Karl Darlow will have to wait for the chance to impress in the first team again after being ruled out of the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Watford. Darlow has been out for almost three months with an elbow injury but despite returning to training he is unlikely to be involved against the Hornets. Rafa Benitez will also be without Mo Diame, Paul Dummett, Jonjo Shelvey and Ki for the meeting with Javi Gracia's side this weekend. "We have some senior players coming back like Kenedy and Fernandez which means Jamie Sterry and Cal Roberts aren't in the squad. "In the last game we had players (Kenedy and Fernandez) out with a virus. "So now we are a little stronger." But will first-team regulars such as Shelvey and Dummett be back soon? Benitez said: "They're getting closer. Sometimes if there are a couple of training sessions and they feel well they can get back in the team. They are very close. But you never know so we will have to wait."
Yeah not sure that's the right call dropping the younger lads, almost certainly means Yedlin and Manquillo are playing also Ritchie if Roberts isn't in the squad and that's our 3 fit "fullbacks" at present likely to start in the cup? I guess Rafa can't win - don't put out a strong team and people will moan he's resting players for an inevitable defeat to Citeh on Tuesday and if he put's out a strong team and loses to City people will moan that we should have rested players. Happy for us to have a decent crack at Watford but I'd rather try and snatch a point off City on Tuesday tbh.
I can’t see the problem. He’s put out a first team, a strong team. The younguns did ok but we need our senior players to get some feel good. A win and good home draw in next round would prob do that. Pleased with that. Now just approach the game with the attitude of the home game to Man U last season.
I hope we crash out. If we do well ink the cup the Fat Man will be happy and think all is well. If I were Rafa i’d play the kids. Send another message to the fat ****.
well I have managed to hang on to life in this world, still far from 100% fit though but I'm off to the match now, luckly I have only a short walk to the ground from my office so Crone, you can stand down now
i don't get this at all. Why bother playing ****ing Joselu in this one, to "save" Rondon for the inevitable defeat to Man City?? Looks like an all too predictable whinge-fest at 5pm, followed by a lot of criticism of Rafa for picking a pretty **** team full of under-performing wastes of space (Murphy? Really?). And once Man City walk over the first team midweek, I don't think I'll be alone in asking what was the ****ing point in deliberately losing an FA Cup match to prepare to lose our next two with a better team.
I think that's about as good as we can ask for tbh - Dubravka, Yedlin, Rondon, Perez, Atsu, Lejuene, Schar all rested but on the bench if needed - and we still have a decent back 3, our only 2 fit CM's and LB in the team. Kenedy coming back in - hopefully knows he needs to up his game coming into the second half of the season. really means Woodman is our Cup keeper and Manquillo, Murphy and Joselu are getting a run out. 4/11 spaces filled with square pegs for round holes isn't bad. Crazy that entire 16 (probably the best we could put out today) barely costs as much as Virgil Van Dyke
I think with Jackie Sinclair being fit again we should have the edge. I agree with Pop Robson getting a couple, but only if big Wyn Davies plays to knock down Sinclair's crosses for him.
