s dominant home displays, offering plenty of attacking verve and invention from wide left. Sinclair’s showings in his first full Premier League season have underlined his ability to perform on a higher stage and Brendan Rodgers will be reliant on him to torment an out-of-sorts Trotters as the Welsh side look to make it three home wins in a row.
Steinsson has been far from impressive in the eyes of Owen Coyle this season. The Icelandic international had fallen out of favour to such an extent that the Bolton boss had dropped him from his match squad completely, with on-loan Dedryk Boyata nailing down the right-back slot since arriving from Man City. Today’s confirmation of a six-week period on the sidelines for Boyata due to ankle ligament damage looks like giving Steinsson a second chance, though, and he’ll take to the field this weekend with plenty to prove.
.
