Arsenal await fitness tests on four midfielders this morning, with Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere among those causing concern. Lukas Fabianksi is out again for the Gunners, Michael Laudrup could draft Neil Taylor back into the Swansea squad this weekend, Alan Pardew reckons fatigue is hampering Yohan Cabaye’s form, John Ruddy could be fit for Norwich tomorrow, while Jay Rodriguez is fully recovered from the virus that forced him to the bench for Southampton last time out:
Arsene Wenger handed Fantasy managers cause for concern with yesterday’s injury update from the Emirates. The Arsenal boss revealed he has worries over a quartet of attacking options ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Fulham:
“In midfield we have a few people to check like Cazorla, Wilshere and Oxlade-Chamberlain. They will all have tests but I hope they should be alright. We have to test Rosicky who was not ready to start on Tuesday. There are a number of uncertainties about our squad but I will sort that out on Friday morning.”
In all likelihood, Fantasy managers will have a clearer picture this morning, with Wenger’s press conferences tending to be one of the first to do the rounds. Certainly, it leaves the Arsenal boss with plenty to ponder if all four all ruled out – Cazorla, Wilshere and Rosicky are the obvious candidates for the role in “the hole” behind Olivier Giroud, with Aaron Ramsey perhaps next in line if the trio are unavailable. While Theo Walcott owners will be confident of another start after he returned to the first XI against Everton in midweek, Cazorla would be set for significant sales if he fails to make it. The Spaniard has risen 0.9 in price over the last three Gameweeks as a result of the double and is owned by 28.9% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers (Walcott is next most popular with just 10%) –today’s news keenly awaited from both sides of north London, then, where a possible return for Gareth Bale would hand us an obvious midfield swap.
Wenger also admitted Lukas Fabianksi will remain on the sidelines with the rib problem that forced him out of the midweek draw with Everton. Wojciech Szczesny’s return against the Toffees earned his side a clean sheet and he now looks firmly in the driving seat again after Fabianski’s brief run of four back-to-back league appearances:
“Fabianski has a crack in his rib that has not moved, so we have to treat it clinically. That means has he pain or does he not? That is day by day….(Szczesny) had a good performance, I was pleased with his focus, with his sharpness. He dealt well with the situation that he faced. In our job there is only one way to respond, to practice harder and stronger and show that you are ready for a fight, that is what he did.”
Michael Laudrup has confirmed he plans to bring Neil Taylor back into the Swansea first-team squad before the season is out. Yesterday, the Dane revealed the left-back could even return for this weekend’s home game with Southampton:
“He played the whole game for the under-21s on Monday. I went to see him and he did well. This will be another level but we will see him before the end of the season, in part of a game or in squad. It could be this weekend or the next or another one because we still have six games to go.”
Out of action since Gameweek 3 with a broken ankle, Taylor has now turned out for the reserves on four occasions and is edging closer towards a first-team comeback – something of a concern for Ben Davies’ owners ahead of the Swans double Gameweek 36. With his side already safe, Laudrup has shown he’s not afraid to utilise his squad in recent matches; Angel Rangel has been omitted at right-back in each of the last two as the Swansea boss analyses his options ahead of next season, with European qualification already in the bag. Given the uncertainty over game time, many may avoid the Swansea full-backs altogether for the double, though with a single clean sheet in eight the Welsh club have hardly been resilient in recent matches.
Alan Pardew has spoken of his concern for Yohan Cabaye after Newcastle’s heavy home defeat by Sunderland. The Magpies boss blamed fatigue for the result and withdrew the Frenchman just after the hour mark – as his side attempt to bounce back at West Brom tomorrow, Pardew revealed:
“Cabaye is probably my biggest worry. The rest of them are really sound physically and mentally. But Cabaye is our best player in terms of intelligence on the pitch and he needs to play. That’s why he has played almost every minute.”
Prior to the Black Cats defeat, Cabaye’s home displays had been crucial for the Magpies. The playmaker had scored or assisted in four of their previous five at St James’ Park but with the club also embarking on a Europa League run all the way to the quarter-finals, the schedule seems to be taking its toll on the Newcastle playmaker. In spite of his fear, it’s unlikely Pardew will omit Cabaye from the starting line-up with the Magpies still firmly ensconced in the relegation battle and with three toad trips in the next four – if the club clinch survival, though, he could well decide to rest the player, given Cabaye’s admission earlier in the season that he suffered from depression and was struggling for form.
Chris Hughton rolled out an injury update yesterday which is likely to give Mark Bunn’s owners cause for concern. As Norwich prepare for the visit of basement-dwellers Reading, their manager admitted he has to “make a decision” on whether John Ruddy will return to the squad for the first time since recovering from a thigh injury back in Gameweek 13. Ruddy has built up his match fitness with a series of appearances for the reserves in recent weeks and with three home games (REA, STO, SOU) and a trip to Villa in the next four, the Canaries defence look primed for points. Bunn has accrued 5% ownership since replacing Ruddy but Hughton could be set to reinstall his first-choice stopper as he looks for the points that will help clinch top-flight survival.
Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed Luke Shaw, Jay Rodriguez and Jason Puncheon have all now fully recovered from the virus picked up prior to last weekend’s home clash with West Ham. Rodriguez was fit enough only for a brief sub role as the Saints’ three-match winning run came to an end but the former Burnley man is now expected to immediately return to the starting XI and having scored in each of his last three starts in a run that harvested 30 FPL points, he’ll be confident of further returns against a Swansea side that have conceded twice in each of their last four matches.
