Etherington Boost For The Potters

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STOKE CITY have received a major boost ahead of their Europa League tie against FC Thun . . . with the news that winger Matthew Etherington should be available for the game in Switzerland after tests revealed no serious damage to his left arm.

Etherington was in the City squad that flew out of Manchester Airport today for Thursday's evening's away leg in the Play-Off tie after an X-ray revealed that he suffered nothing more than nerve damage in Sunday's match against Chelsea.

So you shouldn't have any worries about picking Eth against Norwich. Though, to be honest, his absence at the weekend would have been a real boost to Jermaine Pennant's value.

Season Preview - Stoke City

Quick Reminder, Real Life

Fortress at home, inept on the road. Slightly fewer wins than losses. Slightly fewer scored than allowed. By far the fewest goals allowed in the bottom half of the table (their 48 were 8 fewer than next closest Bolton). Lots of tall players and lots of bruising defending. Yup, it was a Stoke sort of season. Never really in danger of relegation but never really likely to do anything more than mid-table. Given that they’ve only been back up since 2007-08 it must be said that having solidified themselves in the top flight and not fretting over relegation is a big deal. With that goal achieved though, one wonders whether there is a next achievable goal along the path or if this is it. They are in the process of qualifying for the Europa League so maybe a protracted European campaign is the next thing they can treat their fans to. Hopefully, they can use it to catapult themselves into the top half rather than it becoming a distraction that sees them dip closer to the relegation zone in the league.

Quick Reminder, Fantasy

As usual at Stoke, there wasn’t an exceptional fantasy performer. There were, however, a few fairly solid performers between wings Etherington and Pennant, forward Jones, defender Huth, and keeper Begovic. The only downside to the season was that Pennant’s arrival and the typical injuries detracted a bit from Eth’s season. He took fewer kicks and the attack was focused down the left side of the field less because there was a second competent option for the first time in a while. Aside from the review of the regulars, Danny Higginbotham was excellent in limited duty. He managed two matches where he went over 20 points. Who would have guessed?

Summer Changes

Van Persie and Koscielny out of Stoke game

Van Persie and Koscielny out of Stoke game | News Archive | News | Arsenal.com

Robin van Persie and Laurent Koscielny will miss the crucial Premier League game with Stoke on Wednesday night.

The Dutch striker has a hamstring problem while the French defender is suffering from a back complaint. However both injuries are short-term and the pair may recover in time for the Carling Cup Final on Sunday.

Abou Diaby (calf) is injured but he is still suspended anyway.

Sad face for fantasy managers with Arsenal players in their line-ups... and this week that's a lot of us. I have Szczesny and van Persie so I'm light up front and vulnerable at the back. The only consolation, perhaps, is that I have Carew. So hopefully if Stoke do score it's through him.

And speaking of Stoke,

Matthew Etherington looks set to miss the Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium due to a fresh injury concern.

Etherington shook off a hamstring strain to play in Saturday's 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round win over Brighton, only to be taken off with a back injury understood to be linked to a defect in his jawline

.Can someone explain that one to me?

Season Preview: Stoke

Overall Outlook - By all rights, I should dislike Stoke as the logical successors to Big Sam's Bolton and Mark Hughes' Rovers as big, bruising purveyors of a direct and brutal brand of football but for some reason I find myself wishing them well in their push up the table.  Perhaps I like the fact that they have tried something a little different in using Rory Delap's throws as a serious weapon.  Perhaps I like the way they play tough football without it getting as dirty as Bolton and Rovers have been (or at least been perceived).  Perhaps it's because they clearly don't have an alternative way of surviving and yet other teams can't find a way to beat them at the only game they are capable of playing.  For whatever the reason, I find myself quietly and somewhat apologetically wishing Stoke good fortune.  With today's rumor that they will sign Kenwyne Jones - a player I like - that affection will only increase as will the likely fortunes of Stoke who badly need a striker capable of more than the 5 goals that led the team last season.  That Jones fits the rugged profile of the Stoke player is an even bigger bonus.  I have a hard time seeing them getting significantly better but they seem poised to stay firmly rooted in the middle of the table.

Etherington could return for Stoke

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has confirmed Matthew Etherington is in line for a shock return to the side for the FA Cup fifth-round replay against Manchester City at the Britannia Stadium.

Etherington was taken off on a stretcher in the initial tie 11 days ago amid fears he had suffered serious knee ligament damage.

But following a rapid recovery the winger will now be assessed over the next 24 hours and may undergo a late fitness test.

However, in less encouraging injury news:

Aaron Lennon has suffered a setback in his recovery from a groin problem, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed...

Redknapp, speaking ahead of Wednesday night's FA Cup fifth-round replay against Bolton, said: "He was close to getting fit, but has had a bit of a setback.

"Hopefully it should not put him back much from where he was, and he could still be fit in a couple of weeks."

I wouldn't bet on it. (Too soon?)

Matchday Open Thread

Mazel tov to Carlos Tevez and family on the birth of their baby girl. That's great news for him personally, and for fantasy managers it means a much more rapid return to Manchester City than was originally planned. He and Craig Bellamy could be available for the Liverpool match but will miss today's match at Stoke.

Two-match hero Matt Etherington - really, is there a player other than Stephen Hunt who steps up their game more in Y!fantasy football double-match weeks? - is out with a knee injury which will sideline him for a few weeks. Perhaps Liam Lawrence becomes a good pick-up for the weekend's trip to Portsmouth?

These multiple match weeks can be so frustrating!  Especially in a "week" like this one where you have FA Cup games before or between matches... there is so much can go wrong in terms of injuries, suspensions and squad rotation.  Who knew that Martin Petrov would be injured or that Tevez's wife was having a difficult pregnancy?  How could you predict that James McCarthy would go out with a hamstring strain or Etherington would do his knee 15minutes into the FA Cup match? 

However, persevere we must.  As always, consider this your midweek matchday open thread.