Harry Redknapp reveals he’ll continue to protect Rafael Van der Vaart’s problematic hamstring. Phil Jones admits he’s happy to play anywhere for Man United, while Robin Van Persie is rested for Arsenal’s trip to Olympiacos this week.
Harry Redknapp has given Fantasy managers plenty to ponder after admitting he will continue to be cautious over the Dutchman’s ongoing hamstring problem. Van der Vaart was handed a late second half sub role in the 3-0 win over Bolton, with Jermain Defoe vindicating his manager’s decision with a goal and assist in the stroll. With a busy upcoming Christmas schedule on the cards, Redknapp revealed Defoe’s form made the decision a less-difficult one than anticipated:
He’s disappointed, obviously, but he took it okay. It was a hard decision. I just felt the little man (Defoe) is on fire so I stuck with him. I like Rafa, he’s a great player, a good pro, but he keeps getting hamstrings. You’ve just got to be careful he doesn’t tear it and we lose him for six weeks.
Arsene Wenger gave Robin Van Persie’s Fantasy owners a boost this afternoon after omitting his skipper from the Champions League trip to Olympiacos. With the Gunners already through as group winners, Wenger can afford to rest and rotate ahead of the weekend league game against Everton. Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Mikel Arteta were also amongst the names left behind.
Having missed the previous week’s home clash with Newcastle, Phil Jones came straight back into the Man United starting lineup at Aston Villa with a bang, scoring the game’s only goal. Jones’ versatility is making him a major Fantasy asset so far this season, with the Newcastle game his only league absence and the player admits he doesn’t mind where Sir Alex Ferguson fields him at the moment:
I enjoy playing anywhere. I enjoy playing football, so wherever I am asked to play I will play. If the manager asks me to play right-back, centre-back or midfield, I will go and do a job there. I don’t think it really matters at the moment that I am cementing a spot in a certain position because I am still young. Hopefully as my career progresses that will happen.
Man City coach David Platt reckons the new summer additions mean it’s impossible for the side to produce the same type of defensive displays they have managed in the past. City have failed to return a clean sheet in seven successive league games now- compare that to last season, when Joe Hart picked up the Golden Gloves award for 18 clean sheets. Platt admits it’s no longer in their makeup to do so:
When we beat Spurs at White Hart Lane and United went out and put eight past Arsenal, Roberto told the players that we can’t take our foot off the pedal. We should go on and keep scoring. Last year we did not have the characteristics of the players that we do now. What Roberto has done this year is that he has gone on and added to it with Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri. Edin Dzeko also came in during January. We have got the type of players on the field which mean we cannot actually play defensively because of the characteristics of the players. We don’t really have a choice.
Alan Pardew is hoping to accelerate Mike Williamson’s return to action due to the number of injuries currently affecting the Newcastle defence. With Steven Taylor possibly out for the season and Fabricio Coloccini suffering from a thigh problem, Pardew confirmed that James Perch will start at Norwich this weekend as he looks to patch up his threadbare back-four, but admitted Williamson is not yet ready to return to the first-team fray just yet:
He’s going to need a lot of work on the training ground to get himself up to speed, but we might have to accelerate that. He’s not that close – he’s definitely not playing at Norwich, or maybe the one after that. We’re going to have to see if we can speed him up a bit.
Alex McLeish has called for Charles N’Zogbia to step up in performance after fining and dropping the player for a breach of club discipline at the weekend. N’Zogbia failed to report for treatment in the lead up to Saturday’s home game with Man United and Big Eck admits he need an improvement from the former Latics winger, with Villa recording a single win in their last seven fixtures:
He has to take it on the chin and show us the great player he can be. There are no grudges. I just want to see the boy go to another level. I think he can improve on what he has done before. We are looking to guys like Charles to come to the fore. Charles has got to be receptive and realise I want to help him and every single player at this club because we need all the help we can get.
Roy Hodgson kept with his recent 4-4-1-1 formation for the trip to QPR, despite the loss of Zoltan Gera. Graham Dorrans stepped into the role “in the hole”, tucking in behind Shane Long for the Loftus Road encounter and has designs on keeping his place in the Baggies first XI ahead of this weekend’s home clash with Wigan.
Wolves’ win over Sunderland saw Mick McCarthy revert to a 4-4-2 once again, with Jamie O’Hara moving back into a central midfield role. Steven Fletcher and Kevin Doyle led the line and although O’Hara picked up a somewhat contentious assist, his attacking threat was once again reduced from a less-advanced position. With home games against Stoke and Norwich to follow next weekend’s trip to Old Trafford, O’Hara’s Fantasy owners will be desperate for a change of heart from Big Mick.
Robert Huth returned to the centre of defence for only the third time this season and reminded Tony Pulis of his potential at both ends of the pitch. Pulis has mainly fielded the German at right-back this term but picked Jonathan Woodgate at full-back for the trip to Everton, moving Huth back into the heart of the back-four. Huth’s match-winner at Goodison, combined with Stoke’s first clean sheet since gameweek 8, will have given his manager plenty food for thought ahead of the upcoming home clash with Spurs. Pulis also revealed that Thomas Sorensen suffered only mild concussion after being taken from the field of play in the seventy-second minute.
Jose Bosingwa missed training today ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Valencia due to an adductor strain. The right-back has fallen out of favour and with Andre Villas-Boas’ side picking up 3 clean sheets in four league games since his omission from the first team, was unlikely to play anyway, with the London club requiring a goalless draw or win to ensure qualification for the knockout stages.
Owen Coyle has confirmed Bolton will appeal the red card that saw Gary Cahill depart the proceedings in the first half at Tottenham on Saturday. The decision of Stuart Attwell to dismiss the centre half left many baffled, with Cahill deemed to have denied Scott Parker a clear goalscoring opportunity despite the Spurs midfielder being more than forty yards from goal. Cahill will currently miss the weekend clash against Aston Villa but his manager is confident the FA will overturn a decision he described as “bemusing”.
