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Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:43 amby cityPinoy_fc
Roberto Mancini’s options for tomorrow night’s game against Bolton have been boosted by the return to fitness of Joleon Lescott and Roque Santa Cruz.
And there is more good news with Belgian international Vincent Kompany’s thigh injury not as bad as first feared.
He trained yesterday and while still a doubt for the visit of Wanderers could well be back in contention for the FA Cup tie with Stoke on Saturday night.
England defender Lescott travelled to Hull at the weekend with the squad but was confined to a pre-match workout on the pitch before the match.
Ironically, he hasn’t featured since injuring his knee in the 3-3 draw with Bolton at the Reebok Stadium almost two months ago. Santa Cruz has missed the last five league and cup games thanks to a calf strain.
Wayne Bridge is expected to be fine for the visit of Owen Coyle’s side despite having stitches in a head wound picked up in the defeat at the KC Stadium and fellow defender Micah Richards hopes to have shaken off a calf problem that has kept him out of the last two games against Pompey and Hull.
After Arsenal, Villa and Spurs all dropped points over a weekend when Liverpool were the big winners in the race for a top four spot, Mancini accepts that tomorrow’s game is vital.
“We must play for ninety minutes and not begin slowly as we did at Hull,” he urged.
“Bolton will come and try to pressure us in the same way, they are fighting hard too like Hull.
“I thought in the second half at the KC Stadium we played well and we had three or four chances to make it 2-2 but we didn’t. We must be more clinical and focussed from the start.”
good news more options now.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:45 amby Ted Hughes
Good timing & good news, I was just mentioning those two on another thread.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:47 amby sandman
Good to see Lescott back
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:44 pmby Vhero
sandman wrote:Good to see Lescott back
We should really do a poll on this and see how many people are happy that he will probably be playing tommorow.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:53 pmby Mase
Imo Lescott is a quality player. But him and Toure didn't look like they were ever going to work. Do they even talk to each other? Toure is supposed to be captain but it seemed as though they were complete strangers that only just met 2 minutes before every match. I can definitely see Vinnie and Lescott being a good partnership but I don't think Toure will get dropped personally.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:57 pmby Beeks
Feel sorry for Lescott...he was just starting to settle in and start proving his undoubted ability when he got this injury
He is a talent and will be a great player for us I have no doubt.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:07 pmby btajim
Vhero wrote:sandman wrote:Good to see Lescott back
We should really do a poll on this and see how many people are happy that he will probably be playing tommorow.
Perhaps not alongside Toure - but I think Lescott was beginning to look like a promising Centre Half before he picked up his injury. I'm not confident with a pairing of Toure and Lescott.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:34 pmby john@staustell
The Paraguay papers are currently bereft of news about RSC from his dad or the national team doctor.
It was a real insane gamble playing him at Everton, bordering on the irresponsible, just after he pick up that calf injury. The Paraguay doctor said he needed a couple of weeks rest.
I know the Paraguay doctor is only interested in the world cup, whereas City are only interested - quite rightly - in what we can get out of him for the club this season. But starting him at Everton was desperation that backfired.
I still believe if we can get him on the field we have got goals, as he has already proved.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:42 pmby Douglas Higginbottom
Just reading that a pairing of Toure and Lescott wouldnt work! Is the reason that Toure is the weak link in that partnership or Lescott? I would agree with those who think that Lescott was just coming into good form and showing why he was in the England squad.
Maybe our best pairing , based on Vinnie's showing in January is Lescott and Vinnnie but I have a feeling Mancini likes Toure.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 2:53 pmby ant london
Great news in terms of both players
I actually rate both of them quite highly on the basis of what I've seen so far.
Lescott was looking quality when he was injured and I've seen enough from Roque to convince me that he has something to contribute to our attacking play. Specifically one good thing about him (when used in conjunction with Tevez, Adebayor or Bellamy) is the fact that much of his movement is very advanced and the parts of his game that the othes don't show as much is about taking the ball, shielding, laying off and being a fulcrum around which others can move
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:02 pmby Bingo Lewis
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Just reading that a pairing of Toure and Lescott wouldnt work! Is the reason that Toure is the weak link in that partnership or Lescott? I would agree with those who think that Lescott was just coming into good form and showing why he was in the England squad.
Maybe our best pairing , based on Vinnie's showing in January is Lescott and Vinnnie but I have a feeling Mancini likes Toure.
agreed on all parts mate. Kompo------Lescott should be first choice, and with Kolo breathing down their necks for their place then I reckon mistakes will be very uncommon.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:12 pmby Wooders
I am definately a Kompo - Lescott man
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:20 pmby Mark (Blue Army)
Good news having Lescott and Roque back hopefully Kompany will be ok aswell.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:37 pmby Bingo Lewis
Wooders wrote:I am definately a Kompo - Lescott man
That's a fatal 3 way if there ever was one.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:40 pmby Kladze
Wooders wrote:I am definately a Kompo - Lescott man
Can we throw Foggy in to that mix? ;-)
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:26 pmby Vhero
I think we should just keep RSC on the bench and not risk him anymore and sell him on come summer. One more mid game injury like that and I think he will become not only useless to us but unsellable if we do get top 4 and need to get a better striker in.
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:40 pmby Wooders
where do you get your ideas from vhero ?
Re: Lescott and Santa boost for blues
Posted:
Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:24 pmby aaron bond
Vhero wrote:I think we should just keep RSC on the bench and not risk him anymore and sell him on come summer. One more mid game injury like that and I think he will become not only useless to us but unsellable if we do get top 4 and need to get a better striker in.
I agree. Don't play him at all and hope we can get £500k for him in the summer.
Saying that, the sack of shit will probably get injured somehow even if he doesn't play.
Never mind, he only cost £17m.