The Injury Front
Michael Owen does it again. I guess it’s comforting Beye, Gutierrez and Martins are coming back…then again, maybe not. If Kinnear can stay calm about this, it will be the first sign of hell freezing over.
Arsenal lose William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, and Nicklas Bendtner. Thanks international duty. At least Diaby should get his first start of the season.
Chelsea’s list…too long to count. Should help Middlesbrough keep the Riverside hex on Chelsea tomorrow lunchtime. Wonder if Ballack’s feet will keep him out as long as his ankle did. You have to at least give Scolari credit for speaking the truth.
Fernando Torres out for at least Liverpool’s next three ties (Wigan, at Atletico Madrid and Chelsea). To hear my thoughts on Rafa’s comments, listen to the latest The Third Half.
Steven Reid…done for the rest of the season with a bad knee. Not good for Blackburn’s numbers.
Martin Petrov gets the international blues and will miss significant time with a knee injury.
Other Notes
Thanks Juande for saying the obvious.
Sorry Heskey, just because Liverpool may want you doesn’t mean it’s such a good idea.
If you’re to believe Rio Ferdinand, Berbatov did Rooney a whole world a good.
Congrats to Harry Redknapp, 25 years as a manager. Now the big question is can he get the 3-5-2 to work or will he scratch it altogether.
Martin Jol won’t take any pot shots at those at Tottenham. I guess if your side was top of the Bundesliga, you’d be a happy camper as well.
Does Mark Hughes believe in the curse of the England National Goalkeeper?
Columns To Go Home By
Tony Pulis talks to Teamtalk’s Mark Holmes
My favorite weekly column, Neil Warnock in The Independent.
My Predictions This Weekend
Middlesbrough 1 Chelsea 1 (Insurance game on IKTS)
Arsenal 2 Everton 1
Aston Villa 3 Portsmouth 1 (Banker game on IKTS)
Bolton 0 Blackburn 0
Fulham 1 Sunderland 1
Liverpool 2 Wigan Athletic 0
Manchester United 4 West Brom 1
Hull City 2 West Ham 1
Stoke City 0 Tottenham 1
Newcastle United 0 Manchester City 1
I’ll be doing this as I have the time.
