Injuries

[jwarry]

What's the news on Cole?

[simon ward 50]

He has been re-named Fernandez-Versini!

[tom jennings III]

The official AVFC Twitter feed is saying we're hoping to have Delph/Vlaar back in contention for the Baggies game and Clevers will be fitness tested on his foot before being declared fit.

[dave.woodhall]

At the moment I'd have Vlaar no more than fourth choice, which was unthinkable in August.

[Dave]

That's good. As long as Delph is back for the ManYoo game when we definitely won't have Cleverley that's the main thing.

[tom jennings III]

Yeah I wasn't expecting Delph fit again pre-Xmas so either of these two games would be a bonus, you're right though, especially when TC is out.

[PaulWinch again]

At the moment I'd have Vlaar no more than fourth choice, which was unthinkable in August.

Yep Okore has to start for me and Clark has earned his place.

[paul_e]

At the moment I'd have Vlaar no more than fourth choice, which was unthinkable in August.

Yep Okore has to start for me and Clark has earned his place.

For me you shouldn't have first, etc choice defenders as such, at least not ones that are guaranteed to come straight back in.  More so than midfield and attack the defence is about building a coherent unit, and if that happens to include players who on paper aren't so high on the pecking order then so be it.  In that respect the current back 4 should stay together for now until one of them deserves to be left out.

[RussellC]

At the moment I'd have Vlaar no more than fourth choice, which was unthinkable in August.

Yep Okore has to start for me and Clark has earned his place.

For me you shouldn't have first, etc choice defenders as such, at least not ones that are guaranteed to come straight back in.  More so than midfield and attack the defence is about building a coherent unit, and if that happens to include players who on paper aren't so high on the pecking order then so be it.  In that respect the current back 4 should stay together for now until one of them deserves to be left out.

We should hopefully soon be in a position where we can adopt a 'horses for courses' approach with our Centre-backs. For example, I'm more than happy to leave Okore and Clark in the side for the next few games, but the next time we come up against a Crouch/Carroll type striker I think we need to be looking to use 2 of Senderos, Vlaar and Baker.

[dave.woodhall]

At the moment I'd have Vlaar no more than fourth choice, which was unthinkable in August.

Yep Okore has to start for me and Clark has earned his place.

For me you shouldn't have first, etc choice defenders as such, at least not ones that are guaranteed to come straight back in.  More so than midfield and attack the defence is about building a coherent unit, and if that happens to include players who on paper aren't so high on the pecking order then so be it.  In that respect the current back 4 should stay together for now until one of them deserves to be left out.

Absolutely.