With VDV fit again,should we just play him???

As VDV is ready to play again is it a good idea to just put him back in the team or do we let Ade/ Defoe start what could be a very good partnership?Or can we fit VDV in with Ade/Defoe infront of him?

 

I get the feeling we'll play him off Adebayor against Liverpool - and wince when he inevitibly gets stretchered off in the first half because we rushed him back into the team.

 

I think that we should leave him on the bench for this game and go with the side that won against Wolves.
He's not fully fit and there's no point in rushing him back.

If it's not going well, then we can always bring him on in the second half, in all likelyhood as a replacement for Kranjcar.
That could still happen if we're winning too, I guess.

 

I'm hoping he starts from the bench, gets say 20 minutes under his belt in the second half and then push for a start the following game. Rushing him back will just increase the chances of another injury in my opinion.

 

I agree but we all know what VDV is like,i just hope he can handle not being the automatic choice.

 

I don't think that we'll find out, Pat.
Redknapp will start him if he's even close to being fit, in my opinion.
He may not have risked him normally, but after van der Vaart's comments about being left out of the Europa League squad, I think he'll be straight back in.

 

That's one of the main factors that undermined us last season, rushing the likes of Defoe, VDV and Huddlestone back from injury instead of giving them an extra couple of weeks in training to get their sharpness back.

Obviously, somebody has to mention playing 75 minutes wuith GDS in the hole before bringing VDV on...

 

Let's see how he does today first, Croydon.
Falque plays that role too, apparently.

 

Falque is not ready for the PL yet, and Gio, I don't think this league will ever suit him, just wants too much time. He'll be a good player elsewhere no doubt. As for VdV, it won't surprise me to see him paired with Ade, JD missing out, we should go 442 at home and leave VdV out as previously mentioned, can't see it though.

 

If VDV is properly fit, of course he plays, he's a brilliant player. If there's any doubts about VDV's fitness, then no.

But for me, VDV is deffo in our 'best XI', though I agree such concepts are nebulous to say the least in the face of our grim injury-ridden reality.

VDV or JD, no contest, VDV every time.

 

At the end of the day, it will be how he trains this week which none of us will witness, if there's any sign of 'not healed' fully, it'll show up there.

 

I would stick with the Wolves team with VDV replacement Niko if he is going to play. I think Defoe and Ade can prove to be quite a good partnership given a stretch of games together. VDV coming in and out disrupts our forward line as much as our injuries disrupt our back line

 

I'm with superal on that, IF VDV is to start the game, I'd have him replace Niko and not JD, although I think Niko's been great, VDV has more of a goal threat. Would also be interesting to actually see VDV play in the same team as two strikers. Don't think it was done much last season, if at all.
Though as I said in my previous post, just for precautions sake, even if he's declared fully fit, I'd ease VDV back in to the team and bring him on at the 60/70 minute mark. Then start him for the next league game.

 

VDV is rubbish without Crouch ;-)

.... I'll get my coat.

 

There is always a bright spot on the horizon and the fact that Harry cannot pick Crouch is a very bright spot.

 

The obvious irony is that as soon as Crouch left we reverted to a 4-4-2.