WE do SF, but we also need our senior players fit and available, and it's a great boost to our squad if we can get a fit SP and Gallas back.
There's plenty of players Chelsea have wanted to sign, but didn't - Alexis Sanchez, Mario Gomez, Andy Carroll and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are among the list...as were Andrei Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo, as it appeared they signed their imposters.
Billy G couldn't have timed his comeback any better, I doubt he'd be fit to start for the next couple of league games but having him on the bench ready to come on if needed is great. Pienaar.. Meh, you know my feelings mate but having an extra lad to choose from is certainly not a bad thing. What's the odds for Pienaar to come off the bench on Sunday and hit the winner in the 90th minute?
Yep, I know your feelings re Pienaar SOS, and as you know I don't share them So I am really pleased IF he is back to near full fitness and I then expect him to give the team we send to Russia a much needed boost by being a part of it. While I expect us to lose over there, getting hammered won't make nice viewing, and probably won't help the youngsters' development who will be playing. A team that included Corluka Pav SP GDS Gomes Livermore would have a strong spine to it, and could make a game of it over there.
Pav certainly picked a good time to say Britain is better than Russia! Should guarantee a warm welcome.
Pessimist! I think if we played a counter attacking game we could well get a hard fought draw and who knows possibly even nick it. Rubin play nice football don't get me wrong but they seemed to look like the us of last season - no cutting edge in the final third. If Charlie and Gio could get fit that'd be good, if Gallas can get some minutes against QPR he should be able to play Fulham from the off, otherwise I think I'd send him to Russia as I wouldn't want him starting a league game without any minutes under his belt. Gradually we're starting to get some heads back which is nice. There was a report last week saying Ledley could be fit for Fulham too which would be great.
Honestly, I don't understand a lot of the Pienaar hate - but there is one part of it that does make a lot of sense. It was clear to man, woman, beast and John Terry that the team needed somebody who was capable of both holding up the ball and burying any half chance that came their way, but we didn't bring on in despite a late scramble to try and bring someone in - so when our January shopping consisted of Pienaar and Khumalo, that did rile some fans. Of course, that's not Pienaar's fault, and it can be argued it's not the club's fault - the plan seemed to be to sell Keane and Bentley, and reinvest that money in whichever one of Rossi/Llorente/Forlan/Carroll we were actually bidding for. Just like you can't blame Pienaar for inheriting Jonathan Woodgate's repuitation of having the most easily-strained groin in non-porn history.
I don't hate Pienaar, nor blame him or anyone for the club being unable to bring in a top drawer striker at the time. I just think he's a poor (average at best) player from what I've seen, the fact he won POTY for Everton and had Chelsea interested in him gave me the impression he was a lot better than what he's performed thus far, even if it has been only a handful of appearances, its still been enough for me to decide he's not good enough, plus I feel that we have enough depth in the positions he plays in. Bale, Luka and Rafa occupy the three first team positions he plays in (LAM/ LW, CAM & RAM/ RW), he's not half the player of any of them, then we have Niko, Lennon, Carroll, Gio and Townsend who I'd happily play above him in their respected positions. The emergence of Carroll especially has really impressed me, at the start of the season I would never have expected him to become, in fairness, a key figure in our Europa League campaign and I'm more than happy for him to continue playing in the CAM role ahead of Pienaar to help aid his development and continue to impress. The thing with Pienaar is he got injured at the worst time too, pre-season injuries are the worst for any player, whether you were considered a first teamer or squad player the season before, add to the fact that we've had the impressive performances from youngsters, being 30 now, it would just make sense to me cut our losses and stick more faith in our youth lads in the hope that they develop into top players.
I think the term is realist But as I say if we could field the players I named, then we'll probably give them a good game. And regardless of anyone's posts on here, I think Pienaar is getting a rough deal from some Spurs fans, which makes sad and a little angry, Though nowhere near as angry as at the people suggesting that VDV needed to be dropped, which had been quite a common call on various Spurs sites and forums pre the Blackburn game.
Actually... My first is the bridge of awesome, beginning of the summit. My second is a friend in conversation, pipe of toilet's freedom. My third is string, both in music and in shop. My fourth is a team, and the first of all its peers. My fifth is sparrow's double, but is trebled in error.
