Arsene Wenger warns of Christmas rotation, while Mick McCarthy talks tactics. Roberto Mancini reckons thereโs no way back for Carlos Tevez at Man City and Jack Wislhere is ready to step up light training ahead of a January return:
Arsene Wenger had plenty of injury news to reveal this morning. On the positive side, Marouane Chamakh is available for the weekend, though given his game time, heโll likely warm the bench at Carrow Road tomorrow lunchtime. Abou Diaby is back to full training after recovering from a long-term ankle problem, though Wenger had some full-back problems ahead of the trip to Norwich. Kieran Gibbs is out for 4-5 weeks with a hernia problem, while Carl Jenkinson has a stress fracture of the back and will be rested. Given Bacary Sagna is also out, Johan Djourou seems the likeliest to fill in at right-back.
Further good news for Wenger came from Jack Wilshere. The midfielder has yet to play in the league this season for the Gunners due to an ankle injury but revealed on twitter yesterday that he has now ditched his crutches and is expected to start light training imminently, with Wenger reckoning he is on course for a return in mid to late January.
The Arsenal boss has also given Fantasy managers advanced warning of his plans to rotate his players over the winter period. Citing last yearโs busy Christmas period, Wenger explained he will utilise his squad to a greater extent this time round, with a busy schedule on the cards:
I will certainly rotate more because we have to face so many games. I think it was last year at Sunderland that we changed 10 players because we played three days later at Manchester City. Everybody asked me why I did it but you have to rotate at some stage and that is why we have a big squad.
Sir Alex Ferguson revealed Ashley Young is back in the Man United squad for the champions’ trip to Swansea. Chris Smalling is out but could return in midweek for the Champions League game with Benfica, while Tom Cleverley should be sidelined till around Christmas time, with his ankle injury more serious than first anticipated.
Roberto Mancini was quizzed, once again, on Carlos Tevez in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game with Newcastle. With the Argentine AWOL in his homeland, the City boss, when asked if he reckoned Tevez would play for the club again, admitted:
I don’t think so. I know he is in Argentina. I don’t know what he is doing.
Cheik Tiote has been ruled out of Newcastleโs crucial trip to Man City tomorrow. Alan Pardew confirmed the player still hasnโt sufficiently recovered from a knee problem and while he sang the praises of Danny Guthrie ahead of the Etihad trip, thereโs little doubt itโs a bitter blow. Pardew went on to say that the Ivorian could โpossiblyโ be available for next weekโs game with Man United. Newcastle will have to do without Sylvain Marveaux until the New Year– the winger limped out of the previous gameweek with a groin problem and is set to go under the knife to resolve the issue.
Reports this morning suggest Steven Gerrard could miss the next two league games for Liverpool as he continues to recover from an infected ankle. Though Kenny Dalglish admitted his skipper was โprogressing brilliantlyโ, the games with Chelsea and Man City look like coming too soon. Jamie Carragher is available for selection ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge this weekend but with Liverpool recording back-to-back clean sheets in his absence, Dalglish has a quandary on his hands.
Asmir Begovic received the backing of Tony Pulis yesterday after a recent loss of form for Stoke. The Potters keeper was culpable a couple of time in the 5-0 defeat at Bolton but his manager made it clear yesterday that he is fully behind Begovic, denying suggestions that he is considering cropping the player. With (QPR, BLA) to come, itโs a welcome relief for his Fantasy owners.
Mick McCarthy talked tactics yesterday ahead of his sideโs trip to Everton. The Wolves boss admitted the recent 4-5-1 formation gives his side a more solid feel and gets the best out of Jamie OโHara- backed up by the former Spurs manโs goal and pair of assists against Wigan in the previous gameweek:
Whenever I change the system there is so much made of it. For the first three games we were 4-4-2 and everybody is like: ‘we were brilliant’ and it’s all 4-4-2 which is the answer and the way forward. We conceded some really poor goals and it was nothing to do with the fact we had a couple of wingers on the pitch. The other system does make it harder to be beaten and doesn’t leave us as wide open. It gets players in better positions and gets Jamie further forward who is as good a finisher as anybody is.
Scott Dann and Michel Salgado gave Blackburn boss Steve Kean plenty to cheer about, with the news that both are fit and available ahead of the weekend trip to Wigan. Skipper Chris Samba is โvery closeโ to returning from a hamstring injury, according to the Rovers boss, who will be without Simon Vukcevic, after the midfielder suffered a broken nose while on international duty.
Neil Warnock revealed some interesting thoughts on Adel Taarabtโs future at QPR. The Moroccan is unlikely to feature this weekend due to the last weekโs international commitments but Warnock elaborated:
He has been away with Morocco, so he probably won’t be involved this weekend. It has been difficult to get Adel into the system we are playing. We have also changed our tactical outlook since last season. If Paris Saint-Germain offered ยฃ20million, I’d drive him there myself!
Stephen Kelly will miss out this weekend for Fulham, after picking up a groin strain on international duty. With Zdenek Grygera also injured, Martin Jol will be relieved to welcome Aaron Hughes back to the first-team fold- this allows Chris Baird to move to the problem right-back slot, with Hughes likely to slot in alongside Brede Hangeland for the trip to Sunderland. Philip Senderos is also available, though according to the Cottagers boss, Steve Sidwell has an 80% chance of not playing, after a hernia operation.
Paul Lambert delivered some positive injury news ahead of Norwichโs game with Arsenal. Both Russell Martin and Bradley Johnson has recovered from knocks and are available for selection, while centre-halves Zak Whitbread and Daniel Ayala are both back in training.
