Scout Scribbles – Gomis Setback for Swansea

Bafetimbi Gomis is ruled out for a month for Swansea. City face an anxious wait over Vincent Kompany’s thigh scans, Bryan Oviedo and Peter Odemwingie step up their recoveries, whilst Enner Valencia could be fit in time for West Ham’s trip to City.

Gomis Blow for Swansea

Earlier this morning, Swansea confirmed that Bafetimbi Gomis is set to be missing for “around four weeks” with the hamstring injury sustained in the weekend home draw against Everton.

The Scout Says: Having scored four times in six prior to Saturday’s encounter, Gomis had welcomed the Toffees in his finest form of the season. The Frenchman lasted just 15 minutes before limping off and with Nelson Oliveira also missing out, Garry Monk was forced to turn to Marvin Emnes up top. The 4.9-priced Emnes provided the assist for Jonjo Shelvey’s late spot-kick leveler and, if Oliveira fails to recover, now looks in the driving seat to partner Wayne Routledge in the Swans’ front two as the short-term schedule smiles kindly. Monk’s men now face Leicester, Newcastle and Stoke before a tough looking final three matches (ars, MCI, cpl) sees the season out.

Oviedo targeting Black Cats visit for return

Roberto Martinez is optimistic that Bryan Oviedo can shake of his hamstring injury in time to make a return for Everton’s home tie against Sunderland in Gameweek 36. The Costa Rican defender returns to training this week and will undergo a two-to-three week fitness program before he’s back in contention:

”I expect him [Oviedo] to be training at the end of this week, so we are probably looking at two or three weeks before he is back – maybe the Sunderland game. It was a bad injury. The tendon got a bad tear. It wasn’t a pull in the belly of the muscle, it was a tear right on the tendon, really high up.”

The Scout Says: With Leighton Baines holding a firm grip on the Toffees left-back berth, Oviedo looks unlikely to forge a way back into Everton’s defence any time soon. Martinez has deployed the South American further up the field on occasion, though – notably, on the left flank in a 4-2-3-1 set-up against West Bromwich Albion in Gameweek 22. With four home fixtures (BUR, MUN, SUN, TOT) allied with trips to Villa and West Ham to finish the season, our faith in Everton’ defence is on the up and for those unable or unwilling to fork out on the costly Baines and Seamus Coleman, the 5.2-priced John Stones has started 11 of the last 12 and offers a cheap route into a backline with four shut-outs in the last five in front of their own fans.

Valencia expected to start Sky Blues clash

West Ham United are hopeful that Enner Valencia will be passed fit for their visit to Manchester City on Sunday, after the Ecuadorian sustained a foot injury in last Gameweek’s stalemate with Stoke.

The Scout Says: Diafra Sakho – who also picked up a knock in the Potters clash – has been ruled out of the Sky Blues encounter, so positive news on the fitness of Valencia was imperative for Hammers boss Sam Allardyce. The London club have struggled to make an impact in the final third over the last ten Gameweeks, with only seven goals to their name in that period. Valencia’s recovery from a foot injury last week allowed Big Sam to roll out a front two but, unless he’s prepared to hand Carlton Cole a starting role, the Hammers seem likely to return to a lone striker system once again. Once this week’s trip to City is out of the way, the final five fixtures (qpr, BUR, avl, EVE, new) certainly offer the Hammers hope but with just two wins in their last 15, a lack of form and motivation may persuade many to look elsewhere.

Odemwingie steps up rehabilitation

Peter Odemwingie is set to return to full training today, having been sidelined for six months following the knee ligament damage he sustained in West Brom’s clash with Manchester City last August. In an interview with the club’s official site, Odemwingie revealed that he’s been playing in a few practice games as he steps up his rehabilitation:

”Tomorrow I will start with the group. It has been tough but the medical staff have been brilliant and helped me enormously. Hearing the fans sing my song and looking forward to seeing me playing again is brilliant; that feeling that somebody is waiting for you is fantastic. It’s been just over six months now but these injuries can be nine months, so I’m really happy that I’m back training. I played a few small-sided games last week and yesterday and tomorrow I’ll be back in the fold and hopefully I’ll be ready as soon as possible.”

The Scout Says: In the wake of such a serious injury, the Nigerian international will clearly be nursed back to full health and is unlikely he’ll find himself in the matchday squad before the Potters trip to Swansea City in Gameweek 35. Having tallied seven goals and two assists in 2084 minutes of pitch time last year, Odemwingie had thrived under Mark Hughes last season and, with Victor Moses likely to be sidelined for the remainder of the current campaign, his return hands the Potters a welcome boost. Stoke have four home fixtures in the final six, though with three of the visitors sitting in the top seven (SOU, TOT, LIV), it’s unlikely that many will be looking to the Staffordshire outfit at a time where double Gameweeks are the priority.

City sweating on Kompany scans

Manchester City are fearful that Vincent Kompany could be ruled out for the remainder of the season following the thigh injury he sustained attempting a tackle on Daley Blind during the Manchester derby.

The Scout Says: Initial reports suggest the Belgian defender is set for a four-week spell on the sidelines, which would render him unavailable for the champions next five fixtures (WHU, AVL, tot, QPR, swa) and place question marks over his match fitness for the Gameweek 38 home clash with Southampton. In Kompany’s possible absence, City would be left somewhat short at the back; although Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis are the natural centre-back pairing in his stead, fourth-choice Dedryck Boyata is suffering from a knee complaint which leaves them light on the bench. City have racked up three successive clean sheets at the Etihad and have four home fixtures (WHM, AVL, QPR, SOU) to extend that streak, with Gael Clichy, at 5.4, looking the most budget-friendly option for those willing to bank on Manuel Pellegrini’s backline.