Hello Yuri?



Broken ankle rules Ashley Cole out for three months - Barclays Premier League - ESPN Soccernet

Well, it would appear that ACole is out for the rest of the season with a broken ankle.  Looks like Yuri Zhirkov will be a regular starter for Chelsea.  He won't get any clean sheet points since he's listed as a midfielder but he'll likely be worth a punt if you need an inexpensive midfielder. 

The article also starts the speculation about ACole's World Cup spot which might now revert to JT's good buddy Wayne Bridge who is really the only other specialist left back even remotely in contention.  Lescott seems to be the next in line after Bridge with Warnock and Baines also in the picture.  None of the above makes you feel better about England's chances, do they?

Anyone want to bet that we'll see some more stories about wacky remedies as England pray for ACole to be back in time to get some level of form back.

Cheers - Neal

24 comments:

  1. ToffeeDave11:11 PM

    Wow do I really disagree with your statement about fill-in left-backs.
    1)Lescott is not a left back nor has he been playing regularly at all. I have no clue as to how you could have came up with that.
    2) Warnock is a regular in the best defence in the PL
    3)Baines is also a regular and is one of the best replacement for Acole who is both defenively sound, yet a great attacking option...

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  2. Anonymous11:17 PM

    bosingwa will be back, u think yuri will get a chance if ancelloti decide to shuffle aorund?

    k

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  3. RE: ToffeeDave
    Lescott has played left back at Everton

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  4. i'd take baines or warnock before bridge, or maybe at least baines before bridge except after warn.. i before e except after c

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  5. Ilan (competing with 4 strikers) or Park (most probably will start as Nani suspended and no other wingers) ?

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  6. Anonymous4:48 AM

    Nando likely to be back against City, Pool on the charge from here on.

    YNWA

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  7. ToffeeDave didn't say Lescott hadn't played left back, he said that he IS NOT a left back, but of course he has filled gaps previously at Everton.

    But for the here and now, Lescott wasn't playing well for City and then has had a series of injuries. And let's be honest, he was never worth all that cash.

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  8. If Terry plays like he did against Everton, England will have serious trouble at the back.

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  9. I just tore my team apart and came up with one that I'm pretty satisfied with...

    James
    Bale/Vidic/Evra
    Milner/Etherington/Valencia/Fabregas/Park
    C.Cole/Bendtner

    Only confusion I have is should I go for Agbonlahor instead of Milner? What do you guys think? I still have something like 2.xx so it's a posibility.

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  10. So the real news this weekend comes from my hometown Southampton! A now resident of the Philadelphia area, you can imagine my delight when I checked FSC's schedule this weekend! Saints vs Pompey - a huuuuuge derby match..NONE BIGGER (well maybe but not many). Fierce rivalry between fans, Portsmouth's current plight, and Southampton's financial resurgence are all sure to add spice to an already hot tempered affair. As a measure of this temper, Southampton's pub's and a lot of stores have closed for Saturday in fear of hooligans! Man I wish I was home! Oh well, I'll settle for 7.30am in front of my telly watching it on FSC! Wish me luck! Woohoo!

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  11. @11:17 Bosingwa is exclusively a right back. When he is healthy he will be battling Ivanovic for that spot. Ivanovic can play both sides but he's still a right sided player. The cupboard is kind of bare at left back so Chelsea really need Zhirkov to be the answer. He's pretty much a guarantee to play there unless he's awful and they have to start trying others there.

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  12. Nick - That's not entirely correct...remember the Champions League Semi between Barca and Chelsea, Bosingwa was used as a left back and it worked out for them...Bosingwa shut down Messi, so I do believe there's a possibility there.

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  13. Anonymous5:16 PM

    how likely is evans in defence? can't afford rooney, so cole up front...

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  14. Anonymous5:34 PM

    opinion needed

    drog / adam johnson / zhirkov

    or

    evra / gabby / rosicky (or zhirkov)

    i have rooney and valencia already

    thx in advance

    FUNG

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  15. Not to sure about my team but here it is
    James
    Verm/Bale/Hutton
    Eth/Valencia/Carrick/Fletcher
    Rooney/Drogs/ilan

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  16. Anon... Drog is a must its points in the bag. He is having close to his best season in years. Johnson has just been likened to Giggs by Mancini, he is likely to have the left wing role whilst bellamy is gone. He is also cup tied and will play in the EPL.
    Re: Jerkoff won't get you many points but will play... but so would most hull midfielders...

    I personally want to start putting points into quality defenders... i feel teams are gonna start closing shop and not attacking as much. The points usually become more valuable this time of year especialyy seeing how tight things are up at the top and the bottom.

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  17. Etherington was just taken off on a stretcher at the FA cup...

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  18. @Saul You're totally right. I guess I've blocked that whole thing from my memory lol. I'm a Chelsea fan and that Iniesta goal totally broke my spirit for most of the summer.

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  19. Rafe633:40 AM

    any thoughts on how long etherington will be out for?

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  20. Anonymous4:02 AM

    etherington will be ok for tuesday :)

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  21. Anonymous6:03 AM

    here is my gw27 team:
    sorensen
    dunne hangeland dawson
    cahill fabregas milner lampard diaby
    tevez agbonlahor(c)

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  22. Looks like Defoe has been taken off PK duty for Spurs. THudd took the kick in the FA cup tie @ Bolton and missed. Modric has to be the next logical choice?

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  23. Anonymous11:22 AM

    Seems Tevez is out for midweek match.

    - Brian

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  24. Anonymous11:07 PM

    baines for england call-up!

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