Two-Gamers

With Carson (@Wolves) enabling.

Thoughts from the crowd?

Ebanks-Blake doubt for Wolves

Ebanks-Blake doubt for Wolves - Yahoo! Eurosport

Wolves striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is a major doubt for the Barclays Premier League derby with Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

Ebanks-Blake suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury after appearing as a substitute during the weekend home draw with Fulham, after initially suffering the injury in the previous game against Everton when he came off at half-time.

How many of you went with SEB? I'm too gun-shy when it comes to injury doubts so I stayed clear. Looks like it may work out for me this time. Maybe.

The Forgotten Two-Gamers

Of course I mean Birmingham City. With Arsenal and Chelsea the marquee teams playing two this game week, it's easy to overlook the "other" Blues. But they have a good home match against Sunderland at the weekend before travelling to a less than rampart Chelsea.  It's at least worth a closer look at their squad as there may be some bargains - and some pitfalls - from the Second City Players.

Fulop makes Man City switch

Once more into the breach!

Manchester City have signed up Hungarian international Marton Fulop on loan from Premier League rivals Sunderland to resolve a goalkeeping crisis threatening their bid for a Champions League qualifying place.

The 26-year-old joined up with his new, short-term team-mates at training on Wednesday after the deal was finalised...

"I'm ready to play, if I'm selected. I came here to do a job and I'm confident that I can do that. I feel good, and we need a win to get that fourth-place spot, which is so important for the club...

The Hungarian is expected to play against Aston Villa at home on Saturday. City have three games remaining and are sixth in the league, a point behind fourth-placed Tottenham and Villa and one ahead of Liverpool.

And thus we double the number of double-match keepers for a buck... well, Begovic for a buck and Fülop for a buck-sixty. Choose wisely.

Oh, and don't search Y! for "Fulop" as the umlaut doesn't register as a "u". Search for Sunderland keepers.

Cruel Irony

Or maybe just lousy timing.

Shawcross won't be rushed, Thursday, April 15, 2010

Meanwhile, Pulis has hinted that Asmir Begovic will be making his debut in goal for Stoke before the end of the season.

Begovic, who could have been Portsmouth's FA Cup final goalkeeper had he not left for Stoke in January, is likely to be blooded in the final few fixtures.

"He's been fantastic in training and it would be nice to give him an opportunity," said Pulis.

It would also give Thomas Sorensen a break ahead of this summer's World Cup assignment with Denmark. The Dane's warm-up begins with a pre-tournament friendly in Copenhagen against a Senegal side that could include club captain Abdoulaye Faye.

Further news, from whydelilah.co.uk:

"[Begovic]'s going to get some games now," Pulis added, "and hopefully the people in front of him will work a bit harder and make it more difficult for teams to play against us."

Steve Simonsen will take up residence on the bench against Everton next Saturday after already returning from a seven-match loan spell at Sheffield United.

Skipper Abdoulaye Faye is also struggling with a leg injury, but Stoke had the consolation of seeing Ryan Shawcross return for his first game since being sidelined by suspension and injury in late February.