I don't think we'll get third anyway, but without VDV for any large amount of time I can't see us getting 4th either. We got fourth before as City weren't the force they now are. Also besides being effective, VDV is my favourite player, so I'll be really sad if he's out even for a week, let alone a season. Sandro also went off with a possible injury for Brazil,, it's very worrying times again during the internationals.
Think it's a little early for doom mongering, no one knows the extent of these injuries, the fact that both walked off rather than being carried suggests that the injuries could be worse. We have a squad for a reason, and we are not a one man team, so there's no need to get too worried
Rubbish! We got 4th without VDV before now, and we can do it again. We are not a one-man team. My betting is that without VDV, Harry will be reminded of just how creative we are with Defoe poaching off the shoulder of the last defender, and with both our wide men being used to their full effect. We have been brain-washed into believing that we need VDV in order to win anything, when clearly that is hogwash. My believe, anyway, is that the only reason VDV plays every game he is fit is because there is a clause to that effect in his contract. Now that he is forced into not being able to play, Harry will be able to set the team up differently and get us playing how we played in the season we got 4th, before VDV joined. And as for City being a different team now, that may be true; but, by the same token, Arsenal is no longer the team that it once was. It's swings and roundabouts. Plus, I truly believe that Chelsea is there for the taking.
Neither one is going to score the sort of goals VDV does. I suppose it gives Harry the chance to tweak his team according to who the opposition is.
Unfortunately, both Arsenal & Chelsea are liable to buy heavily in Jan, if they are lagging us. They both have sufficient funds to do it, too!
What is the news on Kranjcar's injury? He is not listed on physioroom, but i'm told that is notoriously unreliable.
I think JD will start v Villa and he will want to put the bad memory of his ridiculous sending off from last season in the bin. So I expect a big game from him.
As we're at home and we're not playing either of the Manc clubs or Chelsea, I'd expect Defoe to come in, even if Sandro's fully fit or Kranjcar's recovered from whatever's wrong with him. I'd love to have the choice of all three available, though.
Fair comments WY, but VDV is irreplaceable from within our squad, and it would be a massive blow if he was out for any long period.
Why is that such a worry? Even if they do buy big, that does not mean that the new player(s) will settle in quickly enough to make any difference. Also, Arsenal simply don't buy big, so it would be unknown territory for them if they did, and it's more liable to destabalise them than improve them. Surely, it's much better to have a strong, settled squad? Which is exactly we have.
