By Barry Robson
Fresh from a well deserved break in Spain Barry Robson is back in Blighty to cast his eye over the weekend’s football fixture list. Get the best advice from Pro Punter Barry Robson. It promises to be another thriller, but will we see another ten goal thriller? You can see part one of Barry’s Preview here.
Blackburn v Stoke
Stoke captain Abdoulaye Faye says he will not be upset if he drops to the bench for the Potters’ clash with Blackburn on Saturday. The Senegal centre-back has been a regular in the heart of Tony Pulis’ back-four this season but had to miss Sunday’s 1-0 win over Portsmouth after being sent off against Hull.
Robert Huth moved into the centre to partner stand-in skipper Ryan Shawcross as Faye watched from the stands, with Andy Wilkinson deputising at right-back. After an impressive performance, Wilkinson has been touted to keep his place in the side with Huth staying at centre-back when Pulis’ side travel to Ewood Park. And Faye insists he will gladly give up his starting role if the back-four continue to produce the type of performance that earned them a clean sheet against Pompey.
Blackburn Rovers assistant manager Neil McDonald rued poor defending following the 3-0 defeat by Fulham at Craven Cottage. McDonald, standing in for Sam Allardyce as the manager awaits heart surgery, saw Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey score twice in the second half after Erik Nevland’s opener just before the break. Rovers had enjoyed the better of the first period and McDonald expressed his disappointment at the quality of defending for Dempsey’s two goals. He told Sky Sports:
“You can dominate as much as you want, but if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net… They had one chance in the first half and stuck it in the back of the net, and that’s put their tails up and makes us feel a little bit sorry. We went in at half-time and said that we’ve conceded a bad goal, but keep to the gameplan and try and get back into it. The players certainly tried to do that, but in the end we chased it a little bit and that’s why they scored the two goals. But we’re still very disappointed with the defending for the two goals in the second half.”
McDonald confirmed he had spoken to Allardyce in the build-up to the game as the Rovers boss awaits surgery to widen an artery. He added:
“I spoke to him this morning and he sounds really good. No doubt he will be in a disappointed mood because we’ve lost. I’ll speak to him and I’ll tell him there was a chance to take something from the game. We wanted to take something from the game, but we haven’t got it.”
Result: Score draw First Scorer: James Beattie
Stoke will draw says Barry
West Ham v Burnley
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola insists his players are not being distracted by speculation surrounding the club’s financial position. The Hammers have found themselves under the spotlight due to the club’s owners’ problems after Icelandic bank Landsbanki went into receivership. The club will learn more about their fate next month when an Icelandic court decides whether to grant the owners time to settle debts. It is feared West Ham may be forced to cash-in on some of their top stars to ease their debts, but Zola is adamant the players are focused on getting results to help climb away from trouble at the wrong end of the table.
“The speculation has not unsettled the camp. I’ve been a player and know that when you go out and play, you are totally focused on that,” noted Zola. I know the players here really care about the club. They know we are doing something they like and they are committed.”
West Ham have endured a disappointing campaign to date, winning just two Premier League games, and Zola is puzzled as to why they have struggled so badly this term.
“I don’t know the exact reasons why it’s not happening but we are training well,” added Zola. Sometimes you do everything correctly and you lose and then maybe all of a sudden, you don’t play as well and you start winning.”
Menwhile Burnley have landed Cork City defender Kevin Long for an undisclosed six-figure fee on a three-and-a-half-year deal. Long will link up with the Premier League new boys in January when the transfer window reopens for business. The 19-year-old has been on the Clarets’ radar for some time and it is thought they have beaten off competition from elsewhere to land him. Long only broke into Cork’s first XI this season having progressed through their youth system.
Although he made only three appearances as Cork finished third, he did enough to receive his first call-up into Republic of Ireland’s Under 21 squad. Clarets boss Owen Coyle is confident he has landed a player of considerable potential.
“We are delighted to have signed Kevin and beaten off stiff competition from north and south of the border for his services,” he told the club’s official website. He has got everything you want in that type of player and I would like to thank Cork’s chairman Tom Coughlan for his courtesy and professionalism during negotiations.”
Result: Score Draw first Scorer: David Nugent
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